OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION CHIPS & PUTTS VOL. 2 FALL - 1973 NO. 3 THE DIFFICULT SEASON the stage for wilt, scald and diseases of relations. How do we explain to the mem­ OF 1973 every kind. It created new, and aggravated bers why the course is closed or why old drainage problems . . . water began to the golf cars are restricted? by Alexander M. Radko, William G. show in areas where it never was a prob­ We can thank the good Lord that the Buchanan and Stanley J. Zontek lem before. It also caused a lot of majority of our golfers understand, and USGA Green Section, Eastern Region mechanical injury . . . grasses had to be that they have enough confidence in the cut despite conditions that favored Superintendent’s judgement. It is a tough Ever heard of Murphy’s Law? It says scalping, bruising, rutting . . . etc. There decision to make in the early morning in part, “if anything can go wrong, it were times when more water trailed hours when the remainder of the day may will!” Murphy’s Law applied to 1973 mowers than grass clippings ... it was bad be sunny and bright. But it is a decision weather so far as the fine turfgrasses this yes, but the grasses had to be mowed! that must be made from time to time in year were concerned. Everything that Fairways otherwise would have looked order to prevent compaction and tire ruts could have gone wrong, did . . . and golf like roughs and greens would have looked that take time to repair and heal. courses suffered excesses in turf loss on like Fairways if left unmowed over week­ Most courses rely on the Superinten­ fairways, collars and aprons principally. ends. The difficult part of it all was that dent to make these important decisions. First came the very wet spring weather every decision of whether to mow Let’s hope they continue to do so. . . . skies were continuously overcast . . . and rains came often and heavily. Soils (Fridays especially) was critical. If you Your President, could accommodate little more water guessed wrong just once, wilt readily from the previous two years of heavy set-in . . . and weak grasses don’t quickly Levi Travis rain but new record rains came neverthe­ recover from wilt in the July-August heat. less. So long as the cool weather held, the The lesson learned is that the per­ PUBLIC RELATIONS weaknesses caused by these excesses did manent grasses stood out like islands . . . AND THE SUPERINTENDENT not show. It was when we first exper­ the Poa annua died in most areas or was ienced clear, hot, sunny days followed by severely set back all around the bentgrass Webster’s Dictionary defines “public extended periods of high humidity that and bluegrass clones. Poa annua was held relations” as quote, “relations of an the bottom began to drop out. Without in some cases by constant watering and organization with the general public question, the year to this mid-August syringing . . . golfers played through through publicity,” unquote. You could date has been one of the most difficult sprays almost all of July and August also define it as the art of winning public periods that superintendents have ex­ where Poa annua predominated. Courses favour by doing the right thing and perienced in many years. where permanent grasses predominate in receiving credit for it. Then the extended periods without fairways were watered much less and were Let us see how public relations affect sunshine in spring caused the fine turf­ hardly ever syringed. From the golfing us and in what manner they can be grasses to grow weak and spindly . . . they standpoint, firm fairways play superior to beneficial to us superintendents. Let us were extremely tender, they were soft. . . spongy, wet fairways. It’s years like this first answer the “why?” of public rela­ they were not as good for golf as they that makes one wish that Poa annua never tions for us. Simply to become better normally are in spring . . . they did not existed . . . superintendents and golfers known and recognized by the general exhibit firm growth at any time in spring. wish they never heard of watered fairways public and by golfers in particular. The week of July 4th came with several . . . and superintendents and workers How do we go about mounting a consecutive bright, sunny days . . . the public relations campaign? There are pray that they never have to install first strong sunlight that grasses were several strategies we can use. Let us another drain ever again! enumerate the principal ones. subjected to up to that point ... it To date 1973 has been a torturous Take a leadership stand by suggesting proved too much ... it was tantamount