Spain’s No. 1 golf course, PGA Catalunya Resort, and its dedicated team are rewarded for their continued commitment to sustainable practices by being celebrated as the Champions of the Green for August.
In 2013 PGA Catalunya Resort became the first European Tour Destination to attain golf’s international ecolabel, GEO Certified®. They demonstrated a thorough approach to the key areas of sustainable golf and have led the way for other European Tour venues, with 13 of the venues now GEO Certified® and the remaining venues working towards certification.
Led by Course Manager, David Bataller, the team at PGA Catalunya Resort have helped to deliver a number of tangible benefits to the venue and surrounding communities. By exploring opportunities for renewable alternatives and diversified sources, David and his team have managed to reduce demand on main grid supplies and position PGA Catalunya Resort as a leading example of sustainability in golf in Spain. Apart from providing significant employment opportunities for the region, the resort also supports local causes such, as sponsoring the local football team.
Resource efficiency has been a focus for the Costa Brva-based resort, with 100% of water for irrigation coming from treated effluent water from nearby villages and on-site buildings, and the use of photovoltaic panels and a geothermal heating-cooling system on site.
Situated within a pine forest, the venue also offers a natural habitat for many bird and animal species, as well as the opportunity for local citizens to pick wild produce.
David Bataller explained:
“We are delighted to be recognised for the work that we do to maximise our positive impact on both the environment and the community. Our staff and members are actively engaged in supporting this work and take huge pride in it too! We’re always looking for new opportunities to optimise our sustainability performance, and the OnCourse® programme was very valuable for this. It helped to guide us through our operations, providing ideas and suggestions, as well as giving us the platform to confidently promote the great environmental and social actions we’re doing!”
With a focus on maximising their positive impact on the surrounding areas and a willingness to explore new opportunities, PGA Catalunya Resort is likely to be leading the way for some time.
More details of the sustainability measures at PGA Catalunya visit: http://www.golfenvironment.org/directory/569_pga_catalunya_resort
To find out more about what OnCourse® and GEO Certified® can do for you click here:
