Hacienda's Golf Blog

Membership in a championship and private golf course can offer the expected amenities: A peerless, well-kept course and a comfortable, well-appointed clubhouse.

The game of golf is a lifelong endeavor. It's a game that young and old alike can enjoy, and it's a game that many of us will play for as long as we are physically able to swing a golf club. What other sport can claim that?

In the early 20th century, a group of talented men designed golf courses throughout the United States that remain the gold standard in golf course architecture. While there is some debate about when the "Golden Age" of golf course design began, suffice it to say that Francis Ouimet's U.S. Open victory over Brits Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in 1913 piqued Americans' interest in the game. The courses that would be designed over the next two decades are to this day some of best the game has to offer.

As with any number of expenditures in life, when it comes to golf, you get what you pay for in a course, and championship golf offers the best value and the best experience, although not all championship courses are private, most of the best ones are. So, if you have an interest, you will likely save time by researching the private courses in your area first.

There have been hundreds of studies focused on the healthy benefits of golf. In fact, one sports medicine and science magazine claims that the death rate for golfers is 40% lower than for other people of the same age, sex and socioeconomic status, which equates to a 5-year increase in life expectancy. Who wouldn't want to sign up for that?

With countless acreage of turf to keep healthy and green during a significant and protracted drought, it may come as a surprise that the golf industry leads the way in efficient use of water.   

In Southern California, where responsible water management has long been a focus, especially for championship courses, the need to use water wisely was recognized long before the current drought levels. . Not only is  water is scarce in the region but also the cost to keep these courses vibrant is quite large. Some courses are spending as much as $500,000 or more per year on just irrigation.

So, with the need to be responsible users of water and the desire to minimize expenses, what are some of the best golf clubs in Southern California doing to conserve water?

What characteristics differentiate an average golf course from a championship golf course? It's a good bet that not all golfers would answer that question in quite the same way. However, there are a few quality traits that golfers of all abilities and backgrounds can agree on, and these features can be found in spades at Southern California's top golf courses.