to keeping a man in solitary confinement year for grasses ... it is safe to predict that the members refer all golf course for three months in a cold, dark and that its praises will never be intoned in a maintenance inquiries to you. Arrange for damp cellar . . . then suddenly exposing ballad ... it wasn’t a very good year! constructive discussions with your crew him to the blazing desert sun . . . this is and schedule a daily critique with your the torture treatment and this is exactly PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE assistant to discuss the calendar for the what our grasses were subjected to and Rain, Rain Go Away, Come Again coming weeks. This should be done so they weakened quickly . . . there was no Some Other Day (when we need it). that in the event of your absence, the period of adjustment. Boy, has it been wet! This spring and maintenance programme need not be This condition, coupled with record summer have really put the Superinten­ disrupted. rainfalls, compounded the problem. It set dent through a test of his ability in public (cont’d. next page) (cont’d. from page 1) Develop contacts with newspaper men that there are not enough garbage con­ mainly use fertilizers containing slow- and send them as many communiques as tainers made available. This is true some­ release nitrogen, which is not readily possible on our activities. times. If it is, the superintendent should leached. The image of the superintendent Attend in a constructive spirit the rectify the situation. More often, however as a good “housekeeper” is particularly meetings of the golf and greens com­ the garbage that is indiscriminately — important to maintain in these pollution­ mittees. Using technical terminology and distributed by golfers could have been conscious times. Corners filled with old phrases during your discussion meetings put in containers but for the thoughtless­ equipment should be cleaned up, fertilizer on course maintenance will also improve ness or laziness of the person involved. bags and pesticide containers should be your professional image. The availability of “no-return” bottles buried, dead trees should be removed as Dress at work like the head of a and cans with aluminum tops is making quickly as possible, and tall weeds and department, and not just as another this problem increasingly worse. brush should be cut. Through good house­ laborer. Let us attach a great deal of Such pollution on a golf course is not keeping and by using chemicals correctly, importance to our appearance, in clothes only unsightly but may very well be quite the superintendent will be helping to and other, when we meet the public at costly in terms of damaged equipment or control pollution on his course; more the club or elsewhere. even injured personnel. Most of us have important, he will help to convince others Discipline is essential at all times. We had the experience of hitting a hidden to join him in the battle against environ­ must not forget that we are observed and bottle with a power mower. It is quite mental contamination. judged when we take part in seminars and possible that pieces of flying glass from other activities at our club. such an encounter could hit workmen or PLANS PROCEED FOR Every golf course superintendent even nearby golfers. NEW SEMINAR SERIES should be a golfer. Is there a better way On the whole, the beauty of a golf At its Spring Meeting, the GCSAA to look over the course? We should play course is dependent on plants, shrubs, Executive Committee approved funds for golf with the members, pro, members of flowers and trees. However, plants them­ the implementation of a new seminar the greens committee, for it is while play­ selves may be pollutants: for instance, series. This new series of seminars will ing golf that we see imperfections weeds found on the fairways, greens, focus on pesticides. noticeable only to the golfer, and we can flower beds or in ponds and streams. This The first seminar in this series will be correct these before other players have to type of pollution is rather easy to control entitled “Principles of Chemical Usage.” tolerate them, thus affecting our image. with our existing herbicides. Obviously, Six tentative locations have been selected. Be an “ACTIVE” member of different some care must be exercised in the use of These sites are: Cleveland, Ohio; San golf associations. An excellent opportun­ these chemicals so that the superinten­ Francisco, Calif.; St. Louis, Mo.; Dallas, ity for showing pride in your professional dent cannot be accused of causing one Tex.; Atlanta, Ga.; Hartford, Conn. The organization