BEAUTIFUL WINTER DESERT GREEN AND GOLD by Jill Riedel
Annual Water Resources:
Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) governs and administers Arizona’s water laws that include the establishment of policies promoting water conservation and water restrictions. ADWR’s groundwater allotment for an 18-hole golf course is currently capped at 90 acres of turf. As Arizona continues to be threatened by drought and an uncertain water future, we can anticipate that further restrictions will be imposed upon communities and golf courses in the Valley.
Westbrook Village Golf Club’s water management plan began in 2015 with the irrigation replacement project and turf removal at the Lakes Golf Course. The Golf Club continues to ensure turf areas and water-demanding landscape areas are held to a minimum on both golf courses on property, as well as those areas that are not part of the game.
Westbrook Village Golf Club’s water management plan began in 2015 with the irrigation replacement project and turf removal at the Lakes Golf Course. The Golf Club continues to ensure turf areas and water-demanding landscape areas are held to a minimum on both golf courses on property, as well as those areas that are not part of the game.
Annual Overseed Resources:
Overseeding our golf courses in the Fall allows the desert warm weather Bermudagrass to enter into its dormancy stage as the winter Ryegrass begins to fill in with lush green tees, fairways, roughs and greens. This process is reversed through the summer transition from cool weather grass to warm weather grass. We refer to these transitions as the “battle of the grasses”. Overseeding creates the “oasis in the desert” green which draws winter golfers to flock to Arizona. However, overseeding is an extremely high water-usage event and poses a challenge to the golf industry and communities in the Valley.
In October 2021 the golf industry in the Valley faced yet another challenge to their overseeding plans. Oregon seed growers suffered with drought and temperature swings which greatly reduced their supply of Ryegrass seed. It was anticipated this would be the first year of future difficulties with seed shortages forcing the golf industry and communities to reevaluate their winter overseeding practices. And it has proven to be true as industry insiders are already warning that the 2022 seed supply may be even more limited and already high prices will continue to skyrocket.
The Golf Club managed the reduced seed challenge by overseeding only tees, fairways and greens. We also limited overseeding, or did not overseed at all, golf course rough areas and areas that are not part of the game. As a result, the Bermudagrass in those areas provided beautiful shades of gold against the lush green and saved approximately 5,000-8,000 gallons of water PER DAY!
In October 2021 the golf industry in the Valley faced yet another challenge to their overseeding plans. Oregon seed growers suffered with drought and temperature swings which greatly reduced their supply of Ryegrass seed. It was anticipated this would be the first year of future difficulties with seed shortages forcing the golf industry and communities to reevaluate their winter overseeding practices. And it has proven to be true as industry insiders are already warning that the 2022 seed supply may be even more limited and already high prices will continue to skyrocket.
The Golf Club managed the reduced seed challenge by overseeding only tees, fairways and greens. We also limited overseeding, or did not overseed at all, golf course rough areas and areas that are not part of the game. As a result, the Bermudagrass in those areas provided beautiful shades of gold against the lush green and saved approximately 5,000-8,000 gallons of water PER DAY!
The beautiful winter desert green and gold at the Vistas Golf Course! Photo by Brandon Evans
Water Stewardship
Reducing areas that require overseeding and embracing the natural desert green and gold colors by not overseeding are smart water conservation practices for our future. In order to be good stewards of our water resources, maintain compliance with ADWR requirements, and obtain the Ryegrass seed necessary for a successful overseed, the Arizona golf industry must work to find a creative balance between water conservation, limited seed supply and maintaining a “green” look so desired by golfers and community residents.
As the weather begins to warm, the Bermudagrass begins to turn to shades of green. As a warm weather grass, Bermudagrass cannot be the deep lush green of the golf course tees, fairways and greens during the winter, but it is healthy and beautiful in its natural desert habitat in both winter and summer. And oh my, how the gold color against the shades of green makes the golf courses “pop” for both the golfer and the residents as they play their round or walk/drive through the Village.
We cannot bury our heads in the sand and ignore the inevitable. What we can do is be guided by reality and embrace the options available to us to ensure we do the right thing for the environment while keeping our Village desert beautiful.
As the weather begins to warm, the Bermudagrass begins to turn to shades of green. As a warm weather grass, Bermudagrass cannot be the deep lush green of the golf course tees, fairways and greens during the winter, but it is healthy and beautiful in its natural desert habitat in both winter and summer. And oh my, how the gold color against the shades of green makes the golf courses “pop” for both the golfer and the residents as they play their round or walk/drive through the Village.
We cannot bury our heads in the sand and ignore the inevitable. What we can do is be guided by reality and embrace the options available to us to ensure we do the right thing for the environment while keeping our Village desert beautiful.
Westbrook Village Golf Club
