Rossi plays key role in design of 2016 Rio Olympics golf course

Frank RossiWhen the design by Gil Hanse (MLA ’89) was selected Wednesday for the 2016 Olympic golf course in Rio de Janeiro, one of the people he thanked was Department of Horticulture turf specialist Frank Rossi “…for creating an environmentally-sustainable golf course template that will set the standards for this emerging golf market.”

Two ways to make golf courses more sustainable are to reduce the amount of managed turf and use native plants in the rest of the landscape, says Rossi.

“We’ve discussed what goes into a sustainable golf course and Gil incorporated some of that into his planning,” says Rossi. “I also helped develop the grassing plan for the playable areas and researched native vegetation of the Cerrado ecoregion for the roughs.”

Hanse said his team’s “respect for the land” helped set them apart in the selection process. “We like to build golf courses that are very environmentally sensitive,” he added.

Golf has not been an Olympic sport since 1904. Its return at the 2016 Games will help shine a spotlight on this eco-friendly course. “During the Olympics, the whole world will see that it’s possible to design a course that’s challenging for professionals, playable by amateurs and with less environmental impact,” says Rossi.

See also Associated Press story: Gil Hanse to design 2016 Rio course

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