THE

. y

ì-7 5 7
'f!

1

CONN.
C L I P P I JlfijS
MAKI fi 1 8»

CONNECTICUT
ASSOCIATION O F ^ ^
GOLF COURSE • ¿ %
S U P ER IN T EN D EN TS »-.

MICHIGAN STATI UlilVEHSlTY
LIBRARIES

FEBRUARY 1979

GCSAA In Atlanta —
A Huge Success
Approximately 40 members of CAGCS
were among the 6,500 registrants who at­
tended the just concluded GCSAA Confer­
ence and Show held in Atlanta, Georgia.
More than 150 hours of educational ses­
sions were offered with such topics as water
usage, turf management, fertilization, sand
topdressing, conflict management, and
landscaping. Speakers included USGA
Green Section personnel, university pro­
fessors, environmentalists, management
consultants, and other turf management
specialists.
The week’s events began with the presen­
tation of the GCSAA Distinguished Service
Award to Dr. C. Reed Funk of Rutgers
University for his world renown work in
plant breeding. Also presented at the open­
ing session was the Leo Fesser Award to
Dan Jones, CGCS, for his article which ap­
peared in the July issue of The G olf Super­
intendent. The highlight of the opening ses­
sion was provided by Dr. George H. Labovitz of Boston University School of Man­
agement whose talk, “ Managing for Pro­
ductivity’’ excited all who listened. “ The
classical model, ‘Shut up and do what I tell
you,’ just doesn’t cut it anymore’’, he said.
“ Management today is burdened with great
expectations. People are demanding more
of us as managers than ever before.’’ The
successful manager of today must motivate
workers by delegating responsibility and
then allowing workers the freedom to plan
how they will execute their assigned tasks.
A multi-million dollar show of supplies
and equipment’covering 4.5 acres of floor
space greeted attendees on Tuesday of con­
ference week. For three days this show of­
fered exhibits of the latest in equipment and
supplies for the green industry. Innovations
for 1979 included solid state irrigation con­
trollers, small horsepower diesel engines, a
totally new fungicide, as well as many other
tools intended to make our industry more
efficient.
(Continued on page 2)

Volume 12, No. 1

Red Pines
Destroyed By Insects
By A n n Bove

About a third of the state has been in­
fested with red pine scale, caused by an in­
sect that apparently originated in Connecti­
cut, according to George Stephens, a for­
ester with the Connecticut Agricultural Ex­
periment Station in New Haven.
Stephens said the insects called matsucoccus resinousae, first was noticed in Easton
in 1946. “ It has never been described any­
where else in the world,’’ he said.
There is a theory that the insect may have
been brought to the state on a plant from
the 1938 W orld’s Fair in New York.
It takes about eight to ten years for a red
pine to be destroyed by the scale. The in­
sects hide under the bark, sucking liquid
from the branches until they die. They
don’t seem to attack the main trunk of the
tree, Stephens said.
“ It is very difficult to control. Spraying is
not very successful because the insect is
under the tree bark,’’ Stephens said, and
the outward signs of the disease are not ob­
vious.
The only successful way to control the
disease is to cut down infested trees, but
that decision lies with property owners, he
said. Red pines account for about 15 per­
cent of the soft wood forest in the state.
The scale is spreading one to three miles
per year to the north and east sections of
the state and in New York, east of the Hud­
son River. A small outbreak has been re­
ported in western New Jersey. In Connecti­
cut, it has been reported in New Haven
county, as far north as Burlington and as
far east as Rocky Neck State Park.
“ I’m afraid no place in Connecticut will
be spared,’’ Stephens said. “ Only maybe
the colder areas near Litchfield.” He said
although the insect can endure cold temper­
atures, it usually does not live in extremely
cold areas.
The red pine is planted near reservoirs, he
(Continued on page 2)

