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Ask John!

John McLinden
GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT

When you think of Golf Course Design, water management innovative technologies. This includes capturing and storing
may not immediately jump to mind, but course design has a as much water as possible for future needs. Water costs
very significant impact on long term sustainability and water will rise; so acting decisively now will reap financial benefits
management on the golf course. for the golf course in the forthcoming years. Research
and development into new drought and disease resistant
The main function of the irrigation system is to replace the
turfgrass that can survive using low quantity irrigation water
amount of water lost due to evaporation and transpiration.
is critical. In tandem we need to consider an approach
This is best achieved by providing uniform water
to design, construction and management for future
distribution through proper sprinkler selection, placement
development. Other sustainable drainage features such
and operation. Uniform distribution will provide consistent
as storm runoff can make a meaningful contribution to the
turf that looks great and is a pleasure to play. Inefficient
natural replenishment, purification and re-cycling of water
irrigation, on the other hand, will cause areas of soft and
supplies.
hard turf which irritates players, takes away the fun from the
game, and unhappy golfers means more complaints.
Given that water is perhaps the single greatest challenge John
to golf’s sustainability, we have to continue to optimize
water consumption by increasing efficiency and utilizing

Did you know?

Our ponds on the course are replenished
with a combination of well water and drain-
age runoff. There are two wells that feed
into the pond on the 10th hole. One well is
located beside the 9th tee and the other well
is located near the bridge on the 16th hole.

Combined, these wells pump a total of 160
gallons of water per minute into the 10th
pond. During periods of dry weather, irri-
gation water is drawn from the pond on the
12th hole. When water in this ponds draws
down it is replenished with water from the
10th pond over a series of underground
drains and dams.

8 | BEAUTY, GRIT & GRACE