Dubai-based cargo and logistics company DP World has created a unique shipping container that will collect and redistribute used golf balls during the 2022 DP World Tour season, giving them a second life.
The container will visit six DP World Tour events, including the BMW PGA Championship and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, where spectators, players and other tournament attendees will be invited to donate used and unwanted golf balls, which will be redistributed to organisations that are championing golf from the grassroots up, to help grow the game globally.
The repurposed 20-foot shipping container can house as many as 200,000 golf balls and will weigh approximately 12 tonnes when full. Its first stop is within the fan village at this week’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, which takes place at the Emirates Golf Club from January 27-30.
To support the launch, DP World asked some DP World Tour players to donate the first balls to the container with a unique chipping challenge on the eve of the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic. Callaway Staff players Thomas Bjørn, Marc Warren, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Nino Bertasio and Sami Välimäki got the collection going by chipping balls into the containers hatch.
DP World will attach real-time tracking technology to the container, allowing people to follow its journey between tournaments, whether it’s travelling by rail, road, or sea.
Daniel van Otterdijk, DP World’s Chief Communications Officer, said: “Global supply chain disruptions triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to impact the import of sports and leisure equipment into the Middle East, including golf equipment. With our passion to support golf’s global ecosystem, combined with our world-leading logistics and supply chain solutions, DP World is perfectly positioned to alleviate this pressure and meet the rising popularity of golf. We’re therefore delighted to be launching this unique container here at the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic and to support golf from the grassroots up.”
Guy Kinnings, Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer of the DP World Tour said: “Our partnership with DP World has gone from strength to strength over the past 11 years, with DP World becoming the new title partner of the European Tour group’s main Tour from this season. We are delighted to see our partner use the might of its global logistics infrastructure to support the growing demand and popularity of the game of golf worldwide, and we also thank DP World Tour official partner Callaway for supporting this important initiative.”
DP World Tour official partner Callaway is supporting DP World in its efforts to grow the game globally with a range of prizes and experiences throughout the season, including VIP club fittings on the range at select DP World Tour events, and providing equipment for grassroots initiative. It has also supplied an initial quantity of balls in the container’s partition which will be donated to grassroots golf organisations at the end of the season.
Neil Howie, President and Managing Director, Callaway EMEA, said: “Our sport has a fantastic opportunity to encourage and nurture newcomers to the game, as golf participation and interest booms across the world. As an official partner of the DP World Tour, Callaway is happy to support this innovative and engaging initiative that will ultimately benefit a host of very worthy participation projects.”