The relationship between golf and nature was prominently revealed during the Scottish Golf Open with the production of a special Royal Troon course booklet.
Produced by The R&A and written in the main by the Scottish Golf Environment Group, the booklet is designed to raise awareness of the intimate relationship between Royal Troon golf course and the natural landscape and vegetation in which it lies. It highlights how historic links courses such as Troon are part of the natural landscape, surrounded by some of Scotland’s best coastal grassland, heather and scrub habitats.
The booklet provides a hole by hole guide to the wildlife found on and around the course. This highlights many local and national rarities, on a site which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in recognition of its national importance to nature.
Jonathan Smith, of the Scottish Golf Environment Group said: "We hope the brochure will increase people’s understanding of what golf can and does contribute to the conservation of Scotland’s flora and fauna, and emphasise the important role all golf clubs have as stewards of their local environment."
The Scottish Golf Environment Group assists golf clubs in attaining this role of stewardship. They have recently also produced a new toolkit to help golf clubs reduce energy consumption and cut costs.
The toolkit suggests a wide range of practical no cost and low cost ideas to reduce energy use and to make clubhouses and maintenance facilities more efficient to run.
In addition to the toolkit, a limited number of free audits and advisory visits are also available through the Scottish Golf Environment Group.
For more information:
