Learn about the process, benefits and rewards of GEO Certification.
Use our A-Z to find facilities around the world that are Registered and Certified.
Viborg Golfklub
Viborg, Denmark
Certified 09 / 2009
Mirimichi
Millington, United States
Certified 04 / 2010
Zaanse Golf Club
Wijdewormer, Netherlands
Certified 12 / 2009
Ljunghusen Golf Club
Höllviken, Sweden
Certified 05 / 2009
Golf Club La Pinetina
Appiano Gentile, Italy
Certified 02 / 2010
Golfpark Nuolen
Wangen, Switzerland
Certified 12 / 2009
St Andrews Links Trust, Pilmour House, St Andrews
Scotland, United Kingdom, KY16 9SF
This On Course™ Report indicates the commitment of Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses to become a GEO Certified facility by January 20th 2013
It has been automatically generated from data submitted to the Golf Environment Organization by Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses. Publication of this data is the first step towards becoming a GEO Certified facility.
To achieve full certification Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses will be required to submit further detailed data and be assessed by a GEO Accredited Verifier against the GEO Certification Criteria. You can download the criteria from this page.
Each section in this report covers a key area of environmentally sound facility management. As defined by the Golf Environment Organization, these are: Nature, Landscape & Heritage, Water, Turf, Waste, Energy, Education & Awareness and Management Planning.
The Eden, Strathtyrum and Balgove have rough of varying heights around most fairways which act as corridors for safe movement of wildlife around the courses. It is also ideal for ground nesting birds as we never cut deep rough during the breeding season.The Eden and Strathtyrum also have numerous stands of gorse around the courses which are ideal habitats for insects, birds and small mammals.
The Balgove and Strathtyrum have a tree belt separating the courses from the main road. Bird feeding stations are provided and bird ringing has been paid for by the Links Trust and carried out by Fife Ranger Service.
All courses harbour a wide range of locally and nationally scarce and declining species. Birds such as swift, skylark, whitethroat, song thrush, yellowhammer, linnet, bullfinch and grey partridge are all found on and around the golf courses, many in relatively large numbers in comparison with surrounding land. In total, the golf course provide a stable, managed habitat for over 45 bird species. A bird hide is also in place on the Eden care of Fife Ranger Service.
In terms of fauna the most common sightings are of fox, weasel, stoat, field vole and occasionally Badger and Roe Deer. The brown hare is a common sight on the Strathyrum Course and featured in the 'Scotland the Wild' BBC series. There is also a great diversity of native flora, including colourful plants such as Lady's Bedstraw, Harebell, Kedney vetch, Common centaury, Eyebright, Northern Marsh orchid, Purple milk vetch, Burnet rose, Devil's bit scabious, St.John's wort and many more.
There is a Rookery in the small copse around Pilmour House.
There are drystone dykes that provide landscape and ecological value.
Buffer strips and no-spray areas have been established around water courses and gorse outcrops to reduce any risk of surface water and habitat contamination. Microhabitats are constructed from dead wood for invertebrate species. Heather is conserved and regenerated.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses features areas that are designated or protected at the following levels:
The following ecological surveys have been undertaken:
| Title |
|---|
| Botanical |
| Birds |
| Phase 1 habitat survey |
| NVC Survey of Eden Course, 2000 |
Estimated area of habitats at Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses has undertaken the following activities to enhance nature protection:
| Activity |
|---|
| Planting native reed species in the pond |
| Hedge planting at Pilmour Lodge |
| Grassland management |
| Tree belt planting on Strathyrum |
| Gorse management plans constantly updated |
| Erection of bird, bat and owl boxes |
| Greens staff have a species list to add to in their communal area |
The Eden Course is a coastal links design with 4 holes running alongside the Eden estuary and a pond which comes into play on the 14th and 15th holes. The Eden course is also home to the cultural heritage feature: Shepher's cottage. The Strathtyrum Course is further inland and used to be farmland. It is relatively flat and the majority of greens are raised to give definition. The Balgove Course is a flat 9 hole course mainly used by beginners.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses does not feature any landscape designations.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses does not feature any cultural heritage designations or protected features.
No landscape assessments or appraisals have been carried out at this site.
No archaeological or heritage surveys have been carried out at this site.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses undertakes the following activities to enhance landscape and cultural heritage:
| Activity |
|---|
| Gabion baskets are maintained alongside the Edenestuary to prevent ingress by the sea onto the course |
At each of the three courses greens, surrounds, tees and fairways are irrigated, if and when necessary, using water from our own bore holes.
