Meet TikTok's viral environmentalist 'anti-golf girl'

[Steve_ Shaffer]

For the last few months, the 24-year-old viral TikTok star from Boston has been advocating against the game of golf and the space its courses occupy. After all, she said she is an environmentalist with an environmental science degree from Colorado College and is getting her masters in climate studies from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands.
She’s also a comedian. So with her humor and environmental background, she said she’s tapped into a “niche” and “culty” corner of the internet with her dislike for golf, and it appears to have a much broader appeal. In addition to the impact on the environment, her videos also address the economic inequality golf courses can represent and the sport’s history of racism and sexism

“People generally think with golf hatred, it goes usually to water consumption first, which is fair,” Richards told For The Win. “Golf courses do use a lot of water. But their chemical usage because of their need to look green to look like what they saw on TV is insane. Those chemicals they’re using … will run off into local water sources.”

Read her interview. Here's one Q&A

So, do you hate golf?

Oh absolutely! 100 percent, if that’s not clear at this point I don’t know what to tell you. My hatred has definitely has grown the more research I’ve done. It absolutely started as a joke, and 100 percent is not a joke anymore'
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/08/golf-abbie-richards-tiktok-viral-video-environmentalism

[Thomas Dai]

Whether golfers like it or not and irrespective of some of the specific raised, folks do exit who have views akin to this and they have voices and votes and with approx 7.8 billion people presently in a world of finite resources care is needed not to annoy loads of them. Which is one of the reasons why equipment/ball rollback isn’t just about golf. There’s a much bigger picture involved.
Off to hide behind the sofa now.
Atb

[Phil Carlucci]

Well based on that little profile it seems she sure would love the land formerly known as Tallgrass GC.

Rather than open space accessible to all, it's now 100+ acres covered in shiny solar panels, accessible to no one, whose profits are sent out of state, benefits confined to a small portion of the local area, value TBD.  But at least for her, something she doesn't like was #canceled.

[Kalen Braley]

As much as I see her point, I think its very misplaced.  I'm guessing the aggregate number of lawns in America with thier corresponding fertilizer and water usage massively dwarfs golf course inputs...

[Wayne_Kozun]

What she seems to ignore is that if these golf courses didn't exist then they would likely be paved over and become housing. It isn't like it is a binary option of virgin parkland or private golf course.  Generally real estate will become whatever is the highest value use of the land.


That is continuing to happen here in Toronto with a number of private clubs and public courses.  Glen Abbey is the highest profile example but Beacon Hall is another prominent club rumoured to be considering an offer from a housing developer.

[Sean_A]

It is odd that she expects access to private green areas. I wonder if she feels the same about houses with a few acres of land?

In any case, her point is well taken. Golf has a terrible rep. Therefore, clubs should be looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly and better integrated with local communities. Opening the gates of 200 acres at 8am and closing them at 8pm for 300 people is a recipe which may not taste very good in the future. Golf was put on notice at least a few decades ago.

Ciao

[Daryl David]

Oh absolutely! 100 percent, if that’s not clear at this point I don’t know what to tell you. My hatred has definitely has grown the more research I’ve done. It absolutely started as a joke, and 100 percent is not a joke anymore'
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/08/golf-abbie-richards-tiktok-viral-video-environmentalism

Sorry, I can’t take her seriously.  Using “100 percent” two times in three sentences killed it for me.

[John Kavanaugh]

This kid reminds me of Cavalier when he first started taking pictures. Once you get a little fame it becomes addictive. I wish her well.


On a similar more serious note the podcast by Malcom Gladwell on why he hates golf is an enjoyable listen.

[Garland Bayley]

As much as I see her point, I think its very misplaced.  I'm guessing the aggregate number of lawns in America with thier corresponding fertilizer and water usage massively dwarfs golf course inputs...

Yes!

Who do you want growing the grass in your country? Educated course superintendents, or the typical homeowner that has learned lawn care from Monsanto, Bayer, and other chemical companies intent on make big profits from said homeowners?

[John Kavanaugh]

What a teen understands that you two don't is the enjoyment per person per acre of grass of the average suburban yard is much more efficient than that of a golf course.

[Kalen Braley]

What a teen understands that you two don't is the enjoyment per person per acre of grass of the average suburban yard is much more efficient than that of a golf course.

While that may be true, that's not her argument.  Its pretty clearly an environmental one of which I'm glad she's interested.  I just wish she would educate herself on who is the overwhelming contributor to the problem...

