Volume 47, No 1 December 2012 / January 2013 distinguished member of the year ~ John Garcia This Year’s Distinguished Member of the year got started in the golf industry at age 15, and it has remained in his blood ever since. His family refers to him as a true “turf nerd” who loves to help anyone he can, always trying to expand his knowledge and pass it along to anyone who will listen. His wife also mentions that throughout his career, he has always stayed true to himself. Believing that if you don’t like or agree with something, don’t just complain, do something about it! And that virtue has proudly been passed on to his children and others around him. Distinguished Member Of The Year John Garcia This individual cares greatly for our association, and has worked hard to further his profession, putting his heart and soul into his work and the golf industry. Tackling each task with passion, energy and professionalism, this member has been involved in: • The First Tee program • Government relations • Testifying in Hartford, meeting with lobbyist and legislators • Countless hours assisting with the CT (CAGCS) Board of Directors • Serving as a Board Member & President • Developing a new vendor sponsorship program The person who nominated this member commented that, it was inspiring to see how well he has transitioned through a significant career change…Moving from “gee, what do I do now”, to “ok, what’s next” with admirable grace. They also pointed out that although this individual could now easily sit back and enjoy his time as Past President, instead he has chosen to take on “new “ projects and continues to be a tremendous resource to any Board member in need….Always a willing volunteer because he truly cares and enjoys investing his time to improve the association. Despite the fact that his wife’s only wish is that his turf expertise could carry over to their own lawn… This member is a great representative for our association, our industry and his family. It is an honor to present this year’s Distinguished Member award to John Garcia. In This Issue... President’s Message.......................2 2012 Annual Meeting......................3 2012 MET Area Team Champs.....4-5 Grasscatcher.................................6-7 Meet Shawn Daigle......................8-9 Growing Tee-Up New England...10 Tom DeGrandi..............................11 CAGCS Winter Seminar 2013......13 GCSAA “Who are they?”..............14 Scholarship & Research Update...14 Calendar Of Events......................15 October Meeting Results..............16 Class C Tournament Results........17 GCSAA Northeast Field Staff......18 Old Timers Get Together..............19 December 2012 / January 2013 Connecticut Clippings Page 2 December 2012 / January 2013 2012 CAGCS Annual Meeting Summation another challenging golf season, we always look forward to our Annual Christmas Party that will be held on December 6th at J. Timothy’s Tavern in Plainville. Mark Mansur 2012...A Year to Remember... and Never Forget Just when you think we couldn’t top the weather in 2011, the golf season of 2012 provided us with a challenging array of weather that all of us would soon like to forget. Prepping our courses for the winter creates a busy enough schedule, but cleaning up trees, and in some cases, removing un-wanted salt water after a hurricane (Sandy), are some other reasons why we are true professionals who rise to meet these challenges year in and year out. The CAGCS event calendar started for us in January with the Winter Seminar being held at the Mystic Marriott for the first time, and included a terrific lineup of speakers and a great number of attendees. We will look forward to continuing another fantastic education program when the 2013 Winter Seminar returns to the Mystic Marriott on January 15th. Our social calendar for 2012 continued on August 26th, when members and their families celebrated our Annual Family Day at Lake Compounce. And after Our golf meeting calendar kicked off in April with a traditional return to Norwich Golf Course, where host Superintendent Bruce Morse treated a great number of attendees to a beautiful day. In May, we visited host, Mike Decker at Clinton Country Club for our Annual Scholarship and Research Tournament, and although the weather wasn’t ideal, the golf course was in fantastic shape. The first round of the CAGCS championship took place in June at Wethersfield Country Club, where host Superintendent, Alan Woodward, provided a fantastic venue. In July, Wintonbury Hills Golf Course, and your President, Mark Mansur, provided the site for the Annual Benevolent Fundraiser and the second round of the CAGCS Championship. In August, we were treated to The Golf Course at Yale, where our host Superintendent and Board member, Scott Ramsay, provided the site for our Member-Guest Tournament. Our last golf meeting, was held in October at Redding Country Club, where Superintendent Brett Chapin hosted the Superintendent/Assistant tournament. I would like to thank all of these Superintendents for hosting our Association and providing terrific venues for all of us to enjoy. Throughout 2012, CAGCS Board of Directors held meetings in which we discussed and deliberated over many issues that concerned the Association and its membership. We are pleased to announce that we do continue to sit on solid financial footing, and have presented a budget without a dues increase for the fifth straight year. Once again our Association member’s commitment and dedication to the legislative process helped golf courses become exempt from yet another bill aimed at eliminating fertilizers and plant protectants that our industry professionals rely on for maintaining healthy turf. Golf Courses will be exempt from a phosphorous ban in the Phosphate Bill titled SB 254. We would like to thank all that participated in the legislative process by calling, emailing, and sending letters to our Legislators. As well, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Scott Ramsay, John Garcia, and our lobbyist Michael Dugan, who all played a part in navigating us through this exemption status. I would also like to thank the Board of Directors for all the work and leadership that each one provides in maintaining Connecticut as the Association that all others want to emulate. As well, a very special thank you to all our commercial members for volunteering their time, sharing their energy, and providing financial support that helps keep our meetings affordable and enjoyable. As it has