During the course of each year, two independent surveys are published, which focus on different, yet interrelated aspects dealing with golf. South Africa’s TOP 100 Courses focuses on what has been implemented around the courses, while the findings of the John Collier Survey’s focus, is on identifying risk, and its mitigation, through good governance and
environmental compliance.
The dust has finally settled, the printing presses have gone silent. and the sixteenth 3ohin Collier Annual Survey on Environmental Compliance and Good Governance for South Africa has been published.
By Alistair Collier | From SA Golf Trader From the John Collier Survey The term environmental sustainability (ES) was defined by the authoritative United Nations Brundtland Report in 1987, as the safeguarding of the natural environment for current and future generations, and has become a significant part of academic research into what is called Sport-ES. Among the many areas of Sport-ES research literature, there is the clear indication that the phenomenon of climate change is causing organisational uncertainty for some sports, for example golf. This uncertainty arises from addressing higher costs, as a result of the increasing complexity for managing water, energy resources and waste outputs. Geophysical impacts, associated with climate change, include extreme heat or rain events. In addition, managers of grass-based sports, such as golf, are seeing more pests, weeds, drought, extreme weather, and wind incidents. For almost two decades, through the John Collier analysis and measurement tools, along with the certification process, the John Collier Annual Survey has been researching the issue of Sport-ES in respect of golf. It is interesting to note that we are seeing signs of a trend, where clubs are gradually adapting to changes in climate, by introducing appropriate grasses, reducing closely mown areas, ensuring proper drainage, efficient water usage, and in accepting that grass should not be as lush as in the past, due to limiting the use of pesticides and fertilisers. The results of the 2022 survey will be published in March 2023, however this is a call to action for all clubs in South Africa to embrace a culture of transparent measurement, and third-party reporting, and by their participation in the 2023 John Collier Survey, becoming an essential part of the continuing and vital research into Sport-ES. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email ajcollier@telkomsa.net or visit the John Collier Golf website at www.johncolliergolf.com
By Alistair Collier | From SA Golf Trader From the John Collier Survey From the 10th to 13th of November, the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City will once again be hosting the Nedbank Golf Challenge, which celebrates its 40th anniversary as “Africa’s Major”. For many years, this event has featured the biggest names in world golf, and now as a DP World Tour event, hosts an elite field of 64 players, playing over 4 days, for a purse of $6 million. To add further excitement, the tournament is the penultimate event in which players are able to accrue qualifying points in the Race to Dubai. Over the years, what Sun International has achieved as host, in partnership with Nedbank as tournament sponsor, is to put on a world class sporting event deserving of its name as “Africa’s major”. The course is, as ever, an immaculately groomed layout, which has received rave reviews from the world’s top golfers, who agree that it is both demanding and fair.In addition, over the past number of years, the Gary Player Country Club has participated in independent third-party reviews of its environmental compliance and good governance processes, through the John Collier Annual Survey. In this regard, the course has been consistently awarded GOLD compliance accreditation for its reporting on issues such as sustainability, local procurement of resources and inclusivity within its local community. These awards do not happen without considerable planning and attention to detail, and special congratulations must go to Ken Payet and his club management team and green keeping staff for their efforts. The golden thread that holds together compliance of sustainability principles and good governance is transparency. The John Collier Survey provides clubs with the ideal tool to achieve this with minimal cost and enjoy the real benefits that come from their participation. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email ajcollier@telkomsa.net or visit the John Collier Golf website at www.johncolliergolf.com
By Alistair Collier | From SA Golf Trader media, these publications usually carry articles about top eighteen-hole golf courses hosting regular professional tour events. The exposure is there, continually, week in and week out, showcasing carefully manicured greens and fairways and beautiful views of blue lakes and green vegetation. In South Africa, taking into consideration our climatic conditions and the actual number of golfers playing the game, in reality the Augusta syndrome is beyond the reach of many golf clubs. From a media perspective it is important to maintain the narrative but in reality, more than 60% of golf courses in South Africa are nine-hole courses. Notwithstanding the hype, it is suggested that this is where the enthusiasm for the game starts and the place to grow the game. There are many advantages in playing a 9-hole course. For example, it saves time in that the average pace of play for nine holes is just under two and a half hours. It saves money in that many nine-hole rates are typically 50 percent ormore discounted from the full round rate. It is easier on your body as playing nine holes allows you to get great exercise without overdoing it. It is a great way to start because it is not necessarily as taxing mentally and physically for those who are still trying to master the basics. Most importantly your scores still count so you can still submit your -nine-hole scores if you are keeping a handicap. Furthermore, in terms of research carried out through the John Collier Survey many of the so-called big clubs could learn a great deal from these nine-hole courses in respect of environmental compliance and good governance. Good examples of these clubs include Hankey Golf Club in the Eastern Cape, Jagersfontein Golf Club in the Free State, Utrecht Country Club in Kwa Zulu Natal, Mooi Nooi Golf Club in the North West, Springbok in the Northern Cape and Chrome Golf Club in Mpumalanga. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email ajcollier@telkomsa.net or visit the John Collier Golf website at www.johncolliergolf.com
