Sustainable Sport
How the game of golf is embracing the natural world—and saving it for generations to come.
In January, the United Nations released the largest poll ever taken about climate change, surveying 1.2 million people in 50 countries with over half the world’s population. It found that 69% of people under 18 and 58% of people over 60 believe climate change is an “emergency.” This poll has made it clear that as the world gets back on its feet, people are looking for sustainable solutions at every turn.
Businesses of all kinds are taking climate change head-on. One of them is Zurich Insurance, sponsor of the Zurich Classic, played each year in April at TPC Louisiana. The company is a worldwide leader in corporate sustainability: In 2021, it earned a S&P ESG score of 90, achieving a gold rating, and a No. 1 industry ranking in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Externally, Zurich Insurance uses its risk expertise to work with communities and policymakers preparing for the environmental effects of climate change by helping them increase resilience rather than just focusing on recovery and rebuilding. Internally, in North America, Zurich prioritizes sustainable office initiatives, including reducing paper usage by 80% and eliminating single-use plastics. It’s all part of the effort that industries—including professional sports, and specifically golf—are undertaking to battle climate change.
Rising to the Challenge
Golf has really made some strides in embracing sustainability in sports. It has to be—because it’s played on outdoor courses, it’s arguably the sport that will be most affected by climate change. But for the same reason, it came up big in 2020. Professional golf was the first major sport to come back during the pandemic, and 25 million Americans dusted off their clubs for socially distanced games, pushing the number of rounds played in the U.S. up 10.8%.
In 2018, the PGA TOUR released a report called “Improving Our Environmental Footprint,” and three years later, there has been a movement to return golf to its earthen roots in 15th-century Scotland, where players hit pebbles around sand dunes. The efforts were certainly on display in February at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, a carbon-neutral tournament that runs on 100% purchased renewable electricity, with an emphasis on the proper way to recycle—mainly, keeping food, liquids, and plastic bags out of recycling bins.
Now sustainability is a priority in golf course design and maintenance.
“I’ve noticed a big change in golf design aesthetics—a willingness to mesh the sport with nature, which is when courses are at their best,” says Justin Rose, PGA TOUR pro and Zurich Golf Ambassador. “There are great architects out there embracing a rugged style. Today, the heavily fertilized, overseeded courses look contrived. Sustainability
and golf are a perfect match.”
Case in point is the Omni Orlando at Championsgate. It features two 18-hole courses designed by the Shark himself, Greg Norman, and a nine-hole par-three course, all overseen by director of golf Patrick Dill, who details the resort’s sustainability like a proud father watching a child take their first hacks. The facility’s rapid infiltration basins filter and collect runoff from precipitation and excess water from nearby Lake Toho, then pump it back to the local water management district to irrigate neighborhood lawns and wash down vehicles. The filtration system also collects large volumes of water during hurricane season, which reduces flooding and helps prevent people’s homes (and property values) from washing away.
Key to creating a sustainable golf course is shrinking its environmental footprint. Because the Omni Orlando requires less maintenance (and thus, fewer chemical treatments and mowing interruptions), it allows for the return of the natural environment that existed long before amateur and pro players navigated the course’s 36 holes. The Omni Orlando is also in the process of completing its certification for the National Audubon Society, which is fitting, because the 830 acres is fully shared by humans and animals alike.
“Our sustainability efforts have really beautified the courses, opening up areas for wildlife,” says Dill. “We have 300 species of birds—large ones with eight-foot-wide wingspans and tiny two-inch thrushes you
can barely see. It’s a natural—not manufactured—environment, so keep
an eye out for alligators,” he adds.
Playing a Part
One interesting wrinkle in the push for sustainability in golf is that it has physically altered the way the game is played and watched. A lot of the changes taking place are around the course perimeters—longer, shaggier grass in the rough, where Mother Nature never intended golf balls to land. And there’s a general consensus that courses don’t need to feature perfect “Sunday at the Masters” conditions 365 days a year (except at Augusta, naturally).
“Obviously, in the past we’ve always seen the manicured bright-green color, but with that comes a lot of water, pesticides, fertilizers, and other stuff that doesn’t bode well for the environment,” says Rose. “I think it’s become more acceptable for both players and fans watching on TV if the course is browning out a bit and the ball is running on the ground and not immaculate surfaces. We’re getting away from the perception that perfectionism in golf is when everything is green.”
The Zurich Classic is doing its part too. New Orleans is the wettest major American city, so at TPC Louisiana, the grounds crew planted some new species of grass that are more resilient to both drought and excess water resulting from climate change. The crew also stripped out 35 acres of turf and turned the waste material into elevated mounds, where spectators can gather to enjoy the 2021 tournament. The letters on the new Zurich water feature on the 18th hole are made from recycled plastic bottles, and the golf tee markers gracing every hole are made from sustainably produced materials that are biodegradable.
“Golf as an industry has really made some great strides in embracing sustainability,” says Ben Harper, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Zurich North America. “This is an industry that traditionally has been heavily dependent upon chemical fertilizers and high water usage. But if you look at the recent trends in golf course maintenance and construction, you can see that they’re much more open to being stewards of the environment and part of the solution.”
Clearly, TPC Louisiana is one of the many forward-thinking golf courses around the world adopting and sharing. And although sustainable golf is a tiny piece in the massive climate change puzzle—the U.N. poll doesn’t even mention bunker elimination—it’s a microcosm of the global problem. Fighting climate change through golf course design is good for the planet, the game itself, and most importantly, for the generations of duffers to come.
“I like playing courses that are going the extra mile to be sustainable, because it means that the course has a future and the game has a future,” says Rose. “In 20 years, somebody will be able to enjoy the same round of golf I’m playing today. I have a young son and a daughter, and I want them to have those same beautiful experiences as I’ve been able to have.”
Ben Harper
Head of Corporate Sustainablity,
Zurich North America
“If you look at the
recent trends in golf course maintenance and construction, you can see that they’re much more open to being stewards of the environment and being part of the solution.”
Justin Rose
PGA TOUR Pro and
Zurich Golf Ambassador
“It’s becoming more
acceptable for both players and fans if the course is browning out a bit. We’re getting away from the perception that perfectionism in golf is when everything
is green.”
to Justin Rose on modern course design
Zurich’s Ben Harper on the company’s commitment to a sustainable future
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Omni Hotels and Resorts’ Patrick Dill on
the course’s water conservation
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Zurich Insurance Group is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers and local markets. In North America, Zurich is a leading commercial property-casualty and life insurance provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties, programs and individual sectors through the member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company and Zurich American Life Insurance Company. © Zurich American Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
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