Menlo Country Club tops the list of water guzzlers

Where was the town of Woodside when the renovation plans were being reviewed? This obscene waste is a slap in the face to every community in the area. That a private club can flaunt the rules because the members want what they want is appalling.

What can we do?

From SJ Mercury News
Golf courses looking for ways to conserve water

Menlo Country Club, which gets its potable water from San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, has been negotiating with the city of Redwood City for use of its reclaimed water. The main problem is the cost of installing a pipeline from its base at Walnut Avenue and Highway 101, up Woodside Road to the club at Alameda de las Pulgas.

Much like other courses in the state, Menlo has its share of brown spots.

"I would say Menlo Country Club would be a prime candidate for reclaimed water," said Justin Chapel, Public Works Superintendent for Redwood City. "We've been negotiating seriously for two to three years with Menlo Country Club. San Francisco PUC is a third party in the discussions. It would cost 10 to 20 million dollars to build the pipeline."

What can we do? Advocate for implementation of the reclaimed water distribution plan.

In the meantime, enjoy the improved air quality which the lush greenery of the Menlo Club produces.(Unlike the proliferation of artificial turf)

Everyone was hammering the Menlo Circus Club a few months ago. Apparently, the real problem was a few miles up the road. The wealthy can buy their way of the restrictions imposed on the common folk. Perhaps Jerry Brown can send some of his state geologists over to the club to help them find some well water.

This is obscenely unnecessary.

Maybe it's time to pull the plug on those elitist country clubs that hog so much land and water. We're taking 2-minute showers so they can have acres of green grass?

Looking for ways to conserve water is no longer a valid excuse. This is plain and simple greed and an unwillingness to step up and do the right thing. Those that hide behind their wallets for the sake of their hobby should be ashamed of themselves. Those who waste the water talk out of both sides of their mouth while they feel confident no one can do anything to them.
How about putting in 4 more par threes on some longer holes and turning off the sprinklers on the unused areas of those holes. Maybe close the course in December and January to save water. We have all make sacrifices now the course needs to do the same. Everyone has to do their part. Well now its in the news so lets hope payback is due.
Thanks almanac for bringing this to light...Please do a follow up soon

"Hmmm" is right.

SHAME on that country club! That golf course WILL go brown -- it is only a matter of time. In the mean time, we all must do what we can to make our precious drinking water last much longer.

Hey -- country club managers and users: this area is SEMI-ARID -- and lawns are NOT appropriate here. Stop being selfish!


The lawns there should be replaced ASAP with native ground covering plants which will hold the soil i place and prevent mudflows. (I would also like the trees to be preserved 00 their roots also hold the soil i place.

Thanks, Almanac, for running this story.

Golf courses in arid areas are quickly converting to "island"-type tee boxes and "island"-type greens with little more than arroyo or natural grasses between the two.

I'm sure we'll be seeing more and more of this in the future.

Menlo Circus Club is a huge water guzzler but does so with well water.

It's not right that a Country Club can take water that we all share EQUALLY.
Absurd that in September the Club used close to 321,000 gallons in a day.
As reported this was enough water for 7,825 homes in SF.

Let's all be fair and do the right thing. Stop watering lawns.
Remember brown is the new green !!!

And those who belong to these biased, seemingly privileged clubs - what do they suggest? Or are they clueless? I think the local water companies and local governments should require an accounting, and that should be published.

Water is going to become a bigger problem down the road, so everyone should be required to begin adjusting now. Some day we'll wish we did.

it has been proven again and again-- if one has money, whatever the crisis is doesn't apply to them. this area is a prime example. how many massive or small green lawns do we still see in this area. if you have money-the drought is not your concern.

reminds me of the old westerns featuring Ronald Reagan--Death Valley Days. one episode had the "bad guys" coming across a water storage tank in the hot desert--and shot holes in the tank because they thought they were hurting the "good guys"--they didn't stop to think that eventually we all end up in the same hot desert.

Water Waster -

You write "reminds me of the old westerns featuring Ronald Reagan -- Death Valley Days."

Death Valley Days was created in 1930 and was broadcast on radio until 1945. There was a pause between 1945 until 1952 when it ran as a syndicated television series from 1952 - 1970. Ronald Reagan was cast in only 8 episodes of the 33 year run and hosted the show in the 1964 -1965 time frame.

Web Link

[Part removed. Please make your point without negative characterization of other posters.]

Let me try this again Mr/Ms moderator.

Ronald Reagan was in 8 episodes of the show but was listed as being 'featured'. Other famous actors that appeared in Death Valley Days were Yvonne DeCarlo, Angie Dickinson, Robert Blake, DeForrest Kelley, June Lockhart, Strother Martin, Denver Pyle and Leonard Nimoy.

Web Link

Any of these other actors could have been mentioned. Why was Ronald Reagan singled out?

death valley days. What???, who cares.