The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service has completed an outstanding year of progress in 2025, reinforcing its position as a leading global authority in environmentally responsible, high-performance golf course management.
Building on The R&A’s target to support clubs with independent, science-led guidance that balances conditioning and long-term environmental responsibility, the team expanded its reach and deepened its impact across Great Britain and Ireland, Continental Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Over the course of the year, The R&A’s Sustainable and Championship Agronomy team delivered around 420 agronomy visits to new and existing venues worldwide, providing tailored support on course performance, resource efficiency and climate-resilient practices across multiple regions.
In Europe, a number of new clubs were onboarded – Aloha Golf Club, Breitenloo Golf Club and La Finca Resort, in addition to forthcoming work at Lofoten Links. This is alongside existing international partners such as Noordwijkse to underline rising demand for R&A expertise across continental markets. In Asia-Pacific, client expansion continued with additions including Los Cabos San Diego Golf (Philippines) and Mamiya Group (Japan), alongside confirmation of Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course as an official R&A venue for the next three years. In GB&I, the Service strengthened its capability with two key hires: Jaey Goodchild and Stefan Carter both joining the agronomy team.
Knowledge-sharing and industry engagement remained a major focus. The team delivered over 30 key presentations across golf nations – including Switzerland, Finland, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Asia-Pacific markets and the UK – broadening the support offered by The R&A while providing practical agronomic guidance to clubs and industry bodies.
Reflecting on the year, Richard Windows, Assistant Director – Sustainable Agronomy Services at The R&A, said, “This year has been a hugely positive one for the Sustainable Agronomy Service. The scale of delivery across regions, combined with the quality of engagement we’ve had with clubs and industry partners, shows just how committed the game is to environmentally responsible, high-performance golf.
“We’re proud of the progress made, but equally excited about the next phase – continuing to strengthen our support for courses worldwide with practical guidance, research-led innovations and a clear focus on helping facilities thrive long into the future.”
In GB&I, the Service continued to work closely with many of the region’s most influential venues, reflecting both the Service’s footprint at the highest level and the trust placed in its guidance by leading facilities.
Championship support was also central to the programme. The team provided agronomy input at The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl, The Amateur Championship at Royal St Georges and Royal Cinque Ports, The Women’s Amateur Championship at Nairn, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Emirates Golf Club (Dubai) and the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship at Hoiana Shores (Vietnam), ensuring sustainable championship conditioning while showcasing world-class course standards on golf’s biggest stages.
Across Asia-Pacific, momentum continued to build under Chris Gray, who delivered sustainable golf presentations in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. A GC2030 project also advanced in Australia and New Zealand, reflecting the region’s growing appetite for practical, research-linked solutions to long-term environmental pressures. Asia-Pacific delivery was further strengthened through the appointment of Dr Brett Morris and expanded Championship Agronomy support, including work confirmed for the 2026 Asian Games venue, Kasugai Country Club in Nagoya.
As 2025 concludes, The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service stands on a year of meaningful global growth – defined not only by scale, but by the practical influence it is having on courses worldwide. With continued expansion across Europe, Asia-Pacific and GB&I, and championship-level expertise feeding directly into everyday course resilience, the Service remains firmly focused on helping golf thrive sustainably for decades to come.