Kris Mayes's 'too many golf courses' remark draws criticism

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said during a debate over the state's water conservation policy that Arizona has "too many golf courses," a remark that drew public criticism from Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, according to a report by Fox News.

The exchange has circulated widely online since Fox News published its account, the outlet reported, though the published report does not include a full transcript of either official's remarks.

What did Kris Mayes say about golf courses?

Fox News reported that Mayes, Arizona's attorney general, made the "too many golf courses" comment in the context of a broader discussion about water conservation in the state. The outlet's report does not specify the date, setting, or format of that discussion, nor does it quote Mayes beyond the phrase itself. It is not stated in the available reporting whether Mayes cited a specific number of golf courses, a water-usage figure, or a policy proposal when she made the remark.

"Too many golf courses."

That four-word phrase, attributed to Mayes by Fox News, is the only direct language from her remarks included in the source report reviewed for this story.

How did Warren Petersen respond?

Petersen, who serves as president of the Arizona Senate, criticized Mayes over the comment, according to Fox News. The report characterizes his response as critical but does not provide the exact wording Petersen used beyond the framing in the headline and summary of the Fox News piece. Because the full text of Petersen's remarks was not included in the material reviewed, this report does not attribute additional specific language to him beyond noting that he pushed back publicly.

What details remain unconfirmed?

Several elements of the exchange are not addressed in the available reporting. The Fox News account reviewed for this story does not specify when or where Mayes made the comment, whether it came in response to a question, or whether she offered supporting data on golf course water consumption in Arizona. It also does not report whether Mayes's office has issued a follow-up statement clarifying or expanding on the remark. Readers should treat any additional detail circulating about the exchange with caution unless it is attributed to a named, published source.

Why does water conservation come up in Arizona politics?

The Fox News report frames the comment as arising from a water conservation debate, but the underlying policy question driving that debate — whether water allocation, groundwater rules, or another specific measure was under discussion — is not detailed in the source material. Because no additional documentation, transcript, or follow-up statement from either official's office was available for review, this report does not characterize the broader policy dispute beyond what Fox News has published.

What happens next?

No further statements from Mayes's office or Petersen's office are included in the reporting reviewed here, and neither official has published an extended on-the-record response beyond what Fox News characterized in its initial story. Any additional developments — including a possible clarification from Mayes or further comment from Petersen — were not available at the time of this report's publication.

This account relies on a single published report. HTT News will update this story if additional on-the-record statements from either Mayes's office or Petersen's office become available through named, published sources.

What is Kris Mayes's position in Arizona government?

Mayes serves as Arizona's attorney general, an elected statewide office, according to the Fox News report, which identifies her as a Democrat in its headline and summary of the exchange. The outlet's account does not include additional biographical detail about her tenure or prior statements on water policy, nor does it specify whether she made the "too many golf courses" comment in an official capacity tied to her office or in another public setting. Without a transcript or additional documentation, this report cannot characterize the context any further than what Fox News published.

How widely has the exchange been covered?

Fox News reported that the comment drew backlash and spread online, but the outlet's account is the only published report reviewed for this story. No other news organization's coverage, social media posts, or named reactions beyond Petersen's were included in the material available at the time of writing, and HTT News could not independently verify the scope or duration of the online reaction described by Fox News. Readers encountering broader claims about the exchange's reach elsewhere should check whether those claims are sourced to a named outlet or official statement before treating them as confirmed.

mindfulAI Keyboard — An iPhone keyboard that rewrites a draft in a tone you pick. Four free AI actions a day.