Don Cheadle joins USGA as ambassador for U.S. Open, sustainability in golf

Academy Award-nominated actor Don Cheadle is taking on a new role on behalf of golf. Cheadle, of Iron Man, Avengers and the Ocean’s Trilogy fame, is the USGA’s newest spokesman.

As part of the collaboration between golf’s governing body and Cheadle, he will serve as lead spokesman for the USGA’s movement toward environmentally sustainable public golf and as brand ambassador for the U.S. Open.

You might’ve seen Cheadle in his new role already, as the face and voice behind FOX’s U.S. Open preview advertisement that ran during Sunday’s NFL playoffs.

The Kansas City-born actor is a lifelong golfer and activist, serving as a member of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the last several years.

“Growing up, I used to play public courses with my father, and I have some great memories of those rounds,” Cheadle said in a release. “I want to make sure that future generations of golfers are able to have access to the same opportunities that I was able to benefit from.”

The primary focus of Cheadle’s USGA campaign surrounds growing the game of golf in the direction of environmental sustainability.

“It’s important to understand the impact that golf courses have on the communities in which they are located,” he said. “They use natural resources, like water, and are home to many species of wildlife. We need to be mindful about what that means and understand the responsibility of golf courses within the ecosystem. I’m very happy to be working with the USGA going forward.”

Reports from the United States Geologic Survey found that golf course irrigation accounts for 0.5 percent of the water used daily in the U.S., or more than two billion gallons of water per day. The USGA and Cheadle are hoping to spearhead sustainability improvements on public golf courses specifically, which the USGA says accounts for more than 75 percent of all golf courses in the country.

According to the UNEP website, Cheadle takes individual action living an environmentally-conscious lifestyle by driving a hybrid car and owning a solar home.

On a broader level, the actor and USGA are hopeful the collaboration will help steer the game of golf into a new age of sustainability.

“We are thrilled to work with someone as passionate about the health of the environment and the state of the game of golf as Don Cheadle,” USGA CEO Mike Davis said. “His prominence and support for these important causes make him a perfect fit for a collaboration with the USGA and to serve as a voice for fans of the U.S. Open.”

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