What type of water does a golf course use?
Most 18-hole golf facilities utilize surface waters (ponds, lakes) or on-site irrigation wells. Approximately 14 percent of golf facilities use water from a public municipal source and approximately 12 percent use recycled water as a source for irrigation.
How much does it cost to water a golf course?
Golf course facilities in the Southwest region had the highest water costs – approximately $107,800 per year for an average 18- hole golf course. Golf facilities in the North Central, Northeast and Transition regions had the lowest water costs, paying $4,700, $6,300 and $6,900 per year, respectively.
How do you irrigate a golf course with high salt water?
Use of brackish waters or even ocean water to supplement other water sources. Bermudagrass is quite tolerant and seashore paspalum is very tolerant of high salt content water, allowing golf courses to irrigate with brackish waters that otherwise have little other use.
Why recycled water for golf courses?
This recycled water provides moisture and nutrients to the golf course while helping the municipality avoid discharging the effluent water into nearby rivers. The turf does an excellent job of filtering the water of nutrients and breaking down various chemicals and biological contaminants in the water.
How are golf courses watered?
0:193:10Watering The Golf Course: From Source to Sprinkler - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipCourse every golf course is unique. So water comes from a variety of sources. Some courses useMoreCourse every golf course is unique. So water comes from a variety of sources. Some courses use underground wells others rely on storm water collection. And many courses today are also using recycled.
Where does golf course water come from?
Golf courses use a variety of water sources for turfgrass irrigation including groundwater, surface water (lakes, rivers and reservoirs), recycled water, and municipal potable water supplies.
How much water does a desert golf course use?
An average 18-hole golf facility in the Southwest region uses an average of 4 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre per year.
Do Arizona golf courses use reclaimed water?
PHOENIX – In parts of northern Arizona, golf courses over the past decade have stopped using drinking water to keep their greens vibrant. Instead, they use effluent or recycled water. However, in Phoenix, less than a quarter of the water used on golf courses is reclaimed wastewater.
Do golf courses use recycled water?
Nationwide, approximately 13% of golf courses use recycled water for irrigation. More facilities would gladly convert to using recycled water, but the main limitation is the lack of a piping system to deliver the recycled water to golf courses, which can cost $1 million per mile or more to install.
How often do golf courses water the grass?
It's better to water “deeply and infrequently,” Cutler says. About a third of an inch every two to three days is a good goal.
How much water do Arizona golf courses use?
The records show 219 golf courses across Arizona used a total of 119,478 acre-feet of water in 2019. The average amount of water used per course was 504 acre-feet during the year, or about 450,000 gallons a day.
Do golf courses waste a lot of water?
Courses around the U.S. suck up around approximately 2.08 billion gallons of water per day for irrigation. That's about 130,000 gallons per day per course, according to the golf industry.
How much water does a California golf course use?
In California, an average 18-hole golf course sprawls over 110 to 115 acres and conservatively uses almost 90 million gallons of water per year, enough to fill 136 Olympic-size swimming pools, said Mike Huck, a water management consultant who works with golf courses statewide.
What type of water do golf courses use?
The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), which serves 105 of the golf courses, draws from the California Water Project, the Colorado River and the aquifer. Kessler, who heads up the Coachella Valley Golf and Water Task Force, said much of the water used to irrigate golf courses is non-potable.
How many Tucson golf courses use reclaimed water?
Our customers include: 37 parks and 62 schools, including the University of Arizona. more than 700 single-family homes. 17 golf courses....Who Uses Reclaimed Water for Irrigation?Golf CoursesFred Enke (City)Tucson Country ClubGallery North & SouthVentana Canyon6 more rows
Do golf courses use GREY water?
In fact, an increasing number of courses are using effluent water – often referred to as “gray water.” Government regulations and water availability have led to the increased use of gray water at golf facilities, says Brian Vinchesi, design engineer at Irrigation Consulting Inc., Pepperell, Mass.
What are some alternative irrigation sources for golf courses?
These include: Storage ponds to collect storm runoff water that might otherwise be lost and wasted. Use of tertiary treated effluent from municipal sewage treatment facilities.
Why are golf courses capped with sand?