By Alistair Collier | From SA Golf Trader World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on 5 June each year and stimulates awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and public action. This day is the UN’s most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment. Since its inception in 1974, it has grown to become. Above all, WED is the “people’s day” for doing something to take care of the Earth. That Al something”can have a local, national or global focus. Each WED is organized around a theme that focuses attention on .a particular environmental concern, the theme for 2021 is `ecosystem restoration. Each year those golf club’s data which was included in the 14th John Collier Annual Survey is assessed for environmental compliance and good governance excellence. The winner for 2020-21 is LEOPARD CREEK situated near to Malelane in Mpumulanga Province of South Africa and Special Mention Awards to Montagu Golf Club in the Western Cape and Zwartkop Golf Club in Gauteng. The reviewers were really impressed with the level of detail and standards set in terms of good gdvernance and environmental compliance by the LEOPARD CREEK team and it is fitting that on WED the club was appropriately recognised. 2020 was a year with multiple crises, including a global pandemic, but what LEOPARD CREEK has done well is to link the practical application of ecosystem restoration and focus on its relationship with nature, and then take specific steps to move from crisis to healing: and in so doing, recognize that the restoration of nature is imperative for the survival of our planet and the human race. LEOPARD CREEK’s initiatives have contributed to fight the climate crisis and will help to prevent the potential loss of many species. Their activities will also. help to enhance food security, water supply and • livelihoods while !jutting the club in a position to move towards a carbon neutral environment. LEOPARD CREEK’s winning this award cannot be achieved without the passion and commitment of many people who embrace the management benefits of sustainability, underpinned by good governance, environmental compliance and acknowledging the threats of climate change and the need to be on the road to zero carbon. Therefore, in making this award to LEOPARD CREEK we also offer special congratulations to the club’s CEO Johan Piek and Course Manager Derek Muggeridge and their respective teams. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email ajcollier@telkomsa.net or visit the John Collier Golf website at www.johncolliergolf.com
By Alistair Collier | From SA Golf Trader JOHN COLLIER SURVEY According to Wikipedia, the Garden Route is a 300-kilometre stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa which extends from Witsand in the Western Cape to the border of Tsitsikamma Storms River in the Eastern Cape. The name comes from the verdant and ecologically diverse vegetation encountered here with an oceanic climate, mild to warm summers, and mild to cool winters. With these favourable climatic conditions, it is not surprising that there are so many golfing facilities along this route. Recent research into good governance and environmental compliance into golf courses along the garden route indicate that the compliance levels for golf clubs in this area is above the national benchmark of 31%, and leading the way is the Kingswood Golf Estate achieving GOLD LEVEL status and a previous winner of the prestigious TOP CLUB AWARD in South Africa. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email ajcollier@telkomsa.net or visit the John Collier Golf website at www.johncolliergolf.com
By Alistair Collier | From BG Magazine Question: I have been following various discussions, particu-larly those that relate to environmental and gover-nance matters. How important is it for us as a management team, and the board itself, to get ‘on board’ and embrace all of the requirements and how much time, money, and resources will this be likely to involve? Answer: One of the most important things with the John Collier Survey, is that the structure will allow you to identify your own goals, and then set your own pace to achieve the objectives that your club has identified. So, it is not a question of tackling all the challenges that your facility has at once – some of which may not even come into play at your facility – and this makes sense, because club’s budgets and staff structures vary enormously, as do the challenges that they face. In terms of the specific questions, there are certain ‘must dos’, and examples of these, would be that every club, or venue, has a responsibility, both in terms of its environmental and governance policies, to re-cycle waste oil responsibly, manage water consumption, wherever, and whenever possible, and note the presence of and then remove alien vegetation. The John Collier Survey’s dashboard, allows you to track your club’s progress in specific areas and monitor results for as a long as the data is input. The last aspect relates to costs, because the only new costs, if any in terms of the survey itself, would be related to the small amount of time needed each month for the designated staff member / members to input the fresh data. The upside of using the dashboard is that it allows you to track the progress made with interven-tions, such as collecting and storing run off water more efficiently. Over time, activities such as the modification in fertiliser programmes, the reduc-tion in the areas of maintained turf, will all make an impact on the bottom line and show as savings in terms of expenditure. The club’s board has an overarching responsibility and duty of care to ensure that the club is a good corporate citizen, which includes the need for it to be active in helping to protect the environment. It is not surprising that Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate has been awarded the privilege of hosting the 112-year-old South African Open Championship, which is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Sunshine Tour, with Investec as the title sponsor for the next four years. The original farm was owned by South Africa’s greatest golfer and sports ambassador Mr Gary Player, and it was Mr Player’s fore-sight that sculpted the Blair Atholl golf course along the Crocodile River. What we have witnessed, since it’s opening in 2007, is a layout that has consistently appeared in the top flight of golf courses in South Africa. Perhaps of even more importance, is how the property owners, club management, staff and members have, over the past 16 years, patiently built on their stewardship over the property. The care has covered land usage, protection of heritage infrastructure, concern