Energy Use and Environmental Practices on U.S. Golf Courses

Do not overlook this tool to manage and improve water quality in your ponds.

Written by: Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D. and Larry Stowell, Ph.D.
Using surveys conducted by the GCSAA and the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), this article discusses historic energy usage in the U.S. golf industry and proposes actions to reduce energy use in turf maintenance. Through the implementation of energy-efficiency measures, such as advanced lighting, HVAC upgrades, and programmable thermostats, non-turf maintenance activities (clubhouse, tennis courts, swimming pools) reduced energy usage by 31.4% between 2008 and 2015. By contrast, turf maintenance contributed no significant reductions in energy usage despite representing 47% of the total energy used. The authors make recommendations to reduce energy usage in turf operations and note that 31.2% of the electricity consumed on an 18-hole facility is used for pumping water.

While the authors focus primarily on improving irrigation pump efficiency, the recommendations can be equally applied to pond aeration and fountain pumps.