GATHER WP #10: THE GREEN PAPER.
Houston, we have a problem.
As global warming and its effects literally rain down on us, the place of golf courses in the ecosystem is increasingly under the microscope. August 2023 has just been recognized as the hottest month since record-keeping began. And 40% of aquifers – which provide 90% of water used in the United States – are significantly depleted. The situation is so bad that the Arizona golf mecca, Phoenix, is restricting homes being built on land relying on aquifers. When there isn’t enough water for housing, water use for golf courses seems presumptuous.
Considering the obvious effects of global warming, it is unsurprising that the public is questioning the ethics of using land and other finite resources for golf courses. This sentiment was captured in a study commissioned by Syngenta and conducted by Ipso. Between 2019 and 2022, Ipso analyzed the tone of social media comments about golf, including its effect on the environment. The results were sobering.
The conclusion? Most of the hundreds of thousands of comments were negative. And over the three-year study, the sentiment grew increasingly anti-golf.
“The planet is burning. Why do golf courses still exist?” #BanGolf
“All golf courses should’ve been obliterated eons ago. Obscene waste of public space and complete shit for the environment.” #AbolishGolf
Opponents of golf see the game as an elitist sport that drains resources from the land and harms the environment. Of course, those of us who work in the golf industry know this is a simplistic and one-sided perspective. Consequently, the initial intention of this article was to ‘prove’ golf’s detractors wrong. However, in this attempt, we ran up against many barriers, including lack of information and transparent data. So, we pivoted.
As tempting as it is to defend golf’s land use – it provides green space, it grows communities, it isn’t the worst use of resources – we aren’t going down that road with this article. Instead, we are going to take the first step to recovery and admit that golf does have a sustainability problem. Having acknowledged this, we are going to highlight the movements and stakeholders within golf that give us hope for change that will make the sport a better steward of the land.
There are signs of change at golf courses.
Golf course designers, developers, and operators are aware of criticisms thrown their way. Although it isn’t social media anger that will directly change the working practices of golf courses, public sentiment will influence policy makers. And if policy makers pass legislation that regulates sustainability standards, the way golf courses are designed and operated will change.
The GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf (GEO Foundation) observes and documents golf’s changing relationship with sustainability. The organization advises and supports golf course designers, developers, and clubs as they navigate increasingly environmentally conscious societal expectations. The organization provides resources to help golf course designers and operators reduce their carbon footprint, design a pathway toward net zero, and demonstrate a commitment to reducing golf’s negative effects on the environment.
The GEO Foundation accredits golf courses, new developments, and tournaments that adhere to a robust standard of environmental stewardship and sustainability. This certification signifies leadership and influence in the emerging field of sustainable golf. If you want to see who is moving and shaking things up when it comes to sustainable golf, the GEO Foundation keeps track of things here. As the data suggests, politics influence everything – including where golf is becoming more sustainable.
For organizations like European Golf Design (EGD) who is conscious of golf’s environmental footprint, the GEO Foundation benchmarks and measures the company’s impact. This helps EGD and other organizations actualize their commitments to exceptional course design and responsible land use.
Currently, EGD is one of only a few golf course designers with GEO Foundation certification.
We hope there will be many more.
The GEO Foundation isn’t the only organization documenting golf’s green progress. Audubon International, a nonprofit that assesses courses for eco-friendliness, has now certified 965 courses globally—up from 617 courses in 2010— for providing needed habitat for insects and birds.
Green golfers want change.
Life is full of ironies.
One irony is that golfers may be more conscientious consumers when it comes to the environment than the general population.
We wondered if golfers would reward golf courses that overtly championed sustainable practices – courses with GEO Foundation certification, for example. We don’t know the answer to that question, yet. But academic studies do report that golfers consider a course’s environmental impact when choosing resort destinations. This suggests that courses gaining GEO Foundation certification will not only satisfy legislation but may also drive conscious consumers to their facilities.
Market forces may spearhead changes in golf’s relationship to the environment.
YouGov data backs up this hypothesis. We examined American golfers’ attitudes toward the environment compared to the national average. Despite golf and golf courses being criticized for environmental indifference, players of the game are more supportive of pro-environmental causes than most.
As golf courses push toward sustainability, will golfers willingly pay more to support the cause? Data from YouGov suggests they might (see table below). Golf certainly has a chance of being rewarded by its consumers by demonstrating its commitment to sustainable practices. It is also worth considering that concern for the environment may be a factor that drives players to non-green grass forms of the game – driving ranges and simulators.
