Open legend underlines importance of sustainable golf course design

Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the international golf course architecture practice founded by five times Open Champion Peter Thomson with partners Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb, has underlined its commitment to responsible development by issuing a 'Sustainability Statement'.

With national and local governments worldwide now placing strict ecological and social safeguards on new developments, TPL is in the vanguard of golf course architecture practices to formulate and implement a range of sustainable policies designed to deliver long-term viability.

With each project TPL seeks to leave a positive legacy, a long-held belief and commitment of founding partner Peter Thomson.

Peter Thomson said: "Sustainability is extremely important to us at TPL. Our approach is best summed up by the Brundtland Report which describes sustainability as 'meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.' This is something we seek to implement on every project we undertake.

"Many of the methods TPL employs comes with the benefit of 40 years' experience in different countries - it's about knowing what works best, and keeping up to date with the latest research."

A good example of TPL's work on sustainability is Carya Golf Club in Turkey, opening in November 2008. Finding indigenous heather on site, TPL has sought to make a feature of this on the course, establishing an extensive propagation project in eight glasshouses, which has so far produced approximately one million heather plants.

To view the TPL Sustainability Statement, visit www.tpl.eu.com

Picture caption: TPL Golf Course Architect Philip Spogard (right) checks on the heather propagation during the construction of Carya Golf Club, Turkey.