CHIPS & PUTTS OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION www.ptga.org Founded in 1936 VOL. 16 NO. 3 May 2010 May Meeting The Inn at Pocono Manor Host: Corey Preis May will bring us back to the Inn at Pocono Manor, but this time it is for golf. We will be playing the Donald Ross designed East Course as we get a chance to see the property. Corey Pries has begun reclaiming the putting surfaces on both courses, but has com- pleted the initial reclamation on the East Course. This winter was tough on the East Course as winter desicca- tion and ice damage took their toll on the East. The West Course at this 36 hole property was designed by George Fazio. George Fazio was born in Norristown, PA, and was the first of the Fazio clan to be involved in golf course architecture. Moselem Springs is a Fazio design and made the list of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses. Additionally George Fazio designed Squires Golf Club, Hershey Country Club (East Course), and Waynesborough Country Club in Pennsylvania to name a few. As an architect George was highly regarded and consulted for a number of major golf tourna- ments including The Masters and several U.S. Opens. In the Master theme, the 1959 winner Art Wall Jr., was on tour representing The Inn at Pocono Manor. The Inn at Pocono Manor was purchased by the current owners in 2005. They are in the planning stage for improvements in the near future; discussions on a new irrigation system, forward tees, bunker renovations are all being considered. Since joining the club, Corey has begun a tree removal program to help improve growing conditions and has begun a topdressing and rolling program to increase green speeds and putting green consis- tency. The Inn at Pocono Manor sits on 3,000 acres and features a hotel, sporting clays, Snowmobile and ATV rentals, horseback riding, bocce, fishing, dog sledding, and of course, a driving range. The Inn, known as the “Grand Lady of the Mountains,” is on the National Registry of Historic Places. The tournament this month will be a 4 man best ball with a blind draw after the round. The speaker this month will be Matt Brown of Turf Equipment Supply. Matt will be speaking on Acquisition Strategies. This topic will cover the benefits of financing, leasing, and purchasing options that clubs may use to simplify large purchases from single source suppliers or multiple suppliers. This month Turf Equipment Supply, Matt Brown and George Skawski will be our meeting host. Tentatively, we will also have a clay shoot at 3 pm. See meeting notice for more details. Page 2 President's Message..... Officers & Directors 2010 I can’t believe May is already here. Did I put down my pre- emerge at the right time? Do we ever put it down at the right time? Not a year goes by when I think, I know we put product there, why do I have crabgrass? The humorist Dave Barry once said, crabgrass will grow on a bowling ball in a vacuum. So we will wait and see and then RESIDENT Rick Anglemyer, Water Gap CC blame it on Mother Nature. 570-424-6391 Many thanks to Tom Wilchak and his staff for a great time. VICE PRESIDENT Bethlehem Golf Club was in prime shape for our opening meeting, John Downer, Elkview C.C. even if our golf games weren’t. Make a point to attend a meeting this 570-840-0078 year; we are bound to have fun and great food. Cory Pries should TREASURER provide us with both when we visit him at end of the month. Ray Wadell, Elmhurst CC Remember to check out the website for updates on everything 570-842-4705 from job openings to MET Qualifier points. Pat Knelly is really making SECRETARY Patrick Knelly Sugarloaf Golf Club some great improvements to our site. We hope this may become a 570-384-4724 good tool for everyone to use. DIRECTORS Looking forward to seeing you at a gathering soon. Steven Chirip, Grass Roots, Inc. 973-418-3468 Matthew Brown, Philadelphia Turf 215-340-5401 Greg Boring, Country Club of Scranton Rick Anglemyer 570-587-4046 Thomas Height 570-237-0878 Gino Marchetti, Glen Oak CC. 570-586-5791 Editor’s Notes….. Patrick Healy, Scranton Canoe Club 570-378-2249 __________________________ CHIPS & PUTTS STAFF EDITOR Another newsletter, wow the season is in full swing. Atten- Jim Gurzler, George Schofield Co. dance for April at Bethlehem Golf Club was strong and Lee Koszey 732-433-5474 stepped in to save the education points that the education commit- jim@gurzler.com tee signed up for with both PA DEP and GCSAA. Thanks for that save Managing Editor Lee!!! Melinda Wisnosky 570-388-2167 I actually got submissions this month for the newsletter which was great, Thanks for those and keep them coming. Editorial Committee Darrin Larkin May is in full swing and The Inn at Pocono Manor is our host Matt Brown this month. Make the trek out to see what Corey Pries has done to Past President this property since taking over last year. Darrin Larkin, Panorama Golf Course We have quite a few new members this month, check out 570-222-9260 the list and remind those around you that if they aren’t a member they should be for the networking and the education available through our gatherings, whether they are golf meetings, clay shoots, February socials or a day at the ballpark with TES. Anyway hope you enjoy the info