Golf is the ultimate spring and summer sport across the United States. Plenty of nature surrounds golf courses, making sustainability a priority.

Among the many golf courses that prioritize sustainability, these are our top five most sustainable golf courses in the U.S.

Stone Creek Golf Club

Located in Oregon City, Oregon, Stone Creek dedicates its course to preserving the natural world around it. For example, the course created a wildlife habitat on its property that is home to several endangered species. In addition, the course limits the use of pesticides. Water is tested regularly to ensure it is free of pesticides, and its pest management system ensures pesticides are kept at a minimum.

Osprey Point

The golf course at Kiawah Island Resort in South Carolina was the first gold club in North America to be certified as an Audubon International Signature Sanctuary, a program that helps golf courses protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage. Additionally, when the course was built on land formerly used for agriculture, much of the native vegetation was left intact. The course also has several environmental initiatives, including water conservation and recycling.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Back in Oregon, Bandon Dunes was built on an old sand dune, which limited the disturbance of soil during construction. In addition, all of the grasses on the golf course are native to the area and require no irrigation. Also an Audubon International Signature Sanctuary, the course has a campaign to go fully plastic-free. There is an array of solar panels, and it is 95% carbon-free, approaching carbon neutrality. The course also recycles all of the water used on the golf course.

Vineyard Golf Course

Located on Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Golf Club claims to be America’s only truly organic golf course. For example, all chemical pesticides were replaced by organic compost fertilizer. The course’s water is supplied from a borehole and stored in a deep lake. In addition, natural vegetation is retained outside of the playing areas. Vineyard Golf Club even allows local people to review its environmental performance, making sure it’s held accountable.

Kapalua Resort

Set on 2,500 acres of land near the coast of Maui, Hawaii, Kapalua Resort’s golf course is a certified Audubon sanctuary. One of the course’s major sustainability efforts is its own water treatment plant that recycles greywater for use on the golf course. In addition, all of its green waste, organic material such as grass, clippings, or leaves, is made into compost and used at a nearby organic farm. The course also has a filtration system that ensures all water is clean before running off into the ocean, making it one of the top sustainable golf courses in the U.S.