Golf uses more land area than all sports (other than field sports) put together. Courses are often in areas of natural beauty, and public access is frequently restricted. These features have provoked protest against golf by sections of many communities.

A common criticism, especially in warm climates, is the often extravagant use of water, fertiliser and pesticides in maintaining the playing surface. Whilst there is little doubt that some courses have certainly used too much of these materials in the past, this need not be the case, and golf courses can in fact be a real asset in the protection and enhancement of the environment.

Take Valderrama as an example. The typical Andalusian countryside which surrounds Valderrama is generally shot over, grazed, browsed, cut, scraped and burnt during the searing summer drought. Conversely, domestic animals and shooting are banned from Valderrama; and cutting and scraping are confined to the playing surface. Fires are vigorously controlled by an extensive hydrant system and trained teams, so it is little wonder that we find more than twice as many species of plant, and a third more species of birds within the course than in comparable areas of countryside outside it.