Simon Olver, course manager at Ganton, discusses futureproofing golf courses to ensure they’re ready for climate change
Water, and the potential lack of it for golf course irrigation in the future, may seem an odd topic given the recent weather, but it’s one of the biggest talking points across the turf management industry in the UK following severe droughts this summer.
While the North East was not subject to hosepipe bans, most of the UK was. While bans don’t currently affect golf course irrigation, there’s little doubt that future emergency water management plans will limit irrigation for sports turf as meteorologists predict we’re in for considerably hotter and drier summers.
This will have a huge impact on golf courses. Clubs should already be investigating sustainable water management plans to protect against future events. It’s essential to plan now as the consequences of having no access to water are catastrophic.
The first clubs to be affected will be those which use mains water, as it will become more expensive and will ultimately be turned off in times of drought. Clubs which have their own extraction – whether from bore holes or steams and rivers – may also see limits placed on their extraction if these become vital sources of drinking water.
The clubs best protected will be those with surface water management, and water harvesting and recycling infrastructure, already in place. Capturing and storing water on-site during wet months – whether in tanks or ponds and lakes – will be essential in the years to come. Whether it’s collected from the clubhouse roof, the car park or from the land, the management and storage of water should be a key consideration in any development or long-term plans for your golf course.
Start by investigating a long-term sustainable water management strategy, understanding your site and knowing where your water comes from. Understand and make accessible how your water is licensed and managed, and know what emergency measures are in place should your primary system be turned off or fail.
Now is also the time to plan for water conservation. How can you safely capture water and store it on site for use in drier periods? How much water is available to capture, where can you store it… these are important now as it takes time to figure out, and the changes are coming.
Finally, management of fine turf areas will be more important than ever. Meadowgrasses, most common on inland greens, require a great deal more water than the fescue and bentgrass we see on links courses and would like to see on inland greens. These species are also more robust, handle periods of drought better, are better equipped to fend off turf disease, and perform better in hotter and drier periods. They also only require water to stay alive, and don’t have to be green to be good.
Our plug-and-play access to water is coming to an end. It’s vital to put plans and infrastructure in place now to deal with what’s coming.
