chips %puns O F F IC IA L P U B L IC A T IO N O F T H E Founded in POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION TURFGRASS 1936 ASSOCIATION VOLUME: 7, NUMBER: 6 AUG UST/SEPTEM BER 2001 The Challenge Of Poor Irrigation Water By: Frank S. Rossi, Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Science Cornell University The recurrent droughts experienced through Wastewater the US each year have given the turf industry pause. Watershed commissions that cross state With population growth and the demand for lines, water management districts that potable water expected to increase, the turfgrass determine water needs, and municipal water industry can no longer take a passive approach suppliers continue to question the use of potable to water use issues. The Western US receives only water for recreational (read nonessential) use. one third of the nation’s rainfall, yet uses 80-85 The Northeast Climate Center reported that percent of the nation’s fresh water. the month of April in the Northeast United States A 1999 survey conducted by the National Golf was the driest in recorded history. The Southeast Foundation reported that 34% of golf courses in United States is in the throes of the most the Southwest US use effluent Water (recycled, significant drought in the last 100 years. The non-potable, wastewater, reclaimed). Nationally Florida golf turf industry may soon be facing about 13% of all courses use effluent. Where phased-in restrictions that will allow watering of irrigation water costs can range from $100,000 to fairways once per week, and greens and tees $1,000,000, effluent is a viable option. Still, should twice per week. every course use effluent? Is all effluent created The energy debate that is currently raging - equal? Does effluent create other challenges? across the United States— and focused in Effluent wastewater can be delivered California— pales in comparison to the volatility following primary secondary or tertiary treatment and politics of water. Water rights stir deep at a wastewater treatment facility. Primary emotions in the Western states,” says Bill Bradley, treatment mechanically removes the majority of former Senator from New Jersey and member of the solid waste with screens, grinders and settling the Senate Energy and Natural Resource tanks. While primary treatment involves Committee, in his 1996 memoir Time Present mechanical removal of solids, secondary Time Past (Knopf Publishing, NY). “Disputes over treatment engages biological processes to water In Western history have affected remove the majority of the remaining solids. sovereignty and influenced borders,” Bradley Secondary treatment may also involve chlori­ alludes, “where many say whiskey is for drinking, nating prior to discharge. Water for turf and water is for fighting.” landscape uses must have at least experienced With less than 1% of the world’s water secondary treatment. available for human consumption and 80% of Several processes may follow secondary the fresh water consumed for agriculture, con­ (Continued on page 3) cern is growing over water used for maintaining greenspace, such as golf courses. Jim Watson, Ph.D., in the opening chapter of the 1994 text t ix Wastewater Reuse for Golf Course Inigation (Lewis Publishers, Ml), proposes six areas the will ♦ Pecking Order? Participation! increase water availability. Along with conservation and development of plants that ♦ Make a Powerful Presentation use less water, Watson suggests that the use of wastewater and desalinization of seawater offer ♦ August & September Superintendent two important options. As salt-water intrusion Profiles into Long Island wells increases, desalinization may soon be required. President's Message O fficers & Directors 2001 Pecking Order? Participation! TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION While reading this, please keep in mind, these are my opinions. I am PRESIDENT Gene Huelster, Pocono Farms C.C, trying to keep the best interest of the Pocono Turfgrass Association 570-894-8055 while I am President. turfman@ezaccess.net VICE PRESIDENT Let me start by issuing an apology to all PTGA members, who may be Darrin M. Batisky, Glen Oak C.C. members of one or more of our neighboring associations, because I 570-586-5791 dmbatisky@hotmail.com take full responsibility for the overlapping of meeting dates. I