The Aphrodite Hills PGA National Cyprus and GEO Certified Golf Course is proud to be part of the GEO Sustainable Golf Week 2023. After a successful approach of the event back in 2022, we are delighted to join the golf community for another insightful and inspiring week, showcasing our environmental developments over the past year, and eager to find out more ways to improve and enhance our dedication to sustainable golf.
We can confidently say that 2023 was all about sustainability and environmental responsibility for Aphrodite Hills as we have managed to:
- Gain our GEO Certification for the upcoming 3 years.
- Open the new PGA National 6-hole par 3 Academy Course built to sustainable standards with plans to enhance the local habitat by adding the appropriate species and natural areas and with a state-of-the-art irrigation system set with individual functions to reduce water waste. During the construction of the new par 3 PGA Academy Course, the Golf Maintenance team installed the Capillary Flow Bunker liner and Capillary Wash Box to all eleven bunkers to effectively move water the same two ways water moves in soils and sand, through capillary action and gravity.
- Renew our buggy fleet to the latest generation vehicles that are equipped with lithium-Ion battery, that reduce the electricity costs up to 50%, conserve energy to improve the overall performance of operations, have fast charging times and ability to hold a charge across multiple rounds. Alongside these benefits the buggies are more reliable and have a reduced weight that produces less damage to the turf on the course,
- Implement the use of reusable water containers and installed water dispensers at key points around the facilities and golf course, thus slowly removing the single-use plastic water bottles. This amazing project is meant to remove single-use plastic items from our daily operations on the golf course and associated facilities and raise awareness to all of our visitors and Golf Course Members about the impact plastic pollution is having on the environment and also the importance of shifting the consumer attitude towards a more sustainable and healthy way of living.
- Protect further the biodiversity on the course by reducing the quantity of pesticides (fungicides and insecticides) and using more the bio-stimulants on all our greens.
Our sustainability ambitions are unstoppable at this point and because this year’s Sustainable Golf Week centres around the theme “Golf-Better with Nature”, we would like to present a few of our upcoming plans and ideas meant to fostering nature:
- Installing solar panels in our Driving range area, among many other benefits this will become our source for renewable energy, reduce air pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the climate change process, substantially reduce the electricity costs and reliance on fossil fuels.
- Installing owl nesting boxes around the resort in order to help control rodent and wildlife infestations, encourage owl population growth, promote wildlife conservation and stop the use of rodenticides.
- Installing water aerators on the 2 lakes that are on the golf course perimeter to enhance the pond fish habitats, improve the water quality, reduce algae, remove phosphorus and foul odours, reduce mosquito activity and break down any unwanted bacteria and accumulation of bottom sediments.
We will continue to dedicate our time and energy to promote a sense of environmental responsibility to all our teams and visitors and work towards reducing the overall impact on climate.
The path to finding a balance between the environmental and economic factors for companies is challenging; however, we will always encourage the education on climate action and support a responsible consumption while ensuring that the resort is managed in a way that it respects the environment and helps biodiversity flourish.
#Golf is better with nature!
