77 J *—i 1 ’p 7"3 A L o H N G , - - CONNECTICUT ASSOCIATION OF^ GOLF COURSE < I SUPERINTENDENTS, s JUNE 1972 JOHN C. SCHREAD TO RETIRE MAY 31 NEW HAVEN .... John C. Schread, one of the most widely known entomo­ logists in the Northeast, will retire at the end of May after nearly 43 years on the staff of The Connecticut Agri­ cultural Experiment Station. Nurserymen, greenskeepers, gardeners, and homeowners have regularly called ~n Mr. Schread for information on con- jl of insects, and received practical information based in large measure on his own experiments. Station publications in which he re­ ported his work have long been among the most widely used by both amateurs and professionals. Mr. Schread, a native of Bridgeport, is a graduate of the University of Con­ necticut where he also earned the mas­ ter’s degree. He came to the Station as a technician in 1929. He first worked with the late Philip Garman of the Station staff on biologi­ cal control of the Oriental fruit moth, an important pest in Connecticut or­ chards. He then directed much of his attention to the Japanese beetle, con­ ducting surveys to follow its spread northeastward from Fairfield county. He collected tens of thousands of Japanese beetle grubs, for processing to produce spores of the milky disease that now helps to keep beetle popula­ tions markedly lower than 20 to 30 years ago. In other research Mr. Schread has helped to develop controls for ants, chinch bugs, sod webworms, strawberry >ot weevils, black vine weevils, mites, ,d many other insects. John Schread has addressed turf as­ sociation meetings in California, Phila­ delphia, Washington, Montreal, and throughout the Northeast. He is best (Continued on Page 4) GREEN COMMITTEE: ITS FUNCTIONS AND MALFUNCTIONS A reprint we have selected from the May 1971 issue of Golf Superin­ tendent offers information of sig­ nificant value to green chairmen, superintendents and club members in general. The author, Fred M. Adams, M.D., has served as chair­ man of the green committee and as president of Orchard Lake Country Club. He has been a member of the USGA Green Section Committee for the past ten years and green com­ mittee chairman of the Golf Asso­ ciation of Michigan for the past eight years. Committee responsibilities in a coun­ try club have always been an enigma to me. On one hand, the board of directors goes to great lengths to hire competent and well-trained club managers, golf professionals and golf course superin­ tendents ; it then turns right around and appoints committees composed of inter­ ested but poorly trained, thoroughly inexperienced club members who are eager to run the operation. In many instances, this paradox leads to under­ mining the trained personnel, and inef­ ficiency, confusion and chaos are the result. Many golfers picture themselves as agronomists merely by virtue of having played golf for many years and at many different courses. They have drawn their own conclusions as to what makes a great golf course from both an architect­ ural and maintenance point of view. With their appointment to the green committee, the self-styled “agrono­ mists” finally have the opportunity to implement all the changes they’ve dreamed about and can hardly wait for (Continued on Page 2) .J'G VOL. 5 No. 2 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Monthly meetings of the Connecticut Association of Golf Course Superinten­ dents. This is to outline the difficulties some of our host clubs are encountering with reservations at monthly meetings. It should be the responsibility of each Superintendent to return his card for every meeting with proper information included to facilitate the handling of this meeting and dinner by the host club. If for some reason a Superintendent is going to be present for golf and meeting but not able to remain for din­ ner, the host Superintendent should be notified. Quite often it is the financial responsibility of the host Superinten­ dent to make up the difference between the number accepting and the number actually attending. Proper attire should be worn • at all meetings and dinners. We are in effect, “guests” at a host club. How we look reflects on all of us as a professional group. R. Viera CONN. ASSOC. OF GOLF COURSE SUPT. MEETING SCHEDULE JULY 18, 1972 THURSDAY Glastonbury Hills Country Club Host: Roger Barrett AUGUST 7, 1972 MONDAY Wethersfield Country Club Host: Fred Bachand CONNECTICUT ASSOCIATION OF GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS President ....................... Robert Viera Vice President ........... Frank Lamphier Secretary ....................... David Stimson Treasurer ................ James MacDonald Board of Directors Roger Barrett Gary Bryant William Dest John Lynch Harry Meusel Robert Tosh Charles Baskin The object of this association is to promote research, education and an ex­ change of practical experiences in the field of turf grass culture so that the increased knowledge will lead to more economic and efficient management of golf courses and related turf areas. The CONN CLIPPINGS is an offi­ cial publication of the Connecticut As­ sociation of Golf Course Superinten­ dents. 