Club Car and SolarDrive

Just came upon this tidbit from the GCSAA

"Club Car has entered a marketing agreement with SolarDrive, a Denmark-based company that specializes in solar technology for mobile applications. The two companies will promote the use of solar energy for commercial and golf accounts in the U.S. and globally. SolarDrive designs and engineers vehicle canopies built with solar cells that can capture and transfer solar energy to electric-powered vehicles. The canopies transfer between 180 and 360 watts of energy to a vehicle’s battery system. Club Car says it hopes the availability of solar power will encourage facilities with gas-powered fleets to switch to electric vehicles."

Check out the SolarDrive Club Car on The Price is Right's earth day special, fast forward to 6:30. (I'll never get use to Drew Carry)


Even Ernie Els likes it!

Golf Resort reaches Green Suites rating

I just came upon a news release about how Northern Bay Golf Resort just received it's "3 leaf" rating within the Green Suites certification program. Here's a little more info from greensuites.com
Green Suites® International is proud of the many environmental efforts the lodging industry has implemented. Many are our customers, some are not. Regardless, with gratitude and encouragement, we wish to recognize and honor hotels for what they have done to protect the planet.

What is Green Suites® CERTIFIED Green Hotel program?
It is an environmental marketing program designed to provide recognition and support for hotels seeking to become green, greener or greenest.

What environmental efforts qualify?
● Linen Reuse Program ● Water Efficient Toilets and Showerheads
● Non-Toxic Cleaning Chemicals ● Lighting Retrofit ● Energy Management System ● or any effort that saves water and energy, reduces waste and prevents toxicity and pollution.

Why be Certified?
According to the Travel Industry Association, over 60 million travelers and 78% of all Americans consider themselves environmentally conscious, with the majority willing to pay a premium for hotels with environmental programs.

Why Green Suites® CERTIFIED Green Hotel program?
As the lodging industry’s leading supplier of environmental products and programs, we’ve provided over 3000 hotels in 50 states and 40 countries with the products and programs that have saved billions of gallons of water, prevented over 50 million amenity packages from entering landfills and reduced global warming CO2 emissions by 300,000 tons since our founding in 1993. We are respected around the globe for our work and understanding of environmental issues.

Does our hotel have to be completely green to qualify?
Not at all, the Green Suites® International Certification Program is intended to reward and encourage hotels for what they have done, not for what they haven’t. There are very few truly green hotels in the world, but there are 1000s of hotels who have performed many important environmental initiatives that have positively impacted the environment. Green Suites® Certification is offered in 1-5 leaf ratings.

Water Conservation with Gary Player

From the UgMO website:



I recently learned about UgMO from this New York Times article, and I'm excited about it's potential.
So what is UgMO?

"UgMO™ is the most advanced wireless underground monitoring system available today. Its web application package feeds off data provided by its patent-protected underground sensors and wireless communications system. It displays real time conditions and provides comprehensive intelligence and predictive actions.

Our advanced web application capabilities are complemented by a professional staff of agronomists. They help you establish health- and performance-optimizing operating threshold ranges, evaluate your data and current practices, and refine your existing programs. Together we will help you stay in the UgMO™ Zone. The results, optimal turf conditions and real savings, will generate a strong and lasting return on investment.

UgMO™ is a proven cost saver. In most cases, users have cut their water consumption by at least 20%. These cost savings result from improved water, fertilizer and energy consumption, more efficient use of labor and better plant health. There are other benefits as well. The agronomic benefits include more efficient salinity management, uniform irrigation, deeper rooting, predictive disease control and healthier, more stable conditions. There are environmental benefits as well like water conservation, reduced use of phosphates, nitrates and pesticides, a reduced carbon/water footprint and regulatory compliance."

Stumpy Lake GC - Virginia Beach

I found this chilled out moment in Virginia Beach while searching for some info.

"Stumpy Lake golf course in Virginia Beach is an amazing place. It's a golf course in the middle of a wildlife refuge and it works. A wonderful place for the entire environmentally attuned family to enjoy. A golfer's and a photographer's paradise".

I Can't seem to embed it, so go here to view.

Video Interview - Dan Dinelli

From the GCSAA

Dan Dinelli, CGCS North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill., has recently been selected by GCSAA as the recipient of the 2009 President's Award for Environmental Stewardship. GCSAA TV spoke with Dinelli about this award and his philosophy of integrated pest management, and input reduction.