Machinery is washed down at our washbay in the Eden Greenkeeping Centre.Grass clippings are collected in the filter baskets and recycled into our compost.
Filling sprayers is usually crried out at stand pipes around the courses.
Our maintenance facility has toilets, showers and a kitchen which are supplied with public water.
| Primary Source | Secondary Source (if used) | |
|---|---|---|
| Clubhouse | Public / Potable | N/A |
| Golf Courses | Groundwater | N/A |
| Accommodation | N/A | N/A |
| Maintenance facility | Public / Potable | N/A |
| Other | N/A | N/A |
The following areas are irrigated:
| Area name | Approx. Hectarage |
|---|---|
| Greens | 3.5 ha |
| Tees | 4 ha |
| Fairways | 30 ha |
| Surrounds | 3 ha |
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses undertakes environmental monitoring of water quality.
| Chemical | Biological | Last Test Date | Tester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflow | Yes | Yes | 2009-07-02 | Tayside scientific services |
| On-site | No | No | ||
| Outflow | No | No |
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses has undertaken the following activities to conserve / reduce / minimise water consumption:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses undertakes the following activities to protect and enhance water quality:
It is our intention to produce fine turf to provide a smooth putting surface, tight lies on fairways, fast recovery on tees and whispy rough. To this end we select the seed best suited to our needs with emphasis on fescues.
Regular cutting, rolling, top-dressing, aeration, light feeding and watering only when necessary all combine to produce the ideal growing medium for our resident indigenous grasses.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses maintains the following turfgrass species:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses regularly undertakes the following practices to improve turf health:
A little and often. Spring feed, top-ups with liquid feeds during high season and an Autumn feed.
The greenkeeping staff feed the following areas of the golf course:
Pesticides are only used as a last resort after cultural methods have failed.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses keeps detailed records of pesticide application.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses undertakes the following activities to minimise / reduce pesticide use:
| Activity |
|---|
| Aeration |
| Scarification |
| Dew removal |
| Topdressing |
| Hand weed greens |
We minimise waste by recycling or re-using as much excess materials as we can. Paper, cardboard and glass from the offices, courses and clubhouses are stored and uplifted. No soil or sand leaves the site, it is all stored, allowed to break down and reused in construction work or for filling divots. Grass clippings, where collected, is mixed with gorse shreddings to make compost.
| Avoid | Re-use | Recycle | Landfill | Incineration | Registered Uplift | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Plastic | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Aluminium | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Metal | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Paper | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Cardboard | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Electrical | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Grass Clippings | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Cores | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Turf | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Sand | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Wood / Timber | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Leaves | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Detergents | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Cooking Oils | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Lubricants | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Pesticide Containers | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Fertiliser Bags | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Oil Filters | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Batteries | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses has secure storage for hazardous material.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses has undertaken a waste audit:
2007-07-10 - in house
| Discharges to: | Legally Compliant? | Formal Discharge Agreement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clubhouse | Mains Sewer | Yes | N/A |
| Accommodation | N/A | No | N/A |
| Maintenance Facility | Mains Sewer | Yes | N/A |
| Wash Pad | Via Oil Separator | No | Waste Water Wash Pad Formal Discharge Arrangement |
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses undertakes the following activities to reduce resource consumption or minimise waste:
Our policy is to efficiently control electricity use and strive to reduce fuel consumption wherever possible.
The Caddie Pavillion has been fitted with energy saving lighting. Additional timer switches have also been fitted and additional insulation has been appointed in the Eden Clubhouse.
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses has undertaken an Energy Audit:
2002-01-17 - J D Wightman, Scottish Energy Efficiency Office
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses has not undertaken any activities to record energy consumption.
Activities undertaken to reduce energy consumption:
Green purchasing activities undertaken:
Departments involved in energy saving activities:
Employees of Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses receive the following formal and informal environmental education:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses keeps formal staff training records for these departments:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses keeps the following record of accidents in the workplace:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses undertakes the following internal environmental communications:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses undertakes the following external environmental communications:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses works with the following external groups:
St Andrews Links Trust - Environmental Statement.pdf
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses has an Environmental Management Plan covering:
Eden, Strathtyrum & Balgove Courses has an environmental working group, comprising the following individuals/organisations:
