The Colorado Golf Association (CGA) has a strong partnership with the United States Golf Association (USGA), which enhances its commitment to sustainability in the game of golf. As an allied golf association of the USGA, the CGA upholds the USGA’s dedication to the environmental, social, and economic aspects of golf. The CGA believes that a sustainable game should be accessible and welcoming to all participants, positively impact the environment and surrounding communities, and remain economically viable. The association's mission, “To make golf and all it offers available to everyone,” succinctly captures the CGA’s core purpose and highlights the importance of sustainability within the organization.
In Colorado, the CGA actively enhances its sustainability efforts through the association’s involvement in the Colorado Golf Coalition. This coalition includes partners such as the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America, the Colorado Section of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, and the Mile High Chapter of the Club Management Association of America. Together, these partners support sustainable golf through a variety of activities, including environmental and economic impact studies of golf in Colorado, player development programs, and youth access to the game via organizations like the First Tee, PGA Junior League, and Youth on Course. They also focus on developing best management practices for the golf industry and organizing advocacy events like Golf Day at the Colorado State Capitol.
While the CGA is dedicated to promoting sustainable golf at the state level, CommonGround Golf Course, owned by the CGA, extends this commitment to the cities of Aurora and Denver. Through its motto, “A place for all and all the game teaches,” CommonGround is often referred to as a laboratory that spans over 330 acres. This area fosters activities related to golf, community engagement, and environmental stewardship. A variety of programs take place within this laboratory, including the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, community birdwatching events, and a partnership with the Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG).
An example of community engagement is the monthly birdwatching events organized by CommonGround and CGA staff since July 2023. These events have taken place over twenty-six consecutive months, with temperatures ranging from subzero to the mid-eighties. During this time, participants have identified and documented over 130 bird species, including a peregrine falcon and a pair of nesting Mountain Bluebirds that successfully raised two broods in the summer of 2025. Many birdwatching participants have spent limited time on a golf course, making these gatherings an excellent opportunity to highlight the environmental benefits of golf.
The Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy (SCLA) directly impacts both the game of golf and the surrounding community. Since its inception in 2012, 37 caddies from CommonGround have qualified for the Evans Scholarship (a full-tuition and housing scholarship with a chapter house at CU Boulder). These scholarships have significantly improved the lives of the recipients and serve as a clear example of how activities associated with CommonGround contribute to the economic sustainability of the SCLA participants.
The partnership statement that defines the collaboration between the Colorado Golf Association, Denver Botanic Gardens, and CommonGround Golf Course focuses on improving wildlife habitat and increasing opportunities for the community to engage with nature. Established in 2022, this partnership is likely the only one of its kind in the United States, linking a world-renowned botanic garden with a golf course.
The DBG staff have played a significant role in various projects at CommonGround. Their contributions include conducting a floristic study of the golf course, planting research plots for forbs, documenting forb and pollinator populations in these plots, providing consultation on tree canopy management, and advising on the landscape design for the clubhouse.
In the fall of 2025, the staff at DBG and CommonGround will establish additional plots on the golf course to evaluate the growth of native grasses within the current landscape. This study will replicate a previous initiative started by Denver Water and DBG at a different location. Going forward, DBG and CommonGround will identify and implement more projects that contribute to the evolution of the CommonGround laboratory.
Occasionally, golf, community engagement, and environmental stewardship activities at CommonGround come together and positively impact the life of an individual. Georgia Meysman-Sharpe was a SCLA participant, received an Evans Scholarship, became a student at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and worked with Denver Botanic Gardens staff as a summer intern at CommonGround during the summers of 2024 and 2025. Georgia initiated the conversations about an internship, she observed DBG activities at CommonGround while she was caddying in the SCLA and while attending CU determined that a DBG internship at CommonGround aligned with her educational and career path.
While attending CU, Georgia actively sought out an internship that aligned with the activities of the Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG) at CommonGround. Her story is particularly inspiring because, before her college years, she had observed DBG's work at CommonGround while caddying in the SCLA. Once she began her education at CU, she remembered these observations and recognized that an internship with DBG would be a perfect fit for her educational and career aspirations.
In the future, the Colorado Golf Association and its partners are committed to promoting sustainable practices by enhancing the growth of the game, engaging with the community, and responsibly managing natural resources.
