CHIPS & PUTTS OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION www.ptga.org Founded in 1936 VOL. 22 NO. 8 October 2016 October Meeting Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club Host: Duane Schell, GCS Our final meeting of the year brings us to one of the most popular public courses in the area at Blue Ridge Trail. As with many 27 hole facilities, the three 9 hole tracts were built in stages. The original 9 holes were constructed in 1992 with the second 9 holes being built in 1997 to complete the first 18 holes. These 18 holes were designed by architect Brian Ault. The new 9 was designed by architect Dan Schlegel and constructed in 2005. The 3 separate 9’s are now all intermingled giving golfers multiple options when they come to play with any combination of the courses totaling around 7,000 yards from the tips. As you can imagine, with the 27 holes being built over the span of 13 years, there is a variety of grass types, from Penncross/Poa greens on the older holes to L-93 greens on the new 9 there are over 5 acres of greens to go along with 38 acres of rye/poa fairways and 5 more acres of tees. Blue Ridge Trail is cared for by longtime superintendent (and former PTGA president) Duane Schell. Duane, who is originally from the area, has been at the course for 18 years now. Duane, who has a Business degree from Bloomsburg as well as his turf degree from Penn State, has worked on a golf course almost his whole life. He started at nearby Sugarloaf Golf Club, then moved on to an internship at Saucon Valley CC, followed by taking the Assistant’s job at Doylestown CC. He has been mar- Continued on Page 6 Page 2 President's Message..... Officers & Directors 2016 The upcoming event at Blue Ridge Trial should be a great one, and I hope everyone will be able to attend now that the weather is changing in our favor. I know it will be tough for some with leaf clean up, normal maintenance and a skeleton crew, but please try to come out and have a good time with all of us. We all need a break from the grind every once in a while. PRESIDENT Looks like we are finally receiving cooler temps after a week of 70's Gino Marchetti, Glen Oak C.C. 570-586-5791 and 80's in October. Now that the end of the season is near, members will start questioning what steps we are taking to prevent winter kill. I try to VICE PRESIDENT stress to my membership that there is nothing I can do to prevent winter TREASURER kill. I send emails showing our prevention plan, hoping that the reasonable Patrick Healey, Scranton Canoe Club 570-378-2249 member will understand how uncontrollable the weather is. I know there is not a lot of research out there for winter kill so I thought that maybe we could SECRETARY all do our own. I ask that all supers keep a journal or notes in their phone that Chris Moran, Honesdale C.C. 570-253-9094 contains everything that was done to your greens in preparation for winter. I kept one in the notes section of my phone last year, but it wasn't going to help DIRECTORS Steven Chirip, Grass Roots, Inc. with the winter we had. I just want to try to compare notes and find 973-418-3468 something that works for us so that we don't have to worry about grass in Corey Pries, Powell’s Excavating January. 570-762-0394 Ron Garrison, Fox Hill C.C. 570-655-1065 Thanks for your time, and I hope to see you all at Blue Ridge Trail. Jerry Decker, Elkview C.C. 570-282-3080 Past Prresident Greg Boring, C.C. of Scranton 570-587-4046 Gino Marchetti __________________________ Editor’s Notes….. CHIPS & PUTTS STAFF EDITOR Brian Bachman, Genesis Turfgrass, Inc. 484-661-6105 bbachman@genesisturfgrassinc.com The year is winding down and the leaves are falling, but we still have Managing Editor one more great PTGA meeting event to go at Blue Ridge Trail. Melinda Wisnosky 570-388-2167 mmel500@aol.com Looking forward to seeing many of you there as the season comes to an end. Brian Bachman PTGA Office 309 Terrace Avenue Harding, PA 18643 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. PagePage 3 3 *More* News from the SRBC The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) has released a proposed rulemaking to amend its regulations, which includes the release of a consumptive water use mitigation policy. The amendments include application re- quirements and standards for the review of regulatory projects, modifying the rules dealing with the mitigation of consumptive water use, providing for the registration of grandfathered projects, and revising requirements for hear- ings and enforcement actions. To inform the regulated community and the public about these changes, SRBC is holding two informational webi- nars explaining the proposed rulemaking on October 11, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and October 17, 2016, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. For more information or to register for the webinars, visit www.srbc.net. SRBC has also scheduled four public hearings on the proposed rulemaking and policy: • November 3, 2016, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. or at the conclusion of public testimony, whichever is sooner; Pennsylvania State Capitol (East Wing, Room 8E-B), Commonwealth Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17120 • November 9, 2016, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. or at the conclusion of public testimony, whichever is sooner; DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Binghamton (South Riverside Room), 225 Water Street, Binghamton, NY 13901 • November 10, 2016, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. or at the conclusion of public testimony, whichever is sooner; Holiday Inn Williamsport (Gallery Room), 100 Pine Street, Williamsport, PA 17701 • December 8, 2016, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. or at the conclusion of public testimony, whichever is sooner; Loews