This project aims to make a difference in the sustainability practices of golf. Golf for the Gulf stems from a design brief relating to eco-tourism activities in the Hauraki Gulf, exploring how such activities can be more sustainable.

The golf tee is perhaps the simplest piece of equipment most golfers use. On average, 3-5 tees are lost every round. These lost or broken tees cause problems for the golf course and the broader environment. Tees can break lawnmowers, causing headaches for greenkeepers, and at the same time, wildlife can mistake tees for food.

Golf for the Gulf focused on how golf tees, a potentially single-use product, could be made in such a way as to reduce the damaging impacts of tee waste. Thousands of tees currently saturate the golf market, but only some consider the environment. This project explored bio-composite materials to provide a biodegradable solution that is safe for wildlife to consume. Closing the recycling loop was a priority, so used-coffee grounds were chosen as the base material. The used-coffee grounds combined with vegetable oil, sugar cane and glycerin made for a functional yet sustainable material.

A coffee table book was prototyped, adding an educational element to the project. Photos of many beautiful Auckland golf courses, along with educational sustainability content, are included in the book.

Creating a sustainable and regenerative solution for existing unsustainable golf tees is a start for changing golfer's behaviours towards sustainability. Although a tee is a tiny product, it can help drive larger-scale changes. The golf industry can employ a bottom-up approach to ensure golfers and sustainability can 'tee it up' together.