Bulldozers are about to tear up Quail Run Golf Course for a renovation that will cost Recreation Centers of Sun City members $6 million. This is said to be done to fix irrigation and meet Arizona Department of Water Resources mandated requirements.
ADWR provides water-using entities a management plan that they use to target water usage. According to RCSC’s golf director, there is no financial penalty for not meeting the plan. If not compliant, the concern is that ADWR will lower the plan number each year. RCSC is considering a stipulation agreement with ADWR. I think it’s a bad idea to obligate the community to reductions that could force further turf reductions or course closures.
Water conservation is environmentally necessary, particularly in the desert. However, should communities like Sun City give up their water for the growth of newer communities west of us? Bigger perspective: of all the water in the world, only 0.03% is available for human use. Of that, 2% is for urban use (source: Water World). In Arizona, golf uses 2% of state water and 9% of urban water. If RCSC reduces water use on its courses, which we should do where cost-appropriate, the impact on state or overall water usage is miniscule.
The 800-pound elephant in Sun City is golf. It has been the bedrock, the attraction to the community since 1960. Nationally, golf has shown a slight increase over the past decade. Unprofitable golf courses are closing around the country.
Golf in RCSC ran a deficit of over $1 million last year. How can golf losses be reduced to reach break-even? Renovating Quail Run, our least-used course, is without consideration of other RCSC member amenities or interests.
Why not use that $6 million to improve higher-use courses or our bottom line? Do an Artificial Intelligence search on the cost of installing irrigation on a nine-hole golf course. It is not close to $6 million.
Editor’s note: This writer is using a pen name. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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