“Do they know how much water it takes to make cement?”
By Alistair Dunsmuir
Environmental campaigners have been mocked online for filling golf holes at courses in France with cement to make a point about irrigation – even though water is required to make cement.
Others mocked their perceived lack of understanding of how golf holes are made.
France has been experiencing a heatwave for the last few weeks, which has resulted in almost all of the country’s 96 water departments imposing water use restrictions. However, golf courses, like most businesses that require irrigation in order to survive, are partially exempt provided they irrigate during nighttime hours and only at a maximum of 30 percent of their normal water usage.
This has not gone down well with Extinction Rebellion Toulouse, which posted images on social media of golf courses being vandalised.
Image from Twitter
Image from Twitter
Image from Twitter
Image from Twitter
Image from Twitter
Image from Twitter
Activists said that golf is the “leisure industry of the most privileged”, amid reports that 100 French villages are short of drinking water.
Vielle-Toulouse and Blagnac have been some of the golf courses affected by the activists, with a recent petition from those activists stating that “economic madness takes precedence over ecological reason”.
These water bans in France are decided nationally, but the enforcement is at the discretion of regional officials. Currently, one area, Ille-et-Villaine in western France, has banned the watering of golf courses.
Speaking about the action taken, Gérard Rougier of the French Golf Federation stated: “A golf course without a green is like an ice-rink without ice,” adding that 15,000 people worked in golf courses across the country and that greens would die in three days without water.
The action has led to discussions on social media, in which some people mocked the activists for using cement – which requires a large amount of water to make.
Others stated that greenkeepers would just dig other holes on the green to place new hole cups.
And others questioned the point that the sport is for the ‘privileged’, stating that this is not the case.
This comes as a survey conducted by Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) shows water usage at golf courses has dropped dramatically in the last 20 years.
Golf courses in the USA used 29 percent less water in 2020 compared with usage in 2005.
By Alistair Dunsmuir
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Kind of people, who are lost in their mind…
Pas de doute encore des intelligents …
Very sad to see. Ironic they are poisoning the ground to make an environmental protest. My sympathies to the clubs and golfers effected.
Not content to be village idiots, they want the nationals!
And now the course will use 10 times more water to restore their damages. Great idea…
What about bore holes or recycled water?
Dan mucha pena los ” ecologistas” todos se conectan en redes sociales, viajan en coche, pero quiere vivir sosteniblemente, podrían informarse mejor y veran que el agua de las depuradoras, almenos en España no se reutiliza para NADA, solo se tira al mar, y los campos de golf pahan por utilizar ese agua, cuantos de ellos viven en ecoaldeas aislados de las comodidades de las grandes ciudades, producienzo su propia comida? Son una moda que no aporta nada, solo ignorancia
People are totally disrespectful of the work done by golf staff ,with a wrong idea of golf being an elite sport ,+ use of drink water allowed for golf and not for.agriculture ,bad thinking ,bad people doing. Bad things ,but this need good understanding to help people change there mind about golf course and what it can be really ,sustainable golf ,wildlife , respectful.
What betting that the activists were using a diesel van to travel around the golf courses, and the courses are 100% sustainable with clever rainwater harvesting and borehole drilling? And as for the privileged – have you ever met an eco activist? They’re all posh students with bankers for fathers
Ecointegrism, religious fundamentalism and political fundamentalism are proof that our society has lost its integrity.
Is living together a pastist concept?
Les greens cimentés de Vieille Toulouse font aussi parler à l’étranger non sans un certain sens commun .. #golf #Fairwaysmag #1ersportindividuelmondial
Catch them and charge them with trespassing and destruction of property. They can always buy The course and shut it down if it bothers the greenies that much.
Idiots makes more hassle to repair
Trespassing and vandalism is illegal.
Best way forward is GSDG ( Genuine Sustaibable Development in Golf……. See for instance GEO.
In France U-Golf will set the Example…. Hope the Real Professionals wiil follow…….
It’s obviously builders and developers posing as environmentalists!!
Is this actually worth a comment
It’s concrete. Cement is just a component in it.
When Public opinion, Golf and Climate change clash…
There is a lot to say about these campaigners but it is a real signal for golf clubs to be more aware that global crises and the strong public opinion about it, will impact the golf Industry as well.
Clubs need to become more aware how to explain their approach and show long term strategies on how to contribute with solutions to societal problems. Like any business that is, customers actually want companies to be part of solutions.
Organise dialogue, share pro actively the forward thinking strategy and make this topic part of your AGM. As an example, report back to your members and local
Community your innovative solutions for saving water for the future. Not only for the one hot summer.
And PS it is a must as part of your crises preparedness as well.
#strategy #climatechange #golfindustry #stakeholdermanagement.