in the newsletter and that you have a wonderful May. PTGA Office R.R. 1, Box 219 Harding, PA 18643 Jim Gurzler Phone/Fax: 570-388-2167 Any opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and/or person quoted, and may not represent the position of PTGA. Information contained in this publication may be used freely, in whole or in part, without special permission, as long as the true context is maintained. We would appreciate a credit line. Page Page 3 3 April Meeting Wrap Up Thanks again to Tom Wilchak and all the staff at Beth- lehem Golf Club for a great day of golf and food. The course was in great shape for the 35 golfers who attended. Thanks also to Lee Kozsey of Syngenta who, in a last minute bailout, pulled off the scheduled talk that had been planned by Rick Fletcher. Lee did an admirable job filling in on the fly and dealing with my slow slide changing to ensure those in attendance would not only benefit from a day away from the course but also get a core, category, and CEU for their trouble. The tournament of the day was a two man blind draw, and it went off well with all teams ready and on their respective tees on time and ready for a fun day in the Le- high Valley. The low gross team was the team of Joe Sellers and Charlie McGill who shot a 72. 1st runner up was the team of Mark Monahan (Paupack Hills Golf &Country Club) and Eric Reed (Valley CC) with a 78. In the sec- ond flight, the team of Chris Butler and John Vojick had an 83. The team of Monahan and Reed also did well in the skins tournament, walking away with 9 skins. John Vojick and Chris Butler had three Skins, as did Joe Sellers and Charlie McGill. Jack Sudesky and Glen Miserack also won 3 skins. There were skill prizes on each of the Par 3’s, courtesy of Tom Wilchak and Bethlehem Golf Club; however, the washing machine got the original list. I can tell you, though, that Elkview players won three of the 4 Closest to the Pins and GE Adora washing machines don’t give you much of a chance at leaving anything in your pocket except currency that will survive. There were 17 A, SM, and AF members that earned points toward the Met GCSA tournament. You can see the website each month for tallies toward that goal. Anyway, Thanks to Tom Wilchak and the staff at Bethlehem Golf Club, Lee Koszey of Syngenta for the talk, and the Golf Committee for getting the year off to a great start. See you in May at The Inn at Pocono Manor. Page 4 Annual Bluegrass Weevil Jim Skorulski, Senior Agronomist Northeast Region Green Section USGA Spring has sprung, and with the warmer temperatures comes the return of annual bluegrass weevils (ABW) to golf courses across the Northeast. The weevil currently seems to be the greatest insect challenge facing annual blue- grass golf courses in the region. Management programs continue to target the egg-laying adults that emerge in early spring, and the success of the management programs can be significantly influenced by the timing of the ini- tial insecticide application. Justifiably, there also are concerns with ABW resistance to pyrethroid insecticides that have been used as contact controls against the adult insects. Entomologists continue to work on management programs for the insect, and the body of information concerning the ABW’s biology, life-cycle, and control options is growing. Green Section agronomists have been encouraging Welcome New Members Edward Keil, Class A - Lehman Golf Club Brett Konjoian, Class C - Lehigh Country Club Jack Rude, Class C - Glenmaura National Golf Club Glenn Tager, Class AF - Northern Nurseries, Inc. Anthony Tosh, Class C - Valley Country Club Brandon Wisnosky, Class C - Glen Oak Country Club Page 5 (Continued from page 4) golf course superintendents to install pitfall traps to monitor ABW activity more closely and accurately for several years. We hope this will help pinpoint emergence patterns of the insect to aid in control. This has never been more important. The insects can be controlled, but the key is to thoroughly understand where they are and what stage they are in. The Richmond Linear Pitfall Trap is one tool being utilized for that purpose. The linear oriented trap, pictured in the diagram requires few materials, and can be made and installed quickly. A full- sized diagram and description can also be obtained by contacting one of our Green Section offices. Mike Barton, of Burning Tree CC in Greenwich, Ct. is one of several superintendents working with Dr. Harry Niemczyk, Professor Emeritus from The Ohio State University, in collecting insect data and experimenting with dif- ferent control options. When the ground is workable, the traps are installed to intercept adult weevils as they emerge from overwintering sites and move across rough areas. The traps should be checked daily for the pres- ence of adults. Soil and air temperatures are measured and phenological observations are documented as well. Clay Pedigo, superintendent at Oak Lane CC was introduced to these traps earlier this winter and also has incor- porated their use on the golf course in Woodbridge, CT. Pedigo and Barton both found adults in traps as early as March 20. Without the traps, the early emergence may have been missed and the timing of their initial sprays less effective. Both