Water scarcity and regulation threaten golf’s long-term sustainability and financial stability.
Water has moved rapidly from being an operational consideration to a defining strategic challenge for golf clubs. Across the UK and Ireland, prolonged dry spells followed by periods of intense rainfall are exposing vulnerabilities in how courses source, store and use water.
What was once seen primarily as a greenkeeping issue is now firmly a boardroom concern, with implications for playing quality, regulatory compliance and long-term financial sustainability.
Recent seasons have provided a stark illustration of the volatility clubs must now plan for. Many facilities endured an extended dry summer that left surfaces under significant stress, only to be followed by exceptionally wet winter conditions that tested drainage systems and course resilience.
That swing between scarcity and surplus is becoming the norm rather than the exception, and it is forcing a more strategic conversation about water security.
Tom Brooke, CEO of the GCMA, described the scale of the issue in unequivocal terms, framing it as an existential threat to the industry if left unaddressed.
“This is the single biggest challenge and the single biggest threat to our industry,” he told the GCMA Insights podcast. “If we don’t get this right, we have significant challenges around water supply, water security.”
He pointed to the dramatic contrast in recent weather patterns as a clear warning of what lies ahead for golf clubs across the country.
“I think the last six months of our weather pattern is as good an example as we could possibly have for what we’ve got coming in the future — an incredibly dry summer where golf courses were absolutely crying out for water, followed by what has been one of the wettest January’s in history.”
While climate change is intensifying extremes, regulatory and supply pressures are adding further complexity. Abstraction licences are under increasing scrutiny, environmental flows are protected with greater rigour, and population growth is placing additional strain on finite resources. In some regions, particularly in the east of England, the pressure is already acute.
Dr Tom Young of The Environment Partnership explained that the reality on the ground in certain catchments is already changing, with water companies unable to guarantee supply to all commercial users.
He said: “At the moment, certain parts of the country where I’m based in East Anglia, they literally do not have enough water to supply certain businesses and are having to say, sorry, we’d love to supply you, but we can’t, and that’s the reality of where they’re at.”
He also highlighted an uncomfortable legal distinction that many clubs may not fully appreciate when assessing their long-term risk profile.
“The water companies are not legally obliged to supply them. They’re only legally obliged to supply residential properties.”
For clubs reliant on mains water or historic abstraction licences, that position represents a significant vulnerability. If restrictions tighten or licences are reduced, the impact on turf quality can be immediate. Without sufficient irrigation during prolonged dry periods, surfaces deteriorate, recovery slows and member satisfaction inevitably suffers.
From an agronomic perspective, the emphasis must therefore be on building resilience into the soil and grass system so that courses are better equipped to cope with periods of restriction. Richard Windows of The R&A’s Sustainable Agronomy team stressed that preparation and long-term grass selection are critical safeguards against future disruption.
“In the event of the disaster happening and the water getting turned off, we at least have this optimum resilience as we can in that soil and grass system,” he said.
However, efficiency improvements and agronomic resilience alone will not be enough if they are not underpinned by strategic planning. Across the industry, there is growing consensus that water management must be treated as an integrated, long-term priority rather than a series of reactive projects. That begins with understanding current usage, identifying risks and mapping out realistic scenarios for the coming decades.
Dr Young emphasised that clubs need to move beyond ad hoc decision-making and develop a structured, evidence-based plan that sets out both present realities and future ambitions.
“Make a plan or a baseline, an actual baseline, of what data you have in the first place, what you’re using. Then make a plan for what you want to be doing in the next 50 years.”
He went on to stress that this cannot be a peripheral document or a sub-committee exercise, but must sit at the heart of club governance and leadership.
“Treat it as a business critical item. It’s not something to maybe delegate to kind of subcommittees; it’s something that the club really has to take a leadership item on.”
For many clubs, that leadership conversation will inevitably include storage. Enlarged ponds, integrated drainage capture systems and purpose-built reservoirs all require significant capital investment, yet they offer the prospect of long-term self-sufficiency. Securing water on site reduces reliance on uncertain external supplies and allows clubs to align irrigation decisions more closely with agronomic need rather than supply constraints.
The commercial implications of inaction are as serious as the environmental ones. Extended summer stress or frequent winter closures directly affect member retention, visitor income and overall perception of value. Brooke made clear that the case for action must be framed in business terms as well as sustainability language.
“It’s also about doing the right thing for the commercial benefit and the long term financial sustainability of your golf club.”
He reinforced the urgency for managers and boards to move from awareness to implementation before circumstances force reactive decisions.
“This is one you need to know about, and your club needs to act on if you haven’t done already.”
The panel urged clubs to undertake several measures, including an audit of current water use and risks, seeking expert appraisal of irrigation and drainage systems; developing a unified water management masterplan that looks 20, 30 or even 50 years ahead; embedding agronomic resilience into course strategy; elevating water to a standing board-level priority; and committing to investment that safeguards future generations of members.
Key Takeaways
- Water is now a strategic, board-level issue
Climate volatility and tightening regulation have made water security a core business risk, not just an operational concern for greenkeeping teams.
- Supply can no longer be assumed
In some regions, commercial users are not guaranteed mains supply, leaving clubs exposed if restrictions increase or licences change.
- Long-term planning is essential
Clubs must establish clear usage baselines, invest in storage and infrastructure, and build agronomic resilience for the decades ahead.
