Chemical and fertilizer manufacturers and suppliers have the most to lose from a movement to reduce overall use of their products in golf course applications—but also the most to gain if they can step up to become preferred vendors of products that meet the needs of a more sustainable approach to course maintenance.
That’s why smart superintendents and club managers are making sure their properties’ environmental strategies include maintaining close relationships with leading manufacturers who are devoting considerable resources to the development of new products that can not only help properties save operating costs while pursuing sustainability goals, but also help to position clubs and courses in a more favorable public light.
“[Suppliers] can now bring a lot more things to the table than just the products they make,” notes the marketing manager of one leading manufacturer. “We have water experts and soil experts on our staff who are helping us develop products that do more than just prevent disease or repel insects; the newest products help to serve as plant growth regulators that promote tighter, denser turf, growth of deeper roots, and plants that have more stress tolerance and need less watering. And best of all, they can help lead to more consistent playing surfaces.
“We’re now working in partnership with several clubs to help educate [regulators] about the chemistry of how these new products work and how they help to limit water use and provide overall benefits for the community,” the marketing manager adds. “We, like the golf industry, will always have a target on our backs and be put in defensive-type positions when it comes to environmental issues. But working together, we’ve already shown in many cases that we can do a lot to not only reverse those perceptions, but actually position our products, and how they’re used on golf courses, in a positive way—especially by highlighting what they can do to save water and create healthy turf and green space that has real benefits in filtering pollutants for the community at large.”
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