Golf Inc - April 2008 - (Page 23)

course around many wetlands that were protected by an intricate series of suspended bridges. Buffer zones of vegetation were installed between the wetlands and the golf course. “What makes the Osprey Meadows at Tamarack Resort golfing experience so unique is the combination of our firstclass course with a true immersion into nature,” said Superintendent Jeff Hegland. To prevent leaching and runoff of excess nutrients, maintenance crews use slow-release and organic fertilizers. Osprey Meadows irrigation needs are determined through a high-tech weather station that monitors evapotranspiration, the combination of water that is evaporated and transpired by plants as part of their metabolic process. It also takes into account impacts from wind, solar radiation and humidity. “By strictly controlling irrigation practices and working with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, we look to preserve the course’s incredible environment and surrounding wildlife habitats,”Hegland said. Since the course opened, Osprey Meadows officials take soil samples every other year to determine the best nutrient management and to limit excessive applications. Plant growth regulators are used to improve quality while reducing water and nutrient usage. Half of the maintenance vehicles and all of the golf carts are electric. Integrated Pest Management practices are used to reduce chemicals in combating pest and disease issues on the golf course. In addition to the wildlife habitat enhancements on the golf course, Tamarack has set aside Foothills Park, a 184-acre parcel of land and bald eagle nesting site as a nature preserve. No construction or motorized vehicles are allowed. “As one of the most scenic courses in North America, we don’t want to push away the elk that linger in the trees next to the greens,” Hegland said. Environmental protection efforts are extended to the business side as well. Angel Park Golf Club in Las Vegas replaced heavily landscaped areas (above right) with desert vegetation to cut water use. Water-savers = money-savers While the developers of Tamarack Resort followed environmentally friendly turf and irrigation practices from the beginning of their project, operators of many existing courses also are taking steps to reduce water use and in the process are saving thousands of dollars each year. • To deal with the driest summer in 100 years, Old Chatham Golf Club Director of Golf Course Maintenance Brian Powell last year turned to new technology to shrink his irrigation costs. After field-testing new 855 series Toro irrigation drives and doing scheduling coefficient measurements on the heads, Powell concluded that retrofitting with the new drives, at a cost of $90,000, would save the Durham, N.C., course approximately five million gallons of water of year. The cost of building a holding pond would have been $150,000. • Ken Mangum, superintendent at the prestigious Atlanta Athletic Club, combined technology and agronomy to improve the club’s watering efficiency. While rebuilding both of the Georgia club’s golf courses, Mangum recently switched to an inside-outside sprinkler head setup from Rain Bird to regulate watering of fairways and roughs. He also installed zoysia fairway turf and Tifton 10 on the greens, which require less water. • Courses in the water-challenged Las Vegas market are offered financial incentives from the Southern Nevada Water Authority to replace maintained turf areas with desert vegetation and install drip irrigation. Officials at Angel Park Golf Club last year removed around 70 acres of turf, which company officials said will save 80 million gallons of water a year. The resort maintains a recycling center open to all employees, guests and homeowners as well as recycling all paper waste, and uses recycled materials for tissues, towels and office paper. April 2008 www.GolfIncMagazine.com 23 Tamarack’s Shuttle Bus Program operates seven days per week serving employees and guests, potentially saving more than three million driving miles per year. —Wayne Mills http://www.GolfIncMagazine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Golf Inc - April 2008

Golf Inc - April 2008 Contents Editors Column Birney Takes NGCOA Helm Construction Costs on the Rise KemperSports Adds 14 Courses Americas: Fazio Designs St. Kitts Layout Europe/Africa: Seaside Resort Planned in Egypt Asia/Australis: Faldo Opens New Chinese Course High-Tech Tools: New Technologies that can Help Operators There's No Economic Slump at Still-Popular Reynolds Plantation Tim Moraghan Wants to Make Golf Fun Again Why a $1.5 Billion Resort has Made Environmental Protection a Top Priority Most Admired Operators Marketing Experts Make Their Pitch for Golf Courses From Korea, with Cash Last Word

Golf Inc - April 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.