(This article was originally published in the November 2016 issue of Golf Course Management magazine.)
For an Oregon golf course, a change in ownership meant a change in its irrigation source, and the switch has brought substantial savings of both water and money.
Middlefield Golf Course is often referred to by patrons as a fun little course, and by passersby as a beautiful introduction to the small town of Cottage Grove in western Oregon. Middlefield is fun — I can attest to that. I’ve played the course on a regular basis since it opened in 1991. And it is literally a welcome mat, as Interstate 5 runs right through the middle of it, making the course the first thing many travelers see as they arrive in our small town, which was once rooted in the mining and logging industries. Compared with today’s behemoth golf courses, Middlefield is also small. The 18-hole executive course measures just 5,200 yards.
In late 2006, the City of Cottage Grove purchased Middlefield Golf Course. Now, I know that a municipality owning a golf course isn’t exactly a groundbreaking endeavor, but this particular transaction was far more than just a land sale agreement. This fun little golf course was about to save Cottage Grove roughly $1 million, and allow for the conservation of 50 million gallons of water every year.