Golf course design is fascinating, it's history even more so.

Golf is actually believed to have begun by Belgian soldiers. As a way to waste time, they clubbed rocks across the vast rolling hills of lowland Europe. The sport evolved and grew in popularity and finally got its first course in Scotland.

As the sport made it around the world, it meant more challenges in landscaping and architecture. The results were often architectural wonders in and of themselves. But as the sport went corporate, golf course designers around the world had tremendous pressure to be molded after cookie-cutter designs appropriate only for the Eastern United States or California.

Although this has largely been a cultural travesty, certain golf courses in certain environments have degraded important ecosystems. Foremost among those are coral reefs. Around the world, wherever golf courses sit adjacent to coral reefs, you can see it with your own eyes.

In response to this, the United States Golf Association has created a green unit, to help golf course developers develop more eco-friendly golf courses.

Thankfully, the benefit of increased awareness about golf course design may be the impetus to create golf courses that are not only ecosensitive, but culturally superior to the cookie-cutter designs of last half of the 20th century.

Notes from the Road has interviewed members of the USGA's green section. Below are the responses of one green golf course scientist at the USGA who seems to think that the critics of the development on Guana Cay are unfairly focusing on the golf course, perhaps largely because 'people hate golf.'

For the record, Notes from the Road loves golf, and good golf course design. Although much of what this scientist has to say is sound, there may be an indication that the USGA does not concentrate enough on golf courses on small cays adjacent to coral reefs.

He writes:

"As I look at the project it is the other human development on the island that will have the greatest impact on the coral reef. The golf course is the least of your concerns! There are lots for condos and buildings all over the island, and how will waste from the homes be handled? That will produce much more nitrogen and phosphorous pollution than the golf course.

Also, developing a marina will be even more detrimental than the golf course. (partially correct.)

So my question comes down to this, if the island is going to be developed, is the golf course the hook to get people there? If not, will the island be developed without the golf course? It seems you are wasting a lot of energy and worry on a golf course that will have far less environmental impact than the rest of the development. (I told him that we are covering all aspects of the development) My advice would be to leave the whole island alone and not do a damn thing if you really want to protect the coral, turtles and bonefish. That can be done but somebody will have to step forward and purchase the land from the developer. There are organizations that protect sensitive or endangered environments by buying the land from a developer.."(The land was once considered for a national park, and plans for a more eco-friendly development were turned down by the government)

Photo of Great Guana Cay's settlemet courtesy Norvell Slezycki

I just don't think the golf course is the biggest problem you are facing. Believe me, 120 acres of grass is far better than 120 acres of buildings and parking lots. (He is correct that golf courses are often the best possible use of developed land from an environmental perspective, but the reality is whether the science tells us the reef will be destroyed, period.)

That is just the way it is and the research bears this out. I do not believe a news article will prove anything, it will only add to the debate about human development in environmentally sensitive areas. It is the human shelters, electricity, plumbing, sewage, trash and boat traffic that will destroy the coral long before the golf course has any impact if the developers take the time to design and manage the land with the environment in mind. (This part is partially incorrect, because homes and sewage nutrients are more easily controlled.)

So what you really want is to prevent large numbers of people from living on the island and that is the issue. It is why we have National Parks, to protect and preserve a particular kind of environment. Maybe that should be done at this location, but don't just focus on the golf course, I do not think it is your biggest concern in this case." (it is a piece of the puzzle, but his comment is relevant)

I think where you and I differ is that grasses have been on the Earth for millions of years. The USGA can find grasses and maintenance programs that will have no more environmental impact than mangroves do on the coral reef. (Wrong, mangrove systems have been part of a triangular relationship with reefs for millions of years. Coral reefs require very specialized limits to nutrients. Even freshwater from a golf course is not safe for reefs.)

