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Presented in partnership YOUR ENVIRONMENT
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New ideas for a new year
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Establishing native grass and wildflower areas at Stone Mountain GC improved nesting and hunting for red-tail hawks like this “youngster” on the sixth hole. Photo courtesy of A. Williams |
Sometimes, the best ideas are stolen ideas, ideas that others have already made work in one circumstance that are easily adapted and just as successful in another setting.
So with that in mind, GCM turned to some of the industry’s most noted green-minded superintendents and asked them to share, in their own words, the best environmental practices they’ve implemented on their courses, “projects that are low in cost but big on returns, something any superintendent at any course, regardless of budget, could implement.”
We received a flood of great ideas from a broad spectrum of superintendents — recent environmental award winners, hosts of major championships, stewards of modest, yet standout, public facilities. A pair of those ideas anchors this month’s Inside Your Environment column, and in the coming months, we’ll share the others in a whole host of mediums, including in this column, maybe as a full feature story and on the GCM blog at http://gcm.typepad.com. Stay tuned.
Anthony Williams, CGCS, Stone Mountain (Ga.) Golf Club: “The Stone Mountain Golf Club set a goal to create an environmental plan that would give golfers memorable interaction with native plants and animals. We began by establishing native grass and wildflower areas that would serve as habitat to recover a severed food chain. We located these areas strategically to connect other areas of larger habitat, and the results have been amazing.
“First, by reducing the use of chemicals, water and labor, we saved over $100,000 in the first three years. Second, we saw a huge recovery of native plants (yellow daisy, cactus and many grasses) that provide food and shelter for a variety of beneficial insects and smaller animals. These increases in nesting and hunting sites saw the red-tail hawk return to the Stone Mountain Golf Club. This was never more apparent than when golfers were greeted by a young hawk on the sixth hole (pictured). The science of the case study faded into the wonder of nature, and I am reminded of how fortunate we are to pass on these memories.”
John Zimmers, Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club: “Oakmont Country Club embarked on a complete golf course restoration in 2005. Before and throughout the restoration, one of the best environmental practices utilized was tree removal. Over 5,000 trees were removed throughout the property.
“Virtually all of the trees removed were not native to the property and were not present at the inception of the golf course. The tree removal allowed Oakmont to be restored to its original architectural design while implementing a vital best environmental practice. The tree removal afforded increased airflow and sunlight, which resulted in healthier turf and greatly reduced inputs such as water, fertilizer and pesticides. Practically all of the tree removal was done in-house, and the long-term savings from this undertaking easily outweighed the costs associated with the work.”
About 10 months after Marriott Golf announced a company-wide campaign to require 34 of its golf courses in North America, Canada and the Caribbean to attain status as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary through Audubon International, the management company announces that it’s completed the task as its 25th golf property, Camelback Golf Club, Scottsdale, Ariz., has obtained certification. Camelback is also Marriott Golf’s original golf property. A total of 34 golf courses on 25 properties attained the certification. The company says the accomplishment further positions Marriott Golf as a “green” golf management organization and reinforces its commitment worldwide to environmental consciousness. Marriott Golf manages 62 courses at 46 locations in 13 countries. See Page 38 of the June 2008 issue of GCM for the original story. |
