National Links Trust Podcast (National Links Trust)

The National Links Trust Podcast is back and with a brand new host! Alex Dickson of the "Beltway Golfer" podcast has signed on as host and will guide us through conversations with municipal golf stakeholders and golfers around the country. For the first episode of Alex's tenure, we welcome on National Links Trust co-founder, Will Smith. Smith shares insight on the current status of the revitalization projects at the municipal courses in Washington, DC, talks about upcoming National Links Trust events, and more. 

Jeremy Wilson (@PairedUpGolf) has spent the last year traveling across the US playing municipal courses and documenting the stories of the random people he was paired up with at each one. The end result will be a book about his journey.

In this episode of the “National Links Trust Podcast,” Jeremy shares the origins of the project, stories from the road, and more. 

On this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, NLT co-founder, Mike McCartin, discusses an update on the rehabilitation of Rock Creek Park Golf project.  Mike specifically walks the listeners through a published plan for the property, available for viewing at the link below.

View the plan here: NationalLinksTrust.org/future-of-rock-creek-golf

More about the plan: 

The Rock Creek Park golf course rehabilitation is the first leg of National Links Trust’s “Nation’s Capital Project” alongside the National Park Service (NPS). This project will occur in two phases. The first phase will include the construction of a new clubhouse, driving range, maintenance facility, pavilion, Himalayas-style putting course, and short game facility. The second phase will involve the renovation of the golf course - creating a nine-hole regulation length golf course and a nine-hole par three course - and construction of ecological trails through the property.

The clubhouse and driving range built in the first phase will offer a food and beverage operation, a community room, indoor golf training areas, a pro shop, and support areas. In addition, the clubhouse will house classrooms, program spaces, and the administrative headquarters of First Tee -- Greater Washington, DC. The golf course will remain open while the clubhouse is being constructed. 

The golf course work in the second phase of the project will be overseen by golf course architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, renowned for both their new construction and their extensive renovation work including at three William Flynn-designed courses in the United States. The proposed nine-hole regulation, par 35 course measures approximately 3,300 yards and uses corridors from both Flynn's original more open front nine and more wooded back nine. The nine-hole par-3 course starts and finishes just west of the current 9th green. This mix of playing options takes advantage of the site's natural setting, minimizes tree clearing, allows for healthy turf conditions, and improves playability.

Throughout the week of January 9, NLT will be releasing more details of the plan on social media as well as the webpage provided above.

Golf Channel's Damon Hack joins us on episode nine of the National Links Trust Podcast. Hack, a veteran golf media member who has spent time with Sports Illustrated  and the The New York Times, talks about diversity in golf, entry points to the game, his career in sports media, and more. 

Host Alex Dickson talks with Christine Fraser of Christine Fraser Design about her background in golf course architecture, her vision of the future of the game, and more. Christine will be a panelist at National Links Trust's 2022 Symposium on Municipal Golf on October 24th-26th in Washington, DC. 

Marcus Byrd, a Washington, DC native, grew up at Langston Golf Course. Today, he competes as a professional golfer on the APGA Tour while trying to gain status within the PGA Tour. In this episode, Marcus details his upbringing at Langston, talks through his journey through the game of golf from junior tournaments to competing in college to his professional career, and shares how having access to a municipal golf facility like Langston shaped his life. 

In this episode of the "National Links Trust Podcast", we highlight the renovation of Charleston Municipal Golf Course. The course was renovated in 2020 by Charleston native, Troy Miller. Paying homage to nearby Yeamans Hall Club and the Country Club of Charleston, it was designed in the style of Seth Raynor. Since its reopening, the course has received universal acclaim, with The Fried Egg's Andy Johnson writing, "Above all, Charleston Municipal makes an emphatic case that municipal golf courses don’t have to be bland. They can take architectural risks, and they should, like the downtown buildings and botanic gardens that tourists love, offer a flavor of local history."

Guests on this episode include Miller, Lea Anne Brown (Friends of the Muni Board Member), and John Tecklenburg (Mayor of Charleston).

This episode was recorded during the fifth installment of the "Municipal Golf Network Webinar Program". The program, created by National Links Trust, is now in its second year and has highlighted municipal golf courses such as Winter Park Golf Course in Winter Park, Florida and Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Garden City Kansas. You can watch all of these episodes on National Links Trust's Youtube channel at youtube.com/@nationallinkstrust.

If you want to support National Links Trust and our mission to positively impact local communities across the United States of America by protecting and promoting accessible, affordable, and engaging municipal golf courses, visit nationallinkstrust.org/donate.

