England Golf, the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and the Golf Club Management Association are urging every golf club to contribute to a major national study that will establish the most detailed picture yet of water use and resilience across the golf sector.
The Golf Sector Resilience and Alternative Water Supply Options project is being led by the Retailer Wholesaler Group's Water Efficiency Sub-Group, which brings together wholesale and retail water companies, in partnership with the Environment Agency.
Independent research agency Sporting Insights has been commissioned to conduct a water census examining how golf clubs source, store and use water, as well as the infrastructure and alternative supply options available to them.
The survey will be shared with clubs and England Golf is asking members to complete it where they hold the relevant information. Greenkeepers who are unable to answer every section themselves are encouraged to speak to their club manager, secretary, committee or other officials and ensure a response is submitted on the club's behalf.
The census follows a State of the Nation assessment that highlighted the increasing pressure on England's water resources and the lack of consistent, sector-wide information about golf's current position.
Demand on public water supplies must fall as the country responds to population growth, climate change and increasingly unpredictable rainfall. The statutory target is to reduce the use of public water supply in England per head of population by 20% by 2038 against a 2019-20 baseline. Water companies are also under growing pressure to reduce non-household demand.
Golf clubs are already experiencing the practical effects. Drought restrictions and abstraction controls can limit access to mains water, boreholes, rivers, lakes and other sources, while prolonged dry periods place greater pressure on irrigation systems and stored supplies. The circumstances can vary significantly between clubs and water company regions.
The State of the Nation work found that detailed information is needed on the amount of water golf clubs consume, where it comes from, how it is measured and what storage or alternative sources are available. The industry also needs to understand the condition and coverage of existing infrastructure, how clubs have been affected by restrictions and what investment they are considering.
Without that evidence, it is difficult for golf's representative bodies and the water sector to identify practical solutions, plan future support or make a robust case for the needs of golf clubs to policymakers and regulators.
BIGGA Chief Executive Jim Croxton said: "Water resilience is one of the defining challenges facing golf. Greenkeepers have dealt with an exceptionally difficult combination of prolonged dry weather, pressure on supplies and changing restrictions, and those challenges are likely to become more frequent.
"We know clubs are starting from very different positions. Some have reservoirs, boreholes or opportunities to harvest and store water, while others remain heavily dependent on the mains. Before the industry can develop effective solutions, we need reliable information showing what clubs use, what resources they have and where the greatest vulnerabilities lie.
"This census gives every golf club the opportunity to help shape that work. I would strongly encourage BIGGA members to complete it themselves where they can. If somebody else at the club holds the information, please speak to them and make sure the club takes part.
"A strong response will give the entire golf industry a much firmer evidence base when speaking to water companies, government and regulators. The findings can also help direct future guidance and investment towards the areas where they will have the greatest effect.
“We have strong evidence of the value of golf to public health, tourism, jobs and the economy, along with the incredible sporting value so brilliantly demonstrated recently with the inspiring Walker and Solheim Cup victories. Maintaining resilient water supplies in a changing climate is critical to the future of our sport.”
The project has been designed as a collaborative exercise between the water and golf sectors. Its findings will be used to examine opportunities to improve efficiency, increase resilience and develop alternative supplies, recognising that suitable options will depend on each club's location, resources and existing infrastructure.
Participating clubs will help create a national evidence base that can inform the sector's response to future droughts, restrictions and long-term changes in water availability. The greater the participation, the more representative and useful the findings will be.
