If you see long grass or native vegetation along a body of water on a golf course, it’s not there because the maintenance team forgot to mow that area. These “buffer strips” are designed to keep water clean by filtering surface runoff and preventing erosion. A buffer that is just a few feet wide goes a long way in protecting water quality on the golf course and downstream. Golf and nature go hand in hand and environmental stewardship like creating buffers is nothing new for golf courses or their caretakers.

How buffer strips are designed and maintained is essential to their performance. They can be comprised of naturalized vegetation or long grass and are most effective when maintained at least 6 inches tall. Increasing heights of vegetation within the buffer also helps improve filtration according to USGA-funded research. Buffer areas should not receive fertilizer or pesticide applications and using a variety of native plant material will increase habitat value.

Many golf courses – including some of the most famous ones in the world – feature streams, lakes, wetlands or coastlines that have strategic, environmental and practical value. Protecting these bodies of water is an important part of preserving the environmental integrity of the golf course. Something as simple as a narrow strip of taller vegetation can make a meaningful impact.

Golf courses can play an important role in environmental protection, especially when it comes to stormwater management. Many courses capture stormwater from surrounding communities, filtering runoff before it continues downstream or into the groundwater. USGA-funded research has shown that water can be cleaner when exiting a golf course than when it entered. Maintaining buffer strips and dense stands of healthy turf plays a critical role in filtering and improving the quality of surface water passing through a course.

Many people think of golf courses as being tidy, manicured landscapes, but letting them be a little rough around the edges has many benefits. Buffer strips are a great example. Leaning into a more natural appearance can help courses conserve resources, increase their environmental value, and focus scarce maintenance time where it matters most. If a buffer also happens to keep your wayward shot from ending up in the water, so much the better!