The greening of golf: Sport, globalization and the environment (Globalizing Sport Studies)

Golf is a major global industry. It is played by more than 60 million people worldwide, and there are more than 32 000 courses in 140 countries across the globe. Golf is a sport that has traditionally appealed to the wealthy and powerful in particular, though it attracts players and spectators from a wide range of demographics. Golf has also received criticism regarding its impact on the environment, particularly when it comes to the appropriation of land for golf course development and the use of water and pesticides in course management. The golf industry has, over time, responded to these and other concerns by stressing its capacity for recognizing and dealing with environmental problems. Yet there are reasons to be sceptical about the golf industry's environmental leadership – and, indeed, to be sceptical about corporate environmentalism in general. This book looks at the power relationships in and around golf, examining whether the industry has demonstrated such leadership on environmental matters that it should be trusted to make weighty decisions that have implications for public and environmental health. This is the first comprehensive study of the varying responses to golf-related environmental issues. It is based on extensive empirical work, including research into historical materials and interviews with stakeholders in golf such as course superintendents, protesters, and health professionals. The authors examine golf as a sport and as a global industry, drawing on and contributing to literatures pertaining to environmental sociology, global social movements, institutional change, corporate environmentalism and the sociology of sport. This Is The First Comprehensive Study Of The Varying Impacts Of Golf In The Environment. It Is Based On Extensive Empirical Research, Including Interviews With Major Stakeholders In The Golf Industry And Members Of Protest Groups. The Authors Examine Golf As A Sport And As A Global Industry, Drawing On Three Discrete Literatures - The Study Of Sport And Global Social Movements, Environmental Sociology And The Study Of Corporate Environmentalism.--page [4] Of Cover. Series Editor's Preface -- Acknowledgements -- List Of Abbreviations -- Preface -- Part I: Introduction And Tools For Seeing Golf Sociologically. Introduction: Approaching Golf And Environmental Issues ; Light Green To Dark Green: How To Make Sense Of Responses To Environmental Problems -- Part Ii: Background And History. Waging A War On Pests: Golf Comes To America ; Golf In Consumer Culture And The Making Of Augusta National Syndrome -- Part Iii: The Light-greening Of Golf. The Turn To Responsible Golf And The Roots Of Golf's Light-green Movement ; Environmentalism Incorporated: Professionalization And Post-politics In The Time Of Responsible Golf ; Light-green Regulation? Environmental Managerialism And Golf's Conspicuous Exemption -- Part Iv: The Dark-greening Of Golf. Anti-golfers Across The World Unite! Global And Local Forms Of Resistance To Golf Course Development ; Organic Golf 'on The Fringe: The Potential And Challenges Of A Chemical-free Golf Alternative -- Part V: Conclusion. Reflections, Recommendations, And Minor Utopian Visions For A Game We Love -- References -- Index. Brad Millington And Brian Wilson. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 217-236) And Index. This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC) open access license. Golf is a major global industry. The sport is played by more than 60 million people worldwide and there are more than 32,000 courses in 140 countries across the globe. This book looks at the power relationships in and around golf, examining whether the industry has demonstrated sufficient leadership on environmental matters to be trusted to make weighty decisions with implications for public and environmental health. The first comprehensive study of the varying responses to golf-related environmental issues, it is based on extensive empirical work, including research into historical materials and interviews with stakeholders in golf such as course superintendents, protesters and health professionals. The authors examine golf as a sport and as a global industry, drawing on and contributing to literatures pertaining to environmental sociology, global social movements, institutional change, corporate environmentalism and the sociology of sport. Golf is a major global industry. It is played by more than 60 million people worldwide, and there are more than 32,000 courses across the globe in 140 countries. This book looks at the power relationships in and around golf, examining whether the industry has demonstrated sufficient leadership on environmental matters for the government to be able to trust them to make decisions with implications for public health. It is the first comprehensive study of the varying impacts of golf on the environment, and is based on extensive empirical research, including interviews with major stakeholders in the golf industry and members of protest groups. The authors examine golf as a sport and as a global industry, drawing on three discrete literatures ? the study of sport as a global social movement, environmental sociology and the study of corporate environmentalism. This book is the first comprehensive study of the varyingresponses to golf-related environmental issues. The authors examine golf as asport and as a global industry, drawing on literaturespertaining to environmental sociology, global social movements, institutionalchange, corporate environmentalism and the sociology of sport. -- .