Avoid The Temptation
Of Sand Topdressing
John R. Hall, III
Extension Specialist, Turf
Editors Note: In past issues articles have
been included regarding sand topdressing.
The following is presented as an alternate
view.
Many golf course superintendents are ob­
serving with great interest the experimental
practice of frequent sand topdressing of
golf greens. The cheaper cost of straight
sand topdressing is certainly tempting when
compared with some of our more common­
ly used topdressing materials. The choice of
a topdressing mixture is no less important
to the quality of a putting green than the
choice of soil mixtures for new green con­
struction. Bad decisions in either instance
can lead to golf greens which are costly to
manage at best or impossible to keep alive
in the summer, at worst. The most expen­
sively constructed greens, utilizing mixes
specified by laboratory tests can be ruined
by the improper choice of topdressing
material.
Topdressing of bentgrass greens has as its
primary function the “ truing” of greens by
stabilizing the puffy thatch layer that nor­
mally develops in a bentgrass turf. It has
come to be realized that topdressing also en­
courages stolon rooting aids, in thatch de­
composition, stimulates new shoot growth,
provides micro-organisms antagonistic to
parasitic fungi and provides nutrients to the
turf. In winter overseeding of bermuda it
serves to improve seed-soil contact and en­
hance germination. In vegetative establish­
ment with stolons or sprigs, it aids in
rooting. In northern climates topdressing is
utilized to protect against winter dessica­
tion. In situations wnere the existing greens
soil is inadequate, frequent, heavy topdress­
ing is utilized to actually “ rebuild” or
modify the existing golf green soil.
John Madison and William B. Davis of
(Continued on page 3)

2

Connecticut Association
Of G olf Course
Superintendents
Officers
President........Robert Osterman, CGCS
The Golf Club
at Aspetuck
Office 203-261-2544
Home 203-261-0526
Vice-President Stephen Cadenelli, CGCS
Country Club
of New Canaan
Office 203-966-2145
Home 203-966-0223
Sec-Treasurer. David Stimson, CGCS
Tumble Brook C.C.
Office 203-243-0150
Home 203-289-6979
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Fred Bachand
Bruce Cadenelli
Ken Kelliher
Michael Wallace
Richard Cook
Charles York
Douglas Stachura
A1 Arison, Associate Director
Robert Tosh, Immediate Past President
The object o f this association is to en­
courage increased knowledge o f golf course
management and greater professionalism
through education, research, exchange o f
practical experience and the well being o f
each individual member.
The CONN. CLIPPINGS is an official
publication o f the Connecticut Association
o f G olf Course Superintendents, Inc.
Stephen G. Cadenelli, Editor
127 Country Club Road
New Canaan, C T 06840
Red Pines (continued from page 1)
said, where one doesn’t want leaves falling
into the water supply. The wood from red
pine often is used for log cabins. Stephens
said he has been researching the disease for
about four years.
CREDIT:
Hartford Courant

Lost & Found
Found in Connecticut Suite
at Peach Tree Hotel
London Fog Raincoat Size 38
Contact Bob Chalifour
445-6912

Note To Newsletter Editors
The Members of CAGCS and myself are
pleased to send you copies of our Newslet­
ter. However, if you do not wish to receive
it and return a copy of your newsletter,
please let me know.
Thank you,
Steve Cadenelli, Editor

GCSAA In Atlanta (continuedfrom pagel)
The annual election saw Charles H.
Tadge, CGCS, of South Euclid, Ohio
chosen as GCSAA President for 1979. The
Vice-President for the new year is Melvin B.
Lucas, Jr., CGCS, of Long Island, New
York. Directors elected included Michael
Bavier, CGCS, of Illinois and Edward
Dembnicki, CGCS, of South Carolina.
Two bylaw changes of a minor nature were
also approved.
Newsletter Editor Awards went to John
Chaney of the Southern Arizona GCSA,
Dave Fearis of the Central Illinois GCSA,
and Ray Gerber of the Midwest Association
of GCS.
Ironically, a severe ice storm struck
northern Georgia during conference week.
This fact was most noticed by those super­
intendents who participated in the golf
course tour, the final event of the week.
Many thousands of manhours will be
needed to clear debris from this storm.
Many, many pine trees were severely dam­
aged. Highlighting the tour was a visit to
the Atlanta Athletic Club, host club for the
1976 U.S. OPEN and home club of the late
Bob Jones. This club represents the great
tradition of the game of golf as it should be.