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, we introduce our new Executive Director, Damian Cosby, PGA.

Damian comes to National Links Trust with more than 20 years of experience in the golf industry. A "Class A" PGA Professional, he most recently served as the Director of Golf Operations for Cleveland Metroparks where he oversaw the system’s eight golf courses including Manakiki Golf Course, a Donald Ross design, and Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, a Stanley Thompson design. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he spearheaded the highly-lauded, sustainability-focused renovation of The Preserve at Eisenhower Golf Course in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

In this interview, Damian discusses his background and journey through the golf industry and how he views municipal golf facilities as the "stewards" of the game.

National Links Trust is supported by members of the Capital Club - our annual giving society. To learn more about membership visit shopnlt.com/collections/nlt-capital-club.

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, we are joined by The Fried Egg's Andy Johnson who discusses golf course architecture and development within the scope of municipal golf.  As part of this, Andy shares his thoughts on The Park, PGA Frisco, Augusta National's investment in The Patch, and more.

National Links Trust is supported by members of the Capital Club - our annual giving society. To learn more about membership visit shopnlt.com/collections/nlt-capital-club.

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, we welcome on Chuck Wilson, the CEO of Babygrande Global and founder of Babygrande Records. Chuck is a veteran in the entertainment industry who also has a passion for golf in Washington, DC having grown up playing the city’s courses. 

Chuck’s latest venture, Babygrande Golf, is the title sponsor of the upcoming Babygrande D.C. Classic - an AJGA event being July 10-13 at East Potomac Golf Links that also benefits NLT.

Learn more about the Babygrande D.C. Classic here.

Learn more about National Links Trust here.

Join the Capital Club, NLT's annual giving program, here.

This episode of the National Links Trust Podcast is a special edition featuring a discussion from the latest Municipal Golf Network Webinar Program about The Park in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The Park was opened to widespread acclaim this past spring. The renovated property features a Gil Hanse-designed 18-hole regulation course, 9-hole par 3 course, putting course, driving range, and The Path - a “needs based program including individual and group instruction, workshops, a youth caddie program, and event programming for the whole family.”

The project was driven by a public-private partnership led by PGA of America CEO, Seth Waugh. This partnership both funded the construction of the facility, while also building a fund to ensure that it will remain open and well-conditioned for the foreseeable future. 

This discussion dives deeper into the story of The Park’s renovation with specific emphasis on community programming and course operations.

Learn more about Capital Club here.

Shop new arrivals in the NLT Shop here.

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, we are joined by Coach Arielle Dawson. 

Coach Dawson is the assistant golf coach at Howard University, working with both the men’s and women’s programs. Her background in golf is unique having served as a caddie at various clubs and an instructor at a Topgolf facility, before breaking into college coaching at Howard. In this interview, Coach Dawson walks us through her introduction to the game, journey to college golf, career in the industry, and her views on equity and accessibility within both collegiate golf and the industry as a whole.

This episode also coincides with the release of “Why Not Us” - an ESPN docuseries that follows the Howard Golf Team - that premieres on August 21st at 7 PM ET. Make sure to tune in!

Shop new arrivals in the NLT Shop here.

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, our host, and National Links Trust (NLT) co-founder, Will Smith is joined by his fellow co-founder, Mike McCartin. Mike and Will provide a number of updates on NLT including the state of the Rock Creek Park Golf rehabilitation project, ongoing work at Langston Golf Course, a new Director of Agronomy for our three Washington, DC courses, and more. They also discuss upcoming NLT events and talk about their recent golf travels checking out new and noteworthy courses around the country.

Buy tickets for the Symposium on Municipal Golf here.

Buy tickets for Evening at East here.  

This episode of the National Link Trust Podcast features a recording from the 2023 Symposium on Municipal Golf. Garrett Morrison of Fried Egg Golf is joined by Jay Blasi (Chambers Bay), Mike Young (Warmouth Sands), and Troy Miller (Charleston Municipal Golf Course). All three of these architects have vast experience in the architecture business, but their experience in municipal and public golf make them particularly well-fit for this conversation.

To support National Links Trust, join our Capital Club program or grab some NLT gear at ShopNLT.com.

