Facility best management practices manuals demonstrate golf course superintendents’ environmental stewardship

Lawrence, Kan. (May 23, 2023) – The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) has recently streamlined a process to enable golf course superintendents to efficiently create a facility best management practices (BMP) manual.

The creation of facility BMP manuals is part of GCSAA’s BMP Initiative, which began in 2017. By the end of 2020, state BMP guidelines had been established in all 50 states. These state guidelines provide the blueprint for facility manuals and cover key areas such as water management, integrated pest management and pollinator protection. Enhancements center around a new and efficient approach where GCSAA members log into the GCSAA Facility BMP Planning Guide to receive a facility BMP modeled from their state guidelines. Superintendents can then thoroughly customize the facility BMP to fit the needs and circumstances for their own unique facility.

GCSAA had previously provided a template for facility BMP development, but with the update GCSAA members now immediately have a working document to customize with text and photos documenting management practices at their facility. More than 1,000 golf courses around the country have already established facility BMP manuals using the original process. These existing manuals will remain intact and not be affected by the update. 

“BMPs provide science-based guidelines for a sustainable approach to golf course management,” GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans said. “We encourage all superintendents to have a BMP manual in place as it is a proven tool to deliver the best results at their facility and continue to support the essential role superintendents play in golf’s success. This streamlined process helps GCSAA-member superintendents take the next step in creating a manual that can evolve over time.”

To get started, GCSAA members just need to go to gcsaa.org/bmp and then click on “Access the Facility BMP tool,” which will prompt them to login with their gcsaa.org username and password. Once logged in, they will find their manual and can begin to customize it. GCSAA has provided a series of how-to videos and webinars to walk superintendents through the customization process. In addition, GCSAA-affiliated chapters will continue to host workshops and seminars to help members succeed in creating their manuals.

“Golf courses are important community assets, and facility BMP manuals are a key element in demonstrating to legislators, regulators and community members that the golf course industry is committed to environmental stewardship,” Evans said.

To learn more about GCSAA’s BMP initiative, visit gcsaa.org/bmp.