Scott Ramsay , CGCS
Volume 46, No 1 March 2012
IN THIS ISSUE...
President’s Message.......................2
Winter Seminar 2012.......................3
Smartphone Apps.......................3-4
2012 Turf Bowl................................5
Grasscatcher.................................6-7
Queen GCSAA President...............8
UCON Turfgrass Field Day............9
Weston Receives Certification.......9
Turfgrass Disease..........................10
Calendar Of Events......................11
An Uncertain Future..............12-15
2011 DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD
at the Orchards GC in South Hadley,
MA. In 2001 Scott was brought in to
prepare the course for the tournament.
But before the tournament arrived,
the position of Superintendent at
the Course at Yale became available
in 2003 and Scott couldn’t resist the
chance to maintain the course he had
fallen in love with the first time he
played it in 1986. Since becoming the
Superintendent at the Course at Yale,
Scott has won the 2006 Superintendent
of the Year Award from Superintendent
Magazine, brought the Course at Yale to
the GolfWeek rank of #1 University Golf
Course and was elected to the Board of
Directors again. He currently serves as
the Government Relations Chairperson
and represents our association on the
Tri-State committee, CTECT and, along
with John Garcia and Mike Dugan, in
the Stream Flow Regulations the DEEP
and State of Connecticut have focused
on in the past two years.
Scott lives in Simsbury with his wife
of 26 years, Meg. Their son, Bennett,
is a senior at the University of South
Carolina. Life does come around full
circle, for in his free time, Scott enjoys
landscaping his home as well as reading
and time with his family.
It was a pleasure to introduce Scott
Ramsay as our Distinguished Member
of the Year for 2011.
The Distinguished Member of the
Year Award is given to a member
who has demonstrated outstanding
contributions to the advancement of
the game and business of golf. Our
recipient represents our association in
a professional, articulate manner in his
work with both the golf and government
communities and got involved on our
Board of Directors upon becoming a
Superintendent.
Golf was not a part of his early life
growing up in Bristol, RI where he
helped his father in the landscape
business. When he attended the
University of Rhode Island, he met
Dr. Skogley during his sophomore
year which influenced him to change
his major and Scott graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Golf Course
Management. He worked at Siwanoy CC
in NY and the Rhode Island CC on his
way to becoming a Superintendent and
took his first Superintendent position in
1984 at Pautipaug CC in Baltic, CT. Scott
was elected to the Board of Directors
and served as S & R and Membership
Chairman as well Treasurer. In 1990 he
moved to Simsbury and took over as
Superintendent at Tower Ridge CC.
When the Arnold Palmer Group
assumed management of the course,
Scott quickly rose through the ranks
to Regional Director. With the 2004 US
Women’s Open scheduled to take place
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 2 March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 3
environmental legislation is proposed
compromising our employment.
Opportunity has never been more
available to the CAGCS membership,
than in 2012.
As the winter comes to a close with
a thud, we find ourselves wrapping
our thoughts around what a snow less
winter and recent warm temperatures
will mean when it comes to turf
management in 2012. Thus, there are
many opportunities that are presented
to us through our commercial member’s
seminars. These educational forums
allow us to raise and ask questions
regarding a not so typical off season
for golf course management. Please
take advantage of these educational
opportunities.
Of course, what would be a golf
season in Connecticut be without our
environmental adversaries pumping
out anti-pesticide legislation. This
Op-por-tu-ni-ty – noun 1. a favorable
or advantageous circumstance or
combination of circumstances. 2. a
favorable or suitable occasion or time. 3.
a chance for progress or advancement.
Whether it’s a favorable circumstance
or combination of circumstances like
a snow free winter followed by recent
record breaking warm temperatures; a
suitable occasion or time with regional
educational opportunities all around us;
or a chance for progress or advancement
by testifying at the State Capital as endless
is an awesome opportunity to see how
our government operates first hand by
becoming involved in testimony regarding
different legislative issues. It also gives
me the opportunity to personally thank
John Garcia, Scott Ramsay, CGCS and Rob
Giampetro, CGCS for their recent testimony
in Hartford regarding a phosphorous ban
in fertilizers. Their testimonial input helped
to maintain an exemption status for golf
courses concerning the use of phosphorus.
However, it appears that there will be more
environmental legislation coming down
the pipeline and we need your help as
environmental stewards.
Opportunity is a chance for progress or
advancement, but in order to do so, we all
need to get involved!
Cheers to a great golf season in 2012!
-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
Mark Mansur
All of the updates that were presented and
more will be on display at UCONN’s Field
Day on July 17, 2012.
Then right before lunch, Michael Dugan,
our Lobbyist, provided an update on stream
flow standards, which we collectively fought
this past year. Golf courses are exempt from
the regulation, provided that they use Best
Management Practices established by the
DEEP and CAGCS years ago. Mr. Dugan
also expressed that we should be building a
broader and more engaged coalition to fight
against regulations that would negatively
affect our industry.
After Lunch, Adam Moeller, USGA
Agronomist for the Northeast Region,
gave a talk on “Putting Green Drainage
and Microclimates: Key Factors for Good
Conditions.” He emphasized how drainage
has the most important impact in the game of
golf, with good surface drainage being the first
step in drainage. Proper aerification and plus
topdressing with sand between .5 - 1mm sand
is the best way to help in surface drainage,
and tree management
on the course is
also important. Mr.
Moeller stated that,
“Trees are optional
to the game of golf,
not grass.” The more
we can educate all
golfers on why trees
and turf just do not
work well together,
the better off we will
be.
To finish the talks
for the day, Dr. John
Kaminski gave a talk
on “Thatch Collapse:
CAGCS WINTER SEMINAR 2012
The CAGCS Winter Seminar was held at the
Mystic Marriott for the first time on January
17, 2012. The day was filled with great
speakers presenting valuable information on
a wide variety of topics.
CAGCS welcomed Dr. John Kaminski back
to Connecticut to start the morning by
presenting “Why Should I Use Social Media?”.
He discussed the proper uses of Facebook,
Twitter, and LinkedIn, including how to use
social media to communicate with golfers.
He also focused on the value of being able to
use social media to show golfers how you’ve
solved problems you discovered before they
even got out of bed in the morning. That is, it
is a powerful tool to get the credit for the job
you are already doing.
Our next speaker was Dr. Frank Wong
presenting “The Biology and Management
of Waitea Patch.” (Way-Tee-Uh) This is a
new, low nitrogen disease of cool season
putting greens. The disease is caused by a
basidiomycete fungus, which is different
from Rhizoctonia and needs to be managed
differently from brown patch. Waitea Patch
is stress related and will first develop in drier
areas of greens.
Dr. John Inguagiato then provided an update
on the turfgrass research being done at
UCONN. Some of the highlights included:
• Cultivation and manganese application
effects on summer patch, and the severity
in compacted and non-compacted
turfgrass areas
• The impact of fairway topdressing on soil
physical properties, turfgrass quality
disease severity, and earthworm castings
An Emerging Problem on Putting Greens.”
