Sustainability and future-proofing the industry taken to a new level

Golf course conditions today are a far cry from the early days of the game, with golfer expectations also having shifted over the years. The path to a more economically and environmentally resilient sport requires the collective effort of the golf community, starting with aligning expectations with best agronomic practices, as promoted by The R&A.

The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service provides agronomy expertise for the effective management of courses and use of best practice in sustainability.

With a team of specialists, who have accumulated extensive knowledge and experience of providing agronomic support, the consultancy service offers tailored advice and guidance to assist with the requirements of golf course management and providing greenkeeping staff with on-going support and advice.

This can relate to particular challenges, such as the best ways to achieve decompaction, to broader issues like the overall preparation and presentation of a course.

The service is widely used, from venues that stage The Open to courses throughout the UK. Working collaboratively with the golf course management team at the club, the R&A will review the course’s existing agronomy operations in order to identify objectives for the course and establish how these will be achieved.

The service becomes an extension of the course’s own greenkeeping team and provides a resource to advise staff on best practice and the management of the course, tailored to the facility’s own individual requirements. The advice offered always focuses on best practice and sustainable greenkeeping principles, with facilities encouraged to be proactive in sustainability by fostering nature, conserving resources, supporting communities and demonstrating a commitment to evidencing progress and results.

The R&A is committed to investing £200 million over ten years in developing golf and supports the growth of the sport internationally, including the development and management of sustainable golf facilities.

The R&A’s sustainability agenda is focused on ensuring that golf facilities around the world are taking action now to maintain and enhance the playability of golf courses as the industry faces the challenges of resource reduction, climate change and regulatory changes.

The programme also seeks to raise awareness amongst golfers themselves. The demand for ultra-fast putting surfaces is just one example of where expectations clash with sustainability. Maintaining these speeds requires intensive practices that push the turf to its limit. 

The R&A and USGA address these issues jointly, working through initiatives like the International Turfgrass Research Initiative and the Distance Insights project to safeguard the game’s future.

Daniel Lightfoot, Director of Sustainable Golf at The R&A, explains the unsustainable nature of this demand: “Faster greens need more mowing, more rolling and lower heights of cut. All of which puts the grass under more pressure. This makes greens less sustainable to maintain and more vulnerable to damage and disease.”

The cost and resource dedicated to achieving perfection in bunkers are equally challenging. Jordan Booth, Director of Course Consulting at USGA, said this was a drain on resources “Today, some golf courses spend almost as much money maintaining bunkers as they do greens. Some of that would probably be better spent elsewhere.”

The R&A will advise the LET on sustainable golf course maintenance operations and environmentally responsible agronomy practices for 20 venues and three events in 2026.  Working collaboratively with the golf courses and the LET, The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service will provide expertise for the effective management of courses and use of best practice in sustainability to provide high performance playing surfaces in an environmentally responsible way.  This will allow courses to reach their optimal course conditioning for world-class LET tournaments, while adhering to current environmental regulations and taking into consideration factors such as climate change and resource constraints. 

It has also been welcomed by players on the LET tour. Marta Martin said: “This partnership with R&A Agronomy Services is a very positive step for the LET. From a player’s perspective, and with my background in turf agronomy, having expert agronomic support across venues helps ensure consistent, high-quality playing conditions week after week, while also supporting sustainable course management.

“That consistency is crucial for fair competition and for the continued growth and professionalism of women’s golf.”

Putting theory into practice

One of the standout features of the agronomy service is recognition of the importance of practicing what is being preached.

The R&A has linked up with the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and selected 10 ambitious and talented greenkeepers to provide support during five of the biggest championships in 2026.

These greenkeepers will join the teams based at courses hosting upcoming Championships, including The 154^th Open at Royal Birkdale and the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, for The R&A Championship Agronomy Programme. 

Each member is selected to participate at one of the championships, where they will be fully embedded in championship preparations.

Adam Newton, Sustainable Championship Agronomy Lead at The R&A, said: “They will gain a truly unique educational experience and a fascinating insight into championship agronomy and greenkeeping at the highest level and at some of the most historic and prestigious championships in the world.”

Jim Croxton, BIGGA CEO, added: “Their involvement represents an outstanding professional development opportunity and a chance to gain unique, first-hand experience at the very highest level of championship preparation. BIGGA’s partnership with The R&A reflects our shared commitment to education, collaboration and excellence in golf course management, and to ensuring that greenkeepers remain central to the future of the game.”