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The North Berwick Golf Club

The North Berwick Golf Club

North Berwick, Scotland

Sustainable Golf Pledge

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.

GEO Certified

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.

Certified 2016, 2020, 2025, for renewal 2030

Notable Observations

  • Biodiversity Management Planning A Biodiversity Enhancement and Management Plan has been commissioned, building on earlier ecological monitoring and management work from 2022 and 2024. This sits alongside an established understanding of the site’s habitats and landscape.
  • Protected Landscape and SSSI Collaboration Part of the course lies within a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is managed under agreement with SNH. The club supports habitat management in adjacent areas, including assisting with buckthorn control.
  • Invasive Species Removal Programme A significant project has been undertaken to remove invasive sea buckthorn and self seeded trees. This work aligns with broader habitat improvement and naturalisation objectives across the course.
  • Transition to Borehole Irrigation Source Investment is being made to move from mains supply to a potable borehole abstraction. This is integrated with a new irrigation system designed to be data driven.
  • Data Led Turf Management Course management decisions are informed through detailed data collection, including recording grass clippings to calculate growth rates. Soil testing and monitoring also support fertiliser and maintenance planning.
  • Trial of Autonomous Robotic Mowers The club is testing autonomous robotic mowers as part of its maintenance approach. Hybrid machinery is also in use across the operation.
  • Open Public Access Across the Course Public access is maintained across the course, including along the John Muir Way. The site is regularly used by multiple groups, reflecting its integration with the local community.
  • Community Fund and Local Partnerships A community fund allows local groups to apply for financial support. The club is also involved in initiatives such as North Berwick in Bloom, contributing to wider town activities.
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“North Berwick Golf Club continue to take responsibility to invest in their historical links with some major projects underway; such as coastal erosion, landscape management and the installation of a new irrigation source and irrigation system. All these projects are being implemented to ensure sustainable practices are in place for the future. The collection of data across different areas on the course provides valuable information to help drive decision making. I.e. recording grass clippings provides growth ratios and informs the maintenance team of management timings and practices in a sustainable manner. There is a real community spirit with the club being a major asset to the town and involved with North Berwick in bloom as well as many other public engagements.”

Stuart Rennie (GEO accredited independent verifier)
GEO Certified Reports
   
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