Could Hemp Be a “High”-Value Crop for Golf Courses? (Emphasis on the Value, Of Course)

Not all weeds are made equal.

Some weeds might be the greatest source of value on your golf course.

Imagine if a multi-purpose “miracle” plant would not only transform out of play areas from unproductive (or even counterproductive) land into multiple streams of income.

What if the typical 30 acres of hazardous area on your golf course could become a source for the fabrics of golf apparel in the shop, bioplastics for golf tees, compost for the turf grass upon which golfers play, while also being a living bio-filter for pollution, nutrient runoff, and atmospheric carbon drawdown?

The “weed” I’m talking about is hemp (not to be confused with its psychoactive and high-THC cannabis counterpart, marijuana).

Now consider the main reason that hemp is not implemented on a wider scale is because it was outlawed in the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, some might argue for contrived and political reasons. Due to its association with marijuana, hemp was labeled a hazard and outlawed for cultivation, despite its many miraculous benefits and efficient crop value.

A Brief History of Hemp

• Hemp has been used for making durable fabrics/textiles (among many versatile uses) for thousands of years, and the word “canvas” comes from the latin word “cannabis”

• Multiple founding fathers of America grew hemp on their farms (George Washington and Thomas Jefferson)

• Cotton won out as the textile of choice due to production efficiencies of the cotton gin (and labor efficiencies of slavery, if you want to consider a glimpse of how prohibition of marijuana and hemp has disproportionately impacted African-Americans across time)

• The Marijuana Act of 1937 made hemp cultivation heavily regulated, tax prohibitive and essentially illegal

• The Hemp Farming Act of 2018 coincided with with an emerging growth and popularity of CBD as a supplement for pain and anxiety

• As of April 2021, hemp cultivation has been legalized in all 50 states

Three Reasons Hemp is a Natural Fit for Golf

Here are three reasons why the golf industry might consider taking the “hazard” out of hemp by replacing out-of-play hazard areas with this high value crop:

1.    Hemp has multiple miraculous uses and properties.

Hemp boasts up to 50,000 possible uses! In recent years, golfers have been no strangers to the potential pain-relieving and performance-boosting properties of this plant as a topical ointment and oral supplement.

Depending upon its variety, cultivation, and processing hemp promises many high-value uses and potential streams of income. Check out the following infographic:

2.    Hemp thrives in soil conditions similar to those found on golf courses.

Hemp grows best on well-drained soils with neutral pH (and furthermore, thrives in a variety of climates, though primarily temperate and slightly humid climates). Establishing this crop on a golf course could create a polyculture wherein turfgrass and hemp crop support one another. That supports costs, revenues, and golfer satisfaction, ultimately!

3.    Hemp addresses multiple ecosystem services while growing vertically and taking very few resources (or little land).

Hemp also promises regenerative potential along multiple fronts. “Medium” height hemp plants grow taller than a typical golf flagstick (over 7 feet), and especially if it develops deep roots as well, the crop can act as an effective tool for drawing down atmospheric carbon. Moreover, hemp works miracles as a buffer for nutrient runoff and can remediate contaminated soils while requiring very few inputs (even no pesticides) on its own.

Overview of Hemp’s Key Costs and Benefits

Cost and Logistical Considerations

• Planting and preparation

• Harvest

• Labor and specialized knowledge

• THC testing (must be kept below 0.3% threshold)

• Compliance with zoning

• Safety of operations (especially in the context of projectile golf balls and golfer traffic!)

Multi-Layered Benefits

• Implementing multiple forms of regenerative practice (soil health, carbon sequestration, creating compost from leaf litter or discarded green waste)

• Fast production cycles and relatively easy growth

• Its many versatile uses (listed earlier) even include making materials for golf tees! One company called Hempty’s makes golf tees from 100% sustainable industrial hemp

Driving the Green Takeaways

Ultimately, further research is needed to explore this topic in practice and the applicability of this model in specific contexts. Based on this early-stage research into the topic, it appears that the precise cultivar, soil types, and environments for hemp systems in golf need further review, but overall, the upside is evident.

From the info shared above, we hope this provides a simple overview on the potential uses of hemp in golf, which promises great value in both reducing costs and improving revenue streams for golf courses facing ever greater pressures on land use efficiency.

To explore this concept further, check out our other articles on how golf courses can introduce multi-purpose design and regenerative golf course design.