ÖGV starts GEO project with first golf clubs

The Austrian Golf Association (ÖGV) will soon start the certification phase for the program of the Scottish Golf Environmental Organization, GEO for short, with the first clubs. “The clubs are showing lots of interest for the program, the feedback is excellent,” noted the Secretary General of the ÖGV, Robert Fiegl after the annual general meeting of the association at the end of March.

Start with eight to ten golf clubs

Already in the coming two weeks all Austrian gulf clubs are to receive now the exact information to the expiration of the certifying. Clubs that are interested in participating can report this and the association will make a selection. “We will start with eight to ten golf clubs from the different regions to then get a good look at the certification program in an initial phase and also to determine where adjustments need to be made.” There are no costs for the golf facilities, these are covered by the association.

“One of the biggest issues for us is communication,” explains Fiegl when asked where he sees the most urgent need with regard to sustainability issues in the Austrian golf scene. “We are, after all, finding that golf facilities have already started to work sustainably in many areas. But we also need to take our own club golfers with us.” And: The public also needs to be informed much more than before. “We use a lot less water than most people think,” Fiegl notes. Of course, he said, we can and must do better in all areas of sustainability, but “there’s a good base to start from.”

The GEO certification program is currently the largest one in Europe. In addition to numerous British golf courses, Swiss Golf has also decided to certify with GEO. In addition, GEO is also represented outside Europe.