The European Tour group has become the first professional golf tour to announce its commitment towards net zero carbon emissions as a recent signatory to the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework and Race to Zero pledge.
The Sports for Climate Action Framework was created by the United Nations and made for sports organisations and their stakeholders to tackle climate change through a set of five principles:
1. Undertaking systematic efforts to promote greater environmental sustainability
2. Reducing overall climate impact
3. Educating for climate action
4. Promoting sustainable and responsible consumption
5. Advocating for climate action through communication
The Race to Zero pledge requires all signatories to commit to reduce direct emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2040. The initiative will be a key focus of Golf for Good, the European Tour group’s commitment to Driving Golf Further in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.
“The group’s DP World Tour is a global brand with millions of followers, so we have a clear responsibility and opportunity to use our platforms in the right way. Our net zero commitment shows that through Golf for Good we are serious about environmental responsibility and the role we can play," said Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour group.
“Our staff and leadership, under the guidance of our Head of Sustainability, are determined to ensure we fully meet all our pledges, and we appreciate the support of our expert partners and advisers in helping us do so. Of course, we also invite our partners and stakeholders to join us in making effective change.”
The tour’s Green Drive initiative has grown in scale and impact over several years and was re-launched on World Environment Day last year. Its most recent Sustainability Strategy, available here, further aligns Green Drive with the tour’s wider Golf for Good programme to create a new, holistic approach to sustainable development.
Detailed implementation plans are already underway spanning governance, operations, tournaments, venues, media and technology, communications and partnerships. Sustainability performance indicators and carbon emissions are being tracked across all aspects of the tour’s operations through new internal mechanisms, and tools provided by the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf.
“The Sports for Climate Action Framework is about driving sports to net zero emissions no later than 2040 in line with keeping the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. It is no small or easy undertaking, but to safeguard the future of sport, we all must all join hands and efforts to win the race against climate change," said Lindita Xhaferi Salihu, UN Sports for Climate Action Lead.
"We look forward to working with the Tour alongside other signatories to set the pace for climate action and achieve the ambitious goals we have set for the Sports for Climate Action community.”
Jonathan Smith, Executive Director of the non-profit GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf, the delivery partner to the European Tour group’s Green Drive programme, added: “Over the last 12 months there has been a significant upscaling of commitment, resourcing and action across the European Tour group – led by the Board. We are delighted to help guide the ongoing development of the Tour’s emissions reduction strategy; support effective delivery; and track progress through externally accredited programmes and tools developed over many years for this specific purpose.”
The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA), in conjunction with other global superintendent and turf management organisations, is continuing to recognise those who help keep golf courses enjoyable and sustainable with the International ‘Thank a Superintendent Day’.
‘Thank a Superintendent Day’ 2022 will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 13 and the international community is asking clubs, members, guests and the golfing community to celebrate the day, and thank their turf management teams with support on social media using #ThankASuper.
During the 2021 International Thank a Superintendent Day, social media messages reached more than nine million followers around the world.
In addition to ASTMA, other groups taking part in the global event include the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) and The Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations (FEGGA).
All together the groups represent more than 31,000 golf course management professionals in 78 countries around the world.
The celebration will include a commercial that will appear on social media platforms internationally, on the US Golf Channel and international affiliates, in addition to other media outlets and social media messages touting the many ways that superintendents benefit the game and their communities’ golfers.
Others are encouraged to join in the conversation on social media using the hashtags “#ThankASuper” or “#ThankAGreenkeeper”.
In addition, golf courses and other groups are encouraged to provide special recognition for their course maintenance staff on September 13.
One of the biggest buzzes, pun intended, of Sentosa Golf Club's sustainability drive is the club's growing number of bee colonies.
Since 2019, the club has worked with renowned Singapore bee expert John Chong of Bee Amazed to create these colonies There are now six colonies of the local stingless bee Tetragonula Laeviceps around the Pyramid halfway house at Hole 4 of The Tanjong Course. One of the smallest stingless species in Singapore, they are not used for honey production.
Recently, the club added a new colony of another species of local honey bees, Apis Cerana (commonly known as the Asian Honey Bee), near the ruins of Fort Berhala Reping along Hole 6 of the Serapong Course.
Chong noted that the pink flowers of the Honolulu Creepers growing up from the base of the fort have been visited daily by the bees for nectar and pollen even before the sanctuary was set up. Given the right conditions, he added, honey production may reach sufficient amounts to produce Sentosa Golf Club's own unique variety.
