RPI EcoEd Middle School Research Report
Spring 2012
The Dark Side of Golf: sustainability problems and solutions
By Brendan Bartow, 6th grade, Tamarac Middle School
I. Introduction
Golf is a sport that is enjoyed in nature. Golfers take pleasure in the sun, the wildlife, the
hills and valleys, the waterways, the wooded areas and even the oceans that border golf
courses across America. The sport itself is made for nature-lovers, but golf has a dark side. A
single golf course in the U.S. soaks up more than 300,000 gallons of water in one day, and
some in the arid southwest can use more than one million gallons in just one day. (Barton,
2008) In 2010, the United States had 18,514 golf courses (Barton, 2008). This means that more
than 5.5 million gallons of water are used each day on golf courses in the United States. If you
consider the fertilizers and pesticides added to the courses to maintain the lush greens and
fairways, the 5.5 billion gallons of water run off from the US golf courses are now contaminated
and moving towards our local water sources, streams, rivers and global water supply. Wildlife
on and around golf courses are also affected. Their habitat, food, and water supplies are
diminished while their health is threatened by the many toxic chemicals sprayed on the fields.
In addition to the water and synthetic chemical problems that golf courses present, the recycling
of golf clubs has also been an environmental concern. Sustainability in golf has become a big
issue in recent years. I find this topic interesting because I enjoy playing golf and I want to make
sure we take care of our environment. We need to address these issues and try to make golfing
a more environmentally sustainable sport.
I. Golf’s Sustainability Problems
A. Water availability is a global concern. “By 2025, according to the United Nations
Environmental Program’s 2007 report, about 1.8 billion people in the world will be living in
conditions of absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the planet will be subject to water
stress.” (Barton, 2008) Given this information, Barton 2008 states, “golf in America will face a
crisis over water.” In fact, water use and conservation on golf courses has been a controversial
topic for [nearly two decades] since the last millennium. Some reports estimate that 5.5 million
gallons of water are used each day to irrigate the approximately 18,500 golf courses across the
United States. Nationally, nearly 100 percent of greens, tees and fairways are irrigated to keep
the lush, green look that American’s now expect at their golf courses.
B. “One year, in a tournament near Miami, I had to withdraw after thirty-six holes. The
course had been heavily sprayed, and there was weed killer in the lake. When I got to the
course for the third round, I couldn’t hit a wedge shot thirty yards—I didn’t have enough
strength. My eyes were bloodshot, my complexion was very ruddy, and my right hand was
swollen from taking balls from the caddie. My doctor said it was acute pesticide poisoning.”
(Cox, 1991, Edmondson 1987) This account was provided by Billy Casper, a top professional
golfer in the 1960s. Casper’s experience illustrates how pesticide use on golf courses affects
human health. In the 1960s, golf courses used Chlordane, which is an organochlorine
compound used as a pesticide that was banned from use in 1983. Today, pesticide use is still a
problem.
The application of various pesticides (fungicides, herbicides, insecticides) and synthetic
fertilizers to maintain golf courses across the US has become an area of concerns for both the
golf community and environmentalists. "If you scraped a golf green and tested it, you'd have to
cart it away to a hazardous-waste facility," says biologist Joseph Okoniewski. (Grossmann,
1993) These synthetic chemicals can poison wildlife and the people who take care of the golf
courses while soaking into the ground and polluting underground water supplies. Also, rain may
carry the chemicals to ponds, streams, and lakes, where they can harm other kinds of wildlife.
(Rick, 1994) One study shows that golf workers who spray pesticide have an increase of 250%
to get diabetes. Golfers that spend time on the pesticide-treated greens are being exposed to
toxic chemicals. Another study demonstrated that “golf course superintendents have a higher
mortality from certain cancers, including lung, brain, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, large intestine
and prostate.” (Feldman, Beyond Pesticides). Golf course workers and golfers are not the only
organisms exposed to the excessive pesticides used on golf courses, people, wildlife and other
organisms that live in the areas around golf courses are also exposed. “The extensive use of
pesticides on golf courses raises serious questions about people's toxic exposure, drift over
neighboring communities, water contamination, and effects on wildlife and sensitive
ecosystems.” (Beyond Pesticides). A 1990 study of 52 Long Island, New York golf courses
found that on average 18 pounds of pesticides were applied per year on each treated acre of
course. This is nearly seven times the average amount of pesticides used on farm land.