Golf course sites with poor or inconsistent soils are capped with a 6-inch layer of sand to allow uniform water infiltration and a significant reduction in water use by reducing runoff and avoiding over-application of irrigation water. Educational Opportunities Concerning Water Use and Conservation.
How to improve water infiltration?
Adjusting mowing heights to the ideal levels, depending on species and seasonal water use characteristics. Using soil cultivation techniques such as spiking, slicing and core aerification to improve water infiltration and minimize runoff during irrigation or rainfall events.
What is the best way to reduce water evaporation?
Using mulches in shrub and flower beds to reduce water evaporation losses.
How much money has the United States Golf Association given to improve grasses?
Improved Grasses that Require Less Water. Since 1982 the United States Golf Association has distributed more than $18 million through a university grants program to investigate environmental issues related to the game of golf, with a special emphasis on the development of new grasses that use less water and require less pesticide use.
What is the USGA?
The USGA promotes and conserves the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. It acts in the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it. The USGA: Celebrating 125 Years. Design Philosophy From Female Golf Course Architects. GIVING.
Does turf filter water?
The turf does an excellent job of filtering the water of nutrients and breaking down various chemicals and biological contaminants in the water. Use of recycled water on golf courses is mandatory in some locales in the Southwest, and it is estimated that more than 1000 courses nationwide currently use this source of water.
When is a dream Southwest golf trip?
January 3, 2019. A Dream Southwest U.S. Golf Road Trip. by Erik Matuszewski. 0. When my parents moved from the East Coast to the Monterey Peninsula several decades ago, it opened up a new golf frontier for me, spurring several golf trips in and around 17-Mile Drive and the Carmel Valley.
What is the name of the golf course at Wickenburg Ranch?
L’il Wick at Wickenburg Ranch. Wickenburg Ranch is a cozy desert community that features an 18-hole championship course called Big Wick and a fun 9-hole par-3 course called, you guessed it, Li’l Wick.
Where is the longest leg of the golf trip?
The longest leg of the trip is a journey to a unique and emerging golf destination in the southwest corner of Utah, where a sandbelt of red silica has given rise to a growing collection of value-priced courses.
Is Wolf Creek near Mesquite?
Any of the Mesquite NV courses are quite close to Wolf Creek, if not quite as pristine, certainly as much fun. From Falcon Ridge, to Conestoga, to either of the Oasis courses its a must do golf trip, along with Coyote Springs on your way back to Vegas!! see more. Show more replies.
What golf courses does Robert Trent Jones own?
Three Robert Trent Jones Sr. courses—Ram Rock, Slick Rock and Apple Rock —are the highlight of this newly renovated golf resort in the Texas Hill Country. More than $7.5 million was invested into upgrading the three resort courses in 2016, and lodging and amenities upgrades add to the resort's offerings. The members-only Jack Nicklaus Summit Rock ...
Where is the Robert Trent Jones golf course in Scottsdale?
Three Robert Trent Jones Sr. courses—Ram Rock, Slick Rock and Apple Rock—are the highlight of this newly renovated golf resort in the Texas Hill Country.
Why are golf courses removed from the Southwest?
Out of necessity, many courses in the Southwest removed maintained rough in peripheral areas to cut down on water usage and save money. For years, golf courses have also replaced mown rough with naturalized or unmown rough.
What is the most frequently mowed area of golf courses?
Putting greens are the most frequently mowed area of golf courses and the associated costs are significant. Mower technology has improved to the point where triplex units can produce a quality of cut equivalent to that of walk-behind mowers.
How does failing to invest affect golf?
Failing to invest in improvements and upgrades may also affect how golfers perceive a facility. Golf is a competitive business, and golfers are more likely to play at golf courses that demonstrate a commitment to quality by making improvements.
How did the recession affect golf?
These effects are not surprising given the challenges created by an oversupply of golf courses that is partially the product of the aging golfer demographic and declining participation rates among younger generations. Furthermore, extended periods of severe drought have increased the price of water and limited its availability for golf courses.
What was the effect of the recession on golf courses?
The good news is that the recession caused golf facilities to re-evaluate maintenance practices, presentation options and course amenities. Many golf courses were forced to differentiate between essential and nonessential maintenance programs so they could focus on what matters most.
