Incorporating the principles of sustainability into the design phase of course construction, or when remodelling an existing course, will significantly reduce environmental impact and ongoing maintenance costs.
Courses designed with sustainability in mind will:
- have a viable customer base
- provide the type of course required by that customer base
- blend naturally into the surrounding landscape
- limit earth movement which reduces the extent of drainage required
- provide a healthy environment in which to grow turfgrass, i.e. avoiding shade, drainage and traffic management issues
- utilise the most appropriate turfgrasses for the site and its climate
- have a secure water supply, both in terms of quantity and quality
- use local materials and local businesses where possible
- provide habitat for indigenous wildlife, by retaining as much of the existing native habitat as possible
- take into account future maintenance requirements and costs, e.g. the area of closely mown turf and number of bunkers, their size and design
- incorporate plans for future development.
The location, design and construction of any golf course has to be carefully planned if it is to be truly sustainable. Specialists in the fields of market research, course design, construction, grow-in and maintenance should be part of the project team from the outset in order to achieve success.
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Good design should ‘fit’ the golf course into the landscape, not impose it on the landscape.
The right design and construction specification for the site will ensure that the best results are obtained.
Reducing the area of managed turf and retaining native vegetation is always a good practice to follow.
Using the most appropriate turfgrass for the site will provide the best foundation for sustainable management.
Overly intricate bunker design will make construction, management and renovation both time consuming and expensive.