Pesticides are dangerous, “of the 30 most commonly used turf pesticides, 19 can cause cancer,
13 are linked to birth defects, 21 can affect reproduction and 15 are nervous system toxicants.”
(Feldman, Beyond Pesticides) One man, named Steve Herzog, was diagnosed non-Hodgkin
lymphoma after treating Yale University Golf Course with pesticides, and fertilizers while being a
groundskeeper for fifteen years. At this golf club, members were drinking from well water that
was contaminated from chemicals used on the course. Synthetic chemicals used on golf
courses pose a significant health threat to the innocent people that are involved in the sport. A
change needs to be made to reduce the use of these chemicals to improve golf courses
sustainability.
Wildlife around golf courses is directly affected by changes to their natural habitat,
contamination of water, and food supply. Biodiversity is diminished when one animal’s habitat is
destroyed, but another animal’s habitat is still in tact thus leaving one species of animal living
there. Those adjustments are killing off and making animals move their natural habitats. As
humans expand into animal habitats, their security is being threatened, causing them to move to
other areas. “Previously, the area had had your typical Central California look - golden fields,
hot, hazy sunny days. The heavily watered golf course cut a heavy green swath through the
otherwise dry and golden valley. Large snakes - both rattlers and gopher snakes, lay dead all
over the newly paved roads. Rabbits darted back and forth, reminding me strongly of the day in
the field in The Secret of NIMH. A lone deer walked past our car, and weaved its way between
two large, silent bulldozers. The wildlife was fighting to keep its home, but clearly the habitat had
been severely shaken.” (Naturally Speaking, 2005) Approximately 40% to 60% of the average
golf course is available for wildlife use, because it is outside of playing areas (Randa, 2010).
These areas could be used to maintain and encourage biodiversity on the golf course. Wildlife
needs to be looked at differently. It is a natural tendency to think about insects only in terms of
pests — those that bite, sting or eat crops. However, insects are a huge and varied group. Many
pollinate flowers, eat other insects, help to break down dead plant matter and build the soil, and
perform all sorts of other valuable services. Most
insects are never noticed in our daily activities. (Larry Woolbright, Nancy B. Elliott, Douglas F.
Fraser, Peter Salinetti, & and Ronald G. Dodson, 2005)
Ponds, lakes and streams on golf courses improve the attractiveness of the golf courses
and act as exciting obstacles for golfers. However, use of fertilizers intended to promote the
growth of plants, also encourage the growth of algae in the waterways, called eutrophication.
When aquatic plants die, they sink to the bottom, where the bacteria that decompose them use
up the oxygen in the water, making the water uninhabitable for aquatic animals. Toxic algae
species also impacts the health of land wildlife and humans. When these algae flourish because
of nutrient pollution in the water, they produce toxins that poison aquatic organisms, such as
seabirds, fish, sea turtles and aquatic mammals, like dolphins, manatees and sea lions. Other
algae species clog the gills of fish and aquatic invertebrates. When people become exposed to
algae-infested waters or consume fish or shellfish poisoned by algal toxins, they can become ill
and can even die. (Walls-Thumma) By making golf courses more naturalistic and utilizing
natural pesticides and fertilizers, the diversity of aquatic wildlife, arthropods and animals on golf
courses could replenish and still allow for golf courses to be enjoyed.
Another issue related to golf and environmental sustainability is the recycling of golf
equipment and materials used to produce them. According to Richard Ruzylo, Facilities &
Environmental Safety Manager at Cobra Puma Golf, “From the point of golf products, many of
the materials used to manufacture a golf club are recyclable. The metals that are used to make
the heads can be melted down and reused to make other club heads. Metal shafts can be
recycled much in the same way. Rubber grips can be ground up and reused as other products.”
Mr. Ruzylo also states, “most of the components used to make a golf club leave our facility and
never return. It is the responsibility of the individual to repurpose or dispose of the product
responsibly at the end of its useful life.” It is important for golf course facilities to develop
programs that encourage recycling of golf equipment, so that clubs, balls and other materials
can be sent to recycling centers when they are no longer in use.
