Saunton Golf Club wins prestigious 'Green' award

Saunton Golf Club has been listed in Golf World’s Top 100 Greenest Courses in Europe within the category for ‘Best Sustainable Golf Courses for Fostering Nature’ as part of the Today’s Golfer Magazine.

From the very beginning of golf on the links of Scotland, golf has always been an integral part of the local nature and landscape. Jon Sutherland, General Manager at Saunton, said: “We are delighted that our courses have been recognised as showing a real understanding of this philosophy and has kept nature at the heart of its facilities – giving back to the land that has given us such a perfect space for our sport."

Chris Bertram, the Golf World Top 100 Editor, reported: “We highlight the 'greenest’ golf courses in Europe, doing their bit for the environment and sustainability. The Green 100 provides an important opportunity to promote some of Europe’s most environmentally conscious and socially responsible golf courses, and some of their most impressive achievements. These are success stories that, as golfers, we should all be proud of.”

Golf World added: “For many years Saunton has actively managed their dune slack habitat, which has helped these landscape features attract a great deal of wildlife. These dune slacks provide valuable shelter for ground-nesting birds and often become highly biodiverse habitats.”

Saunton Golf Club has an Ecological Management Plan for both courses, which aims to maintain various ecologically protected designations, such as SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), SAC (Special Area of Conservation), UNESCO Biosphere and AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The benefits of this are that flora will flourish, and ground-nesting birds, reptiles and amphibians will thrive. One of the benefits for golfers is that the courses will become more aesthetically pleasing.

Saunton Golf Club is delighted to feature in these rankings and to be recognised for their efforts once again, following winning the ‘Going Green Award’ as part of the Sport & Recreation Alliance Community Sport and Recreation Awards back in March.

Out on the course at Saunton, congratulations to the 2023 Club Champions after the Club Championship took place, with 18 holes on the West Course on Saturday, followed by 18 holes on the East Course on Sunday.

The winners (pictured) were Jaunita Gobby - Ladies Nett Champion; Chloe MacPherson - Junior Girls Champion; Sally Charnock - Ladies Club Champion; Jon Squire - Men's Club Champion.

Stan White was the Junior Boys Champion, however he was not present for the prizegiving as he was down at Perranporth GC representing Devon Golf in South West Week.