National Links Trust Podcast

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. More about Christine Fraser: Having grown up learning to play golf on her family’s golf course and later competing in the NCAA Division One Varsity Golf circuit in Florida, golf has always been a...

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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.