This episode of the National Link Trust Podcast features a recording from the 2023 Symposium on Municipal Golf. Rachel Carter,  Senior Membership Director at the National Golf Course Owners Association, moderates a discussion on Municipal Golf Governance and Management. She is joined by Steve Leary, former mayor of Winter Park, FL who was instrumental in the renovation of Winter Park 9, Michael Raby, Director of Golf for the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, and Daryl Crawford, General Manager of Papago Golf Course. The group discusses a number of issues related to navigating stakeholder relationships within municipal golf management structures, best practices in management and governance, and more.

To support National Links Trust, join our Capital Club program or grab some NLT gear at ShopNLT.com.

This episode of the National Link Trust Podcast features a recording from the 2023 Symposium on Municipal Golf. Bill Potter, Vice President of Communications and Engagement at First Tee - Greater Richmond, moderates a discussion on Fundraising and Marketing. Joining Bill are Marty Elgison, Co-founder and President of the Bobby Jones Golf Course Foundation (GA), Tim Andersen, Founder of Barrier Free Golf, and David Wagner, Board Member of the Highland Park Golf Foundation (OH). These panelists have relevant experience in planning and executing municipal golf renovation projects across the country, making for an interesting and valuable discussion. 

To support National Links Trust, join our Capital Club program or grab some NLT gear at ShopNLT.com.

This episode of the National Link Trust Podcast features a recording from the 2023 Symposium on Municipal Golf.  Michael Stachowicz of the National Park Service moderates a discussion on Agronomy and Course Maintenance with a panel of golf course superintendents. These superintendents are Rich Shilling from Jeffersonville Golf Club (PA), Len Curtin from George Wright Golf Course (MA), and Clay Payne from Buffalo Dunes Golf Course (KS). All three of these properties have undergone renovation projects overseen by their respective superintendents and are now amongst the most noteworthy municipal courses in the country. 

To support National Links Trust, join our Capital Club program or grab some NLT gear at ShopNLT.com.

This episode of the National Link Trust Podcast features a recording from the 2023 Symposium on Municipal Golf. Azucena Maldonado, Founder of the Latina Golfers Association, moderates a discussion on Partnerships and Community Engagement. National Links Trust's Andrew Szunyog, who oversees our volunteer and sustainability programs, is one of the panelists, and is joined by Dave Andrews, Director of The Path at The Park West Palm (FL) and Maria Stroup, Senior Vice President of Education, Social Responsibility and Community Engagement at the Cobbs Creek Foundation (PA). This group uses their diverse experiences in golf, non-profits, and education to have an insightful discussion on how municipal golf facilities can better serve and engagement with their local communities. 

To support National Links Trust, join our Capital Club program or grab some NLT gear at ShopNLT.com.

This episode features a recording of our Municipal Golf Network Webinar on San Francisco's Golden Gate Park Golf Course.

Opened in 1951, this 9-hole, par 3 golf is coming out of a 6-month temporary closure that will see improved turf conditions, a brand new irrigation system and an expanded practice facility that will increase the course's environmental sustainability while expanding accessibility and inclusion for golfer's of all abilities. Course architect Jay Blasi (Chambers Bay) and other key stakeholders discuss different aspects of the project from design, construction, financing and utilizing public/private partnerships to reach their goals.

Bid in the NLT Holiday Auction here.

Join Capital Club here.

Watch the video version of this episode here.

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, we welcome on Stephanie Tran and Tyler McKeever - winners of the Women's and Men's Division Champions at the inaugural National Links Trust Championship last fall. The National Links Trust Championship is a national mid-am tournament for public golfers held at Washington, DC's historic Blue Course at East Potomac Golf Links.

In this pair of interviews, Stephanie and Tyler talk about their background in the game of golf and competing in the inaugural Championship.

To support National Links Trust and our mission to positively impact local communities through municipal golf, we encourage you to join Capital Club by tapping here.

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, we welcome on Micaa' Thomas. Micaa' is a professional golfer who grew up at Langston Golf Course. After an accomplished amateur career, today, she plays mini-tour events while chasing her dream to play on the LPGA Tour. In her spare time, she is a talented artist who has produced an award-winning short film, Our House is on Fire, and written a children's book, Penny and the Peanut: A Story About Food Allergies.

With her background in Washington, DC and her passion for growing the game and making golf accessible, NLT recently signed her as an Ambassador. As part of this, she will sport an NLT logo on her bag when she competes in tournaments around the country this year.

To support National Links Trust and our mission to positively impact local communities through municipal golf, we encourage you to join Capital Club by tapping here.

To browse our online shop, tap here.

Learn more about Micaa' at micaathomas.com (golf) and themicaathomas.com (art).