Positions Available
Village of Lake Success Golf Course
18 Holes Regulation-Automatic Irrigation
Salary Commensurate with Experience
Full Benefits including retirement
House with 6 rooms and finished Basement
Apply in writing to:
Mr. Robert Chavis, Chairman
Village of Lake Success Golf Course
318 Lakeville Road
Lake Success, New York 11020
★ ★ ★
Redding Country Club
9 Holes-9 New Holes under construction
Manual Irrigation
Salary Open
Send applications to:
c /o Manager
Redding Country Club
Rt. 107
Redding, CT 06875
★ ★ ★
Golf Course Foreman
Shennecossett Municipal Golf Course
$5.66-$7.88 per hour
Send applications by
March 9, 1979 to:
Town Manager
Town of Groton
45 Fort Hill Road
Groton, CT 06340
★ ★ ★
FOR SALE
13 Buckner 885 Fairway heads
Approx. 90 Buckner 1330 & 1360 Cam
Drive Rotary Pop-up heads with spare
parts. Varied condition. If interested con­
tact Robert Tosh, Rockrimmon Country
Club, Stamford, CT (914) 764-8846.

Future Happenings
University of Massachusetts
Fine Turf Conference and Show
February 27, 28 and March 1, 1979
Springfield Civic Center
Springfield, Mass.
CAGCS Monthly Meeting (Luncheon)
Hawthorne Inn, Berlin, CT
March 13, 1979
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Sta­
tion OPEN HOUSE “ Plant Science in the
Spring” . Program starts at 1:15 p.m. Talks
scheduled include; “ Green Grass with Less
W ork” , “ From Alexander to Zoar: A
Report on Lakes” and “ The Ticks Around
Us” . Laboratory tours are also scheduled.
Talks will be held in the Donald F. Jones
Auditorium at the Experiment Station.
There is no charge for admission.

Many Thanks
The following contributed towards the
“ Baskets of Cheer” that were given at the
Christmas Party. Their generosity is very
much appreciated.
B o b L ip p m a n

W e s t c h e s t e r T u r f S u p p ly

B ill S o m e r s

S o m e r s T u r f S u p p ly

B ob K ennedy

H art S eed C o .

S t e v e B u tle r

L a r c h m o n t I r r ig a tio n

J o h n G rant

O ld F o x C h e m ic a l C o .

C u r t S t im s o n

T he M agovern C o.

F rank D o w n e y

L esco

J o h n W is tr a n d

M e t r o M ilo r g a n it e

F r e d Z e y t o o n z ia n

T u r f P ro d u cts C o .

D ic k S m ith

I & E S u p p ly

T o m P o r te r

A lp in e T r e e C a r e

J o h n C a lla h a n

T o m Ir w in C o .

Ed S a n so n

C lo r o - S p r a y

A1 A r is o n

O . M . S c o tt

From The S&R Committee
For its donation to Cornell University, the
Committee has received from Dr. Richard
Smiley two reports:
1. Fusarium Blight: A Research
Progress Report
2. Fungicide Effects on Non-target
Processes in Turfgrasses
Any member who would like a copy of
these reprints may have one by contacting
any member of the S&R Committee.
The Committee has received a special
“ thank you” from the MGCSA for its
donation to the Hyperode Fund.
The final Research Report is being final­
ized and will be made available to member­
ship when received.
S&R Committee

3
Sand Topdressing (continued fro m page 1)
the University of California have conducted
topdressing research utilizing sand mater­
ials common to the west coast and pro­
duced desirable results. The University of
California guidelines suggest utilizing sand
particles betwen 0.25 and 1.0 mm in dia­
meter and using 1/9 cubic yard of topdress­
ing per 1000 sq. ft. of green (about 1/30”
thick) at each topdressing (1). Topdressing
frequency is dependent upon the growth
rate of the bentgrass, but for calculation
purposes, three week intervals between topdressings appear to be normal in their
region. Pesticides, nutrients and bentgrass
seed are added to the topdressing as pres­
sures dictate. The system is apparently
working well under California’s environ­
mental conditions.
There are several areas of concern that
come to mind when one contemplates a
change in topdressing mixtures from the
traditional sand-soil-peat or weblite-soilpeat to straight sand. Some of the more ob­
vious questions arise from our current
observation of sand-peat greens and from
what we know to be the characteristics of
sand as a growing medium. We must as­
sume that the end result of long term use of
the light, frequent sand topdressing is a
bentgrass green growing in a layer of sand,
Straight sand or sand-peat mixtures have
been noted to exhibit the following charac­
teristics:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

