Arizona Golf Course Becomes First in State to Eliminate Overseeding With New Drought-Tolerant Grass

For decades, overseeding has been a winter tradition at Arizona golf courses. But one Phoenix-area club believes it has found a better way.

FireRock Country Club in Fountain Hills has become the first golf facility in Arizona to install Stadium Zoysia throughout its tees, fairways, and green surrounds, a move designed to eliminate the need for annual overseeding and dramatically reduce water consumption.

The private club, originally designed by renowned architect Gary Panks, recently completed an extensive renovation centered on long-term sustainability. Stadium Zoysia, developed by Bladerunner Farms and supplied by West Coast Turf, was selected for its ability to provide high-quality playing conditions year-round in harsh desert climates.

The change could signal a major shift for golf in the Southwest. Most Arizona courses traditionally overseed with ryegrass each fall, a costly and water-intensive process that creates lush winter conditions but requires significant resources.

“Our water supply was once described as the worst in the Southwest,” said FireRock general manager Tim Geesey. “We were following the same practices as everyone else in town trying to get the grass to grow, and we just couldn't. We were spending all this money and wasting all this water for nothing. Now, we've created a solution that positions us for the future.”

The decision to move away from overseeding required more than a simple turf replacement. Prior to the club's grand reopening in 2025, crews removed six inches of topsoil and installed a new drainage system, allowing the course to maintain Panks' original design vision while improving growing conditions.

The investment appears to be paying off. FireRock reports that it hosted approximately 4,700 rounds in January, up from around 4,000 during previous years. Even more significant, the club estimates it is saving roughly 40 million gallons of water annually while maintaining year-round playability.

According to Bladerunner Farms founder and CEO David Doguet, the project demonstrates how golf courses can balance environmental responsibility with golfer expectations.

“FireRock Country Club had the vision to take a necessary leap forward,” Doguet said. “What they've accomplished is more than a renovation. It's a reset of what's possible for golf in desert environments. This project proves that courses no longer have to choose between playability and sustainability. They can achieve both.”

As water conservation becomes an increasingly important issue across the Southwest, FireRock's success could provide a blueprint for other desert golf courses looking to reduce costs, save water, and move beyond the traditional overseeding model.