[Tim_Weiman]

Does anyone know where the golf industry stands generally in Melbourne with regard to the use of water and chemicals?

Typically, are courses in Melbourne using less than is used in the States?

[Tom_Doak]

Tim:

Courses in Australia generally are way ahead of anywhere in America regarding water use for golf irrigation.  The only two I am familiar with, Royal Melbourne and Royal Adelaide, have both installed systems to collect runoff from surrounding streets, filter it through artificial wetlands to clean it up, and use it as part of their irrigation supply.  I've never seen that in the U.S.

I don't know what the total water use is for those courses, but I'd guess it is well under most U.S. courses for an area of similar climate and rainfall [say, California].

One thing that helps in Australia is that golfers walk, and golf cart use is low.  More cart use = more watering at the edges of the course.

[Tim_Weiman]

Tom,

That is interesting. Why do carts result in more water on the edge?

[Matt Day]

I cant speak for Melbourne but in Perth we all use ground water, every golf course has an allocated allowance of water for each calendar year. This a city built on sand with bent grass greens, hot dry summers and strong winds so its a tough gig sometimes.

Every bore has a meter on it and that data is recorded, this is then passed onto the relevant state government authority once a year as report. Over use can incur penalties and on occasion continued use below the allowance has resulted in a reduction of the allowance.

Our system uses a weather station linked to 4 rain cups at different sites. We have valve in head sprinklers so have the ability to water only where is required, and direct injection of  wetting agents is done from October to April.

We harvest run off  from our car parks into our main irrigation lake, overflow in winter goes to an area of flooded gums. We harvest run off from the housing estate across the road which is then used to irrigate the landscaping component of that estate. Driving range, pro shop and buggy shed all have water tanks capturing run off from roofs. Range and pro shop is used for toilets, cart shed is used for washing carts and range balls, and is on a closed loop system.

Chemical use is regulated and there are significant penalties for use of chemicals that do not have a turf label.

[Josh Stevens]

Tim:

Courses in Australia generally are way ahead of anywhere in America regarding water use for golf irrigation.  The only two I am familiar with, Royal Melbourne and Royal Adelaide, have both installed systems to collect runoff from surrounding streets, filter it through artificial wetlands to clean it up, and use it as part of their irrigation supply.  I've never seen that in the U.S.

I don't know what the total water use is for those courses, but I'd guess it is well under most U.S. courses for an area of similar climate and rainfall [say, California].

One thing that helps in Australia is that golfers walk, and golf cart use is low.  More cart use = more watering at the edges of the course.

Royal Adelaide I am told was actually collecting runoff and injecting it back into the aquifer, not only to lift the level but also resolve an issue with increasing salinity of the ground water.  Worked a treat I am told.

Perth is way overwatered - my track,  Karrinyup is ridiculous, wall to wall soft lush grass.  Few of us are trying to get a little Pinehurst ground swell going, we could reduce our usage by half and make it a better course.  Not sure of our chances.

[Tom_Doak]

Tom,

That is interesting. Why do carts result in more water on the edge?

That's where the traffic is.  Really, cart use takes its toll on the turf and I presume any turf needs a bit more water to handle cart stress, but it also means you can't leave the edges unirrigated a la Pinehurst #2 ... you have to water out to where the carts are running.

[James Bennett]

Tom, Josh, Tim

From the little I know, Royal Adelaide uses street run-off which are cleansed through wetlands established at a cost of about $1.5M (partly funded by Government grants).  The local EPA limits the transfer of this water to 200 ML annually, which equals the amount of water taken from the aquifer via bores.  Annual rainfall is perhaps 14 inches - and less in some years.

A key short-term outcome of the aquifer has been a halving of the salinity levels, which is relly important as the irrigation season generally runs for 8 months.  That used to mean a lot of salt sitting in the surface waiting a long time to be flushed out, eventually.  Rain at Seaton (Royal Adelaide) is far more infrequent than in the Melbourne sandbelt, so the salt issue is significant.

A key long-term outcome of the aquifer is that it is less likely to be under stress, and will continue to be available to irrigate the course.  Town water costs $3 per kilolitre (yikes).

Similar schemes are in place at The Grange Golf Club and at Glenelg Golf Club.

Whether or not Royal Adelaide is over-watered today is a matter of opinion and degree.  However, I am quite confident in saying that it receives less irrigation per annum than equivalent courses in southern California.

James B

[Sean Remington (SBR)]

  The weather in Melbourne looks nice based on this data:

http://weatherspark.com/averages/34069/Melbourne-Victoria-Australia

   In contrast ot Philly:

http://weatherspark.com/averages/31282/Philadelphia-Pennsylvania-United-States



 

[David_Elvins]

  The weather in Melbourne looks nice based on this data:

http://weatherspark.com/averages/34069/Melbourne-Victoria-Australia

Temperature and averages do not adequately describe Melbourne's weather. 

[Josh Stevens]

You can always count on it being about a million degrees during the tennis.

I was there a few years back for christmas with family. We started at 28 degrees, moved up to 46 a few days later thrn down to 19 and rain at tge end of the week. Impossible place

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