Our Course Wants to Eliminate Turf. Where Should We Start?

Look for areas that have the least impact on play. Most courses have many acres that seldom if ever catch an errant shot. While it is possible that an area may come into play for the wildest shot, the management team must weigh the cost of maintaining such areas for the very small percentage of time they come into play. Many courses have identified that the turf areas surrounding tees also seldom come into play. In the effort to conserve water, desert courses learned long ago that the irrigation system should be configured to water the tops of the tees while low-water use plants should be used in the surrounding areas. Remember that reducing turf not only saves water but also labor and fuel for mowing as well as the energy required for pumping water.