Founded in Chips v puns OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 1936 TURFGRASS VOL 9, NO. 1 ASSOCIATION March 2003 A Top 100 GCSAA's annual Ifrade show Is listed 94th lin Trade Show Weeks top 1200 trade shows in the Iworld. The publication RODGER ZELLNER, GCS ranks trade shows GREEN POND COUNTRY CLUB laccord/ng to a I com bination of square Green Pond Country Club, a public facility, with a regular membership of I footage, attendance 50, is located in the Bethlehem/Easton area of PA. The course is the host of land number of exhibitors. nearly 40,000 rounds of golf per year. Established in 1929, this Alex Finley de­ Ilhe most recent GCSAA sign has tree-lined fairways, plays to a length of 6,595 yards, and par of 71. International Golf Course The tee and fairway turf-types consist of a perennial ryegrass / Poa annua ¡Conference and Show mix with the putting surfaces being primarily Poo annua. For nine days in September, the golf course plays host to a highly publi­ |drew more than 18,000 cized, annual event, known as the Lehigh Valley Amateur Championship. attendees In Atlanta. This event attracts 350 players from all over the northeast region of the Next yea r’s event will country and also attracts low-handicappers from southern states. Lee Ibe in San Diego, Kozsey of Syngenta, Geoff Brunner of Saucon Valley, and Chris Butler of the iFebruary 9th-14th, 2004. Woodstone Golf Club are three, well-known local players who also partici­ pate in this tournament. The Golf Course Superintendent and recently promoted General Man­ ager of Green Pond is Rodger Zellner. This dual position requires a consider­ able amount of time and management ability with emphasis on not only maintaining the golf course, but also in developing internal revenues from club functions such as restaurant and banquet sales. Mr. Zellner, a Two-year Rutgers Golf Turf Management graduate (Class of 1993), has been employed at Green Pond since the fall of 1998 and is complemented by Assistant Superinten­ dent Todd Krauss, who helps effectively manage twelve employees on the golf course during peak season. Rodger admittedly seeks satisfaction by ‘teaching and training the young em­ ployees of this industry’ and uses a work philosophy of ‘operating the maintenance (Continued on page 8) President’s Message ÌOCÒfò In last month’s message, I had stated that I hoped winter would end! For the time being it looks like it has. According to our calendars, I§ TURFGRASS spring begins this week. We all know that more cold weather will ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT come along with more snowfall, but at least this time it should fade RonGarrison, CGCS, Fox Hill C.C. 570-655-2383 away a lot quicker. Rgarrison@aol.com Our first meeting of the year will be held at Green Pond Country VICE PRESIDENT Club. A big thanks to Rodger Zellner for setting this meeting up. I look Eric Reed, Valley C.C. forward fo getting down there and enjoying the day. 570-788-4277 Our raffle tickets have been sent out, and we hope that all of you will Barley5@aol.com sell your tickets. These tickets will be our scholarship and research TREASURER donations. As mentioned in the letter that was sent to all members with Mark Eisele, CGCS, C. C. at W oodloch Springs 570-685-2980 the raffle tickets, each one of you will be responsible for the tickets eiselemk@ltis.net sent to you. Please return any unsold tickets to our Executive Secretary. SECRETARY Remember, if they are not returned, you will be invoiced. Thank you for Jason J. Barndt, Berwick Golf Club your cooperation with this raffle. 570-759-6480 This year's monthly meetings will be exciting in regards to our golf grassman72@hotmail.com portion of the meeting. The Golf Committee and Board of Directors DIRECTORS have put together some new goif formats which should increase Steven Chirip, Egypt Farms, Inc. membership communication and morale! 