Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sparked a political and industry backlash after saying the state “probably” has too many golf courses while discussing water conservation and data-center development.
During an Oct. 26 POLITICO Energy interview, Mayes argued Arizona could conserve more water through tax incentives for rainwater collection and grass removal. “We have way, way too much grass in Arizona,” she said, adding that the state “probably” has too many golf courses.
Republican Senate President Warren Petersen, Mayes’ opponent in the attorney general race, seized on the clip. He told Fox News that Arizona does not have a golf-course problem and accused Mayes of believing government should decide which industries are allowed to thrive. Other Republican officials and golf supporters criticized the remark.
Mayes later responded that “nobody’s closing golf courses.” She said her point was to encourage residents and industries to replace water-intensive turf and collect rainwater while confronting foreign-owned farms and data centers consuming Arizona water. Her original interview did not identify any courses for closure or propose a policy for reducing their number.
The dispute puts golf inside Arizona’s broader fight over water and growth. A 2023 study commissioned by the Arizona Alliance for Golf estimated the industry generated $6 billion in economic activity in 2021, supported 66,200 jobs and accounted for about 2% of statewide daily water use. The group says courses increasingly rely on reclaimed water and efficient irrigation.
The golf-course comment turned that larger policy dispute into a viral argument over conservation, tourism, and how aggressively Arizona government should manage scarce water supplies.