been said for over ten years now, I would like to especially thank our Executive Secretary, Mary Jo Kennedy for all of her hard work, patience and fortitude in keeping the Board of Directors organized as well as providing our membership the valuable information that allows everyone to become “devoted to sharing knowledge and experience for better turf”. Finally, as we reflect on our own professions and lives that provide us with certain challenges, please do not forget those in Sandy Hook, Connecticut that suffered immeasurable loss. Let us find ways to help that community and others in 2013. “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” - Aesop On Thursday, November 15, 2012, the CAGCS hosted its annual meeting at the Hawthorne Inn. Due to Super Storm Sandy, the event was moved from its November 1st scheduled date, which was to be held at The Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club. Hopefully all of the courses affected by this tremendous storm are well on their way to recovery. Even though the nine hole scramble was wiped out, almost fifty people still made it to the Hawthorne for the meeting. During the course of the meeting, it was noted that there will be no dues increase for the 5th consecutive year. CAGCS’ new partner sponsorship package was introduced and discussed. Government relations successes were highlighted, including Golf Day in Hartford and legislative work done in regards to the proposed phosphorous ban and statewide preemption on pesticide applications. The 2013 Winter Seminar was discussed, and all the previous year’s events were highlighted. Connecticut Clippings Under new business, the following officer elections occurred: Mark B. Mansur – President Donald Beck – Vice President Paul Bonini, CGCS – Treasurer Eric S. Morrison, CGCS – Secretary Elected to serve two-year terms as Directors: Scott Ramsay, CGCS Peter Gorman Marc Weston, CGCS Melissa Gulgiotti was elected to serve as the Commercial Representative to the Board for 2013. In conclusion, the Board would like to thank all of the sponsors of our various events in 2012, and individuals who assisted with registration, etc. throughout the year. It is duly noted that all of the board members thank Mary Jo Kennedy for all of her hard work, passion, and dedication to the association. She keeps all of us in line and we all sincerely appreciate what she does for us and CAGCS. Eric Morrison, CGCS Secretary Page 3 CAGCS Board of Directors President – Mark B. Mansur Vice President – Donald Beck Secretary – Eric Morrison, CGCS Treasurer – Paul Bonini, CGCS Past President – John Garcia Committee Chairpersons Education – Marc Weston, CGCS Golf – Jason Booth, CGCS Membership – Bryan Barrington Scholarship & Research – Peter Gorman Social & Welfare – Stephen Curry Government Relations – Scott Ramsay, CGCS Commercial Rep to Board – Melissa Gugliotti Class C Rep to the Board Ben Goossen All the best, Mark Connecticut Clippings is an official publication of the Connecticut Association of Golf Course Superintendents Newsletter Editor Heather Garvin Newsletter Committee David Basconi, Bob Chalifour, CGCS (ret.) Steve Curry, John Garcia, Ron Holcomb, Doug Zitnay The Clippings is open to all commentary. Please send your comments to: Heather Garvin, Newsletter Editor CantonGolf@aol.com or CAGCS P.O. Box 3678 Woodbridge, CT 06525 203/387-0810 2012 CAGCS Board of Directors: Top Row - Scott Ramsay, CGCS, Governmental Relations, Donald Beck, Vice President, Eric Morrison, CGCS, Secretary, Stephen Curry, Social & Welfare, Peter Gorman, Scholarship & Research, John Garcia, Past President, Jason Booth, CGCS, Golf Bottom Row – Heather Garvin, CT Clippings Editor, Melissa Gugliotti, Commercial Rep., Marc Weston, CGCS, Education, Mark Mansur, President, Paul Bonini, CGCS, Treasurer, Bryan Barrington, Membership December 2012 / January 2013 Connecticut Clippings Page 4 December 2012 / January 2013 Connecticut Clippings Page 5 2012 MET Area Team Championships The Stanwich Club Par 72 | October 18, 2012 Team Scores John Garcia & Brian Pope Eric Morrison, CGCS & Chris Mauro 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th Par 288 Hudson Valley GCSA MET GCSA Philadelphia AGCA Central New York GCSA Long Island GCSA Northeastern GCSA Connecticut AGCS Pocono Turfgrass Association GCSA of New Jersey Central Penn GCSA Mid Atlantic AGCS Rhode Island GCSA GCMA of Cape Cod Score 300 304 305 308 313 315 317 318 320 321 324 326 335 Skill Events Closest to the pin hole #4, sponsored by Syngenta Drew Cummins 1’-10” – Rhode Island GCSA Closest to the pin hole #8, sponsored by BASF Vinnie Barnaba 7’-0” – Long Island GCSA Closest to the pin hole #13, sponsored by Aquatrols Kevin Doyle 0’-0” – GCSAA Closest to the pin hole #16, sponsored by Toro Ian Kunesch 2’-7” – GCSA of New Jersey Walter Wozniak & Todd Olovson Individual Gross Chet Walsh – Philadelphia GCSA Long Drive Net Division sponsored by Bayer Mike Warner – Central NY GCSA Gross Division sponsored by Agrium Adv. Tech. Chet Walsh – Philadelphia AGCS Sponsors Division, sponsored by Care of Trees Tom Ashfield – Quaker Ridge CC Sponsorship Team Winner Scott Tretera and Bobby Demarco Score of 71 Two Man Team High Score Gross: Jerry Noons and Mike Whitehead – RI GCSA Score of 91 Net: Steve Thys and Joe Goulart - Cape Cod GCSA Score of 84 Score of 76 Basagran® T/O Herbicide, Drive® XLR8 Herbicide, FreeHand® 1.75G Herbicide Curalan® EG Fungicide, Emerald ® Fungicide, Honor™ Fungicide Onetime® Herbicide, Pendulum® AquaCap™ Herbicide, Pendulum® 2G Herbicide Insignia® Fungicide, Iprodione Pro 2SE Fungicide, Trinity® Fungicide Pendulum® 3.3 EC Herbicide, Segment ® Herbicide, Tower ® Herbicide For diseases, weeds or pests, BASF is at the top of the class. Contact John Bresnahan at (413) 565-5340 or john.bresnahan@basf.com. betterturf.basf.us Always read and follow label directions. Basagran, Curalan, Drive, Emerald, FreeHand 1.75G, Insignia, Onetime, Pendulum, Segment, Tower and Trinity are registered trademarks and AquaCap and Honor are trademarks of BASF. ©2010 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved. Connecticut Clippings December 2012 / January 2013 Page 6 December 2012 / January 2013 2013 GCSAA Education Conference: San Diego Registration opens Nov. 1 for the 2013 GCSAA Education Conference and the Golf Industry Show New Members Shaun Geary, Class C Golf Club at Oxford Greens Steven Loughran, Class SM Rock Ridge Country Club Jason Mulcahy, Class Commercial DuPont Professional Products David