Economic and sustainability benefits of the United States Golf Association's investment in water, fertilizer, and pesticide management research

Abstract

AbstractThe United States Golf Association (USGA) has invested more than US$45 million in turfgrass and environmental research since 1983. This effort has developed research‐based management practices that have contributed to the efficient use of water, fertilizer, and pesticides on U.S. golf courses. Still, there is insufficient evidence of the economic benefits. Therefore, our objective was to estimate the golf industry's resource and economic benefits from the USGA's investment in water, fertilizer, and pesticide management research. Data were collected from an online survey focused on the benefits associated with golf facilities’ adoption of research‐based management practices in six primary areas of interest: (a) evapotranspiration‐based irrigation scheduling (water budgeting), (b) soil moisture sensing, (c) best management practices that reduce nonpoint source pollution by fertilizers and pesticides, (d) putting green construction techniques, (e) naturalized roughs, and (f) improved turfgrass cultivars. Only the first three areas are discussed in this study. Based on data from the survey, multiple econometric models were developed for each of the management practices. All three research‐based management practices have been widely adopted throughout the U.S. golf industry. Across the three management practices studied, modeling indicated a total annual financial benefit of US$1.03 billion to the golf industry. This compares with an estimated yearly Green Section budget of roughly US$10 million, of which US$2 million is for turfgrass and environmental research. Research investment by governments and industry leaders is critical to the sustainability of the golf industry.