S3 E50 Water Use on U.S. Golf Courses

In this video, I dive into the article “Survey of Water Use and Management Practices on US Golf Courses from 2005 to 2024” published in HortTechnology (Shaddox et al., 2025). The study tracks nearly twenty years of changes in how golf courses across the United States use and manage water. I discuss how irrigation volumes and irrigated areas have shifted over time, highlight important regional differences, and explain why some water sources—like recycled water—are declining while others remain steady. I also cover the adoption of new management strategies such as moisture sensors, irrigation audits, and objective scheduling, along with the continuing challenges of infrastructure upgrades, regulatory pressure, and competition for water resources. If you’re interested in sustainability, turfgrass science, or the future of golf course management, this discussion will give you a clear look at the evidence and what it means moving forward.

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