How One Golf Course Saved More Than 16 Million Gallons of Water—Without Sacrificing Championship Conditions

Water has always been one of the most important resources a golf course manages, but for courses across Colorado, it’s becoming one of the most challenging.

With ongoing drought conditions, shrinking snowpack, rising irrigation costs, and increasing pressure to conserve water, golf course superintendents are being asked to do more with less. The challenge isn’t simply using less water—it’s maintaining healthy turf and championship-quality playing conditions while making every gallon count.

Questions like these have become part of everyday course management:

• How can we irrigate more efficiently?
• How do we know exactly where water is needed—and where it isn’t?
• Can we reduce water use without sacrificing turf quality or playability?

A recent success story from our friends at turfRad demonstrates what’s possible when golf courses combine precision soil moisture mapping with data-driven irrigation management.

At The Country Club at Castle Pines, turfRad’s technology helped the maintenance team gain a clearer understanding of soil moisture across the course, leading to more informed irrigation decisions and remarkable results—all while maintaining the championship-quality conditions golfers expect.

The Results Speak for Themselves

After implementing precision moisture mapping, The Country Club at Castle Pines achieved:

• Saved more than 16 million gallons of water annually
• Reduced fairway root-zone moisture from over 20% to approximately 14%
• Reduced manual moisture sampling from hours to just minutes
• Developed deeper, healthier root systems

Those are significant improvements for any golf facility, particularly in regions where every gallon matters.

Read the Full Castle Pines Success Story

Want to see exactly how The Country Club at Castle Pines achieved these impressive water savings? Our friends at turfRad have published the complete case study, detailing the strategies, technology, and results behind saving more than 16 million gallons of water annually while maintaining championship-quality playing conditions.

Learn More About turfRad

While turfRad is an excellent way to help combat Colorado’s ongoing drought and make every gallon of water count, its value extends far beyond today’s water challenges. By improving irrigation efficiency and reducing unnecessary watering, turfRad can help your course lower water costs year after year—all while maintaining the healthy, high-quality playing conditions your golfers expect.

Interested in learning if turfRad is the right fit for your course? Contact L.L. Johnson’s Golf Irrigation team today.

Travis Abitz, CSE
Golf Irrigation Sales
(720) 641-3904
tabitz@lljohnson.com