Best management practices ramping up in Colorado

BMP Hero, a platform designed to simplify and streamline Best Management Practices adoption, is rolling out to golf courses across Colorado. The Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Rocky Mountain Environmental Golf Institute 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.

With growing legislative demands around water, pesticide use and sustainability, Colorado’s 236 golf facilities face increasing pressure to adopt proactive environmental stewardship practices. BMPHero.com offers a user-friendly, mobile-friendly platform designed to make BMP adoption easy, simple and enjoyable.

“This is a critical step for Colorado golf courses to elevate their environmental and operational impact,” said Aaron Fankhauser, assistant GM and director of agronomy at the Club at Rolling Hills in Golden, and current RMGCSA president. “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.”

“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 at Eaton Country Club as well as 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.”

The RMGCSA’s statewide rollout of BMP Hero positions Colorado’s golf courses to take a step toward balancing operational excellence with environmental stewardship. The platform is tailored to help superintendents customize and efficiently adopt BMPs, with action planning for enhanced environmental management.

“We are thrilled to partner with Colorado’s incredible golf community on this groundbreaking journey,” said Rizzi, BMP Hero founder and Radius Sports Group president. “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.”

Colorado superintendents are encouraged to get started by visiting BMPHero.com and claiming their facility. Additional states will be launching on BMP Hero in 2025.