greenprint resources
"From play to purchases, tournaments to travel, and retail to real estate, golf is big business. The game has a direct impact of about $102 billion annually in the U.S. and, when accounting for indirect and induced effects, has a broader economic impact of $226.5 billion and enables over 1.65 million jobs.
NGF’s team of researchers and consultants produced the most recent Economic Impact Study, which was commissioned by the American Golf Industry Coalition, and has also conducted a growing number of in-depth, state-level reports. In addition to the economic side, also detailed are the game’s philanthropic, societal and environmental impacts."
U.S. golf facilities used
31% LESS
less water in 2024
than they did in 2005.
$1.03 billion
in annual benefits
Research examining USGA-supported water, soil-moisture, fertilizer, and pesticide management practices estimated $1.03 billion in annual financial benefits to the golf industry from three research-based management practices.
More than
30%
of U.S. golf courses reported adding or expanding wildlife habitat and native plantings since 2000.
key organizations
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GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf:
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An international non-profit providing the GEO Certified eco-label and OnCourse tracking programs for courses and tournaments across more than 75 countries. [1, 2, 3]
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Works to make golf sustainable across the entire world, focusing on development, tournaments, and the courses themselves to both spread awareness of solutions to make golf more enviro-friendly.
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Speaks about WM Phoenix Open (connected to what I learned from Innovators Forum about sustainability in golf)
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Ecorobotix
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Helps dispel common assumptions held by people by showing how professionals have been actively working to make golf more environmentally friendly.
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A non-profit offering the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) for Golf, which helps courses protect wildlife habitats, conserve water, and reduce chemical use. [1]
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Protects watersheds (water is a huge issue for golf courses), promotes biodiversity (ensuring the golf course does not disrupt the natural habitat), and sustains natural resources (clears a lot of land so need to accommodate for resources lost)
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Provides education, technical assistance, certification, and recognition to put environmentally sustainable management practices in place.
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Educates but also supports those that actually want to make a change on the golf course.
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United States Golf Association (USGA):
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The governing body that funds extensive environmental turfgrass research through the USGA Green Section and participates in global climate initiatives. [1, 2]
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Turfgrass disease control; balances maintaining the condition of the course with being more eco-friendly. The old method would be to spray toxic pesticides to fight disease, but they now use alternative methods like shining UV-light to fight the disease instead.
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THE golf association that covers all topics golf-related, good to gain general knowledge about the game of golf and catch up with the latest news, whether it’s environmental or not.
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Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA):
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Supports superintendents with best management practices for water conservation, pollinator health, and sustainable pest control, alongside co-hosting the annual Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards. [1]
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Provides a trusted source of information all on golf.
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“The Golf Course Environmental Profile is a groundbreaking project launched in 2006 to develop a comprehensive environmental profile of golf courses in the United States.”
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Connects a wide range of industry groups to deal with issues of land use, regulations and practices governing water use, nutrients, and pest control. It documents changes in environmental practices over time to help educate, research, and prioritize member services and environmental programs.
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American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA):
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Advocates for sustainable course planning, reducing maintained turfgrass, and protecting natural land features during design and construction.
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Advocates for growing the game of golf and supporting current and aspiring golf course architects so they can create courses that are technically, strategically, and aesthetically excellent while meeting the economic, environmental, and other needs of golf course owners, developers, and communities.
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Focuses on design aspects instead of actual engineering.
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design firms
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Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design:
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Led by Dana Fry and Jason Straka, this firm brings a heavy environmental academic background to their work. Straka holds a Master's degree in Agronomy and Environmental Golf Course Design Studies and serves on the advisory committees for both Audubon International and the GEO Foundation. Their projects feature 100% water-harvesting systems, heavy use of native plantings, and the conversion of degraded sites—like old landfills—into vibrant green spaces. [1]
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Ex. The Ambiente Course at Camelback Golf Club (Scottsdale, Arizona) saves 43 million gallons of irrigation water per year.
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Focuses on not just the typical reduction of water, chemical and fossil fuel consumption through engineered turfgrass but also introduces native plantings to ensure reduction of loss of biodiversity.
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Has taken part in actually making courses more environmentally friendly (Ambiente Course, FarmLinks at Pursell Farms, Georgian Bay Club, Los Robles Greens)
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Founded by Gil Hanse, this firm practices terrain-dictated architecture. They emphasize weaving the course into the existing landscape to drastically reduce the necessity for massive earthworks. Their work on the Rio 2016 Olympic Golf Course famously restored 82 acres of degraded land and increased the local animal population by over 220%. [1, 2]
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Focuses course design on being natural and carved into the landscape (maintaining as much of the natural landscape as possible). ***
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Construction requires analysis of turf grass selection, incorporation of indigenous plants, and analysis of trees.
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Examples of courses they’re designed are Ohoopee Match Club, Olympic Golf Course, the Vineyard Club, the Royal Sydney Golf Club, and Craighead Links
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Kyle Phillips Golf Course Design:
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Recognized globally by the GEO Foundation, Phillips excels at transforming completely barren or flat sites into complex, natural-looking ecosystems. For example, Yas Linksin Abu Dhabi was engineered on desert land using entirely reclaimed water, specialized Paspalum turf grass, and an integrated bird sanctuary. [1]
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Instead of building courses on naturally beautiful and well suited locations, this company builds courses on sites that are “often void of vegetation, wildlife, water, interesting topography, or good soils.”
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Focuses on water quality and conservation, efficiency in turfgrass management, wildlife habitat creation, recreational greenspace creation, and biodiversity of native plant species.
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Rather than preserving the ecosystem around them the company finds places that need more biodiversity and introduce new but fitting wildlife habitats.
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Founded by Parker Anderson, this boutique firm focuses entirely on "regenerative design". They use data-driven, precision irrigation technology during the blueprint phase to minimize future water and chemical needs while actively restoring habitats on historic tracks like Sedge Valley. [1]
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Offers customized design (balances playability with environmental sustainability), ecological focus (minimizes water usage, reduces chemical inputs, and restores native habitats), and cutting-edge technology (precision irrigation systems, etc.)
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Worked on Sedge Valley Golf Course, Pinehurst No. 10, and Punta Brava Golf and Surf Club
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A firm dedicated to combining climate change adaptation with accessibility. They specialize in value-engineering existing layouts to use less energy and fewer chemicals, smoothing the path for courses to achieve formal GEO Foundation accreditation. [1, 2]
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Focuses on the evolving needs and expectations of today’s golfer and non-golfer and the importance of adapting to a changing climate.
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Provides analysis of the needs and issues with both new sites and existing facilities and develops plans to address said issues.
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Engineering sustainability investments with sustainability and accessibility presentations and seminars.
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Acts as middle man between facilities and professional bodies, local gov’ts, or NGOs.
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