Settler's Run Golf and Country Club

It could become the global norm in the future, world-wide golf course manager Troon Golf has initiated what is believed to be a world-first pilot project set to transform south-east Melbourne's Settler's Run Golf and Country Club into an environmentally sustainable golf course that could possibly offer carbon offsets.

Troon Golf says the project at Settler's will act as a "global pilot for golf course sustainability", while at the same time "reversing common perceptions that golf courses have a negative impact on the environment".

"For far too long golf courses have been seen as environmental vandals", stated Troon Golf's Director of Agronomy, David Lunardelli.

"At Troon we want to change that perception by designing courses that exist in harmony with their natural surroundings".

"Many of the sustainability measures currently being tested at Settlers Run will be rolled out across more than 190 Troon courses in 25 countries around the globe", added Mr Lunardelli.

Soil auditing, the reduction of chemical and pesticide use, the use of effluent water and carbon offsetting for travel to the course are some of the sustainability measures that have been employed or under consideration at Settler's.

Mr Lunardelli also stated that the possibility of using Settler's as a carbon sink is also being explored by Troon Golf, whereby the trees and turf on the course would naturally sequester carbon.

For those who want the official definition a ‘carbon sink' is an area of forest which is large enough to absorb important and noticeable amounts of carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere and therefore to reduce the effect of global warming.

"This would enable the Club to earn carbon credits and use them to offset the course's emissions, the emissions of surrounding homes even or on-sell them to other companies", said Mr Lunardelli.

The Settler's Run Golf and Country Club was created by Greg Norman and is located in Cranbourne, Victoria.

"Our ultimate goal is sustainability at all our courses", stated Mr Lunardelli.

"We want to change the perception of golf courses as merely a place for sport and recreation to a place of ecological progress and environmental conservation: A nature reserve with 18 holes!"

"In what is fast becoming a new age of ‘green golf,' the possibilities are endless".