It's not easy being green, but worth it

©iStockphoto.com/amphotora

THE Yamba Golf and Country Club is one step away from boasting the 'greenest' greenkeeper in Australia.

Yamba course superintendent Andrew Smith has been named one of two finalists in the Claude Crockford Environmental Award.

Each year the award is presented to one golf course superintendent in Australia for their commitment to sustainable land management, long-term environmental planning, community involvement and overall environmental stewardship of their golf course.

Andrew has ticked all of those boxes and impressed the judges with the 'green' initiatives he has employed at the 35-hectare course.

One of his greenest achievements has been cutting down on the amount of chemicals used on the course.

“When I first started here we sprayed with chemicals every month but now we've cut down our spraying to only twice a year,” Andrew said.

This has been achieved in a number of ways, including the implementation of a biological program where compost and other natural additives have been added to the sandy soil.

Andrew said healthy soil led to healthy greens that needed less fertiliser applications, watering and labour.

Other green initiatives Andrew has brought to the Yamba course includes the installation of fairway sprinklers that use recycled water, solar panels to operate the sprinklers, the regeneration of native flora and fauna, supporting the cane toad round up, weed removal and equipment upgrades.

Andrew will head to Hobart next week for the Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Exhibition, where he will find out if he is in fact the 'greenest' greenkeeper of them all.