“What Makes Golf Less Fun Than It Could Be?”
Slow play and cost are mentioned as major issues confronting the industry. And as an engineer in the water industry, Hack Golf’s pursuit is definitely needed in order for the game to thrive; however, we might as well bring the elephant into the room.
Water, water, and the shortage of water. At the end of the day, golfers are leaving but so are golf courses.
If you think play is slow now, what happens as water supplies continue to dwindle and dry up. Water prices rise, golf course maintenance costs go up, golf becomes even more expensive, golf courses close, fewer courses to play. Then we dream for the days when slow play was our only concern.
When water gets tight, many communities look to large water users to reduce their demand. Or they want the green space back so they can build on it and produce more tax revenue.
MY IDEA FOR CHANGING THIS
Not enough golf courses use recycled water but they will have to very shortly. I work with golf courses looking for new sources of supply so I know it’s real.
In the big picture, many golf courses use less water than we think but they are big and green and everyone just assumes they use a ton of water. Now courses do use a lot of water but many are also pretty good at conserving the amount they use.
What’s weird is that the golf industry will be facing reverse elitism.
We already feel it as new golfers and minorities in the game. I’m a minority. I know what it feels like to be a minority at a new golf course. Fortunately, if you’ve got some skills, that can help overcome it. But golf and golfers also need to realize that we are all minorities!
The world in general perceives golf and golf courses as for the very elite few, and believe me, they won’t want to continue allowing water use. They see it as unnecessary.
Heck, even the agriculture industry is fighting to keep their water and that’s for food!!! You can just imagine public perception for golf courses in a few more years as the water continues to dry up.
The question might need to be: How Do We Get Golf Courses Not to Leave.
Recycled water and new sources of supply are a part of the solution but it’s much bigger than that.
We’re not just talking water for everyday use, we’re talking about a shortage of water TO DRINK.
Drinking water? or Water for Golf Courses? Wait till that discussion comes up.
Oh yeah, it’s already here. I’m in those meetings.
Taly Williams is President and CEO of TALY MIND Sets, a firm developed to raise the bar on scoring and increase people’s enjoyment of sport. The company brings a revolutionary approach to the world of athletics; one that breaks through the mental barrier and unleashes the next level of performance. Founded by Williams, the company’s mission is to take sport to a new, heightened dimension where people score with confidence by trusting their talent. Williams is a professional engineer and a former professional athlete. Taly is the nation’s leading authority on MIND Mechanics® and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Engineering from Canada’s University of Waterloo.
Send Taly Williams an Email Message info@taly.com