is to invite your greens chair­ kind of pollution in his attempts to clean scheduling of these seminars is not yet man to the chapter meetings, and include up another kind. complete. Members will be advised when lunch and a game of golf. You could also The use of pesticides has been the sub­ a seminar will be planned in their area. arrange with a fellow superintendent for a ject of much criticism in the popular press Authorization was also given for golf game with each other’s greens chair­ in the last few years. Unfortunately, most GCSAA to conduct any of its seminars man. of the articles that have been written wherever and whenever groups of mem­ The aim of public relations therefore about pesticides have played up the bers or chapters can guarantee 30 is to establish communication, to fortify possible dangers of these materials and participants and if there is no conflict in those bridges which are formed by letters, either have ignored or played down the scheduling. Member groups who would publications of all kinds, exhibitions, benefits to be derived from proper use of like one of the existing or future seminars conferences, newsletters, etc. chemicals. Obviously, it is impossible to to be in their area should contact the When our opponents have learned to produce the king of golf courses we want Headquarters office. respect us, and when the golfing public without the use of herbicides, fungicides recognizes and appreciates our profession, and insecticides. ON THE TOUR only then can we take time off. But let us The use of pesticides on golf courses has been blamed for reducing the bird WITH DAVE LINDE be very careful not to give up, because a well planned public relations program will population of the area. In actuality, The GCSAA has announced recently remain the primary condition to the birds would be vastly reduced in an area that David L. Linde, a member of our evolution and the continuity of our without a golf course. Cities offer few Association and Golf Course Superin­ association of professional superinten­ concentrations of trees other than golf tendent at Wedgewood Golf Club, dents. courses that provide birds with nesting Woodbridge, Suffolk. places, shelter and food. Dave attended Coopersburg High POLLUTION WITHIN The combination of streams flowing School and he received a Bachelor of THE GOLF COURSE through golf courses has been partly Science Degree in Horticulture from the blamed on the courses themselves. It is Delaware Valley College of Science It is very difficult to understand why possible that when a sprayer is filled, and Agriculture. He first worked for the people who receive the most benefit some pesticide might enter a stream. Henry Bartholomew at Wedgewood Golf from a beautiful golf course are some­ However this is unlikely if the person Club and then spent one season working times responsible for the contamination doing the spraying is aware of the pos­ for Harold Loescher as the Assistant Golf of that course. We have all seen, both on sibility and uses care and common sense. Course Superintendent at Passaic County private and public courses, golfers dispose Also, the high salt levels in some of these Golf Course, Wayne, New Jersey. Dave of such things as bottles, cans, cigarette streams has been attributed to the leach­ assumed the Golf Course Superin­ and cigar boxes, paper tissues and many ing of fertilizers from the golf course. tendents position at Wedgewood Golf other pieces of garbage under the nearest This too seems highly unlikely as the soil Club in January 1965. Wedgewood Golf shrub or even right out on the fairway. is a tremendous storehouse for fertilizer Club is a public operation owned by the Sometimes, the excuse will be offered elements, and, in addition, golf courses Phoenix Contracting Company. Dave is an avid golfer and sports fan. were obtained from diseased grass sam­ OSHA Change of Address His hobbies include playing golf, softball, ples from these sites. When grown on basketball and volleyball. He is married autoclaved rye grain and inoculated on New mailing address and his wife’s name is Elise. They are the bluegrass and bentgrass varieties in the U. S. Dept, of Labor proud parents of a new-born daughter, greenhouse, typical dollarspot lesions Occupational Safety and Health Kristen. They also have three other appeared from which isolates similar to Administration children, David, 8, Jeff, 6, and Douglas, the originals could be obtained. Tolerance 3535 Market Street 4. was measured by amount of radial growth Philadelphia, Pa. 19104 Dave’s schedule shows him leaving for on benomyl amended agar. Isolates from England on September 30th; from the failure locations were 100 times as MORE ON OSHA London to Ipswich October 1st for a tolerant to benomyl as isolates from areas practice round and then a 36 Hole Tour­ where no control difficulties had been Reprinted with permission of the National nament will follow. Wednesday, October experienced. Club Association, Washington D. C. 3rd, is the date for the tournament. After After studying occupational safety Comments by the tournament his group will tour other Dr. P. M. Halisky, Turf Pathologist, and health inspections in various parts of golf courses before returning October 6th. Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. the country, the National Safety Council This is a wonderful opportunity for has come up with a list of violations that Dave and as an Association we wish him At a recent meeting of the Phytopa- OSHA inspectors most often find and the best. thological Society held in Syracuse, N. Y. cite. Many of these are relatively minor on November 1-2, 1972, researchers from and easily corrected yet despite this, the Pennsylvania State University reported council found, plant personnel tend to Nominating Committee Formed that the dollar spot fungus was again For November PTGA Elections overlook them. OSHA’s Minneapolis Act­ “playing games” with fungicidal control ing Director, Don Siebert, has also com­ President Levi Travis has appointed measures. This particular fungus, Sclero­ piled a list of frequent violations, in this Mr. Bill Lansdowne, Country Club of tinia homoeocarpa, is known to be case ones that his inspectors most often Scranton, as chairman of the nominating stimulated in turf plots by carbamate find. committee. fungicides, notably “difolatan”. During Electrical wiring. Look for frayed The nominating committee is charged the past decade, research at Rhode Island wires, loose conduit connections, bare with the selection of a prospective slate and Pennsylvania State University wiring that might produce shock or fire, of candidates, who if elected, will uphold demonstrated that the dollar spot fungus broken or damaged switchplates, missing the dignity, encourage the support and has developed tolerance to cadmium plates, wet sawdust around electrical out­ stimulate progress of the association. fungicides. Now, this versatile fungus is lets, and circuit breakers not marked to After careful consideration of our roster beginning to demonstrate tolerance to show function and purpose. and trying to present candidates from all the systemic benlate-benomyl fungicide. Open function boxes, electrical out­ sections of our area, the following names How this development will relate to the lets without proper grounds and broken are offered to you. use of systemic fungicides and their ground plugs are also frequently cited. effectiveness in controlling dollar spot is a Fan guarding. All fans within seven President Levi Travis question mark. feet of the floor must be guarded; open­ Vice President Oliver D. Moon, CGCS. One word of caution is advisable. ings should be no greater than 1/2-inch For three Directorships — your choice of Benlate is a systemic fungicide that should width. six (6) be drenched into the root zone for best Floor conditions. Check for rough or Marlin Gibble Blue Mtn. View C. C. results. Once absorbed by the grass roots uneven floors and stairs which might Mark Monahan Femwood Inn and C. C. the chemical is translocated upward with­ create a tripping hazard. Loose material Dave Linde Wedgewood C. C. in the plant, immunizing it. Drenching on the floor such as boards, metal bands, Jim Kohler Valley C. C. should be done at the time of application oil, water, scrap and parts could also Bill Templeton Shawnee Inn & C. C. using sprinklers, water hose, or perchance bring an OSHA citation. Frank Mycek Horsham Valley C. C. rain. In many instances failure to control Aisle markings. There should be no dollar spot may be due to improper doubt about the location of the aisle. application of the chemical rather than a Aisles should not be cluttered with Reprinted From “Green World, Vol. 3, No. 2, May, 1973. (Newsletter of the tolerance of the fungus to the fungicide. materials. N.J. TG Asso.) With systemic chemicals it is important to Air pressure for cleaning. Perhaps the drench rather than to spray. OSHA violation cited more than any ABSTRACT others is the requirement limiting air Benomyl Tolerance Exhibited by pressure for cleaning equipment to 30 Sclerotinia homoeocarpa Dates To Remember: psi. “Inspectors are quite fussy about this 1974 Penn State Turfgrass Conference one,” the council report warns. By