JEDDAH — In celebration of the launch of Saudi Arabia’s pioneering National Golf Sustainability Strategy — announced on Wednesday, ahead of this weekend’s $1million debut event — the lush fairways of Royal Greens Golf & Country Club were made to be even greener than usual as the tournament’s players donned their best emerald shades to show their support for Golf Saudi’s new eco-initiative.

The course’s pin flags were also turned green, as were the tournament leaderboards, and the famous 16th hole was adorned with two ‘Green Agenda’ tee boards in other ways to herald the world-first scheme.

Saudi Arabia’s new National Golf Sustainability Strategy embraces an innovative and ambitious outlook aimed at enhancing three key aspects of the sport: the environment, the economy and golf’s social benefits, and aims to ensure all future golf development across the country has sustainability as its foundations.

Majed Al-Sorour, chief executive officer, Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation, said: “It is great to see so many players in the field show their backing for the National Golf Sustainability Strategy by wearing green.

“At the heart of the scheme is a commitment to the environment and creating a self-supporting golf eco-system that will ensure events like the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF only grow here and across the Kingdom in the future, so it is fantastic to see these players get behind it right from the off.” — SG