{"id":24765,"date":"2025-04-29T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/?p=24765"},"modified":"2026-10-12T22:52:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T22:52:02","slug":"pollinators-golf-courses-simple-actions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/pollinators-golf-courses-simple-actions\/","title":{"rendered":"Pollinators on Golf Courses: 5 Simple Ways to Help Them"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>@import url(\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Poppins:wght@500;600;700&family=Roboto:wght@400;500;700&display=swap\");\n.tgb{font:17px\/1.65 Roboto,sans-serif;color:#333}.tgb h2{font:700 25px\/1.2 Poppins,sans-serif;color:#00505F;margin:1.9em 0 .6em;padding-bottom:.35em;border-bottom:1px solid #BCD9DC}.tgb a{color:#00505F;text-underline-offset:3px}\n.tgb .info{width:100%;height:auto;margin:1.6em 0;display:block}.tgb .svg-bg{fill:#F2FAFA}.tgb .svg-dark{fill:#00505F}.tgb .svg-card{fill:rgba(255,255,255,.1)}.tgb .svg-t{font:700 20px Poppins,sans-serif;fill:#00505F}.tgb .svg-tw{font:700 20px Poppins,sans-serif;fill:#fff}\n.tgb .svg-line{stroke:#BCD9DC;stroke-width:2}.tgb .svg-line2{stroke:#00F4F4;stroke-width:2}.tgb .svg-hex{fill:#008092}.tgb .svg-hex2{fill:#00F4F4}.tgb .svg-n{font:700 16px Poppins,sans-serif;fill:#fff}.tgb .svg-n2{font:700 16px Poppins,sans-serif;fill:#0B2E35}.tgb .svg-i{font:400 16px Roboto,sans-serif;fill:#333}.tgb .svg-c{font:400 15px Roboto,sans-serif;fill:#fff}\n.tgb figure{margin:1.6em 0}.tgb .scene{width:100%;height:auto;aspect-ratio:16\/9;display:block;border-radius:10px}.tgb figcaption{font-size:13px;color:#55666B;margin-top:6px}\n.tgb .faq{border:1px solid #BCD9DC;border-radius:10px;margin:.6em 0;padding:.2em 1em;background:#fff}.tgb .faq summary{cursor:pointer;font:600 16px Poppins,sans-serif;padding:.6em 0;color:#00505F}\n.tgb .cta{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#008092,#00505F);color:#fff;border-radius:10px;padding:28px 30px;margin:2.2em 0}.tgb .cta h3{color:#fff;margin-top:0;font:600 22px Poppins,sans-serif}.tgb .cta p{margin:.4em 0;color:#fff}.tgb .btn{display:inline-block;margin-top:14px;background:#00F4F4;color:#0B2E35!important;text-decoration:none;font:700 15px Roboto,sans-serif;padding:12px 28px;border-radius:99px}\n.tgb .rel{padding-left:1.1em}.tgb .rel span{display:block;font-size:14px;color:#55666B}.tgb .src{font-size:15px;color:#55666B}\n.tgb .ph{margin:1.8em 0}.tgb .ph img{width:100%;height:auto;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover;display:block;border-radius:10px}\n.tg-float{position:fixed;left:0;top:50%;z-index:9999;transform:translateY(-50%);writing-mode:vertical-rl;transform-origin:center;rotate:180deg;background:#00F4F4;color:#0B2E35!important;font:700 14px Poppins,sans-serif;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase;text-decoration:none!important;padding:20px 11px;border-radius:0 12px 12px 0;box-shadow:0 6px 20px rgba(0,80,95,.35);transition:padding .2s,background .2s}\n.tg-float:hover{background:#3EF9DA;padding-left:16px}\n@media(max-width:767px){.tg-float{writing-mode:horizontal-tb;rotate:0deg;left:50%;top:auto;bottom:14px;transform:translateX(-50%);border-radius:99px;padding:13px 26px;letter-spacing:.06em;font-size:13px;white-space:nowrap}.tg-float:hover{padding:13px 26px}}<\/style><div class=\"tgb\"><a class=\"tg-float\" href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/#demo\">Request a demo<\/a><p>Bees, bumblebees, butterflies, hoverflies and other insects play an essential role in any ecosystem, and golf courses, with hundreds of hectares of open space, can become a great ally. Supporting <strong>pollinators on golf courses<\/strong> does not mean transforming the course or giving up playing quality, but changing a few management decisions in very specific areas.<\/p><p>We suggest five simple actions, with examples from the course and criteria for choosing where to apply them. All start from one idea: leave space and food for insects in areas that do not affect play, and manage product use carefully on the rest of the course. You will also see how to record what you do so that it becomes a credible environmental indicator.<\/p><svg class=\"info\" viewBox=\"0 0 720 474\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"In this article\"><rect width=\"720\" height=\"474\" rx=\"6\" class=\"svg-bg\"\/><text x=\"28\" y=\"42\" class=\"svg-t\">In this article<\/text><line x1=\"28\" y1=\"54\" x2=\"120\" y2=\"54\" class=\"svg-line\"\/><path d=\"M73.1,89.0 L73.1,111.0 L54.0,122.0 L34.9,111.0 L34.9,89.0 L54.0,78.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"106\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">1<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"97\" class=\"svg-i\">Action 1 for Pollinators on Golf Courses: Identify the<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"117\" class=\"svg-i\">Low-Play Areas<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,153.0 L73.1,175.0 L54.0,186.0 L34.9,175.0 L34.9,153.0 L54.0,142.