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sharing its initiatives on habitat
management and recycling practices,
the staff there are contributing to the
global discourse detailing golf’s
positive environmental impact.
INFLUENCING SUSTAINABILITY IN
GOLF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE
WORLD
To be clear, while the sustainable golf
community is international, its
impacts are intentionally local.
Beyond Canada, here are a few
recent examples of those impacts
further afield.
In November, just ahead of the
ISPS HANDA Australian PGA
Championship, Royal Queensland
Golf Club proudly announced its
newly acquired GEO Certification.
Situated along the Brisbane River,
with views of the Gateway Bridge,
the club has long prioritised
responsible water management and
innovative practices to protect both
its grounds and the surrounding
environment.
While the club earned its GEO
Certified® status in 2024, since 1996
the club has relied on AAA-rated
treated effluent for irrigation,
reducing the need for potable water.
This method has also lessened
nitrogen inputs required for
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• CGSA • GreenMaster
fertilization. In addition, the club is
now working on a stormwater
harvesting program to further
support irrigation. This system will
increase the site’s capacity to detain
stormwater during heavy rainfall,
storing it in a pond for future use, and
it will also be integrated into the
development of a new 9-hole short
course.
Closer to home and directly
south, the U.S. PGA TOUR is
advancing sustainability with its goal
of having all its TPC courses GEO
Certified. The TPC of Colorado was
the first to reach this milestone in
April of 2024, with several other
courses following suit.
Built in 2017, TPC Colorado
initially planted fine fescue grasses in
its low-maintenance areas, but
climate conditions proved
challenging for these species. After
conducting research, superintendent
Kevin Malloy switched to a mix of
locally adapted grasses, including
bluestem and broom grasses. Over
the last 18 months, this change has
led to more vibrant and resilient low-
maintenance areas that require fewer
inputs, with the long-term goal of
achieving self-sufficiency.
“Sustainability in golf thrives on
collaboration and shared innovation,”
added Jonathan Smith, Founder and
Executive Director of GEO
Sustainable Golf Foundation. “Royal
Queensland’s integration of treated
wastewater and stormwater
harvesting, alongside TPC Colorado’s
use of locally suited turfgrass,
highlights how local action can align
with global sustainability goals.
“For Canadian clubs, platforms
like the Sustainable Golf Highlights
hub present an invaluable opportunity
to share successes, learn from global
peers, and solidify their leadership in
sustainability. Mickelson National and
Sun Peaks Golf Club exemplify this
impact.”
GLOBAL RESPONSE DURING
SUSTAINABLE GOLF WEEK 2024
Smith also noted that Sustainable
Golf Week 2024 was recently
observed, around the world, from
November 11-15. In fact, the global
response proved far more active and
sustained than that:
•  In Dubai, The European Tour Group
– administrators of the DP World
Tour, Challenge Tour, Legends Tour
and G4D Tour – launched a new
awards program celebrating,
“suppliers that have pioneered
sustainable innovations and
practices in their work supporting
its golf tournaments.”
•  Back in Australia, LIV Adelaide
announced that the event had
achieved GEO Certified® status —
the first Australian tournament
operation to do so.
•  In Lisbon, at October’s International
Golf Tourism Market Conference,
IGTM announced its new partner-
ship with GEO — to promote and
enable sustainable golf tourism, a
worthwhile but heavy lift.
SUSTAINABLE GOLF CANADA IS
THE FUTURE
Both the CGSA and NGCOA Canada
will continue to include information
on this valuable program to their
members. Recently in Calgary, the
NGCOA Canada’s 2024 Golf Business
Canada Conference & Trade Show,
proved a powerful declaration of
purpose – a showcase of how colla-
boration drives meaningful change
on golf’s sustainability journey.