If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. That is the stance that the Saddle Creek Golf Resort in Copperopolis is taking to embrace the drought. The ideal golf course has perfectly manicured grass that is as green as an Ireland hillside.But with water usage being highly monitored, and unnecessary outdoor watering being heavily scrutinized, Saddle Creek decided to roll with the punches and has decided that brown is beautiful.
“I’ve been playing golf all my life and have been used to playing on very lush, green courses, and I really had my doubts and concerns on how true golfers would accept this,” said Saddle Creek General Manager Rick Morgan. “I think with the full understandings that people have with the water cutbacks, it amazing how accepting it is. Would a golfer prefer green grass? …show more content…
Even before the severity of the drought reached the level that it is at, Saddle Creek recycled wastewater for irrigation and all golf course runoff has been treated onsite.
Watering less is just one step that Saddle Creek has taken to do its part for the water conservation efforts. It is also removing 230 irrigation heads (largely on outdoor boundaries of holes); limiting 150 sprinklers from 360-degrees to 180-degree turns which will save 150,000 gallons of water per night; hand watering and syringing fairways; reducing fairways from 25 total acres to 18; substituting wetting agents for watering where possible; and keeping “crucial” areas such as trees, greens and fairways as healthy as possible.
The lack of water will cause the turf to become more brittle and easier to wear down when driven on by a golf cart. To prevent further damage to the turf, Saddle Creek will offer a $20-$30 discount to players who agree to walk or keep their cart on the paths at all times. Saddle Creek management is also weighing the options of purchasing carts that can carry four players, rather than the conventional
“I’ve been playing golf all my life and have been used to playing on very lush, green courses, and I really had my doubts and concerns on how true golfers would accept this,” said Saddle Creek General Manager Rick Morgan. “I think with the full understandings that people have with the water cutbacks, it amazing how accepting it is. Would a golfer prefer green grass? …show more content…
Even before the severity of the drought reached the level that it is at, Saddle Creek recycled wastewater for irrigation and all golf course runoff has been treated onsite.
Watering less is just one step that Saddle Creek has taken to do its part for the water conservation efforts. It is also removing 230 irrigation heads (largely on outdoor boundaries of holes); limiting 150 sprinklers from 360-degrees to 180-degree turns which will save 150,000 gallons of water per night; hand watering and syringing fairways; reducing fairways from 25 total acres to 18; substituting wetting agents for watering where possible; and keeping “crucial” areas such as trees, greens and fairways as healthy as possible.
The lack of water will cause the turf to become more brittle and easier to wear down when driven on by a golf cart. To prevent further damage to the turf, Saddle Creek will offer a $20-$30 discount to players who agree to walk or keep their cart on the paths at all times. Saddle Creek management is also weighing the options of purchasing carts that can carry four players, rather than the conventional