can guarantee next year a more conscious effort will be placed on Joint SECRETARY/TREASURER Mark Eisele, CGCS, C. C. at Woodloch Springs meetings, and when possible, meetings scheduled when others are 570-685-2980 not. I’ve noticed one thing that sticks on me like a thorn in my side. eiselemk@ltis.net When meetings overlap with another association we see the same DIRECTORS commercial faces. Which I'm glad to see, but where are some of the Jason J. Barndt, Berwick Golf Club others? I would guess at the other meeting. Which is okay, but like this 570-759-6480 grassman72@hotmail.com year we had 3 meetings overlap. Why not attend one of ours and two of the others? I do not want to hear, “because I make more money Steven Chirip, Egypt Farms, Inc. 570-894-3131 down in Philly.” It offends me! If my budget isn’t big enough for you to be concerned about this Association, I'll give my patronage to the John Downer, Elkview C.C. 570-222-9247 commercial guys who do enough. Eric Reed, Valley C.C. Okay, I’m stepping off my soapbox, but one last thing. I've noticed 570-788-4277 barley5@aol.com superintendent participation for meetings is down. I think the meetings have been really great. The format is different. The service at the clubs Duane Schell, Blue Ridge Trail GC 570-868-8113 has been good. And the courses have been in great condition. If you DJSchell@epix.net have some suggestions, please contact me or any other board member and we will be happy to discuss them with you. P.ast President Ron Garrison, CGCS, Fox Hill C.C. 570-655-2383 Have fun blowing leaves! rgarrison@golfsat.net Gene Huelster CHIPS & puns STAFF EDITOR Darrin M. Batisky From the Editor’s . Managing Editor Melinda Wisnosky Editorial Committee Ron Garrison, CGCS Jeff Koch It’s been a hectic late summer/early fall. And Chips & Putts is getting Jim MacLaren Eric Reed out a little late (again!). Oh well, I hope you enjoy the content. The lead article is a good background for all of us about irrigation water PTGA Office and the Powerful Presentation (on page 5) article gives us all good tips RR 1, Box 219 for those budget, interview and miscellaneous presentations much of Harding, PA 19 6 4 3 Phone/Fax: (570) 3 8 8 -2 1 6 7 us give during the off season. GOOD LUCK! See you at the meetings, Darrin Batisky 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. P* s (Continued from page 1) Seed, Fertilizer & Soil Erosion treatment, including using chemicals to flocculate remaining solids followed Control Material for Golf, Athletic, Landscape, by more sediment removal, and various methods of filtration. A reverse Construction and Maintenance osmosis process or chlorinating that can occur prior to release produces highly purified water. In the end, the water will likely contain a variety of DENNIS L. WAGNER T e rrito ry S ales R e p re s e n ta tiv e nutrients (from the waste) metals (from the flocculation) and salts (from the Seedway purification) that will require careful management to minimize their impact 980 Loucks Mill Rd. on turf quality. York,PA 17402 HOME: York Ph: (800) 836-3720 Phone: (610) 921-8779 Interestingly, golf courses often involved with real estate development York Fax: (717) 848-2261 Fax: (610) 921-8779 Emmaus Ph: (800) 225-4131 email: greenthum2@aol.com are constructing their own wastewater or desalinization treatment facilities. Several Audubon International Signature Properties are leading the way with small facilities that utilize ultra filtration and biological reactors to treat wastewater before reusing it back on the course. Jupiter Island Country Club ICentury Rain AidI in Florida recently installed its own reverse osmosis facility to desalinize salty Featuring ground water. Estimates are that the $500,000 price tag can be recovered in a few years based on the increasing cost and restrictions placed on irrigation water is south Florida. Hunter G O L F Rotors • Valves • Central Control Systems Be Aware 800-347-4272 Dan Quast, the former golf course superintendent at Medinah Country AER-CORE, Inc. Club outside Chicago, IL, discussed his preparation and challenges from the 1999 PGA Championship at the New England Turfgrass Conference. The summer of 1999 will be remembered for its drought; Dan will remember it because of his high salt content irrigation water. Dan indicated that salt levels increased 5 to 10 fold during the