New Pilot Scheme Launched in Auckland to Recycle End-of-Life Golf Clubs

A new recycling pilot has been launched in Auckland to address the issue of old, unwanted, and damaged golf clubs gathering dust in garages or heading to landfills.

Throughout October 2026, a partnership between Golf Ball Recycling NZ and Auckland metal recyclers Endless Metals, with support from Auckland Golf Inc., will provide local golfers with a dedicated pathway to dispose of end-of-life golf equipment.

Dedicated Collection Points at Local Golf Courses

During the month-long initiative, participating Auckland golf courses will host designated drop-off points for golfers to donate unwanted clubs.

The campaign encompasses all types of golf clubs, including:

• Drivers
• Irons
• Wedges
• Putters
• Mixed or incomplete sets

Organizers emphasize that drop-offs are strictly restricted to the participating golf course collection points listed on the official campaign page. Endless Metals branches will not accept golf club drop-offs directly for this pilot. Because certain host courses may have specific date or member-access restrictions, participants are advised to verify details on the campaign list prior to visiting.

Processing and Metal Recovery

Once collected from host venues, the equipment will be transferred to Endless for processing. The facility’s primary objective is to recover recyclable metal components and reintegrate those materials back into the recycling stream.

While golf clubs often feature non-metal elements, the project focuses specifically on extracting the practical, recyclable metals present in the equipment. The initiative aims to prevent valuable metal resources from sitting unused or ending up in regional landfills.

Aligning with Recycling Week NZ 2026

The pilot runs throughout October and coincides with Recycling Week NZ 2026, which takes place across Aotearoa New Zealand from October 19 to October 25.

Recycling Week is an annual nationwide educational campaign directed at waste minimization and efficient resource use. The pilot adopts the broader campaign strategy of following the traditional waste hierarchy: prioritizing waste avoidance, reduction, repair, and reuse before resorting to recycling.

“Reuse It If You Can. Recycle It When You Can’t”

A core message of the project encourages golfers to evaluate their equipment before choosing disposal:

 “Reuse it if you can. Recycle it when you can’t.”

If an old club remains functional, organizers advise passing it on, donating it, or giving it to a beginner rather than recycling it. Recycling is intended as the secondary option for clubs that have genuinely reached the end of their usable playing lifespan.

Testing the Model for Sporting Goods

In addition to recovering materials, the pilot serves as a test case for Golf Ball Recycling NZ, Endless, and Auckland Golf Inc. to gauge community response and measure how many end-of-life clubs can be redirected from the waste stream.

For Endless, the initiative highlights how metal recovery applies to products beyond standard scrap yard materials, demonstrating practical methods for collecting everyday commercial and household items directly from the communities that use them. Beyond evaluating immediate collection volumes, the pilot aims to prompt broader discussions regarding responsible end-of-life options for sporting equipment in general.