The Golf Resource Group expanding, now offering GEO certification

The Phoenix, Arizona-based Golf Resource Group (GRG), North America’s leading firm for sustainable golf course design and operations consulting, has announced their endorsement of the GEO certification process. Partnering throughout the industry to establish golf’s sustainability mission and inspire progress, Golf Environment Organization (GEO) provides streamlined guidance and practical tools across the areas of management, development, and events. GEO’s certification programs are the most credible, comprehensive eco-labels available for existing golf facilities and new developments.

“We saw the GEO certification process as a natural progression to what we’ve been doing in the golf industry for the past nine years. GEO’s philosophy on sustainability very much matches up with the philosophy we’ve developed over the years so we saw this as an opportunity to provide even more value to the courses who consult with us,” explained Andy Staples, ASGCA Associate, a golf course architect and president of GRG.
GRG now offers courses guidance with the GEO certification process in addition to offering resource management planning and golf design services. Staples and GRG have worked with over 100 courses throughout the US and are in the process of expanding services to the international market. Past projects include a new 27-hole design project for Sand Hollow Golf Resort in St. George, Utah, energy management planning at Desert Mountain Golf Course in Scottsdale, Arizona, and a resource management and turf reduction plan for Northridge Country Club in Sacramento, CA.

The work pertaining to GEO certification will be conducted in partnership with Scott Morrison, the pioneer of the GEO process in North America who now advises multiple clubs in Canada and the US. Morrison was responsible for the verification process of Mirimichi Golf Course in Millington, TN, the first fully GEO certified course in the US. He will lend his experience to GRG as a leading environmental consultant in the golf industry through his work as founder of Out on a Limb and Turfhugger.com.

“There so much talk about sustainability these days, that I sure hope the meaning behind the word doesn’t get washed out and become meaningless,” Staples continues. “We’re hoping to do our part to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Golf Resource Group, established in 2002, is a golf course design and development consultancy with contracts for implementing and sustaining efficient design and management practices on golf courses in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington.

Andrew Staples, ASGCA Associate and President of GRG, has designed, built, managed or consulted on over 125 golf course projects throughout the world. He has served on the Environmental Institute for Golf’s Energy Conservation BMP Committee and is considered a leading expert in sustainable golf course architecture including all areas related to resource management. Visit www.thegolfresourcegroup.com for more details.