The adaptation of golf to the mega-drought in Santiago

The mega-drought that has lasted for more than 12 years in Chile has put a key concept on the table: climate adaptability. In other words, all activities that largely depend on water must adapt their actions to the new reality. And golf, because of the large grass area it uses on its courts, is an industry that is already adapting.

According to data from the Santiago Golf Association, The area of ​​green spaces provided by the golf courses totals approximately 650 hectares, which corresponds to approximately 10,600 times the area of ​​the National Stadium. In general, the lawn needs an average of 7 to 9 liters of water per day and per square meter in the summer season: Thus, all golf clubs in the capital must use daily between 45.5 million and 58.5 million liters for irrigation during the summer period.

But that’s under ideal weather conditions and assuming all golf courses are fully grassed. Which is not the case, due to various measures they are taking. “We have long been aware of the seriousness of the problem. That is why we implemented a medium and long-term plan two years ago that should lead us to save 50% of current water consumption,” explains Rubén Céspedes, Chairman of the Hacienda Board of Directors. Chicureo Golf Club.

For his part, Sebastián Vicuña, general manager of the French Sport Golf Club, indicates that “this has been a priority subject for quite some time within our board of directors and with members. The issue of water and a series of initiatives in this regard were discussed in depth during our last general assembly on Thursday June 2,” he says.

In fact, in January 2022, this sports entity sent its members a statement with a series of measures that the club is already implementing in terms of saving water resources. “Personally, I participated in a working group with the aim of generating joint initiatives to reduce water consumption in collaboration with the municipality of Vitacura”, adds Vicuña.

Golf clubs in the metropolitan area use potable water for bathrooms, showers, restaurants and other user activities, but the courses are irrigated with water mainly from water rights, by example of the Mapocho River. The Santiago Golf Association indicates that in the capital more than 90% of the irrigation water of the courses is treated, a figure that reaches 100% in places like the State of California (USA), which has climatic conditions and a drought very similar to the central zone of Chile.

For example, the French Sport uses water from the rights of the Association of United Canals, which is fed by the Mapocho River, “which, coming with little water, brings us mainly treated water from the station d purification of Lo Barnechea and it is only possible to be used for irrigation and not for human consumption”, explains Vicuña.

In reality, most clubs practice water reuse, a methodology seen as a solution to reducing consumption by up to 30%. The Prince of Wales Country Club, Las Brisas de Chicureo, Hacienda Chicureo, San Cristóbal Polo Club and Los Leones Club, among others, have already opted for this line a few years ago.

Even Juan Eduardo Duhart, president of the Santiago Golf Association, indicates that as an entity they have already had conversations with water companies with the aim of exchanging the water rights of the clubs for treated water from these companies, although Duhart chose not to say the names of the companies, the companies that have come together.

According to Aguas Andinas, the main water utility in the metropolitan area, they have held meetings with different users and organizations of large green space extensions “to jointly seek options to release raw water and make it available. for human consumption. This is where our reclaimed water reuse project plays a very important role, as we give water a double life, first using it in the city and then delivering it from our biofactories under form of purified water in optimal conditions for irrigation”, explains Daniel Tugues, director. operations of Aguas Andinas.

With regard to grass, one of the specific actions that golf clubs have been carrying out for several years is to replace it with more drought-resistant species, of which the “bermuda” is one of the protagonists, despite the causes it to turn yellow in winter. . “Early this year, we hired an international expert, who advised us to change the type of grass to one that needs less water. This is in addition to the integration of technology in our irrigation system, with humidity sensors that allow us to significantly reduce water consumption”, says Céspedes and adds: “our objective for this year is to reduce our water consumption by at least 20%.

From the Hacienda de Chicureo they indicate that they are exploring a gradual change to new varieties of dwarf or hybrid bermuda, which is already present in some areas of the club as a test and is part of its master plan for the golf course which is preparing the North American company Robert Trent Jones. Indeed, other clubs also hire foreign companies that have already implemented solutions in California, but also in the state of Arizona (USA), where the climate is downright desert.

On another side, The use of innovations already installed in courses in northern Chile, such as La Serena Golf, where grass is not an option, is also being studied, using techniques such as, for example, mixing sand with certain additives or even put large carpets in certain areas instead of the lawn.

Also there’s a more drastic look, where they replace the old turf with mulch and only leave green space for the yards (measure used in this sport) closest to the holes. This area is called “green” for a reason. A normal course has 18 holes. In other words, the “landscape” of golf courses is being completely changed. “The reduction in grass surfaces was done at the beginning of 2020, taking into account areas where playability is not affected and could be replaced by dry landscaping. This generated an estimated saving of 5% of our The second stage of this measure envisioned contracting the original designers of the field, to modify the current design to one that emulates the fields of Arizona, which minimize grass surfaces by 40%,” explains Cespedes.

But according to Duhart, “you have to think that, anyway, replacing all the grass overnight with species that are more adaptable to drought is not a quick thing. That yes, what is privileged are the trees, because if they are not watered they die,” says the president of the Santiago Golf Association.

According to those consulted, thinking about closing this type of club or moving them further south is not an option, which further increases the thesis of adaptation. “When you are a member of a golf club in Santiago and they tell you that they are going to build a course in Osorno, it makes no sense. That is why we must not forget that the clubs represent more than 500 hectares of green spaces in Santiago, which are maintained at the expense of the members. In a city like this and with the great pollution that exists, these places bring a great benefit to the city”, explains Juan Eduardo Duhart.

Sebastián Vicuña has a similar idea: “our club is a green lung in the middle of the municipality of Vitacura and it contributes very positively to the carbon footprint and to the oxygen emissions in the environment and therefore we contribute very positively to the quality of the air in our city”, he comments.

According to the Directorate General of Waters (DGA), the Metropolitan Region maintains a rainfall deficit of 47% compared to a normal year, despite the heavy rains of recent days. Regarding the amount of water stored in the tanks, the authority reported that there is 20% more water than the 25 that the DGA monitors. In the case of the El Yeso reservoir, which is the main water reserve in the RM, the volume has increased by 1.2 million cubic meters since the end of June and currently the cumulative volume corresponds to 69% of its total capacity. .

However, Duhart clarifies: “Already all golf clubs use treated water. Nobody turns on the drinking water tap to irrigate, and it would be very expensive”.