Golf courses and the environment
GCSAA members are dedicated to environmental sustainability.
Sound environmental practices are implemented on golf courses
- University and government studies indicate that, when properly applied, pesticides
and fertilizers do not leach into groundwater in any appreciable amounts.
- Modern turfgrass management practices greatly reduce the potential for leaching
or runoff into water supplies.
- Pesticides and fertilizers are used only on certain portions of the golf course.
The rest of the property often consists of natural areas not maintained with turf
care products. These areas can provide a home for wildlife and include a diverse
variety of native plants and trees.
- Golf course superintendents are among the best-educated and most conscientious users
of chemical management tools. Today, most superintendents have two- or four-year
university degrees in agronomy, horticulture or other related fields.
- Many superintendents enter the profession because of a love of nature and the outdoors,
and are strongly committed to conservation. A recent survey shows superintendents
give extremely high priority to maintenance practices that do not have a negative
impact on the environment.
- Most golf courses compost grass clippings and leaves, which reduces the amount of
waste in landfills. Composting is a growing and recommended practice for golf course
operations.
Turf-related benefits of golf courses
The water used on golf courses can be an excellent investment in both economic and
environmental terms. Irrigated golf courses generate millions of tourist and property
tax dollars for state economies. Many courses now use recycled water as part of
their irrigation practices. When effectively irrigated, healthy turf provides numerous
environmental benefits. Properly maintained turfgrass:
- Produces oxygen (carbon dioxide exchange) and cools the atmosphere
- Prevents soil erosion
- Filters natural and synthetic contaminants from rainfall and irrigation
- Recharges critical groundwater supplies
- Provides crucial "greenspace" in urban settings
- As a result of computerized irrigation systems and improved turfgrass varieties,
courses can now use less water more efficiently to achieve the same level of conditioning.
Continuing research will provide even more low-water turfgrass varieties in the
future.
Ecological and community benefits of golf courses
In addition to turf-related benefits, courses provide other important ecological
and community assets. Golf courses are:
- Key sanctuaries for birds and other wildlife
- Disposal and treatment sites for (effluent) wastewater
- Attractive and environmentally sound "covers" for closed landfills and other ecologically
damaged sites
- Recreational places for non-golf activities, such as jogging, walking and bird-watching
- Businesses that provide hundreds of thousands of skilled and semi-skilled jobs
- Places for social interaction and community events
- Civic benefactors that give major contributions to charities
- Community improvements that add value to land, thus increasing local tax bases
- Wetlands preservation areas
