http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/sports/golf/17vineyard.html?pagewanted=1&ref=earth
Through the eco-minded residents on Martha's Vineyard and a brave team that lead the design of the golf course, The Vineyard Golf Club on Martha's Vineyard has open for a ninth season. The lot, once sited for a 148- unit development got the approval for a golf course under the restriction of not being able to use any synthetic active ingredients in maintenance. Jeff Carlson and his team took the design one step further and pushed the site to a completely organic golf course.
The site is now the leader is eco-designed golf clubs. While Carlson realizes this idea will not be plausible on a wide scale, certain concepts can be adopted and applied everywhere. Half of the battle is discovering or re-inventing techniques to deal with natural problems such as grub worms and fungal diseases. The other half of the battle is public perception of the new type of green. Demonstrating how the game can be played just as successfully when other plant species are present on the fairways and greens is the major hurdle the organization had to overcome once the site was completed.
Whether major golf enthusiasts thought the course was successful or not, President Obama is returning for his third round of golf later this year. The stiff membership and renewal fees are a testament to the dedication and popularity of the natural approach to the elite sport.
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