937 Black Rock Turnpike Robert W. Osterman, Editor Easton, Conn. 06612 STEERING COMMITTEE FORMED At the April meeting of the Connec­ ticut Association of Golf Course Super­ intendents, held at the Country Club of Fairfield, it was decided to form a “Steering Committee” to formulate ways to guide and improve the associa­ tion in the coming years. A motion was made and passed to have Karnig Ovian of Hop Meadow Country Club as chairman of this com­ mittee, and for him to select a commit­ tee that represents a cross section of the association. This he has done, and serving along with Karnig are: William Dest, University of Conn.; Everett Pyle, 113 Chester St., Hartford, Conn.; Alfred Hawkins, Hartford Golf Club; and Bob Osterman, The Golf Club at Aspetuck. Members of the association who might have any suggestions or thoughts that might help this committee in its work, are requested to contact any mem­ ber of the committee and all suggestions will be discussed by the committee. A final report with recommendations will be presented to the membership only after all aspects of the association have been examined. — 2 — TOMORROW'S TREES TODAY It was no accident that the first Ar­ bor Day in America was proclaimed in the young state of Nebraska 100 years ago. Coming from the wooded East to the monotonous prairie, one thing the pioneers missed most of all was trees. Trees. Man has always loved them, but he has never hesitated to use them: to cut, split, burn, saw, distill, carve, trim, nail, peg stain, polish and inlay this infinitely precious but con­ stantly renewable Resource. Trees. Man has -always loved them, but only recently has he begun to real­ ize- that not- only -the. quality- of life _ but life itself may depend upon them. For example, for every pound of wood produced in a forest, 1.83 pounds of carbon dioxide are removed from the air and 1.34 pounds of oxygen are re­ turned. An acre of growing trees has the capability to scrub clean the air pol­ lution generated by eight automobiles in 12 hours of steady running, though with some damage to the trees. The same acre can also absorb the carbon dioxide produced by 50 automobiles in the same period. One tree growing in the concrete jungle of the city can generate as much cooling effect as five room air condi­ tioners as it evaporates 100 gallons of water with no breakdowns because of an electrical “brown-out”. The “instant ecologists” may object to this next statement, but nature, not man, is the greatest destroyer of trees. The great hurricane of 1938, for ex­ ample, wiped out millions of carefully nutured hardwood trees. The devas­ tating effect of the Gypsy Moth and the spanworm in more recent years. Experts also tell us that paper con­ sumption in the United States will leap from its present 575 pounds per person to 1000 pounds by the year 2000 and that sawtimber demand for houses will double as soon as 1980. Let’s, as supposedly responsible citi­ zens plant more than one tree a year. Lets have an Arbor Day all year round. Trees. Plant one today. Your children will need it Tomorrow. Nonchemical means of pest control have been worked on for over 80 years and yet, at present, less than 5% of the insect pests can be controlled by biological means. THE GRASS CATCHER by Bob Osterman How sad it was to learn of the passing of “Chet” Jenkins. How deeply we will all feel his loss. I am sure he will be missed by all the superintendents in the state. He had such a wide knowledge of the field and was always available for help, advice and information. Those of us who knew him well, will grieve his passing. He was our friend. Fran Rogers, Superintendent at Madi­ son Country Club, has rebuilt seven tees this spring. They average 2200 Sq. Ft. and he sodded the tees with fylking. Fran will do four more this fall, which will then complete the rebuilding of eighteen tees over the last two years. (With all the rain we have had this spring, I hope the tees are still there.) Dave Stimson of Tumblebrook Coun­ try Club, has six Electric Cushman Golf Carts, Approximately ten years old and in good condition with batteries in­ cluded for sale. He is asking $300.00 per cart. Anyone interested, contact Dave. Bob Osterman, at the Golf Club Aspetuck, has a Broyhill Sprayer i, sale. It’s a 110 gallon tank, with gun and boom. Anyone interested, contact Bob. GREEN COMMITTEE: ITS FUNCTIONS AND MALFUNCTIONS (Continued from Page 1) the first committee meeting to present all of .. their ideas for course improve­ ments. In actuality, how much preparation do green committee chairmen have for this job? They probably have lawns at home which are fertilized regularly, watered irregularly, sprayed occasional­ ly for weeds, and mowed about once a week with surprisingly good results—but they certainly are not, by any stretch of the imagination, agronomists. Chances are they have no concept of plant morphology in relationship to what the fertilizer requirements may be; have never heard of the types of subsoils or their makeup in relationship to main­ tenance procedures; think Poa annua is a rare, exotic potted plant and DoF Spot has