Alessandro de Luca - adeluca@federgolf.it
The ‘Impegnati nel Verde’ Award was instituted in 2009 by the Italian Golf Federation with the aim of promoting environmental commitment among Italian golf clubs, introducing them to the Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) and enhance the positive image of golf.
Every year, a Scientific Committee, made up of leading figures of the academic community, evaluates the submitted candidacies in the following categories: Water, Energy, Biodiversity, Landscape & Environmental Restoration, and Cultural Heritage. The award is granted every year during the Italian Open.
Thanks to continuous promotion conducted by the Italian Golf Federation on websites, newspapers and magazines ‘Impegnati nel Verde’ has become the most credible environmental award for golf in Italy. Since 2015 it has been supported by the Environmental Ministry and is funded by the Instituto per il Credito Sportivo (ICS), the only Italian public credit institute. The ICS has embraced the ‘Impegnati nel Verde’ initiative consistently with its engagement in social responsibility. Since its inception, 79 golf clubs have been awarded. Moreover, ‘Impegnati nel Verde’ has been preparatory to the GEO Certification. As intended, 47 golf clubs have engaged with the GEO program after having gained the award, of which 12 have already achieved the Certification.
The following examples highlight the environmental commitment of the awarded clubs.
Water - Golf della Montecchia has been awarded after having switched its 27 holes tees and fairways to Bermuda grass, which lead to dramatic reductions in water, energy and fertilizer consumption, and bringing the use of chemical products on those surfaces to zero. The golf club was GEO Certified in 2013, then re-certified in 2016 and 2019.
Energy - Udine Golf Club has been awarded for its energy policy, which includes the installation of a photovoltaic system, the purchase of an electrical automobile, and the installation of a charging point for the local population. Its new guesthouse is heated with a geothermal system. The club achieved the GEO certified status in 2011 and was re-certified in 2015 and 2018.
Biodiversity - Is Molas Golf Club has obtained the award for its Sardinian deer’s safeguarding policy. The Sardinian red deer is a rare species and in the past decades has been close to extinction.
Cultural Heritage - Menaggio & Cadenabbia has been awarded for its library, that is widely considered to be one of the foremost collections of golf publications in the world, with over 1200 volumes.
Landscape & Environmental Restoration - Awarded in 2015, Parco di Firenze Golf Club is an urban low-budget club that serves the whole municipality of Florence and is creating several new golfers every year. The course creation with warm season grasses has permitted the recovery of a quarry and landfill site.
