The European Golf Association has launched a report providing insight into the environmental issues that affect national golf federations, and summarising the wide range of actions taking place across the region. The report also contains practical guidance for national governing bodies that are looking to address increasingly relevant environmental challenges and opportunities.
The project is a collaboration between the EGA and the Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) – a non-profit organisation that specialises in environmental sustainability issues in golf. It has also involved The R&A, and a number of national golf federations.
Speaking at the launch of the report, John C. Storjohann, General Secretary of the EGA said; “The European Golf Association is proud to present this landmark environmental report. For over 15 years the EGA have been involved in activities relating to golf’s environmental sustainability. The launch of the EGA Ecology Unit in 1994 was one of the first concerted environmental efforts in European golf.
“The legacy of this early action has continued through the work of non-profit body, GEO. We are also very pleased to have collaborated with the R&A Golf Course Committee, to ensure the messages in the report are consistent with their own pioneering efforts in the game.”
Chairman of the GEO Advisory Council, Bjorn Nordberg added: “The Golf Environment Organisation seeks to support golf in its drive to play a credible part in the global environmental movement. This report is part of that work, and we are delighted to work with both the EGA and R&A in its preparation.
“We would like to acknowledge the support of many of the national golf federations across Europe, who have willingly supplied information and examples of practical action, to compliment the central guidance. We commend those already active for being so, and encourage others to take steps.”
Peter Greenhough, Chairman of The R&A Golf Course Committee emphasized their support for the project. “The R&A is delighted to support the work that has been done to produce this report. Currently there is a strong move in Europe to ensure that the environment, and its management, are taken more seriously, and The R&A is fully supportive of those within the golf community who are participating in this development. Our role is to safeguard the future of golf, and to this end we believe that the use of environmental best practice will go a very long way to ensure golf courses are sustainable, and seen to be adding to the heritage and culture of all European nations.”
Drawing on the experiences of a number of national golf federations, and featuring accessible case studies, the report sets out a framework for how national governing bodies can take a proactive and positive lead on environmental sustainability, and sets out what are increasingly recognized to be the benefits of such action.
The report can be viewed at www.golfenvironment.org/ega_report/
and
www.ega-golf.ch/
Golf Environment Organisation www.golfenvironment.org