Thatch Collapse has occurred globally and
starts out looking like Fairy Ring. It occurs
in the Spring and Fall when temperatures
are between 55 and 65 degrees. A fungicide
application can be made and watered into the
thatch to help with the Thatch Collapse. Then
topdressing will maintain a smooth surface
with help in the recovery. Dr. Kaminski asked
if anyone believes they might have Thatch
Collapse, you should send him a picture of
it through social media or email to help him
with his research of this disease.
CAGCS presented Executive Secretary Mary
Jo Kennedy with a token of appreciation for
her 10 years of service to our association.
CAGCS would like to thank our speakers for
traveling to spend the day with us and sharing
their experiences and research. We would also
like to thank Les Kennedy, Jr., CGCS and Scott
Ramsay, CGCS for chairing the two sessions
and to all of our commercial sponsors who
purchased tables for the event, helping make
our 2012 CAGCS Winter Seminar a success.
SMARTPHONE APP’S
AND THE GOLF COURSE
SUPERINTENDENT
The popularity and range of smartphones has
exploded in the last few years, but believe it or not,
smartphones first appeared nearly 20 years ago in
1992. (although they were not called smartphones
back then). Let’s take a look at the history of the
smartphone and see what phones like the Blackberry,
Android and I-Phone developed from.
The first smartphone was developed by IBM in
1992 and was called the IBM Simon. It had limited
features and the only applications were a calendar,
address book, clock, calculator and note pad. It was
about the size of a brick and weighed like one also.
Battery life was very limited. It cost $899.00.
In 1996 Nokia released “The Communicator”,
which was the first lightweight palm style computer
smartphone. Up until then users would use the
popular Palm Pilot PDA (Personal Data Assistant)
which offered data storage for applications such as
address book, calendar, note pad and some limited
programs. A user would source the information
from the PDA and then type it into his cell phone.
This new smartphone basically combined the
functions of a PDA and a cell phone.
Later in 2002 Handspring released the Palm OS
which featured web browsing, email, calendar,
contact organizer and the introductions of 3rd party
applications. Sales of these devices by Palm as wells
as other manufacturers were increasing exponent
every year.
Everything changed in 2007 when Apple introduced
the I-Phone. It was the first smartphone that
featured a multi-change interface which had
great appeal to users. Sales exceeded everyone’s
expectations and even today it is the benchmark in
the industry. Currently the 5th generation I-Phone
4S is the newest generation available.
Smartphone Apps
When you open the Apple I-Phone Store page, the
screen boldly informs you that it now offers over
500,000 Apps. for the Apple I-Phone. It describes
these Apps. for “ work, play and everything in
between”.
Apple first offered Apps (Application Software) in
2008. All Apple Apps must be approved and signed
off by Apple. This is done for security to prevent
viruses and malware. Apple is considered by
industry experts to be one of the most secure devices
on market. All Apple Apps. must be purchased at
the Apple I-Phone Store whether they are free or
downloaded for a fee.
The Apps. have diverse functions including
games, references, GPS / Navigation and social
networking.
Now the Golf Course superintendent can be
included as a beneficiary of the smartphone
Continued on page 4...
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 4 March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 5
easily search by common name or trade name for
quick information regarding product rates, tolerant
turfgrasses, and pests controlled. The databases
contains pre- and postemergence herbicides,
insecticides, fungicides, plant growth regulators,
and spray adjuvants and will be regularly updated
with new products, label amendments, and
information”. The app. features excellent photo
shots to assist the superintendent in matching up and
identifying the pest. In addition it makes curative
recommendations. All proceeds are donated for
ongoing turfgrass research at University of Georgia.
This App can be also purchased for the Blackberry
and Android smartphones.
Turfgrass Management Calculator (TMC):
Developed by University of Georgia, $5.99
A turf salesman in Pennsylvania made me aware of
this App. and it has assisted him in his productivity
and accuracy in working with his customers. The
Apps website indicates it was developed for
“practioners and students of Turfgrass” offering over
“17,000 programmed calculations”. The site goes
on to describe that TMC “provides quick answers
for calibration, conversions, fertilizer applications,
irrigation, mowing, pesticide applications and
topdressing along with many other practices”. It
can greatly assist the superintendent with accurate
cost projections. It’s quite impressive with the
quantity of calculations available and how much
detail was considered. Again all proceeds are
donated for ongoing turfgrass research at University
of Georgia.
Turfgrass Weeds: Developed by University of
Georgia, Free Download
The App. website describes it as a “virtual flashcard
application created as a study tool for turf students
at the University of Ga. . The App. contains a series
of flashcards with snapshot photos with turfgrass
Continued from page 3...
technology. New Apps. can be downloaded which
provide tools such as a compass to determine the
position of shade throughout the day given any
time of the year. University of Georgia associate
professor Patrick McCullough along with other
staff has developed 4 Apps. that offer photos’ that
allow you match up to various gold course pests.
Another App was developed to assist in common
calculations.
Here are 4 iPhone Apps. that you might find useful:
Sun Seeker: Developed by ozPDA, $4.99
John Burke of Hartford Golf Club enlightened
me about this one and he highly recommends
it. The website for this App. describes it as a “3D
Augmented Reality Viewer (That one went right
over my head). It basically provides a Flat View
Compass and Reality Camera” showing the solar
path, its hour intervals, and its winter and summer
solstice paths. Net result, John knows where the
shade is on his greens during the day regardless
of what time of the year it is. John indicated this
has assisted him in convincing members precisely
what selected trees need to be removed to maximize
sunlight and not shade on his greens during the
morning hours on his course.
Turfgrass Management: Developed by University
of Georgia, $19.99 / yr. Subscription
The Apps. website for this subscription describes
it as a” comprehensive application that contains
practices and information for managing turf weeds,
diseases and insects”. It further describes that “The
application combines information from numerous
books on turfgrass science in one complete program
that can be used anywhere. The application also
features a pesticide database for turf managers to
weeds on the front. Tap the screen with the photo
and it flips over and lists the weeds common name,
scientific name, its family and lifecycle. Turfgrass
weeds has a save option to assist in organizing and
categorizing weeds.”
It’s quite obvious that these specific smartphone
apps are just the start of what is more to come. I don’t
doubt there will be more progress specifically for golf
course superintendents as private and academic see
opportunities. Don’t hesitate to check on the Apple
I-Phone Store periodically for new apps.
Mike Donahue
USGA Green Section Record Vol.50 (1) January 6, 2012
The University of
Georgia of Apps.
were developed and
edited by Assistant
Professor Patrick
Mc C u l l o u g h ,
Dept. of Crop and
Soil Science along
with contributions
from F. Clint
Waltz, Associate
Professor, Dept.
of Crop and
Soil Science,
William Hudson,
Professor – Dept.
of Entomology,
Alfredo Martinez,
A s s o c i a t e
Professor, Dept. of
Plant Pathology.
