Scotland is the home of golf and our courses are famous the world over. The game and the courses are a part of our national heritage. Our golf courses are also a significant part of our landscape. There are over 600 golf courses in Scotland all of which are permanent green areas which are important sanctuaries for plants and wildlife. Of all the major land based sports, golf has the greateset interaction with the environment.

We believe a round of golf is better in an attractive natural setting. As Colin Montgomerie, one of the world's top players, has said, "A golf course which has been sensitively designed and managed in a way which works with nature rather than against it, is normally more interesting and challenging."

For him and for many golfers a natural course is an opportunity to get back to the roots of the game. It is, in Montgomery's words, "a test against the hazards that nature provided."

So as the key asset of any golf club is the golf course itself, it is vital that this is of the highest possible quality to retain and attract members and visitors. In addition to quality playing services, issues such as nature conservation and enhancement, landscape and cultural heritage, climate change, sustaianble turf management and pollution prevention all need to be considered

Clubhouses maintenance facilities and professional shops are all areas where significant cost savingscan be achieved though water and waste management and energy efficiency.

Addressing environmental issues in conjunction with making your golf facility economically efficient and socially inclusive will enable you to sustainably manage your business