“Rehabilitation of Rock Creek Park Golf Course to begin in 2024”

photo by Mr.TinMD

From NPS:

“The National Park Service (NPS) and National Links Trust (NLT) will rehabilitate Rock Creek Park Golf Course, one of the oldest public golf courses in the country. The rehabilitation of the 100-year-old course in northwest Washington, D.C., is expected to start in late 2024 and take two years to complete.

The project will respect the environment and history of the location and improve course playability and sustainability. The rehabilitation project will:

Create paths that provide access to the course and for non-golfers to enjoy the outdoors.

Develop meadows with native grasses and flowers to provide habitat for important pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

Plant hundreds of new native trees.

Establish rain gardens, drainage and irrigation that reduce run-off into Rock Creek.

Add climate-adapted turf, which requires less water, fertilizer and pesticides.

Build a new, accessible clubhouse with food services, a pro shop, and areas for indoor practice and community use.

Create a new 50-bay driving range for golfers of all skill levels.

Remove invasive plants and hazardous trees.

Create furniture, countertops, siding, trim and decking made from approximately 97,000 board feet of lumber from 255 of the trees removed for the rehabilitation.

Provide the opportunity for all golfers to experience the original design features of this National Register of Historic Places-listed golf course – wide playing corridors, interesting green contours and multiple teeing areas.

“People love Rock Creek Park and generations of golfers have played this historic course,” Rock Creek Park acting Superintendent Brian Joyner said. “We’re creating links between history and nature – a place that welcomes everyone to relax and see wildlife, get some exercise, and learn, enjoy and be frustrated by the great game of golf.”

“This place will truly be a space for everyone, whether they are a passionate golfer or someone who has never touched a club before,” NLT Executive Director Damian Cosby said. “We believe that places like Rock Creek Park Golf Course can have transformative benefits for communities and for people’s lives. We know that when this project is done, anyone who comes to this property will feel welcomed, and we are excited to be part of that.”

To restore the more than 100-year-old fairways, approximately 1,100 trees will be removed. About half of these trees are in poor health, already dead or are invasive species. The wood from other trees will be used on-site for furniture and building materials. Those in poor health or dead are a safety risk to people and property, while the invasive species damage forest health and resiliency. The NPS understands the concerns about the number of trees to be removed and carefully reviewed all comments received during the extended public comment period. The project will include planting hundreds of native trees, 11 acres of new pollinator meadows and increased habitat for wildlife.

The NPS completed an Environmental Assessment to evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with the rehabilitation of the Rock Creek Park Golf Course and signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on March 28, 2024. The FONSI describes the rationale for the decision and outlines conservation measures that will be taken to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts.

The FONSI and other planning documents are available here.

The project will be funded by NLT, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to benefiting communities by protecting and promoting accessible, affordable and engaging public golf courses. NLT operates Rock Creek Park Golf Course, East Potomac Golf Links and Langston Golf Course under a 50-year lease with the National Park Service.”