Annapo- lis Hotel (Powerhouse-Point Lookout), 126 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 Written comments on the policy may be submitted on or before January 6, 2017. Written comments on the pro- posed rulemaking may be submitted on or before January 30, 2017. Comments may be submitted by mail to Jason E. Oyler, Esq., General Counsel, SRBC, 4423 North Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110-1788, or by e-mail to regcomments@srbc.net. If there are others within your organization that need to be informed of this announcement, please forward. Thank you, Susquehanna River Basin Commission PagePage 3 4 Saying Goodbye To Our Dear Friend…...Jim MacLaren One of Jim’s long time and closest friends, Mr. Shaun Barry, was left to the task of ful- filling Jim’s final wish. Jim MacLaren`s ashes were spread at three different locations on the 17th hole at Old Head at Kinsale in Ireland. “Jim had hoped that we would get to play this course together, but when it became apparent that this would not happen he asked for his ashes to be spread out on this particular hole on this particular golf course in Ireland.” To date there has been $1,465.00 donated on behalf of Jim MacLaren to the PTGA Scholarship fund. Thank you!! Page 5 And the 2016 PTGA Scholarships go to……. Jordan Seltzer Devon Carroll Health and Physical Ed Major PSU Turf Student Messiah College Congratulations! Page 6 Continued from Page 1 ried to his wife Mary for 19 years and enjoys spending time with her and their children Kyra (18) and Alex (13). Assisting Duane in the daily duties of the golf course is Dave Mack (who has been with him for the last 2 years), 3 full time employees, and 15 seasonal employees. In recent years Duane and his crew have undertaken such improvements as redoing #9 Ridge greens complex, renovating #2 Trail fairway bunker, and the continual up- grading and installation of irrigation. We hope to see you there for our last meeting of the year (which is also our Association Championship!!) Page 7 September Meeting Results 1st Place T.J. Hart, Jerry Decker Longest Drive #18 Brian Bachman, Jim Green T.J. Hart 2nd Place Closest to the Pin - #4 & #17 Ron Garrison, John Polak Steve Chirip Kelly Kressler, John Chassard Closest to the Pin - #9 3rd Place Mr. Campbell John Downer, Ian Kunesch Chris Boyle, Mr. Campbell Photo of the Month We all see interesting things every day….wildlife (like bald eagles and bears), strange turf problems (like a lightning strike), an employee who stayed out too late the night before, etc. So if you have a great photo, send it to me (bbachman@genesisturfgrassinc.com) and share it for everyone to enjoy (or laugh at). October Photo of the Month At least it’s in a sandtrap and not a pond!! There has to be more of these pictures out there….send me some!! Thanks Andy Dumas for the contribution. Chips & Putts PATRON SPONSORS AERIFICATION AND OVERSEEDING Aer-Core Stephen Thompson 610-972-5933 IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE William Mast 610.327.3390 John Deere Brent Wood 570.499.1441 Air2G2 John Downer 570-840-0078 Turf Equip. and Supply George Skawski 610.554.9366 Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Les Lear 570.903.8412 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 Lawn & Golf Matthew Brown 610.933.5801 PLANT PROTECTANTS Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 EQUIPMENT Rich Gdovin 570-278-1131 Aer-Core Stephen Thompson 610-972-5933 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 William Mast 610.327.3390 Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Air2G2 John Downer 570-840-0078 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 John Deere Brent Wood 570.499.1441 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 Growth Products Craig Lambert 973-601-3303 Lawn & Golf Matthew Brown 610.933.5801 Lawn & Golf Matthew Brown 610.933.5801 Turf Equip. & Supply George Skawski 610.554.9366 Syngenta Lee A. Kozsey 610.861.8174 Les Lear 570.903.8412 Finch Services Ted Zabrenski 484.614.6436 SEED & SOD Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 FERTILIZER Coombs Sod Farms John Downer 570-840-0078 Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Finch Services Ted Zabrenski 484.614.6436 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Lawn & Golf Matthew Brown 610.933.5801 Growth Products Craig Lambert 973-601-3303 Lawn & Golf Matthew Brown 610.933.5801 Plant Food Co., Inc. Tom Weinert 914.262.0111 TOPDRESSING / SOIL AMENDMENTS Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Rich Gdovin 570.278.1131 GREEN AND TEE SUPPLIES Blue Ridge Peat Farms Gene Evans 570.443.9596 Andre & Son, Inc. John Vojick 607.768.0575 Fertl Soil John Downer 570-840-0078 Rich Gdovin 570-278-1131 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 Fisher & Son Bob Seltzer 610.704.4756 Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Genesis Turfgrass Brian Bachman 484.661.6105 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Grass Roots, Inc. Steve Chirip 973.418.3468 Lawn & Golf Matthew Brown 610.933.5801 John Deere Brent Wood 570.499.1441 Lawn & Golf Matthew Brown 610.933.5801 Support our Sponsors - They support us! PTGA SCHEDULE POCONO ROUNDUP Oct 26 PTGA Mtg@Blue Ridge Trail Updates Nov 15-17 PSU Turf Conference Please be sure to keep us updated State College with any changes you may have, such as address, telephone number, email, Dec 6-8 NJ Green Expo new job, etc. We can’t keep you in- Atlantic City formed of what is going on with the Association if we don’t have your cur- rent information. Thank you! POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION R.R. 1, BOX 219 POSTAGE HARDING, PA 18643 NAME & ADDRESS POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 309 TERRACE AVENUE HARDING, PA 18643 PHONE/FAX 570-388-2167 WEBSITE: ptga.org ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED.