A B R I G H T F U T U R E

BY
JOHN C. POTTS

A few years ago, the National Golf Foundation (NGF) rocked the golf industry by predicting that it would be necessary to open a new golf course every day until the year 2000 just to meet the increasing demand for golf in the United States. This statement was calculated to draw attention, not only to escalating demand, but to warn the industry that it had better get moving or the supply side, such as the availability of accessible golf courses, would limit the future of golf as one of the most important elements of leisure activity. At the time, the idea of opening a new golf course everyday was controversial and was considered by some to be outrageous. It has since become accepted, in general, and the golf industry is responding. In 1990, for example, 289 golf courses opened in the U.S. At the end of the second quarter of 1991, 620 courses were under construction.

At Golf Summit '90, a biennial leadership conference of more than 600 golf industry executives held in Palm Springs, Calif., last November by the NGF, Dr. James Chalmers provided further insight in the growth of golf. Dr. Chalmers stated the most conservative scenario for the next 10 years shows golf rounds played increasing from the current 474 million rounds per year to about 540 million in the year 2000. If golf continues to increase at current rates, however, and if adequate facilities are available, the number of rounds played per year could be closer to 900 million.

Another significant factor reported at Summit '90 was the increasing involvement of women in golf. A recent study commissioned by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) indicates that women are the fastest growing segment of the game. In fact, of the 2.8 million new golfers entering the game last year, 43 percent were women. Their study also showed that women do not play significantly slower than men; they spend comparably to men on golf, and they take more lessons than men. Obviously, they are an important influence in the golf market and should not be

overlooked.

The projected and continuing growth of golf is a heartening trend for those of us fortunate enough to be in the business of golf. A less heartening trend is the increasing opposition to new golf course development by persons who view golf courses as an environmental threat rather than an environmental asset.

All aspects of agriculture in the United States went through a period in which chemicals gave every appearance of being the answer to nearly all of the problems facing growers since the beginning of time. They were embraced by turf grass managers with the same alacrity that farmers embraced them. It took years to learn that some chemicals believed to be harmless were actually hazardous and that others were being used indiscriminately to the point of danger. Potentially dangerous pesticides were put into the hands of people who were ill-equipped to use them safely. Manufacturers were not providing any information beyond application rates that were based on "sure-kill" dosages. Applicators often compounded the problem on the theory that if a little works good, a lot must work better. It is little wonder that when the alarms began to sound, the public lost faith in both the manufacturers' and the applicators' abilities to deal responsibly with pesticides.

At the same time public attention was focusing on agrichemicals, golf course architects and golf course real estate developers were being all too casual in their land-use practices. Courses were built without regard to the ecology of the area and without consideration of the use of resources. Swamps and wetlands were drained or filled, native trees and plants were bulldozed and sparsely replaced and no consideration at all was given to the wildlife that was being displaced. Course design typically included huge areas of turf grass, even in parts of the course not in play, and required all the chemicals and irrigation the golf course could afford.

Televised golf tournaments played a key role in changing golfers' expectations in golf course design and maintenance. Nearly every weekend, the golfer could see a different golf course, apparently manicured to perfection, without a single brown spot to mar the solid green landscape. The public was not generally aware that fairways and putting surfaces were sprayed green on the televised holes. Golfers came to expect those conditions on the local course. The home town superintendent was forced to deliver, but the cost is even more chemicals, more water, and more potential degradation of the golf course environment.

These factors, combined with a heightened environmental awareness, have swung the pendulum far to the other side. A vocal and passionate segment of the public is striving for an environment that is risk-free and they no longer trust the cost/benefit approach to environmental management. Unfortunately, it is too easy to find examples of abuse and misapplication of the principles of cost/benefit management in the history of pesticide use and land development. Scientists, conscientious golf course developers, and operators are hampered by past indifference and by the emotionalism generated by land and pesticide use. They are further hampered by the political nature of the debate: researchers are bound to argue with facts while the opposition can rely on opinion. It is convenient, for example, to ignore the millions of lives saved by using DDT to control mosquitoes, and concentrate on those few lives that may (or may not) have been lost by its use.

Despite the uphill nature of the battle, golf is responding rapidly and whole heartedly to public concern. The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America is contributing heavily to research into turfgrass varieties that are resistant to drought, disease, and insects. They are working closely with the EPA to develop and implement guidelines for the safe use of pesticides and are promoting a shift from preventive maintenance practices (applying chemicals to prevent infestation) to curative programs based on diagnosisand treatment. The United States Golf Association (USGA),through its Greens Section is conducting extensive research into golf turf that is less dependent on environmental manipulation. The USGA and the New York Audubon Association have developed the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for golf Courses, turning golf courses into wildlife sanctuaries. More than 100 golf courses in 26 states are a part of the effort. Chemical manufacturers are exploring biological controls and genetic techniques that promise less dependence on chemicals. Golf course architects are designing courses that cause minimal disturbance to local ecologies and, in fact, in many cases enhance and restore fragile landscapes. They are also designing courses that require less irrigation, thus protecting limited water sources. Irrigation equipment manufacturers are providing computerized systems that only replace as much moisture as the plant needs, eliminating the need for over watering.

With roughly 1,530,000 golfers, Illinois ranks only behind California and New York in the numbers of our residents playing the game. These numbers will, almost certainly, increase dramatically in the next 10 years. Many park and recreation agencies in Illinois have grasped the potential of golf to help cushion the effects of tax-limiting legislation. However, of the 620 golf courses currently under construction in the United States, only 88 are municipal while 340 are privately owned public courses. Obviously, private entrepreneurs are moving quickly to fill the voids while public agencies are moving with more deliberation.

For those contemplating a new golf operation, beware of the "environmental" trend and possible resistance to new construction. At best, the planning time and permitting process for new construction is becoming longer, and at worst, a proposed golf course can be killed altogether if not carefully and thoughtfully planned and presented.

For more information, the source of all statistical information in this article is the National Golf Foundation unless otherwise attributed. The National Golf Foundation is an excellent source of information on the golf industry and provides diverse services to its members. Call 1-800-733-6006, or write: National Golf Foundation, 1150 South U.S. Highway One, Jupiter, Fla. 33477.

The National Golf Foundation and Oglebay sponsor the National Institute of Golf Management, a one-week program designed to provide the specific skills necessary to run a successful golf program. The Institute is a two-year school with seminars for graduates. Enrollment is limited to 100 first-year students, so it is necessary to inquire early. This year's Institute will be held on Jan.12-17. Call the Department of continuing Education, Oglebay, Wheeling. W. Va. 26003, at 1-800-624-6988, Ext. 278.

About the Author
John C. Potts is Superintendent of Parks for the Peoria Park District.