There is oft-repeated that the three keys
to a good golf course are: 1. Drainage 2. Drainage 3. Drainage.
As all golf designers and superintendents understand, managing water is critical to maintaining a playable, functional and sustainable golf course. But, there is more to sustainable drainage design than simply removing water from the golf course as quickly as possible. Over the last decade, creative water management systems have been developed that increase overall sustainability of the golf landscape, and the larger regional context as well.
It is a myth that golfers do not want to see water on the golf course. They just don’t want to see it making puddles, or creating mud holes through which they must play. In fact, golfers want to see water, but more in “feature” forms, such as ponds, or waterfalls, or even wetlands. If designed properly, the same drainage nuisance can become the genesis of an aesthetically pleasing water feature. The solution just needs to be properly and sustainably designed by directing water to a different place at a different time.
One of the simplest sustainable water management concepts is
the collection and reuse of water that falls naturally. Too many drainage systems only “flush” water into the nearest stream or creek immediately after a rain event, even when the superintendent may need to replenish the irrigation reservoir the next day. This old method is a waste of water and the loss of an opportunity to be more sustainable. Creatively designed drainage systems can cause drainage water on a golf course to be funneled back to the irrigation system, enabling the sustainable re-use of this critical resource.
Due to different topography and site conditions, there are usually areas on a site that preclude the reuse of drainage water for irrigation. But, this water should not necessarily be discharged via pipes into the nearest drainage way. Instead, opportunities to design open drainage channels should be considered. And, without much additional cost or energy, these open drainage channels can be designed into aesthetically pleasing water features such as an intermittent rock creek or brook.
Collecting and retaining water on site before it is “let go” into
the larger regional drainage system is another opportunity for sustainability. These “retention areas”, if well designed, can function as features around which golfers can play and also become home to many different plant, bird and animal species. This type of concept will increase the overall bio-diversity of the site, a key principle in sustainable design.
The next time you see a drainage problem on your golf course, before a trench is cut and a pipe installed, consider if there is an opportunity to create a more sustainable golf environment.
Paul Albanese, ASGCA, is a principal with Albanese Golf Architecture & Construction Management. They have an office in Plymouth, Michigan and are currently working in seven countries on small and large projects.
