How to conserve resources through sustainable golf course irrigation

How to conserve resources through sustainable golf course irrigation

When discussing the sustainability of golf courses, the subject of water use is never far away.

It’s long been recognized that golf courses must take care to only use what is absolutely necessary and preserve this vital resource as much as possible. 

But while some may see water consumption as a topic to approach with caution, many clubs are making great strides in embracing the challenge of achieving water efficiency. 

Two of those clubs are GEO Certified Killiney Golf Club in Ireland and Centro Nacional De Formação De Golfe in Portugal.

Innovative rainwater harvesting

Killiney Golf Club’s 1.2 million litre water tank, supplied by a borehole on the course, was proving unreliable. 

A new irrigation system was soon installed, but with an increasing amount of water required for irrigation, a sustainable solution was found by building a pond feature on the 9th hole.

“There were two factors that made us realize we needed to make changes,” said Secretary Manager Niall Keyes. “An increase in the area of the course being irrigated required additional water storage, and the increase in water charges of 26% over the next three years.

“Through the Course Development Committee and with the approval of members for a 10-year development plan, we looked at how we could feed our tees and greens.

“We decided that the creation of a lake for storage at the bottom of the course had the ability to double our water storage capability.”

While the conservation of resources was at the heart of the project, the new water feature brought other benefits too.

“In creating a pond we were able to attract new wildlife, while also recognising that in clearing the area there would be disruption. To this end, we created another natural habitat area in a different part of the course.

“The changes have improved the course and there is little or no maintenance required, so it was well-received by the course staff.

“On top of that, our need to purchase water from the local reservoir has been eliminated, reducing both the costs and the power required to pump the supplier into our original storage tank.”

Reducing consumption by 15%

At the GEO Certified Centro Nacional de Formação de Golfe, meanwhile, staff opted to upgrade the central control system in a bid to be more efficient when it came to irrigating the course.

A Toro SitePro was installed, providing groundstaff with the option to closely monitor their water use and limit consumption during peak periods.

“The previous control system was installed over 15 years ago,” said Alexandra Almeida, a land use engineer who specializes in sustainable golf development, “so it became necessary to upgrade the central control system in order to improve its efficiency and usability.

“We had other options but, at the end of the day, the project was awarded to Toro.”

The club opted for a Toro SitePro Central Control, a system that can be customized to meet the needs of every course it serves.

“After a management software upgrade by Toro at another golf facility, we found Toro SitePro to be more functional and user-friendly,” said the club’s turf agronomist supervisor João Machado.

“Since I started my professional career in the golf industry in 2003, the search for the efficient use of water has been one of my priorities. Everything we can do to achieve it must be done.”

“Climate predictions for Portugal suggest that there will be changes to our weather,” continued Almeida, “such as increasing average temperatures, more frequent heatwaves and the very likely decrease in precipitation and intensification of droughts.

“Extremes like heat and drought that result from climate change are starting to impact the game - both the players’ comfort and the course conditions.”

So has the upgrade had an effect at Centro Nacional?

“The most positive impact is on the surface of the greens,” answered Machado. “They’re firmer and smoother, with the ball rolling in better conditions. We’ve seen a reduction of dry spots, better uniformity and better water distribution.

“A more efficient irrigation system does not have to mean a high reduction in consumption, but the correct use of the water resource. In turn, it represents a correct energy consumption, thus contributing to the reduction of our carbon footprint.”

Hear more about the benefits of sustainable irrigation from Toro's Andy Brown.