Rafferty, Class A Hampden Country Club Doug Snyder, Class SM The Milbrook Club, Inc. Todd Tetreault, Class C Country Club of Darien Congratulations Jaime and Chris Guilmette, Superintendent of Willow Brook GC, on the birth of their daughter, Jadyn Bliss, 7 lbs., 3 oz., 18 inches on Thursday, October 11th. Shane Cornicelli & Tara on the birth of their son, Vincent Michael Cornicelli, 8 lbs. 7oz on January 18, 2013. Dan and Samantha Rogers, Wykagyl Country Club, on the birth of their daughter, Abigail Julie Ann, 8 lbs. 14 oz on Friday, October 12th. To David Golembeski on accepting the position of Superintendent at Pomperaug Golf Course in Southbury, CT. To Kerry and Jonathan Charpinsky, Superintendent at the Golf Club of Avon, on the birth of their son, Jacob David, 9 lbs, 3 oz. and 20.5 inches on October 26, 2012. Ed and Christina Downing, New England Specialty Soils, on the birth of their daughter, Gianna Alexa, 7 lbs., 8 oz on Sunday, October 28th. Michelle DaCosta and John Inguagiato on the birth of their son, Lucas Costa Inguagiato, 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 22.5 inches on November 13, 2012. To Bryan Barrington, GC at Oxford Greens, who was selected as one of 25 golf course superintendents to participate in the Syngenta Business Institute. To Roy Sibley on his retirement from the Chas. C. Hart Seed Co. after 35 years. Condolences To the family of Ron Smith, MBA, CPSI of Sports Club Management, Inc., a member since 2000, on his passing December 28, 2012. The Chas. C. Hart Seed Co. Your trusted source since 1892 More than just seed! We have the products, resources and expertise to ensure that your course is always healthy and tournament ready. 304 Main Street Wethersfield, CT 06109 Phone: 860-529-2537 Fax: 860-563-7221 Email: turf@hartseed.com 53 Strawfield Road Unionville, CT 06085 Fax: 860-507-6124 The 2013 GCSAA Education Conference and the Golf Industry Show will be held February 4 – 8, 2013 in San Diego. This event will provide you with the most highly acclaimed education in the industry, face time with respected experts in your field, unparalleled networking opportunities with your peers, and a preview of the most innovative products on the market today. Visit www.gcsaa. org/conference for more information. Housing for San Diego is open! CAGCS Scholarship Applications are available now! The member of our association must request applications, in writing, emails will also be accepted, for the applicant to: Connecticut Clippings Page 7 S & R Committee, CAGCS Office, P. O. Box 3678, Woodbridge, CT, 06525 The following Associations participating as of today: Email to: cagcs@sbcglobal.net Cape Cod Golf Course Superintendents Association Connecticut Golf Course Superintendents Association Long Island Golf Course Superintendents Association Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England Rhode Island Golf Course Superintendents Association Vermont Golf Course Superintendents Association Deadline for requesting an application is Friday, April 5, 2013 Deadline for submitting the application is Friday, May 3, 2013 CAGCS Members attending GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show Nor’easter Hospitality Suite San Diego Bayfront Hilton Hotel (Headquarters) Room – Aquaroom 308 1 Park Blvd. Wednesday, February 6, 2013 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Participating Companies as of today: Harrell’s LLC Jacobsen John Deere Golf Phoenix Environmental Care Syngenta Toro December 2012 / January 2013 Meet East Haddam’s New Fire Chief: Shawn Daigle EastHaddam-KillingworthPatch July 20, 2012 By Barbi Batchelder We talked with the new chief about his family legacy, his experience and how he spends his offduty time rooting for the Red Sox and flying. It runs in the family… Firefighting and public service has run in Daigle’s family for generations. His late grandfather (on his mother’s side) Howard Begley, Sr. was a World War II veteran who fought in and around the New Guinea area. A year or two after he returned from the war, he was hired by his hometown of New Britain, where he spent the next 35 years as a firefighter before retiring as Captain of Engine Company #7. Begley then continued his service to the city as a Fire Commissioner until he regretfully stepped down, shortly before his death in 2008. Daigle’s father, Gregg Daigle, had volunteered with the Pratt & Whitney Fire Brigade in Middletown for 25 years. His mother, Kathy Daigle has been a school nurse for the town of East Haddam for over 25 years. Connecticut Clippings Page 8 And, the family’s legacy doesn’t stop there. Daigle’s older brother, Patrick, recently joined the Madison Valley Rural Fire Department in Ennis, Montana. Three of his uncles are New Britain police officers, one of which has gone on to be a Judicial Marshal for the State of Connecticut. been raised under the notion that with some hard work and dedication, there’s not much that can’t be accomplished, all in good time of course.” Daigle remarked. “I never thought this would happen so soon though, as certain ranks typically come with age in the fire service. I consider myself very lucky to be the Chief at only 31 years old.” “I was limited as to some of the duties I was able to perform, but was as active as possible,” Daigle explained. “While I was a Junior Firefighter, I became certified as a State Firefighter-1 after training at the Eastern Connecticut Fire School in Willimantic.” Remaining active for all four years while he attended college at UMass Amherst, he was elected as Lieutenant at the end of his junior year. Upon graduating from college in 2004, Daigle www.mgcdevelopers.com PO Box 280915, East Hartford, CT 06128 P#: 860.749.4434 F#: 860.290.8470 Email: info@mgcdevelopers.com Daigle is also a licensed pilot, stating that he loves “anything aviation” and enjoys flying small straight-wing aircraft in his spare time. Shawn Daigle completed Firefighter-2 training. He was elected Captain in 2005. “That made my grandfather extremely proud,” Daigle said. “I continued attending a variety of classes and seminars between then and now, completing my Fire Instructor-1 and Fire Officer-1 certifications, back-to-back between September 2010 and April 2011. My parents raised me to be a hard-worker and a go-getter, so I’m always striving to learn more and push myself to new levels. I guess I’ve If y our go a l is to pro du ce CH A M PIONSH I P The complete list of newly elected officers and responsibilities for the EHVFD: Chief: Shawn Daigle Deputy Chief: Michael Cooley Captain: Marty Bogue, Apparatus Maintenance Captain: Brian J. Auld, Communications and Personal Protection Equipment Captain: Ray Swol, Department Training Officer Lieutenant: Donald Tyrsek, Rescue 1-15 Lieutenant: Bryan Kane, Ladder 7-15 Lieutenant: Kevin Rutty, Engine 2-15 Lieutenant: Bill Siegmann, Marine Units Lieutenant: Jerry Boynton, Engine 6-15 Chief Daigle replaces Fire Chief Don Angersola, who had been the chief for the past 12 years Page 9 !!!!!!!"