summer months. He then asked how many superintendents regularly monitor their irrigation a-water quality. Less CONTRACT SERVICES USING: than 10 hands were raised in a room of 500 attendees! • Southern Green Soil Reliever Golf course superintendents who manage with effluent water cannot • TORO Fairway Aerator afford such ignorance. Effluent water quality can be variable and will • BLEC Ground Prep & Seeder always have a variety of “contaminants” that will require specific • Dakota Peat Topdresser management practices. Professors Bob Carrow and Ronny Duncan from the University of Georgia authored Salt Affected Turfgrass Sites (Lewis Publishing, Ml) in an effort to EQUIPMENT SALES FEATURING bring together the best thinking on managing turfgrass with poor quality • Southern Green Soil Reliever water. The title of the Carrow and Duncan book clearly identifies the major • BLEC Blecavator & Cultipack Seeder challenge with effluent irrigation water— high salt content— but it is not the • Greensgroomer Topdressing Brush only issue. • Dakota Peat Topdressers The March/April issue of the USGA Green Section Record included an article by Mike Huck, a USGA agronomist in the Southwest Region with ELEVEN YEARS IN THE Carrow and Duncan, on effluent water. The article outlines the major AERIFICATION BUSINESS agronomic and environmental issues and suggests that the first step to using effluent water is to establish a regular monitoring program. In fact, even if your effluent provider offers periodic lab results on the water, Huck et al • PROVEN TRACK RECORD indicate that this will often not be sufficient for assessing irrigation water • COMPETITIVE PRICES quality. A reputable agricultural soil and water lab is preferred. • THOROUGHLY TRAINED OPERATORS Salty Turf In a presentation at the 2001 USGA Florida Regional Conference, Bob For Service or Demo Please Call: Carrow stated that “the three most important aspects of managing high salt 610-327-3390 content irrigation water are leaching, leaching, leaching.” This is not simply a matter of copious amounts of water that keep salts moving downward; the Bob Eichert Bill Rahling superintendent must know the type of salt that must be leached, rainfall amounts, turf species tolerance range, and time of year. Sodium salt can have a direct influence on plant growth in a manner similar to how dog urine burns leaf tissue (although dog urine is a different (Continued on page 4) (Continued from page 3) quality water and realize that a biological system cannot just shift to poor quality irrigation water use without a salt). However, while the direct burn from high salt content noticeable reduction in quality. Specifically, cool season irrigation water is rare, high sodium content soils often grasses are significantly less tolerant of high salt content produce plants that have restricted rooting and develop and will decline rapidly, especially in warm summer drought stress symptoms. Depending on the water source months. and rainfall pattern, the long-term -effects of sodium on soils Regulatory as well as ‘hidden’ costs can consume any is well documented. As sodium content increases in the soil, savings realized from utilizing less expensive wastewater. the vital process of aggregation is disrupted. Significant costs can be incurred for contamination Sodium molecules absorb large amounts of water and protection devices and employee training as well as to swell. The swelling prohibits finer silt and clay particles from meet specifications for wastewater storage. Other man­ making larger aggregates that offer a variety of pore agement costs could include water amendments that will spaces for water and nutrients. In other words, as described need to be injected into the irrigation system as well as by Nick Christians in his 1998 book, Fundamentals of the deterioration of equipment regularly exposed to high Turfgrass Management (Ann Arbor Press, Ml), soils with high salt content water. There can be revenue impacts such sodium content have the appearance and behavior of fine as having to close a course during the day to irrigate talcum powder. This slows the infiltration of water and overseeded turf. renders the soil unsuitable for plant growth. As suggested above, moving the sodium downward via A 2003 Anniversary leaching is the key. However, the leaching water should include a soluble