Golf Business News – Future-proofing golf courses to support the sustainability agenda

By Kay Griffiths, Director, Leisure and Trade, and Marylis Ramos, Director, Savills Earth Advisors, Savills Earth

Last year, we saw a huge increase in the number of rounds of golf played with BRS Golf and GolfNow recording 25.6 million across 1,500 clubs, a 90% increase on pre-Covid levels. Amid its continued popularity, there is increasing pressure and a growing need for golf operators to incorporate sustainability practices into their operations to ensure long-term performance. So, how can the golf industry support the sustainability agenda?

Water management

It's no secret that climate change is causing severe weather all over the world. According to the United Nations, climate change is primarily a water problem characterized by worsening floods, rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers, wildfires and an increasing number of droughts. These extreme weather events threaten sustainable development and biodiversity. Given these climate changes, the golf industry is exploring how to better understand its environmental impact and make changes to benefit society and the environment alike.

According to the R&A Golf Course 2030 Water, golf courses have become increasingly reliant on artificial irrigation over the past 40-50 years to maintain and improve turfgrass quality, which can lead to depleting water resources. Sustainable water management can reduce these effects and build resilience in communities and ecosystems. To implement sustainable water use practices at golf clubs, the R&A Golf Course 2030 Water recommends the implementation of an on-site water action and management plan to monitor current water use and identify areas that would benefit from improved water use. methods such as drainage, irrigation and rainwater harvesting.

For example, Celtic Manor Resort Golf Club has reduced water use by 42% between 2017 and 2022 by building a closed irrigation system that includes five ponds and a reservoir, meaning it only uses water from this system and none from mains. They also monitor usage and leaks, recycle their water and provide players with reusable water bottles.

A variety of living things, plants and animals

The UK's Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) mandate is an example of the growing importance of sustainability in the golf industry. From January 2024, the BNG authority requires that new developments including the golf course leave the environment in the best possible condition, meaning that it is improved by at least 10%.

Golf course landscaping often comes with the use of chemical fertilizers and land washing, which can lead to soil erosion, water pollution, and species loss, directly impacting biodiversity. This is where the BNG mandate plays a major role in ensuring that golf clubs improve the world they are in.

Take Gillyflower Golf as an example, instead of using traditional fertilizers, the golf company uses a seaweed alternative. This promotes plant growth and resistance to stress as it contains biostimulants and hormones rather than harmful chemicals, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Since this policy was implemented, kingfishers and cormorants have returned to the rivers near Gillyflower Golf, Loch McVie.

It's a very good practice

The golf industry is presented with opportunities and challenges in terms of environmental impact and land use. To be consistent with the UK's net zero goals, golf courses must enhance biodiversity and improve water management. Golf course operators must adopt and expand sustainable practices to ensure that the game supports environmental goals while maintaining performance and accountability.

In conclusion, the golf industry is actively moving towards environmental and social challenges. By embracing sustainability, golf courses not only address these concerns but also improve their business performance and contribute to a responsible and environmentally conscious sector.

This article appears with the kind permission of Savills