Westport Golf Links at Westport Light State Park

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Westport Light State Park (WLSP), located on sandy soils and exposed to coastal Pacific weather, exhibits ideal conditions for a traditional links golf course. (Links golf is defined as a course located alongside the sea built on sandy soil.) Situated between the Pacific Ocean and the City of Westport, WLSP creates the perfect landscape to emulate the historic seaside golf links of Scotland and Ireland. Westport Golf Links (WGL) is also enthusiastic about creating a catalyst for economic development in Grays Harbor County such as employing workers from the local labor pool, generating job opportunities in industries that would support the golf course, and enhancing the City of Westport destination for new and additional visitors from more distant locations in Washington and Oregon.

  • The WGL vision is to construct and manage a world-class links golf course in a manner that will preserve, enhance, and maintain ecological functions within the park. Through rigorous environmental studies completed to-date on wetlands, wildlife, vegetation and habitat, site hydrology, and coastal processes, WGL has identified site opportunities beyond a golf course. Substantial portions of the 603-acre WLSP are presently inaccessible to the public. Lack of site management in inaccessible areas has enabled invasive species to spread through much of the upland habitats. Dense stands of shore pines and Scotch broom and mostly informal trail systems minimize public access opportunities and pose a wildfire threat to the adjacent community. The WGL concept for a links golf course includes mitigating impacts to wetlands and wetland buffers on the site in compliance with applicable State and Federal regulations, and protecting these environmentally sensitive areas from encroachment by invasive and non-native species that currently occupy much of the park. Onsite management of the golf course, 365 days a year, will create the ability to manage, monitor, protect and preserve wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas of the site. It is also important that the links golf course will be a pervious surface of native grasses that will allow for natural hydrological processes to continue.

  • Yes. Westport Light State Park will remain a public park. The WGL goal is to open up the park and maintain the large areas associated with the golf course and ancillary facilities so that more people (nature enthusiasts, walkers/hikers, mountain bikers, surfers, and persons with other interests in addition to golf) can enjoy this amenity by the sea. Beach access is currently sub-optimal, and the interior of the park is largely inaccessible. Improvements, including ADA access, are proposed to the 1.3-mile paved dune crest path, along with stabilized points of access to the beach. The concept plan also includes a re-envisioned loop trail and new east-west access through the park between downtown and the beach. Provisions will be made for additional parking in the existing lot along Jetty Haul Road, improved emergency vehicle access, and new community gathering areas at the north end, along trails, and overlooking the ocean.

  • In addition to the trails, community gathering areas, and parking improvements described above, the concept plan includes upgraded restrooms and surf showers and a food and beverage kiosk in the northwest corner of the site. An all-weather golf range will be open to the public throughout the year for practice, instruction, or just for fun. In addition to the removal and management of invasive species; wetland preservation, enhancement and mitigation described above, coastal zone monitoring and a forest management plan are proposed.

  • WGL is still in conceptual design and has not advanced to this level of detail. Generally speaking, golf holes will be set back 100 to 300 feet from the property boundary to maintain the natural character of the project site perimeter where possible. This would specifically apply to areas along W Ocean Road and street-ends off of N Forest St. Any new trails will be approximately 12 feet wide and aligned to minimize impacts to vegetation and trees.

  • Golf courses in the Pacific Northwest have adopted Environmental Stewardship Guidelines and Best Management Practices (BMPs) to minimize the environmental impact of nutrient and pesticide use. Studies conducted by the Western Washington and Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Associations since 2000 show that these guidelines are generally effective, with limited adverse effects on surface water quality. Monitoring data reveals that nutrient levels rarely exceed aquatic life criteria, and most detected pesticide exceedances are linked to upstream activities rather than golf course operations. The implementation of integrated pest management plans and adaptive management practices has further reduced potential runoff and leaching, contributing to sustainable turfgrass management.

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Questions regarding site access and how existing street-ends at the park boundary will be used:

  • The WGL proposal includes providing new and improved trails for better east−west connectivity for pedestrians. We believe this community amenity can be provided with no additional parking or street improvements.

  • Current conceptual planning reflects suggestions from both the City of Westport and Washington State Parks to look for opportunities to provide more trail access to and through the Park. The location and number of new trail entrances will be a function of community desires, with an objective to also minimize impacts to native vegetation communities. A more detailed analysis with additional public input would be done to identify the best locations for new trail entrances.

  • First and foremost, WGL will have as an objective to minimize the short-term impacts of construction on the community. Construction is projected to take less than one year. Once heavy equipment is onsite, it will stay there until a majority of the earthwork is complete in order to minimize truck trips on City roads, especially during the busy season. The main construction entrances will be created along Jetty Haul Road and W Ocean Ave. Earthwork activities will be scheduled during fall through spring months when the sand is wet and hard packed. Golf course grasses will be grown late spring into the summer. No construction access is planned for Spokane, Pacific, or Sprague. If a trail head is improved or created at one or more of these locations, there will be some level of short-term construction activity on those roads but not to the level of creating a construction entrance.

  • Conceptual planning for trail locations has been done to invite public feedback during the environmental review process. No final site plan decisions have been made.

  • Golf course ancillary facilities proposed outside the park boundary include a club house with restaurant, parking lot, guest accommodations, and a pro shop. The concept for the building character will be in keeping with Pacific Northwest architectural styles. Natural vegetation along the property boundary will be maintained to the maximum extent to create a natural buffer between golf resort operations and neighboring lots.