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, we introduce a new National Links Trust Ambassador - Epson Tour player, Samantha Wagner. 

Samantha grew up playing public golf and had a successful junior and amateur career before turning pro in 2017. Since then, she has played on the Epson and LPGA Tours. We’re really excited to have Samantha aboard our team.

To support National Links Trust and our mission to positively impact local communities through municipal golf, we encourage you to join Capital Club by tapping here.

To browse our online shop, tap here.

To follow Samantha on Instagram, tap here.

This episode features a recording of our Municipal Golf Network Webinar Series on the upcoming restoration and renovation of the Great Dunes Course at Jekyll Island Golf Club in Jekyll Island, Georgia

National Links Trust Co-Founder, Will Smith, is joinred by thee panelists. Jeffrey Stein and Brian Ross - the course’s co-architects, and Noel Jensen- the Deputy Executive Director for the Jekyll Island Authority. The group discusses the preservation of Travis’s architectural design as they transform the 9-hole golf course to an 18-hole facility, the installation of a saltwater irrigation system and saltwater tolerant turfgrasses to improve climate resiliency and sustainability, and the restoration of the great dunes that once attracted Walter Travis to the site nearly 100 years ago.

Support National Links Trust by joining our Capital Club program here.

This episode of the National Links Trust Podcast features a recording of a recent Municipal Golf Network Webinar. In this episode, we head to the Lone Star State to check in with the Dallas Golf Initiative (DGI), a non-profit organization modeled similarly to the National Links Trust. DGI was formed in 2020 in response to the proposed closing of 9 holes at the Glen Course at Tenison Park to make way for a paved walking and biking trail that connects to the larger trail network within the City of Dallas. Knowing what was coming, DGI worked diligently around a vision for a golf facility that honored Tenison’s rich history while creating a more inclusive, engaging, and accessible business model that included a two-story driving range, a par 3 course, and an urban golf park.

DGI Executive Board members Brett Messerall and Benton Payne join moderator Will Smith to provide updates on the Tenison Glen project and DGI’s vision for the future of the property, navigating the difficulties (and disappointment) of creating change within the City of Dallas Park and Recreation system, and how everyday municipal golf enthusiasts, like themselves, can get involved in their own communities and apply the lessons learned from Brett’s and Benton’s experiences over the past 4 years.

This episode of the National Links Trust Podcast is a recording from the Municipal Golf Network Webinar Program. It features the story of Brookline Golf Course in Brookline, MA and its relationship with the local community.

Opened in 1933, Brookline Golf Course (also known as Robert T. Lynch and previously, Putterham Meadows) has elevated its role in the community in recent years largely thanks to the leadership of Justin Lawson, the facility's general manager. In his role, Justin has overseen a successful public affairs campaign to protect the long-term future of the property when doubts were raised in local politics, led the push for a master plan to restore the historic character of the course, and spearheaded community events that specifically target non-golfers in the community. The result is one of the best examples in the country of how a municipal golf course and its leadership can further ingrain themselves in a community and deliver a true asset to both golfers and non-golfers.

In this episode of the National Links Trust Podcast, our host, Will Smith, is joined by Geoff Shackelford. Geoff is one of golf’s most influential writers having authored 11 books and with his work appearing in the Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest, and more.  He is also the publisher of The Quadrilateral, a newsletter that covers the game through the lens of the four majors. Geoff teamed up with Gil Hanse to design Rustic Canyon Golf Course: one of Southern California's best public courses. He is a native Southern Californian and still resides in the greater Lost Angeles area today. 

In this interview, Geoff and Will discuss public golf in the greater Los Angeles area. They touch on the challenges and opportunities presented by the public and municipal courses in the area, as well as golf's role as Los Angeles recovers from the devastating fires earlier this winter. 

Michael Kornheiser and Claude Jennings welcomes you to the National Links Trust Podcast, explains what this project is all about and share their experience playing the game at municipal golf courses in the DMV.

Michael Kornheiser and Claude Jennings spoke with Sinclair Eaddy, President & Chief Executive Officer at National Links Trust, about the work National Links Trust is doing to  protect and promote affordable and engaging municipal golf courses. They talked about the renovation projects happening at the 3 Washington DC municipal courses. 

Michael and Claude spoke to Matt Ginella about his love for golf, municipal courses and the work happening at The Firepit Collective. Learn more at https://firepitcollective.com/

Michael Kornheiser spoke with Michael McCartin of McCartin Golf Design to get a progress report on the renovations at East Potomac, Langston & Rock Creek golf courses.