2. Sustainable Solutions
It is obvious that we need to find appropriate solutions and compromises to many of the
sustainability issues that plague the sport of golf, and many golf organizations, environmental
groups, universities and golfers are doing just that. Various efforts have been
used/implemented to find solutions for the major environmental issues that concern golf.
According to Barton (2008), “Water is going to be increasingly carefully managed by everyone.”
For that reason, in recent years more golf courses have started to use effluent water to irrigate.
Effluent water is treated wastewater from community or industry sewage. The water is cleaned
through a filtration process, chlorinated and tested to ensure its safety when used on a golf
course. “Dense, well-managed turfgrass areas are among the best filtration systems available
for polluted water. The thatch layer in turf, which consists of dead and decaying organic
material, traps and holds particulate pollutants in the water and allows them to degrade
naturally. The effluent water that goes on the course as irrigation is actually cleansed by the turf
and plants before it is returned to lakes, streams and groundwater supplies.” (Rutgers
University Professional Golf Turf Management School) There are several advantages to using
effluent water. It’s always available even when there is a drought, it has a nutrient content that
could potentially lessen dependence on manufactured fertilizers, it reduces the use of potable
water for golf course irrigation, saving it for more essential use and could potentially become an
income by selling the filtered effluent water for agricultural use of non-food crops. (Dr. David
Kopac)
Recapturing water through drainage-recapture systems allows courses to make the most
of their irrigation and save money and water use. Water that was not absorbed into the ground
is collected and reused, thus saving water and money for the course.
Other ways to conserve water on golf courses include irrigating at optimal times to
minimize evaporation, watering only as needed and spot watering as needed. Using grasses
and plants that require less water to survive and thrive, and raising mowing heights also help to
conserve water. “Raising the mowing height increases the amount of leaf surface area, which
increases the amount of potential photosynthesis. In essence, the higher mowing height is
creating a bigger tank of fuel for the plant, and, hopefully, the fuel will not run out until cooler
temperatures return in the fall.” (O’Brien, 2010)
“Water is the lifeblood of all golf courses. No matter what type of grass or plant is used,
all of them need water to survive and thrive.” (Golf Courses and the Environment) Water will
always be necessary to maintain golf courses, but water can be conserved and used in a way
that helps to keep golf a sustainable sport.
Unlike water, synthetic pesticides are not a requirement to maintain a green golf course.
There are many alternatives to the use of chemicals to treat the greens like replacing chemical
with natural and organic pesticides.. The first step is to make sure that the turfgrass is
appropriate for the climate of the area. “Turfgrass selection should be based on the
environment, the intended use and expected management intensity. Blends and mixtures
should be used whenever possible to ensure good performance over a wide range of
conditions.” (University of Arkansas) The course will have less problems with turfgrass if it is
adapted to the specific climate of the area.
Natural pest management can be used to control pest while doing no harm to the
environment. Natural predators can be used to control pests. For example birds, bat, and
beneficial bugs can help keep the balance of nature without chemicals. Bats and birds can be
used to control mosquitoes. One lady bug can eat up to 100 aphids in a day, by encouraging a
ladybug population in their environment, courses could control aphid problems. Building bat
boxes and bird houses attract more of those animals to the area. Create brush piles and leave
parts of flowering bushes untrimmed during the fall and winter so beneficial insects have a place
to rest. Also, planting certain plants and flowers will attract beneficial bugs like lady bugs,
assassin bugs, parasitic wasps, and praying mantis.
Natural remedies can also be used for insect control. To control ticks and fleas add fresh
or dried rosemary to boiling water, allow the solution to cool and spray over turfgrass. Ants can
be controlled by adding boric acid powder and honey to a solution then spraying where ants are
active. Mixing mild dishwashing soap and cooking oil can also be used to control for insects.
Adding baking soda and detergent mixture can control fungi. There are many organic options to
pest control. There are even companies that specialize in organic pest control and you can buy
their products ready to use.
Rodents can be controlled organically as well. Rabbits and small rodents are allergic to
peppermint and will avoid it, so by placing peppermint oil in areas settled by rodents they can be
deterred from returning. There are several organic products available online to get rid of moles
from our environment. They are non-toxic and used smells and bad taste to drive moles to a
different environment.
