Royal Porthcawl Golf Club achieves Geo-Certification

Royal Porthcawl has become the first Golf Club in Wales to obtain the GEO-Certification sustainability award after receiving valuable support from Bridgend County Borough Council’s ‘Dune 2 Dunes’ project.

The ‘Dunes 2 Dunes’ project, funded by the Sustainable Management Scheme, which is supported by the Welsh Government Rural Development Programme and European Union, is a collaboration of organisations, landowners, farmers and golf courses working together to sustainably manage the Bridgend County Borough coastline.

The golf club has worked extremely hard on the large-scale removal of degenerate gorse in order to reinstate open sandy areas and encourage coastal heather regeneration. Their mission has been a huge success and will lead to healthier coastal grasslands.

Staff at the golf club have also been proactive in creating and restoring habitats for Great Crested Newts – a European protected species – and have liaised with the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Group in order to improve conditions of the existing ponds located on the course. Birds including linnets, kestrels and yellow hammers can also be found there.

Congratulations to Royal Porthcawl Golf Club on achieving this international certification which is the sign of a great golf environment. The club has a clear commitment to nature, sustainability, coastal grassland protection and habitat restoration.

Councillor Charles Smith, Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and regeneration

The Welsh Government Rural Communities Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.