Basagran® T/O
Herbicide,
Drive® XLR8
Herbicide,
FreeHand® 1.75G
Herbicide
Onetime®
Herbicide,
Pendulum®
AquaCap™
Herbicide,
Pendulum® 2G
Herbicide
Pendulum® 3.3 EC
Herbicide,
Segment ®
Herbicide,
Tower® Herbicide
Curalan® EG
Fungicide,
Emerald®
Fungicide,
Honor™ Fungicide
Insignia®
Fungicide,
Iprodione Pro 2SE
Fungicide,
Trinity® Fungicide
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.
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
2012 TURF BOWL
Great showing for the local University Turf Bowl teams at the GIS in
Las Vegas.
UMASS’s three and UCONN’s two turf bowl teams participated in
the national collegiate turf bowl competition at the 2012 Golf Course
Superintendents Association of America National Conference. There
were 87 teams from across the US competing in the contest.
The UCONN teams finished 8th and 22nd overall. This is the first time
UCONN has broken the top ten in this competition and the first time we
have placed two teams in the top 25. The UMass teams placed 2nd, 11th,
and 59th in the Turf Bowl competition.
Pictured in a group photo are
the teams listed below. UMASS
has the big check. UCONN is
on the mower.
UCONN 8th place team
Anthony Minniti
Raymond Platt
Brian Conlon
Mike Sargent
UCONN 22nd place team
Brandon Fowler
Travis Nierendorf
Eli Desroschers
UMASS 2nd place team
Royal Healy
Edward Coffin
Scott St. Pierre
Peter White
11th place team
Evan Bradstreet
Christopher Freniere
Ryan Raposa
Kevin Shewmaker
59th place (one student
competing by himself
against 4-person teams!)
Sean Raposa
Fax: 860-507-6124
53 Strawfield Road
Unionville, CT 06085
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 6 March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 7
Congratulations
Glenn Perry, CGCS, Rolling Hills Country
Club on his certification renewal through
GCSAA
Ishmael Franco, former Asst. Superintendent at
The Golf Club at Oxford Greens on his new job
as Superintendent at Highland Golf Club.
Justin Gabrenas, former Superintendent
at Lake Waramaug CC, on his new job as
Superintendent at Birchwood Country Club.
David Ryan, formerly of Madison Country
Club, on accepting the position of Golf Course
Superintendent at Great Neck Country Club
(formerly New London Country Club)
Steve Smith, CGCS, on his new job as The
Director of Landscaping at The Casa Marina
Resort and The Reach Resort in Key West, FL.
Richard Duggan, formerly of The Patterson
Club, on his new job as Superintendent at Lake
Waramaug Country Club.
Andrew Hannah formerly class C at Century
CC is now Golf Course Superintendent at
Shuttle Meadow CC in Kensington, CT.
Dennis Petruzzelli, CGCS, on being named the
Superintendent at Woodbridge Country Club.
Stephen Loughran, formerly from North
Hemstead CC, Port Washington, LI, now the
Superintendent at Rock Ridge Country Club.
Condolences
Donald Richard Kiley, 85, passed away
December 21, 2011. He was born in Chicago,
IL on February 25, 1926. Don married the
love of his life, Berte on June 25, 1949. During
their 62 years of marriage they raised their
six children. Don attended the University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor earning a Bachelor of
Science degree in psychology. He worked as a
personnel manager until his retirement from
Monsanto at age of 55. He began a second
career as a lobbyist for the Connecticut
State legislation. During this time his wife
Berte worked along his side. Don enjoyed
volunteering at the New England Air
Museum in Windsor Locks restoring vintage
aircraft. An avid sailor, patriarch, champion
story-teller and wordsmith, Don left a
memorable mark on more than a few and
shall be sorely missed by everyone who had
the privilege to know him.
On the passing of Geoffrey Cornish, Golf
Course Architect on February 10, 2012
On the passing of Timothy O’Neill’s father,
Vincent O’Neill, 83 years old, on March 2,
2012
On the passing of Sean Moran’s father, Peter
Moran, 68 years old, on March 3, 2012
Please note! Anyone who wishes to send
out via email information on the passing of
a family member must contact the CAGCS
business office. The office will not send out
an obituary without the approval of the
family. Reminder
CAGCS Scholarship deadline for
requesting an application is Friday, April
6th. Deadline for submitting applications is
Friday, May 4th.
304 Main Street
Wethersfield, CT 06109
Phone: 860-529-2537
Fax: 860-563-7221
Email: info@hartseed.com
The Chas. C. Hart Seed Co.
A tradition of quality from our family
to yours since 1892
We provide varieties of vegetable, flower &
grass seed that are the best for our region.
Look for us at your local hardware store or garden center.
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 –
Heather Garvin
Class C Rep to the Board
Douglas Zitnay
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March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 8
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􀀘􀀷􀀶􀀁􀀥􀀦􀀳􀀸􀀷􀀁􀀶􀀸􀀴􀀴􀀰􀀻􀀭􀀲􀀫􀀁􀀻􀀳􀀸􀀁􀀺􀀭􀀷􀀬􀀁􀀩􀀹􀀩􀀵􀀻􀀷􀀬􀀭􀀲􀀫􀀁􀀻􀀳􀀸􀀁􀀲􀀩􀀩􀀨􀀁􀀷􀀳􀀁􀀦􀀩􀀁
􀀶􀀸􀀧􀀧􀀩􀀶􀀶􀀪􀀸􀀰􀀆􀀁􀀈􀀑􀀙􀀐􀀁􀀇􀀕􀀓􀀁􀀅􀀗􀀛􀀑􀀔􀀂􀀁􀀜􀀕􀀚􀀝􀀗􀀍􀀁􀀔􀀕􀀙􀀁􀀊􀀒􀀕􀀔􀀍􀀃
􀀓􀀥􀀰􀀰􀀁 􀀟􀀳􀀦􀀁 􀀚􀀥􀀵􀀶􀀳􀀲􀀁 􀀥􀀷􀀁 􀀂􀀌􀀇􀀏􀀃􀀎􀀏􀀐􀀅􀀇􀀇􀀌􀀐􀀁 􀀳􀀵􀀁 􀀙􀀩􀀪􀀪􀀁 􀀗􀀳􀀸􀀨􀀩􀀁 􀀥􀀷􀀁􀀁
􀀂􀀉􀀇􀀊􀀃􀀎􀀊􀀈􀀅􀀈􀀎􀀎􀀍􀀁􀀥􀀲􀀨􀀁􀀶􀀩􀀩􀀁􀀺􀀬􀀥􀀷􀀁􀀭􀀷􀀁􀀪􀀩􀀩􀀰􀀶􀀁􀀰􀀭􀀯􀀩􀀁􀀷􀀳􀀁􀀬􀀥􀀹􀀩􀀁􀀷􀀬􀀩􀀁􀀦􀀩􀀶􀀷􀀁􀀴􀀰􀀥􀀻􀀩􀀵􀀶􀀁
􀀭􀀲􀀁􀀷􀀬􀀩􀀁􀀦􀀸􀀶􀀭􀀲􀀩􀀶􀀶􀀁􀀳􀀲􀀁􀀻􀀳􀀸􀀵􀀁􀀷􀀩􀀥􀀱􀀆
􀀡􀀳􀀱􀀁􀀘 􀀵 􀀺 􀀭 􀀲􀀄􀀁􀀘 􀀲􀀧􀀆􀀁􀀁􀀼􀀁􀀁􀀈 􀀈􀀁􀀑􀀁􀀠 􀀷 􀀵􀀩􀀩􀀷􀀄􀀁􀀒􀀸 􀀵􀀰 􀀭 􀀲 􀀫 􀀷􀀳􀀲􀀄􀀁􀀛 􀀑􀀁􀀇􀀈􀀏 􀀇􀀊􀀁􀀁􀀁􀀼􀀁􀀁􀀁􀀎􀀏􀀈􀀆􀀉􀀎􀀊􀀆􀀇􀀈 􀀋􀀊􀀁􀀁􀀁􀀼􀀁􀀁􀀁􀀺 􀀺 􀀺􀀆􀀡􀀳􀀱 􀀘 􀀵 􀀺 􀀭 􀀲􀀆􀀧􀀳􀀱􀀁
will be the host of the 2012 U.S. Open in June.
