Golf Courses and the Environment

By dj-admin •  Updated: 07/14/23 •  5 min read

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Are golf courses bad for the environment? This is a question that many people are asking themselves. There are many different opinions on this subject, but they are not all backed up by facts. This blog post will discuss some of the myths and realities about golf courses and their environmental impact.

Golf Courses Are NOT bad for the Environment

Golf Courses and the Environment - golf ball

Golf courses are not bad for the Environment. They are environmentally sustainable. The amount of environmental damage that golf courses cause is relatively minimal, and it’s not like there are many other potential uses for the land where these courses are situated. You can learn more from Twin Golfer by checking our site.

Golf Courses Country Studies Prove That Golf Is Good for the Environment

In a recent country study in Costa Rica on this subject, researchers found that rainforests near “greens” were healthier than those without them due to less pesticide use. They also found that greens provide habitat and food sources for wild animals too. It turns out you can have your cake (or garden) and eat it too! A little bit of golfing won’t hurt anyone or anything, but more can help improve biodiversity among local wildlife populations.

Air pollution

All of the trees on golf courses may help reduce air pollution. Trees are nature’s air purifiers, and they absorb carbon dioxide. They also produce oxygen, which helps us breathe easier.

Grass and water conservation

Many golf courses are designed to have a minimal impact on the natural landscape. This means they use fewer chemicals, reduce mowing of grasses, minimize irrigation for course maintenance, and maintain more diverse types of plants in their landscaping which consumes more CO₂ than trees. In addition to this, there has been research investigating that putting up fences around greens can conserve water by 50%. Not only does golf help humans enjoy themselves, but it also helps take care of our planet too!

Water pollution

Golf Courses and the Environment - golf course

Golf courses can help reduce water reliance too! It takes around 400 gallons of treated drinking water to irrigate one golf course for a year. And the waste from fertilizers is necessary for plants to grow as well. Still, when it leaches into rivers or lakes, this can create algal blooms that deplete life-giving oxygen levels in riverbeds and kill off other species. But if you don’t mind losing an occasional ball? Golfing saves more than just your strokes with these benefits!
A recent study on how golf courses affect local environments found that most greens helped improve biodiversity!

Animal Habitats

Animal habitats are preserved on golf courses; otherwise, they would be taken down due to development.  If you are interested in taking golf lessons you can learn more about it with our latest article.

Reducing Stormwater Runoff

Golf courses can help reduce stormwater runoff. The grass acts as a natural filter for the water. The golf course is not only good for your social life, but it can also be good for your Environment!

Okay, so I’ve mentioned how different amenities are available to you at various courses. But there’s another way that Golf Courses and the Environment can impact you: they’re great places to reduce stormwater runoff from entering our rivers and streams (saving both money and habitat) while providing animal habitats within urban areas. To manage this stormwater effectively, turf must be growing in high-traffic or impervious surfaces such as fountains, parking lots, rooftops, etc. When these green spaces are cut off due to development or other reasons, this can’t occur.

Protecting Natural Resources

Golf courses have been known to help protect natural resources. Natural resource management is a set of activities and techniques to preserve, maintain, or improve the quality and quantity of natural resources such as water sources. Golf courses are often located in remote areas where they have minimal impact on other parts of wildlife habitat (although there are some exceptions).

I saw this particular photo below that I felt was interesting because it shows how golf courses can provide places for animals within urban settings. This would be an example of restoring habitats through conservation practices.

Alternative Sources For Irrigation

Many golf courses are now looking to find alternative sources for irrigation to further assist with the Environment. This includes conserving water by using less in the course and more on trees, vegetation, and other areas. Golf courses are also starting to use recycled wastewater for irrigation, which reduces freshwater consumption that leads to drought conditions.

What are some things you can do as an individual to reduce your environmental impact?

Golf Courses and the Environment

Recycle materials at homes such as paper and plastic bottles instead of throwing them away immediately include picking up after pets or wildlife, which may create trash from feeding habits. This helps keep our environment clean while protecting animal habitats because animals often feed off items found in these piles (or eat fertilizer).

Lastly, to answer the question, are golf courses bad for the Environment? The answer is absolutely no! There are many ways in which golf courses are helping maintain and preserve wildlife and the Environment by keeping the grounds clean and proper and giving animals homes that they likely wouldn’t have if the area were taken over by development.