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"170\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">2<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"161\" class=\"svg-i\">Action 2: Let Rough Vegetation Grow and Diversify<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,217.0 L73.1,239.0 L54.0,250.0 L34.9,239.0 L34.9,217.0 L54.0,206.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"234\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">3<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"225\" class=\"svg-i\">Action 3: Manage Plant Protection Products with Special Care<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,281.0 L73.1,303.0 L54.0,314.0 L34.9,303.0 L34.9,281.0 L54.0,270.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"298\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">4<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"289\" class=\"svg-i\">Action 4: Provide Water and Shelter with Small, Low-Cost<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"309\" class=\"svg-i\">Gestures<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,345.0 L73.1,367.0 L54.0,378.0 L34.9,367.0 L34.9,345.0 L54.0,334.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"362\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">5<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"353\" class=\"svg-i\">Action 5: Measure, Record and Communicate Your Work with<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"373\" class=\"svg-i\">Pollinators on Golf Courses<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,409.0 L73.1,431.0 L54.0,442.0 L34.9,431.0 L34.9,409.0 L54.0,398.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"426\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">6<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"417\" class=\"svg-i\">How to Fit These Actions into the Calendar Without Overloading<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"437\" class=\"svg-i\">the Team<\/text><\/svg><h2>Action 1 for Pollinators on Golf Courses: Identify the Low-Play Areas<\/h2><p>The first step is a map. Walk the course and identify the areas that hardly anyone sets foot in: banks, lake edges, corners of the rough, areas under trees, boundaries and strips between fairways. They are the natural candidates to become shelter and food for insects.<\/p><ul><li>Mark the areas on a plan with their approximate size.<\/li><li>Assess sun exposure and soil moisture.<\/li><li>Rule out areas that pose a risk to play or safety.<\/li><\/ul><p>With this plan you can decide calmly where to act. To support pollinators on golf courses you do not need much land at first: a few well-chosen areas already make a difference.<\/p><h2>Action 2: Let Rough Vegetation Grow and Diversify<\/h2><p>Insects need flowers for most of the year. Instead of mowing all the rough at the same height and with the same frequency, set aside stretches where vegetation grows taller and diversifies, with less frequent mowing at times chosen to respect flowering.<\/p><p>Native species, adapted to the Mediterranean climate, tend to work best and need less water. If you want to introduce new species, do so with the advice of a gardening or botany specialist, and avoid invasive species or ones unsuited to the area. A flowering rough does not have to look neglected: edging it neatly with a mown strip conveys order and intention. Keeping flowers from spring well into autumn also gives continuity of food for pollinators on golf courses, which is exactly what tends to be missing on a uniformly mown course.<\/p><figure class=\"ph\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ph-81-1.jpg\" alt=\"Unmown bank beside a lake helping pollinators on golf courses\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Unmown bank beside a lake helping pollinators on golf courses<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>Action 3: Manage Plant Protection Products with Special Care<\/h2><p>Insects are very sensitive to certain treatments. This is not about giving up protecting the turf, but about applying with judgement and always following the label, current regulations and the advice of an authorised technician, especially in or near flowering areas.<\/p><ol><li>Avoid applying when nectar-producing plants are in flower and insects are active.<\/li><li>Adjust calibration and nozzles to reduce drift towards refuge areas.<\/li><li>Choose moments with little wind and, where appropriate, hours of lower insect activity.<\/li><li>Record each application and its location relative to refuge areas.<\/li><\/ol><p>Integrated pest management, combining cultural practices with selective control, helps reduce pressure on pollinators on golf courses without harming the condition of the turf.