Golf Enthusiasts Recycling Their Unwanted Clubs for Charity and the Planet

Golf Enthusiasts Recycle Their Unwanted
Clubs for Charity and the Planet

 

A pilot scheme that encourages people to drop off their old and unwanted golf clubs at their local golf club for recycling has became so popular that the organisers have been inundated with venues wanting to take part.

The scheme, garage2green has been funded by the Scottish government, and it is managing to both reduce waste and give people who can’t afford to buy golf equipment the chance to take part in the sport. As well as having the support of the government, the scheme is supported by Scottish Golf and the European Regional Development Fund, and it has been awarded almost £56,000 from Zero Waste Scotland’s Circular Economy Investment Fund.

Some of the unwanted clubs will be distributed to golf academies that are trying to improve participation in the sport, and to charities that will give disadvantaged youngsters the chance to try the game.

Saving materials from landfill

Any clubs that aren’t in good enough condition to be used will be repurposed or recycled, and the scheme’s founder is researching ways to create new products and keep the material out of landfill. The founder, Geoff Sampson, said he got the idea for the scheme from having his own pile of clubs in the garage that he never got round to passing on or selling. He said he spoke to many other people whose golf clubs were just lying around unused, and he came up with the idea of a practical service to promote reuse and recycling.

He added that funding from Zero Waste Scotland’s Circular Economy Investment Fund had allowed the idea to become reality on a larger scale.

Golf Club Recycling

A more sustainable golfing industry

The hope is that the pilot scheme is successful so that the wider golfing industry can become more sustainable.

One of the scheme’s main priorities is to assess the materials in the golf clubs to see what it would be suitable for in terms of manufacturing. So far, possibilities include creating bespoke lighting and furniture using the carbon fibre shafts and identifying ways to reuse the rubber in the grips.

The chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland said that the scheme is a great idea because many people are likely to have a set of golf clubs lying around in their shed or garage that have been forgotten about. He added that the scheme will prevent valuable resources from going to landfill, create new products, and make clubs affordable so more people have the opportunity to take part in the sport.

As part of the scheme, containers are being placed at local golf courses for members and visitors to donate unwanted clubs. There are 14 golf clubs taking part in the scheme at the moment.

The environment manager from Scottish Golf said she is delighted at the clubs’ response to the scheme and that they get to part of an innovate recycling project that contributes to the circular economy.

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