What's up with this water shortage?

[SpoiledRotten]

As I watched the US Open, they interviewed the Pres of the USGA. He was stating that course management to use less water and more drought tolerant grass is something that has to happen due the shortage of water supply. Now, I can believe that it's more cost efficient to use more drought tolerant grasses, as well as design courses with more "natural" areas throughout the fairways rather than have every inch covered with plush grass, but it sounded too much like some kind of crap Al Gore would have been saying rather than a USGA pres.

I'm not a government paid eco scientist, but I would think that if they can turn raw sewage into drinking water through the processes of filtration, they could certainly turn ocean water into gray water to use on golf courses. What are your thoughts?

There have also been water filtration companies that stated before that ocean water can be filtrated into drinking water. So, if you can drink it, you can surely irrigate a golf course.

[Chief Broom]

There have also been water filtration companies that stated before that ocean water can be filtrated into drinking water. So, if you can drink it, you can surely irrigate a golf course.

It's expensive. Water is probably the single biggest expense a course has, especially where water is scarce in places like Navada and Arizona. I live in central Georgia and we've been living under drought conditions for years. This past year hasn't been a problem but 2 years ago there were legitimate concerns that the city of Atlanta was going to run out of drinking water and they were contemplating having to truck it in via tankers by rail! Water conservation is no laughing matter and while there is plenty of sea water making it potable isn't as easy or cost effective as you might think. The best way to convert sea water to fresh water is still through sunlight and rain. The problems begin when that doesn't go along as well as we'd like.

[michaeljames92]

Desalination is pretty much 20% of Perth's water supply and is the largest plant in the Southern Hemisphere. So it is a fine way of creating water to drink but it is really expensive and the environmental consequences of dumping the extracted salt back into the sea is also a concern

[SpoiledRotten]

Desalination is pretty much 20% of Perth's water supply and is the largest plant in the Southern Hemisphere. So it is a fine way of creating water to drink but it is really expensive and the environmental consequences of dumping the extracted salt back into the sea is also a concern

Don't dump the salt back into the sea. We need that stuff for our margaritas!

[sean_miller]

The USGA's "brown is the new green" stance is actually a pretty big deal - a gigantic step in the right direction.

[Mattplusness]

You'll never get our great lakes water!!

[Blades4me]

As I watched the US Open, they interviewed the Pres of the USGA. He was stating that course management to use less water and more drought tolerant grass is something that has to happen due the shortage of water supply. Now, I can believe that it's more cost efficient to use more drought tolerant grasses, as well as design courses with more "natural" areas throughout the fairways rather than have every inch covered with plush grass, but it sounded too much like some kind of crap Al Gore would have been saying rather than a USGA pres.

For years we Americans have been obcessed with a golf course having to be green. In reality this generally means that the course has been over watered and the biggest reason for this is to speed up the pace of play.

I for one am happy when the course is a little brown cuz then you get roll out. This is a double edge sword cuz a good hit with roll can turn into a bad shot and of course the opposite is ture. I like this b/c it really makes me think about my shot and you can use it to increase yardage of your shot with down slopes and such, but as perviously stated, it can also bite you in the butt. I could well be wrong, but that is how I understand it as this point.

[Mattplusness]

correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't grass supposed to be green and green around the world?

[zeg]

correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't grass supposed to be green and green around the world?

In most of California there isn't even supposed to BE grass, let alone lush, dense, carpetlike fairways and greens.