John Collier Newsletter No. 114

By Alistair Collier | From The Business of Golf Magazine

This Annual Survey provides an essential tool for chairpersons, management committees and club management of golf courses, as well as industry representative bodies, as it constitutes a benchmark for all golf clubs and associations, from which to measure themselves against latest trends, and reference recent international research into the topic of sport environmental sustainability, which is becoming an important dimension of the global sport academy. In summary, the Annual Survey takes a closer look at the findings regarding environmental compliance, in the light of international research into sport environmental sustainability.

In Part 2 the survey sets the scene, as to the methodology of the survey, by explaining the survey population and related issues.

Thereafter, Part 3 unpacks the detail regarding the survey’s findings, with the net result being that for the third consecutive year, we have noted a decline in compliance levels by golf clubs in South Africa. In Part 4 we illustrate the continued flood of legislation impacting upon the legal universe for golf, while Part 5 discusses sport environmental sustainability research, as it impacts upon our findings regarding good governance and environmental compliance.

The core point being, how those in sport, and in particular golf, at all levels, envision the future of sport environmental sustainability. The Annual Survey concludes with a recommendation addressed to the leadership bodies of golf in South Africa. This recommendation is for these bodies to play their role, through golf as a social influencer, by coordinating the preparation of appropriate education tools and narratives.

These initiatives will be to build awareness, and to emphasise the benefits of environmental sustainability, and it is further recommended that these organisations include a separate
section in their Annual Reports, which will be dedicated to dealing with environmental sustainability.