Hever Castle Golf & Wellbeing in Kent has won Sustainable Project of the Year at the 2023 Golf Environment Awards, which were held during BTME at Harrogate.
The golf club, which is located a mile down the road from the historic Hever Castle & Gardens, beat competition from St Andrews Links, Royal Mid-Surrey and Pannal golf clubs to win the award in a category which is designed to recognise clubs who have successfully put in place a sustainable project to ensure a better environment, with clear goals and objectives.
The winning of the award is largely down to the efforts of Hever Head Greenkeeper Rob Peers, who sought to sustainably access an extra water supply during increasingly drought-hit summers whilst providing a wonderful habit for flora and fauna. Peers has created lagoons to recycle waste water, boosting water supply and also habitats.
Last year Hever was a runner-up in Environmental Golf Course of the Year award and a finalist in Outstanding Environmental Project of the year award for its work creating an area conductive to wildlife. Worn tyres from mowers used on the greens were used to create a bug web and more fertiliser drums were transformed into a snake chamber. The club also undertook several other sustainable initiatives including installing solar panels, the use of hybrid mowers and the recycling of waste water.
The Golf Environment Awards judging panel was made up of representatives from STRI, The R&A, Aquatrols, BIGGA, Syngenta, Tillers Turf & Textron.
