[lmpdev]

In wealthy parts of the US, maybe

The vast majority of the world is nothing like this

From Scotland to Tasmania, most courses congregate around already wet and mostly sand/loamy soil (largely unusable for other purposes without major construction)

I agree with you for artificial American places like TPC Scottsdale or Wolf Creek GC etc

[maccard]

I’m an avid golfer and I live in Scotland. I’m not going to pretend that they’re bastions of sustainability - it’s not rained here in 2 full weeks and my course is watering their greens and fairways. We’re not quite at drought but the UK has a hosepipe ban in place and yet courses are continuing to water and maintain.

On the suitability of the soil, for some courses yeah. For the vast majority - there’s 4 courses within 20 minutes of me in an urban area and they would be developed into property in a heartbeat if they sold. My home course has an apartment block cutting through it.

I don’t think any of that matters though - it’s not like it would be a public park if it wasn’t a golf course. It’s certainly no less resource intensive than the massive concrete jungle of a sports centre with a running track across from me, or a football stadium or any of the numbers of empty buildings in the city centre. It’s an amenity, just like any other, it has a cost and we have to accept that otherwise we might as well just tear it all down.

[bookofjoe]

Let's give a "Hip Hip, Hooray" to your links courses and the Champion Golfer of the Year. What a putt!

[parpfish]

I find it absolutely insane that there’s a golf course in Death Valley

[kylecazar]

Visualizing it on satellite view puts things into perspective. Here's Wolf Creek:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ccFwBoDZMrmK7Bvc6?g_st=ac

Just surrounded by dust.

[paradox460]

There are like 3 in St. George Utah, meanwhile nearby lake Powell is nearly empty