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Presentation of the “Report on Spanish Golf Courses and their relationship with water”, prepared by Professor Juan Antonio López of the University of Cádiz and promoted by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and the Spanish Association of Golf Courses
GOLF AND WATER: A REPORT ON SPANISH GOLF COURSES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH WATER
Spanish golf courses are a global example of reclaimed water use; more than half of the water consumed by golf courses (561,000 liters) comes from unconventional sources: reclaimed and desalinated water; 921,000 liters of golf courses implement practices aimed at reducing water consumption…
Clear and direct messages, supported by data collected by Professor Juan Antonio López of the University of Cádiz, were part of the presentation of the “Report on Spanish Golf Courses and their relationship with water”, promoted by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and the Spanish Association of Golf Courses, which took place at the headquarters of the ACCIONA Open de España presented by Madrid, a tournament that is itself an example of a sustainable sporting event.
Juan Antonio López, Professor at the University of Cádiz and author of the aforementioned report, revealed during the presentation the water consumption of Spanish golf courses; where it comes from; how many use reclaimed and desalinated water; the practices implemented by the courses to minimize their consumption; the economic return…
“The golf sector in Spain is very aware of the importance of implementing actions aimed at protecting the environment and reducing water consumption. These are practices that have been carried out for many years and it is necessary to make this known to Spanish society as a whole,” both Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the RFEG, and Luis Nigorra, President of the AECG, agreed.,
The data presented in the “Report on Spanish Golf Courses and their relationship with water” support actions that the golf community as a whole, to the extent of its capabilities, has been implementing for years, with recognized success stories worldwide affecting important tourist areas such as the Costa del Sol, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community, etc.
. 59% of Spanish golf courses use reclaimed water for irrigation, while in the United States it is only 21%.
. Spain is by far the country that uses the most reclaimed water in all of Europe to irrigate its golf courses.
. More than 751% of golf courses in the Mediterranean area and islands use reclaimed water:
70% of golf courses in the South of the Peninsula and Levante, a percentage that rises to 80% in the Canary Islands and to 96% in the Balearic Islands.
. The water consumption of all Spanish golf courses is estimated at 108 hm³, representing 0.341% of the total water consumed annually in Spain (32,000 hm³). At the time, the National Water Pact disregarded this amount as insignificant.
compared to that which is carried out either sectorally or globally.
. More than half of the water consumed by golf courses (56%) comes from unconventional resources: reclaimed and desalinated water.
. The 92% golf courses carry out practices aimed at reducing water consumption.
. Each cubic meter of water used for irrigation of golf courses generates an economic return of €147, of which €131 (89%) benefits sectors other than golf.
. The main reason golf courses give for not using reclaimed water is the lack of infrastructure for its transport.
During the presentation of the Report, interesting questions arose related to the implementation of new turf varieties with lower water requirements, irrigation control systems in specific play areas, and the role of golf courses as natural firebreaks – as was evident once again this summer – thanks to the use made by firefighting aircraft of the lakes, which commonly serve as natural reserves for thousands of birds migrating through Spain.
Another important point was to highlight that golf courses mostly irrigate (70%) with reclaimed water unsuitable for human consumption, which undergoes tertiary biological treatment to be reused in these sports facilities instead of being poured into aquifers or directly into the sea, with the consequent ecological problem.
The unity of action of all Spanish golf institutions was evident in their participation in the event.
Ilona Shekyants, Deputy Director of Tourism Development and Sustainability at the Ministry of Industry and Tourism; Manuel Cardeña, President of the Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol; Joaquín Mollinedo, Director General of Institutional Relations, Communication and Brand at ACCIONA; and David Urueña,
Sustainability Manager at Madrid Trophy Promotion.
Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the RFEG (Royal Spanish Golf Federation), stated that “never before in the history of our country have we had such a rigorous and professional study on water consumption in golf courses as this one. The data and its interpretation are endorsed by the University of Cádiz, a renowned academic institution that validates the interesting conclusions drawn from this report, which demonstrates the commitment of the Spanish golf community to be at the forefront of sustainability in this specific area. The proper use of water is part of the obligations of Spanish golf as an integral part of a society highly aware of these issues.”.
For his part, Luis Nigorra, President of the Spanish Golf Course Association, emphasized that “it has become commonplace that when we experience a drought in our country, golf courses are unfairly singled out for their water usage, with some even calling for their closure, completely ignoring the realities of the sector and as if this were the solution to the recurring scarcity of this precious resource. Although our sector has been a pioneer in sustainability for years, it needed an independent document to validate what it has always prided itself on: the sound management of water resources and the use of reclaimed water.”.
In his turn to speak, Manuel Cardeña, president of the Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol and Acosol, stated that “our institution has been carrying out arduous work for the maintenance, improvement and distribution of reclaimed water among the different municipalities of the region, so collaborating on this report
It is for us a way of
to inform and raise awareness among citizens about the use of reclaimed water, and
The use made of it by the golf courses in the area and that in periods of drought, such as the one we are currently experiencing, it is even more important to publicize not only the work of Acosol for the regeneration of wastewater, but to show that it is the water with which they irrigate the golf courses of the region without causing consumption of drinking water from our supply systems.”.
Ilona Shekyants, Deputy Director of Tourism Development and Sustainability at the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, stated during her speech that “the golf product is sustainable from every perspective, starting with the economic one, since we are talking about an activity that creates wealth not only on the golf course, but also in other sectors. Furthermore, it is an activity that reduces seasonality, allowing us to attract visitors outside of peak season and, in addition, to promote inland tourism.”.
David Urueña, Head of Sustainability at Madrid Trophy Promotion, elaborated on the work undertaken to make the ACCIONA Open de España a benchmark not only for sport but also for the environment. “Our goal since 2021 has been to leave a positive impact, both economically and in terms of sustainability. Together with ACCIONA, we have spent the last four years calculating the event's carbon footprint and offsetting it with other measures. We have planted thousands of trees over these years to ensure a consistently positive impact. This year, we are also measuring and offsetting the water footprint to leave a positive impact in this area as well. The ACCIONA Open de España is the first sporting event in the world to achieve this,” he said.
In his turn to speak
Joaquín Mollinedo, Director General of Institutional Relations, Communication and Brand at Acciona, congratulated the golf institutions “for the excellent report they produced. The problem in this country is with water, not golf. We aspire to efficient management of these resources, and golf is doing its part. We need investment in infrastructure, water treatment plants, desalination plants… And at a third level of investment, we need investment for pipeline maintenance. With this, everyone will benefit, not just golf.”.
Finally, Juan Antonio López, Professor at the University of Cádiz, emphasized that “being prepared to use water efficiently, objectively and demonstrably, will minimize the damage caused by droughts and allow society to move beyond the debate surrounding the existence of golf courses. These courses are part of an industry that generates multiple benefits, typically for sectors not directly related to the playing field. Implementing sustainable practices will dispel prejudices, and objectively demonstrating this should eliminate them. I encourage the golf sector to take the lead in promoting its sustainable practices and extending environmental education to other public and private users.”.
