WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GOLF COURSE

02/04/2012

Mr William Beck, Malta Golf Association President, and Mr Paul Stoner, Royal Malta Golf Club Chairman, joined representatives from 25 other countries affiliated to the Royal and Ancient to participate in the “Working for the Golf Course” conference that was held at St Andrews on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th March, 2012.

The Conference was formatted in such a way that the agenda could be actively discussed between the participants. The main arguments treated considered:

• The key elements of “the golfing experience”, and how/why the golf course itself lies at the heart of golfer demands.

• The needs of the three main target groups within the game:
(a) owners/boards/committees; (b) club/course managers; and (c) golfers.

• The key performance indicators relevant to each target group.

• The interaction of these indicators across four main areas: playing performance, economic performance, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

• The way national governing bodies (R&A affiliates) can create pathways which help their clubs to produce a better and sustainable golfing experience.

• The threats, such as legislation, and opportunities, green keeper training and certification, for example, which will affect the future.

• How the R&A might further help its affiliates.

The issues concerning cost controls and the environmental stewardship were of particular interest. The subjects debated under these headings included the appropriate usage of manpower, materials and machinery to alleviate budgetary funding; the use of water, pesticides and fertilisers; encouraging biodiversity, maximizing land use; and managing energy consumption and waste generation.

Over these last years, golf has made strident steps to address these responsibilities. It can only be but beneficial for us here in Malta to achieve such standards. A lot of work still needs to be done but we are confident that we will, in the short term, have in place a policy for the benefit of future golfing generations.