Top - Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club, Vero Beach                                                                    Bottom - Hole In The Wall Golf Club, Naples           Bank naturalization can not only filter runoff and reduce costs but also provide valuable wildlife habitat.

Florida has over 1,000 golf courses, each using and managing millions of gallons of water for turf maintenance and ultimately, golfer enjoyment.  Some are managing water resources better than others.  For instance, a number of golf courses in Florida are taking steps to ensure that this valuable resource is conserved and protected by working through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) for Golf Courses or the Audubon Signature Program (for new developments).  By doing so, these 280 golf courses in Florida—their owners, managers, superintendents, and golfers—are making a statement that good golf can go hand-in-hand with environmental responsibility. 

The impact and improvements golf courses can see by working with Audubon International are palpable.  For instance, as Ryan J. Costello, the Certified Golf Course Superintendent at Audubon Country Club in Naples recently stated, Audubon International is helping him find the way to meet both goals—good golf and a healthy environment.  “I have changed the way I manage the golf course—especially around the lakes on the course,” says Costello.  “As a result, water quality has greatly improved.  The lakes are healthy, and the aquatic plants and wildlife are thriving.  I have also started a bank naturalization plan where turfgrass is kept longer to catch and filter any runoff before going into the lakes.  The golfers are happy for this because this higher grass also catches their golf balls.” 

Each active and certified member in the ACSP for Golf Courses in Florida is taking action to protect and conserve water, like the Audubon Country Club.  From availability of drinking water to stewardship of the Everglades, golf courses can play a role in fostering communities that are more sustainable.  Golfers, too, can help by demanding that more golf courses are involved in protecting Florida’s valuable water resources.  Learn more and take action at www.GolfandEnvironment.org.