‘Leave us alone!’: Washington golfers fear Trump’s public course makeover will price them out

Golfers walk by piles of logs and debris on the course at East Potomac Golf Links on October 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. The National Park Service confirmed in a filing they had marked over 500 trees for removal as the Trump Administration mulls over a renovation for the golf course. — Getty Images pic via AFP

First Published: Thursday, 22 Oct 2026 7:00 AM MYT

WASHINGTON, Oct 22 — For years, Max Salas has enjoyed teeing off at Washington’s East Potomac Golf Links, a public course nestled in the heart of the US capital where ordinary Americans can enjoy a round without breaking the bank.

But President Donald Trump’s controversial plans to remodel the course into a facility capable of hosting major championship- caliber events have left the 74-year-old retiree exasperated.

“Leave us alone! Leave us alone!” Salas told AFP when asked what message he would send to Trump.

“What the hell do we need a championship course in a public course?” he said. “We’re here, we’ve been here for years, and it’s ridiculous.”

Salas is among golfers worried that Trump’s proposed overhaul of East Potomac could transform an affordable public amenity into an expensive destination beyond the reach of its regular players.

At the moment, 18 holes at East Potomac costs a maximum of US$48 (RM195).

That’s a far cry from the kind of rates often found at privately owned golf courses — such as those owned by Trump — where green fees can often run into hundreds of dollars.

A golfer plays on the course near cut down trees at East Potomac Golf Links near Hains Point in Washington, DC, October 19, 2026. — AFP

Trump, a famously avid golfer, has claimed that East Potomac is not fit for purpose.

“The current Course is old, broken, dilapidated, and of no further use or effect,” Trump said on Sunday.

“It is in very poor condition, with falling, dangerous, and disease-infested trees and, importantly, a collapsing and hazardous seawall.”

But for Salas, the remodel — which will see the course closed from mid-November — also raises questions about Trump’s priorities at a time of international turmoil.

“We’re in the middle of a war, and he’s over here trying to tinker with a golf course?” he said. “I mean, where is this guy’s sense? Common sense?”

‘I cannot afford it’ 

The prospect of a championship-standard course might appeal to some golfers, but for others, the overriding concern is what the transformation could mean for their wallets.

Fidel Enrique Garcia Rendon, a 59-year-old Pilates studio owner, fears the cost of playing the remodeled course will put it beyond his reach.

A golfer plays on the course at East Potomac Golf Links near Hains Point in Washington, DC, October 19, 2026. US President Donald Trump on October 18, 2026, unveiled his plans for overhauling a beloved municipal golf course in the US capital, a project already mired in a contentious legal fight. — AFP pic

“Unfortunately, if it goes to a championship course level, the fees are going to go from US$22 to US$250 or plus, US$350 who knows?” he said.

“So I definitely will not be able to come here and play because at that price, I cannot afford it.”

His concerns were echoed by fellow retiree Tom Carmody, who questioned both the eventual cost of the revamped course and whether the project would be completed.

“It just makes me nervous, quite nervous,” Carmody said.

“For one, just his ability to follow through. I mean, what’s going to happen? Will he stop halfway through or quit or something like that?”

But Carmody’s bigger concern is whether the promise of continued public access will mean much if green fees rise dramatically.

“He talks about it remaining open to the public, but instead of US$30 or US$40 a round, maybe it’s US$120, US$150 a round, which is going to eliminate a lot of people.” — AFP