Lesson 3: Recycling on the Golf Course
Golf courses produce a lot of organic material — grass clippings, leaves, tree trimmings, and other plant material.
Rather than sending this to a landfill, many courses compost it — turning it into rich organic material that can be returned to the soil as a natural fertilizer.
Composting is nature’s recycling system. When plant material decomposes, it releases nutrients back into the soil — the same cycle that happens naturally in forests and meadows.
A compost pile is not waste. It is the beginning of something new.
When you throw something in the trash, where does it go? When you compost something, where does it go? Which seems better for the environment, and why?
Ask your turf staff if the course has a composting operation. If so, visit and observe it. What materials are being composted? What does finished compost look and smell like? How is it different from fresh grass clippings? Draw and describe what you find.
If your facility composts, this is an extraordinary real-world teaching moment. If not, discussing the concept and setting up a simple home compost bin as a family science project is an excellent alternative that extends the learning beyond the course into everyday life.