For years, the golf industry has been dedicated to environmental responsibility in the design, construction and management of golf courses. Some of the game's leading organizations have invested considerable resources in this effort and are now leading golf's drive toward sustainability. The shared goal of the industry is to offer a sustainable asset to the community that is managed with a focus on water conservation, water quality protection, energy conservation and pollution prevention.

Below are some facts about golf and the environment:

• The nearly 32,000 golf facilities worldwide provide communities with valuable green space.
  
  
• A golf course can be a healthy natural environment. The turfgrass on golf courses serves as a filter to runoff to control flooding; out of play areas offer wildlife habitat; trees and bushes filter dust and pollen; and the green space has a cooling effect on surrounding property.
  
  
• Golf courses are, generally, professionally managed by individuals who have been educated, certified and/or licensed to ensure that the golf facilities are operated in an environmentally responsible manner.
  
  
• The widespread benefits of golf course landscapes should be delivered with the minimal use of water (golf courses accounting for only one-half of one percent of U.S. annual water consumption), pesticides and fertilizers.

For more information on golf and the environment please visit the following websites:

Environmental Institute for Golf

Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Golf Environment Organization

R&A

USGA Green Section