Golf4Gens National Workshops Bring Sustainable Golf into Practice Across Europe

The Golf4Gens Erasmus+ Sport project has successfully completed its series of National Workshops, bringing together golf organisations, coaches, players, educators, club representatives, and other stakeholders across Europe to explore how sustainability principles can be translated into practical action within grassroots golf.

Between July and September 2026, five National Workshops were organised across the partner countries:

• Romania – Romanian Golf Federation (FRG)
  12 July 2026 | Bucharest Golf Club
• Austria – Austrian Golf Association (ÖGV)
  28 July 2026 | ÖGV Headquarters, Fontana Allee 4, Oberwaltersdorf
• Türkiye – Klassis Golf Sports Club (SKGSC)
  6 August 2026 | Klassis Golf & Country Club, Istanbul
• Bulgaria – Bulgarian Golf Association (BGA) & Friends of Bulgarian Golf (FBG)
  11 August 2026 | St. Sofia Golf Club & SPA, Ravno Pole
• Iceland – Iceland Golf Union (IGU)
  23 September 2026 | KPMG, Borgartún, Reykjavík

Together, the workshops represented an important step in the development of the Golf Bridge Model, connecting the project’s research activities with the experiences, needs, and perspectives of golf communities in different European contexts.

From research to practical exchange

The National Workshops built on the work carried out within WP2 – Elaboration of the Golf Bridge Model, including findings from the Integrated Research Report on Best Practices in Circular Economy and Biodiversity through Nature-Based Solutions.

While each partner adapted its workshop to its national context and audience, the events shared a common objective: to create an interactive environment where research findings, good practices, and practical experiences could be discussed with people directly involved in golf.

Across the five countries, participants explored key themes including Circular Economy in grassroots golf, biodiversity, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), environmental responsibility, sustainable management practices, and opportunities for integrating sustainability into golf clubs and communities.

The workshops also provided an opportunity to introduce the wider Golf4Gens approach and its collaborative tools, including the Digital Multi-Actor Platform (MAP) and the Virtual Community of Practice (VCoP), designed to encourage continued exchange of knowledge and good practices between stakeholders across Europe.

Five countries, one shared objective

The workshop journey began in Romania on 12 July, where the Romanian Golf Federation hosted the first National Workshop at Bucharest Golf Club.

The initiative then continued to Austria on 28 July, with the Austrian Golf Association welcoming participants to its headquarters in Oberwaltersdorf to discuss Circular Economy, biodiversity, Nature-Based Solutions, national research results, and examples of good practices.

On 6 August, the programme moved to Türkiye, where Klassis Golf Sports Club hosted its workshop at Klassis Golf & Country Club in Istanbul. Young golfers were among the participants, combining research, discussion, and practical learning while considering how sustainability principles can be translated into action.

The Bulgarian National Workshop followed on 11 August, jointly hosted by the Bulgarian Golf Association and Friends of Bulgarian Golf at St. Sofia Golf Club & SPA. Club representatives, coaches, players, and other stakeholders exchanged perspectives on sustainability and discussed practical opportunities for Bulgarian grassroots golf.

The series concluded in Iceland on 23 September, with the Iceland Golf Union hosting the final National Workshop at KPMG in Reykjavík, completing the Golf4Gens workshop journey across the five partner countries.

Local perspectives, European collaboration

One of the strengths of the National Workshop programme was the opportunity to approach common European objectives from different national perspectives.

Each golf community operates within its own environmental, organisational, and social context. The workshops therefore encouraged participants not only to learn about existing good practices but also to consider how these approaches could be adapted realistically to their own clubs and communities.

The activities also reinforced the importance of intergenerational learning. By involving players, coaches, golf professionals, club representatives, educators, and other stakeholders, Golf4Gens creates opportunities for different generations and areas of expertise to learn from one another.

This exchange of experience is central to the project’s ambition to develop solutions that are not only innovative but also practical and relevant to grassroots golf.

Turning knowledge into action

The National Workshops were designed to go beyond awareness raising. Discussions, participant feedback, national experiences, and examples of good practices gathered through the events will contribute to the continued development of the Golf Bridge Model and the educational and practical resources being developed within Golf4Gens.

The completion of all five National Workshops therefore represents an important milestone for the project: moving from research and identification of good practices towards exchange, testing, learning, and practical implementation.

Golf4Gens would like to thank the Romanian Golf Federation, Austrian Golf Association, Klassis Golf Sports Club, Bulgarian Golf Association, Friends of Bulgarian Golf, and Iceland Golf Union, as well as all workshop organisers, participants, coaches, players, clubs, educators, and stakeholders who contributed their time, experience, and ideas.

Together, these five workshops have helped strengthen a growing European community committed to making grassroots golf more sustainable, inclusive, innovative, and environmentally responsible.

🌍 The National Workshops may be complete, but the exchange continues through the Golf4Gens Virtual Community of Practice.

Play Green. Learn Bold. Lead Forward.