Scotland
© Angela Catlin

MONTROSE / MADRID – Europe reportedly plays host to one in four of the world’s golf courses – with almost 9,000 peppered across the continent. More than 1,450 – almost one in five – including some of the world’s most iconic, can be found in Spain, Italy, and Scotland, where the sport originated.

A new investigative series by a cross-border team of journalists from these three countries is examining the sustainability of golf, and holding the powerful investors - including Donald Trump - who are driving the expansion of lucrative European courses to account.

With the climate and nature crises accelerating, it is imperative that the environmental impact of golf is scrutinised. This includes issues such as water and land usage, pesticide pollution, and the pressure on biodiversity, as well as the existential threat posed by climate change to the sport itself.

Caption: The impact of coastal erosion at Montrose Golf Club, Scotland.

Supported
€27,160 allocated on 09/05/2025
ID:
ENV1/2025/757

Publication

ONLINE

More to come

STUDY

COUNTRIES

  • Scotland
  • Spain
  • Italy

Team members

Media

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