Troon®, the leader in upscale golf course management, development and marketing, has taken the next step in sustainable business ethics, embracing a credible and proactive approach to environmental enhancement and community engagement at the courses it manages and develops.
Renowned across the globe for the quality of courses and customer experience, the market-leader is building on its long-standing commitment to best practice in golf course maintenance to take the next step in helping each facility further integrate nature, resource efficiency and community value into their day-to-day operations.
Dana Garmany, Troon’s Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer commented, “In keeping with our ethos of innovation and value, we want to even more fully embrace and integrate the modern movement in sustainability across all aspects of our business strategy and operations. As well as helping drive better business, we also recognise that this will contribute to the promotion of golf as a productive use of land and resources, a sport that does good as it does well.”
As a central part of its plan, Troon will utilise the state-of-the-art online tool – OnCourse®, which actively guides club and course managers through all key areas of modern-day sustainability.
With backing from many golf industry bodies and wider environmental and government support, the online tool helps facilities evaluate, develop and report their sustainability actions. The program also leads facilities towards golf’s accredited* international label of environmental and social excellence, GEO Certified®.
Troon’s Global Head of Agronomy, Jeff Spangler added, “We constantly pursue excellence in the delivery of great golf courses and memorable experiences for our customers, ensuring efficiency in all cases across the international portfolio. We want staff and players to feel proud about the places where they work and play, and for local communities to feel the positive multipliers of their local course and club.”
Spangler continued, “We’ve completed a labor of love since the Company’s inception and, in more recent years, utilised our internal Environmental Management System to glean a great deal about risk management and nature conservation. We felt it was now the right time to enhance our efforts, using the purpose built OnCourse program and the additional resources that come with it, to further our widespread charitable and community outreach work as venues aim to become GEO Certified.”
Jonathan Smith, Chief Executive of GEO added, “More and more companies of all sizes are turning the sustainability concept into practice. Done well it translates quickly into new efficiencies, course enhancements, customer value and increased profile – all contributing to profitability. We are delighted that Troon will be using these collaboratively and custom built tools to help unlock further benefits, and to credibly promote the social and environmental value of the facilities they run.”
This latest sustainability effort reaffirms Troon’s look to the future, following the investment earlier this year with new capital and strategic partners, led by Kohlberg & Company. In addition to the promotion of several of its key leadership figures, Troon sees in a new dawn of accountability and sustainability from corporate to individual facility level, as it looks to accelerate growth in the golf and hospitality industry.
Troon’s plan to utilise OnCourse and its commitment to increase its number of GEO Certified facilities falls under the company’s worldwide social responsibility program called Troon Drives H.O.P.E. Launched in 2011, Troon Drives H.O.P.E. celebrates the way Troon’s facilities and associates are active in the golf industry to make a positive impact on the world. The four elements of “H.O.P.E.” include: Humanitarian Efforts Worldwide; Opportunities to Grow the Game; Partnerships in our Communities; and Environment Initiatives. The program serves to bring these actions to light and to share the collective impact Troon facilities and associates have on their communities. For more information, visit www.troongolf.com/hope.html
*Associate Member of ISEAL – global body assuring credible industry standards and certification
Troon Golf www.troongolf.eu