A projected 1.63 million acre-feet of water was applied to U.S. golf facilities in 2024. This represents a 3.2% reduction of applied water since 2020, a 12.2% reduction since 2013, and a 31% reduction since 2005.

Between 2005 and 2024, total projected irrigation on US golf courses declined substantially, reaching 1.63 million acre-ft in 2024. The 2024 survey measured irrigation water use on U.S. golf facilities and found a 31% decline in total projected irrigation from 2005 to 2024.

“Golf courses account for about 1.3% of irrigation water use in the U.S. annually, and total golf course water use has declined by almost 30% since 2005, mostly due to improved irrigation practices,” the book’s introduction reads.

Figure 2 shows water use among all U.S. golf facilities as total projected applied water in 2024 of 1,631,915 acre-feet, compared with 1,686,269 in 2020 and 2,378,558 in 2005. The figure is labeled as projected applied water (acre-feet).

“Golf courses in the U.S. used 31 percent less water in 2024, compared with usage in 2005, according to recently released survey data… The report found that U.S. golf facilities applied a projected **1.63 million acre-feet of water in 2024**, representing a 3.2% reduction since 2020 and a 31% reduction since 2005.”

In 2024, groundwater accessed via wells remained the primary irrigation source for U.S. golf courses, providing 508,600 acre-feet of water, followed closely by surface sources, lakes, ponds and streams, which contributed about 425,000 acre-feet.

The 2024 GCEP water survey results confirm that the industry has continued to make strides in water use, achieving a 31% reduction in total irrigation volume since 2005.

According to the report, U.S. golf facilities used 1.63 million acre-feet of water in 2024, representing a 3.2 percent reduction since 2020 and a 31 percent reduction since 2005.

The figures this piece cites are real. Golf's applied irrigation water for 2024 was 1.63 million acre-feet, per the GCSAA and USGA's environmental survey. At a central 80 percent consumption assumption, that equals about 531 billion gallons.

A regional golf advocacy site summarizing the national GCSAA study notes: “Overall, golf courses across the United States **used 31% less water in 2024 compared to 2005**… A study released in December 2025 by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America confirmed that golf courses are increasingly using less water for irrigation.” It cites the **national 2024 water-use findings** (including the 31% reduction and Phase 4 survey context) though it does not itself provide the gallon conversion.

From 2003-2005, the average water use for golf course irrigation in the U.S. was estimated to be 2,312,701 acre-feet per year. That equates to approximately 2.08 billion gallons of water per day for golf course irrigation in the U.S.

Reporting earlier Phase 3 survey results, GCM notes: “**Water applied to U.S. golf courses has declined by 29% since 2005 to 1.68 million acre-feet per year.** Of that amount, approximately one-third was likely due to course closures, with the remaining two-thirds due to other factors. A major contributing factor was likely the more efficient use of applied water, a postulation supported by the **23% reduction nationally in water applied per acre.**” This provides historical context just before the 2024 Phase 4 finding of **1.63 million acre-feet**.

Nationally, golf courses use more water than data centers. The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America estimates golf courses use about 2.08 billion gallons of water per day for irrigation.

A Colorado golf impact report provides state-level context: “Colorado golf courses used **40,577 acre-feet of irrigation water in 2018, representing 98% of total golf course water usage**… Colorado golf courses used 41,213 AF in 2018, representing **less than one percent of the state’s annual water consumption.**” While focused on Colorado, this illustrates how **acre-feet figures are routinely used to express golf irrigation volumes** and how they can be related to overall water use.

Golf courses account for about 1.3% of irrigation water use in the U.S. annually. This is contextual evidence that the 2024 applied-water figure refers to irrigation water use on golf facilities, not total U.S. water withdrawals.

Golf courses use a great deal of water for irrigation and other purposes. A typical 150-acre golf course uses approximately 200 million gallons of water a year.

The USGA model uses this equation: Irrigation requirement = (Kc × ET0) - (Re × R). More simply: Irrigation requirement = ET for cool season turfgrass - effective rainfall.

DEP’s research confirms that, for water use planning purposes, the irrigated turf should receive from 0.4 to 1.5 inches of water per acre per week during the peak three-month irrigation period. For an existing course, the policy assumes a system-supplied application rate of 20,093 gallons per acre per week and a 13-week period volume of 261,209 gallons per irrigated acre.