The triple social, economic and environmental sustainability of the golf sector in Spain, and specifically in Catalonia, has been the central element of the presentation of the 'PlaySpain.Golf' project by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Spanish Association Golf Courses, the Catalan Golf Federation and the Costa Brava Golf Course Association. A project financed with European Next Generation Funds granted by the Secretara de Estado de Turismo of the Government of Spain, within the framework of the Plan de Recuperacin, Transformacin y Resiliencia.
Golf, tourism
In Catalonia the use of regenerated water in the fields is 73%, much higher than the figure of 59% at the national level, following extra data from the report elaborated by the University of Cadiz on the use of water in the fields, demonstrating the sector's commitment to sustainability both at the national level and in Catalua, where efficient water management is fundamental for the activity of courses and their integration into the natural environment.
The following report on the Economic Impact of Golf in Spain, carried out by IE University, revealed that this sport has been an important economic and tourist driver, with special significance in Catalua, where the total cost of golf tourists reaches 263 million euros , 4.5% of gas at the national level. Catalonia has seen how the growth of tourism and the digitalisation of the sector have contributed to local economic development, strengthened by initiatives such as the PlaySpain.Golf digital platform. This tourist offer integrates all the Spanish golf offers in a single web, facilitating access to the courses in the region.
In 2022, tourism in Spain grew by 17%, and Catalunya was one of the regions that benefited from this trend, positioning itself as a key destination. The economic impact in the country amounted to 15,937 million euros, and of this figure, a large part was to address complementary sectors such as hospitality and trade, generating new employment opportunities and economic development for the region.
The study estimates that the turnover of the fields of Catalonia represents 10% of the national total, with 9% in terms of direct employment, bringing more than 82 million to the total turnover of the sector at the national level.
The data from the report states that Catalua has been able to consolidate golf as an engine of economic and tourist growth. With an increase in the influx oftourists, a push for sustainability and the implementation of digital herramientas such as PlaySpain.Golf, the region positions itself as a reference in the offer in Spain. Collaboration between public institutions and the private sector is key to boosting this development, and with digitalisation and commitment to the sustainable use of water, Catalonia is prepared to continue unlocking the potential of generator and employee.
The Rules are a set of rules and standard procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. An expert committee, made up of members of the R&A and the USGA, oversees and refines the Rules every four years. The latest revision was effective January 1, 2016. Changes to the Rulesgenerally fall into two main categories: those that improve understanding of the Rules and those that reduce penalties in certain cases to ensure balance. The rulebookis published on a regular basis and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy, the Federgolf is responsible for supervising competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R & A, checking that these rules are observed by the Clubs, Associations and their members and managing the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.
