US Kids Venice Open Brings Sustainability To Young Golfers3 min read

Event organisers and venues build on last year’s commitment and achievements

The third edition of the US Kids Venice Open is pushing new levels of sustainability action this week, by not only integrating nature, resources and community into the event, but also to engage the participating children and their families.

The event is being played over three days on three sustainably managed venues:

• Golf della Montecchia – fully GEO Certified®, IAGTO Sustainability Award Winner 2017 (community engagement); Biogolf research site; Italian Golf Federation Impegnati nel Verdi (INV) Award winner for water management.
• Frassanelle Golf Club – OnCourse® for GEO Certified®; twice awarded INV Award for cultural heritage and landscape management.
• Galzignano Golf Club – OnCourse® for GEO Certified®

In addition, the organisers have commissioned a sustainability specialist to work through the OnCourse® Tournaments programme, bringing ideas and supervising the initiative. This is leading to an array of further environmental and community actions, including:

• Promoting group bus transportation
• Promoting recycling and reduction in plastics
• Provision of green energy to the golf clubs
• Use of local and sustainable suppliers of services and materials, including catering, printing and signage
• All participants are given tickets to visit the local natural science museum
• Tracking resource use, at venues and hotels
• Selection of hotels with credible sustainability policies and programmes
• Information for players and families, including two ‘green questionnaires’
• Engagement of local schools, for volunteering and learning
• Raising funds for official local charities such as ONLUS, which provides support for children with cancer and which helps them engage in sporting activities.
• Promoting healthy lifestyles with discounted physical education and coaching, and healthy menus.

The event is applying to become a GEO Certified® Tournament.

Dan van Horn, CEO of the US Kids Foundation – “We established a partnership last year with the GEO Foundation to help bring sustainability into events like the Venice Open, and we are delighted to see how this is progressing and the way it is connecting with the players and their families. Our thanks to all those who have worked to turn the commitment into action, and we are excited about how we can help further pioneer sustainability and children’s golf in the future”.

Ian Randell, Chief Executive of the Confederation of Professional Golf – “This is a great addition to an already fantastic event, and one that does so much to promote the positive things that golf gives to individuals and communities. We fully support this important initiative and congratulate US Kids Golf and the venues for bringing it forward”.

Paolo Casati, President of Golf della Montecchia – “We are very proud to host this tournament, and it is fundamental for us to send the young players and families the message of the importance of respect the environment. We started last year the process to improve the environmental and community aspects of the event, and this year we hope to be ready to reach the official GEO Certified® Tournament standard”.

Jonathan Smith – “It is a pleasure to work with the organising team of the Venice Open, including the venue managers. They are all so committed and enthusiastic towards the added value that this brings to the entire event, and the important message it sends to the next generation of golfers. We are proud to support and recognise such inspiring leadership in and through golf”.

Find Out More at VeniceOpen.it