KEEPING PACE WITH THE FIELD, IN TERMS OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO ESG

By Alistair Collier | The Business of Golf Magazine

So, the dust has settled on this version (2023 to 2024) of the John Collier Survey, at least in terms of the putting together, publishing and circulating the digital version of the survey.
However, it would be fair to say that the contents of the survey have, or should have, raised a dust storm or two of their own! These dust devils would be in various areas, but principally in terms of static, or even slowing levels of compliance. They would also be a factor in relation to matters that encompass our responsibilities, as a golf community, to run our affairs at every level, from clubs to associations, as transparently and ethically as possible.

In addition, they should be seen as a clear KEEPING PACE WITH THE FIELD, IN TERMS OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO ESG signal to what is a custodial role in terms of the stewardship of the ground occupied by the golf courses themselves, and the impact that these can have, environmentally, both at an immediate local level, but also in the broader context of South Africa’s environmental responsibilities, as a whole. The fact that as a nation we are ‘dumping’ 7 billion litres of untreated sewage and wastewater into our water systems every
day, should not be used as the excuse to throw up our hands and walk away from our own personal responsibilities, because the municipalities and water authorities of the day are failing in their duty of care to safeguard our environment.

Nor should we tempted to point out that it ‘is not just us’, by using examples such as the water quality in the Thames in the UK, to act as some sort of get out of jail card! We should always remember that in golf, keeping pace with the field, is monitored by keeping up with the 4-ball in front, and not by looking at the one behind you. Over the next few issues of BG, we shall be looking at what should be considered as the key findings, and matters of real concern, in the current survey with its author – Alistair Collier.