Golf has a unique opportunity to make a difference as we work together to a more sustainable future.
A golf course is not just a tee box, fairway and green. It is surrounded by acres of land that act as habitats and ecosystems for wildlife.
Established with the sole purpose of helping accelerate sustainability in and through golf, The GEO Foundation has been collaborating widely with partners from golf, government, NGO’s, business and science for over 15 years.
Image credit: sustainable.golf
Its industry leading ecoLabel, the GEO Certification, is a comprehensive modern certification, developed to the highest credibility standard, to help golf facilities, developments and tournaments demonstrate and be recognised for their environmental and social responsibility.
Some of the courses recognised for leading the field in sustainability were recently listed in the bucket list of eco-friendly golf courses to play before you die. Be sure to be the envy of your peers after playing golf against the backdrop of the dramatic, snow covered Swiss Alps or the crystal blue water and snaking island reserves of Mauritius.
Following on from our article that outlines how courses and professionals are embracing sustainability– we outline 6 simple ways the every day golfer can do their part to make a difference as we work to a more sustainable future together.
1. Bring your own Water Bottle
Try to keep single use plastic to a minimum. Humans use roughly 1.2 million plastic water bottles per minute, and over 90% of these are not recycled. Virtually every piece of plastic that has ever been made still exists in some form. Bring a water bottle to the course and do your bit.
2. Use Sustainable Bamboo Tees
Bamboo grows so quickly that you can hear it with the naked human ear. It’s also incredibly strong. And, uncoated, it’s also biodegradable. Bamboo tees can be hit over and over without snapping, but if they do snap off and are lost on the course, they leave behind no negative impacts on the course, environment or wildlife.
3. Take rubbish with you
It doesn’t just look bad– littered bottles and human food can be harmful to surrounding wildlife in their natural environment. It is very easy for smaller animals to get trapped under plastics and larger animals can be seriously harmed if they ingest it. Furthermore, micro plastics (plastic under 5mm) negatively affects soil quality. These tiny pieces of plastic can carry bacteria and act as vectors for disease. It seems simple, but be sure not to litter.
4. Car Share
This is not exclusive to golf, but is still very relevant. If you have a long drive to your local course, then car sharing with a friend is a great way to half the emissions of any given round. If you want to practise, then it is likely you will find yourself commuting to the driving range and putting green regularly. A home golf simulator or launch monitor is a game changer when it comes to game improvement, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home – no unnecessary burning of fossil fuels!
5. Divots
Always check whether your club wants you to repair your divots. It depends on how the green keepers like to operate, but it is important to be conscious. With some kinds of turf, divots can lead to turf disease.
6. Try Recycled Golf Balls
Around 850 million golf balls are produced every year. That is a lot of golf balls.
Using lake balls (as long as they are in good condition) will not have a meaningful impact on your game and will also help to reduce your carbon footprint.
Keep up to date with the latest in sustainable golf news here.
Author Bio
Sam Ledgerwood is the founder of Impact Golfer. His mission is to serve golfers of all abilities by producing thoroughly researched, honest content that aims to decrypt jargon so the average golfer can make informed decisions.