570-894-3131 We ail look forward to the new golf season. We hope that many of John Downer, ElkviewC.C. your needs as members of the Pocono Turfgrass Association will be 570-222-9247 fulfilled. Please feel free to pick up the phone and give me a call if you have any questions or comments. Joseph Henry, Hideaway Hills G.C. 610-681-6000 See you all at the meetings! jrcmhenry@earthlink.net Andrew Jubinski, Jr., Glenmaura National G.C. Ron Garrison, CGCS 570-457-8733 Duane Schell, Blue Ridge Trail G. C. 570-868-8113 djschell@epix.net Richard Sweeney, CGCS, Glen Oak C.C. 570-586-5791 r.j.sweeney@att.net CHIPS & PUHS STAFF From the Editor’s Desk ...... EDITOR Eric Reed M a n a g in g Editor I offer up to you our State of the Association Report in this issue. The Melinda Wisnosky Board has worked hard to make the PTGA more organized, Editorial C o m m itte e professional, and fiscally responsible. We have instituted what we Jason Barndt hope will be many improvements, and we have already seen many Jeff Koch Jim MacLaren areas that have become priorities for improvement next year. The result we are hoping for is the restoration of your confidence and the PTGA O ffice procurement of your approbation (word of the day). RR 1, Box 219 Last month's stellar newsletter was put together by co-editor Jason Harding, PA 19643 Phone/Fax: (570] 388-2167 Barndt, and it should have been his name at the bottom of the editor’s message. Part Two of Dr. Clarke and Mr. Murphy's report on Anthracnose and Abiotic Stress will appear as our lead article in the April Issue of Chips and Putts. Eric R eed Any opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author a n d /o r 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. W e would appreciate a credit line. P *#! THE P O C O N O TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT The Pocono Turfgrass Association Board of Directors filiate sponsors throughout the state, each chapter in has been hard at work this off-season preparing for Pennsylvania contributes toward that evening. what we hope will be an enjoyable year with an in­ creased level of professionalism and organization. The Newsletter and Membership Directory This newsletter issue will be dedicated to reporting to Our goal in producing the newsletter and member­ you, the membership, about the state of the Associa­ ship directory is to fund this service entirely through tion and the direction we intend to take during our the support of our advertisers. However, that will not tenures as members of the Board of Directors. Instead be achievable this year. One of our biggest advertis­ of beginning fhis report by discussing the 2003 ers did not renew this year. As a result, we have ap­ budget, we will begin with the individual aspects of proached some of fhe national vendors in an atfempf the Association, relating each one of them back to to fill the void in our insert advertising. Response has the budget throughout our discussion. been very good, and we are in the process of follow­ ing up with those vendors. The $8,675 anticipated in Membership advertising revenue includes our ability to sell at least The 2002 Pocono Turfgrass Association was com­ nine insert advertisements. Despite this, expenses are prised of 138 active members, 3 inactive members, 14 expected to exceed revenue by approximately $600 retired members, and 10 honorary members. The for this year. dues revenue is arrived at from the following: j6ue to our commitment to our advertisers, we will not make any changes to the newsletter or the direc­ 68 Class A and B Superintendents tory for this year. One of the biggest priorities going @ $75.00 $5,100 into this fall will be to make the necessary revisions to 22 Class C Assistant Superintendents get this category operating on a balanced budget. @ $65.00 $1,430 We will explore the possibility of utilizing the Internet 1 Class D Golf Course Employee with online members in an effort to reduce our post­ @ $65.00 $ 65 age and production costs. We will also be looking 42 Class AF Affiliate Members into other refinements to the production process. @ $95.00 $3,990 5 Class AS Associate Members @ $95.00 $ 475 Fundraising 3 Inactive Members @ $35.00 $ 105 We are interested in raising money for the research and scholarship fund because it is fhe right thing to Total: $11,165 do. An education in today's society is becoming a