Palm Springs Architecture discussion

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Kelly asks Nick if he likes the rakes in or out of the traps when he is designing courses. Nick quickly fires back at the kitten, where the rakes are has nothing to do golf architecture. Ohhh spank her hard Nick. Kelly is ready to be the next Nickette.

[Jim Nugent]

It is obvious, now that you pointed it out.  

[Ian Andrew]

I was hoping instead this going to be about the question of whether it is reasonable to build so many courses when water is such a precious commodity in the area, and should the  architecture be even more lean in order to deal with this issue.

[Tom_Doak]

Ian:

As Mike Young just explained to Don Mahaffey on his thread, Palm Springs is the LAST place any client wants to hear about "leaner" architecture, even if it's necessary.  In fact, a lot of clients insist on extra turf because the members are elderly and not that good at golf.  

And if you replace some of the irrigated turf with sand, even GCA types may scream that the course is "unfair".

[Pete Lavallee]

Is water really a precious commodity, as Ian stated, in the Palm Springs region? I don't think they use the Colorado River, instead relying on the huge aquifer under the Coachella Valley. Perhaps Don Mahaffey can enlighten us. They certainly don't have the turf acreage restrictions that Arizona has employed, do they?

[Tom_Doak]

Pete:

Aquifers don't live forever, especially at the rates that some are being tapped today.  One of the reasons there aren't acreage restrictions in Palm Springs is because the old courses are grandfathered in to an age when they didn't even have to have a water meter! -- nobody knows just how much water they use.

[Don_Mahaffey]

Pete,
In Az there are restrictions on turfed acreage and water use...but Indian courses are not subject to the restrictions. We-Ko-Pa, Apache, and Talking Stick don't have to follow the law...but they may, I don't know.
Vegas has also implemented an irrigation program, but I don't know the details.
In the Coachella Valley, as far as I know, there are no mandatory restrictions on water use or turfed acreage. But, I do know the aquifer is shrinking at an alarming rate and I've heard there is subsidence, but I have no particulars. I do know it is a very large aquifer and I also know that a lot of Colorado River water is channeled into the valley. But, I'm guessing there are a lot more farmed acres in Riverside and Imperial Counties using river water then golf acres. I also seem to remember that the Mexicans are very unhappy with us since the Colorado is basically a trickle when it reaches them.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am impressed this thread got on track even with my initial move into the rough and behind the bushes.