Environmental Impacts of Golf Course Development on Natural Systems

Program year: 1992/1993Digitized from print original stored in HDRWith the tremendous economic, political, and social problems existing in the United States today, the game of golf seems to be quite insignificant. This may be true when viewing the entire overall "picture" of the world, however, when one stops to look at a portion of that picture, or when one investigates people's lifestyles, golf becomes a very interesting topic. Golf, and, the industry built upon it are rapidly becoming one of the hottest in the country, and quite possibly in the world. The game attracts people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, age brackets, and playing abilities. Golf has been a somewhat muted sport, but over the last several decades, it has been the most constant growing sport in the United States. It is puzzling to most people why this phenomenon is occurring. What is it that would attract people to the game of golf? One possibility is the lure of the complexity of the game. Maybe it is the opportunity to commune with nature. Perhaps it is the challenge of competing against the elements of nature and your own mind. Possibly, it is the idea of forcing a small, white ball into a hole with only the use of several long sticks of metal. Whatever the reasons, golf is growing faster than designers and developers can construct courses. The anticipated development connected with the sport has many environmentalists and community' residents concerned. They share the legitimate worry of harming the environment for the sake of a sport. Much of the controversy surrounding golf is fanned by the preconceived notions of nongolfers that stopped reading twenty years ago how golf courses were managed. The controversy is also generated by misguided environmentalists who believe all development, regardless of the result, is bad. The research covered in this paper was generated both as a result of, and in answer to these controversies and to those who raise them. Topics included a look into the sport of golf; what it is; how it has evolved in the United States, what environmental implications may arise; and finally, how golf course design is affected by environmental concern