Green is now in play in the games of tennis and golf, part of the ritzy turf beyond the perennial rye grass planted in Wimbledon in 2001 and the countless courses of manicured sod watered daily worldwide.

Can eco gear improve the sports? At least it makes the athletes feel they’re endorsing something other than Wheaties, Buick and American Express.

Here are some winning new classics now sustaining the social sports we love.

Lela Designs from Canada uses chemical-free bamboo, organic cotton, PET fibers, to create updated sophisticated golf wear, worn by at least two LPGA professionals, Mhairi McKay and Jeannie Cho-Hunickie.The argyles are adorable and could even be sported off the links. Which courses are the friendliest for the wearing of the green? See here and here.

Tennis bag, anyone?The Wilson red and black backpack made from EARTHGUARD (recycled PET fabric, PVC free and up to 25% lighter) is said to be the most carried bag on the Pro Tour, toted by Federer and more top players. You can pick one up for $40 at Tennis Express.

Earth friendly balls are on a roll like these high performance ones from Dixon. The Dixon Earth golf ball which has proven a champ on tour is said to outperform the Nike One Platinum, Callaway Tour ix and the Titlelist Pro V1 in independent testing by PGA TOUR partners club.

And don’t put the balls on anything but an eco tee, made of natural resin, not wood, that breaks down in a year.

Load it all in your solar powdered golf cart from SunDrive, which really saves energy on the mega courses where walking is strictly for the birdies.

Perhaps the only tennis balls going eco are the ones being repurposed, such as these former championship ones born again as dog toys by The Recycled Retriever, $4.45 a bag.

Meanwhile, there is a noteworthy re-purposing ball program in which the GSA has sent more than two million used balls to Japan to be used on furniture in schools. They are placed on the bottoms of tables and chairs to minimize floor damage.

Main image: Lela Designs

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