Edition #6

'Fore' The Future

Golf and sustainability might not seem like an obvious pair, but there’s so much happening to make the game more eco-friendly. Every month, we’ll dive into some examples of how golf is embracing the environment and share how we’re applying those ideas to what we do at Stanners. It’s all about keeping the game we love sustainable—for the planet, the course, and future generations.

The PGA TOUR’s “Green Week” – United States

Event Date: May 6–12, 2025Location: Quail Hollow, North Carolina

Each year, the PGA TOUR’s "Green Week" spotlights sustainability across its tournaments—and this year, it's bigger than ever. As part of Green Week 2025, over 100,000 trees are being planted in forested areas impacted by storms and disease across the Southeastern United States, particularly the Appalachian foothills where courses like Quail Hollow reside.

According to the TOUR’s Sustainability Report (2025), the planting will offset over 2,300 tonnes of CO₂ annually—equivalent to taking 500 cars off the road. The initiative directly supports local biodiversity, helping restore natural corridors for species like the red-cockaded woodpecker and eastern box turtle. The message is clear: golf isn’t just played on nature—it should give back to it.

Fact: Forests absorb about 2.6 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually (FAO, 2022), underscoring the critical importance of reforestation initiatives linked to sport.

The Rainforest Open – Costa Rica

Event Date: May 18–20, 2025Location: Reserva Conchal Golf Club, Guanacaste Province

The Rainforest Open is a new tournament designed around ecological consciousness. Set within one of Costa Rica’s protected rainforest areas, the event pledges zero water wastage, fully solar-powered operations, and organic-only turf management—a first in Latin American golf.

Reserva Conchal has already converted 95% of its course maintenance to rain-harvested water systems, saving over 20 million litres annually—enough to sustain a small rainforest reserve through dry season stress. During the event, a portion of ticket sales will directly fund the planting of 10,000 native trees to combat deforestation in Costa Rica’s critical biological corridors.

Fact: Tropical rainforests cover just 6% of Earth’s surface, but house more than 50% of all species (WWF, 2024). Protecting them is essential for global biodiversity.

Aramco Ladies International Sustainability Drive – Saudi Arabia

Event Date: May 23–26, 2025Location: Riyadh Golf Club, Riyadh

Held amidst desert landscapes, the Aramco Ladies International is pushing boundaries on desert sustainability. The tournament has committed to using 100% treated greywater for course irrigation and is introducing an experimental “living bunker” project—replacing traditional sand bunkers with hardy native plants to stabilise soil naturally.

The shift is vital: with water scarcity affecting over 70% of arid regions worldwide (UNESCO, 2023), desert-adapted ecosystems must be respected and preserved. Riyadh Golf Club’s new irrigation systems alone are expected to save up to 50 million gallons of freshwater per year, a game-changing figure in one of the world's driest regions.

Fact: Deserts now cover about 33% of Earth's land surface, and sustainable management is crucial to preventing desertification and biodiversity collapse.