Director of Agronomy Ken Nice Earns National Award for Environmental Stewardship

February 14, 2017 by Bandon Dunes

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort has been fortunate over the years to be ranked in the company of some of the finest golf facilities in the world, and we truly consider these rankings and praise to be an honor.

The accolades bestowed upon Bandon Dunes humble us in many ways because it’s the people on the grounds that make them a reality. With that in mind, Ken Nice, our longtime Director of Agronomy, has been selected as the National Resort Winner of the 2016 Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards. The annual award — which is co-sponsored by Golf Digest and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America — recognizes golf course superintendents and their courses for overall course management excellence and best management practices in the areas of water conservation, water quality management, energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste management, wildlife and habitat conservation, communication and outreach, and leadership.

An independent panel of judges representing national environmental groups, turfgrass experts, university researchers, and valued members of the golf industry conducted the award selection, according to the GCSAA.

“While this is an individual honor it is truly a team award that would not be possible without the contributions of everyone who cares for and curates the golf experience at Bandon Dunes,” said Nice. “We work hard at our environmental initiatives and it really speaks to Mr. Keiser’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”

Nature gifted Bandon Dunes an unfathomable array of wildlife and a wealth of distinctive flora that Mr. Keiser has vowed to preserve from the beginning. With Mr. Keiser’s minimalist vision in mind and with the help of our management company, KemperSports, Nice and his staff have spearheaded an environmental stewardship program that makes us all at Bandon Dunes quite proud.

Bandon Dunes’ environmental efforts include the preservation of the endangered silvery phacelia, which is the hallmark of the Bandon Preserve logo. It also includes an extremely light use of fertilizers, a recycling program for grass clippings, renewable energy through the addition of four solar arrays, and even the conversion of a vacant shed into a bat habitat, just to name a few. And the net proceeds from play at Bandon Preserve are donated to the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, which focuses on innovative ecological initiatives that drive economic opportunity on the South Coast of Oregon.

We are proud to be able to add the ELGA award to Bandon Dunes’ other environmental certifications, which include:

2016, Best Green Workplaces in Oregon by Oregon Business Magazine
2015, OGCSA Michael Hindal Environmental Award
2010-2016, Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program
Green to a Tee Level IV with KemperSports
Green Site with the Ground Water Foundation
Waste Wise Partner with the EPA
2012, Golf Digest Green Star Award winner

In addition to Nice’s Golf Digest/GCSAA award, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort has been fortunate year after year to be ranked among the finest golf facilities in the world. Here is a rundown of Bandon Dunes’ current national and international rankings:

Golf Digest: America’s 100 Greatest Courses (2017-18)

Pacific Dunes – No. 18

Bandon Dunes – No. 36

Old Macdonald – No. 47

Bandon Trails – No. 70

Golfweek: Best Resort Courses (2017)

Pacific Dunes – No. 2

Old Macdonald – No. 4

Bandon Dunes – No. 6

Bandon Trails – No. 9

GOLF Magazine: Premier Resorts (2016-17)

Bandon Dunes – No. 1