What is Sustainable Golf?

As a part of our class on environmental management for golf courses, we each wrote an essay on the topic of what is sustainable golf. The essay I wrote focuses on what the definition of sustainability is and how we apply that definition to a golf course setting.

Click here to be taken to my essay "What is Sustainable Golf?"

Enviro Blog: Innovation Goals

This post is a part of the TRF 4100 environmental blog assignment

Olds College is a leader in innovation and the 3-hole golf course should reflect this. There are many opportunities to improve the efficiency and sustainability of our practices in the turf industry. We hope to explore these areas of innovation and show others our results.

Power Usage

The amount of money spent on electricity is substantial at golf courses. The majority of expenses come from running the pumphouse on the course. Is there any way we can decrease the amount of money spent on electricity? We believe there is.

First, let's look inside the maintenance shop. A light switch can easily be left on when nobody is in the shop. This is a waste of electricity.  Normal light switches could be swapped for motion sensor lights. Updating heating systems to more efficient appliances can greatly reduce the power used. Something as simple as ensuring windows and doors are closed can also reduce the power used for heating. Still using incandescent light bulbs? Try switching to the new eco-friendly bulbs that are available that need far less electricity to run. What about old air compressors? Hearing the constant hum of air compressors running in the shop is not uncommon. Either updating to new compressors or only plugging them in when necessary might stop the constant hum.

Now for out on the course. Probably the main drain on power is the pumphouse. Research should be done into how you pay for your power. Some provinces provide discounts for irrigation pumps. By putting a separate meter on your pumphouse, you could pay less for the power that is used. There is also the potential for experimenting with solar and wind power. Solar panels can be added to the pumphouse to help power the pumps and reduce electricity consumption from the grid.

Composting

Neighbouring the location of the 3-hole course is the Olds College Composting Program. This site uses compost from all over campus and the town of Olds to create high quality compost. The use of compost on golf courses is increasing, and people are beginning to wonder where it can be applied.

The 3-hole course can contribute to the composting program. Clippings from mowers and branches can be sent to the compost facility to be used. This eliminates the need for a "bone yard" or organic waste dump on the course.

The course can also benefit from the composting program. Experiments can be performed to find out if compost is an effective amendment to golf course soils. Topdressing the rough and fairways on the course could provide valuable nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Because compost can be extremely variable, green applications of compost will be avoided.

Equipment

With the advent of electric and hybrid cars, maintenance equipment is beginning to utilize this same technology. Companies such as Toro, John Deere, and Jacobsen are now offering electric and hybrid versions of their equipment. The course would be a perfect place to demo this equipment and run experiments to compare the efficiency between them. Which is best for the environment? Which uses the least fuel?

There is also a biodiesel plant on campus that creates biodiesel out of seed and oil. Diesel equipment could be powered using biodiesel as a fuel source. Research could be performed on the efficacy of this fuel source and whether it is reliable.

Pesticides

The use of pesticides remains a hotly debated topic. Many are calling for their ban as professionals who use the products point out their safety when used properly. Right now, many courses do not have adequate means of storing pesticides and rinsing equipment. This provides and opportunity for the 3-hole course to be a leader in innovation.

There are many self-contained wash bays coming onto the market. By purchasing one of these, the Olds course can monitor its use and provide data on just how useful it is. One such product available is the ESD waste 2 water wash pads. They also provide small storage sheds that meet all requirements of the Alberta government for pesticide storage. The course can provide an example to visiting superintendents and demonstrate the usefulness of these items.

Enviro Blog: Outreach and Education

This post is a part of the TRF 4100 environmental blog assignment

An important sectionof the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program is outreach and education. The following are several ideas that could happen in the future at the Olds College 3-hole golf course.



(c) http://golfsuper1.blogspot.com

1. Host tours for students at Olds High School

This is an outreach event that could happen every year. More and more schools are teaching students about ecology and environmental issues. What better place to do it then on an Audubon certified site? An opportunity like this could show students the benefits that golf courses provide to a community and the environment. At the same time, it could encourage students to consider future careers in the golf industry.

