Working with nature

The Shetland Islands form the very northernmost outpost of the United Kingdom and the entire archipelago is one of only five UNESCO Geoparks in the whole of the UK. Geopark status was granted to Shetland in 2009 and one of the most significant features of Geopark Shetland are the valleys of the central Mainland which are underlain by crystalline limestone and form some of the most fertile land in this island group. It is here, in the lush and fertile Tingwall Valley, that you find our course, the Asta Golf Course.

Set deep in the valley between the Asta and Tingwall Lochs, our golf course enjoys good shelter from the surrounding hills and fantastic rainwater drainage into the nearby lochs, thus preventing the course from becoming water logged and allowing golfers to play all year round.

Aside from being excellent terrain for a golf course we, the operators of Asta, are also keenly aware of the role Tingwall Valley plays in hosting our local flora & fauna. Asta Golf Course goes to great lengths to preserve & protect the environment and we have various processes in place to ensure we have the lowest possible environmental impact.

An example of this environmental policy in action is; using absolutely no pesticides on our greens or fairways, many golf courses use pesticides to kill the worms in the soil and then mechanically aerate the greens. At Asta we use the worms to naturally aerate & break up the soil, and then we simply remove the “worm casts” from the greens surface, thus preserving wild life, preventing pollution, and working in harmony with nature.

Measures are also in place to reduce the need for artificial fertiliser, minimise the use of herbicides, and also limit the use of chemical cleaners in our clubhouse by using Eco friendly cleaners and the Austrain chemical free cleaning system 'ENJO' where possible.

We are also very conscious that our snack bar facilities have 'take-away' options so have made the switch to biodegradable cups, stirrers and lids, reducing the plastic waste that leaves our clubhouse. We have a range of products available in our snack bar and in 2020 we introduced many plant based items.

All these efforts help to maintain the delicate eco system on the golf course as well as the surrounding lochs, ensuring Asta Golf Course not only has a low environmental impact but actively fosters some of Shetlands most spectacular wild flowers and wild life. While taking great care to preserve our local area, the wider impact we have on the environment is not lost on us; in maintaining our course we consume less than 800 litres of hydrocarbon fuel per year, giving us one of the lowest carbon footprint of any golf course in the UK.