Golf Course Environmental Profile Project

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• Golf Course Environmental Profile Project

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Golf Course Environmental Profile
Communications

• Scientific journal
• Golf Course Management magazine
• Allied golf publications
• Golfers

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Golf Course Environmental Profile
Data Collection

• Targeted surveys, topic specific, multiple year
  project
• The property profile survey completed June 2006
• Water use and conservation survey completed
  November 2006

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Upcoming Milestones

• Nutrient use survey completed April, 2007
• Pesticide use survey planned for January, 2008
• Environmental practices/Energy use survey
• are planned for 2009/2010

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• A total of 2,981 facilities participated in the
  Property Profile and 2,541 participated in the
  Water Use and Conservation survey. This
  represents nearly 20 and 16 respectively of all
  golf facilities in the United States
• This provides a broad, representative sample of
  facilities

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RESPONDENT DISTRIBUTION BY AGRONOMIC REGION
9
5
15
25
18
8
20
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GOLF COURSE PROFILE 2006
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GOLF COURSE ACREAGE UTILIZATION

• Typical 18 Hole Facility in the U.S.

Total Acreage 60 -9 hole 150 -18 hole 217 -27
hole (Median values)
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MAINTAINED TURF FEATURES

• Typical Maintained Turf in the U.S.

Maintained Turf Acreage 45 -9 hole 100 -18
hole 145 -27 hole (Median values)
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ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
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GOLF FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS
Facility Improvements Made Since 1996( of all
facilities making the improvement)
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Water Use and Conservation Survey
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IRRIGATED GOLF FACILITY ACREAGE
18-Hole Irrigated Golf Turf Acres By U.S.
Agronomic Region
Letters denote significant difference versus
comparable column(s) at the 90 confidence
interval

• Irrigated golf facility acreage varies widely by
  agronomic region.
• Golf facilities in the South and Upper West
  regions irrigate the greatest number of acres
  over 100 acres on average.
• The Northeast and North Central regions irrigate
  the fewest number of acres under 70 acres on
  average.

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WATER USAGE PAST 3 YEARS
Typical 18-Hole Golf Facility Water Usage by
U.S. Agronomic Region (Millions of Gallons)
256
379
347
788
1,300
950
613
Gallons of Water Used Per Irrigated Acre
(Thousands)
Letters denote significant difference versus
comparable column(s) at the 90 confidence
interval
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IRRIGATION WATER EXPENDITURES - 2005
Irrigation Water Cost for 18-Hole Golf
Facilities (Average Total Expenditures By U.S.
Agronomic Region in Thousands of Dollars)
Letters denote significant difference versus
comparable column(s) at the 90 confidence
interval
NOTE Figures represent average water costs in
2005 across all water sources (i.e., cost water
itself, not electricity for pumping or delivery)

• Golf facilities in the Southwest and Pacific
  region carry the highest overall water costs
  while facilities in the Northeast, North Central
  and Transition regions have the lowest.

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IRRIGATION WATER SOURCE
Irrigation Water Source for Typical 18-Hole Golf
Facility in the U.S.
Average Cost1 (Thousands)
3.9
6.9
4.6
52.4
44.4




1 Total water cost for 2005 (i.e., cost water
itself, not electricity for pumping or
delivery) - Small base size (lt50)

• By-and-large, 18-hole golf facilities derive
  water from open water and wells.
• Not surprisingly, open water and wells are among
  the most affordable water sources available.

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This project is being funded, in part, by The
Toro Foundation.
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