#$$%&$!'())*'+!,'-!./0(1! When he’s not working… The new chief has a few hobbies outside of his responsibilities with the fire department (believe it, or not!). When he’s not on duty, Daigle loves the outdoors, especially hiking and fishing. He’s a big fan of the Red Sox and likes to play golf, which is no surprise, since his full-time “paid” job is as Superintendent of the Fox-Hopyard Golf Course in East Haddam. Experience... “I’m pretty pumped to be the new East Haddam Fire Chief, and it’s been a goal of mine since I first entered the department 13 years ago,” Daigle said. Daigle joined the East Haddam Volunteer Fire Department as a Junior Firefighter during his senior year in high school, back in 1999. Connecticut Clippings December 2012 / January 2013 !"#$%&'('$&#)*++*)$,&',-' .*-")/'0*11$"1'&"))$&%'('2,+"#' in East Haddam. Angersola is currently the Fire Marshall for the Town of East Haddam, as well as maintaining his other full-time job as Building Inspector for the Town of Bristol. A final note from the Chief: “New members are always welcome.” We are always looking for new members to join the department. Where else can you get free training, help out your community and receive other benefits along the way? the property tax abatement after 3 years, volunteers receive both of these awesome benefits for being a volunteer firefighter! We are currently looking for firefighters and Fire Police. If anyone is interested, please call the fire house at 860-873-5036 or stop by Company #1, located at 447 Town Street, East Haddam, between the hours of 7a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for an application. Whether it involves being part of the pension program (fully vested after 20 years) or receiving Bobcat Equipment Turf Friendly for All Your Needs PL AY I NG CON DI T IONS E V ERY DAY, You Are Not Alone We offer you the soil testing, the analysis, the range of turf management products and the depth of support that no one else can match. Because it’s not just about selling you supplies. Its about supplying you with everything you need to be successful. With Tom Irwin, you’re not alone. Authorized Bobcat Dealers Bobcat of Connecticut East Hartford Stratford 54 Alna Lane East Hartford, CT 06108 860-282-2648 821 Woodend Road Stratford, CT 06615 203-380-2300 Call Rob Larson at (508)789-0059 or Jeff Houde at (203)731-1776 and see what it feels like to have the best players in the business on your team. “Bobcat” is a registered trademark of Bobcat Company. 12-B056 www.bobcatct.com Tom I r w i n, I nc. | 1 1 A S t reet, Bu rl i n g ton, M A 018 03 | 781.273.01 43 | w w w.Tom I r w i n.com December 2012 / January 2013 Growing Tee-Up New England! In 2011, the NERTF kicked off a new fundraising initiative inviting all golf courses to participate by simply donating a round of golf for a foursome. Calling it Tee-Up New England!, the title encourages golfers to get out on the course and tee it up. The initiative must include the whole of the golfing community to be successful. The donation must come through the superintendents! The word must be passed around to the golfers through all communication channels to create interest. The golfer must show up ready to make a purchase. The foundation must invest in turfgrass researchers to fund approved research projects in New England. The researchers must relay findings back to the turfgrass managers to apply the information to their management procedures. It is a very workable process that could benefit everyone involved. By purchasing the round of golf through an online auction in April, golfers have the opportunity to play at many facilities all over New England and for reduced fees. Some of the courses are exclusive and others are very public. By this simple donation all facilities can equally participate, promote their course and support turfgrass research in New England. Though the funds are generated through the donation, the money comes directly from the golfer. A resource virtually untapped for turfrass research up until now! Connecticut Clippings Page 10 KEEPIN’ ON: DeGrandi says he’s calm on the surface, but “paddling furiously down below.” take a few minutes and discuss the benefits of turfgrass research with your managers and owners. When you have a chance, explain the initiative to your club officials and how by simply donating a round of golf will promote your facility and help to grow research dollars that could benefit your course at some point. Please, then submit your application to TeeUp New England and join the effort to help fund turfgrass research here in New England. Lastly, don’t forget to tell your golfer friends about Tee-Up New England! Visit www.teeupnewengland.com for more information and applications.          ANDERSON TURF IRRIGATION, INC.   SPECIALIZING IN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS FOR Atheletic complexes/Cemeteries Commercial properties/Golf Courses Residential properties/Tennis courts Anderson Turf Irrigation is a conservation-minded company and part of the green industry Plainville, CT 06062 Phone: (860)747-9911 Fax: (860)793-2524 E-mail: andersont@snet.net andersonturfirrigation.com CT LIC # PLM.0208739 RI LIC # MI000063 NY Suffolk County LIC # 45841-RE & # 38977-RP ! Page 11 By Connell Barrett, Editor-at-Large, GOLF Magazine Published: Thursday, October 04, 2012 | 02:06:32 PM Gary Sykes, Executive Director New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation, Inc.  