Eight Eco-Friendly Communities for Golfers
Save On Energy By Shelly White
If you're a golf enthusiast, you've probably been watching the PGA Tour and eyeing the lush landscapes – wishing you could play on similar courses. We've got you covered. Our SaveOnEnergy.com® analysts looked at golf courses around the country to find some of the best spots to putt. To make the cut, the course needed to be GEO Certified® – an award given to courses by the Golf Environment Organization that meet certain standards in the areas of nature, energy, supply chain and pollution control. Next, every golf course we chose to feature is in a town that has a high recorded number of sunshine days each year and a good overall air quality rating from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), making it a great place to visit. Ready to take your game to a new fairway? Check out the list we compiled below.
Ben Brown's Golf Course at the Ranch at Laguna Beach
A course located in Southern California is the first on our list: Ben Brown's Golf Courseat the Ranch at Laguna Beach. Not only is it a gorgeous golf course, it's also a friend to the environment. Ben Brown's works with two organizations – the California Coastal Commission and the Laguna Canyon Foundation (LGF). Partnering with the first, the golf course monitors the chemical, biological and visual quality of its nearby water weekly. With help from the LGF, it stays on top of the air quality in the surrounding environment
Broken Sound Club
We head to the southeastern corner of our country for the next course. In Boca Raton, FL, the Broken Sound Club golf course is making strides to maintain a high level of eco-friendliness. Broken Sound was the second golf course in the United States and the 14th in world to become GEO Certified
Old South Golf Links
Just across the bridge from Hilton Head Island, SC, lies Bluffton – and the Old South Golf Links course. A GEO Certified course since 2016, Old South takes care to prevent contaminants from entering the water table.
PGA National Resort and Spa
This South Florida golf course has maintained its GEO Certification since 2015. Located in the affluent city of Palm Beach Gardens, the PGA National Resort and Spa has made significant efforts to reduce its energy usage. With the initiatives it has in place – such as using energy-efficient irrigation pumps – the golf course has saved an estimated $18,000 each year in energy costs
Read more about all of the eco-friendly rated courses, including: The Bear Trace at HarriThe Legends at Parris Islandson BayThe Sea Pines ResortThe Venice Golf and Country Club