Are golf courses wasting valuable water?

The California drought is something Californians have taken seriously since Governor Jerry Brown released his mandatory water cuts back in April. The state has systematically reduced its water usage by 27 percent. Homeowners and businesses have made major lifestyle changes. One industry, however, is raising concern among citizens: golf courses.

While golf courses have said they plan on cutting water usage by 25 percent, there is no way to know whether or not they are actually meeting Governor Brown’s numbers.

When the Water Resources Control Board was tasked with making water cutbacks a reality, the board implemented a number of water-related rules: no watering driveways, no watering of lawns after it rains and watering lawns only two days a week.

Because of the California drought, golf courses were given the same options as other businesses and homeowners: either water two days a week or cut water usage by 25 percent. Most in the Coachella Valley decided to go with the latter option.

Although many of the courses say they have taken steps to reduce their water usage, officials at golf courses say it’s difficult to access their water savings when there is no reporting requirement.

“I’ve seen golf courses in the desert, and quite honestly, some look browned out and distressed in a way they never looked before,” Craig Kessler, director of governmental affairs at the Southern California Golf Association told the Desert Sun. “Whether that particular course is meeting the 25 percent, or exceeding it, or falling a little short – there’s no way of knowing that. But there is a way of knowing that they’re making a good-faith effort to comply.”

Last month, the Coachella Valley Water District and Mission Springs Water District was included in a list of the 16 worst performing water agencies in the state, based on June’s conservation numbers. The Water Resources Control Board plans on issuing additional requirements to help these districts meet their water goal.

Golf course owners in the Coachella Valley say they plan on trying to conserve more water during the summer months verses in the winter months. Most of the golfers during the summer months tend to be locals, who understand the severity of the California drought. In the winter months, however, the customers tend to be those who are visiting for a short period of time. The thought process behind this decision is simple: water less during the summer months and water more during the winter months; eventually, the water amounts will even out to where the course is meeting their mandatory 25 percent water cutback for June 2015 through February 2016.

In 2014, golf courses in the Coachella Valley used almost 25,500 acre-feet of water or 8.3 billion gallons of water, according to the Coachella Valley Water District.

A handful of courses have applied for rebates for ripping out grass on their golf course and replacing it with artificial turf.