Justin Timberlake’s Golf Course

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Justin Timberlake – musician, producer and star of several well-known SNL skits – has another passion…golf.  The course outside his hometown of Memphis, where he first learned to play, was auctioned last year.  Timberlake stepped in to preserve the landmark for the community.  Following a $16 million renovation, this week marked the opening Mirimichi, the first eco-friendly golf course in the United States.

Normally golf courses and their high maintenance are viewed as a detriment to the surrounding environment.   Mirimichi’s designers took a different approach.   The irrigation and drainage systems reuse and maximize the use of rainwater.  The course, a mixture of native plants amongst more lakes and streams, is designed to let natural eco-systems thrive and reduce required maintenance.  Because of this design, Mirimichi has become the first golf course in the United States to receive the Audubon International Classic Sanctuary Certification.

The golf course is also working toward becoming the world’s first golf course to calculate its own carbon footprint.  Mirimichi plans to add a fleet of solar-powered golf carts, a future clubhouse built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards and a food and beverage operations that use products made of recycled materials.