Page 20 - Golf Champion - March 2020

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USGA Announces $1.9M in Golf Course

Sustainability Research Grants for 2020

The USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program has

invested more than $41 million to advance the game since 1920

USGA, 2020년 골프 코스 지속성 연구에 190만 달러 지원 발표

USGA 잔디 및 환경 연구 프로그램은 1920년 부터 게임 발전을 위해

4100만 달러 이상을 투자했다.

IBERTY CORNER, N.J. – Continuing its 100-year com- have led to reduced operating costs, improved turf health and
Lmitment to providing scientific innovations for the golf in- more enjoyable on-course experiences for golfers. In addition,
dustry, the USGA will fund 73 separate research grants totaling our impact extends well beyond golf, providing direct environ-
nearly $2 million in 2020 as part of its annual investment in help- mental benefits, fostering recreational opportunities and offering
ing courses to improve the golfer experience while reducing the much needed green space for local communities.”
consumption of key resources. The 2020 grant recipients – 16 of which involve new projects –
Since the founding of the Green Section in 1920, the USGA has will receive an average of $25,000 this year. Notable grant support
supported the largest private turfgrass and environmental re- includes a focus on conserving water by better understanding
search effort in the history of golf. The USGA Turfgrass and En- new technologies and the social aspects of irrigation schedul-
vironmental Research Program (TERP), which is one of several ing through the University of California, Riverside, in addition
continuous efforts led by the Green Section aimed at enhancing to a continuing effort to define the value of golf courses from an
golf course sustainability, develops and supports research that ecosystem services perspective through the University of Min-
produces a healthier environment and improved playing condi- nesota.
tions. Through the program’s emphasis on sustainable turfgrass man-
Since the research program’s inception, the USGA has invested agement and environmental protection, the USGA has improved
more than $41 million to advance golf by using science and in- the efficiency of key areas of course management, including wa-
novation as the foundation to impact thousands of courses and ter conservation, pesticide and nutrient distribution, and turf-
millions of golfers. grass breeding. Most notably:
“Research has been a core function of the Green Section since its • Golf’s use of water has decreased by 19 percent since 2005, in
founding,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “These findings part due to research-based irrigation methods such as employ-
ing weather data in plant water-use estimates, replacing potable
irrigation water with recycled wastewater, and the adoption of
precision irrigation technologies.
• USGA research has contributed to the reduction of an esti-
mated 86,000 tons of annual fertilizer use on golf courses since
2007 and has defined application strategies that limit the trans-
port of nutrients to surface water and groundwater.
• USGA-supported turfgrass breeding programs have developed
more than 30 cultivars that use fewer resources and produce
better playing conditions. These cultivars have been used
worldwide at major sports facilities, general grounds, and even
home lawns.
Research from the program also has contributed to the USGA
recommendations for putting green construction, which pro-
duce improved putting surfaces that are resistant to compaction,

18 | GOLF champion