The Fairmont Southampton Golf Course has proved a green greener than most after winning an award for environmental stewardship.

The course was chosen among five winners of industry magazine Golf Inc's inaugural Green Award.

The accolade was introduced to bring recognition to companies and courses which have taken innovative and cost-effective steps towards environmental stewardship.

The Fairmont Southampton's 'Leave-It-Green Reforestation Programme' impressed the judges with its planting of more than 200 Bermuda cedars on the par-three course and property. The course is also the only one in Bermuda with Audubon certification.

Judges included: Dr. Michael Hurdzan of Hurdzan-Fry Golf Course Design; John Crowder, vice president of ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance; and Greg Lyman, Director of Environmental Affairs for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

Fairmont Southampton representatives will today receive the Green Award at a ceremony at the Camelback Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Jason Pick, Fairmont Southampton Golf Course assistant superintendent and the resort's environmental chairman, said: "The Fairmont Southampton invested in an upgraded, computer-controlled irrigation system that allows us to use reclaimed water to irrigate our golf course. The environmental benefits to that are significant, but it has also reduced the labour involved and, as a result, our costs.

"Our environmental team also sought out new methods for managing water processing, which have the benefit of dramatically reducing the Fairmont Southampton's dependence on chlorine."

Shelley Meszoly, regional sales and marketing director for Fairmont Bermuda, said: "There's no question that today's guests are increasingly environmentally-savvy, which dovetails with Fairmont's commitment to environmental stewardship."