To say golf courses and coral reefs simply don't mix is overstating your position. (There is no evidence of any golf course adjacent to coral reefs that has been able to overcome the essential problem through technology) By the looks of this island, it has probably received a lot more terraforming from the hurricanes than what a golf course would entail. (Also wrong, mangroves and plant communities on small islands are designed to hold the island together. Hurricanes only affect these islands when disturbed by human activity. Otherwise these tiny sand spits would have vanished under the sea years ago.) I am not for or against a development here, I just get tired of people jumping to conclusions that a golf
course is going to kill a coral reef. Any article stating so is just opinion, especially a statement that golf courses and coral reefs just don't mix.

How in the world do you know that?

By the way, there is a golf course in Yosemite Park, it was there before
the place became a National Park. It has little or no negative environmental impact other than being a grass meadow were deer congregate. The park staff use very few pesticides and fertilizers, none in some years. (I told him that putting a golf course in Guana was like putting a golf course in Yosemite. I meant Yosemite Valley. After this comment, I reminded him I visited Yosemite's course three months ago.)

"Member's of the USGA's Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program have consulted on golf course design compatible with a small island environment."   - The Final EIA for Baker's Bay Golf and Ocean Club Note: it is believed that the USGA did not consult on this particular project. No mention of the USGA consulting on golf courses adjacent to coral reefs, so the statement in the EIA is misleading.

His last statements are the best, and make a lot of sense:

"I know there could be a golf course there that would have minimal environmental impact. I also know that it is the infrastructure associated with human activities that will cause most of the problems. Roads and toilets will cause more environmental damage to the coral reef than grass fairways. Sorry, but that is the scientific truth, documented by 15 years of pesticide fate and transport research, and 80 years of practical experience that the USGA has accumulated. The USGA cannot make developers do what is right for a particular environment. "

"What you need to do…is not consider all golf course under the management you see at Augusta National or in preparation for a US Open. Golf can co-exist very well in the world with nature because the game is played on grass. The game evolved in a natural setting. Unfortunately, the game grew very quickly and was transported around the world using cookie cutter designs and management recipes not necessarily suited for the climate and environmental conditions. Television and golfer infatuation with green manicured fairways and greens is not what golf has to be in the majority of cases."

"My view is this, kill the whole project to save the coral reef. Period. Development on this island, with or without the golf course is going to kill the reef. That is what is proven by past development. If you want to save the reef, then the island should not be developed. I think you are including golf in a list of scapegoats for declining reefs around the world and that is how others will interpret or use your article. It is my job to point out to people that it is not just a golf course that has a negative impact on the environment, but the human activity that goes along with the development around a golf course."

"A reality we face as an industry is people literally hate golf. Negative articles that blame golf for the demise of wetlands, forests, and now coral reefs provides more negative ammunition. I am not naïve about changing ecosystems and possible consequences of such actions, I am just tired of people who single out golf courses as the root of all evil."


I asked some golfers if they thought that cookie-cutter golf courses were required for them to enjoy the game. I was surprised to find the opposite. Golfers encourage unique golf course design and are keen on courses being designed in a manner tha fits the local environment and culture of the community.

Following are some comments from golfers:

"Many people believe that the quality of a golf course is directly aligned with the quality of the greens.

Riveria CC in Pacific Palisades has strange grass, Kikuyu, but is also in perfect condition.

Florida resort courses are "perfectly" manicured with Bermuda grass, but many people feel that Bermuda is impossible to putt with all the bumps, imperfections, etc. In fact, Phil Mickelson doesn't even attempt to read his own putts when playing on Bermuda grass. His caddy, Bones, reads every single one of them himself.

Golf in Scotland barely involves grass. Many believe St. Andrews the finest in all the world (only b/c their head doctors tell them they must believe that or they will never win the Open Championship). There is so little grass on the course that they players effectively play on compressed green dirt.

I find the most interesting aspects of golf to be elevation change, scenery and that the course challenge every club in my bag across multiple directions of wind (if it's windy). It is also too expensive to expect all courses to be perfectly manicured from tee-to-green. Nice greens and nice tee boxes are a minimal requirement though."

- Anomymous golfer asked to comment on tropical golf course design

- Anomymous golfer asked to comment on tropical golf course design