Can a golfing vacation be responsible?
Overview
![Golf](https://www.responsiblevacation.com/ImagesClient/golfstance.jpg)
The development of golf courses can have a considerable environmental footprint, can be considered exclusive of local people, and offer limited opportunities for long term or highly skilled employment in destinations.
The negative impacts of golf in key destinations have made them a controversial inclusion in accommodations around the world, and in the past we have taken a strong stance in not promoting golf vacations.
In recent years this has started to change, with more and more organisations committed to sustainable golf practices lobbying to not only change the existing industry, but ensure the sustainable development of golf courses going forward.
Our stance
For this reason, we will only promote golfing vacations provided the course has been GEO Certified™ with the Golf Environment Organization.
The Golf Environment Organization aims to grow public awareness of the environmental and social impacts of golf, provide guidance on sustainability in golf, and reward achievement and recognise standards with their GEO Certified™ Ecolabel.
About the Golf Environment Organization
![GEO certified, image courtesy of Steven Cook](https://www.responsiblevacation.com/ImagesClient/GEOcertified.jpg)
"GEO Certified™ is the only ecolabel available in golf with full transparency, trained and accredited on-site verification, and the most comprehensive approach to continual improvement. It is not a membership programme or award, but rather a highly-credible ecolabel, following the modern day standards to ensure stakeholders and consumers can trust the sustainability assurance that is being presented."
In addition to the certification programme, GEO have designed the GEO OnCourse™ Programme. GEO OnCourse™ is a practical, web-based programme that guides golf clubs toward the GEO Certified™ ecolabel - achieving continually improving sustainability performance. When all six of the Action Areas have been considered by working through the online guidance, an independent verifier visits the golf club before recommending the facility for the GEO Certified™ ecolabel.
For more information about GEO Certified™ and the Golf Environment Organization, visit the Golf Environment Organization website.