Lesson 2: How Golf Courses Water Their Grass
Lesson 2: How Golf Courses Water Their Grass
Golf courses need a lot of water to keep the grass alive, especially in summer. Most modern courses use an irrigation system — a network of underground pipes and sprinkler heads that deliver water precisely to where it is needed.
But watering a golf course uses an enormous amount of water. A single golf course can use hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per day in hot, dry weather.
This is one of the biggest environmental questions in golf: the game requires beautiful, green grass, but keeping grass green in dry climates uses a resource that is increasingly precious.
Smart irrigation systems use weather data and soil sensors to apply exactly the right amount — no more, no less.
Ask a staff member at the course to show you a sprinkler head or explain how the irrigation system works. Draw how you imagine the underground pipes connect to the sprinklers in your nature journal. How far do you think the pipes reach under the ground?
The irrigation system at your facility is a genuine teaching tool. A brief conversation with your turf team about how much water the course uses, how it is measured, and how they decide when to water will give your student authentic scientific data. This is a unique advantage of teaching at a golf facility that no classroom-based curriculum can replicate.