When sending a newsletter addressed to all ffgolf licensees, at the end of November 2022, the ffgolf had announced via its president Pascal Grizot, the launch of projects aimed at experimenting with varietal collections. Conducted and financed by ffgreen jointly with the French Association of Golf Course Maintenance Personnel (AGREF) and their Ecoumène Golf & Environment Institute, this experiment, carried out on 10 selected golf courses, aims to assess grass species the most adapted to different soils and climates and thus allow golf courses to initiate a conversion of flora. This conversion should allow the use of grasses that are more resistant to water stress and diseases.

Pascal Grizot, President of the French Golf Federation and of ffgreen – @ffgolf

Under the technical direction and expertise of AGREF, five of the selected golf courses have already started experimenting with different seeds on a dedicated plot: Golf Club de Palmola, Golf & Country Club de Bossey, Golf Bluegreen Pessac, Golf de Nîmes Vacquerolles, Golf of La Boulie Racing Club of France. A follow-up will be ensured throughout the experiment in order to evaluate the progress of the project. This study is open to other outdoor spaces used by sports or other disciplines and academic representatives (for example) or other qualified persons are associated with it.

A golf label for biodiversity

Biodiversity is also highlighted with a Golf program. Aiming to measure and integrate the value of nature in the management and practice of golf, it is broken down into 3 areas: improving knowledge of biodiversity in golf courses by integrating the data collected on each golf course into the National Inventory of Natural Heritage (INPN), Identify and share practices favorable to the preservation and development of biodiversity and finally Raise awareness of golf managers and golfers and these practices. To date, there are 113 clubs involved, 73 of which are labeled, the Golf for Biodiversity label aims to support the greatest number of golf courses in this process. ffgreen, with its partners, will support the initiatives of labeled golf courses for the discovery of biodiversity.

Numerous scientific studies have shown that turfed and vegetated soils constitute a carbon sink. ffgreen, on a proposal from the GEGF, wishes to conduct the first experimental study in France within a sample of 3 golf courses, in order to measure the potential for sequestration of organic carbon in the soils of golf areas. It will be financed by the ffgreen endowment fund and carried out by selected service providers, in partnership with the Icelandic company Eureka, which is carrying out a similar study on more than 60 golf courses in Iceland.

The Rolex group partner of ffgreen

This year, the Rolex France group signed a three-year agreement which will allow the testing of varietal collections of grasses adapted to the new challenges of climate change on 10 golf courses in France. The promotion of golf courses committed to obtaining the Silver and Gold label of the Golf Program for Biodiversity until 2024. This club commitment program is the result of the partnership between ffgolf and the National Museum of Natural History. Its purpose is to help clubs know, protect and enhance their natural heritage. ffgolf and ffgreen were present in various events, during the mayors' fair from November 22 to 24, the education fair on November 25, 2022 and they will be present on March 30 - April 1, 2023 at National Golf Week.

About ffgreen

Launched in November 2020 by players in the golf industry, ffgreen represents a major step in ffgolf's commitment to ecological transition, a pillar of ffgolf's 2021-2024 mandate alongside high-level sport and practice development. Motivated by the notable acceleration of the effects of climate change, this fund should enable rapid adaptation of the sports disciplines practiced in the natural environment. For this, it is a question of both preserving biodiversity and enhancing and protecting natural areas.

In the continuity of the actions implemented by the ffgolf since 2004, this collective initiative of the actors of the French golf must make it possible to raise funds in the form of donations, participations and financing eligible for the tax regime of patronage. They will make it possible to finance projects and investments likely to meet the many challenges of ecological transition.

To learn more about ffgreen: click here