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Opening Golf to the World
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Rainwater Harvesting Offsite
Typically, golf clubs must deal with water entering their golf course from other sources. This can come in the form of existing streams or rivers, ditches, wastewater discharge and surface run-off from fields or roads.
Typically, golf clubs must deal with water entering their golf course from other sources. This can come in the form of existing streams or rivers, ditches, wastewater discharge and surface run-off from fields or roads. These sources can be accessed for use by a golf club in a number of ways:
  • Extraction from surface water sources
  • Redirection of drainage water into water storage
  • Actively engaging surrounding landowners, water companies or Highways Agency to redirect water onto the golf course
This solution will need dedicated expert input and will require liaison with local councils, water authorities, surrounding landowners, developers and Government Agencies. It is important that any water taken onto the site is managed and managed as per the relevant guidance. If flood risk is increased outside of the golf course as a result of actions undertaken by the club, the club could be held liable for the flooding. However, this technique may provide a solution to many landowners and water authorities, and help them solve problems on their land or drainage network. There may even be financial assistance with such solutions. For example, capital grants for works as this may be cheaper for the third party in the long run as opposed to having to deal with the water on their site or drainage network.
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Water companies are increasingly looking at such mitigation strategies to help ease the pressure on their drainage networks. For example, if a golf club stored water from a water company's drainage network for reuse and irrigation water, a water company may not have to invest as much on upgrading other areas of their network.
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Key Design Criteria
  • Understanding source of water and likely volumes and water quality available throughout the year
  • Understanding of longevity of supply
  • Understanding of whole catchment hydrology dynamics (will require specialist input from multiple sources)
  • Extensive discussions with multiple stakeholders in order to access water
  • Engagement with relevant authorities at an early stage to gain approval
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