UK golf clubs are stuck between two pressures right now: drought restrictions/hosepipe bans cutting off water access, and rising temperatures pushing turf stress higher than ever. Most courses still schedule irrigation on a fixed rota or a greenkeeper's gut feel — which means you're either over-watering (wasting money and risking bans) or under-watering (losing turf quality) because there's no zone-by-zone visibility into what the course actually needs.

The fix isn't more water. It's better targeting. Soil moisture varies hugely across 18 holes — a green on a south-facing slope dries out completely differently to a shaded fairway. Layer in live weather and drought forecasts and you can cut total water usage significantly while protecting the areas that actually matter (greens and tees) during restrictions.

I'm building TurfSense to solve exactly this — an API-driven tool that tells greenkeeping teams precisely where and when irrigation is needed, using live weather + drought data mapped to your course layout. Running a free pilot right now with a handful of West & North Yorkshire clubs to prove it out before charging anyone a penny.

If you manage or work at a course dealing with water restrictions this summer, I'd genuinely like to hear how you're currently making irrigation calls — drop a comment.