for nature, and the unique biodiversity of the area, management of water resources, turfgrass management, waste management, and an understanding of the club’s carbon footprint, in respect of the use of hydrocar-bons, electricity and an integrated pest management programme. To validate this stewardship programme, the club recently went through a rigorous John Collier Good Governance and Environmental Compliance audit, achieving a GOLD LEVEL COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE. This is truly a noteworthy achievement, and an appropriate endorsement of GolfRSA’s decision to award the hosting of the Tourna-ment at Blair Atholl and to Investec for their sponsorship of the South African Open. What Blair Atholl has done so effectively, is to understand the relationship between sport and the natural environment, sport’s poten-tial for making positive social and environ-mental contributions, the environmental impacts or ‘footprint’ of sport, and for its measurement and mitigation, to underpin good managerial decisions. In terms of environmental awareness, the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP27 – came to a close on the 18th of November, with some positive outcomes. The primary focus of climate summits, remains to rapidly reduce emissions so that global temperature rises are kept to below 1.5°C. The question posed most frequently, is what more can countries and their citizens do? In respect of citizens, and more specifically golfers and golf clubs, the starting point is to understand your club’s carbon footprint. The best way to start developing this under-standing is to participate in the John Collier Annual Survey. The cost is minimal, and in reality, only the time it takes to collate the data, but there are many benefits. Special thanks must be extended to all those clubs that participated in the 2022 John Col-lier Survey. The results will be published in the John Col-lier Annual Survey in March 2023 with the TOP CLUB award being made on World Envi-ronment Day, which is on 5 June 2023. We extend an invitation to all clubs, through-out South Africa, to participate in the 2023 Survey. In the event you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us via Cell phone, Email or through our website at
By Alistair Collier | From BG Magazine Question I am a club GM and we had a debate recently at board level about what my role is and how it intersects with the board’s responsibilities in a management sense. I thought the matter would be dealt with quickly, and that we would move on, but it turned into a complex debate. So, for clarity could you offer some sort of a summary of the board’s roles and responsibilities, not just as they are in the ‘book’, but rather in a more practical day-to-day sense? Answer I get the sense that the unasked question about micro-management is ‘lurking’ somewhere in the semi-rough with this question! The truth is that in a practical sense, and at its most basic level, a board should set strategy and overall goals, and the required budgets, by working in conjunction with its GM, CEO and or management team. Once the plans have been agreed, the board would then monitor – from afar – the progress, be on hand to support (not lead), offer advice when asked (not make unwanted inputs – the unwanted spectre of micro-management), and review progress (or otherwise) with its management team, to make any adjustments to any of the goals or strategies that might have been set in the original planning process. It sounds simple enough, but the complication is that any board’s effectiveness is directly predicated on the: Skillsets, integrity, commitment… Which each member brings to the table. Many of the issues being faced by SA’s malfunctioning SOEs can be attributed to their boards misfiring on the first of these two cylinders. As to the direct interaction between any board and its management – trust is a key factor. The board must have the trust that its management team has the skillsets to deliver the planned course of action. Conversely, management must be able to trust that the board allows get it to get on with its job and not interfere with management’s day-to-day responsibilities. If management fails there is a system of recourse to address this. The problem with the board at golf clubs is that they are rarely professional and are subject to continual change, which means that issues with personality or a new board not ‘knowing’ its management team can cause serious issues. Managing the relationships in this type of environment is an unfortunate by-product of the current system and looks unlikely to change any time soon. The sad outcome with this type of working environment will often mean that a manager will spend more time engaged in managing the politics at the facility, than in actually managing the facility! That said, some practical advice, would be for the board, and any sub-committees set up by them to assist it with its deliberations, to agree on and implement governance charters.These charters would clearly delineate those obligations and responsibilities, which fall within the ambit of the Board and sub-committees and those that fall for attention by management. Having a governance handbook, with applicable charters, would greatly assist with providing direction as to the role and separation of duties of the board on the one hand and management on the other.
By Alistair Collier | From SA Golf Trader JOHN COLLIER SURVEY The 14th annual edition of the John Collier Annual Survey on Environmental Compliance and Good Governance of South Africa Golf Courses has been sent to golf clubs throughout South Africa. We trust that you will find this edition an interesting read, but moreover that you will derive some benefit from the findings. Notwithstanding the torrid time the golf industry has experienced during 2020, what is positive is that there was an increase in the number of clubs participating in the survey and there was a slight improvement in the national environmental compliance and good governance level of 31%. One of the findings from the survey is that a lot more attention needs to be focused on good governance compliance. The survey recommends that GolfRSA review th KingIVTM principles and apply them to their business processes as a matter of course, and then in their role as acting for and behalf of amateur golf in South Africa that these principles are made applicable through the representative associations (such as SAGA, WGSA), to the Provincial Unions and through them to the clubs. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email ajcollier@telkomsa.net or visit the John Collier Golf website at www.johncolliergolf.com
