Greener Golf

Have you ever wondered if landfills possess potential beyond just being collection zones for waste? Landfills can be sources of energy when the methane gas let off by decomposing garbage is captured and used it to generate energy. They can also be reused once the garbage has decomposed. Perhaps the best (and most aesthetically pleasant) use of landfills is the transformation of these blights into golf courses.

Mountain Gate CC, Los Angeles

From Brownfield Golf:

Completed in 1975, the Mountain Gate Country Club is recognized as one of the most successful landfill golf courses in the United States. What was once a Los Angeles County solid waste landfill is now an upscale, private country club surrounded by million dollar homes with exquisite views of golf holes meandering through the canyons below.

The 27-hole golf course was constructed over solid waste deposited in 8 canyons to depths in excess of 200 feet. Over the years, waste has decomposed resulting in settlement of the land surface. Mountain Gate maintenance personnel report settlement has exceeded 70 feet in some areas, necessitating the repair of irrigation and drainage systems and the re-grading of golf course features. Although a nuisance, some club members appreciate the continuous changes of golf course features as an added challenge to their game.