calcium (Ca) source. The Ca literally The 1993 Golf Course Wastewater Symposium was an pushes the sodium off the soil particles and leaves it important contributor to raising awareness nationally on vulnerable to leaching. Of course, the Ca content takes on what was up until then viewed as a regional concern. more importance if the leaching water is already high in Twenty two states had golf courses using wastewater sodium. irrigation, with over 70% of them coming from the South­ west and Florida. What will those numbers look like in 2003, Salt Management the 10 year anniversary of the Symposium? How about general poor water quality experienced by people such There are a variety of other water quality issues that are as Dan Quast in IL? addressed in the USGA Wastewater text, the new Duncan Most superintendents, especially in areas with and Carrow text, and several articles in the Green Section adequate rainfall, take their high quality irrigation water Record in 2000-2001. These issues include heavy metal for granted. If the population continues to grow, the toxicity, other nutrients, total suspended solids, and low pH. leadership effort by the turf industry in using effluent could All of these factors will require specific management be viewed as facilitating “smart growth.’ In other words, practices in an effort to minimize the impact on turf quality. communities will need golf courses as outlets for society’s The first step, as previously stated, is a regular water waste, whether it is water or compost. quality monitoring program. The next aspect of leaching is critical for long term turf performance. Additionally, core - Adapted for Cornell University Turfgrass Times; Volume aeration creates channels for water to infiltrate when leach­ 12, Number Two (Summer 2001) ing. Also, less destructive techniques such as high pressure water injection, slicing, spiking, etc. can be implemented. Finally, one must recognize the species tolerance of poor PlantStar Fertigation.. .Solutions to Grow On! Aventis Shaun M. Barry Sales R epresentative CHIPCO Professional Products Looking For The Answer To Spoon-Feeding Your Golf Course? y ' n fS < V Aventis Environmental Science PlantStar Fertigation Has The S olu tion ...^ A 1133 Rt. #27 Somerset, NJ 08873 With over 15 years experience, we know we can help. Give us a call for Tel. (732) 846-8173 Fax (732) 846-8113 more details on how fertigation can change the way you grow your turf! email :Shaun. Barry@aventis.com To learn more about PlantStar and our services, call us at: 8 0 0 * 2 7 7 • STA R www.plantstar.com Tips on How to Make a Powerful Presentation “You must know your audience. If you’re not already an insider, find out everything there is to know about the group and tailor your remarks accordingly. If that’s not worth doing, the speech isn ’t worth giving.’’ — Ed Wohlmuth 1. Define your listeners - who are they? What do they hope to gain from your presentation? 2. Define precise limits of your topic. Is it a sales presentation? Is the purpose to explain, enthuse, or report on a project’s progression? 3. Have a clear sense of purpose in speaking. Use the six (6) journalist’s questions to assist you in framing your presenta­ tion: What?, Why?, When?, How?, Where?, and Who? 4. Structure your communications with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Bring in the main points early. Allow time for questions. When you’re presenting, get on the schedule early. 5. Rehearse your delivery to the point where you appear natural and relaxed. Know your subject matter thoroughly and over-prepare! If you’re scheduled to speak for 30 minutes, prepare at least an hour’s worth of material. 6. Start your presentation by indicating that you have brought interesting things of special relevance to your listeners; then deliver them! Never begin or end with an apology. 7. Converse naturally with your listeners rather than reading from your notes or “lecturing” to them. Your role is that of a teacher - to bring interesting and useful information to them. Be well-supplied and enthusiastic. Establish eye contact with as many listeners as possible and don’t hide behind the lectern! 