Is golf course maintenance competitive?
Golf course maintenance work is demanding and the labor market is very competitive. Recruiting and retaining reliable maintenance staff is currently one of the biggest challenges at golf facilities across the country. Additionally, there are many hidden costs associated with hiring and training new maintenance employees.
Did golf courses have enough liquid capital?
Some courses obtained terrific deals on capital expenditures during the worst of the recession. Unfortunately, many courses simply did not have enough liquid capital to take advantage of the reduced pricing offered by golf course contractors.
Which states have tier zero water?
When the plan was signed, Arizona and Nevada accepted reduced water allocations from Lake Mead — a feature of the DCP known as Tier Zero. California was initially spared from cutbacks. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming are served water from Lake Powell, where water levels have plunged; a shortage may be declared next year.
How did the Colorado River form?
The Colorado River, formed by tectonic collisions, settled into its present, 1,450-mile course about 6 million years ago, carving the Grand Canyon as it flowed southwestward from the Rocky Mountains to its delta in the Gulf of California.
What was the name of the dam that diverted the Colorado River?
But the 1922 compact allowed the basin states to jointly tame the river, ultimately with the Hoover Dam. The river was diverted, the dam’s 726-foot concrete wedge filled the canyon, and the water was allowed to rush back in. For the first time, the Colorado River was being directed and managed with a giant faucet.
How many states share the Colorado River?
Interlocking legal agreements, built on earlier pacts dating back at least a century and layered atop a hodgepodge of local rules, govern how Colorado River water is shared among seven states, Native American nations and Mexican territories.
What crops can you grow in Arizona during wet years?
Farms need outsized amounts of water to grow crops. During wet years, so much water could be channeled to central Arizona that it was possible, if inadvisable, to grow cotton, corn, barley and alfalfa in the desert. That may no longer be the case.
Does TSMC recycle water?
TSMC has said it recycles 87% of the water it uses . Intel says its goal is a recycling program that generates “net positive water use” in Arizona. It has funded 15 water restoration projects for the state that it says will potentially restore 937 million gallons annually.
Is Arizona's water use in the 1980s?
A group of University of Arizona researchers who in 2017 wrote a detailed analysis of the state’s water usage found that some of the lofty conservation goals established in 1980 won’t be met, and that the balance between extracting and replenishing groundwater has fallen dangerously out of whack. Lake Mead.
What is the pH of golf water?
Water-acidification systems at the golf course can help reduce the residual sodium carbonate. pH (hydrogen ion activity) The degree of acidity or alkalinity in the water is the pH, which is measured in pH units. The scale ranges from 0 to 14, with pH 7 representing neutral, that is, neither acidic nor alkaline.
What is the Environmental Institute for Golf?
The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. 1 . Editor’s note: The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s (GCSAA) Water Task Group and Environmental Programs Committee commissioned Ali Harivandi, Ph.D., to write this article in order ...
What is the most important asset in a golf course?
Turfgrass is the most important asset of a golf course, and the putting greens represent the area with the highest value. Generally, golf courses in the northern half of the U.S. use cool-season turfgrasses, while the southern half of the country uses predominantly warm-season turf species.
What is the pH of water for irrigation?
The desirable soil pH for most turfgrass is 5.5 to 7.0. The pH of most irrigation waters, however, ranges from 6.5 to 8.4. (Table 1). Chloride.
Why is water quality testing important?
Regular, seasonal water-quality testing is essential to prepare superintendents to take appropriate remedial action in response to water-quality fluctuations. Golf course agronomy.
How many acres are there in a golf course?
Golf course agronomy. Golf courses in the U.S. range in size from 50 to 200 ac res, and the average size of a typi- cal 18-hole golf facility is 150 acres. The main- tained turf areas average approximately 100 acres, encompassing an average 3 acres of greens, 3 acres .
What happens to salt movement in soil?
As a general rule, if the amount of water applied to soil, including irrigation and natural precipita- tion, exceeds evapotranspiration (which is evapo- ration of water from the soil surface and transpi- ration of water through plants), salt movement is downward through the soil profile.