Pesticide use is a leading source of water pollution. One way to limit pesticides run-off
on golf courses are to build border and buffer zones to keep pesticides from getting into
surrounding water sources. These borders and buffers are areas of land with permanent
vegetation that are used to trap pesticides and nutrients from run-off. These areas are also
important because they can be used as a wildlife habitat and encourage the population of
beneficial insects.
Many golfers enjoy watching wildlife when they play. By planting trees and shrubs that
produce fruits, seeds, and nuts, golf courses can encourage wildlife populations on their
property. Wildlife populations can also be encouraged by leaving fallen trees, shrubs, and tree
cavities in border and buffer zones to provide natural habitats. By creating a wildlife refuge in
urban areas and making wildlife programs visible, you can attract more people, and not only
golfers, but those that may want to exercise, photograph or just watch nature. When wildlife
become a problem, “species such as skunks, non-migratory Canada geese, and deer, when
they become damaging, should be managed through non-harmful means whenever possible.
Non-harmful control methods could include dogs, noisemakers, repellents, and trapping and
removal. Managed hunting may be appropriate where legal and safe.” (Beyond Pesticides,
1996) “Habitat for wildlife species that help control pests like bats, bluebirds, purple martins
should be protected. Additional habitat for these beneficial species should be created whenever
feasible and environmentally desirable.” (Beyond Pesticides, 1996) it can be as simple as
stocking ponds with fish that help control algae or building bat boxes to help control the
mosquito population.
Golf companies are working on solutions to make golf equipment more environmentally
friendly. The metals that are used to make clubs can be melted down and reused. Rubber grips
can be ground up and reused as other products too. According to Richard Ruzylo, Facilities &
Environmental Safety Manager at Cobra Puma Golf, “The area where the biggest gains can
come from might not necessarily be from the golf products themselves, but rather how they are
produced. Focusing on how energy and materials to produce golf clubs are used to make the
product will provide the largest gains with sustainability. Keep in mind, most of the components
used to make a golf club leave our facility and never return. It is the responsibility of the
individual to repurpose or dispose of the product responsibly at the end of its useful life. Our
biggest gains come from conserving resources that create the product.” Mr. Ruzylo also states
that Cobra Puma Golf designers have begun to work with materials to make shoes and bags
totally recyclable and the end of their useful life.
III. Priorities
“The American golf community is dedicated to preserving the game's treasured links to
nature. As a result, golf courses are now being developed, designed and managed more
responsibly than ever before. However, we who play the game also have a responsibility to help
ensure that golf remains compatible with nature and that our courses are well-managed and in
harmony with the environment.” (Beyond Pesticides, 1996) Golfers have a responsibility to keep
their sport truly “green” and environmentally friendly by pushing for organic solutions and
accepting that organic greens may never be perfect, but settle for natural and playable. They
need to be aware of pesticide use at the courses that they play and encourage eco-friendly
course maintenance. “Like the fur coat and the SUV, the "Augusta look" -- freakishly green wallto-wall grass on a life-support system of too much water and toxic chemicals, greens running at
virtually unplayable speeds, ornamental flowers all over the place -- will become less admired,
and even stigmatized.” (Barton, 2008) Several priority actions should be taken immediately to
make golf the green sport that it was designed to be.
Reduce, reuse and recycle should be the motto for all golf courses when it comes to
water usage. Effluent water should be used whenever it is available and drainage systems to
recapture water should be put into place on all golf courses. Irrigation should only be used
when necessary and not by a regular schedule. Water needs to be carefully managed and
conservation should be a priority. New courses should be designed with water conservation as
their priority and plan for minimal run off into waterways. They can do this by building buffer
zones around their courses. . Also, by making wildlife and environmental programs more
visible, people in the community will see golf courses as an asset.
Golf courses need to go organic as much as possible, using synthetic chemicals only as
needed. Golf course superintendents should be educated about the dangers of pesticide use
and learn about organic ways to take care of their courses. Turf Management schools, like
Rutgers University, should have courses on organic ways on how to keep golf course green and
desirable to play.
It is important that all golf companies look at ways to make their products and the
production of their products environmentally friendly. Golf courses management can develop
their own recycling programs by offering places to turn in old clubs and equipment, and golfers
can do their part by accepting playable conditions without perfection. If we make these changes,
there will be more biodiversity on golf courses, less disease from synthetic chemicals, and a
healthier environment.
It is possible to have a good quality golf course without using synthetic pesticides.
