09/27/2022
https://sustainable.golf/news/articles/let’s-talk-about-sustainable-golf-week
Do you ever find yourself wondering why some golfers, and most of the non-golfing public, don’t seem to understand that golf is good for nature and communities? That the sport is generally very responsible with natural resources, and that it is not a major polluter?
Perhaps you even get frustrated at times that positive messages about golf are not getting out as strongly or as widely as they could? Or that we are not being as proactive as we could be? All the while, others control the storylines and pick out points of weakness and use them to paint the entire sport in a bad light.
Maybe the antidote is to start talking more about sustainable golf. Proudly, credibly, factually, and in a balanced and transparent way.
The conversation needs to include industry commitments, action plans and so on, but critically it needs to be led by grassroots action – the real and practical things that greenkeepers and their colleagues do at their clubs and courses, week in week out. These are the stories, and this is the information that really matters. This could be the real gamechanger for golf.
Why? Because promoting our tangible positive actions and impacts is perhaps the single best way to change public opinion – locally in communities, nationally and internationally.
At the same time, sharing real-life, real-time examples will guide and inspire others and help them deliver effective actions and achieve the best results with less guesswork or trial and error.
Sustainable Golf Week
To help focus efforts – and to help accelerate the process of collective communications – GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf along with friends and partners from across golf will be championing the cause during the forthcoming Sustainable Golf Week, kicking off on September 18th and running until the 24th.
The purpose of Sustainable Golf Week is to reflect on the sustainability issues and challenges that we all face, to celebrate existing leadership in fostering nature, conserving resources, strengthening communities and taking climate action, and to renew our commitments and refresh our thinking around what we can do next.
This is an opportunity and invitation for anyone with an interest in golf’s future, the future health of the environment and the people and communities that depend upon it to join in. There are simple things you can do, starting now and during the week itself.
Ahead of the week, you can share your reflections, insights and stories on social media - and don’t forget to use the hashtag to connect with the wider community.
And, by creating even more Sustainable Golf Highlights and joining OnCourse® for free, you’ll get your club represented on the global Sustainable Golf Map and have your own dedicated sustainability landing page to share with members, sponsors and the general public.
During the week, get together to plan a conservation, education or communication project for the year ahead, like staff did at GEO Certified Montrose Golf Links, where local nursery children were invited to plant trees that would benefit wildlife. Or perhaps you could organise a beach clean-up like Quinta do Lago in Portugal, where staff aimed to raise awareness for waste reduction and build community involvement in the process.
It is becoming essential that we talk about sustainable golf. Not just desirable and a useful thing to do, but a necessity for the future of the game. Let’s do this well. Let’s do it together. And let’s help golf proudly make a difference.
Are you sustainable golf?
To find out more about Sustainable Golf Week and GEO Foundation and how to get involved, visit sustainable.golf/sustainablegolfweek or follow on social media.