something to do with Internal Revenue Service. In short, most green committee chairmen are ill- prepared to offer much in the way of constructive criticism to a superintend­ ent’s turf maintenance program. SELECTING THE CHAIRMAN Therefore, the hoard of directors, uld select a chairman who realizes he does not know much about agronomy and is satisfied to leave the enormously complex problems concerning the grow­ ing of grass to the man who has been trained for this job—the superintendent. The projected tenure of this chair­ man is equally important. In my opin­ ion, no man should be offered this-.job unless he is willing to serve for at least five years arid possibly longer. As it takes at least two years for the chair­ man to begin to understand the inherent complexities and uncertainties that arise with managing turf, the green commit­ tee chairman should have had an indoc­ trination period of two to three years as a committee member prior to being offered the chairmanship. This will give the superintendent an opportunity to make his own observations concerning the abilities and temperaments of green committee members. The club president would do well to consult and heed the superintendent’s feelings when appoint­ ing a new chairman. What should the green committee’s functions be? It should act primarily in an advisory role rather than in a super­ visory capacity. There are problem areas ited to turf management with which even the best trained superintendent needs help. VALUE OF COMMUNICATION Communication is one area in which the green committee should assume prime responsibility. It should act as a buffer between the membership and the superintendent. When unforeseen prob­ lems as well as planned construction and reconstruction projects arise that affect playability of the course for any period of time, members shijuld be apjirised' of these contingencies so Lhc\ won’t hound the superintendent and make his life miserable. The blow can be softened if the membership is informed through the newsletter, a special communication or word of mouth. When presented with the facts, most members will accept the inconveniences, especially when they realize that the improvements are being made for only one purpose—to further their enjoyment of the game. However, it is up to the superinten­ dent to initiate the flow of information to the committee so that it can be properly disseminated. Nothing would • more embarrassing or frustrating to jommittee member than to be asked why certain procedures are being car­ ried out when he himself does not know what is being done and why. The club manager and golf professional staff must also be informed about the superinten­ 3 — dent’s plans for the course. It is vital that the golf club’s three departments co­ ordinate all their activities at all times, preferably in writing. What a ridiculous situation arises when the greens are aerified the day before a special tourna­ ment simply because the superintendent was not notified of the event. Another area in which the green committee can offer invaluable help to the superintendent concerns personnel relations. While all costs are constantly rising, the biggest increase in today’s green budget is due to the labor force. To forestall union activity, country clubs had better be aware of competi­ tive wage scales and be prepared to offer such commonly accepted fringe benefits as medical and life insurance and pen­ sion plans for the green crew. Many superintendents are generally unfamiliar with all the complex ramifications of the various benefit plans. Therefore, there should be someone on the green committee who has experience in per­ sonnel management and labor negotia­ tions, so that he can properly assist the superintendent. It is also practical to have an indivi­ dual on the committee who is knowl­ edgeable about machinery to aid the su­ perintendent in making an inventory of all his mechanical equipment and pre­ pare a long-range plan for an orderly and sensible replacement of these items. Such planning eliminates having to go before the board of directors and ask for four new greens mowers, two new tractors and one seven-gang fairway unit—all in one year! To elevate his status in the members eyes, the superintendent should appear before the board of directors at their regular meetings. He should most cer­ tainly be present to seek board approval for a major capital expenditure either for equipment or renovation proce­ dures, so that he can answer any ques­ tions that arise. THE SUPERINTENDENT'S IMAGE Many golf course superintendents do not exhibit enough self-confidence. This should not be the case inasmuch as they are generally well-educated scientists who know far more about growing turf under the most trying conditions than any member of his green committee. But too often superintendents compro­ mise their well-founded principles of agronomy for fear of losing their job if they incur the wrath of a committee chairman. No one expects them to know all the answers and it is realized that unexpected weather conditions and plant diseases occur that can make superintendents look bad. It