<\/p><h2>Action 4: Provide Water and Shelter with Small, Low-Cost Gestures<\/h2><p>A course with lakes and reservoirs already has water, but it is not always accessible to insects. A shoreline area with stones or edge vegetation lets them drink safely. Likewise, small piles of stones, old logs or pruning debris in a quiet corner offer shelter to solitary bees and other insects.<\/p><ul><li>Leave patches of bare, sunny soil where some bees nest.<\/li><li>Install insect hotels in sheltered spots, as a complement and not a substitute for habitat.<\/li><li>Avoid excess night lighting in naturalised areas.<\/li><\/ul><p>These are cheap actions that often involve the maintenance team itself and can be explained with pride to members and visitors. Many clubs add simple signage that explains in a few lines why that area is not mown and which species are expected there. It is a friendly way to head off complaints and to bring members on board with the cause of pollinators on golf courses.<\/p><figure class=\"ph\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ph-81-2.jpg\" alt=\"Insect hotel on the course for pollinators on golf courses\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Insect hotel on the course for pollinators on golf courses<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>Action 5: Measure, Record and Communicate Your Work with Pollinators on Golf Courses<\/h2><p>What is not measured cannot be shown off. Define a few simple, easy-to-maintain indicators: area set aside as refuge, number of areas created, mowing frequency in those areas, insect observations on regular walks and team training sessions.<\/p><p>You do not need advanced citizen science: a monthly walk at the same time of year, with photos and notes, shows trends over several seasons. With that data, communication to the club, the committee and members gains credibility, and serves as a basis for environmental certifications or projects with outside partners.<\/p><p>Communicating your work with pollinators on golf courses also improves the course&#8217;s image and member involvement, as members increasingly value their club being responsible towards the environment.<\/p><h2>How to Fit These Actions into the Calendar Without Overloading the Team<\/h2><p>The best idea fails if it adds work without taking anything away. Reduce mowing frequency in the chosen areas: you will save hours and fuel that offset the time spent observing and recording. Start with one or two areas, learn and expand. At the end of each season review what worked and what to correct.<\/p><p>An example: a course picks the bank beside a lake, leaves it unmown in spring and early summer, tidies the edges to keep order and notes on each round the species it sees. The following year, it extends to another stretch. That is how actions in favour of pollinators on golf courses are consolidated without noise or extra cost.<\/p><svg class=\"info\" viewBox=\"0 0 720 528\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Key takeaways\"><rect width=\"720\" height=\"528\" rx=\"6\" class=\"svg-dark\"\/><text x=\"28\" y=\"44\" class=\"svg-tw\">Key takeaways<\/text><line x1=\"28\" y1=\"58\" x2=\"120\" y2=\"58\" class=\"svg-line2\"\/><rect x=\"24\" y=\"76\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M75.3,114.0 L75.3,134.0 L58.0,144.0 L40.7,134.0 L40.7,114.0 L58.0,104.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"58\" y=\"130.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">1<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"129\" class=\"svg-c\">Map low-play areas as refuges<\/text><rect x=\"372\" y=\"76\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M423.3,114.0 L423.3,134.0 L406.0,144.0 L388.7,134.0 L388.7,114.0 L406.0,104.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"406\" y=\"130.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">2<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"119\" class=\"svg-c\">Diversify rough vegetation<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"139\" class=\"svg-c\">with flowers<\/text><rect x=\"24\" y=\"184\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M75.3,222.0 L75.3,242.0 L58.0,252.0 L40.7,242.0 L40.7,222.0 L58.0,212.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"58\" y=\"238.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">3<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"217\" class=\"svg-c\">Apply plant protection<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"237\" class=\"svg-c\">products by the label and with<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"257\" class=\"svg-c\">great care<\/text><rect x=\"372\" y=\"184\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M423.3,222.0 L423.3,242.0 L406.0,252.0 L388.7,242.0 L388.7,222.0 L406.0,212.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"406\" y=\"238.