Golf Courses

Golf courses use significant quantities of water for irrigation and maintenance of their grounds, especially during hot, dry weather. A more efficient irrigation scheme and system can benefit both the golf course facility and the local water provider, since savings can help reduce the system’s peak demand.

Maintaining high-quality turf on a golf course can be difficult for multiple reasons. Heavy foot and cart traffic that occurs in the course of daily use can mar turfgrass. Landscape geography (irregular shapes, hills and valleys) can make it difficult to evenly apply and retain water. Irrigation must be limited to times when players are not present.

Achieving water savings through improved landscape irrigation is a key opportunity for golf course facilities. Water requirements for different species and cultivars of turfgrass will vary, but it is reasonable to assume that most types will require the most supplemental watering during summer months when rainfall is lowest. Unlike trees and shrubs, turfgrasses have little capacity to store water and withstand periods of drought.