Hopewell Valley Golf Club, a private member-owned club nestled among the peaceful meadows and farms in central New Jersey, announces that has received its “River-Friendly Golf Course Certification” from the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association. This honor recognizes Hopewell Valley Golf Club for successfully enhancing its management practices and strategies to benefit the environment, residents, golfers and the community.
Hopewell is one of only two golf courses (Jasna Polana is the other) in the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed to be recognized with this certification.
“Hopewell Valley’s maintenance department should be commended for tirelessly working to attain this certification,” said General Manager Det Williams. “Everyone at the club and in the community benefits from a commitment to eco-friendly agronomic practices and responsible land management.”
Hopewell Valley’s four-year certification process started in 2005 when Matt Stout became the club’s Head Golf Course Superintendent. A Class “A” member of the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association, Stout began his career at the prestigious Pine Hill Golf Club and then served as a first assistant superintendent at the world-renowned Pine Valley Golf Club prior to coming to Hopewell Valley.
“Our goal has been to create an environment where the golf course can co-exist with the natural habitat. By implementing this program we have been able to reduce our water usage greatly and also cut down our pesticides by over fifty percent,” said Stout.
According to the Watershed, the River-Friendly Golf Course Certification Program seeks to reduce pollution from storm water runoff. By reducing this pollution, the program improves water quality, enhances stream corridors, provides green space benefits and promotes the understanding that environmentally sound courses are quality courses.
