The DP World Tour will be launching a new sustainability themed campaign at the upcoming Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, with 100 trees planted for every player that manages to drive the iconic par-4 10th hole at The Belfry.
The tree planting will be conducted in partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit environmental charity that plants trees in countries around the world. The Green Drive campaign will include planting trees at the Forest of Mercia in the West Midlands. In addition, for every successful Green Drive, tournament partners Betfred will donate £500 to Prostate Cancer UK, the tournament’s official charity partner.
This new campaign forms part of the DP World Tour’s existing Green Drive sustainability programme, where it has become the first professional golf Tour to commit to being net zero carbon by 2040. The campaign will then be rolled out at additional tournaments during the 2023 season.
The 10th hole at The Belfry will enjoy an elevated spectator experience, with a DJ and increased grandstand seating helping to get fans in the mood as each player makes the daunting decision of whether they will try and drive their ball over the water to hit the green in one. After a successful attempt, the player will use a t-shirt cannon to shoot sustainability produced polo shirts, made by the Tour’s Official Sustainable Products Supplier, OCEANTEE, into the crowd.
Spectators can also have a go at driving the 10th green themselves in the Green Drives simulator challenge. A £2 entry fee will be donated to Prostate Cancer UK, with each player receiving a gift from OCEANTEE. The closest to the pin each day will also receive a new Callaway Paradigm driver.
On Saturday, July 1, the three fans closest to the pin in the simulator challenge that day will also get the opportunity to go on to the actual 10th tee and try their luck in front of spectators and TV cameras, with a chance to win a year’s supply of Callaway golf balls and other Callaway prizes for any successful attempt.
Speaking about the launch of the new campaign Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “We are working hard to reduce our emissions by 50% by 2030, and to be fully net zero carbon by 2040. That is no mean feat for a truly global Tour such as ours and we are including fan produced emissions in this target.
“This means we must find innovative ways to bring our fans along with us in this journey and encourage them to choose cleaner ways to watch live golf – be that through choosing greener transport options, recycling when on site, or eating sustainably produced food. This new campaign will not only plant thousands of trees to promote climate change resilience and strengthen the surrounding land, but will help raise awareness about the important role we must all play in getting to net zero.”