John Collier Survey

The sixteenth John Collier Annual Survey on Environmental Compliance and Good Governance for South African Golf Courses is due to be published shortly and sent to clubs throughout South Africa. This Annual Survey provides an essential tool for chairpersons, management committees and club management of golf courses, as well as industry representative bodies.

The Annual Survey constitutes a benchmark for all golf clubs and representative bodies, from which to measure themselves against latest trends, and reference recent international research into the topic of sport environmental sustainability, which is becoming an important dimension of the global sport academy.

The Annual Survey takes a closer look at the findings regarding environmental compliance, in the light of the international research into sport environmental sustainability.

Part 2 of the Annual Survey sets the scene as to the methodology of the survey by explaining the survey population and related issues.

Thereafter, Part 3 unpacks the detail regarding the Annual Survey findings, with the net result being that for third consecutive year, we have noted a decline in compliance levels by golf clubs in South Africa.

In Part 4 we illustrate the continued flood of legislation impacting upon the legal universe for golf.

Part 5 discusses sport environmental sustainability research as it impacts upon our findings regarding good governance and environmental compliance. The core point being how those in sport, and in particular golf, at all levels, envision the future of sport environmental sustainability.

The Annual Survey concludes with a recommendation addressed to the leadership bodies of golf in South Africa, to play their role, through golf as a social influencer, by coordinating the preparation of appropriate education tools and narratives to build awareness and the benefits of environmental sustainability and that these organisations include a separate section in their Annual Reports dealing with environmental sustainability.