greater necessity every day. Right now, we can only With the exception of the $1,500 earmarked for the hope to make a small difference in someone’s life, research and scholarship fund, all membership dues but if we strive to continue developing this fund, are used to support member services. Melinda Wis- someday fhaf difference may be quite appreciable. nosky is employed as our Executive Secretary, and The eventual goal is to establish a fund that will gener­ seventy percent of her salary is paid out of member ate two scholarships annually based on the revenue services. that the principal fund generates. We would also like Other items from the budget that you may not be to see one of those scholarships be non-turf related. familiar with include GCSAA Affairs and Allied Superin­ The golf raffle ticket sale was brought back this year tendent Association of PA. GCSAA Affairs refers to because it is an effective way to raise money for the the sending of a representative to the annual GCSAA research and scholarship fund. Eighteen courses have Chapter Delegates meeting. There are 102 local donated a round of golf for four at their courses. For chapters in the United States. The Allied Superinten­ $5.00 a ticket buyer will have a one in fifty-six chance dent Association money goes toward the Pennsyl­ of winning a round of golf for himself and three vania Hospitality room at the GCSAA Conference (continued on page 7) and Trade Show. In addition to the support of our af­ Pocono Turfgrass Association r i 2003 O p e ra tin g B udget Membership Dues Revenue Membership Services: TORO. Executive Secretary Wage $4,360 Postage 700 L___________________ A Telephone 425 TURF EQUIPMENT Office Supplies 400 MATT BROWN Board Meetings 500 MOBILE: 484-357-6312 GCSAA Affairs 500 Allied Supt Assoc of PA 1,000 IRRIGATION Welfare 200 GEORGE SKAWSKI Publicity/ Membership cards 150 MOBILE: 610-554-9366 Accountant Fees 350 EMAIL: g.skawski@philyturf.com Bank Charges 80 Insurance 1,000 Allotment to Scholarship Fund 1,500 Total Member Service Expenses $11,165 Newsletter/Directory Advertising Revenue $8,675 Executive Secretary Wage $1,870 Postage (Newsletter) 1,200 Newsletter Production 4,000 Membership Directory 2,200 Total Newsletter/Dir Expenses $9,270 Tournaments and Meetings Revenue $ 20,000 Greens/ Cart Fees $6,525 Prizes 2,175 Food 9,600 Grass Roots, Inc. Guest/ Host Fees 800 grass roots Mount Freedom, NJ 07970 Education (Speaker Expenses) 900 1248 Sussex Turnpike Total Meeting Expenses $ 20,000 . . Steve Chirip c/o Mt. Ridge Business Park units a - 1&2 Technical Sales Rep. Randolph, NJ 07869 Fundraising Revenue: (973) 418-3468, Mobile (570) 839-3399, PA Office Allotment from Member Dues $1,500 (973) 361-5943, NJ Office Golf Raffle Ticket Sales 5,000 (973) 895-1388, NJ Fax Clam Bake Tee Signs 3,000 Service ♦ Technical Support ♦ Quality Products Total Fundraising Revenue $9,500 Fundraising Expenditures: Sign/ Ticket Production $ 500 R o b e r t S e lt z e r Market Sales Representative Scholarship Awards 1,000 PTC Valentine Tournament 1,000 15885 Sprague Road Research/ Scholar Fund Deposit 7,000 Strongsville, OH $9,500 44136-1799 Total Fundraising Expenditures 717.865.4771 800.321.5325 VM 6125 Capital Purchases 717.865.4771 Office/Fax sls2p8@lesco.com Executive Secretary Computer $ 1,000 Current Checking Balance $10,128 Research/ Scholarship Fund Balance $13,161 Thank you! SHEARON Shearon Golf A division of Shearon E nvironm ental D esign The Allied Golf Course Superintendents Association of PA would like to Specializing In: thank the following companies for their support for the Year 2003: Construction / M aintenance DIAMOND DONOR Finch Services Restorations / Renovations Ray Finch Arboriculture PLATINUM DONOR Design Frontier Construction Nicholas Scigliano Drainage Experts Custom Spray A pplicators GOLD DONORS A T Sales Associates, Ltd. Certified Irrigation Installers Barney Professional Turf Services Grass Roots Turf Products 337 Route 31 ■ Hopewell, NJ 08525 Simplot Partners 5160 M ilitia H ill Road ■ Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 S yngenta (John Fowler, Lee Kozsey, Greg Shaner) Contact