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.

Background on Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program

If you haven't heard of the Audubon program for golf courses, your probably on the wrong site. Here's a little background for you, from Audubon:

"The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Course is an award winning education and certification program that helps golf courses protect our environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. By helping people enhance the valuable natural areas and wildlife habitats that golf courses provide, improve efficiency, and minimize potentially harmful impacts of golf operations, the program serves as vital resource for golf courses.

Getting involved is easy. Membership is open to golf courses in the United States and internationally, including private clubs, public and municipal courses, PGA sites, 9-hole facilities, resort courses, and golf residential communities. After joining the program, your next step is to take stock of environmental resources and potential liabilities, and then develop an environmental plan that fits your unique setting, goals, staff, budget, and time. Audubon International provides a Site Assessment and Environmental Planning Form to provide guidance, as well as educational information to help you with:

Environmental Planning Wildlife and Habitat Management Chemical Use Reduction and Safety

Water Conservation Water Quality Management Outreach and Education

Based on a site specific report provided by Audubon International, you develop a plan that works for your golf course. By implementing and documenting environmental management practices in the above areas, a golf course is eligible for designation as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, improving its stature and reputation."

They just released a new website with a whole bunch of great information, unfortunately I can't post links to anything so instead go there yourself and check it out www.auduboninternational.org, be sure to check out the map page which lists both the number of courses and the total percentage of courses within each state.

Pasture Golf

Images of the Dubai Classic and the Masters at Augusta raise golfers aesthetic expectations to levels barely attainable. Fast rolling greens, lush fairways, blue ponds and sculpted white sand bunkers cost money, mostly because they are highly resource intensive. But not all golfers are as demanding as the pros, enter Pasture Golf.

Modern golf courses bear little resemblance to the links style of their ancestral roots. Many people are starting to share the view with www.pasturegolf.com that "the prolific use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, refrigerated greens (you think we're kidding, don't you?)" are actually hurting the game, and potentially threatening the environment.

The Pasture Golf website outlines the locations and individuality of many courses that meet their strict expectations. I was surprised to find out how many are located near me.

Due to the strong natural character of these courses they have unique house rules, some of these include:

Smedberg Pines Golf Course in Pollock Pines, California - Bear shit counts as a "loose impediment". The house may be considered a "hazard". Don't spend more than 5 minutes looking for any one ball. Beware of cars on #4 and #12. Read yardages on every hole, it's a short course. See nothing, feel nothing and be the ball.

Ernie Holzemer's Four Hole Pasture Golf Course in Amidon, North Dakota, has it's own particular rules:
No Golf Carts Rule - It would cut playing time down to five minutes.

Badger Rule - "If a badger steals your ball, don't mess with the badger."

Gopher Rule - "If a gopher steals your ball, it's legal to retrieve it from the gopher hole."

7-Iron Rule - "Use your 7-iron to kill rattlesnakes."

Alaskan Golf Courses are no different:

The Raven Rule - Muskeg Meadows Golf Course, Wrangell, Alaska
If a raven steals your ball, you may replace it with no penalty, if you have a witness to the theft.

The Critter Rule - Birch Ridge Golf Course, Soldotna, Alaska
Please allow moose and other wild critters to play through!

The Bear Rule - Bear Valley Golf Course, Kodiak, Alaska
Bears have the right to play through.

Relief from Moose Tracks - Mt. Fairweather Golf Course
Take relief from moose tracks.

Free Drop - North Star Golf Club, Fairbanks, Alaska
If raven or fox steals ball, take free drop at theft location.