How do golf courses affect environment and wildlife?

The golf industry is committed to being sensitive to and a good steward of the environment. Golf course architects do their best to design layouts that work in concert with Mother Nature and have a proven track record of knowledge of and compliance with local, regional and federal environmental regulations.

According to the 3rd edition of An Environmental Approach to Golf Course Development by Bill Love, ASGCA,

“The development of a golf course has become a complex process. To deal with it, golf course architects provide the expertise necessary to create design solutions for golf courses that are compatible with the environment. A golf course presents the opportunity to meet a need for recreational amenities, while preserving green space that will provide benefits for the future development of an area. Often, the green space of a golf course can serve as a protective buffer between sensitive environmental areas and development. This buffer, which contains extensive turfed areas and vegetation, will also protect water quality by providing stabilization against erosion and storm water management. Efficient and responsible maintenance practices for the golf course will promote the proper use and conservation of water resources. A golf course can provide enhancement to the environment by incorporating areas for conservation and the promotion of wildlife habitat. Where land has been degraded over time by intensive use or mismanagement, golf courses can provide much needed land improvement. These are benefits that can result when an environmental approach is used for the design, construction and maintenance of a golf course.”