Charlie McGill at (609) 466-0666 or (610) 828-5488 ■ www.shearongolf.com SILVER DONORS Aer-Cor, Inc. Lee Kozsey Allegheny Lawn & Golf Products Syngenta Professional Products & Stull Equipment Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. Bayer Corporation syngfenta 3710 Amherst Court Bethlehem, PA 18020-1356 Krigger & Co. Tel. 610-861-8174 Fax 610-882-9358 Mobile 215-796-0409 Lawn & Golf Supply www.syngenta.com Sarver Irrigation lee.kozsey@syngenta.com The Andersons (Barry Grote) BRONZE DONORS Bayer Crop Science (Shaun Barry) sher son Ed Beidel, ASGCA, Golf Architect ompany, ine. Blaukovitch Golf Course Design Superior Products for the Blue Ridge Peat Farms Turf and Horticultural Professional Brutt's Specialty Tires Mark Reed (610)282-2381 fax (610) 282-2392 237 East King St. Malvern PA 19355 D.M. Boyd Com pany PH. 1-800-262-2127 FAX (610) 644-7791 www.fisherandson.com Eagle Irrigation (Continued on page 6) (Continued from page 5) *TurfSates & Consuitation Farm & Golf Course Supply ANDRE & SON, INC. Fisher & Son, Inc. ▼ ▼ TURF KING PRODUCTS & George E. Ley & Eastern Irrigation CONTRACTED SERUICES BRONZE DONORS (Continued) Golf Car Supply JOHN V0JICK V0ICE/FAX 1.888.887.3770EXTN 671 _ .... CTDCCT Hodges Supply Company CELLULAR 1.607.768.0575 RESIDENCE, V0ICE/FAX 570.222.TURF f MlLL STREET MONTROSE, PA 18801 Montco/Surfside P A Blakley Confracting Philadelphia Turf Company Pocono Turf Supply Premium sod for golf co u rse s Shearon Environmental C h ip P re s e n d o fe r A T S a le s A s s o c ia te s , Ltd. 1011 Church Road Oreland, PA 19705 Thank you for your support. Tel 215-886-6011 It is greatly appreciated! Fax 215-886-1203 Pager 800-983-3430 Simplet v3 * R T~ E * * Supply, SIM PL0T TURF & HORTICULTURE S IM P LO T PARTNERS 39 Waverly Avenue, Springfield, New Jersey 07081 ^ * !!!!\. BUS 570/443-7154 Jim MacLaren FAX 570/443-7015 S ALES REPRESE NTA TIVE 8 0 0 - 772-8486 • 570 - 788-2061 Fioratimi Invested In The Wonder M O BILE 570/650-4982 PAGER 570/978-5649 jmaclaren@simplotpartners.com Bringing Earth’s Resources to Life M arc S h o tzb e rg e r T e rrito ry M a n a g e r S tu ll E q u ip m en t C om pany P ro fe s s io n a l Tu rf P ro d u cts 201 Windsor Road Pottstown, PA 19464 610/495-7441 800/724-1024 (ext. 153) Fax: 610/495-7510 Mobile: 215/880-1716 www.stullequip.com mshotzberger@stullequip.com • Layout and Design • Typesetting I t ’s e v e ry p la y e r ’:s r e s p o n s ib ility ... • Mac/IBM desktop publishing interface • Laser color separations • Scitex® electronic photo retouching ■ R epair ball m arks ■ R eplace or fill d ivots mm • Full electronic prepress services 31 Hill Street, P.0. Box 507 ■ Rake bunkers «V Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703-0507 • Foil stamping, embossing 570-822-8181 • Complete bindery including FAX: 570-823-3579 saddlestitch and perfect binding A message fro m your g o lf course superintendent a n d G C SA A ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (continued from page 3) friends. With a little assistance from the pro shop, you sociation at the PTC event. All members of the Asso­ should have no problem selling these tickets to the ciation in good standing will be eligible. As an added golfers at your course. If we can make this endeavor way of thanking those who support the Association by successful, we will be able to offer more courses and attending the monthly meetings, each member will better odds of winning, which should make selling receive three points for each meeting attended prior these tickets even easier. Please do your part and sell to the September meeting. If you attend all the meet­ your tickets. ings, you will have fifteen points before you tee off in The research and scholarship fund lost $5,172 in the September. market last year. The accountant has recommended that we leave it in place. However, the market is w a­ Finances vering in its signs of promise and we are looking into We have touched on just about the entire budget more conservative accounts as of late. with the exception of two things. First, we will be buy­ ing Melinda a new computer as a capital acquisition. Tournaments