A So Cal Girl in the Desert

Just outside our apartment, there's a grassy basin perfect for letting the dog run around. There's almost always a dog out there sniffing, playing, or squatting. Now I don't know much, yet, about desert lawn maintenance, but the situation with the sprinklers here at Villa Pallivicini seems odd to me. The sprinklers will run for about twelve hours one day, then fifteen minutes another day, then 24 hours. Sometimes it's enough to make a lake. Take this afternoon, for example. I took this picture from our balcony.

If lawns need to be watered like this, how do people golf so much out here? In their swim suits? Is this a mistake the gardener is making, or is it necessary for one of the following reasons?
A) An attempt to combat overcrowding at the swimming pool.
B) This much water is needed to dilute the amount of dog urine in the basin.
C) They are trying to make a pretty lake with paddle boats and fishing, but it's so hot that the water is evaporating faster than they can fill it.