Singapore: Chris Gray, Head of Sustainability & Agronomy – Asia-Pacific at The R&A, explains the work and objectives of The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service.

What key services does The R&A Sustainable Agronomy provide to golf courses?

Chris Gray: The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service offers expert agronomic guidance tailored to all types of golf facilities, supporting the day-to-day and long-term needs of golf course management.

Our team works closely with greenkeeping staff, providing on-going advice and best practice recommendations with a strong focus on sustainability.

We also collaborate with golf course architects on both new developments and renovations, advising on the most suitable turfgrass species and offering technical support on construction materials for greens, tees, fairways, and bunkers.

In addition, we assist with planning agronomy centres, machinery requirements, and maintenance strategies ahead of new course openings.

How does The R&A Sustainable Agronomy service share insights from preparing courses for Major championships like The Open and the AIG Women’s Open with clubs across the APAC region?

Chris Gray: The R&A’s championship agronomy team brings decades of experience preparing venues for The Open and the AIG Women’s Open – knowledge we now apply across the Asia-Pacific region.

We provide on-site tournament support for events such as the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) and the Women’s Asia-Pacific Amateur (WAAP) championship.

A key insight drawn from Major championship preparation is the critical importance of irrigation management in achieving firm, consistent, and high-quality playing surfaces.

Over watering remains a widespread issue in the region, often resulting in disease outbreaks and overly soft conditions. By sharing our championship-level expertise, we help clubs refine their practices to achieve optimal course conditions.

In your view, what are the most significant agronomic challenges golf courses face today, and how does The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service help clubs navigate and overcome these obstacles?

Chris Gray: The golf industry is increasingly challenged by limited resources, a changing climate, and evolving regulations. The R&A’s sustainable golf agenda is designed to help facilities address these issues proactively – ensuring they can sustain and even enhance playability despite these pressures.

Through our service, we offer guidance and support rooted in sustainability, helping clubs adapt and build resilience into their agronomic practices.

Given the diverse climates and soil types across APAC, how do you tailor your approach to turf management to suit different environments?

Chris Gray: Our Asia-Pacific Sustainable Agronomy Service operates across a broad spectrum of climates – from tropical regions in Southeast Asia to temperate zones in Japan – and supports both warm and cool-season turfgrass sites.

With over 30 years of experience working with golf courses across the region, I’ve encountered a wide range of agronomic challenges first-hand.

This depth of experience enables us to deliver tailored, practical solutions that ensure courses remain in excellent condition year-round while adhering to sustainable management practices.

Sustainability is becoming a top priority in golf course management. How do your services help clubs implement more environmentally responsible practices while ensuring high-quality playing conditions?

Chris Gray: To support this shift, we’ve launched the R&A Sustainable Agronomy Pathway Programme – a certification-based initiative offering practical, hands-on support to help golf courses of all types adopt and advance sustainable management practices.

Our goal is to ensure clubs not only meet today’s standards but thrive for decades to come.

Backed by our Golf Course 2030 research initiative and a commitment to raising industry standards, we see it as our responsibility to lead the way in promoting environmentally responsible approaches that continue to deliver exceptional playing conditions.

*Originally from Australia, Chris Gray has lived and worked in Asia for more than 30 years, bringing a wealth of experience as an agronomic consultant, golf course manager, and project manager across the Asia-Pacific, Central Asia, and Middle East regions. In addition to his role at The R&A, Chris is President of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.