and Meetings Seqond is the discussion of the current checking ac­ The Board has put the greatest effort into planning count balance. We will not be carrying this large of a this year's golf and educational meetings in an effort balance in the future. With the changes we have to restore member confidence. We hope to offer an made to the Association for this year, we will wait until educational forum at all meetings. We are also plan­ the end of the year to make any changes to the ning on running the meetings on a breakeven plan. checking account. If the support for the insert adver­ The meeting notices will be revised in order to show tising comes through, we will probably still have a you a breakdown of the meeting costs so you can $600 deficit with respect to producing the newsletter see exactly what you are paying for. and directory. Without the insert sales, that deficit will The Board of Directors comprises this year’s Golf be over $2,000. In addition, the capital acquisition will Committee. We hope to have a good variety of for­ be coming out of the checking account. mats as well as a good mix of lunch and dinner meet­ ings. We will also be utilizing the blind draw as much While we hope that the subtle changes we have as possible to entice more individuals to attend the made will have a positive effect on this Association, meetings. we also realize that next year will require further fine The Pocono Turfgrass Association will be sending a tuning to get the Pocono Turfgrass Association to team to the Joseph Valentine Tournament in Octo­ where it should be. ber. The September meeting will utilize a Stableford scoring format to determine who will represent the As­ Office & Home Phone Top Dressing White Haven 570-443-9596 Bunker Sand Fax 570-443-9590 Infield Mix Natural Organic Products Blue Ridge Peat Farms, Inc. Joel Simmons White Haven, PA 18661-9674 P.O. Box 278K www.soilfirst.com 6574 S. Delaware Drive Fax: 610-250-7840 Martins Creek, PA 18063 Phone: 610-250-9560 Potting Soil Gene Evans, Owner Soil Mixes Professional Engineer 800-732-TURF LEASING » SALES Bayer CropScience SERVICE Club C a r l John W. Wiblishauser Field Sales Representative Bayer CropScience CHUCK DeANGELO 318 E. Glenside Avenue Glendside, PA 19038 ---------------- SALES------------------ GOLF CARS, INC. Phone: 215 887-8936 Voicemail: 888 242-4200 x3225 570-457-7420 OFFICE MAIN OFFICE 215-340-0880 Fax: 215 887-0971 570-499-2216 CELL MAIN FAX 215-340-1634 john.wiblishauser@bayercropscience.com 570-457-3279 FAX 4180 SKYRON DRIVE DeAngelo46@aol.com BUCKINGHAM, PA 18912-0247 ______*. P*# 9 POCONO ROUNDUP (Continued from page 1) NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE POCONO end as a coach.’ His previous work history includes TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION an Assistant Superintendent position at the Panther Valley Country Club in New Jersey, from 1994 to 1998, with Patrick Campbell, CGCS. His career had begun at the Blue Ridge Country Club, under the In S ym pathy J k supervision of legendary Golf Course Superinten­ dent, Paul Weiss, in the spring of 1989. Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Rodger, a Palmerton/Lehighton native, is married Frank I. Shuman who passed away on March 5, 2003. to wife, Michelle. His hobbies include all outdoor Frank had been a member with the PTGA for many activities, playing golf, fishing, saltwater fishing, and years and was past President of the Philadelphia Turf the adventures of hunting. Hunting is, without a Company. Fie was also a member of the GCSAA and doubt, his greatest pastime activity. the O.J. Noer Turf Grass Foundation. Contributions may be made in Frank's memory to the Greater Philadelphia Scholastic Golf Assoc., P. O. Box 17675, Philadelphia, PA 19135. Rem inder Just one more reminder about getting your dues in before April 1,2003. Time is running out! POCONO TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION c/o MELINDA WISNOSKY POSTAGE R.R. 1, BOX 219 HARDING, PA 18643 TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION NAME & ADDRESS ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED.