
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 water do Arizona golf courses use in a year?
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. More than half of the golf courses pump groundwater, which accounted for about 46% of all golf water use in 2019.
What are the biggest costs to golf courses?
Water is one of the biggest costs to golf courses, and this is another reason why many have tried to save as much water as possible. Depending on the location of the golf course and the climate, an 18-hole course can use on average 2.08 billion gallons of water per day.
How much water does a golf course need to grow turf?
The actual amount of water a golf course needs to sustain healthy turf growth depends on many variables including the species of turf, and the prevailing climate in a given area.

Do golf courses use lots 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 do golf courses use worldwide?
Depending on the location of the golf course and the climate, an 18-hole course can use on average 2.08 billion gallons of water per day.
Are golf courses a waste of water?
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. golf courses consume more than 2 billion gallons of water per day, and since one in every 17 of U.S. courses is located in arid and semi-arid California, our 921 courses consume a sizable chunk of that total daily.
How often do golf courses have water?
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 does an average 18-hole golf course use?
90 million gallonsIn 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.
How much water does a golf course use per acre?
Water use varies significantly by agronomic region. An average 18-hole golf facility in the Southwest region uses an average of 4 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre per year. An average 18-hole golf facility in the Northeast region uses an average of 0.8 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre per year.
How many gallons a day does a golf course use?
Audubon International estimates that the average American course uses 312,000 gallons per day. In a place like Palm Springs, where 57 golf courses challenge the desert, each course eats up a million gallons a day.
How much water does a golf course in Palm Springs use?
about 1 million gallons a dayThe water district says that on average, each course uses about 1 million gallons a day.
How do golf courses get water?
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.
Do golf courses use fresh water?
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 do golf courses water the greens?
Hand watering is the most effective and accurate way to water putting greens. Even with a state-of-the-art irrigation system, certain areas on each putting green will need more water than others – e.g., mounds and high-traffic areas.
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 much water do golf courses use Utah?
about 38 million gallonsThe U.S. Geological Survey's most recent water-use data showed that Utah uses about 38 million gallons of water on golf courses every day — enough to fill almost 58 Olympic-size swimming pools, as reported by Deseret News.
How much water do golf courses use in Arizona?
119,478 acre-feetThe 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 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.
Why do golf courses use water?
Water use has a major influence on the playability of a golf course. Judicious water use that emphasizes firm, fast conditions is more enjoyable for all skill levels of golfers and is a goal that the USGA strongly supports.
What are the factors that affect the water availability of a golf course?
These factors can be climate, type of turf grass, agronomic and soils conditions, regulations, and water av ailability.
How many gallons of water per acre?
Course size varies, but consider a course with 130 irrigated acres and you have a total water need around 21 million gallons.
Why does irrigation need to vary?
Irrigation Needs. Each course will vary because of size of the irrigated area and management practices. Also, water use each year will vary depending on climatic conditions. The timing and amount of rainfall, temperatures each month, and sunshine. There is no fixed answer.
What is the level of surface quality and beauty of golf clubs?
The level of surface quality and beauty is based on golfer expectations. For many courses those expectations have been allowed to decline somewhat in recent times. Their golfers understand costs and know golf courses are struggling in this economic environment. For higher end golf clubs expectations have remained stable or even increased in some cases!
Can a superintendent manually adjust irrigation run times?
Without an automated ET scheduling system, a superintendent will manually adjust irrigation run times to match perceived plant water use. Water can be saved but with much increased labor input.
Does irrigation water use decrease?
If the year has more beneficial rain events, the irrigation water use declines drastically. This year (2011), several courses in northern Ohio saw irrigation water application drop to 30% or so of historical averages.
Does Ohio have enough water?
Our service area (Ohio and Kentucky) generally has enough water available and reasonable regulatory conditions. Challenges arise from site and soil conditions and wide variation in rainfall throughout the growing season.

Where Is The Water used?
Types of Water Used
- To help maintain the turfgrass, courses use a number of different sources for their water needs. These include:
How Can Golf Courses Save Water?
- Water conservation is always high on the agenda for golf courses, and there has been a lot of research on how they can effectively use less water. Here are a few of the ways that courses try to use less water.
Conclusion
- Golf is one of the most popular outdoor sports for professional and amateur players. This means golf courses will always need to be at the top of their game to ensure that their clubs are ready to meet the demands of players and water conservation. Head here for our range of golf course irrigation systems.