St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service has announced a new global collaboration with Sir Nick Faldo’s golf course architectural company, Faldo Design, to support the delivery of sustainable, high-performance golf courses worldwide.

Through this collaboration, agronomic expertise will be provided across Sir Nick’s design portfolio, supporting projects from initial feasibility and planning through to grow-in, opening and long-term course performance.

Daniel Lightfoot, Director – Sustainable Golf at The R&A, said: “Our work with Faldo Design allows us to bring The R&A’s sustainable agronomy principles to a truly global design portfolio. By integrating our expertise from the earliest stages of planning, we can help ensure that every new or renovated course is built on strong agronomic foundations and prepared to meet the environmental and performance demands of the future.”

The collaboration will focus on integrating sustainability, resource efficiency and playability into every stage of golf course development. Drawing on its global network of agronomy specialists, The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service will advise on key areas such as soil and water suitability, climate-adapted grass selection, and construction and rootzone specifications to ensure courses are built for long-term resilience. 

Simon Jones, Managing Director at Faldo Enterprises, said: “The collaboration with The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service provides Faldo Design with exceptional agronomy expertise across our projects. This partnership ensures that our courses are consistently designed and maintained to the highest standards. On-going client support and the continuous delivery of high-quality golf remain central to the sustainable success of Faldo Design.”

In addition, The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service will provide guidance to Faldo Design on Maintenance Facility planning, machinery requirements and staffing structures, alongside on-going consultancy support to help courses meet performance standards while reducing environmental impact.

The collaboration will also extend beyond construction, with The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service supporting turf establishment, benchmarking course conditions for opening, and delivering on-going agronomy audits and soil analysis to maintain sustainable performance over time. 

Sir Nick said: “Strategy, memorability, playability, respect for nature, and endless enjoyment are the core philosophy of Faldo Design. To uphold these standards, we rely on strong partnerships and expert services in design, construction, and on-going maintenance. I am delighted with the association between The R&A Sustainable Agronomy and Faldo Design to ensure a high-quality standard before, during and after construction of our golf courses, ensuring endless enjoyment for everyone.”

*The R&A and Faldo Design are members of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.