2. Open the course to the Olds Art Club or the Foothills Camera Club

Golf courses can provide some spectacular views and vistas, and many of these have been recreated through paintings and pictures. Giving artists an chance to explore the course and see the natural beauty can greatly promote what we are doing. This will give them an opportunity to explore a site that might be largely unfamiliar to them, and provide some pictures of the course that could be used in marketing.

3. Provide educational experiences to Olds College Students

This opportunity is almost a certainty. Olds College students will be given a chance to come and explore the course and hear about the ways we are promoting sustainability. Turfgrass management students can be given practical opportunities to build features on the course and operate equipment. Land and water students can observe how we use naturalized areas to filter water and promote wildlife on the course. This occasion provides the course help with any projects on the course that need to be done, while at the same time giving students practical learning opportunities.

4. Partner with the composting site on campus and provide seminars to the public

The course already plans on partnering with the Olds College composting program. This partnership provides an opportunity to educate the citizens of Olds on proper composting techniques. They can come and see how we compost our clippings and then use this compost on the course. Not only does this provide practical education to members of the public, but it also raises awareness of our environmental practices on the course and on campus.

Aububon International provides the following documents to help you plan and organize outreach events.
Choosing Outreach Projects
Programs for Schools and Youth
Creating a Culture of Environmental Stewardship

Enviro Blog: 3-Hole Location

This post is a part of the TRF 4100 environmental blog assignment

The 3-hole golf proposal is an exciting opportunity for Olds College. Up until recently, Olds College had a three-hole golf course on campus giving turf students a location to practice what they had been learning. However, a new high school has been built on that land. Also, the current location of the Prairie Turfgrass Research Centre (PTRC) is being replaced to build a hotel for students to take hospitality education. These are exciting opportunities for Olds College, but turf students have lost some of the hands on learning it used to have.

Well, that will change. There is a new proposal to build new plots for the PTRC and a new three-hole golf facility. The location is east of the Land Science Centre past the newly constructed wetlands. This is an exciting opportunity for students to not only learn maintenance practices, but also learn practical golf construction skills. The students will aid in construction of bunkers, greens, tees, and more on the golf course.




Future location of the 3-hole facility and the new PTRC plots, they will be built where the field is now

 

Enviro Blog: Naturalization and Wildlife

This post is a part of the TRF 4100 environmental blog assignment


Banff Springs - An example of naturalization


Despite how beautiful a golf course might look, it is hard to call it truly a natural place. When compared to an industrial plot it might seem that way, but in the end, it is a horticultural environment that is often artificially built and maintained by humans. This isn't a bad thing. Golf courses offer an escape from the city and often provide an oasis for animals and birds. The process of naturalization, the planting and growing of native species, on golf courses is becoming more popular. The Olds College 3-hole course will be looking to integrate this idea into the final design of the course.

Naturalization

Located in the mixedgrass region of Alberta, Olds College is known for its horticultural innovation. What better place to practice naturalization then here? The course will be designed to allow for areas of native grasses and plants. With these areas implemented from design, management and monitoring of these areas will be much easier compared to putting them in after construction.

These areas are often referred to as zero-maintenance, but this is not correct. Maintenance is often significantly reduced, yet some maintenance is still required. After the grass seed is given 3-4 years to establish, annual mowing practices may be put in place. This mowing will take place once a year after the grass has gone to seed. Mowing these areas helps reduce weed populations, remove dry grass (which can be a fire hazard), and encourage the grass to spread. Burning of native areas is an option and will be considered; however, the safety of golfers and the environment from potential damage caused by wildfires is a concern and the decision will be weighed with these parameters in mind.

There are several key areas where the use of native grasses can benefit a golf course. Due to their inability to be mowed short, they cannot be used in fairways and playable rough. However, areas outside of the rough, out-of-play areas, and areas beside bodies of water are potential locations. The following areas and the subsequent mixes chosen are suggested for their ability to thrive in those specified areas. These only apply for the south-east area of Alberta. Other areas may favor different species of grasses. Links are provided to demonstrate who provides these mixes. These areas could include the following mixes of native grass:

