Marking the end of Scotland’s Summer of Golf, the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation has released a new outlook report looking at the future of sustainable golf tournaments, particularly the collaborative and leadership efforts that support it.
The GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation is an international non-profit organisation based in North Berwick, Scotland, with operations in over 75 countries. The Foundation is committed to promoting sustainability and climate action around the world through golf.
Coincidentally, all five venues in this year’s “Summer of Golf” are GEO Certified, recognizing their leadership in sustainable golf practices.
• Old Course at St. Andrews, home of the AIG Women’s Open
• Dundonald Links, home of the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open
• Renaissance Club in North Berwick will host the Genesis Scottish Open from July 11-14.
• Royal Troon Golf Club (home of the British Open)
• Carnoustie Golf Links, home of the Senior Open Championship
The sixth Scottish event, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, will take place in Scotland from October 3rd to 6th. Though it’s technically held in the autumn, this tournament will also be played entirely on GEO certified courses – Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and the Old Course at St. Andrews.
“It’s been another incredibly busy summer for golf tournaments and sustainability in Scotland,” said Jonathan Smith, founder and executive director of the foundation. “This new Outlook report looks at some of the key issues that will shape these tournaments and other events going forward – responsible and sustainable events for the next generation.”
GEO has worked closely in recent years with tournament owners across the DP World Tour, R&A, LPGA Tour, Women’s European Tour and PGA Tour, who host all six events, and the Foundation has also partnered with government and dozens of local stakeholders to support sustainability strategies and delivery for these tournament and community assets.
A collaborative approach
“Collaboration is essential to this approach,” Smith continued. “Indeed, this Outlook report is based on practical experience and diverse opinions from a range of key stakeholders. Our aim in sharing our findings and exploring future challenges and opportunities is to raise the understanding and ambition of golf and event organisers in Scotland and across the golfing world. While golf acts as a lens, we hope that the learnings will help accelerate collaboration, innovation and positive impact across the events sector.”
Founded over 18 years ago as a pioneer in the sport and sustainability movement, the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation is dedicated to supporting golf from the amateur to the professional game, providing strategies, industry-wide solutions and trusted certification labels. The Foundation is committed to a holistic and innovative approach to sustainability through a bespoke platform available to golf facilities and associations, new developments and renovations, tours and competitions, and individual professional players.
The move towards responsible tournament event planning and delivery is a major step forward and offers huge environmental, investment and reputational opportunities. However, from a pure cost perspective, the challenges are clear: rising fuel and energy prices, increased water metering and transportation of all kinds.
“Simply put, this is a broad effort to maximize the positives and minimize the negatives while engaging multiple issues and multiple stakeholders,” explains Alan Grant, director of partnerships and engagement at the GEO Foundation. “I highly recommend that anyone who has ever attended a golf tournament as a spectator read this Outlook Report. It’s an eye-opener to see what the foundations of meaningful sustainability efforts are.”
Stakeholder sustainability initiatives
“Whether it’s a national amateur or an event of international status like the Genesis Scottish Open, what I feel is key is a commitment from organisers to take further action towards sustainability. That’s really the first step, but stakeholders today understand the long-term benefits that come with it – jobs of all kinds, revenue for individuals and small businesses, tourism and infrastructure investment, education, philanthropy, etc. Increasingly, we are seeing corporate sponsors and government agencies bring these sustainability goals to the table.
“VisitScotland and the Government are already pioneers in steering tourism and events towards this responsibility and we are pleased to play our part in supporting them in the area of golf events.”
In and around Scotland, the birthplace of golf, the Scottish Government is demonstrating great influence in the area of sustainability. The updated National Events Strategy, Scotland The Perfect Stage 2024-2035, is built on the premise that a vibrant events sector can and should support the delivery of a fairer, greener and more prosperous Scotland.
This premise, Grant affirmed, is at the heart of GEO’s work. Wherever in the world it operates, in all its activities, the Foundation aims to inspire, guide and celebrate sustainable practices that have a positive impact on three key areas: nature, climate and community. To that end, GEO has partnered with the DP World Tour for many years. A good example of this is the Genesis Scottish Open, which has achieved many of its resource consumption targets in recent years. The tournament has diverted 100% of its waste to landfill and will eliminate all single-use plastics from catering across the venues in 2023.
Positive impact on the community
Sustainable events are also encouraged to bring positive impact and value to local communities. For example, the Foundation organized a beach walk and clean-up in North Berwick in July, which involved touring professionals competing at the neighboring Renaissance Club and helped raise awareness of local dune conservation efforts. The Genesis Scottish Open is co-produced by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, with GEO as the non-profit sustainability partner.
“One of the biggest sustainability challenges for any event are the carbon emissions that come from traveling spectators, organisers and athletes to and from the venue,” Smith explains. “Alongside several other areas of resource and material consumption, these are probably the biggest negative impacts that come from a one-off event. These are challenges that need to be tackled with a long-term, multi-stakeholder approach and they’re challenges that we all need to rise up to and tackle. Sustainability and best practice never stops. We never stand back and say, ‘Okay, that’s it.'”
“At the same time, there are many positive impacts that can help grow the event, including raising wider fan awareness, influencing behavioural change at a community level, raising funds for important social and environmental causes and identifying a catalyst for green infrastructure investment.
“That’s why GEO is working with our incredible partner community to create a detailed framework for future leadership and collaboration. The Outlook Report is one example of this approach. After all, golf is played in natural environments, in communities, and this has been true for centuries. These are organic benefits golf can leverage to be a leader in sustainable events and sports.”
To download the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation perspective paper, click here.