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Gary Player Designed Jinji Lake Golf Club GEO Certified™

Sep 14, 2011 | Filed Under: General NewsGolf Course Design   Share

Suzhou, People’s Republic of China - Jinji Lake Golf Club maintains over one-hundred hectares of greenspace and wildlife habitat in the urbanized center of Suzhou, a historic industrial city in the Yangtze River Delta. As the first club in mainland China to secure the GEO Certified™ ecolabel, Jinji Lake is building on its reputation as one of the best maintained courses in the region, now becoming recognized as a sustainability leader in the rapidly emerging Asian golf industry.

Created eight years ago on a parcel of reclaimed land, the 27-hole Gary Player designed course opened for play in 2006 and hosted the Volvo China Open in 2010 – an event co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Asian Tour.

Course designer and golf legend Gary Player was delighted to learn of GEO’s acknowledgment.  “Receiving recognition from The Golf Environment Organization is in my opinion an honour and one that should be celebrated.  Protecting the environmental integrity of a golf course and the surrounding land is something that I and our entire design team is very serious about and Jinji Lake Golf Club being the first course in mainland China to receive the GEO Certified™ ecolabel is fantastic.  A commitment to environmental sensitivity can only be successful if the management team is committed to doing so and the team at Jinji Lake Golf Club has clearly made that commitment.  Well done!” 

Club Manager Michael Gu, CCM, spoke proudly of the club’s achievements, and its role in enhancing the environmental quality of Suzhou Industrial Park:

“In the space of five years Jinji Lake has matured into a prestigious members club and tournament venue, at the same time we’ve implemented a broad sustainability programme. These activities are sometimes considered mutually exclusive but Jinji Lake is demonstrating otherwise. Working with IMG Golf Course Services we are continually seeking opportunities to enhance environmental conditions and improve resource efficiency.

Read the official GEO Certified™ Report for Jinji Lake here: http://www.golfenvironment.org/clubs/jinjilakegolf

“With over 300 employees drawn from the local community, this club is multiplying social and economic benefits right on its doorstep. We have comprehensive healthcare and education for all staff including environment and resource efficiency classes that connect to GEO’s sustainable golf agenda. Our intention is that this award will inspire further improvement and take our management practices from strength to strength.”

“We are thrilled that Jinji Lake Golf Club has become the first GEO Certified™ club in China,” stated Paul Burley, Vice President, IMG Golf Course Services. “The recognition received under IMG’s management has shown our effectiveness in meeting the combined demands of golf and the environment. IMG is committed to responsible environmental management of our golf courses and to driving ever-higher standards of performance in the industry”.

Ms. Xu Hong, Chairperson of Jinji Lake Golf Club, spoke on behalf of the membership:

“Congratulations to Jinji Lake Golf Club on becoming the first GEO Certified™ club in mainland China! We are sure that the club will continue to make further progress and shoulder even greater responsibility for protecting the environment, reducing energy consumption and enhancing the ecological status.”

The environmental awareness of staff and members was in evidence when Accredited Verifier Micah Woods PhD, GEOSA, visited the club:

“I’m left in little doubt that Jinji Lake Golf Club is a model of best practice for golf course management in Asia. Inputs of water, energy, fertilizers and pesticides are being carefully monitored and the course management team is continually seeking ways to reduce them. The club has demonstrated its commitment and enthusiasm for environmental enhancement, and is well placed to drive forward with reductions in energy use and the promotion of its achievements within the local community.”

Micah’s On-site Evaluation Report can be read here

Jonathan Smith, GEO Chief Executive, is delighted to see this first PRC club achieve GEO Certified™ status:

“GEO congratulates Jinji Lake Golf Club and IMG Golf Course Services for displaying genuine commitment and leadership in Chinese golf. The combined professionalism of a leader in the global golf industry, matched with a highly educated and motivated local management team, is clearly delivering a high quality and ever more sustainable golf product. This club is a worthy recipient of the first GEO Certified™ ecolabel awarded in mainland China, and we believe can serve as a valuable role model for others.”

“Expertise and attention to detail, continually applied across a wide array of social and environmental issues, will enable golf clubs everywhere to maximize their sustainability potential.”

”Going forwards, China has an opportunity to raise the bar in sustainable golf development policy and practice – breaking new ground in levels of ecological richness, resource efficiency and social integration, all the while imbuing the game with its own unique cultural values.”

Article courtesy of The Golf Environment Organization

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