8. For emphasis, or self-protection when you are not sure what to say, use the "two-second” pause. Two seconds are long enough to be noticed and short enough so you appear in control and thoughtful rather than unsure. Speaking without pauses makes you appear rushed and doesn’t let your ideas sink into your listeners’ minds. Pauses of longer than two seconds can be distracting and make you seem unsure of yourself. 9. Demonstrate and quantify the extent of your research, but use statistics very sparingly and carefully. Statistics are more interesting if you reveal them one at a time in a sequential buildup. Visually, they are more understandable if you translate them into bar, line, or pie charts. 10. Focus the conversation on how your analysis, knowledge, and product line and services will benefit others. Use evocative visual and verbal examples so that your listeners will understand and envision your points. 11. Anticipate and address objections before they are raised. Be prepared for and anticipate what others are really ask­ ing. Welcome questions and know how to answer even the most dreaded ones well. When responding to questions, be specific; give the same enthusiasm to tough ones that you would to easy ones. Use the name of the person asking the question when you respond. Remain silent once you have responded. 12. Respond to questions from the other person’s perspective: Examples: "Your need for a detailed breakdown of equipment costs is important to us, and here is how we propose to address it _____________ .” or “It appears that you are inquiring about...” 13. Graciously accept praise, compliments, and kudos from others! Welcome feedback. — Adapted from: Lisa Micunek’s, Enhancing the Image of the Golf Course Superintendent and Golf Industry Profes­ sionals Part I. (The author is a GCSAA seminar instructor and the president of Accent on Success, a firm specializing in etiquette & protocol.) August Meeting Superintendent Profile: Gene Huelster, Golf Course Superintendent Pocono Farms Country Club The host course for the Pocono Turfgrass Association August meeting is the Pocono Farms Country Club. The course is lo­ cated in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania with nine holes initially being established in 1970 and the second nine a few years later. The architect of the course is Mr. Art Wall, a former Masters champion. This layout covers over 60 acres and is bordered by a community development, which totals 55 square miles. To tour the entire course takes some time, with the total mileage of a round-trip being 7.5 miles. The layout is exceptional and is enjoyed by 330 golfing members of the club. The greens and tees are the average cool-season turf types of a bentgrass & Poo annua mix, with fairways and roughs being a blend of ryegrass and bluegrass. The fairways will be undergoing a conversion to all bentgrass with a five-year plan, in hopes of producing an 80-90% stand of bentgrass. Mr. Gene Huelster is the superintendent of Pocono Farms and is also the current president of the Pocono Turfgrass Associa­ tion. Gene is a 1993 graduate of the Two-year Technical Program at Rutgers University and has worked at the course for 10 years. He has been the superintendent for 6 years and is currently working towards his certification. With his length of history at Pocono Farms, Gene maintains a close relationship with his membership and staff by having a solid work philosophy. This simple but reliable philosophy of "working hard with good things to follow" is the core of his success. By allowing his employees to make their own quality decisions - promotes crew morale amongst his 3 full-time, and 12 seasonal/part-time employees. When Gene is busy with staff meetings, his more then capable assistant of 3 years, Adam Herman, an Allentown native, man­ ages the course. And when Gene isn't fulfilling his professional duties, he enjoys scuba-diving, playing golf, working out, and riding his motorcycle. - by: Jeff Koch irl Thomas C. Weinert, jr. Nothing Runs Like A Deere The Liquid Fertilizer Experts JO H N M. BO DO CK 38 Highstown-Cranbury Station Road i r Cranbury, New Jersey 0 8 5 12 Lawn and Golf Supply Co., Inc. TOM BRAGO DALE ANDREW (609) 448-0935 ♦ (800) 562-1291 Fax: (609) 443-8038 Specialists In Equipment A nd S upplies For Maintenance Of T urf E-M ail: pfc@plantfoodco.com PLANT www.plantfoodco.com FINCH TURF EQUIPMENT, INC. 419 Industrial Drive North Wales, PA 19454 (215) 661-0390 (800) 875-TURF FAX: (215) 661 -9161 FOOD COMPANY INC. Direct Numbers: Cell Phone: (914) 262-0111 