Question of the week [March 2-8]: What is your opinion of the Trump administration's involvement with Washington, D.C.’s three municipal golf courses currently being managed by National Links Trust?
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I think it is asinine that Trump has bulldozed his way into another of his ego projects and in doing so is limiting public golfers' access to high quality moderate cost golf opportunities. Trump used the power of his office to void a 50-year contract that had been negotiated in good faith and was proceeding as fast as it could given the administrative entanglements that slowed the process. Trump's takeover of D.C. public golf is an insult to the entire golf community and should be opposed by every major golf organization.
John Abercrombie
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
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I think Trump and his administration should keep their hands off of the management of the golf courses. There are more important things for this administration to be doing than interfering with a group of people who are doing a good job of taking care of the courses. If he wants to dabble in the golf business, he should do it with his own courses.
Bob Norris
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Does this administration really need to ruin local golf too? I lived in D.C. and played these courses many times. They are accessible, affordable and important community gathering places. The courses are historic community hubs, they were formally segregated and still have deep roots in the neighborhoods. How does "championship golf, suitable for Ryder Cup" play preserve any of this? It will price out the locals, remove important recreation opportunities in the urban setting and completely ignores this history.
Tom Klabunde
Tempe, Arizona
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Sorry to all the MAGATs out there, but doesn't he have enough on his plate without another ego-boosting naming opportunity? With all due respect, the municipal courses are public for a reason: to provide recreational space for people who can't afford $250-plus to play golf like private club members. In a perfect Trump World he would own everything and the rest of us would pay a fee to breathe.
Pete Croppo
Bayfield, Ontario
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As usual, it's all about him and nothing about providing affordable, quality golf for the residents of D.C. If he had any understanding and appreciation for the gift being given to the D.C. golf community by the National Links Trust, he'd be completely hands off. Redesigned courses by some of the best golf architects in the world at close to no cost and fundraising efforts led by Mike Keiser. Trump is the perfect example of a narcissistic buffoon.
Roger Demment
Etna, New Hampshire
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I am completely opposed to the president's absurd effort to take over D.C.'s three municipal golf courses. We finally have a group willing to sincerely return the East Potomac Golf Links to its original plan while assuring it will be available to those who cannot afford country clubs and private courses — like the ones run by Trump. I have played East Potomac for many years, as it is so accessible at reasonable rates. The National Links Trust has done a great job keeping the course up under difficult environmental conditions. Furthermore, there is only one limited means to enter the grounds. It would be a logistical disaster to run a PGA Tour tournament on the site.
Jon Sheiner
Alexandria, Virginia
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This is something [the administration] should stay out of. It was clear that the National Links Trust was slowly accomplishing what it set out to do, but was hampered by the various federal and local agencies that it is required to work with. The Trump administration is known to steamroll and ignore federal regulations to get its unknown-to-the-public outcomes.
Gary Waliszewski
Washington D.C.
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Honestly, doesn't the administration have better things to do, like working on solutions to the wars in Ukraine or Iran? Why can’t they leave this to the golf community?
George Sinner
Fargo, North Dakota
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The Trump organization has more successful experience in managing golf courses than anything the District of Columbia has ever done. Case in point, the city of Washington. It is a disgrace. Crime, corruption and mismanagement rule.
David Muir
Pinehurst, North Carolina
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I lived just outside of the district for many years, and often played the D.C. courses. They were an affordable way for D.C. residents to play golf. National Links Trust has been working on upgrading them and making them more accessible and playable to the masses. There are plenty of elite private courses in the D.C. area for the one-percenters to join and play. Trump needs to leave these courses to the people in D.C. so the residents — the real people who make the city function — can enjoy an affordable place to play.
Bill Donovan
Ellicott City, Maryland
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Glad to see someone interested in saving and updating public golf instead of selling the land to solar farms, tech centers and housing developers owned by private equity firms
Gary Enos
Falmouth, Massachusetts
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Should have left it alone. I grew up and worked in Northern Virginia, playing Haines Point (East Potomac Park) from the time I was in my early teens through the point where I retired and left the area. My wife first learned to play there, even taking lessons at the course's school. It was a place where you could just show up without a tee time and get on without much of a wait — and it was very affordable. This is such a neat place, even though the conditioning was spotty. On Sunday afternoons, families were grilling and having picnics along the Potomac and Boundary Channel, filling the air with wonderful aromas while you were playing. We always met interesting folks. Lots of good memories. It just doesn’t need to be another expensive championship course.
