Turf

Winter 2014 73 www.westernturfmag.com About the EIFG The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA, and has as its mission to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. Visit www.eifg.org. agement practices, pest manage- ment practices, energy use, land use and environmental steward- ship. All the topics will closely mir- ror the initial studies conducted. "The profile surveys will pro- vide critical information to use in the management of golf facilities, as well as to communicate golf's efforts more broadly within and outside the industry," said Kimberly Erusha, Ph.D., managing director, USGA Green Section. "The goal is to demonstrate con- tinual improvement and that golf courses have well-thought-out plans in place as they manage their facilities," she added. "By following statistics over time, we can look for improvement in the industry, and if changes need to be made, to work toward making those changes." One concern for the industry is the proposed "Waters of the United States" legislative bill that would add heavy regulations for using water from streams and standing lakes on golf courses. The bill is currently open for comment until the end of October. "This data will be invaluable, especially on environmental issues, because those are receiving a lot of scrutiny and pressures," said Chava McKeel, associate direc- tor of government relations for GCSAA. "We feel strongly that reg- ulators and policymakers should have science and data drive their decisions." "The profile will be a powerful tool to help GCSAA maintain its mission and document outcomes," said Dan Dinelli, a certified golf course superintendent and long- time employee at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill. In the first data collection from 2006, nearly all those responding from 18-hole facilities said they used one or more techniques to aid in scheduling irrigation, but only 15 percent indicated they had a drought management plan. Since then, great strides have been made for more targeted irrigation and ground moisture measuring, lead- ing the industry toward healthier turf and firmer conditioning. "That information served as a starting point," said Erusha. "In the end, all golf courses should have written water and drought man- agement plans. The availability of water is one of the most criti- cal issues facing the golf industry today, and it's not going to get any easier." For more information, visit the Environment section of www. gcsaa.org.

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