'Out of touch': Architect says firm told staff to compare data center water use to golf courses

In a deadpan TikTok that is striking a nerve, an architect said their firm wanted staff to take a crack at justifying data centers' water demands in casual conversations with friends and relatives. 

The comparison they framed with golf courses, though, went anything but straight down the fairway with both the architect and viewers.

What happened?

In a post on TikTok, architect creator dr.proboscis  (@dr.proboscis) recounted a workplace meeting about defending data centers' water use in the context of golf courses' water use. 

@dr.proboscis I hate data centers, but I really love golf… 🤔 #ai #datacenter #golf #politicstiktok #architecture ♬ original sound - dr.proboscis

The creator said they work at an architecture firm that primarily does data centers, before explaining that they had a meeting to defend their work to family and friends.

"Just to give you all an idea of how out of touch the people making these decisions are," they said when talking about the line of thinking of higher-ups. 

As part of that pitch, the creator said, the firm cited a QTS infographic that compares data centers with closed-loop systems with more familiar water users, like a peanut farm and a movie theater. They said that framing was "very deceptive."

What they took the biggest affront to was to use a golf analogy in response to criticism. 

"When someone gets pissed at a data center's water usage, ask them if they like golf," the creator said they suggested, while adding, "a golf course uses nine times as much water as a data center."

The creator cracked up at this suggestion.

"Because no one disapproves of golf courses using an exorbitant amount of water," the creator joked. "Everyone plays golf. We all get paid enough to play golf."

Why does it matter?

Data centers can put serious pressure on local resources, especially water and electricity, while also raising concerns such as noise, light pollution, and potential contamination risks. 

Comparing them with another resource-intensive land use does not erase those impacts.

That frustration is growing as AI drives demand for more server farms. Residents near proposed sites may be dealing with strained water supplies, rising utility burdens, or environmental disruption, while the benefits are often less visible at the neighborhood level.

Golf courses have long faced criticism for heavy water use as well, but many viewers saw the comparison as a deflection rather than an answer. 

What are people saying?

Commenters were quick to call out both the comparison and the underlying message. 

"Before data centers, I hated golf the most," a user wrote.

"Golf courses are the worst use of land next to data centers," a viewer added.

A commenter argued that the problem goes far beyond water alone: "It's not just water usage.. it's noise, power consumption, water contamination, air pollution, light pollution, and fact that data center doesn't feed us."

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