Choosing a Green Golf Course

     Golf courses have a reputation for being bad for the environment. It is easy to see why eco-friendly golf courses seem like an oxymoron. They, however, have become popular in many places. Several golf courses in the Twin Cities, Florida, New Mexico and other areas have been developed using sustainable concepts. These are courses that have been built after nature’s own principles.

     For years, the mantra of most golf courses has been “the greener the better”. But that has come at a price. Tons of pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and billions of gallons of water are needed in order to make the course look "natural." There's a quiet movement among designers, and much of the golfing establishment as well, toward building eco-friendly courses that feature everything from computerized irrigation systems that use recycled water to holistic pest control and organic fertilizer.

     The traditional development of golf courses has been resource intensive and also requires the heavy use of potentially harmful chemicals. Development entails clearing vegetation, cutting forests, and creating artificial landscapes. These activities lead to land erosion and block the soils ability to retain water. Golf courses also need large quantities of pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides, which cause health problems among golfers, workers, and nearby residents. Unfortunately, these numerous problems are overlooked by developers who are often supported by local government because of the economic rewards from the sport. However, recent changes in the mindset of developers have shown that eco-courses are good business.

     When you are choosing a golf course, use the Department of Agriculture’s Research Service to help direct you to an eco-friendly golf course in your area. The Audubon Society has a wonderful website for selecting one of their certified golf courses. The mission of the website is: “to help golf courses protect our environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf”. By enhancing the valuable natural areas and wildlife habitats that golf courses provide, improving efficiency, and minimizing potentially harmful impacts of golf course operations, the program serves as a vital resource for golf courses.

     International Audubon considers the natural environment of golf courses an ideal setting for wildlife sanctuaries. They estimate that, on an average course, non-playable areas left in woods and waterways make up 70 percent of the property. When overgrown “corridors” are provided to link the protected areas, allowing the animals to sneak from one area to another, the native wildlife and vegetation flourish. At the same time, the course management is reminded to practice erosion control, safe use of chemicals and fertilizers, and to address environmental issues in terms of what effect they'll have on the environment down the road.