Many golf courses pride themselves on their lush landscapes, but few stop to consider the unseen challenges of maintaining them—especially on remote islands. In this episode, we dive into the unexpected realities of water management at one of the world’s most stunning new golf resorts, Cabot St. Lucia. Without easy access to freshwater, maintaining fairways and greens becomes a surprisingly complex and costly endeavor, revealing a hidden problem that many golf operations face without even realizing it.

As director of agronomy Damon Di Giorgio explains, water scarcity isn't just a looming environmental issue—it’s a daily operational reality that demands creative solutions. From reverse osmosis desalination systems to microclimate-specific management strategies, Damon and his team must be meticulous with every drop. Listeners will come to appreciate how standard practices elsewhere would spell disaster in a setting like St. Lucia—and why sustainable resource management isn’t a bonus, but a necessity.

By the end of the conversation, you'll see how Cabot St. Lucia isn’t just surviving these challenges—they're setting a new standard for eco-conscious, cost-effective golf course management. Through innovative partnerships, on-site nurseries, and precision agronomy practices, the team at Cabot demonstrates that environmental sustainability and financial sustainability can—and must—go hand-in-hand for the future of golf.

(0:00) Damon’s intro and Cabot St. Lucia

(04:20) Damon’s agronomy leadership

(06:54) Defining sustainability locally

(08:53) Island operations challenges

(12:22) Big sustainability projects

(20:44) Key partnerships advancing sustainability

(27:10) Future vision and tech innovation

Subscribe to Golf Sustainability

Note: Timestamps provided are approximate.

Thank you for listening to the Golf Sustainability podcast. If you found this episode interesting, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! For more insights and updates on sustainable energy solutions, visit our website and follow us on social media.