Swan Golf Designs, a firm of professional golf course architects of international repute and experience working in some 25 countries, has become a Technical Member of Golf Environment Europe.
Howard Swan’s practice is the first design firm to do so. The practice also is sponsoring GEE’s Environmental Innovation and Technology Network. By this agreement Swan Golf Designs marks its commitment to support environmental education and information exchange within European golf.
Swan’s support of the Innovation and Technology Network will facilitate practical projects across a wide range of environmental topics and bring to it vast experience in aspects of the game’s physical development.
In addition Swan Golf Designs will contribute to the collation and coordination of information on developmental approaches, protocols and procedures on European Golf courses.
Howard Swan, principal architect, adds, “Our mission has always been to couch our designs into the natural landscape and environment and this is a core philosophy for us. The recent launch of our Environmental Policy Statement is now added to by our membership of GEE.
“We are simply delighted to be the first architectural practice to be a member and we shall look forward to work with and support GEE’s initiative, particularly in the golf course developmental aspects of provision and management.
“Our respective aims and objectives are the same – to lay out … and see managed … environmentally sensitive designs, always striving for that sustainable aim, financially and socially too.
“We have always worked hard to ensure our own designs consider fully environmental needs. Our Environmental Policy Statement sets out our principles for the more sustainable use for natural resources in golf course design and construction, for the conservation of landscapes and biodiversity, for adaptation to climate change, for the delivery of environmental enhancements which play a part in improving people’s quality of life – both golfers and non golfers.”
“Golf Environment Europe is delighted to welcome Swan Golf Designs on board,” said Jonathan Smith of GEE. “The Company has clearly seen the need for the golf industry to take effective action on this theme and that this action needs to be collective – with developmental organisations like GEE, and individual practitioners like Swan Designs, both having to play a part. We commend them on their vision and readiness to support golf’s efforts in this field.”
Swan Golf Designs follow the principles and practices enshrined in both the European Institute of Golf Course Architect’s Environmental Policy Statement and the Best Practice Guidelines of The R & A.
The Innovation and Technology Network, which this sponsorship supports, was formed by Golf Environment Europe in partnership with the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), the Scandinavian Turfgrass Foundation, Cranfield Centre for Water Science and the University of Pisa in Italy. It cooperates with other researchers and educators in Europe and North Carolina State University. The Network serves to help coordinate and disseminate technical environmental information within the European golf sector.
The main project currently under development is the Environmental Resource Centre for European Golf – the depository for a wide range of technical information across all key environmental topics relating to different aspects of golf. Key sections focus on the golf course, the clubhouse, the maintenance facility and golf development.
Jonathan Smith continued, “The sponsorship support from Swan Golf Designs and our other Technical Members is directly responsible for our ongoing work to bring technical environmental information to practitioners across Europe. We are looking forward to launch of the resource centre towards the end of 2007.”
Technical information will be posted to a central web-based information centre during 2007. In the interim, a number of sources of technical information can be obtained from the Technical Library at www.golfenvironmenteurope.org
Swan Golf Designs www.swangolfdesigns.com