STRI is delighted to announce that the 2011 Golf Environment Awards has attracted participation this year from golf clubs all across the UK, with many inspirational entries. This demonstrates not only that the awareness of the awards is growing, but that a significant number of golf clubs are currently working on projects that make a real difference to the environment and their local surroundings.

The awards highlight the 'greener' golf clubs in the UK and showcase the creative projects they are implementing that both enhance their golf course and have a positive impact on the environment. The winner of this year's Overall Achievement Award, Loch Lomond Golf Club, validates how environmental sustainability and outstanding aesthetics can work together hand-in-hand and has achieved exemplary results in each of the key performance areas; nature conservation, waste management, water management and turfgrass management.

On learning they had won the award, David Cole, the golf course and estate manager at Loch Lomond commented: ""The team at Loch Lomond Golf Club is thrilled to receive this most prestigious award.  It's great to be recognised by STRI for our efforts in achieving best practice in the environment and to receive the overall UK award makes us very proud.  The Club aspires to be at the forefront of environment management and this award is testament to the sheer commitment and passion shown by the entire team towards achieving this goal."

The Conservation Greenkeeper of the Year Award was, once again, a very competitive category but the winner, Antony Wainwright, the assistant head greenkeeper at Turton Golf Club, stood out from the rest due to his passion to develop an effective environmental management plan and his successful engagement of the club's members to help achieve their objectives. Antony commented: "This award helps to raise the profile of Turton Golf Club within the golfing industry and the local community. I believe all golf clubs should play a vital role in helping to reverse the trend of our declining species and important habitats and I'm extremely happy that the Golf Environment Awards recognises some of the ecological achievements made by golf clubs throughout the UK."

All entries to the 2011 awards have been of the highest quality and it is regrettable that only ten prizes can be awarded. Each of this year's ten winners (listed below) has achieved outstanding results in each of the respective categories and provides an excellent example of how to manage effective and sustainable projects that improve both environmental and ecological areas across their courses.

Overall Achievement Award – Loch Lomond Golf Club

Conservation Greenkeeper of the Year Award – Antony Wainwright, Turton Golf Club

Scottish Regional Award – Royal Aberdeen Golf Club

Northern Regional Award – Wilmslow Golf Club

Welsh Regional Award – Bull Bay Golf Club

Southern Regional Award – Thorpeness Golf Club

Nature Conservation Award – The Manchester Golf Club

Turfgrass Management Award – Aldeburgh Golf Club

Waste Management Award – New Malton Golf Club

Water Management Award – Lymm Golf Club

The Golf Environment Awards are supported and sponsored by turf care equipment companies Ransomes Jacobsen and Campey Turf Care Systems, turf company County Turf, fertilizer and plant protection company Everris, seed and plant protection company Syngenta and media sponsors Golf Monthly and Greenkeeping.