Eco-friendly golf courses – 5 sustainable locations around the world

Courses
A planet earth golf ball

With the impact of climate change being felt around the globe, golf courses worldwide are taking increasingly larger measures to bring sustainability to the game.

Eco-friendly golf courses are designed with the overarching aim of minimising environmental impact by using modern practices to lower their carbon offset.

Whether it’s self-irrigating greens, water management or renewable energy, the efforts being made by courses globally to allow environmentally sustainable golf make these courses imperative to play.

Golf courses can be home to amazing wildlife, and providing and maintaining these habitats not only helps the world but also maintains the natural beauty we often take for granted when playing our favourite locations.

These golf courses showcase the fact that excellent, challenging courses and sustainable golf can co-exist and are the future.

Wollongong Golf Club, Australia

As the largest green space in the Greater Wollongong area, the golf club has a huge responsibility to maintain high levels of sustainability in their land.

The New South Wales-based club has long since been on top of its environmental efforts, with a recycled water management program having been operating since 2009, meaning none of the town water (water supplied to the community) is used on their course.

Of the 110 million litres of water they use each year, 70% comes from recycled sources, while the other 30% is collected storm water.

Home to over 50 species and birds, as well as on-course vegetation, it helps the club offset a staggering 16 tonnes of carbon each year.

Book your round here.

Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore

The heat often soars in Singapore, and many patrons opt to use golf buggies on the golf course, with each one being 100% electric and fed by sustainable lithium batteries.

With GPS spraying technology, the club have managed to reduce product application through far greater accuracy.

In 2016, they installed six reservoir lakes, making the course completely self-irrigating, meaning rainwater can be recycled consistently.

The club car park is littered with EV charging points, meaning if you drive an electric or hybrid car, you can charge your vehicle while out on the golf course.

Book your round here.

Arabella Golf Mallorca, Spain

The golf club in Mallorca has recently implemented a sustainable programme named ‘Green Evolution’, which focuses on four key areas – wate, energy management, sustainable consumption and preservation of the natural environment.

According to their most recent carbon footprint calculation, the club found that their action has led to a 6.6% reduction in atmospheric emissions.

The club has three golf courses with extensive vegetation and consequently has a great impact on offsetting CO2 emissions.

They don’t use plastics, offer osmosis water fountains, and the vegetables in their restaurant have been supplied from their on-site vegetable garden.

Offering guided tours for schoolchildren to see the habitats and discover flora and fauna on the course only highlights their environmental efforts.

Book your round here.

Gillyflower Farm Golf Course, England

This small farm in rural Cornwall is becoming recognised for its exceptional efforts in sustainable operation.

The golf course uses seaweed-based fertiliser to keep their greens looking striking and healthy while minimising the damaging effects on ponds and rivers from chemical-based alternatives.

If you enjoy a challenging golf course, this one is for you, and if you find the rough, don’t be frustrated – they’re good for the environment.

The South-West-based club have handed back their roughs to Mother Nature to preserve habitats and promote growth, a space safe from mowers, allowing grasses and wildflowers to sprout.

Dotted around the course are areas of rough signed as environmentally sensitive areas, which are crucial for wildlife, but good news – you will receive a free drop if wayward in this area.

Book your round here.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, USA

This huge resort spans over 2000 acres, with at least 75% of this unmanaged land, with 250 acres of it being a conservation area including threatened plant species.

The course has ten bat houses spread around it, which play a monumental part in controlling insect populations.

With an overall aim of being fully carbon neutral, the Oregon club has installed tremendous volumes of solar panels to their energy grid in an aim to offset their energy usage.

If playing this golf course, the net proceeds from your golf fees will go directly to the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, a grant-making department of the club that supports community and conservation.

Book your round here.

REVIEW: SO/ Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort Hotel – a great option for winter golf

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