Keith A. Ihms, CGCS at Country Club of Little
Rock (Ark.) was elected secretary/treasurer.
Rafael Barajas, CGCS at Hacienda Golf Club in La
Habra Heights, Calif., and William H. Maynard,
CGCS at Milburn Golf and Country Club in
Overland Park, Kan., were elected as directors.
Darren J. Davis, GCSAA Class A member at Olde
Florida Golf Club in Naples, Fla., was appointed
to the GCSAA Board of Directors, filling the
remaining year of Ihms’ term, created by his
election to secretary/treasurer.
John J. O’Keefe, CGCS, director of golf course
management at Preakness Hills Country Club in
Wayne, N.J., and Peter J. Grass, CGCS at Hilands
Golf Club in Billings, Mont., remain on the board
with one year remaining on their two-year
director terms.
Robert M. Randquist, CGCS at Boca Rio Golf
Club in Boca Raton, Fla., will serve on the board
for one year as immediate past president. James
R. Fitzroy, CGCS, director/superintendent at
Wollaston Recreational Facility/Presidents Golf
Club in North Quincy, Mass., retires from the
board after serving the last year as immediate
past president.
About GCSAA
GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has
as its focus golf course management. Since
1926, GCSAA has been the top professional
association for the men and women who manage
golf courses in the United States and worldwide.
From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the
QUEEN ELECTED GCSAA
PRESIDENT
Kansas City-metro golf operations manager to
lead national golf association.
Sandy G. Queen, CGCS, manager of golf
operations for the Kansas City suburb of
Overland Park, Kan., was elected president of
the Golf Course Superintendents Association of
America (GCSAA) at the association’s annual
meeting March 2 in Las Vegas.
The annual meeting was held in conjunction
with the GCSAA Education Conference (Feb.
27-March 2) and Golf Industry Show (Feb. 29-
March 1).
Queen has been the manager of golf operations
for the city of Overland Park (Kan.) since 1984.
Previously, he served as superintendent for the
city of Overland Park. A GCSAA member for
34 years, Queen is a member and past president
of the Heart of America GCSA, a member of
the Kansas Turfgrass Association and The First
Tee of Greater Kansas City. He also oversees
operations for the award-winning Deanna Rose
Children’s Farmstead and the Overland Park
Soccer Complex, regarded as one of the top
facilities of its kind in the nation.
Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS, director of golf course
maintenance operations at The Olympic Club in
San Francisco, was elected vice president. Finlen
association provides education, information and
representation to 19,000 members in more than
72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its
members, advance their profession and enhance
the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of
golf. Find GCSAA on Facebook, follow GCSAA
on Twitter, and visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
The EIFG is the philanthropic organization of
the Golf Course Superintendents Association
of America, and has as its mission to foster
sustainability through research, awareness,
education, programs and scholarships for the
benefit of golf course management professionals,
golf facilities and the game. Visit www.eifg.org.
[CGCS designates Certified Golf Course
Superintendent, which recognizes the achievement of
high standards of professionalism through education,
testing and experience.]
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 9
• Decision tools to guide nitrogen fertility
• Cultivar evaluations
The agenda for the day will begin with time to
visit regional exhibitors and a light breakfast,
followed by guided research talks with
UCONN faculty. After a barbeque lunch, we
will offer an afternoon program (1:30 to 3:00
pm; separate registration required) with the
option of participating in one of three pest
management workshops.
• Turfgrass Disease Identification and
Management Walking Tour – Inguagiato
.Review signs and symptoms of common
turfgrass diseases, and discuss current
cultural and chemical controls with
examples from UCONN fungicide
efficacy trials
• Use of Entomopathogenic Nematodes
for Insect Management – LeGrand
This hands-on workshop will review
the biology, species selection, handling
and application of nematodes employed
for insect pest management.
• Managing Weeds in the New (25b) World
– Henderson & Wallace. A workshop
focused on efficacy of minimum risk
pesticides and cultural practices for weed
control in K-8 school grounds
In addition to keeping up with the latest
research, attendees can also see and hear
about new products from local vendors, and
GCSAA was among the first associations to
institute a professional certification program,
establishing its program in 1971 to recognize
outstanding and progressive superintendents.
In 2005, GCSAA completed a restructuring of
its certification program in order to raise the
level of documented professionalism through
comprehensive continuing education. The
restructured program was recognized by the
National Certification Commission as “one
of the most extensive and comprehensive
certification programs for any profession.”