excessive water infiltration
excessive nutrient leaching
lower microbial activity
hydrophobic drying
lack of moisture reservoir
susceptibility to layering

Excessive water infiltration - The idea of
improving water infiltration rates with sand
topdressing is valid but one must ask where
is the water going? If the 2 or 3 inch layer of
sand is finally achieved after 5 or 6 years of
sand topdressing, it is likely the rapidly in­
filtrating water is going to build up at the
interface between the newly applied sand
and the old soil. Will this zone become
anaerobic causing death of roots in mid­
summer? Obviously, this is not a problem
in western states where rainfall seldom ex­
ceeds 8 inches per year and irrigation is the
primary source of water. On the east coast,
however, we receive 40 to 55 inches of rain­
fall per year and it often comes in excessive
spurts. Our two most popular topdressing
mixtures (70% sand-20% p e a t-10% soil
and 65% weblite-15% soil-20% peat) are
providing infiltration rates around 8 inches
per hour. A sample lab analysis of a straight
sand with 95.8% of the particles between
0.25 to 1.0 mm, 1.5% silt and 0.3% clay ex­
hibited an infiltration rate of 88.7 inches
per hour. On the east coast where water is
provided in uncontrollable amounts per­
haps we are better off not having the in­
filtration that would come with a 3 inch

layer of sand on top of an existing greens
mixture with a considerably slower infiltra­
tion rate. Our excessive moisture is now
moving off primarily as surface drainage.
In situations where surface drainage is in­
adequate, sand topdressing is not going to
solve the problem.
Excessive nutrient leaching in the straight
sand greens and sand-peat greens is con­
sistently necessitating higher nitrogen and
potassium fertilization levels except in those
cases where undecomposed organic matter
is used and nitrogen is released. Is building
greens that require more nitrogen a move in
the right direction, if we consider current
and future fertilizer prices? The 1973-74
fertilizer-food shortage just gave us a “ preshock” of things to come.
Lower microbial activity. Sand greens are
likely to be less active microbiologically
than mixtures containing soil. It’s possible
that urea formaldehyde products will be
utilized with less efficiency on sand greens
because of the requirement for microbio­
logical breakdown of urea formaldehyde to
plant utilizable nitrogen forms. Will thatch
layers decompose slower with sand top­
dressing than with a mixture containing
microbiologically active soil?
Hydrophobic drying has been a problem
on some sand-peat greens. The formation
of water repelling organic layers on sand
particles in sand-peat mixes that have been
allowed to dry out have created consider­
able headaches. The rewetting of these
hydrophobic areas is extremely difficult and
has led to death of the bentgrass in some in­
stances. Can we safely assume this won’t
happen in sand greens? It does not appear
to be happening in conventional sand-soilpeat greens.
A lack o f moisture reservoir in sand and
sand-peat greens is a serious concern.
Water delivery systems, as advanced as they
are, still leave a lot to be desired in a 3 to 5
MPH breeze. With a sand or sand-peat
green one literally has no margin of error.
The sand green requires constant “ babysit­
ting” to insure uniform distribution and
continued replenishment of the small
moisture reservoir held by the sand.
Susceptibility to layering. Two things are
certain — no two golf course superinten­
dents will run a golf course the same way
and very few will stay at any one golf course
more then 20 years. This creates a potential
for changes in topdressing mixtures that
could be lethal, especially if a sand topdressing program has been used. If a new
superintendent feels the sand topdressed
greens are too droughty and switches to any
topdressing that holds moisture under a
greater tension than the layer of topdressed
sand, a false water table effect is created.
The new topdressing that holds more water
at a greater tension will not release it into
the sand layer until enough pressure (water)
is present to release the water into the larger
pore spaces of the sand layer. This same
problem could arise on sand-peat greens

