The Northport, Mich., property officially opened on July 18 on a former cherry farm with a solar system that powers the golf carts, irrigation system and clubhouse.
Northport Creek Golf Course in Northport, Mich., which officially opened for play on July 18 with a traditional drum and bagpipe ensemble, is the state’s first solar-powered golf course, the Traverse City (Mich.) Morning Star Publishing reported.
The assembled audience was addressed by golf course developer and owner Bill Collins; Jerry Matthews, president of Jerry Matthews Natural Course Design; Leelanau Solar, LLC owner Tom Gallery; and director of golf Chris McCann, Morning Star reported.
Northport Creek, the first new public golf course to open in Michigan in many years offers three-hole, six-hole and nine-hole play. The course sits on a 63-acre parcel that was once a cherry farm, Morning Star reported.
Matthews, noted for taking advantage of a site’s natural features and terrain, created a course that is designed to minimize its impact on the environment. Only three holes on the course required any major earthwork, existing trees were saved by selective fairway clearing and transplanting, and native soils were used throughout, Morning Star reported.
Existing farm buildings are being used for course maintenance and an abandoned foundation provided rocks for retaining walls. Complementing the natural design and solar energy components is an irrigation system designed to protect and conserve water, and save on electricity, Morning Star reported.
The system, designed by Carol Colein, executive director of the American Society of Irrigation Consultants, uses captured rainwater. In addition, a solar system powers much of the course operations, including its golf carts, the irrigation system and the clubhouse, making Northport Creek the first solar-powered golf course in the state and the highest solar energy production system in northwest Michigan, Morning Star reported.
There are currently only five other solar powered golf courses in the nation. Course superintendent Brad Krolik, a graduate of Michigan State University’s Turf Management Program, plans to manage the course in a way that balances the golfer’s recreational experience with sound environmental practices, Morning Star reported.
Northport Creek Golf Course is part of the revitalization of the Village of Northport, adding jobs in an economically-challenged community. The project also won Honorable Mention in the Detroit Free Press 2014 Michigan Green Leader Contest and is a prototype for other golf courses, Morning Star reported.
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