"We shall monitor the progress and the growth of the honey bees at Sentosa Golf Club closely. Currently, the colony of Apis Cerana has been able to sustain itself without external intervention or feeding," said Chong. "This is a very good and healthy sign. Gradually, we will increase the number of colonies of Apis Cerana both at The Serapong and The Tanjong."
While the bee sanctuary at the Pyramid is meant for educational purposes, these plans were put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With the relaxation of the country's Safe Distancing Measures, there are plans afoot to bring in students and members of the public to educate them on the importance of honey bees to the environment.
Chong noted that the greatest contribution of bees is the pollination of plants, which produce a large proportion of the world’s food. "Bees also act as indicators of the state of our environment.
"Their presence or absence tells us when something is happening with the environment. By observing the development and health of bees, it is possible to gauge changes in the environment and implement timely precautionary measures," he stressed.
Since 2018, Sentosa Golf Club has embarked on a journey towards environmental sustainability and has led the way in uniting the golf industry to promote sustainable practices. The club aims to become a carbon neutral facility by the end of 2022.
For more information, log on to www.sentosagolf.com
Key stakeholders from the golf industry will turn the spotlight on sustainability when the Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF) stages the AGIF Danang Conference in Vietnam next month.
Embracing the theme of Golf Tourism and Sustainability Strategies, the inaugural conference will take place August 29-31 in the coastal city of Danang in central Vietnam. Known for its sandy beaches and French colonial history, Danang is in the process of re-establishing itself as one of the region’s leading golfing destinations following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The AGIF Danang Conference will form part of a week-long golfing festival in Danang that will also see BRG Da Nang Golf Resort play host to a 54-hole event on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), the Asian Tour’s feeder circuit.
Chris Gray, President of the AGIF, said: “It promises to be a fabulous week that will see leaders from various areas of the golfing industry gather in Danang. The objective of the Conference is three-fold – to highlight many aspects of sustainability in golf and golf tourism; to feature appropriate educational seminars and workshops related to golf industry development; and to showcase Danang as a premier golfing getaway."
Staged in conjunction with Danang Tourism and the BRG Group, the AGIF Danang Conference will specifically focus on sustainability in golf course design, golf course maintenance and operations, and golf tourism recovery in the post- Covid era.
Nguyen Xuan Binh, Deputy Director, Danang Department of Tourism, said: “We are committed to hosting the Danang Golf Festival annually for the next three years as part of our overall Danang Fantastic City tourism programme.
“We’re excited to bring the Asian Development Tour to Danang for the first time from August 29 to September 2 and are delighted that will be complemented by the AGIF Danang Conference, which will bring golf experts and golf expertise to Danang."
The 2022 AGIF Danang Conference will be held at the BRG Group-owned Sheraton Grand Hotel. As well as being prominent in the banking and real estate sectors, BRG Group owns and operates several international golf courses in various key cities in Vietnam.
"Although the Covid-19 pandemic affected many sectors and industries of Vietnam’s economy, including golf, I believe that these challenges cannot delay or deny the development of the golf industry in the future," said BRG Group founder and Chairman Madame Nguyen Thi Nga.
“Even during the period of interruption, we (BRG Group) have continued to construct new golf courses, such as our BRG Rose Canyon Golf Resort in Hanam that is due to open for play in December this year. Furthermore, we have taken advantage of quieter periods to renovate our older courses to ensure we can offer top conditions as golfers return to more normality and international travel,” she added.
In addition to individual presentations and panel sessions involving prominent industry figures, Gray said extensive networking opportunities will be offered at various social functions, along with the chance to play golf at a selection of Danang’s finest courses.
“We thank Danang Tourism and the BRG Group for their foresight and support in making this possible. We firmly believe that the AGIF Danang Conference and the Danang Fantastic City tourism programme will combine to unite the golf industry in Asia and quickly establish themselves as ‘must attend’ events on the Asian golf industry calendar,” said Gray, who is also the Head of Sustainable Golf & Agronomy – Asia-Pacific with The R&A.
AT A GLANCE
Name: AGIF Danang Conference: Golf Tourism and Sustainability Strategies
Date: August 29-31, 2022
Venue: Sheraton Grand Hotel, Danang, Vietnam
Organisers: Asian Golf Industry Federation, Danang Tourism, BRG Group
For details, contact the AGIF’s PK Ong at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