is also realized that not all the mistakes that endanger turf are the result of Mother Nature’s vagaries, an uncooperative and demanding manager, or an unreasonable board of directors. Intellectual honesty on the part of a superintendent is appreciated. Making excuses for errors in judgment is not the way to inculcate the confidence that is so necessary for the green committee to have in the superintendent. The com­ mittee will quickly learn to respect a man for his opinions and judgment if he is forthright and can back up his state­ ments with scientific facts and logic. If the superintendent does not have an answer to a given problem, he should promptly admit it and show willingness to try to find someone who may have the solution. The superintendent should take it upon himself to introduce his entire crew to the green committee. On the other hand, committee members should familiarize themselves with the crew members’ names and their jobs. Nothing motivates most workers toward con­ scientious performance of their jobs more than recognition. Each club would benefit by having a registered golf course architect on a retainer basis. Much money is wasted and many golf holes are ruined by the amateurish attempts at renovation by the green committee. One of the great­ est insurance policies a membership can have against such a situation is through the services of a good architect. In any efficiently run, successful business, appropriately trained individ­ uals are given the responsibility of the many facets of the operation. Why can’t golf courses be managed on a similar basis? The superintendent as an agrono­ mist should be treated arid respected as the scientist that he is and be given the responsibilities that are obviously in his domain, with the green committee as­ sisting him in an advisory capacity and also serving as a buffer between him and the membership. PEST MANAGEMENT Pest management is the use of all known weapons to keep pest species population densities below the damaging number. It does not mean eradication of an entire species. Total eradication is probably impossible and is clearly un­ necessary for crop protection. At pres­ ent, chemical pesticides are man’s main weapon in the pest management arsenal and, in the opinion of several knowl­ edgeable entomologists, they will con­ tinue to be the main weapon in the fore­ seeable future. TOURNAMENT WINNERS Following is a list of the tournament winners for the meeting held at the Country Club of Fairfield on April 10th. The tournament was a blind nine holes. There were thirty-six people that com­ peted. CLASS A Gross — R. Witkowski Net — T. Grywalski CLASS B Gross — T. Kruk Net — F. Baehard J. Bidwell ASSOC. Gross — D. Bierkan Net — B. Kennedy KICKERS B. Silva P. Ritz D. Stimson F. Rodgers E. Bedus R; Barrett F. Lamphier M. Ovian A. Arison R. Kennedy B. Kowalski F. Bachand F. Downey J. Colt Karnig Ovian Starting with the May meeting, a new classification will be added to the classes eligible to play in the tourna­ ment. This will be a Guest classification and anyone who is not a member of the Association will he required to sign up under the Guest classification. CONN. CLIPPINGS Robert Osterman, editor 937 Black Rock Turnpike Easton Conn. 06612 JOHN C. SCHREAD TO RETIRE MAY 31 (Continued from Page 1) Superintendents and the American As­ sociation of Golf Course Superinten­ dents, and the national and state er mological societies, and listed in Wh Who in the East.” known to many Connecticut residents, however, as a man from the Experiment Station who gave a useful talk on in­ sects and their control at their garden club, service club, church group, or other meeting. He is an honorary member of the Connecticut Association of Golf Course Mrs. Schread, the former Barbara L. Brezosky of Ansonia, was a secretary in administration at the Experiment Sta­ tion for nearly 15 years. Their son John teaches at Notre Dame High School, West Haven, and their daughter, Mary Schread Grava, lives in Maryland. THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUPPORT OF THE CONN. CLIPPINGS: ALFCO ROKEBY CO., INC. Marietta, Ohio Frank Downey, CAGCS member (413) 596-3009 OLD FOX CHEMICAL COMPANY Hazardville, Conn. John Grant, CAGCS member 749-8339 WILLIAM DEST William Dest, CAGCS member Stolens - C-l, Arlington C-19, Congressional 246-6279 OM SCOTT & SONS Marysville. Ohio Al Arison, CAGCS member 336-9890 IRRIGATION AND EQUIPMENT SUPPLY CO. Milford, Conn. Richard Hosking, CAGCS member 874-1096 TOM IRWIN CO. Rowley, Mass. John P. Callahan, CAGCS member 677-7054 THE MAGOVERN COMPANY Windsor Locks, Conn. John Colt, CAGCS member Lloyd Russell, CAGCS member . Curtis Stimson, CAGCS member 623-2508 CLORO-SPRAY CORP. 475 Beaver Street Bristol, Pa. 19007 Frank Paladino, LIGCSA member Edward J. Sanson, CAGCS member (215) 426-7723 collect THE CHAS. C. HART COMPANY Wethersfield, Conn. Robert Kennedy, CAGCS member Robert Kennedy, CAGCS member 529-2537 SOMERS TURF SUPPLIES Orange, Conn. Bill Somers, CAGCS member 795-4320 TURF PRODUCTS CORP. East Windsor, Conn. Ed Swanson, CAGCS member Alfred Purdy, CAGCS member 800 - 842-7333 FIRST CLASS