On Course for Sustainability

Our Euro buddies are really showing us up lately, check out this public relations video.

Earth Friendly Golf Balls?

Follow this link to hear a Golf Smarter podcast with the Putting Doctor Glen Coombe who focuses on putting for the first 34 minutes but then begins to focus on the Dixon Earth Ball and speaks of some very interesting facts associated with this eco-friendly product.

I've covered concern over golf balls before, here.

Sea Shells, Seas Shells, Down by the Seashore Paspalum

I've heard a lot of buzz on Seashore Paspalum, seems like a miracle grass to me! So I've collected a bunch of links and a great little video to help us all better understand this seemingly amazing grass.

Seashore Paspalum - Richard L. Duble, Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Texas Cooperative Extension,The Texas A&M University System

First Course to go all out with SeaDwarf Seashore Paspalum - Hammock Bay G&CC

SeaIsle 1 - Certified Seashore Paspalum

Down by the Seashore - USGA Greens Section, Larry Gilhuly

GREEN GOLF ON THE GO

The world of golf has been busy with press releases and eco-awareness this week, here's a few of the headlines:

Bag Tags Spread the Good Green Word
Evergreen and Sticks for Kids team up to offer bag tags with earth friendly messages, such as:

• Go hug that tree you just hit. The shade it's creating is trying to keep you cool out there.
• Nice divot. Now go fix it. That grass you're tearing up cleans the air so you can breathe a little easier.

Texas, "Green-Washed" Audubon and Getting Off of Potable Water
A great article from the Statesman - well written and truthful.

Bearwood Gets BIGGA Award
The British and International Golf Greenskeeping Association awards Bearwood Golf Club the "Innovation Prize" for the restoration and maintenance of 2 large ponds, reducing water use, composting and recycling.
Mentioned in the above article is the STRI and Syngenta Crop Protection Trials, why is this not happening in North America? I'm not sure but I'll find out soon!

Winds of Change? or Pain?
Golfers say wind turbines are too much of a distraction.

5 More To Go
Marriot is on a roll

No Birdies for Trumps New Course
More critisism on Trumps rump in the dunes

Arabian Coastline and Golf - "at one with nature"

Water Reuse Project at WSU
Washington State recieves $1 million in aid towards a $16 million in waste-water collection plan that will provide WSU and Palouse Ridge Golf Club. The Palouse Water Conservation Network offers some insight into the situation.

Florida Green Lodging Program Awards Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club the One Palm
The property has reduced water use per laundry load by 18 percent, and utilizes organically-based fertilizers, nutrients, and pesticides on its golf course.

The Environmental Institute for Golf

Who is the Environmental Institute for Golf?

What began as a modest $200 scholarship awarded to a student in 1955 has evolved over the past 50 years into a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities directed at strengthening the compatibility of the game of golf with the natural environment. As the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), The Environmental Institute for Golf (The Institute) relies upon the support of many individuals and organizations to fund programs and projects that help golf courses fulfill the environmental, recreational and economic needs of their communities. The Institute is fortunate to have more than 9,000 active donors, representing each of the United States and 67 countries worldwide, supporting its efforts. Why? They believe in the future of the game and its positive impact to a community.

In January 2003, The Institute evolved from The GCSAA Foundation, originally established in 1955, with a new name, mission and focus. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving information collection, research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course.

Today, The Institute funds more than $1 million annually in environmental programs, including scientific research, education, information collection, outreach and scholarships.

The Environmental Institute for Golf is committed to strengthening the compatibility of the game of golf with our natural environment.

By 2008 the EIG hopes to provide:

• Collaboration between the golf and environmental communities will lead to programs and services beneficial to all who come in contact with the game of golf.
• Golf course design, construction and management will implement environmental standards to strengthen the compatibility of golf and the environment.
• The environmental, recreational and economic aspects of golf courses will be enhanced for their communities.

The Environmental Institute for Golf offers a ton of great resources, click on the topics below for an amazing collection of Case Studies, Research Papers and Advertisements:

Service Water Quality

Integrated Plant Management

Golf Course Siting, Design and Construction

Wildlife and Habitat Management

Energy and Waste Management

Ground Water Protection

Water Use and Conservation

All Case Studies


Follow this link for another video featuring Greg Norman.

Good Source of Information: Golfdom

I subscribe to a number of golf publications to keep up to date with industry advancements. I've cut my print subscriptions down throughout the years and instead sign up for a lot of web-based e-zines.

One of which is the Golfdom Insider. Golfdom is a great source of information for anyone who works in the golf industry, they aim to be an "upscale publication designed to fill the niche between the highly technical association journal and the newsy tabloids".

They cover a huge amount of environmental issues, here's a few links from their site:

Joe Hubbard - The Natural

ASGCA Issues Sustainable Development Guidelines

From Food Waste to Fertilizer

Solar Golf Cars

Audubon in Action

Turfgrass Trends (a number of links)

Environment Still Number 1 Concern For Golf

Podcasts : Biodeisel, Snow Mold (Mould for you Canadians), Syngenta Professional Products - Meridian insecticide

Videos: Fertilizer Prices, Golf and Environment,

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.

A Tired Solution?

Laying old car tire crumbs underneath a golf green doesn't sound like a great idea, until you speak to University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers. They've been able to demonstrate how "ground-up tires placed beneath golf course greens absorb excess chemicals from fertilizers and help prevent groundwater contamination". Check out the article here.

But I am a little concerned about the rubber leaching, this study suggests there is reason to worry - "components of crumb rubber produced from tires, volatilize into the vapor phase and are leached into water in contact with the crumbs".

We'll see where this goes in the future, nevertheless I am intrigued by its potential recycling/re-use capacity and pollution prevention characteristics.

Greenwashing "sustainability"

I think its time for some clarification on a few terms that people like to throw around.

Sustainable
From Wikipedia - The term, in its environmental usage, refers to the potential longevity of vital human ecological support systems, such as the planet's climatic system, systems of agriculture, industry, forestry, fisheries, and the systems on which they depend.

From Merriam - Webster - of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged <sustainable techniques> <sustainable agriculture> b: of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods <sustainable society>

I was motivated to write this post because of this sentence I read describing conventional estate homes at a new golf course development:
"With lots as high as $3 million US (at Hole 4 on the new course), it's all about the quality of the development and the sustainability of the lifestyle choices the people are making".

I think at this time it's appropriate to look at the term "Greenwash".

Greenwash - Wikipedia - is a term that is used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.

I can imagine that posts like this will lead people to believe I'm Anti-Golf, I'm not, I'm just anti-misleading language and irresponsible golf developments. There's a lot of finger pointing at our industry, that could stop if we just do things right.