When the game of golf was first played, the courses were carved out of land that was naturally contoured and readily available. In its earliest form it was developed on grass lands in Scotland by local herders tending their livestock. In the centuries that followed, the sport transformed from a game played by common folk to a sport enjoyed by the elite of society, the once open pasture land becoming the private manicured golf courses of kings and nobleman. In the context of today, the golf courses are managed and owned by committees and associations of which golfers are members of an ‘elite club’.
The effect of these changes, has altered the nature of the game itself. Pasture land has been replaced by lush green grass carpets, holes are not arbitrarily scattered; they are carefully cut into the grass at ‘precise’ locations, the natural orientation of the land is altered with artificially created contours and gradients enhancing the aesthetics of the course. Achieving this costs money and requires an immense effort to maintain and is a strain on the natural ecology of the surrounding regions.
It is not uncommon for golf courses to be designed using grass that is not naturally occurring, nor flora that is native to the region. This results in golf courses not only becoming an artificial micro-environment, but also dependant on fertilizers and other growth stimulants for survival.
In fact on golf courses that are popular, there is a over dependency on these artificial growth stimulants to an extent that the very nature of the soil has changed and the ground is no longer arable for other uses.
It is sad that a sport, which was created to be very much, a part of nature has drifted so far away from its roots… But ALL is NOT Lost.
The aftermath of countless campaigning coupled with the jolt of golf development being banned across China, as spurred golf developers to become much more environmentally conscious.
Perhaps one of the biggest changes is the creation of the AUDOBON Society in America and the special rating given to golf course that follow sustainable methods of development and maintenance. The selection of Chambers Bay as a host sits for the 2015 US Open was another game changer, as these golf courses is recognized as one of the most environmentally sustainable in America.
In the past few years it is encouraging to note that both developers and golf courses designers are becoming more conscious to the local environment. In fact it is now not uncommon to find designers proposing to utilize such environmental zones as an integral part of the golf course. In most courses new ‘environmental buffer zones’ have been created to promote naturally occurring vegetation.
I have always believed that golf is one of the few sports that can truly be a blessing for any region, not just in its beauty, but also in its ability to protect and preserve local ecology; both flora and fauna. It is my belief that golf courses have a responsibility to the entire area it is developed in; not just to the few luck members.
