It sounds like one of President Donald Trump’s most dreaded nightmares: what if the world’s golf courses were transformed into wind and solar farms? A new study has highlighted that the land occupied by golf courses in the 10 countries with the most courses could generate up to 842 GW of solar power and 659 GW of wind power – far exceeding the existing installed capacity in many cases.

If the US were to transition entirely to renewable energy by 2035, it would require thousands of square kilometers for onshore wind and even more for solar farms. In theory, the space occupied by US golf courses alone could provide about 20 percent of this capacity, the study concludes.

Another finding was that more land is allocated to golf courses than renewable energy production across many countries, including the US and the UK.

Maintaining these lush greens comes at a steep environmental cost too – sapping water resources, destroying wildlife habitats, and relying heavily on fertilizers and pesticides. The researchers point out that golf courses occupy vast amounts of land yet serve a relatively small, often rich subset of the population. 

“Golf courses, which often occupy vast areas of land and are accessible only through exclusive membership, highlight significant land use conflicts. The concept of energy justice argues that the benefits and burdens of energy supply and land use should be distributed equitably across society. In this context, the general public could benefit if decision-makers decide to use these exclusive golf courses for renewable energy projects,” the study authors write. 

Some countries have taken this idea seriously in the past. For instance, Japan has turned some of its disused golf courses, built in the 1980s during a boom of interest in the sport, into fields of solar panels. 

While the researchers say they’re not proposing that renewable energy companies swoop in to seize the world’s golf courses, they do suggest their project highlights the need for better discussions on land use and energy infrastructure.

“Our study does not advocate for the direct conversion of golf courses, but it highlights the vast potential for renewable energy on similarly large and underutilized areas,” Dr Jann Weinand, lead author of the study and Head of the Integrated Scenarios department at the Institute Jülich Systems Analysis at Forschungszentrum Jülich, said in a statement.

“In light of the ongoing debates about land use for renewables, it is crucial to consider how we allocate land overall – especially when significant space is dedicated to activities that benefit only a limited segment of the population,” added Dr Weinand. 

The study is published in the journal Environmental Research Communications.