Climate change is the most urgent environmental crisis of our time, and the golf industry, as with all sectors of society, has a role and responsibility to address this crisis. It is imperative for the golf industry to have accurate knowledge of its current climate impact and invest in a climate-positive future. However, despite high levels of curiosity across the industry, our knowledge of the climate impact of golf courses around the world remains at a relatively low level of confidence.
The first work package (WP1) of this project will test soil carbon stocks on golf courses around the world in six different countries (Australia, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, and Japan). The goal of the WP is to refine soil testing methodologies for quantifying golf course carbon stocks with high accuracy, while minimizing sampling time and costs.
The WP will benefit the turfgrass industry by demonstrating how high confidence estimates of golf course carbon stocks, and ultimately carbon sequestration rates, can be determined. In WP2, a next generation life cycle analysis (LCA) model for quantifying golf course greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be developed in consultation with LCA experts.
A comprehensive resources and materials survey will be distributed to all golf courses in WP1, which together with the updated LCA model, will result in the high-resolution carbon emission estimates calculated for 21 golf courses around the world. In addition, through a collaboration with The Toro Company, this WP will incorporate the use of machinery energy, fuel, and activity tracking systems with the goal of characterizing the relative contribution of various types of equipment to the overall GHG footprint of maintenance operations.
Altogether, this WP will benefit the turfgrass industry by identifying the most effective strategies that golf course maintenance operations can take to reduce GHG emissions.
