Golf Courses - Environmental Impact
Environmental concerns over the use of
land for golf courses have grown over the past 30 years. Specific
concerns include the amount of water and chemical pesticides and
fertilizers used for maintenance, as well as the destruction of wetlands
and other environmentally important areas during construction.
These, along with health and cost concerns, have led to significant
research into more environmentally sound practices and turf grasses. The
modern golf course superintendent is well trained in the uses of these
practices and grasses. This has led to reductions in the amount of
chemicals and water used on courses. The turf on golf courses is an
excellent filter for water and has been used in many communities to
cleanse grey water. While many people continue to oppose golf courses
for environmental reasons, there are others who feel that they are
beneficial for the community and the environment as they provide
corridors for migrating animals and sanctuaries for birds and other
wildlife.
A major result of modern equipment is that today's players can hit the
ball much further than previously. In a concern for safety, modern golf
course architects have had to lengthen and widen their design envelope.
This has led to a ten percent increase in the amount of area that is
required for golf courses today. At the same time, water restrictions
placed by many communities have forced many courses to limit the amount
of maintained turf grass. While most modern 18-hole golf courses occupy
as much as 60 ha (150 acres) of land, the average course has 30 ha (75
acres) of maintained turf. (Sources include the National Golf Foundation
and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America [GCSAA].)
Golf courses are built on many different types of land, including sandy
areas along coasts, abandoned farms, strip mines and quarries, deserts
and forests. Many Western countries have instituted significant
environmental restrictions on where and how courses can be built.
In some parts of the world, attempts to build courses and resorts have
led to significant protests along with vandalism and violence by both
sides. Although golf is a relatively minor issue compared to other
land-ethics questions, it has symbolic importance as it is a game
normally associated with the wealthier Westernized population, and the
culture of colonization and globalization of non-native land ethics.
Resisting golf tourism and golf's expansion has become an objective of
some land-reform movements, especially in the Philippines and Indonesia.
In Saudi Arabia, golf courses have been constructed on nothing more than
oil-covered sand. However, in some cities such as Dhahran, modern, grass
golf courses have been built recently.
In Coober Pedy, Australia, there is a famous golf course that consists
of nine holes dug into mounds of sand, diesel and oil and not a blade of
grass or a tree to be seen. You carry a small piece of Astroturf from
which you tee.
In New Zealand it is not uncommon for rural courses to have greens
fenced off and sheep graze the fairways.
From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_courses
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