Woodhall Spa earns sustainability award

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Woodhall Spa Golf Club, the home of England Golf and the site of the National Golf Centre, has been awarded GEO Certified status for its outstanding work to preserve nature, conserve resources and play an active role in supporting the local community.

On the course, Woodhall Spa has recently continued a detailed restoration and habitat management project aimed at returning the Hotchkin Course to its original state when opened for play in the early part of the 20th century.

In collaboration with Natural England, the work has involved the felling of invasive trees and removal of unfavourable species of gorse and bracken. A new irrigation system has also produced water savings of 50 percent compared to previous years with a similar system due to be laid on the Bracken Course.

The replacement of old gas boilers and the introduction of hybrid mowers for green staff has helped the club reduce its carbon footprint.

Woodhall Spa. The Hotchkin Course

A new biomass boiler which burns wood collected from the course and releases less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than other fossil fuel alternatives has also proved financially profitable with £5,000 of savings accrued in the first year of operation.

Rare species of wildflowers, lichens, heather, birds, mammals and reptiles form an integral part of the site’s natural features which, along with the outstanding golf experience, have drawn golfers from all over the world to rural Lincolnshire.

Courses manager Sam Rhodes has played a key role in the club achieving GEO certification and is proud of his team’s work.

He said: “We’re also rewilding the Bracken Course and dropping off on the rough mowing so that the carbon footprint decreases.

“The courses look fantastic and we see great diversity in flora and fauna.

“We have five out of the six reptiles in the UK living on the course and we have nationally rare lichens on site too.

“The Hotchkin is a unique course – you see lizards running around in the bunkers in the morning when you rake them and that’s great!”