Thank you for reprinting Jake Goldstein-Street’s Oct. 22 article, “Proposal for golf course at Westport Light State Park draws furor.”
While many aspects of this proposal are deeply concerning, one issue stands out as the ultimate dealbreaker: the illusion of public access.
The entire justification for building a private luxury course inside a public state park is that it will offer affordable recreation for all Washington residents. Proponents point to proposed resident rates of $98-189 over the 10-year plan as proof. But the developer’s own business plan, released in September 2026, reveals a starkly different reality.
You can find the plan at the Westport Light Planning page for Washington State Parks.
Page 21 of the business plan outlines a standard luxury golf tactic: “advanced bookings.”
Under this system, affluent destination golfers pay premium fees ($225 to $345 at Westport) to lock up prime tee times up to a year in advance during peak months (April through October). We see this exact model at Chambers Bay and Bandon Dunes, where prime slots are swallowed up long before standard reservations open.
In fact, standard local reservations at Chambers Bay are restricted to a 90-day window, and Bandon Dunes to just 21 days — meaning prime summer dates are already long gone by the time regular residents are even allowed to book.
The operational result is predictable. Lower resident rates exist on paper, but in practice, standard local golfers will be left competing for the leftovers: off-peak hours, poor weather days and twilight slots. Washingtonians will be functionally priced out of prime play on their own public land unless they shell out hundreds in extra fees.
Promoting “affordable” resident rates conceals the operational reality of how luxury golf actually works. Washington State Parks must protect equal public access, not endorse a system that relegates everyday residents to second-class users.
Deny this proposal now, keep the park wild and access truly public.
Meghan Anderson
Grayland
