Golf Course Environmental Profile
In 2006, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of
America (GCSAA) conducted the first in a series of five surveys to determine
the physical features of golf courses, maintenance practices used by
superintendents, and inputs and outputs associated with golf course management.
The goal of the research is to develop an environmental profile of golf
GCSAA and the golf industry need information specific to the
environmental attributes of golf courses, including natural resource
inventories, management inputs and environmental stewardship practices. This
information will provide baseline data for documenting changes in environmental
practices over time and help set priorities for education, research, member
services and other environmental programs.
The data will also help the golf
industry respond to governmental inquiries and answer the public's questions
about environmental issues. Existing environmental data are very limited, and
not complete, uniform or centralized.
Using the results of the profile surveys, GCSAA identified
the following conclusions for continuous improvement within the golf course
Environmental improvements and environmental programs
- On average, over the last 10 years, an 18-hole golf course
has made five environmental improvements.
- Approximately 29 percent of 18-hole golf courses are
involved in a formal, voluntary environmental stewardship program.
- Facilities involved in formal, voluntary environmental
programs have made an average of seven improvements to enhance the golf course
environment in that 10-year period.
- The data suggests that such programs are having a positive
impact on the golf course environment.
- The non-turfgrass landscape on golf courses is substantial
and can make an important contribution to green space and wildlife habitats for
- Non-turfgrass landscape of an average 18-hole golf course is
50 acres, including 35 acres of elements such as forests, wetlands, ponds,
streams or other specialized habitats.
- Facilities have the opportunity and the responsibility to
maintain these areas in a sustainable manner to further enhance the
environmental qualities of a golf facility.
Irrigation Water Management and Conservation
- Superintendents at nearly all 18-hole golf facilities
utilize information from multiple sources as part of their decision-making
process for scheduling irrigation. Most facilities utilize direct observations
of turfgrass and soil conditions.
- Approximately 35 percent routinely utilize
evapotranspiration data, and approximately 3 percent use soil moisture sensors
to aid in irrigation scheduling.
- Golf course superintendents should take advantage of
technology as part of the irrigation decision-making process to conserve water.
Irrigation Water Sources
- Golf facilities utilize multiple water sources for
irrigation, and the most commonly used water sources for 18-hole golf
facilities are listed below.
- Golf courses should maximize the use of non-potable water to
irrigate golf courses when economically and practically feasible.
- Most golf course facilities utilize open water or on-site
irrigation wells as a source for water.
- Approximately 12 percent of golf facilities utilize recycled
water as a source for irrigation water and 14 percent use potable water from a
municipal source for irrigation.
- 52% – open water (lakes, ponds, etc.)
- 46% – on-site wells
- 17% – rivers, streams and creeks
- 14% – municipal water systems
- 12% – recycled water
Irrigation Systems and Audits
- Golf facilities should utilize irrigation system audits as a
means to increase the effectiveness of the irrigation system and conserve
- Approximately 8 percent of 18-hole golf facilities
nationally have had their irrigation systems audited by a certified irrigation
auditor since 2001.
- More golf course facilities should take advantage of an
irrigation system audit to become more responsible users of water.
Written Drought Management Plans
- A written drought management plan provides a documented
procedure to reduce the use of irrigation water during drought. These written
plans are a helpful tool for individual golf facilities and are valuable for
the golf industry in developing practical public policy at the local and state
- Approximately 28 percent of 18-hole golf facilities in the
Northeast agronomic region have written drought management plans, more than any
other agronomic region.
- Written drought management plans should be adopted by golf
facilities that are subject to drought cycles.
Environmental Stewardship – Nutrient Management
- The results of the nutrient use survey indicate that golf
course superintendents use a variety of nutrient sources. Quick-release and
slow-release nitrogen sources and synthetic and organic nutrient sources are
applied to most golf courses in the U.S.
- No matter the nitrogen source (quick- or slow-release,
synthetic or organic), superintendents decide the rate applied, the frequency
of application, the time of year applications are made and the product used and
are therefore responsible for producing the desired affect on the turfgrass
without negatively affecting the environment.
- GCSAA recommends that superintendents evaluate all sources
of nutrients based on their agronomic performance, cost, potential impact on
water quality and other environmental concerns and choose products that foster
sustainability of the golf facility.
- By itself, the source of nutrients (quick-release,
slow-release, synthetic, organic) is not an indicator of the environmental
stewardship of the golf facility.
- The potential for nutrients to move from the application
site is influenced by application rate, frequency of application, time of year,
product applied, soil type, soil moisture content, temperature, turfgrass
density and the intensity and amount of rainfall/irrigation following application.
- Understanding and adjusting to the influence of these
factors is the responsibility of a golf course superintendent.
- Since 2002, only 26 percent of 18-hole golf facilities have
conducted soil tests on the rough.
- On an average 18-hole golf facility, the rough comprises 50
acres (4), more than any other component of a golf course.
- Since the greatest total amount of phosphate and potash are
applied to rough, GCSAA recommends hat superintendents routinely conduct soil
tests on the rough to determine phosphorus and potassium fertilizer needs.
- This practice has the potential to curtail costs and promote
fertilizer programs that meet, not exceed, the nutritional needs of the
- In 2006, 50 percent of the 18-hole golf facilities that
stored fertilizer for more than three consecutive days used a dedicated storage
- GCSAA recommends that all golf facilities that store
fertilizer do so in an area that is specifically designed for that purpose.
Nutrient Management Plans
- Approximately 50 percent of golf facilities nationally use a
written nutrient management plan or a written fertilizer program.
- A written nutrient management plan or a written fertilizer
program provides the means to achieve goals and should be used by all golf
- GCSAA recommends that all golf facilities use guidelines
developed by university scientists to develop written nutrient management plans
based on the characteristics and expectations unique to each facility.