Greener Golf

Why is resource management important?

Resource consumption and management are key areas for the operation of any golf club based on the simple costs of purchase, waste management and disposal. It is essential that a sufficient proportion of time is allocated to the control of resource intensive areas of your operation to ensure efficient management of your major cost centres.
The most interesting element of sustainability, for most golf clubs, will no doubt be resource efficiency, in simple terms minimising your consumption of energy and water through a combination of awareness and new technologies.  The potential savings through relatively simple technologies are likely to exceed 25% and for most golf clubs, depending on measures that you have already put in place.

Why is managing the natural landscape important?

The golf industry has changed significantly over the last 30 plus years working to reduce its environmental impacts by reducing pesticides consumption, reducing the area of close mown amenity grassland and enhancing natural habitats. The less intensive methods of management have partly been due to more enlightened attitudes, but also from a desire to reduce the required man hours and course inputs resulting from large highly managed areas of land.

As sustainability issues have come to the fore over recent years, the golf industry can genuinely claim to provide significant areas of natural habitat. The golf sectors management of land across the UK offers significant benefits to the wider community through carbon dioxide reduction, air quality improvements, urban air temperature reduction and flood water attenuation among others.

Collaboration with the various organisations monitoring the spread of invasive species, pests and diseases will also potentially benefit the golf industry. The negative effects are likely to impact significantly on our industry through the costs of managing non-native species, potential loss of entire tree species and the use of increasingly costly pesticides. Without industry wide action it is likely that the look and management of golf courses will change forever, and even with our action we may simply delay the inevitable.

How do we engage the wider community to raise awareness?
Community engagement for the golf industry is an important element in a longer term process of sustainability.  In this context sustainability not only refers to minimising the effects of the operation on the environment but also in terms of forging strong links with your local community through the development of local Supply Networks and connections with local community groups schools and charities.
The creation of stronger local links will help to encourage the view of the golf club being a community asset beyond simply playing the game of golf.  Local connections often lead to membership, green fees, event bookings, restaurant and bar use and broader connections with the local business community.
In addition to these potential financial benefits it is very common for golf clubs to benefit from a broader knowledge pool from wildlife groups, schools and universities that may be able to provide advice on a diverse range of issues potentially affecting the operation of a golf club.