G. W. Goldberg and Herbert Cole, January 28, 29, 30, 31. Fire extinguishers always get attention. Pennsylvania State University Pocono Turfgrass Association Christmas The standards are quite specific concern­ During the 1972 growing season the Party ing their locations, heights, frequency of first instance of lack of control of Sclero­ December 8th at Green Pond C. C. inspections, and accessibility, etc. tinia dollar spot with benomyl was re­ Exit signs. Lack of exit markings often ported from an Akron, Ohio golf course 1974 Elections of Officers and Directors brings citations. Also, inspectors will in early July. This followed with similar November 20th at C.C. of Shepard notice whether or not the routes people reports from locations in Illinois, New Hills must follow to reach exits are open, Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Isolates re­ 45th International Turfgrass Conference aisles are blocked, or materials stored in presentative of S. homoeocarpa, on the and Show front of exit doors. basis of morphological characteristics, February 10th — 15th. Anaheim, Calif. (cont’d. next page) (cont’d. from page 3) Injury recordkeeping requirements of show 5% or less infection in the crown. One publication “Suggestions for OSHA. Records are a routine checkpoint There is less than 50% chance of a cure if Control of Turnover and Absenteeism” for the inspectors. Whoever is responsible crown shows 5% — 10% infection. No ($1.00) could be of value to any for such records should be instructed to chance of cure if root graft or more than superintendent. keep them up to date and ready for 10% infection. To get on the free mailing list and inspection at all times. RATE OF APPLICATION: receive this booklet twice a month, write Other violations; 8 lbs. 50% w.p./100 gallons as a foliar to: Superintendent of Documents, Attn: Overhead storage areas overloaded or spray, 2 — 3 gallons of formulation per S. L. Mail List. Washington, D. C. 20402. without guard rails; tree. Machines without guard rails; Injection method: Bench grinders with chipped wheels or 2 lbs./100 gallons — injectors at 2-inch without proper workrests or guards; intervals and left in place 24 — 48 hours. Oxygen and fuel gases unsecured or PRESIDENT Levi Travis stored together; Don't Ignore OSHA's Requirements Lords Valley Country Club Battery charging areas with unmarked for Safety Records at Each Hawley, Pa. 18428 exits, no “no smoking” signs, no water 'Establishment' VICE-PRESIDENT available for diluting spilled electrolytes Oliver D. Moon, CGCS and improper ventilation; Regulations issued under the Safety Glen Oak Country Club Act require that injury records be kept Clarks Summit, Pa. 18411 Poorly ventilated welding areas; Paint and flammable materials stored and posted at each “Establishment.” The SECRETARY/TREASURER James Umstead outside proper areas and near welding criteria set forth for defining an “Estab- Country Club of Northampton County areas; ment are: Easton, Pa. Defective ladders with cracked steps, It is a single physical location where PRESIDENT EMERITUS missing rails and missing braces; business is conducted. William M. Lansdowne, CGCS Paint spray booths that are too small It is a place where employees report Country Club of Scranton daily. Clarks Summit, Pa. 18411 and force painting outside the booth. If there is more than one distinct busi­ DIRECTORS BENOMYLAND ness activity conducted at a location, William Krummell DUTCH ELM DISEASE each activity constitutes an establishment. Mt. Airy Lodge Swiftwater, Pa. Benlate (Benomyl 50% w.p.) has been Vincent Harsch registered as an aid in control of Dutch GOVERNMENT Northampton Valley Country Club elm disease. Important details: PUBLICATIONS Richboro, Pa. 1. It is not a cure-all. Frank Davitt, CGCS 2. Contains Methoxychlor sprays and Recently I ran across a flyer adver­ Allentown Municipal G. C. sanitation when adding the use of Benlate tising literature available through the U.S. Allentown, Pa. to control programs. Government Printing Office. You can get Umberto Canto, CGCS 3. Combine Benlate with Methoxy­ on a twice monthly mailing list which Hidden Springs Country Club Horsham, Pa. chlor during spring sprays before beetles lists many publications that are available begin to feed. Richard Reinhard at a nominal cost. The list before me has Country Club of Shepherd Hills 4. There is a 60% chance of curing over a hundred available pamphlets and Wescoesville, Pa. trees with Dutch elm disease if they books. POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION Bill Lansdowne, Editor % COUNTRY CLUB OF SCRANTON CLARKS SUMMIT, PA. 18411