Superintendent Jonathan Moulton and his team at Old Greenwood, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course just outside Lake Tahoe in Truckee, Calif., have been recognized for their commitment to environmental stewardship and were named the winner in the National Resort category in the 2007 GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA).
Winners will be featured in an upcoming issue of Golf Digest magazine and the February issue of GCSAA’s Golf Course Management magazine.
“Golf Digest has been an active participant in generating discussion regarding golf and its relationship with the environment, dating back 11 years ago to the Golf and the Environment Initiative,” said Roger Schiffman, managing editor of Golf Digest. “We are pleased to share the good story that golf is indeed achieving positive results.”
Judges selected winners in three national categories (public, private and resort courses), and two international co-winners, with an overall winner being selected from those five. Additional recognition was given to the top entry from each GCSAA affiliated chapter, and merit honors were awarded to those who did not earn national or chapter honors, but deserved special recognition in the opinion of the judges
Golf course superintendents and their courses that have been named national, chapter or merit winners will be formally recognized at the GCSAA Education Conference (Jan. 28-Feb. 2) and Golf Industry Show (Jan. 31-Feb. 2) in Orlando. In addition, program sponsors will make donations to The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA, in the names of all national and chapter winners.
Moulton, a two-year GCSAA member, worked with Joel Blaker, who is director of agronomy for Tahoe Mountain Club (of which Old Greenwood Golf Course is a part), to earn Gold Signature Golf Course certification from Audubon International. They also work directly with the club’s Natural Resource Manager to host a weekly walking club to help inform several area groups about the various environmental programs. There are four preserve areas designated on the Old Greenwood property with connecting wildlife corridors. The area was devoid of a water source prior to construction, so six ponds and a stream were constructed along with the golf course, adding fisheries to the ecosystem. The maintenance facility earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified bronze rating. Nearly 100 percent of the water used to wash equipment is recycled and reused at the maintenance facility and 57 percent of the construction waste, plus almost all of the soil removed for construction of the golf course, was used in berms to shield the property from Interstate-80.
“This year’s winners are to be commended for their commitment to environmental stewardship,” said GCSAA President Ricky D. Heine, CGCS. “They, along with their facilities, have demonstrated that golf courses can be compatible with the environment – and in many cases enhance it.”
The national winners include (facility, location, chapter):
- National Public & Overall: Christopher S. Gray Sr., The Marvel Golf Club, Benton, Ky., Quad State Turfgrass Association
- National Private: Richard T. Lawrence, CGCS, TPC Wakefield Plantation, Raleigh, N.C., Carolinas GCSA
- National Resort: Jonathan W. Moulton, Old Greenwood Golf Course, Truckee, Calif., Sierra Nevada GCSA
- International (tie):
- Mark J. Dinan, Valle del Sol Golf Course, Santa Ana, San Jose, Costa Rica
- Jay M. Miller, Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
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