where topdressing containing soil is uti­
lized. Percolation through this interface will
likely get worse with time as the soil top­
dressing layer gets thicker because it will
tend to retain more moisture and the false
water table depth will increase. Once the
layer is deeper than the aeration times, the
only sure solution is to rebuild the green.
Obviously there are a lot of unanswered
questions with regard to the use of sand
topdressing. Common sense tells us that if
you currently have a topdressing mixture
that works — don’t change. Once you
switch to sand topdressing, there is no turn­
ing back without considerable cost — agronomically and possibly financially.
Developing a topdressing mixture that
has the right capillary and non-capillary
pore space, infiltration rate, moisture reten­
tion, pH and bulk density is not an easy
matter. It requires laboratory tests that are
quite complicated. Commercially prepared
topdressing mixtures meeting USGA speci­
fications and complying with VPI&SU
greens mixture recommendations are avail­
able. Yes, they do cost more than sand —
but in the long run the cost of commercially
prepared topdressing is inexpensive when
compared with the costs associated with
reconstructing a green or maintaining a
green that has been abused with bad top­
dressing practices.
References
1) Madison, J.H. and Davis, William B.,
1977. Problems or Progress. Tee 2 Green
Corp., 1212 W. 8th Street, Kansas City,
Missouri, pp. 16
CREDIT:
Tech Turf Topics
VPI&SU, August 1978

1979 Committee Assignments
This association can only be successful if
you, the member, actively participate. The
following committees have been established
to formulate plans and events for the com­
ing year. To be successful they need your
input. Please contact any member on a
committee with your ideas.
Membership

Education

Ken Kelliher, Chm.
Michael McDermott
Timothy Michaud

Bruce Cadenelli, Chm.
A1 Arison
Bert Furgess
Eric Johnson
Mark Loper

Golf
Richard Cook, Chm.
Bill Somers
Armand LeSage
Fran Rogers

S& R
Doug Stachura, Chm.
Bruce Cadenelli
Bob Phipps
Mark Fuller
Richard Hosking
Bob Viera
Armand LeSage

Public Relations & Social
Fred Bachand, Chm.
Stan Sablak
Tom Gresh
Fran Rogers
John Ferry
Gary Bryant
Bob Viera

Organizational
Study Committee
Steve Cadenelli, Chm.
Richard Hosking
Charles Baskin
John Lynch
Charles York
William Dest

4

Meeting Dates
and Locations -1979
March 13

Hawthorne Inn (luncheon)
Berlin, CT

April 17

New London C.C.
Paul Grover—Host Supt.
New London, CT

May

OPEN

June 5

Country Club of New Canaan
Steve Cadenelli—Host Supt.
New Canaan, CT

July 17

Watertown Golf Club
Bob Viera—Host Supt.
Watertown, CT

August 14 Yale Golf Club
Harry Meusel—Host Supt.
New Haven, CT
Sept. 11

Edgewood Golf Club
Peter Pierson—Host Supt.
Cromwell, CT

Oct. 9

Oak Lane Country Club
Tom Pepe—Host Supt.
Woodbridge, CT

Nov. 8

ANNUAL MEETING
Mike Wallace—Host Supt.
Rockledge Country Club
West Hartford, CT

Make Landscaping Plans Now
Even though the ground is frozen and
cold winds blow, now is the time to make
plans for changing your landscape. By
observing snow drift patterns, snow loads
on plants, paths in the snow, etc., you can
gather a lot of valuable information to aid
in planting decisions later on.
If snow drifts often form where they
block doors, driveways or paths, you
should look around for the cause of the
drifting. Snow drifts form when an object
slows the wind enough to make it drop its
load of snow. If the obstruction is a
moveable structure or landscape plant, its
removal may save a lot of shoveling after
the snow falls.
Being aware of where snow drifts form
and where snow is likely to slide off roofs
should be taken into consideration when
planning additions to your landscape. Some
plants, notably evergreens, can be badly
damaged by heavy snow loads. Others,
such as forsythia, benefit from the protec­
tion of a snow drift, which keeps its flower
buds from freezing. Contact a local nurser­
yman or extension agent for information
that applies to your area.
Snowfalls can offer you an opportunity
to do some detective work. Observe foot­
prints and tire tracks to determine the paths
that others take, and use landscaping to
block traffic across vulnerable areas or
create attractive paths for foot and car
traffic.
Plan landscape changes now — and write
them down to refer to next spring and
summer.