In addition, it is useful to know that as consumers, 46% of golfers agreed that they try to only buy from companies who are socially and environmentally responsible. This compares to 40% of the national average. Sixty-two percent of golfers believe electric cars are the future and 51% of golfers are willing to pay more for sustainable energy. When it comes to why golfers buy products, the environment and sustainability are significant factors.
CHANGING TECHNOLOGY
Technological innovations and the resulting market forces can also help golf become more environmentally sustainable. This means that golf course suppliers can influence the carbon footprint created by golf courses. Here are some examples that give us hope that golf is committing to responsible environmental practices,
Golf course equipment supplier, Toro, is reducing the use of fossil fuel in golf course maintenance. By 2025, Toro’s goal is for 20% of all motor sales to be fully electric or hybrid. In 2022 electric or hybrid equipment accounted for 6.5% of sales. Up from 4.7% in 2019.
Technologies are reducing water use on golf courses. This could involve using individual head sprinkler control, moisture sensors, and climate sensitive control systems that allow for targeting in-need areas only.
Drought-resistant grass is being used to reduce the need for water on golf courses.
Soil moisture sensors mean that only the areas that need water receive it. This reduces overall water use.
Thirteen percent of golf courses in the United States use non-potable water for irrigation. (USGA)
Courses absorb water run-off. Examples of golf courses being used for drainage water management are popping up across the United States, including in the City of Denver.
WHY DOES SUSTAINABILITY MATTER?
Beyond market forces and legislation, we were left wondering what motivates golf courses and designers to operate and build sustainable properties? Are they driven by personal commitment to the environment? Is it a good return on investment? Do leaders in sustainable golf see their commitment as a unique value proposition? Or are they driven by longer term planning that gets them ahead of the curve?
We asked Jeremy Slessor, Managing Director of EGD:
“Why is this important? Well, it’s our planet too, so we want to make sure nothing we do is harmful. It is also a business imperative. If we cannot demonstrate that we understand sustainability issues and are working to resolve them, we have no credibility.
As an industry, golf still has much to change to become fully sustainable.
But look how far we’ve come compared to five-, ten- or twenty-years ago. The industry is unrecognizable now.
At EGD, we’ve long adopted the philosophy that at worst, there should be no negative impacts from anything we do. For example, we’ve adopted an ‘assessment first’ approach to design where we determine the sensitive areas within a site, and then work around them to achieve a positive impact. We also know that to assess before designing, we must travel. All travel along with our other emission-generating business functions should be addressed. So, for the past three years we have worked with the GEO Foundation to calculate our unavoidable emissions (including the emissions generated by trucks that take our wastepaper to a recycling plant). This gives us a greenhouse gas emissions total. We offset all these emissions through the Gold Standard; retiring carbon credits with quantifiable contributions to climate-change mitigation, and the sustainable development goals.”
WHAT GIVES?
There isn’t a magic fix to making golf instantly more sustainable. Nor will golf change public opinion about it overnight. But in some geographic regions, golf can and is setting itself on a trajectory to be an ally of sustainability. We are seeing promising changes in three areas that will hold golf accountable for higher environmental standards and sustainable practices.
The GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf: Golf course designers, owners, and operators have a path to industry leadership and recognition through responsible practices.
The Consumer: Golfers may be willing to pay more to support golf facilities that prioritize sustainability.
The Supply Chain: Golf suppliers are committing to goals and technologies that reduce water use, carbon emissions, and chemical use at golf courses.
A multi-pronged assault on its environmental footprint will help golf become more sustainable. However, we think the game is missing a trick. Instead of having a combative relationship with environmental champions outside of golf, why not bring them into the fold? Golf will learn from organizations steeped in improving environmental practices. Publicly teaming up with leaders in sustainability will improve golf’s image. And golf will learn how it can be kinder to the earth. It’s a win-win-win.
The game is by no means perfect when it comes to sustainability. But, by acknowledging we have a problem and demonstrating our commitment to addressing it, our footprint on Mother Earth will continue to get a little gentler.
VALUABLE?
We would love to know what you think about your Gather White Paper #10: The Green Paper!
Tell us in just 1 minute: Did Gather White Paper #10: The Green Paper offer any value to you and your own business practice?