Signing the Pledge is a simple way to show golfers, staff and your wider community what your facility stands for. It shows your commitment to environmental and social responsibility and connects you with other facilities working to protect nature, conserve resources and support their communities.

There is no requirement to complete a particular project or achieve certification. You can share the Pledge through your website, social media and clubhouse communications to engage your team and encourage others to get involved. When you are ready, OnCourse can help turn that commitment into practical action and valuable guidance.

Most facilities fit participation into their existing operations. Often, one person leads on course management and another on the clubhouse and business side. Some involve a sustainability committee or dedicated staff member, but creating a new role is certainly not necessary.

Some facilities have completed their initial OnCourse submission in as little as one week, while others work through it gradually at a pace that suits their team. Once the initial information is in place, you simply build on it each year. Updating your data helps you spot potential savings, measure progress and gather greater insight to share with golfers and your team. The quieter months can be an ideal time to get started and prepare a plan for the season ahead.

While OnCourse and the Highlights tool are both free to use and can provide valuable insights, there are additional opportunities for added value along the pathway. Sustainable Golf Scorecards turn your annual data into meaningful graphs, tables, and even a carbon footprint. These are available at any time for 350 CAD per year but to provide you the best value in support of your sustainability journey, we also offer Scorecards as part of a bundle alongside GEO Certification.

Without Scorecards, the certification fee in Canada is 675 CAD but every club will be given the option to add one year of Scorecards for a total of 900 CAD or receive three years of Scorecards along with certification for only 1500 CAD. For each of these options, certification requires Verification which has its own fee of 1400 CAD in addition to travel expenses for the third-party accredited verifier to conduct a site visit.

Absolutely. Small, rural and resource-limited facilities have just as much reason to get involved, whether their priority is saving money, caring for their surroundings or gaining recognition for the contribution they make locally.

OnCourse is tailored to the activities that apply to your facility. We have certified nine-hole courses, public-access facilities, private members’ clubs, golf resorts and internationally renowned championship venues, as well as a six-hole college course used solely for greenkeeper training. These facilities have very different budgets, infrastructure, teams and ambitions, but each has something worth celebrating. Whatever your size or business model, there is a place for your facility in sustainable golf.

Certification is built around good management practices that facilities of all sizes can put in place. The independent verifier considers your staffing, budget, infrastructure and what you can realistically control when identifying further improvements. You receive guidance that fits your operation and recognition for the good work your team is doing.

It helps you get more business value and recognition from the good work you are already doing. Efforts that are familiar to your team may be largely invisible to golfers, visitors and the wider community. The Pathway helps you build on those achievements and make them more visible.

OnCourse brings your efforts together in one place, with guidance to help you decide where to focus next. Annual scorecards show trends in resource use, helping you spot opportunities to save water, energy and money. A carbon footprint helps you understand your emissions and prioritize reductions.

Infographics and communication materials give you content for your website, social media and member updates. They help you show progress clearly, celebrate your team’s efforts and strengthen your reputation as a responsible business.

GEO Certified adds independent recognition to your achievements. An expert reviews your practices and provides guidance on further improvements, giving you both a useful plan for the future and credible achievements to share in your marketing and communications.

No. The focus is on using products responsibly and efficiently, reducing unnecessary use and limiting their environmental impact. This supports the everyday work of maintaining a healthy course and delivering a great golfing experience.

A championship venue maintaining elite playing surfaces and a small community course can both earn recognition for responsible management. Their needs and circumstances will differ, and the assessment reflects that.

OnCourse and the independent verification process help you identify practical improvements that suit your facility. They can help you use resources more efficiently and reduce costs, while giving you positive examples to share with golfers.

The starting point is good practice that every well-managed golf facility should be aiming to follow: looking after its surroundings, using resources responsibly and caring for people. Many facilities will already be doing much of this. Certification helps bring that work together and gives it independent recognition.

Beyond those core practices, improvements are tailored to your facility. The verifier takes time to understand your operation and offers practical guidance that reflects your resources, infrastructure and business priorities. That might mean a simple change that saves water or energy, a better way to communicate existing achievements, or a project to consider within future investment plans.

The process helps you understand what you do well and where you could improve. It also gives your team recognition they can be proud of and helps you demonstrate to golfers that your facility is responsibly managed. You can celebrate what you have achieved while continuing to improve in ways that make sense for your facility.