More GolfDom

Although I've posted a bunch of Larry Aylward's articles in the past, he keeps putting out great reviews of our industry's relationship with the environment. Here's the latest batch:

Mining for Molecules
If you were a chemical company that manufactures pesticides for the golf course maintenance industry, how would you approach these tumultuous times?

Rounds for Research
Carolinas GCSA program will auction golf rounds to benefit turfgrass research. This is the definition of a win-win situation.

The World of Water to Come
What will golf course irrigation look like in 2025?

Keep it up Larry.

Toro looks at Biodiesel

I've posted before about Golfdom's great articles in the past, but they also produce quite a few podcasts. In this one, Golfdom's Larry Aylward speaks with Steve Wood, manager of The Toro Co's commercial test engineering department, about Toro's role in implementing biodiesel technology.

Gabcast! Revving Up for Biodiesel Technology #1

Video Interview - David Phipps

From GCSAA

GCSAA member David Phipps discusses the environmental programs he follows at Stone Creek Golf Course in Portland, Ore.

Video Interview - Darren Davis

From GCSAA

Darren Davis, superintendent at Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples, Fla., shares how he has used native plants to reduce irrigation, fertilization and labor needs at his facility.

Video Interview - Tim Haskins

From GCSAATV

Superintendent Tim Haskins manages a unique course built on an abandoned quarry in Naples and uses just one variety of paspalum for the entire course.

2011 - do or die time?

In a recent Golf Industry Magazine article, Pat Jones discusses the future of our industry.
From the article:
"By 2011, the golf world will be very different in many ways. It will be less stupid, because stupidity is gradually being rooted out by evolution. It will continue to grow its reputation as an environmentally positive business activity, because it will die if it doesn't."
You couldn't be more right Pat, but one sentence?

GEO is my Hero

Ha, that's the best title I could come up with. Why my "hero"? Well, the Golf Environment Organisation (yes that is a S not a Z) have created what appears to be a great resource for golf courses to learn about environmental issues. Our industry needs this.

Welcome to the Golf Environment Organisation from Benjamin Warren on Vimeo.

Recently GEO released a new website and certification program. To bring you up to speed as to who and what the GEO is, I've covered them a couple times before - here and here. After an hour of perusing the program, much of which is not yet on the site, this post covers my initial impressions.

Basically any golf facility, new development or tour/event can sign up. For a facility the process is pretty simple, and I've compared it to Audubon Internationals (AI) Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses program to give some perspective.

1. Register
* Upload basic data & environmental policy - They're not kidding when they say basic, but it does give your club the opportunity to show what your environmental goals are.
* Make a commitment to responsible management. - A commitment that puts you on the map, literally. A little side note from my ego, I used google maps for this purpose before anyone else, just saying. haha.

2. Improve
* Use GEO Knowledge and EMS Toolkit - This stuffs pretty good, probably the best overview of all things golf/environment on the web, behind gorforethegreen.blogspot.com . I'll dive into it a bit more in the future, perhaps in an interview.
* Get support from golf federations / local NGO's - This is an interesting step, I like it a lot. I'll find out more.

3. Certify
* Upload detailed data within three years - From what I've seen of this, it's comparable to what AI asks within their certification criteria. I'm going to interview some of the clubs that are already certified and I'll give you specifics on this in the future.
* Appoint GEO accredited verifier for assessment visit - I'm getting more info on this too, stay tuned.

4. Verify
* On-site evaluation with constructive feedback - I love that this is done by an accredited GEO verifyer and not a volunteer like in AI's program but you've got to wonder, if you are paying between 1,200 and 2,900 Pounds per certification cycle (3yrs.) are they likely to fail you? Audubon International requires volunteer reviewers to have no connections to the golf course (members, employees, owners), it's easy to see the transparency in that.
* Certification awarded / pending / rejected - Sounds good.

5. Re-certify
* Repeat steps 2 - 4 within three years - As a matter of perspective, Audubon International requires that you reach the next step every two years with an annual due of $250 USD. This ends up being at least 1/4 of the price of the GEO program.
* GEO Certification requires continual improvement - Excellent! I hope the requirements will increase through time to reflect what the industry has learned. 5 Years ago the market was very different, and this change will grow exponentially within the next five.

So, is the GEO program better than AI's? No. Comparable maybe, but I don't yet see the significant advantage. If I discover otherwise I'll post a review.

Do we need another certification program? Perhaps. Some Superintendents tell me that AI's program falls short, and why else would companies like Kemper Sports create their own program?

