How Can We Make Golfing More Sustainable

Golf courses have been a hot topic of conservation for many years due to the large expanses of land, management regimes and water extraction methods which they employ. However, golf courses also provide many people with the opportunity to experience and connect with nature. In fact, turtles, birds, pollinators and other organisms can often be found on golf course grounds!  In a meta-analysis conducted by Colding & Folke (2009) they found that golf courses provide significant ecological value (a measure expressed as a percentage of species prosperity – presence, relative abundance, diversity and breeding success etc- relative to pristine native habitat) in areas with high human impact.  They found that the ecological value of golf courses increases as human disturbance of the surrounding areas increases with the value being 44% near parkland, 69% near agricultural areas, 84% near residential areas and 94% near highly urban locations.1  Looking at the calm pond, grassy sidelines, and treed canopy it is not hard to imagine that golf courses can provide significant species habitat given that 40-70% of the land in a golf course is non-playable!2  

After recognizing the significant impacts that golf courses can have on native species several questions arise: How can we improve the quality of habitat provided by golf courses? How can we help to enhance the relationship between our golf courses and the natural ecosystems of a region? How can we change management practices of golf courses to make them more environmentally friendly? How can we make golfing more sustainable?

How to enhance the biodiversity your golf courses

As stated above, golf courses contain 40-70% non-playable area2  this means that up to 70% of a golf course area can be enhanced to host more biodiversity! Below are some of the ways that your local golf course can help protect and foster the health of native species:

1. Plant native flowers in garden beds

• Native flowers are just as beautiful as tulips! By replacing non-native species and planting native flowering plants on golf course grounds you can increase the amount of pollinators present including monarch butterflies, hummingbirds, and hummingbird moths! 

2. Removal of invasive species and planting native grasses, trees and shrubs

• Golf courses often have forested thickets with ornamental tree species and areas where invasive species have established. Over time any non-native species can be removed and replaced through thoughtful planting of our beautiful beneficial native species.
• Increased the plantings of shrubbery among trees enhances the structural complexity (different height and density of plants) of vegetated areas  which enhances the number of species, including mammals and reptiles, that will inhabit the green space.3

3. Construct and install bird and bat boxes

• Who doesn’t love to hear bird singing in the trees?! By installing bird houses you will encourage species like the Eastern Bluebird ( which have shown particular promise in golf course bird houses4), Red-breasted nuthatch, chickadees and more to call the golf course home. By installing bat boxes you will reduce the amount of missed hole’s in one due to pesky mosquito bites throwing off your game!

Raise knowledge about the biodiversity of golf course

Golf clubs always have an “About Us” page. This is the perfect place for clubs to share information about native plants, birds, mammals, and reptiles that can be seen on their course. Studies have identified that people often travel to different golf courses in order to experience new natural areas or countries!5 By providing information about local flora and fauna, it facilitates a more complete and comprehensive experience for guests and golfers!

How to change golf course management regimes to be more environmentally friendly

Due to the manicured nature of golf courses, they often have extensive management regimes. These regimes often involve the use of pesticides, fertilizers and ground or surface water extraction; however these management practices can cause harm to surrounding ecosystems. In order to mitigate such negative effects, golf clubs can modify their management practices to make their golf courses more environmentally friendly!

1. Optimized and reduced use of pesticides and fertilizers

• Ensuring that course managers and staff have adequate training on the appropriate application guidelines of pesticides and fertilizers is very important as this has been a identified as an issue resulting improper applications .7 Another method is to only apply fertilizers and pesticides when needed (either at a certain time of the year, or when negative effects become noticed). In addition, employing Integrated Pest Management is also effective at reducing pesticide applications.8

2. Optimization of watering regime and infrastructure

• Watering should happen only when needed, when rain is not forecast and when evapotranspiration is low9 (for example at dusk or dawn). The installation of soil moisture measure instruments (which indicate when to water) is also encouraged as they have can reduce water consumption by up to 51%!9 Furthermore, ensuing that there are no leaks in irrigation infrastructure and that nozzles are optimized and pointed in the correct direction (so that only desired areas are watered , i.e avoiding the ruff when possible) are also promising ways to reduce water use.

3. Change in mowing regimes

• Many pollinators, birds and other organisms live and nest in tall grasses, this is why extensive/frequent mowing can have a negative impact on their populations. Golf courses can help to minimize this impact by  reducing their frequency of mowing and by converting excess turf to native grassland species. Reducing the mowing of playable areas from everyday to only 5 days has been shown to improve grass health and as a result may reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides.8

Many golf clubs around the world have recognized the significant impacts that golf courses can have on native species and are now pioneering many best practices for a more sustainable future! The GEO Foundation has been leading the way on improving the sustainability of golf courses and has many great resources on how to make your course more sustainable! Click here to learn more!

A great day of golfing with bluebirds singing,  green frogs croaking and milkweed waving? Now that’s a hole in one!

Written by: Fallon Hayes, Communications and Education Specialist

1. Colding, Johan, and Carl Folke. “The role of golf courses in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management.” Ecosystems 12.2 (2009): 191-206.
2. Tanner, R. A., and A. C. Gange. “Effects of golf courses on local biodiversity.” Landscape and Urban planning 71.2-4 (2005): 137-146.
3. Hodgkison, Simon, Jean-Marc Hero, and Jan Warnken. “The efficacy of small-scale conservation efforts, as assessed on Australian golf courses.” Biological Conservation 135.4 (2007): 576-586.
4. LeClerc, Joshua E., et al. “Reproductive success and developmental stability of eastern bluebirds on golf courses: evidence that golf courses can be productive.” Wildlife Society Bulletin 33.2 (2005): 483-493.
5. López-Bonilla, Luis Miguel, María del Carmen Reyes-Rodríguez, and Jesús Manuel López-Bonilla. “Golf tourism and sustainability: Content analysis and directions for future research.” Sustainability 12.9 (2020): 3616.
6. Rossi, Frank, and Jennifer Grant. “Long term evaluation of reduced chemical pesticide management of golf course putting turf.” (2009).
7. Arcury‐Quandt, Alice E., Amanda L. Gentry, and Antonio J. Marín. “Hazardous materials on golf courses: Experience and knowledge of golf course superintendents and grounds maintenance workers from seven states.” American journal of industrial medicine 54.6 (2011): 474-485.
8. Rossi, Frank, and Jennifer Grant. “Long term evaluation of reduced chemical pesticide management of golf course putting turf.” (2009).
9. Throssell, Clark S., et al. “Golf course environmental profile measures water use, source, cost, quality, management and conservation strategies.” Applied Turfgrass Science 6.1 (2009): 1-20.