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">4<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"227\" class=\"svg-c\">Offer water, sunny soil and<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"247\" class=\"svg-c\">simple shelters<\/text><rect x=\"24\" y=\"292\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M75.3,330.0 L75.3,350.0 L58.0,360.0 L40.7,350.0 L40.7,330.0 L58.0,320.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"58\" y=\"346.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">5<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"335\" class=\"svg-c\">Measure a few indicators and<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"355\" class=\"svg-c\">record each walk<\/text><rect x=\"372\" y=\"292\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M423.3,330.0 L423.3,350.0 L406.0,360.0 L388.7,350.0 L388.7,330.0 L406.0,320.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"406\" y=\"346.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">6<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"335\" class=\"svg-c\">Cut back mowing to offset the<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"355\" class=\"svg-c\">extra time<\/text><rect x=\"24\" y=\"400\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M75.3,438.0 L75.3,458.0 L58.0,468.0 L40.7,458.0 L40.7,438.0 L58.0,428.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"58\" y=\"454.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">7<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"443\" class=\"svg-c\">Communicate the work to<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"463\" class=\"svg-c\">members and committee<\/text><\/svg><p class=\"src\">Further reading: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fao.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FAO<\/a>. The FAO, the United Nations agency for food and agriculture, shares general information on the importance of pollinators for ecosystems.<\/p><h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2><details class=\"faq\"><summary>Why are pollinators on golf courses important?<\/summary><p>Because a course covers a lot of open land that can provide shelter and food. Supporting pollinators on golf courses improves biodiversity, adds environmental value for the club and, when well explained, improves its image with members, visitors and authorities, without harming play if you act in suitable areas.<\/p><\/details><details class=\"faq\"><summary>Does letting the rough grow harm play?<\/summary><p>Not if it is done in the right places. Banks, boundaries and areas away from the line of play are set aside, and a mown strip is kept to mark the edge and give visual order. That supports insects without players losing balls or the quality of the round being affected.<\/p><\/details><details class=\"faq\"><summary>What should I do about plant protection treatments?<\/summary><p>Apply them only when necessary, following the label, current regulations and the advice of an authorised technician, avoiding flowering seasons and times of insect activity, and minimising drift. Recording each application helps protect pollinator refuge areas on golf courses.<\/p><\/details><aside class=\"cta\"><h3>Total Greenkeeper<\/h3><p>What is recorded can be communicated with pride: areas, reduced mowing and actions taken. Total Greenkeeper is golf course maintenance software that helps digitalise maintenance processes, control operations, reduce costs and produce simple, intuitive reports, including environmental indicators and reports for the course. Request a demo at totalgreenkeeper.com.<\/p><a class=\"btn\" href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/#demo\">Request a demo<\/a><\/aside><h2>Keep reading<\/h2><ul class=\"rel\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/golf-course-biodiversity-practical-actions\/\">Biodiversity on golf courses<\/a> <span>Biodiversity on Golf Courses: 7 Practical Actions<\/span><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/naturalised-areas-golf-management\/\">Naturalised areas in golf<\/a> <span>Naturalised Areas in Golf: 6 Management Keys<\/span><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/integrated-pest-management-golf-key-steps\/\">Integrated pest management<\/a> <span>Integrated pest management in golf: 6 key steps<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Why are pollinators on golf courses important?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Because a course covers a lot of open land that can provide shelter and food. 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Five simple actions, compatible with play and budget, help support pollinators on golf courses and showcase your environmental management.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":26341,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24765"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25804,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24765\/revisions\/25804"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}