One major, but often overlooked contributor to environmental damage is golf courses. The sport of golf presents many environmental issues. For one, it takes incredible amounts of water to maintain golf courses the way they are now. According to the nonprofit environmental education organization Audubon International, the average American golf course uses 312,000 gallons of water per day. To put that in context, the average American shower only uses about 17 gallons of water. But golf doesn’t only waste water, it pollutes it too. The massive amounts of pesticides and fertilizers used to keep golf courses green pollute both ground and surface water, both of which are used for irrigation and drinking water. Golf also pollutes our water through the harmful chemicals found in golf balls. When the balls degrade in the water, they release chemicals such as zinc oxide and zinc acrylate, which are extremely harmful to marine life. The balls can take anywhere from 100 to 1,000 years to decompose, and the harsh chemicals that they release poison plants, not only in the ocean, but on land too.

By eliminating the 921 golf courses in California alone, we would save approximately 2.8 million gallons of water per day. The reduced use of pesticides and fertilizers would cause water to be cleaner, and cause less harm to ecosystems and communities that are currently affected by these chemicals. Golf balls would no longer be releasing their harsh chemicals into our oceans if golf courses in California were eliminated. If golf courses were no longer allowed in California, there would be far less damage done to the ecosystems surrounding the courses. If we allow golf courses to continue operating the way they are now, they will continue to damage the environment, harm wildlife, and deplete valuable resources. The current way golf courses are being run is unsustainable, and in order to protect our environment, we need to be rid of them.