Create A Fire Protection Plan
Do your employees know what to do if a fire
breaks out in your shop or maintenance
building? Are they prepared to take immediate
action to ensure safety and to minimize property
damage?
The first step is to prevent loss of life.
Employees should know the nearest exit from
each enclosed work area, plus one or two alter­
native routes.
The second step is to notify the fire depart­
ment. Emergency telephone numbers, including
fire, police and ambulance, should be posted
next to every telephone, and the location of any
alarm boxes should be well known to all
employees. If practical, one or more employees
should be charged with the responsibility of see­
ing that the proper authorities are called in such
cases.
Fire extinguishers are a vital part of an effec­
tive fire protection plan. By equipping your
work areas with the proper types of extin­
guishers, potentially major fires can be con­
tained, drastically reducing property damage
and injury to employees.
Fire extinguishers usually come in three basic
classes: A, B and C.
Class A extinguishers are generally airpressured water, soda acid, pump tanks or gas
cartridge types. They are only effective on wood,
paper or textile fires, and should not be used on
flammable liquid or electrical fires. This type of

extinguisher works by wetting down the fire’s
fuel, lowering its temperature and extinguishing
it.
Class B extinguishers usually use dry
chemicals or carbon dioxide, and are most effec­
tive against flammable liquid fires, including oil,
gasoline, paint or grease. They may also be used
to fight small Class A fires.
Class C extinguishers also are dry chemical or
carbon dioxide types, especially designed to be
used against electrical fires. They may also be
used for small Class A or B fires. Class B and C
extinguishers work by replacing the oxygen the
fire needs to bum with carbon dioxide, smother­
ing the flames.
The number and types of extinguishers you
need depends on the amount and kind of fire
hazards in the various areas of your shop. Class
A extinguishers, where appropriate, should be
no more than 75 feet of travel distance apart,
and Class B and C extinguishers should be no
more than 50 feet apart. Extinguishers are also
available that use an all-purpose chemical and
may be used on all classes of fires.
Have extinguishers inspected regularly and
recharged promptly after use, and see that
employees are given periodic instruction on their
use. Your local fire department or extinguisher
supplier may be able to help you set up a train­
ing program.

New
Members
The following have been voted in as new
members of our Association. Congratula­
tions and Welcome!
Louis Toth - Associate
Aqua-Lawn, Inc.
Fairfield, CT

Safety Notes
BE SURE YOUR VISITORS ARE PRO­
TECTED. Visitors at your work areas are
entitled to the same protection that your
employees receive. Provide any protective
devices they may need and insist that they
follow the same safety rules that your crew
does.
DIAL 800-424-9300 IN PESTICIDE
EMERGENCIES. Chemical manufacturers
have established the Pesticide Safety Team
Network, with a 24-hour toll-free phone
number. PSTN also has trained teams
available to help with cleanup and disposal
of spilled pesticides.
NO CHEATING! It’s not unusual to see
a mechanic put a pipe or hollow tube over
the handle of a wrench — a “ cheater” —
to get more leverage. This can be extremely
hazardous, since the m anufacturing
tolerances of these tools are designed taking
only hand-applied force into account. Us­
ing a cheater can cause a sudden break or
bend in the wrench handle.
BACK TO BASICS. Soap and water is
still the best and safest for cleanup, accord­
ing to the National Safety Council. Gaso­
line, naphtha, kerosene, turpentine and lye
preparations are dangerous to use and often
not as effective.
SAFETY RULES FOR WORKING WITH
COMPRESSED AIR:
* Wear safety glasses at all times.
* Don’t use compressed air to blow
dust off your clothing or hair — and
don’t ever point the nozzle at
yourself or another person.
*

Don’t rely on a kink in the air hose
to stem the flow. Use the valve to
turn off the air. Check the condition
of the hose before you turn the air
on.