Overall, I'm thrilled to see this new development in our industry and the fact that they've included events is ground braking. Good on them, and I wish the program great success.


Here's another source for you, europeantour.com

Kemper Sports Goes Fore The Green

Although most golf management companies have an environmental program (which usually consists of Audubon Certifications and other lesser known stewardship rating programs), Kemper Sports out of Illinois has created a new program "Green To A Tee" that their own courses are aspiring to reach. This really raises the bar in our industry, great job Kemper.

(Videos too big for my page, go here)

From their website:

"The Green to a Tee program encompasses environmentally focused initiatives within several core areas of facility operations, including:
· Golf course maintenance
· Habitat management
· Water conservation
· Energy usage
· Recycling
· “Green” vendor utilization
· Staff education and training
In addition to formalizing the company’s policy on environmental practices at both the corporate and property levels, the Green to a Tee program arms the more than 5,000 KemperSports staffers throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, with tools and training in environmentally-friendly practices that they can implement on the job and in their homes".

Sounds like an excellent program, I'm currently setting up a time with Kemper Sports Executive Vice President, Jim Seeley to learn more about the four steps mentioned in the video.

But what about the golf courses not managed by Kemper Sports? How can they be involved in steps beyond Audubon? (I know it was on your mind) Well I suppose those clubs can check out this site.

Golf Not Green In Middle East - AFED Report

With the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship (European Tour), Dubai Desert Classic (1st European Tour event held in the middle East), Dubai Ladies Masters (Ladies European Tour), and the first Dubai World Championship (European Tour) coming up in November of this year, it's no wonder there's a golf boom in the Arab states. According to the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED), the increase of development (from 16 golf courses in 22 Arab states to 40 courses within the next few years) is an unsustainable use of resources. From the report:

"A particularly striking example of the conflict that exists between rapid economic development and scarce water sources is the recent boom in the construction of golf courses in certain parts of the region. In fact, most of the current and planned golf courses are in Egypt and the Gulf region, particularly the United Arab Emirates, where water sources are already low, even by regional standards. Expansion of water-intensive projects like grass golf courses cannot go on unchecked, especially with meagre investments to develop sustainable desalination technologies. There are plans to increase the sixteen golf courses operating in the GCC countries now to 40 in the near future. In most cases, golf courses in the region are irrigated with desalinated sea water, treated effluent or a combination of the two. A 2007 report released by the international consultants KPMG estimated the use of water for each golf course in the region at an average of 1.16 million cubic metres per year, reaching 1.3 million cubic meters in Dubai, enough to cover the water consumption of 15,000 inhabitants. Using such an amount of water on leisure projects in an arid desert throws up questions about sustainability and how could this infringe on the water needs of the local community. This is not at all a call to impede development, but rather to allocate more resources towards inventing innovative environmentally-friendly desalination methods and reliable saline agriculture techniques, suitable for the arid desert environment".

The European Tour, an obvious influence on this rise of development, has "pledged ongoing support for the Golf Environment Organisation" (GEO) which is currently creating New Golf Course Development Guidelines. I hope they consider these guidelines when reviewing new venues for European Tour Championships.

The European Tour has stepped up action on European soil already with the commitment to make the Ryder Cup "environmentally sustainable".

Here is a great synopsis of the report by The National.

National Post - 25 most influencial figures in Canadian golf

Looks like I came in 26th again, here's the link.

My favs:
9 | JEFF CALDERWOOD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL GOLF COURSE OWNERS' ASSOCIATION
19 | THOMAS MCBROOM, GOLF ARCHITECT
22 | IAN ANDREW, ARCHITECT, WEIR GOLF DESIGN

Note to Robert Thompson: Where are the superintendents???

Check out Roberts blog.

Questioning Compost?

Posted below is a common question I'm asked. I've posted a number of links, but I'd like to know what you have to say. Post your answers, stories, and solutions in the comments section.

"I'd love to compost, but it stinks and I can't have my neighbors always complaining about the smell. Is their any way to prevent the stench?"

Article dealing with common compost problems of grass clippings, diseased plants, and herbicide and fertilizer residue.

Article dealing with Grass Cycling, Composting of grass clippings and dealing with chemical residues.

Great posting dealing with the smell of grass clippings specifically.

USGA article

Best Management Practices

Created by The Alabama Department of Environmental Management, with help from Auburn University and financial assistance from the EPA, this two part video series discusses the Best Management Practices on golf courses. It's a great overview, basic, but informative.