Staff WriterEngland Golf has kicked open the clubhouse doors with a bold new 2025–2030 Sustainability Drive, setting out its intention to put the sport at the sharp end of environmental and social responsibility.
Fresh from winning the Sustainability in Sport Award at the Sports Business Awards, England Golf is pressing its advantage and laying down a marker for where the game needs to go next.
This new phase sits at the heart of the organisation’s wider 2025–2030 strategy, Let’s Inspire More Golfers, and it reads like a rallying cry for clubs, facilities and players who know that the future of the sport comes down to more than fairways and flagsticks.
Building on the groundwork of the previous Sustainability Drive, the updated plan doesn’t waste time polishing its clubs—it goes straight to work. Four clear goals hold the line:
- Deliver tangible, measurable impact by cutting resource use and restoring natural habitats.
- Position golf as a leader in community-driven environmental and social change.
- Support clubs and golfers in making sustainability part of everyday decision-making.
- Turn England Golf tournaments into living, breathing showcases of responsible sport.
To get there, the Sustainability Team is expanding its support playbook. Clubs can expect more hands-on guidance, a beefed-up Sustainability Toolkit, and fresh digital resources, including the sustainable agronomy tutorials developed with The R&A. The goal is simple: give every affiliated club the tools and know-how to stop talking about change—and start proving it.
Kirstin McEvoy, Head of Sustainability at England Golf, put it squarely on the tee:
“As custodians of large areas of English countryside, the golfing community has a unique opportunity to enhance the natural environment and lead the way in biodiversity recovery and efficient use of resources, as well as community wellbeing.
“With all stakeholders engaged, working together and sharing best practice, we can make a difference. We must begin with gathering the data so that we can measure, track and evidence progress which will have the additional benefit of improving the perception of golf and its environmental impact.”
It’s a message that echoes through the corridors of Woodhall Spa. CEO Jeremy Tomlinson didn’t dress it up either, calling out both the responsibility and the runway ahead: “Golf not only has a huge opportunity to future-proof itself against the challenges of climate and social change, but if we act collectively, we can also create a platform to showcase the incredible sustainability actions our sport continues to drive.
“Having a positive impact on the environment is paramount to the ongoing success of golf, and all of us at England Golf are proud to play as energised a part as needed in accelerating progressive change.”
If England Golf needed any validation, its recent award delivered it. Judges at the Sports Business Awards were unequivocal: “England Golf demonstrated a comprehensive sustainability plan – a strong submission with clear ambition and realism. Great stakeholder engagement and both tactical and high-level execution working in tandem to drive real change.”
The new Sustainability Drive makes one thing unmistakable: the sport’s relationship with the natural world isn’t decorative—it’s the whole foundation. And if golf in England wants to thrive long past 2030, the effort has to be collective, consistent, and driven by clubs and communities that understand the stakes.
More resources and updates will be released in the coming months. For details or direct guidance, visit the England Golf sustainability webpage or contact the team at sustainability@englandgolf.org.
