BMP Hero, a revolutionary platform designed to simplify and streamline Best Management Practices (BMP) adoption, is now rolling out to golf courses across Colorado. The Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association (RMGCSA) and the Rocky Mountain Environmental Golf Institute (RMEGI) have partnered with BMP Hero to spearhead the “Path to 100%” initiative, aiming to have every golf course in the state create and complete their facility-specific BMP guide.
The RMGCSA developed its state BMP guide in 2019 to promote environmental stewardship, golf course playability, and the overall health of the Colorado golf industry. With growing legislative demands around water, pesticide use, and sustainability, Colorado’s 236 golf facilities are facing increasing local pressures to develop and document proactive environmental stewardship practices, customized on a facility basis. Practices cover twelve key areas including surface water management, pollinator protection, water quality management, nutrient use, integrated pest management, energy, and others. BMP Hero answers this call for site-specific BMP guides by offering a user-friendly, mobile-friendly, and enjoyable platform designed for individual superintendents to customize the Colorado state guide to meet the precise needs of their facilities.
“This is a critical step for Colorado golf courses to elevate their environmental and operational impact,” said Aaron Fankhauser, Assistant General Manager & Director of Agronomy and President of the RMGCSA. “Golf courses in Colorado encompass more than 33,000 acres of green infrastructure, with nearly 12,000 acres of water, wetlands, and native rough supporting wildlife and pollinators. BMP Hero aids the process of protecting these vital resources while ensuring compliance and sustainability.”
The RMGCSA previously partnered with BMP Hero’s sister company, Radius Sports Group, to develop its state BMP guide, in collaboration with a steering committee of superintendents who authored the guide, and in partnership with a stakeholder review team of industry leaders and officials from the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Colorado State University, Denver Water, Colorado Springs Utilities, and others.
"We are excited to be the first State to partner with Gina Rizzi and Radius Sports Group to provide BMP Hero to our RMGCSA members,” said Kyle Merritt, Superintendent Eaton Country Club, RMEGI President and RMGCSA Past President. “Not only did BMP Hero create a platform we needed for every course to create a facility BMP, but it also provides us an easy way to make future changes to our BMPs as technology, research, and legislation change over time.”
Now with the RMGCSA’s statewide rollout of BMP Hero, Colorado’s golf courses are positioned to take a bold step toward balancing operational excellence with environmental stewardship. The platform is tailored to help superintendents customize and efficiently adopt BMPs, with downloadable certificates of completion to demonstrate sustainability leadership and action planning for enhanced environmental management.
“We are thrilled to partner with Colorado’s incredible golf community on this groundbreaking journey,” said Gina Rizzi, Founder of BMP Hero and President of Radius Sports Group. “Colorado is a state of pioneers, and we believe its superintendents will lead the way as the first to achieve 100 percent facility BMP adoption. This initiative underscores the critical role golf courses play in preserving Colorado’s natural beauty and promoting sustainability.”
Together, the RMGCSA, RMEGI, and BMP Hero are paving the way for Colorado to achieve 100 percent facility BMP adoption while setting a national standard in golf course sustainability. Additional states will be launching on BMPHero.com in 2025.