07 February 2022
This article is the first in the Do One Thing #ForSustainableGolf series.
Suppose you’re looking for ways to play your part or take on a more significant role in advancing sustainable golf at your course. In that case, naturalization is a great practice that can result in immediate benefits.
Whether you’re a greenkeeper/superintendent at a 9-hole course in Scotland or a course manager at a 36-hole facility in Australia, reducing your time and inputs when it comes to course maintenance makes sense.
How are other courses benefitting?
Leaving areas of rough unmown is important for several reasons, including:
- Enabling you to reduce fuel consumption and emissions
- Increasing biodiversity, even more significant if your course is in an urban or agricultural area
- Saving staff time so you can prioritize other work and projects around the course
The Sustainable Golf ‘Highlights Hub’ (part of this website) has dozens of excellent examples of naturalization in action at courses worldwide. Here are just a few to help get you inspired:
Nordcenter Golf & Country Club, Finland – Naturalization of bunker surrounds saves time
Mortonhall Golf Club, Scotland – Half the time and half the fuel
Hirsala Golf Club, Finland – 13% reduction in rough maintenance
Craig Hempseed, Estate Manager, Mortonhall Golf Club, uses the OnCourse programme and has this advice for greenkeepers and superintendents looking for ways to do good and save money:
“In 2020, we started looking at ways we could naturalize areas of rough around the course after joining OnCourse and seeing how other clubs were benefitting. GEO Foundation gave us some invaluable advice too and we set about putting a plan in place.
“Instead of just having unmown rough areas, we’ve also introduced around 2Ha of wildflower areas around the course and installed two beehives on site. The feedback from members has been great and the work undertaken has given the course a better aesthetic without impacting playability.”
There are so many practical things you can do and continue to do at your facility to foster nature. Find out more about how to Do One Thing #ForSustainableGolf:
Join OnCourse for free to get proven ideas and guidance on naturalization
Share your own highlights and learn from others
Get in touch if you’d like any help with getting started
There will be a new article published every week for the next four weeks to give you ideas and inspiration.
ENDS
Contact:
Jonathan Smith – Chief Executive
GEO Foundation
Tel: +44 (0) 1620 850 659
Email: jonathan@sustainable.golf
Website: www.sustainable.golf