Golf courses in the West and our team at the USGA will certainly miss agronomist Cory Isom as he embarks on the next step in his career. We all learned a lot from Cory, and his humor and perspective were always timely and appreciated. I am very excited to see the work that Cory and his team will accomplish at Portland Golf Club.
One of the benefits of being a USGA agronomist is getting to work with golf courses around the continent. Recently, I had the unique opportunity to visit Vancouver and work with their city golf courses. I was blown away by the architecture, conditioning and people who worked at the courses, but also by the passion for golf in Vancouver. Each of their championship golf courses sees over 75,000 rounds per year! Along with providing great course conditions, the City of Vancouver golf course maintenance teams, led by Dennis Luick, also focus on two other priorities that I find important: research and biodiversity.
As Cory mentioned in his final article for the Green Section Record, researchers and their studies are critical to the success of the golf course maintenance industry. In 2020, the City of Vancouver partnered with the University of British Columbia (UBC) to conduct a biodiversity study on their golf courses. The results showed that Mr. Luick and his team are not only providing an excellent golf experience, they are also providing valuable habitat for wildlife.
The environmental benefits of golf courses have been well documented, and I hope you take the time to read the entire UBC study: “Biodiversity Audit of Vancouver Park Board Golf Courses.” Golf courses are managed green spaces that promote biodiversity and create habitat for resident and migratory species of mammals and birds. This study showed that each of the city’s three championship golf courses are home to more bird species than neighboring green spaces. In addition to the various birds, there are dozens of tree and plant species, and the golf courses are home to mammals including beavers, coyotes, squirrels and raccoons.
Cooperation and communication between golf courses and their neighbors and community stakeholders is critical to environmental sustainability. Working with researchers can highlight the benefits of golf courses and their role in biodiversity. Research also shows opportunities to continue increasing the environmental value of golf courses. Through our shared responsibility to environmental stewardship and communication, we can inform others about the benefits of golf courses in our communities.
West Region Agronomists:
Brian Whitlark, regional director – bwhitlark@usga.org
Information on the USGA’s Course Consulting Service
Contact the Green Section Staff