• Areas in play (Brett Young - Eco-Turf Blend)
• Creeping Red Fescue - 35%
• Sheep Fescue - 20%
• Chewsings Fescue - 25%
• Hard Fescue - 20%
•  Areas out of play (Brett Young - Mixedgrass Subregion Mix)
• Western Wheatgrass - 20%
• Slender Wheatgrass - 10%
• Northern Wheatgrass - 10%
• Green Needlegrass - 15%
• Blue Grama Grass - 15%
• Junegrass - 10%
• Indian Rice Grass - 10%
• Erosion control along areas of runoff (A Guide to Using Native Plants on Disturbed Lands)
• Needle and Thread Grass - 30%
• Blue Grama Grass - 20%
• Northern Wheat Grass - 20%
• Canadian Bluegrass - 15%
• Plains Reed Grass - 15%
• Buffer strips and riparian areas by bodies of water (Alberta Transportation)
• Slender Wheatgrass - 30%
• Canada Wildrye - 15%
• Mountain Brome - 15%
• Northern Wheatgrass - 10%
• Western Wheatgrass - 5%
• Indian Rice Grass - 5%
• Alkali Grass - 10%
• Neeldle and Thread Grass - 10%

How these spaces interact with golfers and wildlife will provide avenues of research and experimentation on the 3-hole course.

What are the benefits of naturalization? Check out what Audubon International has to say regarding the benefits of tall grass and the benefits of naturalization.

Wildlife Management

At the 3-hole course, we want to promote native wildlife in the area. Providin these naturalized areas will give animals shelter, habitat, and safe access to water. Research can be done to see what wildlife favors these native areas and how we can better encourage there presence. The following sheet will be used to observe wildlife presence on the course and will be updated by staff when a sighting is made.

Enviro Blog: Water Management

This post is a part of the TRF 4100 environmental blog assignment

Fresh water is an increasingly important commodity in our world. As fresh water sources become less available, societies are striving to increase our water efficiency and reduce pollution that goes into our rivers and lakes. Golf courses are often viewed as an unnecessary drain on our fresh water, and courses that used to rely on fresh water as an irrigation source are forced to find other means of irrigation. Wherever we get our water from, it is important to evaluate how we in the golf industry can reduce the water we use. There are several ways the Olds College 3-hole golf course can do this.

Equipment Wash Area

Every golf course has some designated area for rinsing and cleaning machines. Removing grass clipping from mowers and reels reduces wear on these machines and makes sure there ready to use for the next employee. However, a lot of water can be used during this process. We want to find a way to reduce or recycle this water and stop it from entering our environment and water ways. Many new systems of water recycling for golf courses are coming onto the market. They offer methods of removing grass clippings from equipment and putting the water through a microbial bath to eliminate toxins.

The company ESD Waste2Water offers some exciting innovations for wash pads and mixing areas.

Irrigation Water

The irrigation water to be used on the 3-hole development will be coming from the neighboring Olds College wetlands. This is an exciting project to see the efficacy of man-made wetlands and their use in filtering water. Water will enter the wetlands and be put through a series of canals to filter the water. The water will then flow to a holding pond and will be available for use on the 3-hole course. This is just another way we will be practicing environmental stewardship and water recycling.

Best Management Practices

The following BMPs will be implemented for the 3-hole course and are practiced and recorded regularly:

• Water will be tested monthly. Areas to be tested are any water entrance points and exit points on the site, as well as any major holding ponds.
• If water pH is high, the use of acid injection and sulphur burning can be used to lower pH.
• In the case of high salts, a program of gypsum applications timed with rainfall will be introduced to reduce salts and improve turf health.
• In the case of algae forming on the water and a reduction in oxygen in the water, a fountain can be added to improve aeration in the water.
• The use of variable frequency drive pumps will be used. This allows for effective management of the amount of water that is pumped onto the course and reduces irrigation system wear.
• Irrigation audits can be performed regularly by the Olds College students to test the efficacy of rotors and nozzles on the course.

Benefits of Turf

Something I have learned quite quickly about the turfgrass industry is that people know very little about turf. Speaking for myself, I knew next to nothing about turf and its benefits to the environment before I began pursuing this career. As turf managers and professionals, I believe part of our responsibility is to educate and inform those we encounter about the benefits of our industry and of the plants we take care of.

The Turfgrass Science team at Ohio State University has put together an excellent and concise video discussing the benefits of turf grass. I highly recommend taking a look at it.

Benefits of Turf