To qualify for GCSAA’s new competencybased
certification program, a candidate must
have at least three years
experience as a golf
course superintendent,
be employed in that
capacity and meet postsecondary
educational
requirements and/or
continuing education
points. The candidate’s
knowledge, skills and
abilities are validated
through the development
of a portfolio consisting
of their responses to skill
statements, case-study
scenarios and submission
of work samples; an
DON’T MISS OUT:
UCONN TURFGRASS FIELD
DAY: 17 JULY, 2012
The Biennial UCONN Turfgrass Field
Day has quickly developed into one of the
premiere field days in the Northeast. Since
2008, the field day has attracted an average
of 300 attendees and 35 exhibitors each
year to the Plant Science Research Farm in
Storrs. The emphasis of the event is to share
current research conducted by the UCONN
Turfgrass Team with turfgrass professionals
in the region. UCONN’s turf faculty provide
expertise in a variety of disciplines providing
attendees the opportunity to learn about
diverse research studies; all of which provide
information targeted to improve management
of turf in the Northeast. Moreover, you are
encouraged to walk the plots to see for
yourself what works and what doesn’t; a
hallmark of field days that can’t be duplicated
in formal research presentations. This year’s
event will feature research on:
• Anthracnose management
• Summer patch management
• Dollar spot control
• Fungicide efficacy trials
• Annual bluegrass control
• Biological white grub control
• Organic athletic field management
• Weed control with minimum risk
pesticides
HARTFORD AREA
SUPERINTENDENT
RECEIVES PROFESSIONAL
CERTIFICATION
Marc E. Weston, GCSAA golf course
superintendent at Indian Hill Country Club,
Newington, Conn., has been designated
a Certified Golf Course Superintendent
(CGCS) by the Golf Course Superintendents
Association of America (GCSAA). Weston,
a 14-year GCSAA member, has been the
superintendent at Indian Hill Country Club
since 2003. Approximately 1,700 golf course
superintendents worldwide, currently hold
“CGCS” status.
According to GCSAA Chief Executive Officer
Rhett Evans, “25 percent of GCSAA’s Class
A members have elected to earn the highest
level of recognition through the professional
designation “CGCS” by completion of the
GCSAA Certification Program. This program
requires their demonstration of a higher set
of competencies in golf course management
through testing and practical application.
Employers can be confident they employ a
career professional who will increase their
chances of having consistently superior
course conditions.”
network with other turf managers. Pesticide
and GCSAA certification credits will be
available for attendees. The timing of this
event can present challenges for those during
trying summers. However, this date has
intentionally been selected to coincide with
stressful summer conditions when treatment
differences are most apparent in the research
trials. While leaving the property at this
time may be difficult, it is also the most
advantageous time to view the research. We
hope you can make it this year, and we look
forward to seeing you on Tuesday, July 17 at
the Plant Science Research Farm in Storrs,
CT. For registration information visit www.
uconn.turf.edu.
on-site inspection of their golf facility; and
a rigorous six-hour examination covering:
equipment, irrigation systems, materials
and technology; golf course and grounds;
human resources, rules of golf, financial
and administrative systems, regulatory and
programmatic systems, crisis management,
project management and ethics and values.
As part of the certification process, an on-site
inspection of Weston’s golf course operation
was conducted by two GCSAA certified golf
course superintendents: Scott M. Ramsay,
CGCS, The Course at Yale, New Haven, Conn.;
and Vincent A. Pavonetti, CGCS, Fairview
Country Club, Greenwich, Conn.
Sandy G.
Queen ,
CGCS
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 10
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
!
Buckley at Rutgers relates the role of moisture
and temperature on disease incidence to an
engine. He says, temperature is like the throttle,
but moisture is the ignition. This year, the
throttle has already started increasing, priming
the system; if heavy rainfalls occur this spring
that could provide the spark for a particularly
difficult disease year. Perhaps most notably
might be Microdochium patch and take-all patch
this spring, and summer patch later on.
Microdochium patch sometimes catches folks
off guard when it occurs in the spring, because it
lacks the characteristic pink coloration observed
after snow melt. During mild temperatures
and high humidity this disease will develop
as an orange colored patch with an outer halo
of grayish, water-soaked turf, 2 to 6 inches in
diameter that may produce abundant mycelium
and spores. The spores can be easily spread by
flowing surface water and equipment causing
a streaking pattern. Control of this disease is
recommended particularly on putting greens
since it can kill turfgrass crowns and spread
rapidly during favorable conditions.
Patch diseases like take-all and summer patch
often times can be effectively managed, but
cause significant problems when control
breakthroughs occur. “Early” springs can be
particularly problematic for these diseases if
your preventive fungicide applications are based
on calendar date rather than monitoring soil
temperatures. Effective recommendations have
been developed for timing fungicide applications
based on soil temperatures for these diseases to
protect turfgrasses prior to infection. The takeall
pathogen grows in the soil and infects roots
during wet conditions when soil temperatures
are approximately 50 – 55 F. Symptoms develop
later, once temperatures increase and water
becomes limiting. A fungicide applied at this
time should help minimize infection by the take-
SPRING TURFGRASS
DISEASE OUTLOOK
John Inguagiato, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of
Turfgrass Pathology, University of Connecticut
You don’t need a sophisticated weather station
to tell you that this winter has been abnormally
warm. However, records generated by these
services do help document the story. According
to the Northeast Regional Climate Center,
temperatures in February were 6 to 7 F above
normal throughout Connecticut. Bridgeport
experienced a record high average temperature
of 38.8 F and Hartford had a near record average
of 35.8 F. These above normal temperatures are
just the latest of a string of eleven consecutive
months with above normal temperatures
throughout the region.
As many of you have noticed, the early onset of
warmer temperatures has already affected the
biological development of many organisms in
our environment. Some crocuses began blooming
by early February, ticks were actively searching
for food, and the grass has started greening
up in some areas. Of course, for a turfgrass
pathologist these early indications of spring
suggest a potentially early onset of disease as
well, with turf pathogens also taking advantage
of the warmer temperatures. Fortunately, our
accumulated precipitation has been slightly
below average since December. The limited
moisture during late January and February
likely explains the absence of Microdochium
patch (aka., pink snow mold) throughout the
region despite periods of favorable temperatures
in the mid-40’s F.
Ultimately, the disease outlook for the spring will
be dependent on the amount of precipitation we
receive. A good analogy I’ve adopted from Rich
all pathogen. However, as you would expect,
this critical temperature threshold may vary
from year to year. Calendar based fungicide
applications may not coincide with the time
when roots are being infected, leading to a failure
or reduced efficacy of preventive applications.
This could be particularly true in a year such as
this when soil temperatures may likely increase
more rapidly than normal years. Therefore, an
active soil temperature monitoring program is
recommended to optimize preventive fungicide
applications. Soil temperatures should be
measured at the 2-inch depth everyday at 2 p.m.
Once temperatures reach 50 F or greater for 5
consecutive days, a preventive application of a
strobilurin or DMI fungicide should be made
with a follow up 21- to 28-d later. Growth of the
pathogen usually slows as temperatures increase
so additional fungicide applications during the
summer are usually not required.
A similar soil temperature monitoring program
is recommended for summer patch. However,
this pathogen prefers warmer temperatures of
65 F or greater. Therefore, preventive fungicides
should be applied once soil temperatures at
2 p.m. reach 65 F for 5 consecutive days. It is
important to observe these temperatures for
5 days to ensure that soil temperatures have
actually stabilized and are not just a short term
abnormality. Usually 3 to 4 repeat applications of
a DMI or strobilurin fungicide every 21- to 28-d
are recommended for summer patch control.
This spring and summer, don’t let the calendar
dictate your disease control programs. These
programs, often developed in the off-season
with the best information available at the time,
cannot predict what will be needed during the
heat of the summer (or spring). Allow yourself
the flexibility to adjust your fungicide choices
to address rising disease threats as they present
themselves. Best wishes for this summer!