TAKE A MINUTE FOR SAFETY. Con­
sider scheduling a regular “ safety break”
for employees, when all other chores are
suspended and a few minutes are spent
looking for evidence of unsafe conditions.

5

What Can You Ask When You Interview?
As spring approaches, superintendents’
thoughts turn to the annual chore of hiring
a summer crew. Nobody likes to interview
applicants for jobs, but antidiscrimination
laws now make the task even more difficult.
Laws vary from state to state, but it is
almost universally true that asking ques­
tions about religion, race, age or ethnic
background is illegal. In some states, it is
also illegal to inquire about marital status.
Be very careful about asking even indirect
questions if they might reveal information
that could be prejudical.
So what can you ask?
You are entitled to an employment his­
tory, including names and addresses of
previous employers, and to details about
the education the applicant has received.
You may ask for dates, the names, the
schools, and about any diplomas or degrees
received. You may also ask if the applicant
ever used a different name, so you can
check past employment and education rec­
ords.

You may ask for a current address and
for the length of time the applicant has
lived there. You may ask if he or she is a
U.S. citizen and if not, what his or her
status is.
You may inquire about any physical or
mental handicaps that relate directly to the
applicants’ performance of their duties.
You have a right to know if the appli­
cants have ever been convicted of a crime,
and if they have, you may ask where, when
and about the final settlement of the case.
Ask the employees if there is anything
else about their job that they would like to
know, or if there’s anything else about their
background that you should know.
When you have completed this portion of
the interview, you may find it useful to ask
other questions as well, to determine
whether the applicant will be able to work
effectively for you.
Consider these:
* Describe the best and the worst boss
you \ e ever had.

Grass Catcher
One of CAGCS’s newest members, Jack
Serleto, of the Cohasse Country Club was
featured in an article published by the
Southbridge News. Jack, a Southbridge
native, returned home to the Cohasse
Country Club after 14 years of building golf
courses with the Moore Golf Co. and the
New Golf Co. The article told of how he
has been able to use this experience in mak­
ing some changes at Cohasse.
It is this type of recognition and publicity
that will inform the golfing public about the
role of the superintendent and his responsi­
bilities in managing the golf course. Con­
gratulations Jack!
★ ★ ★

Many thanks to Sue and Fred Bachand
and the Social Committee for their fine
work in putting together the Christmas
Party at the Wethersfield Country Club.
Thanks also go out to the members of that
club for inviting us there. Everyone in
attendance had a very enjoyable evening.
★ ★ ★

CAGCS member Walt Lowell, pro-su­
perintendent at the Canton Public Golf
Club was recently named “ Home Profes­
sional of the Year” by the Professional
Golfers Association. This is a very distin­
guished honor that carries much respect.
Walt is a former president of the Connecti­
cut Section of the PGA and has been instru­
mental in creating a good working harmony
between the golf professionals and the golf
course superintendents.
★ ★ ★

Ask yourself which you resemble the
most.
* What parts o f your last job did you
like the best?
How does that job compare to this
one?
* What do you consider your greatest
talent? Your worst weakness?
What does that imply about the ap­
plicant’s probable performance in this
job?
By comparing the answers to these ques­
tions to the work situation at your course
and the position you envision for this
employee, you can draw some useful con­
clusions about how satisfactory his or her
performance would be.
CREDIT:
Forefront

Editorial Comment

Approximately 30 people attended the
educational session sponsored by CAGCS
and held at the Connecticut Agricultural
station. Although the turnout was lower
than expected it did demonstrate that this
type of meeting can be of great help to
those who are interested. Let the members
of the Education committee know if you
wish to see this type of program presented
again next year.
★ ★ ★
Congratulations to Jim Mederios on
passing his Certification test. Jim is now
entitled to use the initials CGCS. Although
there continues to be discussion concerning
the merit of the Certification Program there
is no doubt that by passing this compre­
hensive exam a golf course superintendent
proves to himself and his employer that he
has put himself above the ordinary.
★ ★ ★
With the listing of Daconil as a restricted
chemical the point arises that sooner or
later all of us who are responsible for chem­
ical applications are going to have to be
licensed. At the recent review sessions and
subsequent testing in January 54% of those
taking the test passed. This may seem
low but compared to past tests it shows a
marked improvement. If you were one who
just missed don’t wait too long before
retesting. The information is still fresh in
your mind and with a little more work a
passing grade can be achieved.
Steve Cadenelli

