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How much water do AZ golf courses use?

Author

Mia Kelly

Published Jan 22, 2026

The records show 219 golf courses across Arizona used a total of 119,478 acre-feet of water in 2019. The average amount of water used per course was 504 acre-feet during the year, or about 450,000 gallons a day.

How much water do Phoenix golf courses use?

Government statistics show that golf courses in and around Phoenix consume more water than any other place in the country. Maricopa County golf courses averaged more than 80 million gallons daily for irrigation, according to a 2010 U.S. Geological Survey report.

How much water does the average golf course use?

In California, an average 18-hole golf course sprawls over 110 to 115 acres and conservatively uses almost 90 million gallons of water per year, enough to fill 136 Olympic-size swimming pools, said Mike Huck, a water management consultant who works with golf courses statewide.

How many gallons of water does a golf course use a day?

Courses around the U.S. suck up around approximately 2.08 billion gallons of water per day for irrigation. That's about 130,000 gallons per day per course, according to the golf industry.

How many gallons of water does a golf course need?

Audubon International estimates that the average American course uses 312,000 gallons per day. In a place like Palm Springs, where 57 golf courses challenge the desert, each course eats up a million gallons a day.

42 related questions found

Do golf courses use fresh water?

The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), which serves 105 of the golf courses, draws from the California Water Project, the Colorado River and the aquifer. Kessler, who heads up the Coachella Valley Golf and Water Task Force, said much of the water used to irrigate golf courses is non-potable.

Do golf courses use potable water?

Golf courses use a variety of water sources for turfgrass irrigation including groundwater, surface water (lakes, rivers and reservoirs), recycled water, and municipal potable water supplies.

How much water does a 18-hole golf course use?

Using water use data nationally, an 18-hole golf course uses an average of 152.5 acre-feet of water per year to irrigate 80.7 acres of turfgrass.

Why do golf courses drink water everyday?

Typically, putting greens are irrigated at night or early in the morning. However, during periods of hot weather or low humidity, turf may need additional water throughout the day because soils can quickly dry out. Light watering during the day helps keep putting greens healthy and playing well.

How do golf courses conserve water?

Any rain that falls on the buildings, pavement and cart paths goes into one of the course reservoirs — which form the major water features on the course. And underground, there are giant cisterns that hold millions of gallons of runoff water from the course.

How much water does a household use?

The average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home. Roughly 70 percent of this use occurs indoors. Nationally, outdoor water use accounts for 30 percent of household use yet can be much higher in drier parts of the country and in more water-intensive landscapes.

Are golf courses bad for the environment?

Environmentalists argue that golf course land is not only a waste of space, but also harbors harmful impacts to the earth and environment, such as pesticide use. This negative impact occurs by using large quantities of water and destroying habitats for wildlife species.

What percentage of golf courses use recycled water?

As previously noted, 12 percent of 18-hole courses use recycled water for irrigation. The most common reason cited for not using it was a lack of an available source for recycled water as indicated by 53 percent of respondents.

Do Arizona golf courses use reclaimed water?

PHOENIX – In parts of northern Arizona, golf courses over the past decade have stopped using drinking water to keep their greens vibrant. Instead, they use effluent or recycled water. However, in Phoenix, less than a quarter of the water used on golf courses is reclaimed wastewater.

What will Arizona do for water?

Planning for a Sustainable Arizona Water Future:

From water supply projects, to innovative programs including drought preparedness, underground water storage, 100-year water supply requirements, mandatory conservation programs and use of reclaimed water, we lead the nation in comprehensive water supply management.

Where does TPC Scottsdale get water?

Through a unique partnership between the federal Bureau of Reclamation which owns the land on which the club was built, the PGA TOUR and the City of Scottsdale, TPC Scottsdale was created and serves as an environmentally desirable solution for reclaimed water captured from thousands of nearby acres.

How often are golf courses watered?

It's better to water “deeply and infrequently,” Cutler says. About a third of an inch every two to three days is a good goal.

How often do you water greens on a golf course?

Watering once per week for 1–1 ½ hours should suffice. Deep watering helps roots grow deeper into the soil, allowing the plant better uptake of nutrients and water during times of stress.

How big is the average golf course?

Quick Answer: The typical number of acres for an average golf course is 160 acres. The 160 acres number includes a small area for a practice area and a small clubhouse. The average number of acres that a golf course has can range all the way from 120 acres to 200 acres.

How much water do Palm Springs golf courses use?

The water district says that on average, each course uses about 1 million gallons a day.

Why do golf courses use water?

3. Water use has a major influence on the playability of a golf course. Judicious water use that emphasizes firm, fast conditions is more enjoyable for all skill levels of golfers and is a goal that the USGA strongly supports.

Are golf courses wasting water?

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. golf courses consume more than 2 billion gallons of water per day, and since one in every 17 of U.S. courses is located in arid and semi-arid California, our 921 courses consume a sizable chunk of that total daily.

How do golf courses use recycled water?

In addition to making good use of a degraded water source, turf serves a vital role in cleansing nutrients and contaminants from the recycled water as it moves through the soil and into the aquifer. Nationwide, approximately 13% of golf courses use recycled water for irrigation.

How does Palm Desert get water?

Since 1973, DWA and Coachella Valley Water District have replenished the Whitewater River (Indio) basin with more than a trillion gallons of imported Colorado River water. About 30 million people use the Colorado River as their source of drinking water.