Chasing a golf ball can be great exercise (if sometimes frustrating!) and Sedona Golf Resort General Manager Jeremy Hayman wants it to be gentle on the planet too.

Hayman has long been active in helping the community move toward sustainability. He serves as Treasurer for both the Sedona Chamber Executive Committee and Verde Valley School Board of Trustees (also Certified Sustainable Businesses). Achieving Sustainable Business Certification for Sedona Golf Resort was a perfect fit.

As a seasoned golf professional with a background in finance, Hayman knows how to make progress in practical, cost-effective steps over time. This continuous improvement orientation shapes his approach to sustainability.

For example, energy conservation was an early opportunity, and Sedona Golf Resort has made steady improvements. All golf carts are battery-powered. New, energy-efficient air conditioning units were installed recently. Interior lighting is being converted to LED and parking lot lights are transitioning to solar power.

Reducing waste is another sustainability priority. Water-filling stations in the cart staging area reduce single-use plastic bottles. Sedona Recycles bins collect cans and glass, and Compost Crowd picks up prep scraps from the restaurant. Branches from tree and shrub pruning are reduced with an onsite chipper and used for landscape mulch. Sedona Golf Resort also participates in Straw Free Sedona.

Water is the biggest resource use for a golf course in the desert, and Sedona Golf Resort works to be as efficient as possible.

The groundskeeping team monitors humidity, temperature, and pressure with a special weather station that measures evaporation levels and allows them to precisely manage irrigation. They turn off sprinklers when it is raining or when rain is forecast, and regularly check the course for wet spots that indicate leaks so they can rapidly fix issues. Grass clippings are left on the turf for mulch, which also reduces evaporation. They avoid herbicides containing glyphosate and are testing natural alternatives such as Weed Zap cinnamon oil for weed control.

Sedona Golf Resort supports Sedona Trail Keepers and is a hub of community activity. They regularly host mixers for organizations such as Sedona XYZ and the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. And of course, many wedding vows have been exchanged on the property. Ask them about Zero Waste options for your next event!

Darcy Hitchcock, Sustainability Alliance,
darcy@sustainabilityallianceaz.org 928-554-5171

---