superintendents foresee that closer monitoring will improve the efficacy of their spray programs and help them better manage this difficult insect. Pedigo has also received a number of positive comments from members who come across the traps in the field. The traps are a good communication tool that shows the staff is making every effort to improve the control programs and in doing so maximize their limited chemical budget. Page 6 MET GCSAA Tournament Qualifying Rules · The PGTA will send 8 participants to the Met GCSAA Tournament, 4 players in the Gross division and 4 players in the Net division. · The current president of the PTGA will be given the option to participate in his preferred division without qualifying o If the president chooses not to use his exemption, the next highest qualifier in his preferred division will earn the spot · PTGA members will be given preference for attending PTGA monthly meetings o Meeting attendance is worth 3 points per meeting attended o Point totals will be available before the qualifying meeting for members to view. These results will be posted to the website, and published in the newsletter before the qualifying tournament · Met GCSAA Qualifying Tournament Rules o The qualifying tournament will use the standard PGA Stableford scoring system of -3pt (double bogey or worse) -1pt (bogey) 0pt (par) 2pt (birdie) 5pt (eagle) 8pt (double eagle) There will be 2 divisions, Gross and Net§ Any player that does NOT present a verifiable USGA handicap will be automatically placed in the GROSS division of the tournament • In accordance with Met GCSAA policy a maximum handicap ceiling of 18 will be enforced in the NET division • The top four accumulated point totals from each division will qualify for the Met GCSAA tour- nament. Any qualifiers unable to attend will be replaced by the next highest available quali- fier • Both divisions are open to PTGA members in the A, SM, AF, and AS classifications • Guests of PTGA members are not eligible to qualify for the Met GCSAA tournament in either division • · There will be a maximum of 4 Affiliate members allowed to attend the Met GCSAA tournament per year · All meeting results and Met GCSAA tournament qualifiers will be posted on the PTGA website upon comple- tion of the qualifying tournament Chips & Putts PATRON SPONSORS AERIFICATION AND OVERSEEDING Aer-Core Ryan Davidheiser 610-310-3925 PLANT PROTECTANTS Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 Rich Gdovin 570-278-1131 Lawn & Golf Chris Butler 710.933.5801 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Jim MacLaren 570-443-7154 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 EQUIPMENT Growth Products Craig Lambert 973-601-3303 Aer-Core Ryan Davidheiser 610-310-3925 Lawn & Golf Chris Butler 610.933.5801 Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Syngenta Lee A. Kozsey 610.861.8174 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 Lawn & Golf Chris Butler 610.933.5801 Reel Sharp Brian Grebeldinger 845-597-7738 SEED & SOD Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 FERTILIZER East Coast Sod & Seed Kevin Driscoll 609.760.4099 Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 Jim MacLaren 570-443-7154 Genesis Turfgrass Jim MacLaren 570-443-7154 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Lawn & Golf Chris Butler 610.933.5801 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Growth Products Craig Lambert 973-601-3303 Lawn & Golf Chris Butler 610.933.5801 TOPDRESSING / SOIL AMENDMENTS Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 Blue Ridge Peat Farms Gene Evans 570.443.9596 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 GREEN AND TEE SUPPLIES Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Jim MacLaren 570-443-7154 Rich Gdovin 570-278-1131 Geo. Schofield Jim Gurzler 732-433-5474 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Lawn & Golf Chris Butler 610.933.5801 Jim MacLaren 570-443-7154 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Lawn & Golf Chris Butler 610.933.5801 Support our Sponsors - They support us! PTGA SCHEDULE POCONO ROUNDUP May 26 Pocono Manor Mt. Airy Country Club Superintendent Andy Faist is Host Cory Pries overseeing installation of a new Toro Irrigation system. June 21 Stone Hedge Jack Frost National in Blakeslee was named to the Host Tony Kenia Top 10 Places to Play in Pennsylvania by Golf Week. Congratulations to Superintendent Bryan Nuss on this July 19 Glenbrook CC honor. Host Jeff Feick The Pocono Turfgrass Association sends Best Aug 16 Elmhurst CC Wishes for a quick recovery to Brian Zucowski, super- Host Ray Waddell intendent at Terra Greens in East Stroudsburg, PA. Sept 20 Pine Hills CC Congratulations to Gina Marchetti of Glen Oak on Host Eric Duffy the birth of his son, Alex. Alex and his mom, Leslie, are doing fine. Oct 7 Valley CC Host Eric Reed, CGCS Scholarship Applications Oct 7 MetGCSA Championship The scholarship applications are due in by August 31, The Bridge, Long Island NY 2010. See June newsletter for more details or visit the PTGA website at www.ptga.org POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION R.R. 1, BOX 219 POSTAGE HARDING, PA 18643 NAME & ADDRESS ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED.