Orlando, Fla. – Marriott Golf announced Royal St. Kitts Golf Club, located at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort in Basseterre, has become the first golf course in the Caribbean to achieve certification through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses. This marks the 14th Marriott Golf-managed property to achieve Audubon Certification as part of the company’s green initiatives. By the end of 2008, 25 managed golf properties in North America and the Caribbean will become Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries.
Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries, which enable golf facilities to protect the environment by enhancing precious natural areas and wildlife habitats, are part of a systemwide commitment by Marriott International to promote environmental stewardship. To achieve Audubon Certification, a golf facility is required to demonstrate that it is maintaining the highest degree of environmental quality in several areas including:
- Environmental planning
- Wildlife and habitat management
- Outreach and education
- Chemical use reduction and safety
- Water conservation
- Water quality management.
As part of the property’s green efforts, Royal St. Kitts Golf Club has implemented various programs to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship, including the installation of seashore paspalum during golf course construction. Seashore paspalum, a specialized turfgrass that uses alternative water sources, such as seawater/brackish, enables Royal St. Kitts Golf Club to use a combination of storm, recycled, and seawater to irrigate the golf course, therefore conserving natural water supplies.
“The golf team on property has worked diligently over the past few months to meet the Audubon requirements, and we are thrilled to become the first golf course in the Caribbean to be awarded this prestigious certification,” said golf course superintendent Steve Williams. “Using Seashore Paspalum turfgrass has been a huge success and truly encompasses our commitment to enhance and protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf.”
The championship Royal St. Kitts Golf Club features an 18-hole layout that has 125 irrigated acres of lush grass, allowing golfers to play two holes on the Caribbean Sea and three holes on the Atlantic Ocean. Recently redesigned by famed Canadian architect Thomas McBroom, the course features 10 holes with water hazards, 80 bunkers and a multitude of coconut palm trees along the Atlantic Ocean, as well as a private country club style clubhouse. The signature 15th hole, a 166-yard downhill par 3, features stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and neighboring islands including Nevis, Anguilla, St. Martin and Antigua.
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, endorsed by the U.S. Golf Assn., provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat, and protect natural resources. Golf courses from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and now the Caribbean, have achieved certification in the program.
Marriott Golf manages 61 golf courses at 45 locations in 13 countries, offering more than 1,000 holes of championship golf. Marriott has been managing golf operations since 1970 and provides golf management and consulting services to a variety of operational environments including resort, private club, daily fee, golf school and franchises. For more information, visit www.marriottgolf.com.
