The R&A is celebrating ten years of Greenlinks at The 154th Open, marking a decade of continuous progress in making its championships more sustainable while protecting the future of golf and the iconic links landscapes that define the Championship.
Since Greenlinks was launched in 2016, it has become the sustainability framework for The Open and the AIG Women’s Open, helping The R&A reduce emissions, embrace circular economy principles, protect nature and create lasting benefits for host communities.
Over the past decade, Greenlinks has delivered measurable environmental improvements across The Open. On-site emissions have been reduced by more than 93% through the transition to solar energy and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), while the Championship has achieved zero waste to landfill for the past five years. Between 2023 and 2025 alone, overall emissions from The Open were reduced by 11,785 tonnes of CO₂e, demonstrating The R&A’s commitment to continual improvement.
The R&A’s Sustainable Golf Development team will host a special Greenlinks anniversary seminar at Royal Birkdale on Tuesday 14 July, bringing together leaders from sport and sustainability to share ideas on how major events can use their platforms to drive positive environmental change.
Daniel Lightfoot, Director of Sustainable Golf Development at The R&A, said, “For ten years, Greenlinks has helped us continually improve how we stage our championships and reinforcing our ongoing commitment to finding better ways of delivering world-class sporting events.
“As we work towards our purpose of opening golf to the world, we want The Open to inspire not only through the golf that fans experience, but through the positive impact it can have on communities, the environment and the future of our sport. We are proud of the progress Greenlinks has delivered over the past decade and remain committed to building on our commitment for many years to come.”
At this year’s Championship at Royal Birkdale, Greenlinks will once again be visible across the fan experience.
A solar-powered Sustainable Golf Hub returns to the heart of the Spectator Village, while a new Nature Trail, developed in collaboration with Hilton Head Island, will encourage fans to discover the rich biodiversity found around one of golf’s most celebrated links.
The Open Water Initiative, delivered in partnership with Mastercard and the Priceless Planet Coalition, also continues to expand. Since its introduction, the initiative has prevented more than 750,000 single-use plastic water bottles from being used while contributing to the restoration of more than 110,000 trees globally.
Fans attending Royal Birkdale also will benefit from a range of sustainability initiatives throughout Championship week. More than 10,000 personalised journeys have already been planned through the YouSmartThing travel planner to encourage more sustainable travel, while compostable food packaging, expanded solar installations, locally sourced food, a Sustainable Golf Bench created from recycled materials used at last year’s Championship and zero waste to landfill operations all form part of Greenlinks in action.
The R&A also continues to work with its Sustainable Agronomy team and ecologists to protect and enhance nature at Open venues. Over the past four years, 2,145 species have been recorded through ecological surveys, helping build a greater understanding of the unique habitats that make links golf so special.
Beyond Championship week, Greenlinks continues to leave a positive legacy through local community investment with more than £1 million being distributed through The Open Legacy Fund over the past decade.
Greenlinks by the numbers
- 10 years of Greenlinks sustainability programme.
- 100% of on-site energy generated from renewable sources.
- 93% reduction in on-site emissions through renewable electricity and HVO.
- 11,785 tonnes of CO₂e reduced across The Open between 2023 and 2025.
- Zero waste to landfill for the last five Championships.
- More than 30,000kWh of electricity generated annually from on-site solar.
- 750,000+ single-use plastic bottles prevented through The Open Water Initiative, in partnership with Mastercard and the Priceless Planet Coalition.
- 110,000+ trees restored through The Open Water Initiative, in partnership with Mastercard and the Priceless Planet Coalition.
- More than £1 million being invested in local communities through The Open Legacy Fund.
- 25% reduction in water use in hospitality structures since 2019.
- 2,145 species recorded through ecological surveys at Open venues over the last four years.
- 65%+ of food served at The 153rd Open sourced from within 150 miles.
