☆ If you're wanting to buck the trend of traditional golf, you might want to try disc golf or extreme golf.

☆ Yes it's true, golf courses require a lot of water, but new breeds of H20-efficient grasses are being developed to help conserve this precious resource.

☆ From British Columbia all the way to Costa Rica, some courses are going the distance to lessen their impact on the earth.

☆ Instead of buying new clubs, make some repairs such as regripping the ones you already have.

☆ Audubon International created their Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses to assist facilities with their environmental efforts.

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Maybe the traditional form of golf isn't exactly your cup of tea. After all, it requires a considerable investment of time and money to become really good and may not exactly be considered as exciting as other activities. If regular golf isn't for you, try one of these alternatives instead.

Disc Golf
Rather than a set of clubs and golf balls, disc golf is, as its name indicates, played with a flying disc, also commonly known as a Frisbee. Though the idea didn't really take off until the 1990s, the sport has actually been played in various forms since the early 1900s, but became an officially recognized sport in the 1970s.

Though the equipment differs significantly, the concept of disc golf is similar to that of regular golf. Instead of aiming a ball for a hole in the ground, disc golf players aim their disc for a basket or target. The disc is still thrown from a tee area and golfers progress down the fairway as they would on a regular golf course, with each throw made from the spot where their previous shot has landed. Disc golf players still aim for the lowest score possible, accumulated by the amount of throws required to complete the "hole." Many of the challenges of golf are also experienced in disc golf, such as surrounding trees, shrubs and terrain. Unlike "real" golf, disc golf is relatively inexpensive to play since many official courses don't charge a fee to use the space, nor do you pay to rent a cart or need to buy a full set of equipment (clubs and balls and bags, oh my!). However potential disc golfers may want to look for an official disc golf disc, which are smaller than standard flying discs and have extended lips around the edge rather than a simple edge. If you're really into it, you can look for a variety of discs to carry with you including putters, all-purpose, mid-range discs and drivers.

Disc golf may be easier for many individuals to pick up as well, since a good, accurate throw is all that is required to succeed. This of course means you may have an easier time finding partners or groups to play with. And because it's not as physically demanding as other disc sports such as Ultimate Frisbee, it's an activity that can be enjoyed by those of almost any age.

To search for a disc golf course near you, click here to check out the Professional Disc Golf Association's directory. You can also hit the jump to visit their official site, where you'll find the official rules of the game, as well as information about the PDGA tour (yes indeed, there is a tour).

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Disneyland and Sea World aren't the only attractions you'll want to check out if you plan to head to sunny old California in the future. While Mickey Mouse is certainly more of a tourist attraction, The Links at Spanish Bay is a must-see site - just think of it as Disney for adults.

Located between Del Monte Foest and the Pacific shore by the Inn at Spanish Bay, the 18-hole, part 72 course was designed with the original Scottish concept of golf in mind. Designers Rober Trent Jones Jr., Tom Watson and Sandy Tatum took the Scottish word "links" and its meaning of a sandy wasteland, typically located by the sea with bristly grasses and consistent wind, and constructed a course that actually reflects the natural, rugged beauty of Scotland. As the sound of the ocean's waves crash nearby, the facility offers the option of using a regular shot or a low, running shot.

Besides being created with authenticity in mind, the course was also designed with the earth in mind. The committment to environmental preservation is demonstrated in designated "environmentally sensitive" areas, where drops can be made outside of those spaces in an effort to protect native plants, birds and animals. The course is also a certified member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary golf course program.

Book your tee time by visiting the official Links at Spanish Bay website after the jump.

» The Links at Spanish Bay

Any golf course can say they follow eco-friendly practices, but how can you be sure your favorite place to tee off is truly green? Programs such as the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses make figuring this out a much simpler process. Members of the program must commit to protecting the environment through measures such as enhacing valuable natural areas, and wildlife  habitats, improving efficientcy and minimizing the potentially harmful impacts of golf courses.

Who can join
The Audubon program welcomes U.S. and international golf courses, including private clubs, public and municipal courses, PGA sites, nine-hole courses, resort courses and golf residential communities.

What's involved
Membership is just the initial step. Upon joining, courses must evaluate their environmental resources and potential liabilities and subsequently develop an environmental plan that outlines the specific setting of the course, goals, staff, budget and time. Audubon also offers a Site Assessment and Environmental Planning Form to assist a course in areas including Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, Water Quality Management and Outreach and Education.

Each plan is unique to the course involved and caters to the course's needs. Each course that successfully implements and manages the aforementioned practices may be designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, reassuring visitors that they are playing at a genuninely green facility.

Also included in membership is a certification handbook to allow environmental efforts to be documented and tracked, as well as A Guide to Environmental Stewardship, a subscription to the program's newsletter Stewardship News, and access to Audubon suuport staff via telephone and email.

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Old Marsh Golf Club, located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, was once a 450-acre ranch full of marshes and beautiful pines. Now converted into a year-round golf course, Old Marsh is also known as the "purist" club where history and tradition are appreciated and valued.

Old Marsh became a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 1998 for reasons other than the beautiful, natural setting. The facility was designed to be uniquely compatible with the natural environment. This includes features that prevent irrigation water from being drained onto the adjacent marshes and wetlands, instead diverting the water into canals or a series of retention lakes. The facility's committment to environemtnal excellence is reinforced by the presence of rare wildlife such as Florida sandhill cranes.

Beyond the natural beauty of the area, Old Marsh was designed by renowned Scottish golf course designer Pete Dye, who paid special attention to details such as fairway height, apporaches and green speed. And even when the course was redesigned by Dye in 2004, the marsh wetelands and wildlife were preserved and left untouched.

If you plan to be in the area this summer, visit the Old Marsh Golf Club website after the jump to learn more about the course.

» Old Marsh Golf Club (Official Site)

Whether you're heading to Costa Rica for work or play, be sure to find time to squeeze in at least one round of golf at the Reserva Conchal Golf Club. The 18-hole par 71 course features lakes and ravines, not to mention, beautiful, lush greens of Bermuda grass.

And it isn't just the esthetic beauty of the course that makes it paradise - one of the primary goals is to keep the facility as eco-friendly as possible. That means a committment to sustainability through measures such as a 95-acre wildlife refuge, an untouched biosensitive area that Reserva Conchal worked with the Costa Rican Ministry of the Environment to create. While some of the area was once used for rice fields and cattle ranching, Reserva Conchal worked to reforest the land with native plant species. Over 60 per cent will remain in its natural state and will be protected to allow the wildlife to roam freely, and the public can take guided tours of the area. The course is a member of the Audubon Certificate and Blue Certificate programs, both of which use initiative to protect the environment. Reserva Conchal has also devoted financial resources to a government program known as FONAFIFO, which works to protect existing forests and regenerate new ecosystems. The money also benefits thousands of families who live in the community and have experienced an improved quality of life thanks to the program.

Check out the official Reserva Conchal website after the jump to learn more about the course, such as what each invidivual hole has to offer and the surrounding community.

» Reserva Conchal Golf Club