2012 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
April 30 NORWICH GOLF COURSE Bruce Morse
Monday 2 Ball Shamble Host Superintendent
May 1 RI TURFGRASS FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT
Tuesday Rhode Island Country Club, Barrington, RI
May 21 CLINTON COUNTRY CLUB Michael Decker
Monday CAGCS Annual Scholarship & Research Tournament Host Superintendent
June 12 WETHERSFIELD COUNTRY CLUB Alan Woodward
Tuesday Low Gross/Net by Flight Host Superintendent
1st Round CAGCS Championship
MET Team Championship Qualifier
July 10 WINTONBURY HILLS COUNTRY CLUB Mark Mansur
Tuesday CAGCS Benevolent Fundraiser Host Superintendent
Low Gross/Net Blind Partners
2nd Round CAGCS Championship
New England Team Championship Qualifier
July 17 UCONN Turfgrass Field Day
Tuesday Plant Science Research Farm, Storrs, CT
August 1 UMASS Turf Research Field Day
Wednesday Joseph Troll Turf Research Center, South Deerfield, MA
August 14 THE COURSE AT YALE Scott Ramsay, CGCS
Tuesday CAGCS Member/Guest Host Superintendent
August 26 LAKE COMPOUNCE
Tuesday Family Day
October 4 REDDING COUNTRY CLUB Brett Chapin
Thursday 2 Person Best Ball Host Superintendent
Superintendent/Assistant Tournament
President’s Cup & McLaughlin Trophy
October TBA Class C Tournament
November 1 PINE ORCHARD YACHT & CC Peter Gorman
Thursday 9-Hole Scramble ABCD, CAGCS Annual Meeting Host Superintendent
December 6 J. TIMOTHY’S TAVERNE Peter Gorman
Thursday CAGCS Christmas Party
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 11
!!!!!!!"#$$%&$!'())*'+!,'-!./0(1!
www.mgcdevelopers.com
PO Box 280915, East Hartford, CT 06128
P#: 860.749.4434
F#: 860.290.8470
Email: info@mgcdevelopers.com
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.*-")/'0*11$"1'&"))$&%'('2,+"#'

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CT Clippings
NN-West Suffield
1320 Mountain Road
WEST SUFFIELD, CT
PHONE: (860) 668-5225
MANAGER: TERRY MISH
www.nor thernnurser ies.com
W h o l e s a l e H o r t i c u l t u r a l D i s t r i b u t i o n C e n t e r s
􀀂􀀁Quality Plant Material
􀀂􀀁Stone Products
􀀂􀀁Landscape Lighting
􀀂􀀁Water Garden Supplies
􀀂􀀁Fertilizer & Grass Seed
􀀂􀀁Spyder Delivery
􀀂􀀁Competitive Pricing
􀀂􀀁Ice-Melt Products
Northern Nurseries
Two EZ Fixes For Golf Course Problems
EZ Roll™ Grass Pavers EZ Flow® Drainage System
Use EZflow® to drain bunkers
and low water-prone areas.
This quick and easy drainage
solution replaces traditional
gravel installations.
EZflow® is a 10 foot long
slotted pipe surrounded
by Poly-Rock™ recycled
content and enclosed in
a geotextile mesh.
Combining the pipe,
aggregate and mesh in
one unit reduces the cost
of installing a French Drain
system by 50% or more.
And it eliminates gravel.
Use EZ Roll™ beneath golf
course pathways, grass
parking areas, etc. to build
reinforcement in the soil.
These plastic grass pavers
stabilize the soil, prevent
soil compaction and allow
healthy root growth
so grass can thrive.
Light to heavy vehicular
traffic can drive over turf
areas without impact.
EZ Roll™ Grass Pavers are
interlocking, easy to install
and available in rolls of
4 ft. x 150 ft. or 24" squares.
􀁳􀀀􀀩􀁍􀁍􀁅􀁄􀁉􀁁􀁔􀁅􀀀􀀳􀁈􀁉􀁐􀁍􀁅􀁎􀁔􀀀􀀀􀀀􀁳􀀀􀀥􀁃􀁏􀀍􀀳􀁍􀁁􀁒􀁔􀀀􀀀􀀀􀁳􀀀􀀬􀀥􀀥􀀤􀂧􀀀􀀣􀁒􀁅􀁄􀁉􀁔􀁓
Call 1-800-367-9265 or (203) 261-4955
more info? email: ed.sullivan@yankocy.com
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www.yankocy.com
3.5.12 final
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 12
club’s board of governors informed us we were
welcome to continue living in the house while
the future of the club and property was being
determined, but we always knew there was a
chance that we would be forced to leave. For
the next two months, I frequently transitioned
between feelings of anger, frustration, fear,
denial, and disbelief. I was experiencing these
feelings while still working full time, navigating
through the fall leaf season, and preparing the
course for a New England winter.
On November 24, 2010, the day before
Thanksgiving, at the urging of my wife and father,
I drove myself to the emergency department to
have a chest x-ray to determine if I had suffered
a broken rib that I had been complaining about
for a few weeks. The results were negative for
broken bones, but the x-rays detected a large
tumor between my upper lungs and pressing
against my trachea.
It sounds clichéd, but it is amazing how events
in your life can shift your focus from one thing
to another. Nine days after losing my job, I had
a nearly seven-pound tumor removed from my
chest through a large incision in my back. Two
weeks later, on Christmas Eve, at the beginning
of an uncomfortable recovery, my family
received what seemed like the first good news
in nearly a year. The pathology results were back
and the growth was benign. Suddenly, my future
seemed much brighter...
WINTER OF UNCERTAINTY
As the winter of 2011 progressed, it became
apparent that Oak Lane would never exist in
SURVIVING AN
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Managing a bankrupt golf course back to life can
be the ride of a life. BY CLAY PEDIGO
I didn’t think things could get any worse than
September 28, 2010. I found out that day that my
employer, Oak Lane Golf and Country Club in
Woodbridge, Connecticut, would be closing its
doors indefinitely on November 1st and I was
losing my job a month later.
It was the end of my fourth season as
superintendent of the club, and it capped off a
demoralizing year for everyone involved. During
the previous 12 months the club had shut down
its kitchen operation in favor of hiring an outside
caterer, had been through three general managers,
and had reduced the green department operating
budget by 33%. To make matters worse, a severe
drought and statemandated water restrictions
left most of the fairways decimated from lack of
irrigation. Morale, from club members to staff,
was very low from the cloud of uncertainty that
had hung over us during this time. Members
were already searching for new clubs to join,
and staff members were forced to deal with early
layoffs and no confirmed return dates.
