The Benefits of Green Spaces in Golf Courses

1110 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Benefits of playing golf

Although many Americans enjoy working in their yards and maintaining an attractive landscape, they may not realize the tangible benefits of their efforts. These same benefits are available on the golf course where the combination of mowed turf, trees and natural areas provides a diverse environment for people and wildlife. Preserving these green spaces improves the environmental quality of the entire community.

As the golf has become more popular, people have become interested in how golf affects land resources and the environment. Many organizations in golf are actively answering these questions. In the past several years, the United States Golf Association (USGA) has supported more than 90 university studies and research projects to evaluate the relationship between golf and the environment.

This document highlights the benefits of turf, trees and natural areas as commonly found on golf courses. The information presented about these benefits is supported by factual, unbiased university research. Further information about any specific benefit - and the research from which it was drawn - can be provided by the USGA.

The golf course ecosystem:
Provides wildlife habitat

Protects topsoil from water and wind erosion

Improves community aesthetics

Absorbs and filters rain

Improves health and reduces stress for more than 24.5 million golfers

Improves air quality

Captures and cleanses runoff in urban areas

Discourages pests (e.g. ticks and mosquitoes)

Restores damaged land areas (e.g. former landfill or mining sites)

Makes substantial contributions to the community's economy

1) Golf Course Roughs And Trees Create Good Wildlife Habitat
More than 70 percent of most golf courses are rough and non-play...

... middle of paper ...

.... This allows it to absorb even more water and hold it.

Many communities have found that a golf course is an excellent way to restore damaged areas. Beautiful golf courses exist today where abandoned quarries, strip mines and landfills once stood. Golf courses combine the benefits of turf with the beauty of landscaping. The result is a total reclamation of land for the community.

10) Golf Contributes To The Community's Economy
Golf has grown in popularity. It now appeals to a broader range of people than ever before. United States golf course facilities impact the economy at an estimated $18 billion each year. Today, more than 24.5 million men, women and youth spend 2.4 billion hours outside, playing one of the 14,500-plus golf courses. The USGA is working to make golf accessible everyone. More than 78 percent of the rounds played are on public golf courses.

Show More
Related

  • Ted Steinberg’s American Green

    772 Words  | 2 Pages

    American Green has entertaining anecdotes, but should be considered more of a light read than as an authoritative work of non-fiction. This book may be enjoyed by environmentalists who want to know more about the impact that lawns have on the environment or for someone who truly is obsessed with his or her lawn and wants to learn about others who share this obsession. Steinberg’s goals may have been lofty, to prove a nationwide obsession, but his arguments and assumptions created a book that cannot be taken seriously.

    Read More

  • The Barkley Marathons

    3035 Words  | 7 Pages

    The course is run on a variety of surfaces, none of which come close to ideal . Around 10% is run on rough dirt roads while 10% is run on old dirt roads which are now overgrown with grass. Approximately 20% is run on rough trails with 40% being on old abandoned trails which are said to be easily mistaken for the deer trails that are actually better. The remaining 20% is run on no trails at all but is actually bushwhacking through the forest.

    Read More

  • Deforestation in Illinois: Problems and Description

    1603 Words  | 4 Pages

    When people see new construction or a recently paved road, they often do not realize the sacrifice that was made to create these luxuries. Most people pass some form of construction on the way to their jobs or school every day. This simple fact sparks questions regarding what this area looked like before it was inhabited by humans. Illinois forests have undergone drastic changes in the decades since European settlement. Only 31 % of the forest area present in 1820 exists today. (Iverson Pdf) Tearing down trees to build new structures isn’t bad if done in moderation, in some ways with time and good planning its wonderful. However, anyone that hunts or claims to be an outdoorsman will relate to the incomparable feeling experienced when alone in the woods and far from the hustle of the urbanized world.

    Read More

  • The Early History of Golf in the U.S.

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    Golf Magazine’s Encyclopedia of Golf. The Editors of Golf Magazine. New York, NY: Harper-Collins 1993.

    Read More

  • Golf Informative Speech

    418 Words  | 1 Pages

    Golf is a very physical sport. You use 17 muscle groups in the swing of a golf club. Sports require coordinated muscle use and using 17 groups of muscles takes coordination. Golf also can burn lots of calories. If you play a nine-hole course without a golf cart and no catty (someone who carries clubs for you), you walk 2-2.5 miles and you burn 721 calories. Professionals play in a four day tournament where they play 18 holes each day. After the tournament, they would be burning around 5,000 calories in total. This

    Read More

  • Biomechanics of the Golf Swing

    1375 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most amateur golfers believe that impact on the ball is the only key factor for hitting straighter and farther by swinging harder and faster, forgetting important facets in basics of the swing. There are multiple parts of the swing that involve biomechanics however; some key points are set-up, backswing, downswing, follow-through, and ground reaction force (GFR). To focus primarily only on one point of the swing to fix all problems is an obscure way to view the s...

    Read More

  • Augusta National Golf Course

    400 Words  | 1 Pages

    Golf is the ultimate battle between man and nature. It is a beautiful sport in which dreams come true and hearts are broken. Man is challenged on every stroke by nature’s elements. Wind and rain are only a few of the conditions that affect this great game. Undulating hills, sand bunkers, thick rough, and even creeks and ponds come into play on most golf courses. These features are fierce at Augusta National Golf Course. Located along the fall line, the natural beauty of the region is the perfect complement to this championship golf course. Every spring when the flowers are in full bloom, Augusta plays host to The Masters Championship and is transformed into the Mecca of Golf.

