Multifunctional golf courses are beneficial for society and for golf. Golf courses have several roles to play in addition to providing playing surfaces for golf. Considering golf from an outsider’s perspective, it can be seen that golf courses can provide a wide range of services that should be exploited, promoted and developed.
Multifunctional golf courses are beneficial for society and for golf. Golf courses have several roles to play in addition to providing playing surfaces for golf. Consi¬dering golf from an outsider’s perspective, it can be seen that golf courses can provide a wide range of services that should be exploited, promoted and developed.
During 2010, STERF (Scandinavian Turfgrass and Environment Research Foundation), which is the joint research and development body of the Nordic golf federations, carried out the project ‘Multifunctional golf courses – an underutlised resource’. The project was initiated and funded by the Nordic council of ministers.
A multifunctional golf course views its operations from the broad, general perspective. In addition to providing a high quality arena for golf, it supp¬lies various services that are beneficial for society at large – like increasing biological diversity, pro¬tecting natural and cultural environments and providing facilities for active outdoor recreation.
For golf courses the multifunctional approach is profitable. It provides opportunities for additional streams of income, deeper roots in society through work on sustainable development, better collaboration and in many cases shared costs with the authorities, environmen¬tal and recreational organisations , other sports clubs, a better public image as well as greater political support.
The authorities in the Nordic countries are demanding this type of establishment, which can help to achieve the national environmental quality objectives and improve public health and quality of life, particularly in areas around towns and cities where a large number of golf courses are located.
In the guide book “Multifunctional golf courses – an underutlised resource”, which we hope will inspire multi¬functional activities, we define the concept of the mul¬tifunctional golf course, describe the most important factors for multifunctionality and present examples of good practice from seven Nordic golf courses. The guide book can be found on sterf.golf.se
