Golf Digest, May 2008: How Green is Golf?

[tjy355]

I like my courses well-watered and green. They look better and are more fun to play on.

They may look better, but I disagree that they are more fun to play on. Over-watered, soggy courses and soft greens offer a very one-dimensional playing experience. Firm and fast conditions open up many different options and will generally lead to improvement of one's shotmaking skills.

Tom

[RX Phoenix]

I would prefer that there be a trend toward less acreage of grass but the grass that is there be well manicured. By using forced carries over waste areas, large bunkers on sides of fairways, further waste areas between green and fairway landing area, the total amount of grass can be drastically reduced. Add in a lot of water hazards and it gets even better. Desert courses can be like this to conserve water usage.

[JYB]

FANTASTIC article and i'm glad golf digest did it. I really think EVERY golf course/park/public/private facility in the world should adhere to more enviornmentally friendly regulations!

[scottlp03]

They just need to find another way to keep the grass green/ the bugs off.

Great post - I agree with this as well as the post above stating that smaller areas of lush, manicured grounds would help in conservation.

[Guest]

Hey Guys,

I did some research on "green" golf courses... Some of you may find this interesting...

The Audubon Society has a Golf-geared Cooperative Sanctuary program that minimizes the potentially harmful impacts of golf operations. See link:

( http://www.auduboninternational.org/.../acss/golf.htm )

These are the courses you want to be playing!

Now, only about 560 courses are fully certified in the USA... but luckily, there are probably some courses near you that are enrolled, and certified... and when possible, I think we should all strive to play these courses as often as possible, choosing them over other courses (providing that we are not using gas-burning SUV's to drive longer distances to get to them).

Eitherway... here are some Famous N. East Coast courses that are Audubon Certified. (Florida and California are way ahead of everyone else, if you check the link below.)

In NEW YORK:
Bethpage Golf Course
Black, Red and Green courses.
(Accessible by Public transportation from NYC - LIRR/taxi)
+ 20 others

In NEW JERSEY:
Baltusrol Golf Course
+20 Others.

If your favorite course is not on the list... (see link: http://www.auduboninternational.org/...ACS%20list.pdf )
Then I urge you to contact your local course administrator and forward them this information. Golf Courses can take action and become certified in a matter of a few months, to a couple years.

One e-mail can't hurt!... take 5 minutes... It could help.


Enjoy!

p.s. Inspired by this article in Newsweek (May). http://www.newsweek.com/id/130625