“Opened eight years ago, the Vineyard Golf Club on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, is
thought to be the only completely organic golf course in the United States, its 18 holes are
groomed without the use of a single synthetic pesticide, fertilizer, herbicide or other artificial
chemical treatment.” (Pennington, 2010)The Vineyard Commission allowed the course to be
built with condition that no synthetically produced ingredient could be used for turf management,
and the club has committed itself to keeping environmentally friendly. In fact, the Vineyard Golf
Club has gone further than any other course organically. In order to do this they have had to get
creative. Jeff Carlson, superintendent of Vineyard Golf Club ”has learned to kill weeds with
boiling water and a natural foam cocktail and to remove moss with kitchen dish detergent, and
he has transported microscopic worms from Iowa to attack turf-ruining grubs. He has disrupted
the mating cycle of damaging oriental beetles with a strategically placed scent and has grown
grass that he believes is more resistant to disease because it developed without chemicals.
(Pennington, 2010) Mr. Carlson also states, “Everyone won’t be able to go fully organic, but
we’re proving you can severely cut back on synthetic chemicals.” He admits that the club’s
maintenance costs are higher than most clubs of the same size, but overall costs are the same
because of the money they save on buying synthetic pesticides.
Bibliography
Beyond Pesticides. (1996 йил March). Retrieved 2012 йил 28-March from The environmental
principles for golf courses in the United States :
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/golf/principles/index.htm
Barton, J. (2008 йил May). Golf Digest. Retrieved 2012 йил 12-February from How Green Is
Golf: http://golfdigest.com/magazine/2008-05/environment_into?printable=true
Beyond Pesticides. (n.d.). Golf and the Enviornment. Retrieved March 14, 2012, from Beyond
Pesticides: http://www.beyondpesticides.org/golf/index.htm
Dr. David Kopac, D. C. (n.d.). Using Effluent Water on Your Golf Course. From USGA GREEN
SECTION RECORD: http://turf.lib.msu.edu/1990s/1993/930709.pdf
Golf Courses and the Environment. (n.d.). Retrieved 2012 йил 18-March from Rutgers
University Professional Golf Turf Management School:
http://www.golfturf.rutgers.edu/golf-courses-and-the-environment.asp
Larry Woolbright, P., Nancy B. Elliott, P., Douglas F. Fraser, P., Peter Salinetti, C., & and
Ronald G. Dodson, M. (2005 йил January). Mowing regimes for roughs: Encouraging
biodiversity. Retrieved 2012 йил 9-April from
http://www2.gcsaa.org/gcm/2005/jan05/pdf/3WoolbrightElliottFraseretc.pdf
Naturally Speaking. (2005 йил 23-May). Uninvited Guests - The Effects Of Wildlife
Encroachment. Retrieved 2012 йил 9-April from Naturally Speaking:
http://www.perlgurl.org/archives/2005/05/uninvited_guest_1.html
O’Brien, C. H. (2010 йил 30-July). Bad To Worse For Creeping Bentgrass. Retrieved 2012 йил
10-April from USGA:
http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/southeast/Summer2010---Bad-To-Worse-For-Creeping-Bentgrass---July-2010/
Pennington, B. (2010, August 17). Exclusive Golf Course Is Organic, So Weeds Get In.
Retrieved February 25, 2012, from New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/sports/golf/17vineyard.html?pagewanted+all
Randa. (2010). Contribuation to Biodiversity.
Rick, R. (1994 йил December). More facts - harmful effects of pesticides used on golf courses.
Retrieved 2012 йил 9-April from Business Library:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EPG/is_n12_v28/ai_16817876/?tag=content;col1
Rutgers University Professional Golf Turf Management School. (n.d.). Retrieved 2012 йил 26March from Golf Courses and the Environment: http://www.golfturf.rutgers.edu/golfcourses-and-the-environment.asp
University of Arkansas, U. S. (n.d.). Golf Course Pest Control. Retrieved 2012 йил 12-April from
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture:
http://turf.uark.edu/publications/factsheets/MP445Class6GolfCoursePestControl.pdf
Walls-Thumma, D. (n.d.). How Can Water Pollution Affect Animals, Homes and Health?
Retrieved 2012 йил 9-April from National Geographic:
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/can-water-pollution-affect-animals-homeshealth-2921.html