England Golf is partnering with SMART sustainability platform Zellar to help over 1,700 golf clubs become more environmentally sustainable.
Golf clubs across England will be provided with Zellar’s SMART digital sustainability platform that enables them to measure, plan, activate, report and share their sustainability records to save money and reduce carbon emissions.
England Golf highlights that the initiative has the potential to save its affiliates £1.5m by reducing their carbon emissions by over 1,200 by 2026. The programme comes following a successful pilot in which 40 golf clubs used Zellar to reduce carbon emissions and costs.
England Golf Sustainability Manager, Owen James, said: “Zellar excites us as an organisation because of the step-by-step approach. Anyone, from a sustainability expert to someone who has never even heard the word emissions before, can utilise the platform and make positive change off the back of it.
“Through this relationship, we are encouraging golf clubs to track their emissions, make positive changes, and future proof themselves as a business. By identifying energy and emissions hotspots, tracking change and renewing contracts within the app, Zellar is a one-stop-shop for golf clubs to support their drive for a more sustainable future.”
Zellar notes that by using its sustainability plan, it can help golf clubs reduce energy consumption by up to 33% and save up to £4,100. To date, 47 clubs have joined Zellar and have implemented 244 operational changes and made over 200 energy adjustments.
Founder of Zellar, Gary Styles, added: “Golf clubs have great potential to reduce water, energy and overall consumption, and have already shown that they’re engaged in sustainability and committed to making the game more sustainable. They have the potential to set an example for how sustainability can work in sport and pave the way for others to follow.
“Collaborating with England Golf is something we’re really excited about at Zellar, and we look forward to helping more golf clubs across the country to tackle sustainability.”
Environmental sustainability is not the only initiative England Golf is focused on. The organisation’s Junior Participation Manager, Laura Yapp, spoke to Insider Sport on its efforts to get more younger people involved in golf and how it is vital to secure the sports next generation.