Connecticut Clippings TPC River Highlands superintendent Tom DeGrandi, 55, has seen, heard & squeegeed it all Recently, letters went out to all superintendents in New England inviting them and their clubs to participate in 2013. Meetings and communication have also included state golf associations, asking them to help carry the word to the golfers and promote the effort. They stand at the ready to help pass the word. Our auction dates are set, similar to 2012, our dates will be April 15-22, 2013. We chose the week right after the Masters tournament considering that golfers are enthusiastically making plans for their golfing season. In 2012, the first auction went off without a hitch and purchasers from all over New England registered and took advantage of the opportunity. Was it perfect? No, but we learned much from the first round and we hope to grow it in 2013. We appreciate the 57 courses that took part in Tee-Up New England in 2012. Though this represented less than 10% participation in New England, it still was a great start and we hope to do better in 2013. This is a simple method to make some substantial funds to help to expand our research efforts in New England. The funds will come from the golfers who are the beneficiary of all turfgrass research. It is about time they paid directly for some of these benefits! This research could be critical to the future of the game of golf and all other sports played on turfgrass as regulators take aim at management products in the industry. All of the funds are donated to the New England Regional Turfgrass Research Trust (NERTRT) and are earmarked only for current or future turfgrass research. Please December 2012 / January 2013 This is my 20th year as the superintendent here, going back to the Greater Hartford Open. Tournament week, I get about four hours of sleep per night. I’m up at 3:30 a.m. with my two yellow labs. I sleep in a separate room to give my wife some quiet. Pressure? I’m like a duck: Calm on the surface, paddling furiously down below. Tour players are tremendously demanding. They want firm, fast, hard conditions, because a tough course eliminates weaker players. Something cool happened when Bubba Watson won here [in 2010]. We had a threeman playoff with Bubba, Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank -- the longest driver on Tour, the shortest driver, and an average-length guy. Now that’s a fair course! The pros have no problem telling me their complaints: the sand is too soft, the trees aren’t pruned correctly. A few years back, there was this Tour winner -- sorry, no names -- who drove it into a fairway bunker, and his ball ended up next to a small rake mark. He had a fit, saying, “He should be fired,” talking about the maintenance kid who raked the bunker. I’m not gonna fire a kid for that. I wanted to say, “Look, it’s a bunker -- it’s not supposed to be perfect. Don’t hit it there in the first place.” [Laughs] Players are demanding, but my real boss is Mother Nature. This week, we’re dealing with record heat in the upper 90s. The grass is bent-poa. It gets heat stress. We take the course to the edge to get the fast, firm conditions the pros want. It’s all about decreasing water, but you have to be careful, because if you kill the roots then you have dead grass the rest of the year. You can’t maintain Tour conditions for much longer than a week. The course is like a marathon runner. We train for three months, and this week we push it to the limit, almost to failure. Tom DeGrandi, TPC River Highlands Storms are my biggest stressor. If torrential rain comes in, then all our work? Done. Gone. If we get four inches of rain, then we’re out there for hours shoveling sand, getting water off the course, squeegeeing greens. No question -- gimme the heat over rain. The pros like the layout. It’s scoreable, with soft greens and wide fairways. Sure, 16-under might win, but you still have to go shoot 16-under. The course won’t give it to you. Not every week is the U.S. Open, otherwise all the players would be in therapy. Doing this tournament must be what grandparents feel like when the grandkids come over. Grandma loves to see them arrive -- and she can’t wait to see them leave, to get her house back. I love it when the fans get here, and I love it when they leave. When the week’s over, I get my bed back. No more bachelor life for me. December 2012 / January 2013 Connecticut Clippings Page 12 December 2012 / January 2013 CAGCS Winter Seminar 2013 The CAGCS Winter Seminar was held at the Mystic Marriott on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, with overwhelming support from the membership and vendors. Our sincere appreciation goes to the 180 members who attended, as well as the vendors who participated,¬ selling out the new spacious area for vendor tables. Many of our speakers traveled from as far as Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Rhode Island to spend the day with us. The program was filled with great presentations that provided valuable information on professional development and current agronomic issues. The morning session opened with Stephen Keating’s presentation on “360-Degree Leadership.” Stephen addressed the membership with the value of being a leader instead of being a manager. He shared his lifelong experiences, both positive and negative, to help us look at ourselves and consider how we can make changes to become strong leaders. He stressed the importance of making yourself available to everyone in the organization and how you can have a positive effect on everyone around you, no matter what your position is at your club. If you are looking for more information on leadership, Stephen recommends reading The 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell. Our next speaker was Dr. Bruce Clarke from The State University of New Jersey. He spoke about “Improving Turf Disease Control With Products That Enhance the Plant’s Natural Defenses.” He talked about fungicides that contain either SAR (Systemic Acquire Resistance) or ISR (Induced Systemic Resistance), which can stimulate the plant’s natural defenses to fight diseases. SAR and ISR have no direct toxicity to fungi, which is why they are not stand-alone products during high disease pressure and should be used in a solid disease management program. Application of products containing SAR or ISR has been shown to suppress diseases such as dollar spot, anthracnose, summer patch, pythium blight and snow mold. Michael Dugan, our lobbyist, provided an update on legislative issues we have addressed this past year. For example, a ban of the use of phosphorus at golf courses was introduced in 2012. Through our collective efforts, however, golf courses were granted a complete exemption on the phosphorus ban. Michael also gave us another tool on how we can help in the future, called “Find your Representative.” To use it, go to cga.ct.gov, click House or Senate, click Find your Legislator, put in your street address, and your Representatives, Senators, and Congresspersons will come up. Knowing who Connecticut