Water and its public or private use are now the subject of greater awareness: politicians and the media have largely addressed this subject in recent days. The government presented a plan on March 30. It is in this spirit that Pascal Grizot, president of the Ffgolf signed this Friday, April 14, at the Seignosse golf course, a progress contract with the Adour-Garonne Water Agency.
Remember that Golf Planète had published in March a three-part survey on the use of water in golf courses in France and abroad which pointed out the delay of our country in this area.
We have to hope with Laurent Boissonnaspresident of Resonance, present in Seignosse, that “this day will be a strategic moment in our ecological transition policy”.
On the cover photo, Pascal Grizot is surrounded by his vice-president Sylvianne Villaudière, the two presidents of the New Aquitaine and Occitanie leagues and elected officials from the Landes.
Photo Steeve Carr
Action needs to be accelerated
Pascal Grizot insisted by inviting everyone to speed up the actions undertaken over the past 15 years: “Many unknown actions have already been carried out for several years: the federation and the French golf courses carry out a reasoned management of water… Their many actions are often unknown… But it is necessary to move forward: this progress contract is not the beginning of an awareness of the golf industry but an important step… Our rapprochementnt with the water agencies and today with the Adour-Garonne water agency is part of this ambition to accelerate and contribute to the collective effort…”.
120 golf courses eligible for aid from the Adour-Garonne water agency
The progress contract that now binds ffgolf to the Adour-Garonne water agency advocates best practices in water management, biodiversity preservation and management of inputs on golf courses. It also makes it possible to precisely list the various actions likely to be eligible for financial support from the Water Agency and to set the conditions for the latter for the 120 golf courses located in the Adour-Garonne basin. The commitment of golf courses in the program and Label Golf for biodiversity, initiated by the ffgolf, is one of them. To date, 31 golf courses in the Adour-Garonne basin are already involved in this program.
Pour Guillaume Choisymanaging director of the Adour-Garonne water agency, one of the 6 agencies in France, “this contract illustrates the commitment of this profession to the preservation of the quantity and quality of water in the territories in a context of climate change”.
Since 2015 and the first collaborations of the ffgolf with the water agencies, significant water savings have been made (a saving of withdrawal of 926,010 m3/year generated by 91 golf courses having invested for a total of 32 M€ ) suggesting equally positive results under this new progress contract, the third signed by the ffgolf with the Water Agencies. In the Adour-Garonne basin, 10 golf courses have already benefited from financial support in the past.
A larger action plan
J. Ruas and L. Boissonnas
Pascal Grizot also recalled that the ffgolf is mobilizing on other issues likely to have a positive influence on the water needs of its golf courses. In particular, it encourages the development of alternative projects to withdrawals from the natural environment, including that of the reuse of wastewater treated by treatment plants, which appears particularly relevant.
It also encourages the deployment of new farming practices, an important lever for reducing water consumption. Flora conversion and regular replenishing operations make it possible to install and maintain new species of grasses developed by seed companies which offer more resistance to lack of water, diseases, mowing operations and trampling. .
Increasingly efficient deep aeration equipment makes it possible to act on the profile of the soil and to optimize its capacity to store water. These operations promote deep rooting of the lawn to better resist the lack of water, space out waterings and reduce fertilizer inputs…
In case of drought, only the greens are watered, i.e. less than 2% of the total surface
The national average annual water consumption of a golf course is 25,000 m3 per year and per 9-hole section. In the event of severe and prolonged drought, only the greens (essential to the survival of the course) are watered. They represent only 1 to 2% of the total surface of the golf course. Thus, 98 to 99% of the total surface of the golf course is no longer watered, which demonstrates the level of responsibility of all the players in the golf industry. It is estimated that 100 to 120 m3 of water per day are necessary and mandatory for the survival of the greens of an 18-hole golf course in hot weather. This represents 1 to 1.5 hectares or 2% of the surface of the golf course and by comparison it is the equivalent of 1.5 football fields. Therefore, for a 9-hole golf course, the minimum requirement for green survival is 50-60 m3/day. Watering takes into account evapotranspiration due to temperature, sunshine and wind which determines the calibration of the correct vital volume required.
Seignosse will reduce its water consumption by 30%
The choice of Seignosse by Pascal Grizot for his press conference on the use of water in golf courses is no coincidence. Firstly because the south-west of France was hit by drought and fire last summer, then because the Adour/Garonne basin has given a lot of thought and action in this area, but also because the golf course of Moliets has implemented a water management policy which can serve as an example.
Golf Planète met the director of Seignosse, Christophe Rondeleto understand the ins and outs.
Golf Planète: What lesson can we draw in terms of ecological transition from your recent work carried out in Seignosse?
Christophe Rondelé: We have focused our 2022/2023 investment efforts on the complete overhaul of our irrigation system: the idea being to water better to water less. Our system was over 30 years old and had become totally obsolete: long-range sprinkler, electrical problems, the entire network clogged with iron deposits (one of the characteristics of water quality in the Landes).
Today, our watering project is finished after being carried out at a brisk pace between October 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023. This new watering will bring us much more precision and better control of water supply.
The goal is to reduce our samples by 30%! Here is a concrete effect in our objective to profoundly change our practices. It should be noted that the Seignosse golf course is about to obtain the bronze level label for biodiversity. Concrete actions have already been implemented and regularly communicated to the general public by means of information panels placed along the route.
These actions are published on social networks under the name “Friday is ecology”: they arouse many favorable reactions. We have thus received very positive feedback on the “insect hotels”, bird nesting boxes, bat refuges, but also for the kingfisher nesting boxes installed on the edges of our lakes.
This is only a first step since we are applying for the silver label in 2024.
These actions are important and fit perfectly into the “Impact 2024” plan which is at the heart of the policy of the Resonance Golf Collection group which manages the Golf de Seignosse.
“Every golfer must understand and defend the ecological transition”
GP: You like to say that the ecological transition are elements of language, what do you mean?
CR: We have to give language elements to our golfers. Indeed, many are those who are totally unfamiliar with the maintenance of playgrounds, watering, mechanical operations etc. .
For example, too few golfers are able to convey information about new grasses (which consume less water); even fewer are able to talk about daily evapotranspiration, or give examples of mechanical operations necessary for the development of lawns!
Yet my grandmother said, 50 years ago, while cultivating her garden “a hoeing equals 2 waterings”! Our elders knew perfectly well the benefits of working the soil to obtain beautiful plants.
In fact, we must train our golfers to “defend” our cause. It’s not uncommon for a golfer or neo-golfer in a diner to be the target of attacks from people who think they know everything better than everyone else; the clichés immediately reappear: golf, a sport of polluters, chemical products and fertilizers, a sport that consumes excessive water…
A trained or informed golfer will be able to give concrete and mastered elements to correct received ideas and give a true face of our golf courses in search of excellence in terms of the environment. Each golfer must become a real support for our industry.
GP: Is the progress contract that was signed on Friday between ffgolf and the Adour Garonne water agency available elsewhere?
The progress contract signed on Friday will no doubt be rolled out to other water agencies in France. The stakes are very high especially in Brittany, in the south-east in Languedoc-Roussillon… There is already a contract of this type signed for the Seine Normandy water agency. We we are on the right track.