Adding to my anxiety was the weight of losing
my job and with it a salary, company vehicle, my
family’s health insurance (wife and three young
children) and the house provided to us. The
its previous incarnation. Attempts to find a
buyer came up short. Complicating matters
was the fact that the club only owned half of the
property, which included the front nine holes, the
maintenance facility and the house, and leased
the other half on which the clubhouse and back
nine holes were located. With mounting debt,
unpaid back taxes and at least 1.5 million dollars
owed on its mortgage, the board of governors
and bank chose to place the club-owned property
up for auction. The club’s landlord agreed to
honor the remaining five years that existed on
the Oak Lane lease with any potential buyer so
the property could be nationally marketed as a
golf course.
I remained on site that winter, plowing snow,
gathering mail, checking on club grounds and
buildings in exchange for staying in the house.
Ironically, the fact that Oak Lane had closed its
doors in December proved to be helpful for the
club, but the worst case scenario for me. I had
always felt that if the grass on the golf course
were actively growing, there would be an added
sense of urgency to get a deal, any deal, done
immediately. Instead, with snow mold sprays
complete, the irrigation system winterized and
snow resting on top of dormant turf, the winter
seemed to drag on as we waited to hear our
fate.
A ONE-MAN SHOW
In early March, the board of governors informed
me of the plan to put the club-owned land up for
auction. The club, working closely with the bank,
would fund a skeleton golf course operation that
would end on May 10, auction day. My orders
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 13
were simple: do whatever was necessary to
present a visually recognizable golf course
during the marketing period leading up to
the auction and do it for as little money as
possible. It was assumed that as of May 11 a
new golf course operator would be in control
of the property, so I was not to purchase any
products that would be needed to maintain
the golf course after that date.
Work began seven weeks prior to the auction.
I was now an independent contractor being
paid at my former weekly salary. The first
four weeks I worked alone, but I was able
to hire a former staff member for the final
three. My first week in late March was spent
preparing the equipment for a oneman show,
which did not take long, as I had only to
worry about one greens mower, a tee mower,
and a fairway mower. I would have preferred
to replace bearings and seals, grind reels and
replace bedknives, but the parts were not
available and I settled for back-lapping reels,
fresh grease for the bearings, and replacing
any filters that remained from the 2010
inventory.
All mowing would be performed on an asneeded
basis, which turned out to be every
other day on greens, now being maintained at
a 0.160-inch height of cut. Tees and fairways
were cut one to two times per week at 0.600
inch. The club’s rough mower and Buffalo
Blower had been repossessed over the winter,
so I contracted out for the rough to be mowed
twice prior to the auction. A mentor was able
to lend me a tow-behind leaf blower that I
used to clear the playing surfaces of winter
debris.
In order for the golf course to remain
presentable for marketing, the greens, tees,
and fairways would be my only focus.
However, numerous annual
practices and chemical
applications would either be
adjusted or eliminated. The
fungicides and chemicals
remaining in inventory
from 2010 would have to
be utilized through the
May date. The intermediate
rough cut around fairways
would be abandoned due
to time constraints and a
dilapidated mower in need
of costly repairs. Spring
aeration and topdressing
would not be possible for
one person trying to keep
up with mowing. Repairing
the previous year’s drought
damage also would be
put on hold until after the
auction date, as would any
sand bunker work.
Surprisingly, there were
few problems during this
interim period leading up
to the auction date. When I
experienced a problem with
equipment, I would either
salvage a replacement part
off a similar machine or call
on some close friends in
the industry to help with
repairs. I regarded this
seven-week period as an
on-the-job tryout for a
potential future employer.
The golf course and
club grounds exceeded
most expectations on
the May 10 auction day.
Approximately 75 people,
comprised of former
members, townspeople,
local politicians, and
neighbors, attended
the auction with three
registered bidders in the
audience. The result: the
auction was cancelled
when it was determined
that no one would be
making the opening
minimum bid of $1.6
million dollars. The
future of the golf course
and my family remained
uncertain.
LIMBO
I was laid off, again, the
day after the auction. It
also began raining and
didn’t let up for nearly
a week. Rumors circled
that there were still some
ongoing negotiations
behind the scenes. I
continued to mow
greens, tees, and fairways, even though I was not being compensated and was once again all alone
on the golf course. I always believed that, as long as a golf course existed, there was still a chance
that I could save my job, my house, and the life my family had in Woodbridge. If the greens, tees,
and fairways grew unchecked, as the rough had begun to do, to me it seemed unlikely that a buyer
would be interested in investing money in a recovery operation. The quality of cut on most
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Call: Executive Turf Products 203‐496‐0891
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Continued on page 14...
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 14
take an operator with startup capital to save any
future for the property. I got back on a fairway
mower and crossed my fingers yet again...
THE LAST CHANCE
Amazingly, two things happened during the
last two weeks of June that would prove critical
for the survival of the golf course. Timely rain
made it completely unnecessary to irrigate.
Also, a buyer, Joseph DiNatale, owner of The
Tradition Golf Club in Wallingford, Connecticut,
and his advisor and restaurant owner of The
Seasons at The Tradition, Steve Fontanella,
began negotiating with both Oak Lane and its
landlord. On June 30, an agreement with both
sides was reached, and on July 1, long before any
sale closing could occur, The Tradition assumed
operation of Oak Lane’s golf course. And most
important, I will be forever grateful that they
chose to retain me as superintendent.
During the next few weeks, we set about playing
catch-up to every other golf course in the world.
Initially, The Tradition provided staff from their
other golf course along with many volunteers
who were friends of the new buyer. We began
fixing up usable equipment and purchased
several used mowers so we could perform routine
maintenance once again.
At this point, our three biggest hurdles were the
rough, which was now at least two feet high on
most of the property, catching up with all the
necessary chemical applications, and irrigating
the golf course while the lawyers attempted to
get power restored to the property. For the first
few days, we set every rough mower in our
possession to the highest height of cut possible.
leaves, sticks, and debris
throughout the golf
course. Electricity was
restored four-and-ahalf
days later, just in time for
a soggy opening day. One
more 5-inch rainstorm
arrived on September
4 to effectively relegate
golf carts to paths only
for the first few weeks of
operation. We seemed to
be cursed!
Eleven months after I
had first learned of Oak
Lane Golf and Country
Club’s imminent
demise, the Tradition at
Oak Lane was now in
existence.
CURRENTLY
As of this writing (October 2011), things are
beginning to feel routine on the golf course.
Mowing frequencies for the entire property
occur on a more
consistent basis. The sale is expected to occur
before the end of the month. The clubhouse will
need major renovations, including a new roof
before winter. The future of the tennis operation
is still undecided. The pool will be demolished
and never return. It has yet to be determined
whether the new business will be a public or
semiprivate operation.
Most important, plans are being made for the
property for next year and beyond. Tree work,
especially around some problem greens, has been
scheduled. Old drain lines are set to be replaced.
Continued from page 13...
surfaces continued to decline as the equipment
was now in need of reel grinding and new
bedknives instead of additional backlapping.
