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The issues that golf faces with water usage aren’t anything new to California, nor are they new to the USGA. Over the past four decades, the governing body has invested nearly $50 million in critical turfgrass and environmental research. In 2022 alone, the USGA invested $1.8 million to fund more than 90 university research projects, leading toward improved irrigation and the development of drought-resistant grasses.
It is vital work at a time when the world is experiencing dramatic climate changes, as evidenced by the long-running drought in the American West. Those became top-of-mind challenges during the years-long preparation for the 123rd U.S. Open at The Los Angeles Country Club.
Late in 2022, there were discussions between the USGA and Southern California water authorities about what might happen if Los Angeles received little rainfall over the winter. The region was already on a Phase 3 water restriction program, in which residents and businesses could water no more than two days a week for 15 minutes at a time. In 2022, LACC, which has on-site wells to supplement water usage, agreed to enact Phase 4 water restriction, going even further in their conservation efforts.
Fortunately, Mother Nature intervened. With a constant stream of atmospheric rivers rolling in from the Pacific Ocean throughout the winter, the drought eased significantly in many areas of California, and Los Angeles had one of its wettest years on record.
Now the USGA can set up the North Course firm and fast for the national championship because it wants to, not because it has no choice. Still, the reality is that water issues won’t disappear in a state that relies on outside sources for much of its water supply.
“We want those in golf to understand that this is a survival proposition,” said Craig Kessler, director of public affairs for the Southern California Golf Association.
Kessler has worked for years to educate water departments on what the golf industry is doing to manage water consumption. In “water summits,” he has worked to educate course operators on best-use strategies with the help of experts like Dr. Matteo Serena, the USGA Green Section’s senior manager of irrigation research and services.
Far too often, Kessler notes, golf courses are accused of being water guzzlers. In fact, the game has made enormous strides in water management over the last two decades, including more use of non-potable water and computer-controlled irrigation systems that precisely monitor how much water is delivered to the turf. In the meantime, the research grant focus will continue to balance water use and playing conditions by supporting the development of drought-resistant grasses and advancement of precision irrigation strategies.
Serena also makes a plea for regular golfers to understand the challenges golf courses face in terms of water, and wants them to realize that wall-to-wall greenery is a thing of the past.
“You need to be aware of what’s going on,” he said. “If you want your car to run fine, sometimes you have to talk to the mechanic.”