GV Compass Sustainability

Those who stand still are going backwards. Globally, people are working hard for sustainability. For those who stand still will be overwhelmed by the already known effects of global warming. Those who stand still will be overtaken by rapidly changing societal expectations. Golf clubs are anything but standing still and through the GV Kompas Duurzaamheids, Golf Vlaanderen wants to guide its clubs even better.

How did the Golf Compass Sustainability come about? 

Twenty years ago, the (then) Flemish Golf Association started a press kit "Golf & Nature, hand in hand. Secretary General Marc Verneirt is a biologist by training and mesmerized by golf. With the press file, the federation ensured that the outside world began to look differently at the social value of a golf course. The golf club itself also began to reflect more on its role in that society. 

Moving from an environmental approach to a more comprehensive sustainable and socially responsible story. What does the golf club mean to society and what can society mean to the club? To bring this together, to motivate clubs, an approachable compass was developed in collaboration with study agency Route 2030. Route 2030 helps organizations transform into sustainable enterprises. The compass originated from a scan with the golf clubs and Golf Flanders. We found that a lot is already happening around sustainability, sometimes without thinking about it. That's why we want to give guidance to the clubs. The compass provides insight into what sustainability can mean and where clubs can make a difference. Not to impose even stricter regulations, but to give a direction in which each club can work with sustainability within its own context and at its own level. For all types of clubs, we especially want to provide insight into what sustainability can mean for the golf club, and how the SDGs (sustainable development goals) can be translated into concrete examples. We developed a menu where one can look step by step at how to set up new actions. It is a kind of workbook that bundles a lot of information.

Already nine first stars

At the March 22 General Meeting, nine golf clubs were awarded for their commitment to sustainability. 

•          Golf Club Beveren
•          Royal Keerbergen Golf Club
•          Steenhoven Country Club
•          Royal Antwerp Golf Club
•          Ypres Open Golf
•          Rinkven Golf Club
•          Brabant Golf
•          Winge Golf & Country Club
•          Damme Golf & Country Club

How do you earn stars? 

All Flemish golf clubs can attend an inspiration session on the Kompas Sustainability. After the inspiration session, they draw up five concrete goals or Golf Goals for themselves. As soon as they achieve their goals, they earn a first star. If they subsequently include another five goals, they earn two stars. If the club embraces and implements all seventeen criteria or SDGs, it is rewarded with the maximum number, three stars. 

Some examples of actions

Golf clubs show their versatility by committing to different SDGs of the Sustainability Compass, resulting in diverse examples of sustainability actions.

Damme Golf & Country Club has ambitious plans to further strengthen its commitment to sustainability. With the proposed installation of more than 150 solar panels on the indoor building, the club is taking an important step towards green energy. This environmentally friendly investment will not only reduce the golf course's carbon footprint, but also contribute to the sustainable future of the local community.

At Winge Golf & Country Club, there is an inspiring monthly collaboration with the rehabilitation center UZ Pellenberg. This unique collaboration offers people the opportunity to enjoy the sporting and relaxing benefits of golf during their recovery process. It is a valuable initiative that combines physical and mental well-being with the beautiful green surroundings of the golf course.

The Brabant Gulf and Brussels Airport have had a fruitful collaboration on sustainability for many years. One notable initiative that stems from this cooperation is the use of rainwater from the airport. Through a buffer basin, the water is collected, purified and then used to irrigate the golf course, allowing it to infiltrate back into the soil. This innovative approach promotes not only water control, but also the ecological balance between the golf course and its surroundings.