12 DIGEST Richardson and Danner develop GolfBase Image: Richardson, Danner ASGCA Past President Forrest Richardson and Jeff Danner, ASGCA, have developed GolfBase, a proprietary assessment system that measures the overall player experience of golf courses. By using GolfBase, course owners can visualize where “the psychological highs and lows” occur across a golf course. “What we’ve created is a measurement system that translates into a highly specialized map of the golf course,” said Danner. “Through a process that quantifies such factors as aesthetics, excitement, fun, challenge, distractions and conditioning, we are able to develop a ‘contour map’ that depicts the emotional aspects across an entire golf course.” Richardson said: “It looks much like your typical topographical map. But here the ‘high points’ are not physically elevated – instead, these points represent the places during the routing of the courses where the golfer is getting the most experiential benefit of the course and the game. “It may be a particular tee, an area of a fairway, or a green site. When we identify the ‘high spots’ we can understand where the greatest thrill, entertainment and aesthetic qualities are being delivered during the round. Of course, with this mapping we’re also able to identify the low points – where the course fails to deliver excitement and positive memories.” USGA unveils sustainability initiatives The United States Golf Association (USGA) has unveiled new initiatives to accelerate its sustainability work. It has pledged $30 million over the next 15 years to help golf courses reduce their water use. “The long-term economic and environmental sustainability of green-grass golf courses – where more than 25 million people enjoy the game and millions more are employed – will be challenged in certain regions if the game doesn’t advance this critical work now,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA. “The USGA is ready to not only contribute our voice, but also our resources and expertise, to help our golf course partners and ensure golf’s future.” The governing body has also announced 17 new sustainability projects for 2023 as part of the Mike Davis Program for Advancing Golf Course Management, a program that invests approximately $2 million in grants annually. With more than 70 new and ongoing research projects in 2023, the initiative continues to be the largest private turfgrass and environmental research effort in golf. A GolfBase map shows ‘emotional high points’ in orange and yellow
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