Carbon Par: Estimating carbon status of land used by Icelandic golf courses and measuring carbon storage of turfgrass on golf fairways and mown roughs

Abstract

Golf course development has in some cases included wetland drainage or use of pre-existing wetlands. Thus, carbon dioxide loss from golf courses on organic soil can be high, whereas those on mineral soil can store carbon (C). Research indicates that mown grass can store more C than unmown grass, and that more frequent mowing, made possible with robots, can store even more. The Carbon Par project, running from 2020 up to and including 2023, estimates the C status of land used by Icelandic golf courses, to set a benchmark and thus facilitate golf's future improvement in this area. Recommendations for similar estimation elsewhere will be provided.