Sustainable reclamation in golf course design

Abstract

As the game of golf has continued to grow and evolve, many factors have led to the negative accusations about the golf course and the environment. The way golf courses consume massive amounts of resources and cause harm to plant and animal life led me to seek a way to design a golf course with sustainability in mind. Is it possible for a golf course, which requires much maintenance and care, as well as resources, to display characteristics of sustainability? Can a golf course provide habitats for wildlife, clean storm water runoff and filter it to storage areas, as well as provide an economic uplift to the community? These are some of the questions I had to ask myself and answer during this project.I chose to implement these ideas on a site located in Anderson, Indiana. The site is currently a nature preserve, and has the remains of an abandoned gravel quarry. The site is rich in diversity in the areas of vegetation, wildlife, and topography, making it an ideal site for the implementation of a sustainable golf course. Through the careful planning and study of the topography and natural features, the golf course was laid out in a manner that sought to minimize the impact of the land and provide areas of habitat and refuge for animals.