Green Daily

Can you believe I would utter such blasphemy? I bring it up because the droughts we're seeing this summer across the nation really make me wonder if it's time to reconsider this traditional, corporate go-to game.

The thing is, it requires a ton of water in places that don't have it. We're seeing water restrictions and mandatory usage reduction for homes and businesses, including golf courses. If we're rationing drinking water and people are encouraged to stop watering their lawns, does it make sense to keep acres of turf green for a recreational activity?

I'll just briefly mention the toxic soup of chemicals that keeps golf courses lush and green, but you can visit Toxic Golf Greens if you enjoy that kind of thing. Let's take it as read that there are many ways to reduce the chemicals golf greenskeepers use. Golf was organic when it started in 1497, and it can be again, if they keep growing grass. But should they?

Keeping it to a question of resource allocation, is it ethical to continue to use our water supplies on something that is essentially frivolous? I think it's time to explore alternatives, like not forcing grass to grow in the desert (sorry Arizona.) What if we designed more courses that use the natural features of the land, like this course in Saudi Arabia?

Just imagine it: Extreme Mountain Golf in Colorado, Volcano Rock Scramble Golf on Maui. The truly rugged could bring bright red balls to play Alaskan Snow Golf, which would probably require snowshoes, or ice skates. Or wait, would that make it hockey?

The point is, with a little creativity we could usher in a whole new era of golf, attract hoards of new devotees, and actually have a new and differentiated experience at each location.

Best of all, it might actually leave enough water for us to quench our thirst after 18 exciting and unique holes.