Monthly Feature Hosted By:
	David Phipps, GCSAA Class A member at Stone Creek Golf Club, Oregon City, Ore.

While reading the case study by Cutler Robinson, CGCS at Bayville Golf Club, I was reminded of how important our roles are as superintendents and stewards of the land. Whether we like it or not, an accusatory finger may always be pointed at the golf course for being the heavy user of fertilizers and pesticides.

Cutler’s case study describes how Bayville Golf Club has taken that negative perception and turned it into a positive perception. It is an excellent example of environmental stewardship. Bayville Golf Club has shown the local community that the golf course can be and is part of the solution to the cleaning of the Lynnhaven River and not the source of the problem. By showing that they are an environmental leader, Bayville Golf Club is able to help build relationships with watershed groups. Bayville Golf Club also provided outreach and educational opportunities that promoted the impact of environmental stewardship on golf courses and illustrated the facts about how their management practices enhance the environment.

Like Cutler, I have worked closely with local environmental groups. As the construction of Stone Creek Golf Club evolved, I sensed an opposition from neighbors and regulators. My first course of action was to meet with them face-to-face and let them know we had nothing to hide. During the course’s development I had time to invite the local watershed and soil conservation groups out to tour the course. Since then, I have helped in the production of a video which aired on local cable television to help educate homeowners on proper lawn care techniques, focusing on environmental stewardship. Also, I assisted in the development of a class titled “Golf Course Quality Lawns.” This class demonstrates the same principles of lawn care, but in a classroom setting. With these projects I have turned the perception of being the “problem” into being the solution and have promoted the environmental benefits of a golf course.

As I am writing this, my final introduction to “Green Links”, I look back to all of the wonderful case studies I have had the opportunity to introduce. They have gone from stream bank restoration and water conservation to installing a mini camera in a bird box. This study by Cutler really sums it up for me and brings everything into perspective. To quote directly from his conclusion, “Golf Course Superintendents can and should be leaders in the field of environmental stewardship. Offering our services to the community is one of the best ways to ‘give back’, but can also enlighten the general public on the truth of how modern golf courses are being managed.” If there is any one message I would like to convey it would be that one. We all play an integral role in the growth and vitality of the game of golf. In today’s environmental climate, superintendents who are being true environmental leaders will ensure that golf will prosper for years to come.

As we conclude the 2007 season of “Green Links” I would like to urge you all to keep the case studies coming in and support our new host and my good friend Bob Farren, CGCS from Pinehurst Resort. Bob is very excited about the opportunity to share all of the success stories from within our industry and I am sure he will cherish the experience just as I have.

December's Guest:
	Laurie Carroll Sorabella, Executive Director, Lynnhaven River NOW

Golf courses with their quiet, serene expanses of lush, emerald green grass provide a relaxing opportunity for golfers to enjoy exercise, camaraderie and the beauty of nature.

But without proper environmental stewardship including best management practices, integrated pest management (IPM), and staff training, golf courses could be potential sources of pollution to nearby waterways. During storms, rainwater can move fertilizers and pesticides from the landscape into nearby rivers. Even non-waterfront landscapes impact rivers, because rainwater washes into storm drains that release directly into waterways. Once in the river, fertilizers and pesticides cause a variety of problems that disrupt the delicate balance of nature.

Bayville Golf Club in Virginia Beach is a great example. Located on the banks of the Lynnhaven River, it is truly a model of environmental responsibility. The course still contains the lush expanses of green grass that golfers desire, but it also contains vegetated swales and buffers along its slopes and shorelines. These buffers are invaluable because they intercept and remove fertilizers and pesticides from stormwater before the pollutants reach the Lynnhaven River.

In addition to protecting the river, the buffers are naturally beautiful with their native shrubs, trees and grasses. This naturally attracts songbirds and wildlife.

Lynnhaven River NOW is a non-profit organization working to restore water quality in the Lynnhaven. We aim to reduce pollutant inputs to the Lynnhaven by inspiring homeowners to employ river-friendly landscaping techniques on their properties.

We have benefited tremendously from our relationship with Bayville Golf Club and Cutler Robinson, director of golf course operations. Cutler routinely provides inspiration, experience and guidance to golf courses and homeowners as they seek to landscape with green techniques. Most inspiring of all, Cutler and Bayville Golf Club demonstrate environmental stewardship by providing a “green-er” golf course.