Bush Hill Park
Course Status
Course open. No restrictions. Updated: 26th Jul 2024
WHERE GOLF AND NATURE CAN CO-EXIST IN HARMONY
Sustainability
At Bush Hill Park, we acknowledge the social responsibility and environmental stewardship we inherently possess as a golf club located in an urban area. We are committed to upholding the longevity, resilience, and sustainability of the game of golf, supporting the local community, and safeguarding the planet.
Our Sustainability Programme represents our ongoing efforts to establish an enduring legacy of the game we love.
Our programme on the golf course is defined by the continuous evaluation and improvement of greenkeeping practices to reduce dependency on water, fertilisers, and chemicals, minimise energy and water waste, and preserve and promote essential ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
Off the course, we strive to cascade our efforts by strengthening community and business ties by sourcing locally for a greener supply chain, and actively reducing the Club’s carbon footprint.
Our Pledge to Sustainable Golf
We are committed to social and environmental responsibility, in and through golf.
We recognise the importance of playing our part to protect and restore nature, conserve resources, take climate action and strengthen communities.
We will seek to use our reach to raise awareness and positive action amongst golfers, partners and the wider public.
We will make an important difference, and help golf become a valued leader in sustainability.
Water, Chemical, and Energy Reduction
On the course, we seek different ways to reduce fungicide usage, which include, different grass species that are more disease resistant, more use of metals such as iron, copper, and manganese in addition to phosphite's, reducing organic matter and increasing the root depths to help make our greens more sustainable.
Our on-site waste to water cleaning system allows us to reduce our water usage by recycling dirty water in a tank for re-use. Harvesting water from the greenkeepers shed to make it require zero mains water supply is under review.
A commitment has been made to undertake a review of the restoration of an ancient pond on the course with the intention of recycling the water to keep our ponds topped up, and to reduce water usage from our borehole.
When they are of a standard and quality good enough for golf courses, our aim is to incorporate the use of electric machinery. Using hybrid machines will reduce fuel, hydraulic oils, and noise pollution.
Our electricity supplier was selected for being 100% Certified Green Electricity.
LED lighting has been installed in the greenkeeping shed.
All our golf buggies are electric.
Biodiversity and Conservation
With the golf course taking up such a vast quamtity of land, our goal is that we enhance natural biodiversity where possible to allow pollinators and ecosystems to thrive.
The golf course is home to vital habitats for a diverse and flourishing wildlife population with Egyptian Geese, Swans, Ducks, Moorhens, Coots, Herons, various species of fish, Foxes, Muntjac Deer, Bats, and Badgers.
We create log piles from felled trees, which create a sanctuary of food and shelter for insects particularly stag beetles. They find solace in the damp nooks and crannies a log pile provides, and as the wood decays over time, log piles attract an even greater range of wildlife like badgers, which may otherwise cause damage to the golf course.
Through naturalisation, we allow areas to go wild, introducing wildflowers and grasses to different parts of the golf course, eco areas, and uncut fescue grasses in the spring and summer seasons. Allowing areas of natural vegetation to grow become important for providing valuable food sources and nutrition for wildlife, attracting pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, and other insects. These areas contribute to creating an aesthetically pleasing course too!
During the Winter 2023/24 Programme, the Greenkeeping team constructed a bug hotel, as well as bird and bat boxes, utilising upcycled and recovered materials. These structures were then strategically installed across the golf course.
Our aspirations to establish beehives with the assistance of local professional beekeepers is being explored.
Community and Local
Whenever feasible, we prioritise local suppliers. Our kitchen procures ingredients from a nearby butcher, dairy, and vegetable supplier, while the bar is supplied by a local brewery.
Our seasonal menus cater extensively to vegans and vegetarians, featuring a wide selection of options, including a Beyond Meat® offering.
Bike racks have been installed in the carpark.
Waste Management and Reduction
Food waste and kitchen oil are collected for proper disposal.
Recycling receptacles for paper, cardboard, plastic, cans, and glass bottles are conveniently located throughout the Clubhouse.
Purchasing Power
Off the course and into the Pro Shop - all tees, markers, and pitch forks available for sale are made from bamboo.
The Pro Shop also retails a PUMA range made from recycled plastic bottles.
Membership bag tags are made from bamboo and carry accreditation from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and our membership cards have transitioned from plastic to eco-PVC.
In the Clubhouse, single-use plastic water bottles have been replaced with water cartons.
Sustainable Golf Course Management
The R&A and England Golf campaign to raise golfer awareness of some key issues when it comes to sustainable golf course management can be viewed by topic at the following links below:
1. Wet conditions at my course
2. Proactive protection of playing surfaces
5. Disease pressures coming into the playing season
6. Grass is just grass... or, is it?
8. Hazard by name but how hazardous by nature?
9. Driving for Sustainabilitee
10. Tree-ing off
11. Five things every golfer can do to help their greenkeepers
12. Water scarcity and management
Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.