Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Innovative sustainability at a pioneering Canadian golf course is the focus for the new episode of Syngenta’s YouTube docu-series, The Green Report.

Located in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies, Mickelson National Golf Club made history as the first facility in Canada to achieve GEO Certified status for sustainable golf.

Hosted by Gary Firkins, the episode follows Master Superintendent Robin Sadler, who reveals how data-backed conservation and modern technology drive the course’s day-to-day operations.

Mickelson National opened five years ago alongside a new and growing residential community, Harmony. Purpose-built facilities were constructed to recycle the town’s wastewater, with the golf course now using treated sewage effluent for irrigation. In the first years of operation the course has already reduced its overall water consumption by nearly 50 per cent.

Sadler said: “We’ve got a state-of-the-art system with 3,600 sprinkler heads that are designed to target where we need the water when we need the water. It is a way of thinking. Golf courses can add and help the environment whether it’s recycling water, being responsible about what we’re doing and co-existing with nature.” 

The episode highlights other important sustainability milestones across the property:

• Solar-powered algae control: On the fifth hole, a self-sustaining floating solar unit shoots ultrasonic waves to kill algae cells, turning a previously stagnant pond into a clear, oxygenated, wildlife-friendly eco-system.
• Transition to lithium fleets: The club is systematically replacing petrol-powered machinery with electric lithium units, reducing carbon emissions and cutting noise pollution, benefiting wildlife and neighbouring community trails. Official GEO reports show the property sequestered 283 metric tons of carbon in a single calendar year.
• Local bio-diversity: In partnership with Syngenta’s Operation Pollinator programme, the club maintains dedicated wildflower habitats alongside four active beehives, harvesting several hundred jars of local ‘Harmony Honey’ each fall.
• Community Hub: Director of Golf Lisa Rosengarten outlines how the facility serves as a social centre for the local area, offering popular junior programmes alongside public access to its year-round Launchpad golf entertainment venue.

Syngenta Turf & Landscape global head of marketing Mark Birchmore said: “Robin and his team have demonstrated that by combining smart technology, community involvement, and resource recycling, golf courses can deliver exceptional playability while actively benefiting their local environment.

“Mickelson National highlights the importance of embracing innovation in all aspects of the golf course operation in the pursuit of being more sustainable. As Robin himself says, ‘sustainability is a mindset’.”

The new episode is available to watch on YouTube.

*Syngenta is a member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.