Environmentally friendly golf | Noosa Golf | Golf News, Golf Clubs and Golf Holidays in Noosa

Noosa Springs golf superintendent Wayde Leech has just been announced the winner of the 2010 Superintendents Environment Award that recognises excellence in golf course management for his environment management system at Noosa Springs.

Wayde has worked at Noosa Springs on its 18-hole championship golf course since its inception in 1997.

Noosa Springs is in the top 12 Best Stay and Play Resorts in Australia (2010 Australian Golf Course Guide).

Wayde’s award recognises the significantly positive effect of the Noosa Springs Environment Management System based around water quality maintenance.

“This award recognises the course as a prestige property that makes a positive contribution to the environment,” Wayde said.

“Being in an environmentally sensitive, wetland position adjoining Lake Weyba, it was essential for us to establish an environmental management plan before construction commenced 12 years ago.

“The results of our water management testing have consistently shown a positive impact over the life of the golf course to date.”

The management system relies on incremental monitoring activities, along with the use of organic products such as fertilisers as a first response.

“If we identify a pest, we first try to tolerate it but if it threatens the integrity of our championship course then we may use a neem oil product as the next option,” Wayde said.

The award ceremony was held on March 2 in Brisbane, where Wayde’s win qualified him for automatic entry into the National Claude Crockford Environment Award to represent Queensland.