Golf and the Environment
From Audubon International- The Benefits of Tall Grasses on Golf Courses
Weather you are a scratch golfer or a weekend duffer, you have likely noticed that many golf courses are allowing taller grasses in roughs and out of play areas. Chances are you heard or even said yourself:
"If they would just cut this grass I would be able to find my ball"
"Why are golf courses permitting maintained turfgrass to grow tall under the trees or along the edges of water features, in all the spots we are not supposed to land but sometimes do?"
"Is it because the staff is lazy?"
"Is the club trying to boost its golf ball sales?"
The actual reason for allowing taller grasses, prairies, or wildflower meadows to grow in out of play areas is not to penalize errant shots, but for the many environmental and economic benefits they offer. These include:
Golf Benefits
- Provides distinctive contrast to the highly maintained playing surfaces
- Adds interest and beauty to the round of golf
- Enables golf courses to showcase the nature of the game
- Creates needed habitat for plants and wildlife
- Adds diversity
- Provides travel corridors for wildlife to safely move through the course
- Reduces the need for regular pesticide and fertilizer applications
- Reduces water use
- Minimizes erosion
- Showcases the unique regional natural heritage where the course is located, and often helps to protect rare plants and wildlife
- Lowers maintenance costs and reduces the need for high intensity or time consuming maintenance
- Reduces equipment wear and tear
- Reduces cost for gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers and water
- Increases funds for other needs and enables staff to concentrate where it really counts
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| Naturalized Area between 12 green and 14 green |
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| Drainage ditch across front of 15 leading to naturalized area |
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| Drainage ditch left side 4 green |
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| Drainage ditch left side 4 green looking toward tee |
