Chonburi: The R&A, the organiser of the golf's oldest event The Open, has successfully staged the second of six seminars to be held across Asia through to 2018, aiming to promote sustainable course design, development and management in the region.
Steve Isaac
The seminar was held yesterday at the Amata Spring Country Club.
The seminar was attended by representatives of golf industry, including the local and regional golf course operators, with a total of over 80 attendees.
It educated course developers, owners, architects, general managers and superintendents in subjects covering a wide range of topics and exploring opportunities within the sport to create a new platform for sustainable golf in Asia.
Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, asserted: "For The R&A, sustainability is the financial, environmental, health and social viability of where golf is played. To achieve this, golf has to react to the challenges that it, and other businesses, face from economic, environmental, social and regulatory pressures. The end result is a sport that benefits everyone, bringing employment, protecting nature and providing healthy recreation.
"This seminar outlined how sustainability can be built into golf course designs, renovation and maintenance. The speakers provided a wealth of experience in delivering sustainable solutions through the implementation of well-founded practices."
The keynote speakers were: Steve Isaac, director of Golf Course Management, The R&A; Pirapon Namatra, owner of Golf East; Micah Woods, chief scientist at Asian Turfgrass Center; Paul Jansen, owner of Jansen Golf Course Design & Construction; and Sam Thomas, golf development manager, Golf Environment Organization.
The seminar was chaired by Dominic Wall, Asia-Pacific director at The R&A.