Golf Digest Research

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Golf and the Environment

Golf differentiates itself from every virtually every other sport because it is enjoyed in a unique, natural setting. Golf courses are like snowflakes as no two are alike. Each one presents its own challenge in its own unique setting.

By extension, golf has a responsibility to maintain its compatibility with the natural environment. Today’s golf course superintendent is the professional who is charged with stewardship of the environment of the golf course. Research has shown that properly managed golf courses are compatible with the environment, and in many cases can enhance it. There are numerous cases where landfills have been reclaimed, wildlife habit restored, green space has been added and runoff has been controlled by golf courses.

In fact, golf courses provide comprehensive benefits that cannot be matched by many entities. In addition to the environmental attributes, golf facilities provide an outlet for recreational and social activities, and are an economic engine via tax revenues, employment opportunities and a generator of charitable contributions.

On organization responsible for helping to ensure golf’s compatibility is GCSAA’s philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute for Golf. The EIFG provides funding for education, research, outreach, scholarship and programs that advance the relationship between golf and the environment. Visit www.eifg.org for more information.

How do golfer’s look at the relationship between golf and the environment. In 2007, Golf Digest asked those golfers who play eight or more rounds a year their opinions of the environment. By and large, the golf industry has been successful in communicating with golfers. A total of 93 percent of golfers say the sport is compatible with the environment, and 76 percent say that a course that integrates natural habitat enhances their enjoyment of the game. The study also indicated that golfers, though slow to change, express some willingness to support enhanced stewardship activities at their course.