Farleigh Golf Club in Surrey scooped England Golf’s ‘Sustainability Project of The Year Award’ for 2022 in recognition of the club’s pioneering Operation Pollinator programme, which has seen the reintroduction of natural wildflowers to the golf courses, as well as a vast increase in animals and insects, helping to aid pollination throughout the local environment.
Initially planned to cover 0.5 hectares of land, the club are to add a minimum of 0.5 additional hectares in 2022 after the success of the original locations.
Operation Pollination has been truly embraced by all at Farleigh Golf Club, with the club and its members immensely proud to have seen such a vast increase in insect life since undertaking the project, notably in the form of the native bumblebees which have been in stark decline across the UK.
Whilst the England Golf award recognises the work already undertaken, the team at Farleigh will be adding to this throughout the year, specifically by also adding a new wildflower area alongside the club’s driveway, creating a stunning entrance for all who arrive at the property.
James Ibbetson, general manager of Farleigh Golf Club, commented: “The club is truly honoured to have been awarded England Golf’s Sustainability Project of The Year. An enormous amount of work has gone into the project from our greenkeeping team, with our membership hugely proud of what has been achieved across our golf courses.
“Our greenkeeping team, led by Kenny MacPhail, is already beginning to work on the additional areas of wildflowers which we hope will continue to provide a safe haven for these insects, as well as a stunning visual backdrop for our members and guests. We thank England Golf for the recognition and would like to congratulate all the other winners of this year’s awards.”
