BETHPAGE BLACK
Golf courses in urban areas are under increased pressure to demonstrate their environmental and community value.
With the planet’s urban population set to double to 8.5 billion by 2050, demand for land is on the rise, with golf courses already in the crosshairs of some lawmakers.
Golf Under Threat, a new multimedia editorial feature from Syngenta Golf, explores the conflicting demands for more housing and green spaces, and highlights how golf businesses have an opportunity to play a leading role in sustainability for people and the planet.
Bethpage State Park Director of Agronomy Andrew Wilson, whose world-famous Bethpage Black Course is set to host the 2024 Ryder Cup, explains how the park has become a haven for wildlife over the past two decades.
John Ashworth, who helped save Californian community facility Goat Hill Park from development having already seen his boyhood golf course “ploughed under”, outlines why he opposes a new bill which threatens the future of municipal courses across California.
And sustainability expert, Gina Rizzi, describes how golf courses can enhance their environmental and community value, and communicate what they are doing to the wider world.
Case studies from Sydney to South Africa and the home of golf Scotland put the scale of threats into context, as the global debate polarizes opinion and brings golf’s reputation into question.
Mark Birchmore, Syngenta Global Head of Marketing, Turf and Landscape, who commissioned the feature, said: “Golf courses are often an easy target, but in reality they play a critical role in providing a green space for golfers and non-golfers, preserving wildlife habitats, and they are already implementing sustainable best practice.
“As the debate around urban land use intensifies, golf businesses should take the opportunity to communicate their contribution to society and their long-term environmental value.
“Enhancing connections with local communities and stakeholders can help show that golf, collectively, has a key role to play in balancing long-term demands of people, profit and the planet.”
For more market insights and success stories of individuals and businesses transforming golf, visit Syngenta Golf: syngentagolf.com.
To read the full article and watch the interviews, view Golf Under Threat.
