Golf courses can threaten ecosystems with chemicals and water waste, but a growing number are easier on the earth

To golfers, few sights are as welcome as rolling fairways of lush, well-watered grass and perfectly manicured greens. But a gorgeous course can come at a great price: It guzzles water (as much as 8,000 households' worth annually), requires harmful pesticides, and destroys wildlife habitat.

It hasn't always been that way. Courses in the game's birthplace have a less negative impact because they use the natural terrain instead of bulldozing it and because the grass is for the most part native. In fact, Scotland's Royal and Ancient Golf Club is moving toward even more environmentally friendly practices, committing to conserve water, plant drought-tolerant grass, and cut back on pesticides. Still, most golfers don't choose a course based on eco-friendliness, says Gordon Dalgleish of PerryGolf, a travel agency specializing in golf trips. "In the golf world, environmentalism is still in the early stages."

An increasing number of private and destination courses are earning certification through Audubon International's Cooperative Sanctuary Program, which sets standards for environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, water conservation, and chemical and pesticide use. The group's Signature Program helps new developments create sustainable courses, providing environmental-design and resource-management services.

Dalgleish recommends seeking out Audubon International–certified courses, noting that they play the same as any traditional course, even though there's a chance they won't be as lovely to behold. But travel agent Eleanor Nelson says that this might be enough to discourage some golfers. "If you're paying four hundred dollars to play, you expect every blade of grass to be perfectly green."

To lessen the impact of your game on the environment, consider these tips:

• Play "brown courses." By not replanting grass in temperate months, they reduce water and fertilizer use.
• Look for courses sustained by natural rainfall (which means they may be closed during the winter).
• Use recycled tees.
• Don't rent a cart. Walking is better for you and the environment.
• Ask course managers about their environmental practices before booking a tee time, and let them know that green golf practices are important to you.
• Change your expectations. If you can't be satisfied playing on less than lush fairways, you'll have a hard time finding happiness on an earth-friendly course.