Golf Club Klosters

Notable Observations

• Alpine Wildflower Meadows Around 60% of the site is covered by non-input alpine meadows, with managed turf kept to the minimum needed for play. The meadows support more than 160 plant species and over 91 species of flying insects.
• Protected Alpine Barns Traditional hay barns have been retained throughout the course and remain in use by local farmers. They are important cultural landscape features and also provide habitat for birds, bats, foxes and other animals.
• Near-Zero Chemical Management The greenkeeper uses very few chemicals, with pesticides applied only when needed rather than preventatively. Alternative pest-control methods include pheromone traps, sound emitters and even a customised industrial vacuum for insect larvae.
• Filtered Course Runoff Water leaving playing areas passes through grassy swales and retention systems before discharge. Monitoring has shown water leaving the course to be as clean as, or cleaner than, water flowing onto it.
• Low-Resource Operations The club operates for around six months of the year and uses very little energy in its small, unheated buildings. Maintenance equipment includes biodiesel machinery, electric buggies and two robotic mowers for the driving range.
• Reuse of Course Materials Fallen trees have been turned into tee benches and flower boxes, while hollow-tining cores are retained for future topdressing. Almost all waste streams, including PET, glass, aluminium, metal, paper and cardboard, are recycled.
• Golf and Ski on the Same Landscape The site functions as both a golf course and a ski resort, with walking paths also crossing the property for locals and visitors. This gives the landscape year-round recreational value beyond golf alone.
• Open Access and School Golf The resort course welcomes both golfers and non-golfers, with a strong female membership and junior programme. School groups are also regularly invited to visit and try golf.

“

“The Golfclub Klosters demonstrates a very minimalist philosophy in the construction and maintenance of the golf course. Weaving through protected alpine barns and up and down the existing natural terrain, about 60% of the golf club land is covered with non-input alpine meadows, rich with a wide diversity of habitats for many local mammal, bird and amphibian species. The greenkeeper uses a minimal pallet of chemicals and fertilizers, focusing his maintenance regime on cultural practices. Minimalism is at the core of Klosters’ management. In fact, there is so much nature on this piece of land that golf really plays a secondary role. Overall, this compact golf facility demands few resources during their 6 months of operation but provides maximum year-round multi-functionality on the site for all members of the community.”

David Bily (GEO accredited independent verifier)