PHOENIX, Ariz, -- As energy and water costs continue to soar, golf courses across the western U.S. are positioning themselves to handle the increasing pressures to reduce use and plan for the ever changing politics of energy and water.

This is the primary focus of North Ridge Country Club, a Billy Bell-designed private club outside of Sacramento, California. To direct the project, Northridge has retained the design services of Andrew Staples and the Phoenix-based Golf Resource Group, the country's leader in sustainable golf course architecture. The long-range resource management master plan will include assessment of the current golf design including possible turf reduction planning, native sand bunkering, renewable energy integration and overall carbon footprint reductions.

"I have to applaud Larry (Johnson, the course superintendent) and the entire North Ridge Country Club," says Andrew Staples, ASGCA Associate and the golf course architect in charge of the project. "This is one of the most forward thinking clubs I have had the chance to work with and to take this step at this time in history is incredible. There is no doubt they will be better off in the future because of it."

North Ridge had already begun a comprehensive look at their energy and water costs back in 2006, and they began to make changes when they saw costs increasing. Adjustments were made to reduce energy demand charges and overall use, but they felt there was more that could be done. A complete resource management plan was the natural next step.

"I've worked hard to identify areas of savings in our entire irrigation system, and I think we've done a pretty good job of exhausting our opportunity," says Larry Johnson. "The next big impact was to identify areas around the entire golf facility including the design of the course in order to maximize our savings and plan for the future. This is where we needed the expertise of a golf course architect."

The plan will begin with an exhaustive membership focus group study that will involve all factions of the club. As part of the design process, the golf course will be examined for areas of improvement, not only from a resource perspective, but also areas of turf quality, safety and overall aesthetics and interest.

Since the course has roughly 135 acres of irrigated turf and is a typical parkland styled golf course with wall-to-wall turf, the club will decide how far they are willing to take the planning process. Topics such as the transition of turf to California native grasses, development of a native tree and shrub planting palette and the addition of natural sand hazards will be examined. Initial studies have identified over 50 acres of turf reduction opportunity, which would be slated over a period of years.

After peak efficiency is obtained, North Ridge will continue to consume resources. This is where the key component of renewable energy integration will show its true impact, both from a financial and an environmental perspective. All aspects of solar will be researched including selling the power back to the local utility company. The club is blessed with an 11-acre open space parcel directly adjacent to the clubhouse - a perfect location for an on-site solar field.

North Ridge is also one of the many golf courses in the state that currently draws their irrigation water from on-site ground water wells. There is talk about what the future holds for all non-agriculture ground water users.

"North Ridge is not alone in the challenge to address water use in the west," continues Johnson. "We all know the business is changing, but to what extent, we're not sure. Our intention is to hold onto our course's original design intent while making it more resource efficient."

Many of the country's top golf courses were built during a period of time where water and energy were not the issues they are today. However, moving into the future, all golf courses will eventually need to make adjustments to their operations or design in order to stay relevant to their members' needs. In the meantime, North Ridge is planning to address these changes in order to be prepared when they ultimately occur.

"We can create a great golf experience without making wholesale changes," says Staples.

About Golf Resource Group
Golf Resource Group, established in 2002, is a golf course design and development consultancy with contracts for implementing and sustaining efficient design and management practices on golf courses in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado and Utah.

Andrew Staples, ASGCA Associate and President of GRG, has designed, built, managed or consulted on over 140 golf course projects throughout the world. He is currently the only golf course architect serving on the Environmental Institute for Golf's Energy Conservation BMP Committee and is considered a leading expert in sustainable golf course architecture including all areas related to energy management. Visit www.thegolfresourcegroup.com for more details.

CONTACT:
Andrew Staples, ASGCA Associate
The Golf Resource Group
Phone: 480/206-1134
Email: astaples@golfresourcegroup.net