I was able to keep greens, tees, and fairways at
a manageable, if not shaggy, height, especially
in contrast to the actively growing rough. The
lack of funds and chemicals meant that several
important chemical sprays, including a preemergent
herbicide for crabgrass, fungicide for
summer patch, and an insecticide for annual
bluegrass weevils were eliminated, and the
results of that were quickly becoming evident.
For two weeks in early June, I was officially
brought back to work with three former staff
members as the first realistic offer was being
negotiated. In vain, we began to mow rough,
which was now more than 12 inches high, with
an antiquated tow-behind Lastec Articulator.
At the end of the two weeks, negotiations
with the landlord holding the lease on part of
the property broke down, which spelled the
end of negotiations with the club as well. The
staff of four was informed of the latest layoff
simultaneously, as the power company shut off
the electricity to our facility.
For the first time since I was initially informed that
Oak Lane Golf and Country Club would close, I
was finally convinced that the end was imminent.
The next day, with mid-June temperatures rising
into the mid 80s, summer patch beginning to
appear in fairways, the rough now more than
16 inches on at least 12 holes, and an irrigation
system crippled by lack of electricity, I knew that
my hard work and creativity had taken me as
far as I could go. At this point, it was going to
weevil population was worse than it had ever
been. Spot treatments with granular Dylox
provided some short-term results, but feeding
damage from newly emerging larva continued
and left the perimeter portions of greens in tough
shape. By the end of July many of the greens had
deteriorated.
Less than $30,000 dollars had been spent on
the property for the first six months of the year.
Even though we had begun standard operating
procedures on July 1, I had to accept that the
lack of normal spring maintenance was coming
back to haunt the golf course. An early August
opening was postponed when we decided to
aerate and overseed the greens to further improve
turf conditions. In hindsight, this aeration was
performed three weeks too early, even though
daytime temperatures dipped into the mid 70s
for a few days. While aeration did not provide
any immediate satisfaction, it allowed us to
introduce more bentgrass seed into the greens.
As we attempted to patiently wait for the greens
to mend so we could meet our new opening date
of September 1, the weather shifted from high
heat and humidity to bring us three major storm
events at the end of August. On August 21, a
tropical storm pushed through our area, with
6.5 inches of rain recorded at the maintenance
facility. The storm flooded Racebrook, the golf
course’s water source for irrigation, and rising
waters engulfed our pumphouse, causing
electrical damage to the irrigation pump controls.
A key cart path connecting the two sides of the
property was destroyed under the flood waters.
We quickly repaired the damage in time for
Hurricane Irene to pass through on August
28. The 4.5 inches of rain and 70 mph wind gusts
knocked down 15 sizable trees and scattered
Some machines performed better than others,
but progress was slow with each one. It seemed
there was no quick way to go from 24 inches to
2.5 inches. We were also faced with the problem
of removing the clippings. Oak Lane’s antiquated
leaf sweeper barely met the task. Full hoppers
were dumped on cart paths to be removed
when time permitted. Progress was slow until
a salesman recommended that we look into a
Wiedenman Super 500 sweeper with flail blades.
We were able to rent the machine, and rough
cutting progressed more quickly. One machine
was able to do the work that previously required
three. When we finished mowing the rough,
two-and-a-half weeks later, we had removed
more than 550 hoppers of grass.
The pumphouse was a mess! A burglar stole
most of the system’s copper wire when the
course was closed.We had it rewired and
retrofitted to accept a 175-kilowatt generator that
was brought in to provide power to the pumps.
Three smaller generators were used to provide
power to the field controllers. Without power in
the maintenance facility, the central computer
was useless, so irrigation programming was
done manually with the field controllers as we
monitored system pressure After the eighth day
of operation, an agreement was reached between
the power company and the new owners, and
we were once again up and running.
When not irrigating the golf course, I attempted
to catch up with the basic chemical programs.
An insecticide for white grubs was applied on
time. Curative fungicide applications were made
to suppress summer patch disease, albeit several
weeks past due. Oak Lane’s annual bluegrass
A continuous cart path will be extended on the
back nine. The future looks bright once again.
“Risk/reward” is a term frequently used in
golf when evaluating playing strategies. I often
viewed the situation my family and I faced as
a high risk/ reward opportunity. In our case,
there have been a few low-risk/low-reward
opportunities that we have passed on during
the last year. As it turns out, the risk we took in
remaining at Oak Lane has rewarded us with a
job working for a wonderful family-run company
and the opportunity to continue to live in our
community. The reward thus far was worth all
the uncertainty and risk!
CLAY PEDIGO is golf course superintendent at The
Tradition Golf Club at Oak Lane in Woodbridge,
Connecticut.
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 15
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2012 New England Regional Turfgrass Show ~ February 6-9
2012 New England Regional Turfgrass Show ~ February 6-9
March 2012 Connecticut Clippings Page 16
DryJect N.E./TurfPounders
Dryject, Core & Deeptine Aeration
Kevin Collins (914) 525-3681
Home Office (914) 672-6029
Servicing CT & NY since 2004
Egypt Farms, Inc.
Sterilized Topdressing, Greensmix
Bagged Topdressing & Divot Mix
Dean Snyder
(800) 899-7645 FAX (410) 335-0164
Executive Turf Products
Earthgreen.com
Rhizogen.com
Nutrientsplus.com
Ken Gentile (203) 496-0891
Grigg Brothers
Gordon Kauffman III, Ph.D.
Email: gordon@griggbros. Com
Website: www.griggbros.com
Become a Fan @ facebook.com/griggbros
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
Metro Turf Specialists
Customers, OUR TOP Priority
Dave Conrad (914) 490-3698
Rob Steinman (914) 588-6593
(203) 748-4653 – metroturfspecialists.com
MGC Developers, LLC
Netting Safety Barrier
Steve LaMesa (860) 290-8552
www.mgcdevelopers.com
email: info@mgcdevelopers.com
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
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
Allens Seed
Seed, Fertilizer, Turf Supplies
Exeter, RI 02822
Al LaPrise
(401) 741-4444 - (800) 527-3898
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
D & S
Floratine – JRM
TURBODROP NOZZLES
Jerry Marin (203) 380-9503
Dave Basconi (860) 349-1291
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
Plant Food Company, Inc.
The Liquid Fertilizer Experts
www.plantfoodco.com
Jason Dowgiewicz (860) 508-5419
Larry Pakkala, CGCS (203) 505-3750
Sodco, Inc.
P.O. Box 2
Slocum, RI 02877
Sean Moran
(800) 341-6900 - sodco.net
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
Westchester Turf Supply, Inc.
Serving the CAGCS for 36 years
Bob Lippman (914) 447-6257
Dave Lippman (914) 447-5192
Info@westchesterturf.com
Winding Brook Turf
240 Griswold Rd., Wethersfield, CT 06119
Michael Krudwig
(860) 883-0475
Windingbrookturf.net
CAGCS thanks these patrons for their continued support of our association.