Chuck Dunlap
Lexington, South Carolina
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It will undoubtedly convert the three inclusive public courses into ones requiring privilege, social status and wealth. They need to maintain their heritage, identity and access.
Steve Watters
Phoenix, Arizona
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I think it is a travesty that politics is rearing its ugly head. Trump has enough things on his agenda and should leave his administration out of public golf in D.C. It's an embarrassment that they have dumped tons of White House debris on East Potomac Links and used arms of the government to disenfranchise the Trust from running and improving the public courses in D.C.
Donald Cohen
Bel Air, Maryland
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A total disgrace. Will catapult golf as a game "not only for the wealthy" back to the 1950th.
Andreas Koeroesi
New York , New York
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As a man of golf, Trump should be supporting the efforts in place and offering his assistance. Unfortunately, as with most things, it’s gratifying to him to only observe through a lens that exalts his prowess.
Anthony Austin
Orlando, Florida
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A shame, unequivocally. Grandpa Racist Bully does it again.
Wayland Iverson
Chicago, Illinois
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It’s totally improper. Bully tactics against a group of dedicated golfers who have the game’s best interest at heart. To cancel their long-term lease is heartbreaking. They were trying to grow the game and making it affordable to many.
Michael Walsh
Ventnor City, New Jersey
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Hell no.
Alan Sanders
Vancouver, Washington
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Trump should keep his hands off Washington, D.C.’s municipal courses. He will ruin them with gold and waterfalls like he has with every other course he has been involved with. Leave the munis for the general public.
Greg Ekdale
Bloomington, Illinois
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He needs to let the standing agreement with National Links Trust continue and stay out of it.
Grant Goodwin
Waxhaw, North Carolina
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The administration should have absolutely no involvement in any golf properties, regardless of where they are located.
Chris Conway
Livermore, California
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My forest preserve district just closed my perm-time course of 30 years to renovate. I can't see any good reason that this taxing authority should be either spending this kind of money or sacrificing so much potential revenue. So, I can see both sides. Could be golf elitists incapable of getting the job done and a stifling bureaucracy. I wouldn't benefit by any of them becoming private, but I don't live in D.C. and can't benefit in any event. Of course, the least persuasive voices are those of sports journalists — illiterate leftists.
Martin Donnelly
Chicagoland, Illinois
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Surely he has something more grandiose he can trump up to distract us with? Leave the local duffers alone and let muni golf stay affordable. No one needs his name on yet another overproduced golf course with daft water features.
Ding Kalis
Pasadena California
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I do not want Trump involved. The courses in this article were meant for the average person. Not just the rich.
Al Kawakami
Aurora, Colorado
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The way in which the administration has gotten involved is a disgrace. I’ve been playing East Potomac for almost 20 years, and was ecstatic when National Links Trust came in and shared its plans for the future of D.C. golf. Having Tom Doak-, Bill Coore- and Beau Welling-designed courses in our area that are affordable and accessible to all is a dream come true for D.C. golfers. I am hoping and praying NLT can win this battle and execute on its vision of keeping quality, affordable golf accessible to the masses.
Adam Langknecht
Reston, Virginia
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Complete bulls---. National Links Trust is setting the standard for municipal golf management and the current administration is preventing the tax paying public from enjoying quality, affordable golf.
Kyren Sualter
Chico, California
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The National Links Trust has more experience and access to resources building, maintaining and running successful golf operations.
Paul Mauer
Elverson, Pennsylvania
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I would prefer to see the NLT continue its work on the DC courses. One of its goals is to keep the courses affordable for D.C. golfers. Trump’s goal to make the courses high end so they might be a venue for a tournament should be left to the private courses such as Congressional Country Club. The public would be better served with the NLT in charge. Of course, Trump can’t restrain himself and will likely meddle in the course renovations because he knows best.
Jim Fuquay
Indianapolis, Indiana
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Trump gets things done. Which means the courses will certainly improve with the President involved in the management of the courses.
Margaret Roche
Frankfort, Illinois
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Conflicts of interest. Go to bed.
Gary Rapaport
Scottsdale, Arizona
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I don’t believe a radical politician and his cohorts should be allowed to manage these public facilities. I believe they will manage them for the benefit of their rich friends rather than the general population.
Douglas Luther
Richmond, Virginia
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Front: East Potomac Golf Links, Washington, D.C.
Photo: East Potomac Golf Links.