Hitting The Green

The rain in Spain turns golf greens brown. In the last year, national reservoir levels have dropped to 52.4% of capacity, indicating severe drought. As a result, local governments have had no choice but to announce water-saving measures; prohibiting golf superintendents from giving grasses a good soaking with drinking water is one of them. However, rationing doesn't cause the slightest bit of trouble for the Quijorna Golf Club, located 40 km outside Madrid. Here only rainwater is used to keep the 18-hole course green. And if nature doesn't cooperate in irrigating Spain's first ecological golf course, then let it be brown, explains Paco López, founder of the Quijorna Golf Club.

"We merely defend the idea of a natural golf course, adapting its color to the time of year," says López. "Logically these fields will be yellow and brown during summer and autumn. Only in spring will it be totally green." Overlooking his bone-dry club, dotted with almond trees, he adds: "Let's just say we're going back to the origins of golf. Natural surroundings, just like the conditions and design of the course."

Currently Quijorna has about 285 members who fully accept the withered look of their playground, which consumes no more liters of water than an average household in a year. "At first sight, it's shocking. But at least you feel like a part of nature. It's not an artificial surface you're playing on. It's perfect," says Juan Martín, who just joined the reduced-water golf course. He certainly doesn't view Quijorna's crunchy landscape as a handicap. tel: (34-628) 64 34 11; www.quijornagolf.com