I can’t believe I’m writing an article about Justin Timberlake. On Saturday, the 27-year-old actor and singer opened the first LEED Platinum certified golf course in the United States.
The multi-talented Timberlake’s latest business venture, Mirimichi Lakes golf club in North Shelby County, Tennessee, opened Saturday after Timberlake christened the course with a 291-yard drive crushed down the middle of the fairway, after which, the singer and actor grinned and said, “nobody’s happier about this course.”
The $16 million renovation of what was formerly called, the Old Big Creek Golf Course, includes: irrigation and drainage systems that reuse and maximize the use of rainwater; use of native grass areas and waste bunkers reduce the amount of property that must be maintained, and; the inclusion of more lake areas and recirculating streams to support wildlife.
Timberlake will also be adding a fleet of solar-powered electric golf carts — as well as a future LEED-certified clubhouse and food and beverage operations that use recycled and biodegradable materials.
According to Ecorazzi, Timberlake explained his eco-ambitions last fall:
“After we had the golf course we said why don’t we refurbish it and make it even nicer for the community Then I asked questions about what we could possibly do, and we found out we could ctually make it a ‘green course.’ So when it’s finished this summer it will be a Platinum LEED certified green course… that’s pretty exciting that you could take all that land and make it eco-friendly.”
In addition to the LEED Platinum certification, the course recently became the first project in the United States to receive the Audubon International’s Classic Sanctuary certification.
For now, only the back-9 of Mirimichi Lakes is open for play, but course operators expect to open the front as soon as it is ready.
Image: jurvetson under a Creative Commons License
