County Clare, Ireland
We are committed to social and environmental responsibility, in and through golf.
We recognize the importance of playing our part to protect and restore nature, conserve resources, take climate action and strengthen communities.
We will seek to use our reach to raise awareness and positive action amongst golfers, partners and the wider public.
We will make an important difference, and help golf become a valued leader in sustainability.
Through becoming GEO Certified we have achieved the most widely regarded and credible sustainability distinction in golf. The international certification was earned after successfully meeting the industry-standard best practices and demonstrating our commitment to make sustainability of central importance to our golf facility. We're proud of our social and environmental value - and looking forward to doing even more on our sustainability journey.
2021, 2024, for renewal 2029
“Lahinch is a very unique place both as an inspiring place in which to play golf but also for the landscape in which the courses are set and managed and the habitats and species that are being conserved. The Castle Course lies adjacent to the Inagh River Estuary comprising of internationally important saltmarsh habitats whilst the Old Course has been fitted into a series of tall Annex 1 sand hills which are some of the best examples of their type. The club manage with conservation in mind and is keen to increase the salt marsh component further onto the course. They monitor routinely the patterns of play and work to maintain and increase the important natural assets. The green staff host course walks to interested parties explaining the natural importance of the site. Not resting upon the unique landscape or the club's unparalleled record of biodiversity conservation, Lahinch Golf Club have produced a strategic plan (2023 to 2027) which is sustainability-driven and covers important core objectives which can be summarised as “ensuring the facility is maintained to the standards expected of a world-renowned golf club by implementing best practice and sustainable working across all operations”. This document downloaded to the Sustainable Golf Documents Library eloquently covers community and social outreach aspirations. The club highlight their commitment to sustainability on their website which is available for all to see. This covers the commitment to environmental responsibility and in recognizing the importance of protecting and restoring nature, whilst conserving resources, taking climate action and strengthening communities. The highlights are many and again are evident on the club’s website. Nature conservation is a major pillar and is demonstrated by the importance given; be it the annual grassland management, which maintains such a diversity of plant species, including increasing populations of Bee orchids which the club are clearly proud of, or to the course walks and the liaison with The Burren Ecotourism Network which the club play an active role. The club are working to provide a vital hub to the community whilst working to reduce waste (evidenced by the hydrant points and the removal of single-use plastic) and the measures in place to reduce energy. A major aspiration of the club to lead sustainability within golf. It is certainly my view that Lahinch are at the forefront of golfs sustainable movement and have demonstrated their commitment admirably. I have therefore no reservation whatsoever in recommending Lahinch Golf Club for GEO Certification.”
Bob Taylor (GEO accredited independent verifier)
