“We want to stop the loss of species. With the ‘Blühpakt Bayern’, we are promoting insect protection. Flowering golf courses offer great ecological potential.” With these words, Bavaria’s Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber awarded ten Bavarian golf courses the title of “Blooming Golf Course”. They are part of a group of now 46 golf courses which, following free advice from the Landesbund für Vogelschutz, are developing projects that lead to more biodiversity on golf courses.
Practical implementation on the pitch
“Stopping the loss of insects and other species is a challenge that can only be overcome together,” said Kurt Knote, Golf & Nature Officer at GC Schwanhof. Like several other golf courses, the club has already been recertified as a flourishing golf course. The input from the LBV experts has led to the shoreline zones of the ponds being extended and, in some areas, the connectivity of the waters for amphibians being improved. Sheep and goats have also been introduced to graze the Hardroughs. All in all, a package of measures that has brought the golf course, which has already been certified with Gold in the DGV’s Golf & Nature program since 2015, even further in the area of ecology.
INSERT_STEADY_NEWSLETTER_SIGNUP_HERE
The Bavarian Ministry of the Environment believes that the combination of the commitment of the club managers and greenkeepers with the expert knowledge of the LBV is crucial to the success of the Blühpakt, as a ministry spokeswoman explains: “The LBV contributes its knowledge and experience in the creation and maintenance of near-natural areas, which provides important impetus for the design of unused areas. Advice and expertise are necessary in order to create sustainable and ecological areas. The cooperation between the greenkeepers who maintain the played areas and the LBV leads to the creation of areas on the golf courses that benefit the golf club, the golfers and nature in equal measure.”
The President of GC Würzburg, Bernhard May, also made it clear just how complex the maintenance of extensive areas on golf courses has become. “In order to set a good example when it comes to biodiversity, we have developed a special area management plan with the expert help of Dr. Gunther Hardt, which we have been adhering to for years.” In Würzburg, too – initiated by Blühpakt Bayern – the focus is now on expanding the high-quality compensation areas. “We are now upgrading a larger area between lanes three and eight,” May summed up with satisfaction.
Constant exchange with authorities
Cooperation with the local authorities also plays an important role for the golf courses, who welcome the enhancement of the areas of compensation areas: “We are in constant communication with the lower and higher nature conservation authorities in order to further develop areas,” explains the President of the G&LC Oberpfälzer Wald, Roland Wacker. “In our own geo-information system, not only are all trees, beehives etc. digitally recorded, but areas are also designated for targeted further development and improvements are continuously documented.”
Communication is crucial
This also makes it easier for golf courses to communicate with the outside world. This is particularly important from the point of view of the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment, as its spokesperson explains. “Education about practices such as leaving hibernation structures or avoiding certain plant species such as geraniums, forsythia or bamboo is essential. This knowledge about the background to measures increases the public’s understanding and acceptance of insect protection. Public relations work and education are therefore key elements of the Blühpakt.”
Competition for all participants
To further improve public relations work on the importance of insect protection, the competition‘Blooming golf courses: A Hole in One in Communication’ was launched: Three golf courses with the best ideas for public relations will receive awards in fall 2026. The aim of the competition is to promote public relations work on golf courses to raise awareness of biodiversity and native insects. The focus is on communicating specific measures to create insect habitats. All courses that have been awarded the ‘Blooming Golf Course’ award are eligible to apply.
To further improve public relations work on the importance of insect protection, the competition ‘Blooming golf courses: A Hole in One in Communication’ was launched: Three golf courses with the best ideas for public relations work will receive awards in fall 2026. The aim of the competition is to promote public relations work on golf courses to raise awareness of biodiversity and native insects. The focus is on communicating specific measures to create insect habitats. All courses that have been awarded the ‘Blooming Golf Course’ award are eligible to apply.
These golf courses have been certified or recertified by Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber as “Blühender Golfplatz”.
- Bergkramerhof Golf Club
- Golf course Hof-Gattendorf
- Würzburg Golf Club
- Golf and Country Club Regensburg
- Schwanhof golf course
- Golfclub Oberpfälzer Wald
- Tegernbach Golf Club
- Herzogenaurach Golf Club
- Münchener Golfclub e.V., Thalkirchen golf course
- Munich Eichenried Golf Club
