St. Joe Property Lauded for Environmental Excellence, Water Quality Management
(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) – SouthWood Golf Club – the award-winning Fred Couples and Gene Bates designed course owned by The St. Joe Company and managed by Billy Casper Golf – announces it has been designated “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” by Audubon International for environmental stewardship.
One of fewer than 700 courses worldwide honored by Audubon International, SouthWood Golf Club was specifically commended for its water quality management and outreach and education. The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses helps protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. It emphasizes maximizing efficiency and minimizing the potentially harmful effects golf operations can have.
“Environmental conservation and education are key components to golf course operations and maintenance at SouthWood,” says Eddie Snipes, head superintendent and chief environmental steward. “The St. Joe Company, Billy Casper Golf and SouthWood Golf Club are committed to creating sustainable places to live, work and play.”
A public facility, SouthWood was specifically noted for involving members in its projects such as bird watching, wildlife inventorying, funding for planting projects and providing support to local environmental groups. The course developed a comprehensive water quality management plan with high standards of aquatic testing, minimizing chemical additives, extensive vegetative buffers and protecting stream and wetland water quality.
“SouthWood Golf Club has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program and should be commended for its efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property,” said Jim Sluiter, Staff Ecologist for the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Programs. “Courses must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas.”
According to Audubon International, a golf facility must exhibit excellence in the following categories: Water Conservation, Outreach and Education, Water Quality Management, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Wildlife & Habitat Management and Environmental Planning to achieve certification. In previous years, SouthWood received recognition in the latter three categories.
For more information about SouthWood, visit www.southwoodgolf.com.
About SouthWood Golf Club
Designed by PGA Tour star Fred Couples and renowned architect Gene Bates and managed by Billy Casper Golf, SouthWood Golf Club is among the region’s most-acclaimed courses. Highlighted by stands of stunning, Spanish moss-draped oak trees, the 7,172-yard layout meanders over rolling hills, through wooded areas and open land. A course that tests Tour-quality players and provides an enjoyable experience for golfers of all abilities, SouthWood features five sets of tees on every hole. The 2,986-yard “Wee Tees” provide the ideal course set-up for juniors, beginners or players seeking to improve their short game. SouthWood Golf Club has garnered numerous honors since opening in November 2002. Most recently, the course was ranked one of the “Top 50 Courses for Women” by Golf For Women and named among the Top-10 layouts of the new millennium byTravel + Leisure Golf. SouthWood was also named to Golf Digest’s list of “America’s Best New Courses,” selected by GOLFMagazine as one of the top 35 public courses – out of 325 nationwide – to open in 2002, and named Tallahassee’s best golf course by Tallahassee Magazine.
About JOE
The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE), a publicly held company based in Jacksonville, is one of Florida’s largest real estate development companies. We are primarily engaged in real estate development and sales, with significant interests in timber.
Contact:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381 (cell)
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
