FIRESTONE, Colo. — The golf industry brings millions of dollars into Colorado's economy every year. But possible water restrictions expected from the Colorado River Basin could put that booming industry in the rough.
Whitey O'Malley owns Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone. He also serves as secretary for the National Golf Club Owners Association.
As water supply around the Colorado River Basin becomes more scarce, O'Malley said the future of golf may not be so green.
"Water use, we're all thinking about it. And we're a little bit luckier in the upper basin states right now but our turn in the barrel is going to be coming five, 10 years down the road," O'Malley said.
And with it, O'Malley said, water access and restrictions will likely be felt at his course and others around the upper basin very soon.
“It’s going to impact almost every golf course in the state, in the upper states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico," O'Malley said. "But it’s really going to impact the lower states of California, Nevada and Arizona. It’s just an inevitability it’s going to move its way up north, too, and technology is going to be a big piece of that puzzle."
To help cut back, they use technology to use as little water as possible to keep their greens green.
"We want to keep greens as firm as possible which means as dry as possible. So we want to keep them right at the edge at all times," said Rob Flemming, superintendent at Saddleback Golf Club.
Flemming said they use soil sensors to study what's happening below the turf.
"Each day we look at these to see what percent soil moisture is in the ground. It helps us dial in and not use too much water," Flemming said.
"You know, you don't want to waste it," O'Malley said.
They want to help other courses bring their water usage down and find ways to use what they have more efficiently.
"It's going to come down to the point where saving 10-acre feet of water a year is going to be a big deal, I think," O'Malley said.
He's helping organize the Colorado Basin Golf and Water Summit to bring course owners around the southwest together to learn ways to balance water usage with the golf industry's needs.
"It's about just getting people together to talk about inevitability of water reduction specifically in the southwest," O'Malley said. "It’s going to hit the lower states more than the upper states on the Colorado River and we’re just getting a group together to talk about upcoming likely issues and solutions."
He's hopeful that by being proactive, they can help find ways to keep courses from drying out.
"You get to get outdoors, feel the green grass under your toes and it really is something we don't want to lose," O'Malley said.
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