The future of the BIGGA Golf Environment Competition has been secured for the next three years thanks to the injection of sponsorship from two new industry partners.
Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd and Course Care will join the existing sponsoring companies of Scotts UK Professional and Syngenta Professional Products to ensure that the competition, which has helped to raise the profile of the outstanding environmental work done on the nation’s golf courses, will continue to be the premier event of its kind in the game.
“We are delighted that Ransomes Jacobsen and Course Care have recognised the importance of the competition to the game of golf and their investment, together with that of the our outstanding existing sponsors Scotts and Syngenta, will ensure that we can extend the reach of the judging process, so more clubs can benefit from visits from our expert judges,” said BIGGA national chairman, Richard Whyman.
The competition is in its ninth year and the roll of honour (see below) includes some of the most environmentally committed courses in the country. The entry process involves the club completing a simple application form outlining the environmental work carried out on the golf course and in the clubhouse.
A short list of around 25 clubs is then drawn up by the Ecology Unit of the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) who then make site visits where they can witness the work being carried out, and see the results of it first hand.
“Over the nine years we have been judging the competition we have seen the quality of work exceed all expectations and the very existence of the competition has help pull clubs along to think in a far more environmental fashion,” said Bob Taylor, the STRI’s chief ecologist.
The National winner receives £2000 to spend on environmental projects plus a weather station.
BIGGA www.bigga.org.uk
Roll of Honour:
1997 Hankley Common GC
1998 Lindrick GC
1999 Temple GC
2000 The Dyke GC
2001 Broadstone GC
2002 Ipswich GC
2003 Kenwick Park GC
2004 Minchinhampton GC
2005 Thorpeness GC