Machynys Peninsula in West Wales has become the fifth golf club in Wales to earn the top sustainability award in golf after making many changes on and off the course.
Machynys and Premier Spa in Llanelli has become GEO Certified, the most widely regarded and credible sustainability distinction in golf, after embarking on a process of transformation in conjunction with The R&A and Wales Golf.
It shows best practices and a commitment to sustainability, with changes varying from water retention and clubhouse recycling to encouraging nature diversity on the course, amongst many other adjustments.
“The R&A approached us to host the ladies and seniors Home Internationals before lockdown, and it was an opportunity to promote sustainable golf as well,” said Machynys’ Director of Golf, Nick Daniels. “We could use the OnCourse platform to complete a full analysis of the club and golf course and to work out what we could do to see improvements across the board. Since then, we have seen improvements year on year in the three main categories of nature, resources, and community.
“We have worked hard with our greenkeeper, Marcus Weaver, on the landscape, biodiversity, and conservation. That meant looking deeply at things like the pesticides and fertiliser we use, the type of sand, and even the type of grass. It also includes the clubhouse, our recycling practices, whether we can reduce the energy we use, almost every aspect of the business. That includes looking at the water consumption of the clubhouse, getting data from the energy companies on how much energy and what kind we have used.
“We were lucky in that the water management of the course is through recycled rainwater from our lakes, but we increased the size of our irrigation lake to ensure we can cover long, dry spells. One of the small things is to ensure that the sprinkler heads are at an angle to hit their target rather than wasting water on other areas. We have also looked at the type of machinery we use to move from diesel and petrol to electric and hybrid over time. Of course, golf clubs can only afford to replace some of their machinery simultaneously.”
Daniels added: “We have worked alongside the Carmarthenshire nature groups to look at nature on the course, building log houses, helping water voles, putting in bee hives to make our own honey, which we also sell in the clubhouse. We have seen progressive change after starting in 2020, an upward trend is what everyone is looking for.
“Another factor was to look at what we are doing for the local community, what support we are giving charities. There has been a drastic increase in what we have been doing as a club, something the members fully support and give back to the community. We have also looked at participation in golf, group coaching, the number of rounds being played, and what can be done to promote golf in Wales. The GEO Certification ensures we have the best practices in place, while the support from our members has been fantastic.”
The achievement has been welcomed by Wales Golf sustainability lead Dilwyn Griffiths, who commented, “GEO certification is a tremendous gauge of a club moving in the right direction. To have a fifth club in Wales achieving this mark is a sign of how many Welsh golf clubs are putting this on their agendas and moving in the right direction. We are determined to show that golf clubs can be part of the solution when looking for greater natural biodiversity, rather than a problem. Clubs can also reduce some of their overheads, while boosting the environment, so it can be a win-win situation for many Welsh golf clubs.”