Driving the Green

First GEO Certified™ In Australia

The National Golf Club

In an important step for GEO and the whole golfing industry, The National Golf Club located near Melbourne, has been confirmed as the first GEO Certified™ facility in Australia.

The three distinct and highly regarded courses at The National form part of an area of exceptional natural beauty and high ecological and cultural value.

The National Golf Club is a fantastic demonstration of golf’s commitment and contribution to the environment and communities.

GEO Certified™ Clubs in Flanders

Golf Puyenbroeck & Royal Ostend

Two esteemed courses were recently recognized for their great golf environments and high standards of sustainability. Royal Ostend and Golf Puyenbroeck were awarded the ‘Golf and the Environment’ distinction in Flanders, and also GEO Certified™, the ecolabel for sustainability in golf worldwide.

Golf in Flanders is standing on great ground, elected as ‘Sport of the Year for 2013’ and already home to 54 courses across a diverse range of natural landscapes. Find out more...

Elmwood is GEO Certified™

Sustainability Education and Action

Elmwood Golf has been awarded golf’s international ecolabel, GEO Certified™.

As part of the Elmwood campus at the Scottish Rural College (SRUC), the course allows students studying for a career in the golf industry to develop their skills and knowledge within a real working environment. 

Sustainable golf is part of the curriculum at Elmwood and this new distinction is a great example of teaching and leading by example.

Jaime Ortiz-Patino

An appreciation

Jaime Ortiz-Patino - passionate supporter of golf and sustainability, and GEO Honorary Council Member, has sadly passed away at the age of 82.

Jaime will be remembered by all at GEO as an enthusiastic and knowledgable advocate for the protection and enhancement of the environment through golf, and for the instrumental role he played in the establishment of the organisation.

Green Future for Development

Guidance for sustainable golf development

Sustainable Golf Development: Creating a Positive Legacy is now in Chinese and English and available in e-reader, download, and print editions.

Launched at the China Golf Show, the guidance helps people integrate sustainability throughout golf development and renovation, creating resource-efficient, ecologically rich, and community integrated golf facilities. Delivered with support from many industry stakeholders.

Sustainability in Golf Tourism

GEO and IAGTO Announce Partnership

GEO and IAGTO, the Global Organization for Golf Tourism, will work together to increase sustainability action and awareness throughout the world’s most popular and developing golf tourism destinations.

Eco and ethical tourism is growing and golf, most often a very sustainable “product”, can connect with this demand - with the GEO Certified™ ecolabel providing assurance to consumers. GEO and IAGTO will also work with governments on strategic sustainability planning around golf growth.

The Ryder Cup Green Drive

Sustainability Bar set for 2014

Plans for the 2014 Ryder Cup Green Drive are underway with ambitious goals for the Gleneagles venue, staging, and outreach projects. “After the success in Wales we are excited by what we and our partners can achieve at the home of golf in 2014.

Ryder Cup Europe and GEO are joined by EventScotland, Scottish Government, Zero Waste Scotland, the Scottish Golf Union, Perth and Kinross Council and Scottish Natural Heritage around this effort.

St Andrews GEO Certified™

The Home of Golf is Driving the Green

Peter Dawson and George O'Grady joined Euan Loudon and GEO's Jonathan Smith to recognize the sustainability commitment and leadership of The Links Trust in St Andrews.

The GEO Certified™ Reports from St Andrews Links and The Castle Course represent many years of social and environmental responsibility, and pave the way for further achievement across the Trust's operations.

Coveted Award for Coventry

Club adds to credentials

Coventry Golf Club has been GEO Certified™ in recognition of outstanding sustainability efforts across their parkland course, clubhouse, and reaching out into the surrounding community.

Coventry is an excellent example of how a community based club can embrace sustainability with positive results for the environment and the economic performance of the golf business, and then share those positive stories beyond the golf club.

Global Partnership with Jacobsen

Turf equipment manufacturer supporting GEO

One of the major players in turf maintenance equipment is aiming to accelerate the sustainability drive of the golf industry through a new global partnership agreement with GEO.

This will see the organizations broaden their collaboration to jointly promote awareness, understanding and solutions in the Americas and Asia as well as Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Burhill Golf goes OnCourse™

Ten courses working to become GEO Certified™

Burhill Golf & Leisure, a leading golf course owner and operator in the UK, has become the world’s first multi-course owning business to enrol in the GEO OnCourse™ Programme.

Colin Mayes, Burhill CEO (left) and Kelli Jerome of GEO made the announcement at the European Golf Business Conference, supported by Lodewijk Klootwijk, CEO of the EGCOA.

Sustainable Golf in China

GEO Certified™ Ecolabel in Mainland PRC

The end of 2011 has seen the GEO Certified™ ecolabel debut in mainland China. The management team at Jinji Lake Golf Club, pictured, is the first in the People's Republic to achieve the award.

In October, the Asia Golf Show in Guangzhou also saw GEO’s Jonathan Smith join a panel discussion with Joe Steranka from the PGA of America, Dominic Wall of The R&A, and Rhett Evans of the GCSAA.

The R&A Announce Support

Governing body backs GEO's work

Jonathan Smith joined R&A Chief Executive Peter Dawson in St. Andrews for the announcement of a multi-year agreement to support GEO's work helping golf to embrace sustainability.

Directly benefitting GEO’s Golf Association Partners and the many clubs working to achieve the GEO Certified™ award, R&A funding will help GEO to continue providing sustainability support for golf.