GreenLocals

Despite nearly a decade of effort by the golf industry to mitigate the sport’s environmental impacts, golf courses remain as controversial as ever as the sport’s soaring popularity has enlarged its ecological impact. Golf is big business, contributing $76 billion per year in direct economic impact to the American economy.

During the past twenty years, there has been an explosion in new golf courses; and it shows no signs of slowing anytime soon. The United States is now home to approximately 18,000 golf courses, more than half the world’s total number of golf courses. They cover more than 1.7 million acres and soak up nearly 4 billion gallons of water per day. They also use pesticides and fertilizers that contribute to water pollution.

The golf industry is aware of the statistics and is trying to lessen its environmental impact.

• Building new courses with more advanced irrigation systems that prevent overwatering.
• Using a variety of grasses that require less water.  
• Increasingly using treated liquid waste to water grass.
• Replacing older pesticides that might in the environment with newer pesticides that breakdown more quickly.

Nevertheless, the gains by individual courses have been more than offset by sport’s rapid growth. And some current practices remain controversial. For example, it’s not clear that newer pesticides are safer since it can take years of use before a chemical’s health effects become apparent. In fact, golf courses continue to be the land area with one of the most highly concentrated per acre use of pesticides.

Golf is big business that has both a positive and negative impact.  

• Contributes $76 billion per year in direct economic impact to the American economy.
• Well-designed courses can house a variety flora and fauna and can become areas of great biodiversity.
• Golf industry has raised substantial sums for charities. (Estimated to be around $4 billion annually.)

The negative effects on the environment persist. They include:

• Carbon dioxide emissions generated by people travelling to and from the golf course.
• Use of fertilizer containing nitrogen and phosphorus that works its way into the ground water.
• High energy consumption to maintain the course.
• Generation of significant quantities of waste.

But these environmental problems can be reduced, if environmental sustainability is considered at the planning stage of the golf course. All new golf courses, through design, construction and management, should consider the full range of environmental issues. The goal is to protect and enhance the environment while maximizing the enjoyment of playing golf.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•