    Read More

  • Callaway Golf Case Study

    1446 Words  | 3 Pages

    CGC targeted "average golfers" defined as golfers that played a minimum of 10 rounds per year and generally had handicaps above 18. Moreover they purchased new equipment roughly every two-three years and purchased premium equipment to boost their performance. Other market segments included beginners, occasional, and experienced or avid golfers. Beginners and occasionally golfers played one-seven rounds per year and were not targeted because they were price-sensitive. Experienced golfers kept their equipment for extremely long periods of time and when they did purchase new equipment their purchase was based mostly on brand. Experienced golfers were also not targeted because they relied more on their skill then the performance of their equipment.

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: How Golf Changed My Life

    622 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ever since I was a little kid, golf has been there. Golf has been something in my life that I can always fall back on and use to get some anger out of just to clear my head. No matter what it was, golf has been my rock. There is nothing like waking up at the crack of dawn to get out under the sun to play a game you love.

    Read More

  • Golf: The History And The Evolution Of Golf

    776 Words  | 2 Pages

    Because of the evolution, golf looks much different than when it started. Because the sport of golf has changed, many people have been able to better their game and lower their handicap. Along with this, many more people have been introduced to the game which may be helping the sport be

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Golf

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    To start off, Now, we come to the tee-box where we put our stretching and breathing into effect creating the positive mentality, followed by a few quick practice swings. You then tee-up the ball, making sure the ball is lined up with the center of the face of the club. Then, you line up your shot and swing away, sending the ball flying down the middle of the fairway, creating a sense of euphoria. Next, we approach our second shot, making sure to choose the correct club according to the distance from the green. Once again, you line up your shot and swing, letting the ball coast and land on the green, as close to the hole as you possibly could. Now, comes the trickiest part which is reading the green. You grab your putter, then step back and squat, all the time trying to visualize the ball path. You, determine then were you should line up your putt depending on the break which is in the ball path. You step up to the ball, line up your putt, and swing your arms like a clock pendulum. The ball sinks into the hole sending you into a jumping fit of excitement. Thus, neatly showing how you can successfully play a hole of

    Read More

  • Golf Tourism

    875 Words  | 2 Pages

    Asia has gone from just 45 golf courses in 1970 to over 500 today (TED Case Studies, 1997). The rapid increase in development also brings a rapid increase in ecological problems. In Southwest Asia ecological apathy includes greens carved out of paddy fields and virgin forests. Development of golf courses also entails clearing vegetation, cutting forests and creating artificial landscapes. These activities lead to land erosion and block the soils ability to retain water (Klein, 1996). Golf courses also need large quantities of pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides, which cause health problems among golfers, workers, and nearby residents. Unfortunately, these numerous problems are overlooked by developers who are often supported by the Asian governments due to the economic rewards from the sport. The low green fees in Asia have increased tourism to these courses as well as increasing the temptation for further golf course development.

    Read More

  • Urban Environment: A Restorative Environment

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    (R. Kaplan, 2001; R. Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989; Purcell & Lamb, 1984; Ulrich, 1986). It means that the larger proportion of natural patch area may promote environmental preference in urban settings (van Den Berg, Hartig, & Staats, 2007). Additionally, significant positive correlations are found between landscape preferences and landscape heterogeneity and diversity (Dramstad et al., 2006; Franco, Franco, Mannino, & Zanetto, 2003; Lee et al., 2008; Palmer, 2004). Their findings suggested that the landscapes which function ecologically (e.g. less fragmented and more heterogeneous) are more attractive (Forman, 1995; Lee et al., 2008). For instance, urban residents are more likely to be satisfied with their neighborhood environments when these environments contain large connected tree patches which are considered function better ecologically (Lee et al., 2008). However, some researchers held the opposing opinions referring to the relationships between ecological landscape and human preference (Gobster, 1994; Steinitz, 1990). Parsons (1995) suggested that ecologically sustainable environments are perceived to be less attractive. Steinitz (1990) has conducted a study in a U.S. national park and observed significant conflicts between visual preference and landscape sustainability. However, little empirical work has been reported the similar findings for urban green spaces or

    Read More

  • landscapes essay

    1767 Words  | 4 Pages

    The world we live in today is always changing, whether it be technology or the land. As these changes take place, society must adapt to them. Many things begin to change as a result of this and society beings to turn into something completely different. One of the most overlooked changes that takes place is that of the environment and landscape. The landscape is one of the most important parts of our society’s culture and has a great effect on how we live. It seems that nowadays, many individuals are taking advantage of the land and nothing appreciating it for every thing that it is worth. Its true that not everyone is going to look at the environment and landscape in the same way, however that is no excuse to disrespect it. Then again, a whole new argument can start from that, as different individuals are going to have different views on what disrespecting the land. Many positive things have come from taking advantage of the land, and also, there have been many negative things to come as a result of this. It all depends on how you look at it. One thing is for sure though, no matter what the case is, the land and environment we live in plays a huge part in each of our everyday lives.

    Read More

  • Outdoor Recreation

    1383 Words  | 3 Pages

    Outdoor recreation has been around for more than 80 centuries. Throughout the years, outdoor recreation has evolved in many different aspects. Outdoor recreation began as a tool for survival strategies, such as hunting and fishing. As the years have passed, people went on to hunt and fish as a form of recreation. As a population, we can concur that outdoor recreation has many positive attributes such as personal satisfaction and enjoyment, as well as negative aspects that could amount to the costly engagement in outdoor recreation activity.

    Read More

More about The Benefits of Green Spaces in Golf Courses

Open Document