The American Southwest's worst drought in 1,500 years made me wonder about those lush fairways at the TPC Stadium course in Scottsdale, Ariz., the site of last weekend's Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Global warming is worsening the Southwest's 20-year drought, according to a recent study, as reported by the Guardian. The extended dry conditions are the worst since 800 A.D, according to The New York Times.
Watching the WM Open, I wondered how much water the course uses to stay so green. The TPC does make an effort to conserve water, and recycles "gray water" to flush porta-potty toilets for the beer-guzzling spectators during the tournament, according to reports. Opened in 1986, the course sits on land reclaimed from a garbage landfill and features several presumably man-made lakes.
But hundreds of gallons of water are needed to keep the grass from turning back into the desert that surrounds it. The TPC does make an effort to use environmentally sustainable techniques, according to its web site, but its water consumption appears out of bounds as the drought worsens.
The tournament is famous for its par 3 stadium hole, enclosed by stands filled with drunken spectators who cheer good shots and boo those off target.
When golfer Sam Ryder made a hole in one Saturday, the crowd tossed a deluge of beer cups onto the green. The spray of beer was the most moisture seen in years.
Those cheers won't continue too long if the drought persists. It'll seem like 800 A.D. again.
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