The unwavering environmental impact of golf
via Pexels
Golf is one of the most distinguishable American pastimes. Though it originated in Scotland, its scenic, bright green views hidden behind the gates of country clubs and the hundreds of dollars required to purchase equipment are doubtlessly American. This is not to say that golf can’t be a fulfilling and affordable sport, but it has, unfortunately, become highly commodified, and has consequently contributed to the enduring environmental issues facing the globe.
Ironically, golf is a sport which involves a lot of time spent outdoors; four golfers playing an 18-hole game typically amounts to about four hours. But Audubon International—an organization committed to establishing public goods (like golf courses) that are sustainable and wildlife-friendly—notes that the chemicals, water, and the sheer amount of land utilized in maintaining golf courses is a hazard to the very environment the sport exists upon. The sport’s potential dangers to the environment include polluting groundwater with pesticides and fertilizers, water depletion for irrigation, destruction of natural areas (particularly when building new courses), harming wildlife via chemicals, and excessive grass management due to golfing demand.
Each of these issues contribute to golf’s greater umbrella issue—it alters and occupies a massive amount of land for relatively little use. Online environmental activist Abbie Richards wrote for EuroNews: “Golf is not a celebration of nature… It is the celebration of dominion over nature. It’s nature, but clean with trimmed, sterile green grass, [and] less biodiversity.” American Golf courses occupy approximately 2,244,415 acres of land. To put these statistics into perspective, New York City comprises about 205,000 acres of land, just nine percent of amount of the land that golf occupies, and houses approximately 8.4 million people; there is no surefire way to calculate how many people occupy the millions of acres of golf land, but it definitely nowhere near 8.4 million.
Of course, cities and golf courses serve different purposes. But pointing out the variations in land and population is an efficient method of describing just how little golf courses are utilized in proportion to the space they overtake—especially when considering that these spaces are formed through deforestation and introduction of chemicals to natural environments. Amid an ongoing environmental crisis in which biodiversity rapidly decreases and manmade production continues to overtake nature, the use—or rather, disuse—of such a vast amount of land is especially concerning.
Although golf has already made a massive impact on the environment since its introduction to American culture in the 18th century, there is still hope for a more environmentally-friendly iteration. Audubon International states the negative effects of golf, but also its unique environment opportunities, given the amount of green-land it already occupies: providing wildlife sanctuaries, preserving natural areas, especially in urban environments, supporting and sustaining native plants and animals, protecting water sources, including filtering runoff water, and restoring unkempt, destructive landscapes.
Convincing golf course owners and major league golf companies to be more sustainable would be no easy feat. However, Audubon International also notes that converting to more environmentally-friendly practices would be beneficial to the rapidly-declining reputation of golf, and would save them the money of such stringent maintenance and chemical supply. So, what can you— (yes, you!), student, faculty member, or wanderer of SUNY Geneseo—do to make these major sports more harmonious with nature?
Though it sounds cliche, thinking globally and acting locally is certainly a good place to start. Do some research on golf courses near you and speak with its managers or environmental committee about the sustainable practices they implement. You can also look into local sustainability organizations and donate—they might even have specific branches dedicated to approaching sports companies with more sustainable alternatives.
As for you golfers, there are ways you can be more friendly to our global environment without ceasing to play the sport altogether. Golfers can purchase durable golf balls and reuse and repair them to prevent excessive purchasing and care for rental golf equipment so that it can see use for as long as possible. It is also important for players to respect the environment around them, even if it grows into the course, and avoid interacting with the surrounding forestry unless given explicit permission, and to always throw trash out accordingly or take it with them off of the course.
This article does not account for each and every potential problem and solution related to golf, but it does serve as a comprehensive summary. As with any outdoor sport, it is vital to recognize the privilege it is to exist and take up space in nature; taking small steps toward more sustainable golfing practices is one step toward a more harmonious relationship between the natural environment and the people inhabiting it.