Extinction Rebellion vandalise 10 golf courses in Spain

July 3, 2023

Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion have claimed responsibility for carrying out attacks on 10 golf courses in Spain and have said they are ‘targeting the rich through their golf courses’.

This comes just a day after activists attacked a golf course in France – even though the venue does not irrigate its course via water from the local groundwater table.

Extinction Rebellion said they had filled in holes under the cover of darkness in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, the Basque Country, Navarra and the Balearic Island of Ibiza to denounce “the waste of water during one of the worst droughts Europe has ever suffered”.

“Golf has no place in a world without water,” said a statement from the group.

Some activists blocked holes with cement and left banners reading: “Alert: drought! Golf closed for climate justice” while others filled the holes with seedlings.

“Just one hole of a golf course consumes more than 100,000 litres of water a day to maintain the surrounding green,” said the statement, citing figures from the Spanish NGO Ecologists In Action.

“In Spain, 437 golf courses are irrigated every day,” it said, claiming the quantity of water used represented “a consumption level higher than that of the populations of Madrid and Barcelona combined, for an entertainment enjoyed by barely 0.6 percent of the population”.

And it denounced “the irresponsibility and sheer cynicism of letting this type of elitist pastime continue as Spain dries up and the rural world loses millions due to the lack of water for their crops”.

In recent months golf courses in Malaga, Seville, Almeria, Cordoba and other parts of Madrid have also been under attack..

Extinction Rebellion said it was part of a series of international protests “targeting the richest one percent of the population” through their golf courses, private jets and high-end cars to make clear that “the rich and their leisure activities that waste essential resources are a luxury we cannot afford”.

Among its key demands, it is calling for “an immediate and democratically-agreed plan for water use, in which the watering of golf course greens is restricted”.

Last year a survey conducted by Golf Course Superintendents Association of America found that water usage at golf courses had dropped dramatically between 2005 and 2020.

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Comments

19 responses to “Extinction Rebellion vandalise 10 golf courses in Spain”

July 17, 2023

Oitavos Dunes

When you have such opportunities to be targeting the poor, people in need, mental and physical handicapped persons, old and lonely men and women, what does it say about those targeting the rich and vandalizing golf courses!

Reply
July 6, 2023

Grape

Almost all the courses in Spain don’t draw water from the public water feed the ones that did went bankrupt it was so expensive, the the courses down in del sol have the bore holes that draw water from deep down
There very own wells, it runs off the fairways in to the lakes and is recycled its all water that humans would never access to use.

Reply
1. July 7, 2023
  
  Ralphy
  
  Misunderstood, misguided morons should be hunted down and educated in chaingangs to dig more boreholes.
  
  Reply
July 6, 2023

Michael

And silly me wonders where all that water goes……..does it just sit below the surface?, or, maybe it seeps away back into the natural cycle of water – extraction – use.

Reply
1. July 6, 2023
  
  Pete
  
  The new Hybrid MD golf ball developed for smaller eco-efficient courses reduces the need for water & chemical usage by an amazing 2/3rds! Provides a quicker golf game in 1/2 the time, meets golf standards.
  
  Reply
July 5, 2023

mac

I now know what my sand wedge could be used for

Reply
July 5, 2023

GrahamD

Didn’t know you had to be rich to play golf.

And I don’t think you’d drink the water they use to irrigate the courses!!

Reply
1. July 5, 2023
  
  Willieboy
  
  Having played golf in Scotland at Bothwell Castle Golf Club for 40 years, our climate has naturally provided more than enough water for our needs.
  Furthermore, anyone who believes the sport in the home of golf is elitist is completely out of touch!
  A predominantly working class game in our country.
  
  Reply
2. July 6, 2023
  
  Big Mac
  
  I’d just put a crossbow bolt through any trespassers…
  Back to counting my millions….
  
  Reply
3. July 6, 2023
  
  Sparkliedebzz
  
  This is exactly what I was going to comment. It costs me about £17 a week to join a membership where we go to meet people & enjoy ourselves with friends. We are also committed to raising money for local charities & hospitals.
  It probably costs a lot more to take part in many other hobbies or sports, so I feel this sort of rebellion is most uncalled for. These people have no idea what problems they are causing – as well as making themselves look quite stupid!
  
  Reply
July 5, 2023

CATHERINEC

crazy ignorant people!!!

Reply
July 3, 2023

Sionn

I’ m a golfer for 40 years and I enjoy it, but they have a point, we are a small elite and we use a lot of water. If I had to , for global welbeing, I would give up golf, I’m sure there are many golfers who would agree. We are not all elite US republican suit types who don’t care what is happening to the world.

Reply
1. July 5, 2023
  
  Beef
  
  Pipe down lad – you’re supporting terrorists
  
  Reply
  1. July 5, 2023
    
    Willieboy
    
    Having played golf in Scotland at Bothwell Castle Golf Club for 40 years, our climate has naturally provided more than enough water for our needs.
    Furthermore, anyone who believes the sport in the home of golf is elitist is completely out of touch!
    A predominantly working class game in our country.
    
    Reply
  2. July 6, 2023
    
    Quintus
    
    Rather than condemn freedom of speech and expression consider the difference between a view or aim and the methods used to promote that view or aim. Extinction Rebellion are wrong almost always wrong in the way in which they promote their cause but that doesn’t mean that in a water poor environment it’s uses should not be discussed
    
    Reply
2. July 6, 2023
  
  Michael
  
  Elite, silly comment, golf is open to anyone who has the patience to learn to play – our club has everyone from Council employees, long distance haulage drivers, managers – golf has no discrimination, it is the last bastion of honest sport.
  
  Reply
  1. July 6, 2023
    
    Grape
    
    Almost all the courses in Spain don’t draw water from the public water feed the ones that did went bankrupt it was so expensive, the the courses down in del sol have the bore holes that draw water from deep down
    There very own wells, it runs off the fairways in to the lakes and is recycled its all water that humans would never access to use.
    
    Reply
3. July 6, 2023
  
  Grape
  
  Almost all the courses in Spain don’t draw water from the public water feed the ones that did went bankrupt it was so expensive, the the courses down in del sol have the bore holes that draw water from deep down
  There very own wells, it runs off the fairways in to the lakes and is recycled its all water that humans would never access to use.
  
  Reply
4. July 20, 2023
  
  Cynthia
  
  Sionn, I am a US republican “suit type” but I absolutely care about what’s happening to the world AND am a female golfer that is definitely NOT in the elite class. Generalizations like that do not help the world in any way and just create unnecessary negative feelings for all. Moreover, golf has come a LONG way in improving their water usage. I think this group of golf course terrorists should be more educated and golfers should continue to play the sport they love at courses that are dedicated to sustainable issues.
  
  Reply