What's s
o unusual about a green golf course? Grass is supposed to be green. In the latest issue of Piper Magazine, the publication of the Glenmore Country Club, Tim Thomas, the golf course superintendent, talks about the proceedures that the Glenmore Country Club has implemented to make its golf maintenance as environmentally friendly as possible.
When the course was first constructed a fertilization system was installed that injects fertilizer directly into the irrigation water thus minimizing fertilizer runoff, since the fertilizer is absorbed directly into the soil.
The course also embraces the concept of integrated pest management which has the goal of controlling pests with the least environmental impact. Pesticides are only used in the event that the problem is at a level that would affect the long term health of the plant. Also rather that using a broad spectrum pesticide, they use a product that only affects the particular pest targeting some metabolic process specific to that pest.
Growth regulators reduce the elongation of the grass, thus enabling a reduction in the number of times the grass needs to be mowed and as a result using less fuel and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from mowers.
When the new pumping station which controls the irrigation system was constructed a system was selected that uses variable speed motors. This means that the speed of the pumps varies according to the water demand of the irrigation system. This has resulted in about a 20% saving of electricity.
According to Tim Thomas "The main goal I have for myself and the staff is to develop an awareness of everything in our maintenance program that affects the environment and the energy that is used in our day to day operation. We strive to make our course as environmentally friendly as possible...When at all possible we try to foster cooperation, rather than competition with our environment."
The Glenmore Country Club is located in the beautiful Glenmore community situated in Keswick just east of Charlottesville, Virginia. I would love to take you on a tour and show you the features that make this neighborhood such a special place in which to live.
Pam Dent, e-PRO, SRES, NHD
Real Estate III
Charlottesville, Virginia
434 960-0161
www.JumpintoGreenerPastures.com
www.CharlottesvilleHorseFarmsandCountryHomes.com
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Hi Pam,
I think it's great news that so many golf courses are becoming more environmentally friendly! This has been a long time coming. The use of pesticides and fertilizers also affects golfers because they touch the balls that have rolled in these chemicals and it gets on the hands and into the body. This is an excellent summary of great steps Glenmore is taking! Thanks!