Clippings represents you at the state level will be valuable as new issues come up in the future. Later in the day, Dr. Clarke spoke again on “Controlling Summer Patch with Sound Cultural and Chemical Practices.” Summer patch takes 6 to 8 weeks to decay the root system. This soil fungus needs to be controlled before it can be visually seen as a problem. The best way to start to control this disease is to monitor soil temperatures in the spring. Once soil temperatures are at 65 degrees for a week at 1 to 2 inches, you should apply your first application for summer patch. Fungicide rates and frequency will vary depending on your game plan to control the fungus, but should be done into August to suppress this disease. When spraying a fungicide, using 2 to 4 gallons of water per 1,000 square feet as a carrier has been shown to help to control summer patch. Cultural practices used to help this disease are to aerify, to improve drainage, and to raise the height of cut. Ammonium sulfate and Sulfur Coated Urea helps lower your pH, which will have a positive effect. For more information on Dr. Clarke’s keys to control summer patch, visit http://www.turf. rutgers.edu/. The afternoon sessions began with Dr. Lane Tredway’s presentation on the “Myths and Misconceptions about Pythium Diseases.” Pythium is blight and not a fungus. It occurs on all turfgrass types, and there are over 30 species. Symptoms develop in patches and are spread through mowers, traffic, and water. Conditions that lead to the disease of pythium root rot are mowing heights below .140, traffic, soil compaction, shade, poor air circulation, and poor drainage. Improving these conditions and implementing a preventive spray program will help control the severity of pythium on your turf. Next Dr. Nathaniel Mitkowski discussed “Deciphering Nematode Counts & Managing Page 13 Nematode Populations Without Nemacur.” Courses with nematode problems are having bigger problems than ever. There are 3 types of nematodes: stunt, lance, and root-knot. Stunt is the most common, and lance is the most destructive to turfgrass. With nematodes, no two courses are the same, and no two greens are the same, so testing should be done if you believe you have a problem. Early sampling is critical to minimizing the damage of nematodes by setting thresholds for your course. If you know you have nematode issues, keeping roots healthy by keeping pathogens away is extremely important. If you believe you are having a nematode problem, you can contact Dr. Mitkowski at mitkowski@uri.edu to have soil testing done. Dr. Tredway presented “Fungicide Resistance: Can It Be Prevented?” to finish the day. Due to their site-specific nature, most modern fungicides are highly prone to the development of fungicide resistance. Dollar spot was one of the first diseases to develop resistance to fungicides. There seem to be two strategies to deal with fungicide resistance. The first is the “all or nothing strategy,” which is to spray one product until it doesn’t work anymore. The second is the fungicide rotation, which is avoiding spraying the same class of fungicide for too long. Dr. Tredway also shared a rotation strategy that he believed was a better way to approach the issue of resistance. I would like to thank our speakers for traveling to spend the day with us and sharing their valuable insights. I would also like to thank Kevin Collins and Steve Curry for chairing the two sessions and all of our commercial sponsors who participated in the event, helping make our 2013 CAGCS Winter Seminar a success. Marc Weston, CGCS Education Chairman December 2012 / January 2013 GCSAA “Who are they?” I am a proud GCSAA member and have been for 30 years. But I never took the opportunity to really find out what went on out in Lawrence, Kansas. Although I never really had a challenge with the direction or decisions there was a time or two when I wondered how was that decision made! After all no one had asked my opinion. Recently I took the trip to Lawrence as your Delegate to attend the delegates meeting. Call it drinking the Kool –Aid but I was thoroughly impressed with the current leadership, the decisions, the process and the concern that they have for the local chapters. I watched as the delegates from around the country gave their opinions and observations to the GCSAA board, which was immediately noted, considered and at times changed the outcome. The Chapter delegates have the ear of the GCSAA Board and are sensitive to developing stronger chapters. The meeting was truly a conversation; it was not a public hearing without comments of interested parties. I was further impressed with the professional, business conservative thought processes. The business of golf is tenuous at this time and our leaders are making solid conservative decisions. GCSAA is a smaller more efficient association now, but it is on sound economic footing. We still need to grow membership and certain programs (research and advocacy). GCSAA‘s goals and the expectations are reasonable and achievable. Connecticut Clippings One of my big surprises was meeting the staff. Too often my only interaction with GCSAA staff is an impersonal email. It was so nice to put a face with a position or an email. I would like to see more staff available to CAGCS members, whether it is at the Nor Easter or at a monthly meeting. When you meet the folks in Lawrence you know our national association is in great hands (much like CAGCS). There are several issues coming in the near future that will have a big impact on local chapters. I will keep you posted, they include; chapter affiliation agreements, class A status and dues increases. Please contact me if you have any concerns with “them”… “They” do listen and respond. Page 14 Connecticut Clippings December 2012 / January 2013 Page 15 2013 GOLF SCHEDULE EarthGreen’s Menefee mineral products SeaMate 6-8-12 w/humic & fulvic acid Nutrients Plus for Dynamic fertilizers Strategies 16-2-3 has five sources of N 60% SRN– 40% OM Rhizogen fertilizers - contain highly concentrated, stabilized blends of beneficial Bacillus Bacteria spores, Mycorrhizal Fungi & Humate which collectively increase soil biodiversity & enhance overall plant growth Visit: rhizogen.com Progressive Turf Soybean Extract Fertilizers Turf Foundation 10-3-5 & Greater Green 5-0-7 Summer StressMaster 0-0-31 w/UTE From the originators of Liquid Phosphites Alliance Seed AlgaeGreen 100% Seaweed liquid Extract from Ireland Call: Executive Turf Products Stamford, CT Scott