Energy use spans across all areas of a golf club’s activities: in the club house (offices, meeting rooms, bar, restaurant, kitchens, locker rooms, pro-shop…) and on the golf course (use of greenkeeping machinery, pumping irrigation water, operation of maintenance facilities).

Although in the grand scheme of things, golf clubs are relatively modest users of energy – average annual expenditure on energy for a typical Scottish golf club is some £15,000 – this is nevertheless a significant part of a club’s controllable running costs. Potential savings of 10-20% of a club’s energy bill would certainly be worthwhile, and in many cases quite easily achievable, simply through good housekeeping management in and around the club house.

Benefits from being more energy aware may be apparent in other ways too: by more careful management and upkeep of machinery it is possible to extend the working life of equipment through less wear and tear, less frequent breakdowns, less noise and less wastage of fuels and lubricants. While these benefits may not be so visible to golfers, they are, for example, likely to appreciate higher quality, less disease prone playing surfaces resulting from having better maintained mowing machines that run more evenly and have sharper cutting blades.

This is a good illustration to show that energy management is not a stand-alone topic aside from day-to-day golf course management. It is an integral part of best practice turfgrass management, it relates to waste and water management, all of which form part of the wider environmental dimension of golf course and golf club management.

By following this approach, golf clubs will be fulfilling the criteria of the Scottish Awards for Environmental Excellence. It is all part of the golf sector demonstrating its commitment to being environmentally responsible, and through such recognition, improving relations with local communities, motivating staff and generating a further sense of pride in one’s club.

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