Phone: (570) 839-2636 #Fax: (570) 839-4002 PHONE: (610) 9335801 (800) 362-5650 647 NUTT RD. P.O. BOX 447 FAX: (610) 933-8890 PHOENIXVILLE, P a 19460 Web Site: www.finchlnc.com PARTS: (800) 78-DEERE E-M ail: tweinertir@juno.com Bayer (“B VERTI-DRAIN & 5 7 0-602-3054 Prem ium sod fo r golf c o urse s R0TADAIR0N 800-554-4863 DEALERS & CONTRACTORS FAX 5 7 0 6 0 2 -3 0 5 3 Chip Presendofer A T Sales Associates, Ltd. 1011 C hurch R oad E & M Golf S upply C o . A griculture D ivisio n O reland, PA 19 7 0 5 A DIVISION OF H.V. INC. John W. Wiblishauser Garden & Professional Care 950 SATHERS DRIVE, PITTST0N TOWNSHIP, PA 18 6 4 0 Field Sales Representative Bayer Corporation SPECIALIST IN DEEP TINE AERATION 318 E. Glenside Avenue Tel 2 1 5 -8 8 6 -6 0 1 1 Glendside, PA 19308 Fax 2 1 5 -8 8 6 -1 2 0 3 Phone: 215-887-8936 P ag er 8 0 0 -9 8 3 -3 4 3 0 STEPHEN MICHAEL Fax: 215-887-0971 Voicemail: 888 242-4200, ext. 3605 It’s every player’s responsibility... • Layout and Design • Typesetting • Mac/IBM desktop publishing interface • Laser color separations ■ Repair ball marks • Scitex® electronic photo retouching ■ Replace or fill divots 31 Hill Street, P.O. Box 507 • Full electronic prepress services Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703-0507 • Foil stamping, embossing ■ Rake bunkers 570-822-8181 A message from your golf course superintendent and GCSAA • Complete bindery including FAX: 570-823-3579 saddlestitch and perfect binding Winners of the July Meeting: Stonehedge GC (Partner Scramble) Natural Organic Products 1st _ Score: 67 Darrin Larkin/Bill Webster Joel Simmons P.O. Box 278K www.soilfirst.com 2nd- Score: 69 6574 S. Delaware Drive Fax: 610-250-7840 Martins Creek, PA 18063 Phone: 610-250-9560 Duane Schell/Chris Schuster 800-732-TURF 3rd - Score: 72 Tom Wilchak/Lee Kozsey John Fowler Closest to the Pin Syngenta Professional Products _______ __ i 0* . Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. Darrin Larkin syngentci 325M mpondLane * Oxford, PA 19363 Tel. 610-998-2896 Longest Drive Fax 610-998-2987 www.syngenta.com Bill Webster john. fowler @syngenta.com Winners of the August Meeting: Pocono Farms CC (Scramble) 1st-Score: 59 Huelster/Basile/Esposito/Whelan TORO» 2nd- Score: 60 TURF EQUIPMENT Schell/Zimich/Hopeck/Cussat MATT BROWN TELEPHONE: 215-340-5401 3rd - Score: 60 PAGER: 888-896-5094 Penny /Stranzel/Batz/Vail IRRIGATION 4th _ Score: 62 GEORGE SKAWSKI TELEPHONE: 215-340-5450 Eisele/Hugaboom/Appel/Zaleski PAGER: 888-376-2074 EMAIL: g.skawski@philyturf.com 5 th _ Score: 62 Garrison/Greico/Chassard/Kressler Closest to the Pin #3 - Scott Seidel #11 - Ian Larsen Longest Drive # 6 - Jeff Hopeck # 1 3 - Jeff Wambold POCONO ROUNDUP NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE POCONO years. He has been certified for 12 years and was TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION previously the superintendent of the Dupont Country Club in Delaware, where he had hosted an LPGA Championship tournament. Mr. Snyder is assisted by September Meeting Superintendent Profile Ian Larson, assistant superintendent, and has a peak crew of 16 during the growing season. The work Keith Snyder, CGCS philosophy Keith instills in his employees promotes Great Bear Golf & Country Club ideas that "quality counts, and not quantity." In the heart of the Pocono region of Pennsylvania lays When away from the golf course, Keith is a the Great Bear Golf & Country Club. Located in dedicated husband and father. He and his wife, Shawnee on the Delaware, Pennsylvania, this Jack Judy, have raised two daughters, Jennifer and Nicklaus signature design offers one of the foremost Jessica. Jennifer is currently enrolled at the challenges to any golfer. The course hosts over 19,000 Northampton Community College and is in her junior rounds per year and boasts a length over 7,000 yards year while Jessica is a freshman at Kutztown from the championship tees. This par 71 course is spread University. Keith's other interests include spending out over 130 acres, has 52 bunkers, and has Southshore time in the outdoors, fishing and hunting. bentgrass tees, greens, and fairways. - by: Jeff Koch The course opened in 1997 and the superintendent has been Mr. Keith Snyder, CGCS Keith is a graduate of the two-year technical program at the Pennsylvania State University and has been in the golf course industry for 21