The golf industry is already being affected by changing climate conditions and severe drought, flooding and other unpredictable weather is making it more difficult to maintain pristine greens and fairways. Many golf clubs and organizations are taking steps not only to address the issues they are facing now but also to reduce their carbon footprint in order to lessen the impact of further climate change in the future. As an individual golfer, you can also play your part in ensuring golf evolves to be a more environmentally-friendly sport. From buying second hand clubs to leaving the golf cart at the clubhouse, there are a number of ways to help make your game more sustainable, without impacting on your enjoyment, quality of play or performance.
Practicing on Artificial Grass
With so many courses suffering the consequences of drought, maintaining greens and fairways becomes difficult and, in some cases, unsustainable, since large amounts of energy and water are required to keep them looking at their best. As artificial grass is becoming increasingly popular with homeowners, it also offers an attractive and practical alternative for golf clubs and individual players. The quality of artificial turf is a match for the look and feel of zoysia grass, commonly used on golf greens, but it requires very little maintenance in order to remain in perfect condition. As well as looking the part, artificial golf grass can be engineered to improve performance and its durability will also ensure that it withstands many hours of putting and driving practice.
Wearing Eco-Friendly Sports Apparel
As well as choosing more environmentally-friendly courses and practice ranges, you can also do your bit by wearing sustainable sports clothing when playing a round. A number of golfing apparel brands are embracing sustainability and now offer polo shirts, footwear and rain jackets made from 100% recycled material, with some made only from repurposed plastic bottles diverted from landfill. As well as toxic-free and recycled materials, companies are also using more locally-made and ethically-sourced products. While the clothes are made in a less conventional manner and without the use of new materials, they are still created without compromising on performance, comfort or style.
Using Sustainable Golf Equipment
In the US every year, an estimated 300 million golf balls are lost or thrown away. When when traditional golf balls made from zinc and plastic end up in lakes and oceans they remain intact for years, slowly releasing toxic chemicals which can be harmful to wildlife. As an alternative, eco-friendly golf balls are 100% biodegradable and will completely dissolve in water within two weeks. Recycled golf balls are another sustainable option and have been found to offer the same high quality performance as new balls. If you need a new golf bag to store your recycled golf balls and secondhand clubs, several brands now offer sustainable alternatives made from recycled plastic. Advanced manufacturing methods means reprocessing plastic instead of using new materials uses less energy, so, as well as keeping plastic out of landfill, carbon emissions are reduced.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
The golf industry is taking positive steps to address climate change through the establishment of Environmental Best Management Practices for courses and lower carbon footprints at GEO-certified tournaments. The GEO (Golf Environment Organization) is an international body that helps courses and competitions to meet strict standards of sustainability. As an individual golfer you can reduce your own carbon footprint by managing the amount you travel and how much fuel you use in order to enjoy a round of golf. Reducing fuel usage can be achieved by practicing at local courses or, if you want to play further afield, consider setting up a car sharing system with your golf partners. Once on the course, choosing to walk from hole to hole instead of using a golf cart is not only more environmentally-friendly but will also help to improve your physical fitness. By taking a reusable water bottle and refilling it with tap water, you can still stay hydrated during a round and avoid the unnecessary use of single use plastics.
Minimizing Waste on the Golf Course
Using less plastic can help more golf courses and tournaments to achieve their aim of ‘zero waste’ with steps taken to introduce comprehensive waste management and recycling programs. The Phoenix Open has been sponsored by Waste Management Inc for the past 12 years and because of its efforts towards sustainability is now known as the ‘Greenest Show on Grass’. The Waste Management Phoenix Open (WMPO) has also been recognized as one of the world’s biggest zero-waste events, and the tournament highlights the importance of sustainable waste management for all courses. As a result, more clubs are becoming environmentally-aware and provide trash canas and recycling containers on their courses. Litter on the fairways not only looks unsightly, but it can also cause damage to the course and be harmful to the local wildlife. An unfortunately placed soda can in a bunker, or a plastic bottle on a green can even ruin a perfect shot. Where containers aren’t available on the course, save your waste until you reach the clubhouse or take it away with you and dispose of it at home.
An increasing number of golf clubs and governing bodies are now taking significant steps to address climate change and lower their carbon footprint. As an individual golfer, you can also help to improve the sport’s sustainability by practicing on low maintenance ranges, choosing eco-friendly apparel and equipment, minimizing waste and cutting down on your transport costs.
