GCSAA reported that water usage had been reduced by 29% between 2005 and 2022. The report found that U.S. golf facilities applied approximately 1.68 million acre-feet of water in 2020, a 29% reduction since 2005.
The same survey measured the use of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Since 2006, the total amount of applied nitrogen has decreased by 41%, applied phosphorus by 59%, and applied potassium by 54%.
I became curious about the technological solutions available to optimize water and nutrient use and understand turf diseases.
I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Valentine Godin, the visionary founder and CEO of Maya Global, to dive into these fascinating topics!
How intelligent are today’s golf course irrigation systems?
Today’s irrigation systems are becoming increasingly intelligent, especially regarding their ability to fine-tune water usage based on environmental conditions.
Both hardware and software have evolved significantly over the past few years. Most systems now connect to weather stations, integrate moisture readings, and support scheduled and zoned irrigation.
That said, one major challenge remains: interoperability.
Many clubs still operate with siloed systems—where irrigation software, moisture sensors, and turf management tools don’t communicate efficiently. This creates friction and limits the potential of data-driven irrigation.
At Maya, we don’t design irrigation systems ourselves. Still, we work closely with various technologies by integrating their data—from connected weather stations to portable and in-ground soil sensors and connected water meters, which we have seen increasingly on the market.
This gives turf managers a complete, real-time picture of course moisture levels and supports more informed irrigation decisions.
When this data is centralised and visualised properly, clubs can optimise irrigation, reduce unnecessary water use, and maintain better surface consistency.
The technology is there, but the real leap comes from making it all work together.
How ready is the golf industry and the greenkeeper profession for data-driven turfgrass management?
More than ever, the industry is ready—and aware. If you asked this four years ago, awareness was still emerging.
Today, thanks to the increasing number of digital tools and rising environmental and economic pressures, we see strong momentum toward embracing digital turf management.
The shift is no longer about whether it will happen but when and with whom. Many greenkeepers now understand that digitization is essential to meeting sustainability targets, reducing resource use, and gaining greater clarity in decision-making.
The conversation has moved from “why” to “how do I implement this?” This is where the right partner, with the right support, makes all the difference.
To what degree can modern technologies predict the likelihood of lawn diseases and issues?
Disease prediction has advanced significantly in recent years. By combining AI with sensor data and localised climate models, we can now produce tailored, site-specific disease forecasts that are far more precise than standard models.
There are two key pillars to this. First, connected devices like weather stations and soil sensors provide a much richer dataset—tracking variables like leaf wetness, humidity, temperature, and soil moisture at a very local level.
Second, AI allows platforms like Maya to continuously learn from user input and course-specific data. This means forecasts become more personalised and accurate over time.
Rather than delivering generic alerts, modern systems now offer early warnings based on real patterns and course history.
This enables turf managers to take preventative action earlier, reducing the need for emergency interventions.
How can AI improve turfgrass management efficiency?
In so many ways, I don’t even know where to start. But let me try to be brief. I see AI can really enhance turf management across three main areas:
Agronomic precision: AI helps optimise inputs such as nitrogen and water.
Take nitrogen, for instance: AI can deliver tailored recommendations for the precise quantity needed in
- each playing zone,
- factoring in turf growth rate,
- clipping volume,
- weather patterns, and
- leaching potential.
This enables greenkeepers to enhance plant health while reducing unnecessary inputs and waste.
Looking ahead, I firmly believe we’ll reach a point where nitrogen inputs are calibrated at the hole level—or even at variable rates across a single green or fairway—all powered by AI and the rise of connected technologies. It’s not just a vision for the future; it’s a natural progression already taking shape.
Operational automation: AI can greatly automate repetitive tasks like data entry, reporting, or even logging mowing hours.
These tasks can be streamlined or fully automated, giving greenkeepers more time to focus on high-impact decision-making.
Resource & cost management: AI can detect inefficiencies in how resources—like fuel, machinery, and labor—are used throughout the course.
Surfacing trends and anomalies helps clubs make smarter investment and maintenance decisions.
Ultimately, AI isn’t here to replace the greenkeeper. It’s there to assist—offering faster insights, saving time, and supporting better decisions that translate into performance on the ground.
How can Maya Global assist golf clubs in obtaining actionable information about the quality and health of their turfs?
Maya is an all-in-one platform designed to centralise every aspect of course data—weather, turf health, machine usage, labour, inputs—and transform it into actionable insight.
The real strength lies in personalisation.
Maya doesn’t just display data; it learns from it. The platform trains on each user’s local inputs to deliver tailored recommendations—whether for irrigation, disease prevention, or nutrient planning.
Clubs can
- visualise performance over time,
- compare planned vs. actual inputs,
- monitor sensor data, and
- manage fleet operations in one unified ecosystem.
Every insight is grounded in the club’s unique data—not a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
In short, Maya helps clubs better understand their turf, plan more clearly, and optimise operations confidently.
It’s a digital assistant built to support modern greenkeepers where it matters most—on the ground.