It is good to see businesses among them golf clubs like Saadiyat Beach Golf Club are prioritizing sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). A recent Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week study found 87% of executives said improving ESG performance is now among their core strategic objectives.
Another challenge for golf clubs like Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is how to sustain biodiversity. Human activity has altered almost 75% of the earth’s surface.
The Golf Environment Awards says
“There are now more than 30,000 golf courses worldwide, each having an increasingly important part to play within their local environment.”
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club – World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility?
The Saadiyat Beach Golf Club can be proud of its achievement in sustainability. They have already reached significant results in this field. Here are some examples:
- Achieving Audubon Certification in 2020. The International Audubon Society is dedicated to protecting diversity in bird species.
- They provide a thriving sanctuary for over 160 bird species, 250 plus mountain gazelles, and a rejuvenation of native plants.
- Wants to become plastic-free.
- Supporting the efforts of Saadiyat Island’s Hawksbill Turtle Conservation Programme.
- Converting to 100% treated effluent irrigation water. Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is approximately a 140 hectares’ facility, with 120 hectares being irrigated through an automatic system.
- The Agronomy team implementing a turf species change, which has better capabilities to survive and produce consistent turf surfaces to utilize the new irrigation water source.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club: World Golf Awards vs Golf Environment Awards
We all know that social proofs are really important in golf club marketing too. Social proofs are about trust and reputation.
This is especially true when it comes to our guests and club members who are really empowered with access to a plethora of information. Today it is almost impossible for golf clubs and other marketers to control 100% of what people say and think about them.
Today, golf clubs who want to be recognized as champions of sustainability have two opportunities within the golf industry:
- World Golf Awards: World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility title. It has got significant media exposure in B2C media. It seems to work well. However, the luck depends on if we can convince our guests and golf club members to vote for us. In short, not sustainability experts decide who should win. Correct me if I am wrong!
- The Environment Awards (since 1995; by STRI Group): Applicants to the Golf Environment Awards can choose from four categories:
- Environmental Golf Course of the Year;
- Conservation Greenkeeper Award;
- Outstanding Environmental Project of the Year;
- Operation Pollinator Award (by Syngenta).
My recommendation is to participate in both competitions. For B2C communication World Golf Awards is better due to its high level of awareness. At the same time, The Environment Awards can also impress golfers since its main focus is on sustainability.
I was very blissful when my client, the Hungarian Zala Springs Golf Resort won Hungary’s best golf course title at the World Golf Awards in 2017.
The Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is likely to compete with previous winners of World Golf Awards:
- Sentosa Golf Club (Singapore) – 2020
- Ekerum Resort Öland (Sweden) – 2019, 2018, 2017
- Osprey Point Golf Course (USA) – 2016