A comment about golf courses and water use by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has become a flashpoint in the final stretch before next week’s midterm elections, drawing a sharp rebuke from Senate President Warren Petersen.
In an interview with Politico about data centers, water-intensive development and Arizona’s arid climate, Mayes said the state has “way, way too much grass” and suggested it “probably” has too many golf courses. She made the remarks while also warning that Arizona could be headed toward a Supreme Court fight over Colorado River water supplies and arguing that neighboring states, which she said are “backed by” the Trump administration, are limiting the state’s local supply.
“We could do a hell of a lot more when it comes to conservation,” Mayes said, pointing to tax incentives for rainwater catchment and removing lawns as examples.
Petersen, R-Maricopa, responded forcefully in an interview with Fox News Digital Tuesday.
“Kris Mayes thinks Arizona has too many golf courses. I think Arizona has too many radical politicians who believe government should dictate which industries get to thrive,” Petersen said. “Our golf courses support jobs, tourism, small businesses and communities across this state. Instead of attacking an industry that contributes to our economy, the attorney general should be focused on enforcing the law, protecting consumers and defending Arizona families.”
Petersen also posted on social media that he would work to “get rid of” Mayes, a jab at her reelection bid for attorney general.
Other Republicans joined in. Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., wrote, “We don’t have a golf course problem in Arizona. We have a dumocrat (sic) problem in Arizona.” Turning Point USA executive Justin Streiff wrote, “We have too much grass — said no one ever, other than Kris Mayes.” Tom Spengler, a software company CEO, argued Arizona “honestly need[s] more golf courses,” saying tee times have become harder to book and rates have risen sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Arizona business community pushed back with numbers. Courtney Coolidge, a vice president at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, said golf generates about $6 billion in economic impact statewide, supports 66,000 jobs, produces $2.3 billion in wages and brings in $520 million in tax revenue. She also noted golf courses use 2% or less of the state’s total water resources — figures that roughly match a 2023 study by the Arizona Alliance for Golf.
Mayes defended her remarks on social media, saying she was making a broader point about conservation rather than calling for course closures.
“Relax, nobody’s closing golf courses,” Mayes wrote. “My point is we need incentives to help all Arizonans and major industries swap thirsty grass and catch rainwater, especially if our water situation gets worse — while I take on the foreign mega-farms and data centers draining our water.”
She also accused Petersen of spreading “false claims.” Her response drew further criticism online, with some users calling it “condescending” and others describing her proposed approach to the golf industry as “communist.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Mayes for additional comment on the reaction to her remarks.
With Election Day approaching, Petersen is framing the dispute as part of a broader argument over government involvement in Arizona’s economy, as Republicans work to regain ground in a state government they once controlled more reliably.