Ramsay, CGCS Government Relations Chairman Connecticut Association of Golf Course Superintendents 203-392-2310 scottmramsay@me.com 203-496-0891 executiveturf@aol.com Scholarship and Research Update After hearing a number of requests to return the S&R to the fall, we have scheduled the 2013 Scholarship and Research Tournament on Monday, October 21, 2013 at Hartford Golf Club hosted by Jonathan Burke. We are excited about bringing one of our premier golf events to one of the finest golf clubs in New England, and are extremely grateful to Jon and to the members at HGC for offering their facilities for the day. I have already met with Jon to start working on the details, and I am looking forward to another successful event and a beautiful fall day of golf. I am still looking for volunteers to serve on the S&R committee. These individuals will help review scholarship applications and determine the awards. Members can also volunteer help at monthly meetings and during the S&R Tournament in October. We are also looking for a host for the 2014 S&R Tournament. Interested parties should contact Peter Gorman at Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club. Fishers Island - Mike Dugan, John Garcia & Scott Ramsay, CGCS Interested parties should contact Peter Gorman, S & R Chairman, 203-483-9948, petegorman@ymail.com. April 29 Monday STONINGTON COUNTRY CLUB 2 Ball Shamble Host Superintendent Michael Marino, CGCS May 20 Monday WATERTOWN GOLF CLUB 2 Person Best Ball Superintendent/Assistant Tournament President’s Cup & McLaughlin Trophy Paul Bonini, CGCS Host Superintendent June 17 Monday FOX HOPYARD GOLF CLUB Low Gross/Net by Flight 1st Round CAGCS Championship MET Team Championship Qualifier Richard Marcks, CGCS Shawn Daigle Host Superintendents July 16 THE GOLF CLUB AT OXFORD GREENS Tuesday CAGCS Benevolent Fundraiser Low Gross/Net Blind Partners 2nd Round CAGCS Championship New England Team Championship Qualifier Bryan Barrington Host Superintendent October 1 Tuesday FISHERS ISLAND CLUB CAGCS MEMBER/GUEST Donald Beck Host Superintendent October 21 Monday THE HARTFORD GOLF CLUB CAGCS Annual Scholarship & Research Tournament Jonathan Burke Host Superintendent October TBA Class C Tournament November 4 Monday OLD LYME COUNTRY CLUB 9-Hole Scramble ABCD CAGCS Annual Meeting Brian Skelly Host Superintendent                   www.AtlanticGolfandTurf.com        December 2012 / January 2013 Connecticut Clippings Page 16 December 2012 / January 2013 October Meeting Results Redding CC October 4, 2012 Page 17 Class C Tournament Results TPC River Highlands Thursday, October 23, 2012 2 Person Best Ball Super/Asst Tournament 1st Place Net Goewey/Simpson 67 2nd Place Net Morse/Kundhall 69 1st Place Gross Booth/Whitmore 72 2nd Place Gross McDermott/DeStefano 77 2 Person Best Ball CAGCS-Flight Tournament 1st Place Net Callidio/Van Leeuwen 64 2nd Place Net Tyrell/Kul 66 1st Place Gross Morrison/Weischet 71 2nd Place Gross Loughran/Dowgiewicz 75 Sponsored by Golfer Longest Drive Bartlett Tree Expert Mike Guinan Longest Putt New England Specialty Soils Brian Pope Longest Putt Steve Willand Mike Guinan Closest to the Line BASF Ed Downing Closest to the pin Slater Farms Jay Booth Closest to the pin Plant Food Company Mike McDermott Closest to the pin Arbor Care Inc. Eric Whitmore Closest to the pin Atlantic Golf and Turf Eric Whitmore KICKERS Read Custom Soils Greg Moore Bayer Environmental Ward Weischet Connecticut Clippings Happy New Year!! 1st gross 2nd gross 3rd gross 1st net 2nd net 3rd net Mark Cravanzola Mike Zwick Matt Quinn Noel Hall William Abbe Ben Newfang Closest-to-pin: Noel Hall Ben Newfang Alex Simpson William Abbe Longest Drive: Adam Schauer December 2012 / January 2013 Connecticut Clippings Page 18 GCSAA Northeast Field Staff Update • Remained in their homes, but lost basic necessities such as electricity, water, etc. for an extended period, which lead to unexpected financial burden. UPCOMING GCSAA DEADLINES: • Save on GIS registration $$$$ Early registration period ends January 15th. Register before the 15th and save $100! The fall is supposed to bring shorter days, more time with friends and family and the rigors of the end-of-the –season shutdown process. For many around the Northeast region this year, that was not the case. As superintendents know all too well, one storm can change plans in a hurry. Super Storm Sandy has accomplished that in a big way. The impact made by one of the largest and strongest storms ever to make landfall in this region will be felt by golf courses for years. • Are employed at a golf course that sustains substantial damage and may not be a source of employment going forward. To receive benefits contact: R. Scott Woodhead, CAE, CGCS-Retired | Senior Manager, Member Relations swoodhead@gcsaa.org 800.472.7878, ext. 4418 | 785.832.4418 Direct • Winter time is education time! Upcoming webcasts: Jan. 15: Dealing with Moss on Putting Greens Jan. 23: Cost Benefits of Today’s Solar Systems Feb. 21: Today’s Turf is ... Zoysiagrass Feb. 26: Managing Nutrient Budgets in the Face of Rising Prices Feb. 28: Today’s Turf is ... Ultradwarf Bermuda To help colleagues in need please consider giving to the GCSAA Disaster Relief Fund: • Refer a member and receive a $25 GCSAA gift card. See GCSAA.org/ referral for details. • By check: If sending a check, please make it payable to: The Environmental Institute for Golf/ Disaster Relief Fund 1421 Research Park Dr. Lawrence, KS 66049 It has been a pleasure serving as your Field Staff this year. I hope I have been a benefit to you and the Chapter. If I can be of any service, please do not hesitate to contact me. There is no Field Staff protocol for what to do in a situation such as this. I did what I thought was right, get out to see members, find out that they and their staffs were safe, and try and communicate to their colleagues the extent of the damage. Some single facilities incurred tree damage alone that came with a price tag of over one million dollars. And that is just trees. Storm surge and salt water damage were the enemies of those along the shore. From Rhode Island down the coast past New Jersey, shoreline golf properties were inundated with some degree of salt water. Whether it was a few inches of water or parts of a couple of holes, to entire golf courses, maintenance facilities including equipment, no facility that was exposed to the ocean was spared. For more information and pictures, see Golf Course Management’s December issue. • By credit card: If