Around the world, abandoned golf courses are getting a new life — and it’s all about nature. In places like Scotland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Canada, conservation groups and local authorities are stepping in to turn these spaces into thriving natural habitats. These transformations improve air, water, and ecosystems — showing the power of giving nature space to heal.
Golf started in Scotland between the 15th and 17th centuries and was originally played on shared public spaces. These days, it’s often seen as a luxury sport tied to exclusive clubs and resorts — but it comes with a big environmental cost. Golf courses use up a lot of land, and a 2024 Cornell study found countries like the United States and the United Kingdom dedicate more land to golf than to wind or solar energy. The United States alone has 16,300 courses, covering about 2 million acres. While courses are often built in beautiful locations like deserts or near oceans, their construction can destroy ecosystems, as noted by the Seattle Journal of Environmental Law.
Beyond land use, golf courses consume around 1.5 billion gallons (5.7 billion litres) of water daily, primarily from lakes and wells, according to the Golf Course Superintendents’ Association of America. They also use around 100,000 tonnes of fertilizers like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash each year. Runoff from these chemicals, along with pesticides, can harm humans, wildlife, and ecosystems.
Since 2006, more golf courses have closed than opened each year. Conservation groups are turning these abandoned courses into natural landscapes by restoring wetlands, reintroducing native species, and combining them with nearby parks. One remarkable success story is the transformation of the San Geronimo Golf Course in Marin County, California. After the Trust for Public Land (or TPL) purchased the property in 2018, they began converting it into San Geronimo Commons, a public green space with restored creeks, protected habitats, and trails for walking and biking. Once a golf course, it’s now a haven for wildlife, including the endangered Coho salmon. Ocean Meadows is another successful transformation of a former golf course.
However, challenges like funding and competing land uses, such as housing, remain. Still, efforts to create these green spaces are growing, giving more people the chance to connect with nature.
Golf courses don’t have to close to become more nature-friendly. Some organizations have saved courses from closure by opening them to the public and managing the land to support wildlife. Many courses are reducing maintenance, increasing naturalized areas, and using less fertilizer and water, which also lowers costs. While these efforts benefit the environment, they can sometimes impact the playability of the course. Wilder golf courses can serve as inspiration for other landscapes, including cities and managed lands.
Rewilding golf courses transforms forgotten spaces into thriving ecosystems for nature and people. These areas become parks, community hubs, and places to learn about biodiversity and climate change. With time and care, wildlife returns, and communities reconnect with the environment. Nature always finds a way!