[Andrew Harvie]

I'd rather be talking about the environmental damage of a Costco paved parking lot than a local golf course...

[John Kavanaugh]

Every time you ball roll backers bring up your arguments you support this girls cause. Don't be a hypocrite!!!

[Garland Bayley]

What a teen understands that you two don't is the enjoyment per person per acre of grass of the average suburban yard is much more efficient than that of a golf course.

Exactly what documented study did you determine that bit of fiction from?

[Sean_A]

What a teen understands that you two don't is the enjoyment per person per acre of grass of the average suburban yard is much more efficient than that of a golf course.

While that may be true, that's not her argument.  Its pretty clearly an environmental one of which I'm glad she's interested.  I just wish she would educate herself on who is the overwhelming contributor to the problem...

Perception is as important as reality. Besides, pointing the finger somewhere else doesn't mean golf can't do much better.

Ciao

[Tim Leahy]

Seriously, taking environmental advice from a girl on Tic Toc is like taking medical advice from Dumb Donald.

[Sean_A]

Seriously, taking environmental advice from a girl on Tic Toc is like taking medical advice from Dumb Donald.

I am not suggesting "golf" take advice from this person. I am suggesting that she be used as data point in taking the temperature of the room. That is if golfers think golf has a bad rep and that there may be negative consequences for this rep sometime down the road.

Times are changing.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Golf certainly does have a bad rep and there are 7.8 billion folks on this finitely resourced planet most of whom don’t give a damn about the game including some, like this lady, who despise it.
The times are indeed changing and golf needs to adapt accordingly.
And if we and our like don’t appreciate it and ain’t careful then the chances of our offsprings generation and their offsprings generation playing the game that we have and do enjoy so much becomes less and less likely. Maybe some don’t care though, which is rather sad.
Atb

[Jon Wiggett]

Golf certainly does have a bad rep and there are 7.8 billion folks on this finitely resourced planet most of whom don’t give a damn about the game including some, like this lady, who despise it.

Which brings up the big picture elephant in the room which is over population. If she is really so concerned about the environment than she should also be really upset by the population growth which is the biggest thing fuelling climate change and environmental pollution. But where do you start on that point? People having too many children or the medical profession for reducing the mortality rate or old people for living to long?


The person in question might think they are doing something good but in fact they are showing a lack of confidence in their own beliefs by choosing a perceived easy target.


Bullying is never nice to see.

[John Emerson]

If we rank sources of pollution, golf courses are near the bottom of the list.  Farmers, and homeowners are much, much, much heavier polluters of ground water.  It is not even close!  As a, former superintendent, and currently a turfgrass and nutrient management planning extension agent for a university, golf courses are the very least of my concerns.  The overwhelming majority of supers are educated and are really good at their job.  Vast majority of farmers, and homeowners are not.  I am kind of glad I saw this thread because I am going to smoke her claims in my free time!  I never knew of this moron until now.  She may have some points, but as someone said earlier, it is naively misplaced if we are talking about size of environmental impact.  I can't wait to dive into her beefs!

[Kyle Harris]

How many people do golf courses provide food for?

[Jon Wiggett]

How many people do golf courses provide food for?

How many people do cars provide food for?
How many people do roof slates provide food for?
How many people do hospitals provide food for?
How many people does Kyle Harris provide food for?


Kyle,


your question is of course easy to answer but has nothing to do with the topic being discussed. It is not about the amount of food a thing provides because if it were then all the the above could be abolished (well unless your a farmer  ).

[Mark Fedeli]

Who knows less about the possibilities of golf as a sustainable, flexible, community-driven, non-elitist, inclusive source of legitimate exercise? The general public or golfers themselves?


These reactions to golf are never surprising. What’s surprising is that there aren’t more of them. We often talk about the tiny percentage of golfers who care about a lot of the things we discuss here. Meanwhile the general public generally sees the worst and most wasteful aspects of the game. Golf is not a good spokesperson for itself.

[Garland Bayley]

How many people do golf courses provide food for?

How much disease and unhealthy eating can be traced to farming practices that cause pollution and harm to the environment?

[Ronald Montesano]

Cavalier is a good guy. Unless you have a specific story to tell, don't hide your vitriol behind "on a more serious note."


She will have her 15 minutes of fame with golf hatred. No one pays money to hear someone bitch about golf.