you wish to donate by credit card, please call 800-472-7878 and indicate you wish to make a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund. I wish you and yours had wonderful holiday season, and a New Year filled with green turf, no pests, and happy members. Cheers! Connecticut Clippings December 2012 / January 2013 Page 19 Old Timers Get Together - September 11, 2012 - Tunxis Plantation 2012 List of Attendees – Al Adaskaveg, Fred Bachand, Roger Barrett, Paul Barratt, John Callahan, Mike Chrzanowski, Ed Consolati, Dick Cook, Doug Cooper, Kevin D’Amico, Bill Dest, Skip Deubel, Al Hawkins, Ron Holcomb, Dick Hosking, Eric Johnson, Frank Lamphier, Walter Lowell, Jim MacDonald, Lyle Mitchell, Phil Neaton, Jack Pluta, Brian Pope, Brian Skelly, Bob Silva, Doug Stachura, Dave Stimson, Hank Suchinski, Dave Vibber, Bob Viera, Ed Zenisky  L to R- Dave Stimson, Dick Hosking, Bob Silva, Bob Viera  L to R - Ed Consolati, Eric Johnson, Jack Pluta, Paul Barratt   Doug Stachura, CGCS, Dave Vibber Mike Chrzanowski, Brian Pope, Roger Barrett, Ron Holcomb Kevin Doyle GCSAA Field Staff kdoyle@gcsaa.org 816-807-3103 If ANY GCSAA MEMBER has been personally affected by Super Storm Sandy it is not too late! Financial resources may be available to you: LF-Frank Lamphier, Lyle Mitchell, Walter Lowell at head of table, RF- Mike Chrzanowski, Dave Vibber * Initially, GCSAA will provide financial assistance (intended to assist with clothing, food and shelter) to members who contact us (via phone or email) and whose daily lives were altered by the effects of the storm and who meet ANY of the following criteria: • Had to relocate/evacuate (whether they are staying with family, friends or in a motel) from their homes and were not able to immediately return following the storm due to damage or flooding.   Shannon Slevin, Shorehaven Country Club and Kevin Doyle survey the damage from Super Storm Sandy Ed Zenisky, Al Hawkins (looking at camera next to him Is Phil Neaton, Bill Dest, Fred Bachand, Dick Hosking Bob Silva, Jack Pluta, Skip Deubel (plaid shirt) December 2012 / January 2013 Connecticut Clippings Page 20 CAGCS thanks these patrons for their continued support of our association. A-OK Turf Equipment Lastec Articulator, Graden, Wiedenmann, Pequea, Agrimetal, Baroness, Therrien, Sweep & Fill, Blec. Michael Cornicelli (401) 826-2584 Fax (401) 826-3749 – aokturfequipment.com Egypt Farms, Inc. Sterilized Topdressing, Greensmix Bagged Topdressing & Divot Mix Dean Snyder (800) 899-7645 FAX (410) 335-0164 Partac Golf Course Top-Dressing (800) 247-2326 Fax (908) 637-8421 Bill Carriere (914) 937-2136 Joe Bidwell (860) 651-8555 Jim Wierzbicki (860) 424-7250 Allens Seed Seed, Fertilizer, Turf Supplies Exeter, RI 02822 Al LaPrise (401) 741-4444 - (800) 527-3898 Executive Turf Products Earthgreen.com Rhizogen.com Nutrientsplus.com Ken Gentile (203) 496-0891 Plant Food Company, Inc. The Liquid Fertilizer Experts www.plantfoodco.com Jason Dowgiewicz (860) 508-5419 Larry Pakkala, CGCS (203) 505-3750 Grigg Brothers Gordon Kauffman III, Ph.D. Email: gordon@griggbros. Com Website: www.griggbros.com Become a Fan @ facebook.com/griggbros Sodco, Inc. P.O. Box 2 Slocum, RI 02877 Sean Moran (800) 341-6900 - sodco.net Aquatrols Corp. of America Innovative Products for Effective Resource Management Kevin P. Collins, N.E. Territory Mgr. (609) 841-2077 (cell) BASF 47 Falmouth Road Longmeddow, MA 01106 John Bresnahan (413) 565-5340 Bayer Environmental Science Fairfield, Litchfield, New Haven Counties: Dave Sylvester (860) 841-3173. Hartford, New Haven, New London, Middlesex, Tolland, Windham: Brian Giblin (508) 439-9809 BISCO Irrigation Supplies featuring Rain Bird 60 Stergis Way, Dedham MA 02026 (800) 225-8006 - MA / (888) 522-9182 - CT J. Anderson III cell: (203) 494-5217 C.R.I.S., LLC Golf Course Irrigation P.O. Box 6194 Wolcott, CT 06716 Troy Carney – (203) 879-2362 The Cardinals, Inc. Complete Distributor of Golf Course Accessories & Turf Maintenance Supplies John Callahan cell – (860) 673-3699 cardinalsinc@att.net – (800) 861-6256 Championship Turf Services Precision Laser Leveling Custom Aerification - Overseeding Sisis Turf Equipment Michael Flowers (800) 562-5860 Harrell’s Jim Wierzbicki (860) 424-7250 Mike Dukette (860) 930-8888 Customer Service (800) 228-6656 www.harrells.com James Carriere & Son, Inc. Bill Carriere (914) 937-2136 Trap Sand Partac Top Dressing Const Mixes Decorative Stone Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc. Professional Ground Water & Environmental Engineering Services Rob Good (860) 678-0404 rgood@lbgct.com Matrix Turf Solutions Providing the finest turf care products and accessories. Jim Favreau – (978) 815-9810 - Steve Puvogel - (518) 669-9494 Greg Moran – (845) 849-8640 www.matrixturf.com Metro Turf Specialists Customers, OUR TOP Priority Dave Conrad (914) 490-3698 Rob Steinman (914) 588-6593 (203) 748-4653 – metroturfspecialists.com Steven Willand, Inc. Jacobsen – Club Car – Smithco – Redexim Parts/Service (203) 775-5757 Mark Osborn-Eric Euell www.stevenwillandinc.com Syngenta Professional Products Fairfield County – Fred Montgomery (518) 424-0760 – fred.montgomery@syngenta.com All other CT Counties - Melissa Gugliotti (860) 221-5712 melissa.gugliotti@syngenta.com Terre Co. 206 Delawanne Ave. Clifton NJ (973) 473-3393 FAX (973) 473-4402 Byron Johnson Home (203) 748-5069 Tom Irwin, Inc. Turf Management Products With Tom Irwin, You are not alone. Rob Larson (508) 789-0059 Jeff Houde (203) 731-1776 Main (800) 582-5959 Turf Products Corporation 157 Moody Rd., P.O. Box 1200 Enfield, CT 06083 John Ferry - Mark Loper (800) 243-4355 D&S Floratine – JRM TURBODROP NOZZLES Jerry Marin (203) 380-9503 Dave Basconi (860) 349-1291 MGC Developers, LLC Netting Safety Barrier Steve LaMesa (860) 290-8552 www.mgcdevelopers.com email: info@mgcdevelopers.com Westchester Turf Supply, Inc. Serving the CAGCS for 36 years Bob Lippman (914) 447-6257 Dave Lippman (914) 447-5192 Info@westchesterturf.com DryJect N.E./TurfPounders Dryject, Core & Deeptine Aeration Kevin Collins (914) 525-3681 Home Office (914) 672-6029 Servicing CT & NY since 2004 New England Specialty Soils 1mm + 2mm Top Dressing Sand, HD Bunker Sand, Divot Blends, 5221 Mix, Root Zone Blends. ed@nesoils.com Ed Downing (978) 230-2300 Winding Brook Turf 240 Griswold Rd., Wethersfield, CT 06119 Michael Krudwig (860) 883-0475 Windingbrookturf.net 2012 CAGCS Christmas Party ~ J. Timothy’s Taverne 2013 CAGCS Winter Seminar - January 15, 2013 2013 CAGCS Winter Seminar - January 15, 2013