How can my golf course be more environmentally friendly?
With a progressive approach, all golf clubs can deliver greater on-course sustainability and increased biodiversity, even on a limited budget
n a changing world, there’s an ever more urgent requirement for increased environmental sustainability across every aspect of human activity. Golf must be seen to be making all possible efforts in this direction.
Golf courses occupy large swathes of land. It’s a fact those who would use the sport as a punch bag portray as a negative. But golf should be able to provide a robust rebuttal to the critics. Our sport is custodian of large tracts of green belt. If these areas are managed in a sustainable way, no other sport has the ability to lock up so much carbon and, with the correct approach, courses can be environmental sanctuaries.
Smaller clubs may see an environmental programme as low priority; something only wealthier courses and clubs can afford the luxury of rolling out. Banchory Golf Club in Aberdeenshire has proven this is not the case.
With a limited budget, it is one of the few nonchampionship venues to have become Golf
IEnvironmental Organisation (GEO) Certified. The club has also received a GEO Sustainability Champion award – one of a small number of facilities to gain such an accolade.
At the 2020 Golf Environment Awards, Banchory was the winner in the Operation Pollinator category and course manager Richard Mullen was a finalist in the Conservation Greenkeeper of the Year category. Richard was also winner of the BIGGA Excellence award for communication within the local community, introducing school and nursery children to golf and its biodiversity.
Golf Monthly spoke to Richard about the initiatives at Banchory that have led to national recognition and to find out how, at relatively low cost, average clubs in the UK can focus on ecological and environmental projects.
Changing times
Regulations on chemical usage have rightly changed in recent years, and this means greenkeepers have had to alter their practices.
“Introducing more tolerant grass species is important,” says Richard. “Sustainable cultivars require less fertiliser and other treatments. Each course will be different in terms of which species can be successful, so trial plots are the way forward. Adapt and overcome!”
In terms of preventative measures, a change in tactics is also required. “As an example, in the past we used chemicals to deal with eggs and larvae from flying insects that damage the turf,” Richard says. “Now, instead, we have 26 bat boxes around the course, and we work closely with the local bat group. The bats keep the population of these more troublesome insects down. We’ve created a natural solution to the problem.”
“Each course will be different, so trial plots are the way forward. Adapt and overcome!”
Wildflower areas have been established around the course at Banchory to encourage more bees and butterflies, which are fantastic for pollination.
“The UK has lost 90% of its wildflower meadows since World War II,” says Richard. “But if every golf course in the country were to allocate just 100m2 to this, we would gain back 10% nationwide.”
Natural plants like heathers are being reintroduced at Banchory and ‘grass meadow’ areas created. The latter are self-sustaining, providing a wildlife corridor for animals and a home for ground-nesting birds among the wispy grasses.
“All courses have land that’s out of play, and can be left/managed for wildflowers, nettles, brambles etc – all great for pollinating insects and bees, and they can provide hibernation areas,” says Richard. “Also, by utilising out-of-play areas of the course in this way, the cost of maintenance and associated pollutants is reduced.”
Banchory has installed six dray boxes to increase the red squirrel population, plus habitat boxes for barn owls, tawny owls and pine martens. With bee, insect, hedgehog and reptile hibernacula in place, there has been a great increase in biodiversity and the creation of a self-sustaining ecosystem.
Local school and nursery children are regular visitors to the club to see this biodiversity first-hand, and to gain an insight into how these projects fit in with the game.
Spreading the word
Richard clearly takes great pride in the environmental projects he has overseen at Banchory and he believes that all golf clubs in this country should strive to make their courses as sustainable as possible.
“As custodian of a golf course it’s the course manager’s job to create the best possible playing surface, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of the environment,” he says. “I think any club looking to increase environmental efforts should speak to the Golf Environment Organisation and local wildlife groups as they will be able to provide the correct help and advice.”
And what about the cost? “The costs are no higher, it’s just a case of recalibration. Where costs once went on chemicals, they can now be directed to more sustainable methods. It’s very much achievable with a little drive and passion.”
Golf must focus strongly on the environment if it’s to keep pace with attitudes in the modern world. Those looking after each of our courses can, and should, play a part in helping golf lead the way when it comes to sustainability in sport.