The CMASA Conference held at Steyn City, Johannesburg on 25 and 26 August 2025, saw 136 club managers and heads of department, and 24 CMASA partners in attendance.

In terms of managing a golf course in a sustainable manner, the three pillars of sustainability; environmental compliance (“E”), social responsibility (“S”), good governance and financial responsibility (“G”) come into play.

In the 18th Edition of the John Collier Survey, we refer to environment, social responsibility, good governance and financial sustainability (ESG) reporting by a company chaired by one of South Africa’s most generous golf benefactors. Furthermore, just last week Africa’s leading entertainment platform, MultiChoice, which provides, inter alia, extensive coverage of golf, published its ESG Report. Why do these companies voluntarily publish their comprehensive ESG Reports? It is because they acknowledge that ESG commitments are not an add-on but are fundamental to who the company is and how they do business. In this regard while golf receives extensive support from these and other organisations how does the golf industry itself measure up in terms of sustainability-ESG status reporting?

World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on 5 June each year. This year WED focuses on ending plastic pollution, as this particular environmental scourge, exacerbates the deadly impacts of the triple planetary crisis – climate change, nature, land and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

Peter Drucker, through his work in the field of management and often referred to as the “father of modern management,” emphasised the following insights: management is not simply about overseeing people or tasks, but about setting objectives, organising resources, and ensuring that actions align with the long-term goals of the organisation

In Malcolm Gladwell’s recently published book, “The Revenge of the Tipping Point”, the author describes a tipping point as; “That magic moment when an idea, trend or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.”

In Malcolm Gladwell’s recently published book, “The Revenge of the Tipping Point”, the author describes a tipping point as; “That magic moment when an idea, trend or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.”

It was certainly worth the hype and anyone who is serious about their role in the game was there, and ready to do business. The PGA show is a “trade-only” event and is not open to the public. Because of this distinction there is an aura of something quite unique and exceptional at the show.

Every year golf organisations such as Golf RSA, provincial golf unions and golf clubs prepare their annual financial statements, which are approved and signed off. The notes to the accounts usually have a statement to the effect that the annual financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IRFS) for small and medium entities. This statutory requirement has been in place for several years.

In Part Four of the 17th John Collier Survey on environmental compliance, social responsibility and governance (ESG) for South African Golf Courses (this Survey can be accessed on the John Collier Website), the research deals with the issue of social responsibility.