For golfers, part of the sport’s enjoyment is the tranquility of playing an 18-hole game among vast green spaces.
But the greenest golf courses are not actually green. On average, a golf course can consume a million liters of water a day to irrigate hectares of grass—leaving a negative impact to the environment.
Fortunately, changes in the golfing industry are now happening. The Mimosa Plus Golf Course in Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, is one of those golf clubs taking the lead towards true sustainability.
Iconic and sustainable layout
Mimosa Plus is continuously modernizing and developing the golf course so that it not only becomes more playable, but ultimately, more sustainable. This major renovation project began as early as 2016 under the Filinvest Group.
Most iconic for its countless century-old acacia trees, Mimosa Plus carries two 18-hole golf courses that wind around these massive, shady trees—making it unique from other golf courses in the country. Both the Acacia and Mountainview courses are operating and offering breathtaking views of the natural surroundings, from running streams to the silhouette of Mt. Arayat.
The golf course itself was designed and built around the land’s natural layout and not one acacia tree was cut ever since its opening.
Today, Mimosa Plus uses less water and less fertilizer. Its chosen grass breed does not only cost less, it also drastically reduces the environmental footprint of the golf course.
Improved irrigation system
Set in place is a new irrigation system, an Integrated Control (IC) System from Rain Bird, which allows Mimosa Plus to save as much as a thousand cubic liters of water since renovations began.
Mimosa Plus also established a Rainfall Monitoring System designed to automatically react to rainfall and adjust sprinkler application rates to take full advantage of natural rain, thereby eliminating over-watering. The system saves water and electricity, while keeping the course drier and more playable, by pausing, adjusting, or canceling irrigation in the event of rainfall.
Bug hotel and tree-tagging
Just recently, Mimosa Plus Golf Course won the Asian Golf Awards’ Best Golf Course in the Philippines— Silver award. The Mountainview and Acacia courses are also recognized as Best Golf Courses in the Philippines by Golf Digest
There is a new Driving Range with 48 bays in place, and night golf was recently introduced.
But the most unique, latest feature is a “bug hotel” inside the golf course which has helped provide a safe and attractive habitat for insects, and increase their population.
Mimosa Plus also started this year tagging trees using Greenstand software. It is a creative tool developed to track every tree within the vicinity of the golf course. This initiative helps manage and monitor the surrounding environment, giving importance to other living organisms to foster their existence and balance the ecosystem.
The two 18-hole golf courses have expanded their landscapes by converting the unplayable areas into red cogon (Pennisetum). Huge areas of rough have been scraped and planted with the new grass. The grass does not need to be maintained too much unlike grass that requires regular mowing and trimming to maintain the aesthetics of the courses.
Going electric
The Filinvest Innovation Park-New Clark City (located in Filinvest New Clark City in nearby Capas, Tarlac) recently marked a milestone with the arrival of its inaugural locator, electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer St. Battalion. The latter is keen on taking advantage of the park’s strategic location and growth prospects.
The Australia-based StBattalion formalized with FCGC Corporation (a wholly owned subsidiary of full-range property developer Filinvest Land, Inc. [FLI]) a five-year renewable lease of two (2) ready-built factory (RBF) units, each measuring 2,500 square meters in gross leasable area.
At the contract signing ceremony at Crimson Hotel Filinvest City (Shown in photo) , were: FLI SVP and Industrial and Logistics Head Francis Ceballos; BCDA Director Reghis Romero III; Filinvest Development Corporation President and CEO Josephine Gotianun Yap; Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HE Hae Kyong Yu PSm; BOI Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa; BCDA Executive Vice President Atty. Gisela Kalalo; Director St. BEIF, Pure-EVs & St. Battalion Stephen St. Baker; FLI President and CEO Tristan Las Marias; St. BEIF Founder & Vice-Chairman, Pure-EVs Chairman; and St. Battalion Director Trevor St. Baker; CEO & Pure-EVs. Director St. Battalion Paul Johnston.