A few weeks ago, a colleague sent me a story about the “greening” of the golf industry and the need for more environmentally-friendly maintenance practices. I did what most people do with regard to environmental issues. I put it aside and forgot about it. 

The issue resurfaced in my top-of-cluttered-mind recently. I attended a meeting of South Carolina golf industry officials, and one of the agenda items concerned pending legislation to restrict water usage by golf courses. I also read the very long, but extremely informative series of articles entitled “How Green is Golf?” in the May issue of Golf Digest.

In the Lowcountry, we were confronted with our own water issues years ago. Salt water intrusion in our underground aquifer required a change to the Savannah River for our drinking water, and it prompted our golf courses to begin using recycled waste water for irrigation. And in compliance with the strict preservation of our natural habitat and pristine local waterways, the local golf industry has become more vigilant about the fertilizers and pesticides used on our fairways and greens. As a result, several of our local courses have been certified by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program for their eco-friendly practices.

The bigger issue for Lowcountry courses and the golf industry in general is whether owner/operators are willing to sacrifice lush, green playing conditions in order to save water and minimize the impact of chemicals on the environment … and whether customers will go along with it. The issue is covered quite thoroughly in the Golf Digest piece, and I will address it here soon. It should make for a lively debate.