In a voluntary, pro-active approach to water conservation and environmental stewardship, Barona Creek Golf Club, in San Diego, Calif. recipient of the Bronze Signature Sanctuary Certification from Audubon International, announced an ambitious turf reduction project that will lower irrigation and maintenance needs to enhance its conservation of natural resources.
Don King, Barona Creek’s executive director of golf operations, says the project will eliminate alternate tee boxes and convert 10 to 12 acres of out-of-play turf to waste bunkers or more natural landscape. These measures will address several important environmental issues ranging from reduced fuel and energy consumption to the use of fewer fertilizers and chemicals used for maintenance.
The multi-phased project also calls for limiting over-seeding to tees and roughs, lowering maintenance requirements by an additional 10 to 15 percent.
“This turf reduction plan will further reduce our water usage,” says Sandy Clark, the club’s golf course superintendent. “These water-saving innovations at Barona Creek are about more than self-preservation. They are also helping the environment and hopefully influencing the golf community-at-large.”
The upshot for golfers, continued Clark, is that the golf course will remain open during the turf reduction and reseeding process and when completed in late spring, will result in even better course playing quality with enhanced natural surroundings.
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