How unfortunate that the publisher of a
national trade magazine deems it necessary
to insult and demean members of a national
professional organization. Publisher Rich­
ard Morey in the recent issue of Turfgrass
Times for unknown reasons has taken it
upon himself to chastise GCSAA, its Ex­
ecutive Director, and the staff of Golf
Course Management, formerly The G olf
Superintendent. His comments which are
terribly negative and divisive, serve no
sound purpose whatsoever. Furthermore,
comments of this nature have nothing to do
with his magazine.
Members of GCSAA and surely the Ex­
ecutive Committee of GCSAA realize theirs
is not a perfect organization. Constructive
criticism and helpful comments will always
be welcome and helpful. The task ahead is
not to tear down but to build a better and
stronger national superintendents’ organi­
zation. In this regard Mr. Morley’s com­
ments again are useless.
Members of GCSAA, CAGCS and any
readers of Turfgrass Times should evaluate
the comments of the publisher and make
their feelings known to him. Only through
positive actions will the profession of the
Golf Course Superintendent and the green
industry in general prosper and grow.
Editor

6

The Following Companies Are Contributing To The Support Of The Conn. Clippings:
ALCOTT-HAIG & CO., INC.
Building Sanitation Supplies
316 So. Main St.
Botsford, CT 06404

Robert O'Connor
(203) 426-4495.
ALPINE TREE CARE, INC.
P.O. Box 1034
New Canaan, CT 06840

CLORO-SPRAY
Div. o f Henry E. Sanson
& Sons, Inc.
475 Beaver Street
Bristol, PA 19007

O . M. SCOTT & SONS
Proturf Division
Marysville, OH 43040

A l Arison, CAGCS member
(203) 336-9890

E.J. Sanson, CAGCS member
Frank Paladino
(212) 338-2153

Rolf Brandt

GOLF CAR RENTAL SERVICE
Route 85 (West Road)
Bolton, CT 06040

(203) 323-7245

Nick Carlo

Jesse Anderson, CAGCS member
(203) 677-0225
ANDREW WILSON, INC.
1170 Route 22
Mountainside, N.J. 07092

Brian Makar, CAGCS member
(201) 654-5800
AQUA-LAW N, INC.
328 Figlar Ave.
Fairfield, CT 06430

Louis Toth, CAGCS member
(203) 255-3075
(203) 255-2774
JAMES CARRIERE
& SONS, INC.
USGA Sand & Partac Topdressing
7 Cottage St.
Port Chester, N.Y. 10573
(914) 937-5479
(914) 937-2136
CHAS. C. HART COMPANY
304 Main St.
Wethersfield, CT 06109

Robert Kennedy, CAGCS member
Roy Sibley, CAGCS member
(203) 529-2537

Ralph Mason, CAGCS member
(413) 458-4646
THE REICHERT COMPANY
Oilzum Motor Oils & Lubricants
P . O. Box 273
Riverside, CT 06878

(203) 647-9371
ANDERSON-WARNER
ENGINEERING CO., INC.
Turf Irrigation
164 Nod Road
Avon, CT 06001

PURPLE KINGS FARM
Custom Greens Dressing
Northwest Hill Rd.
Williamstown, MA 01267

I&E SUPPLY, INC.
66 Erna Ave. P.O. Box 9
Milford, CT 06460

Frank Reichert

Richard Smith, CAGCS member
Richard Hosking, CAGCS member
(203) 878-0658
IMPERIAL NURSERY
4 Griffin Rd. North
Windsor, CT 06095

John Ferry, CAGCS member
Tom Gresh, CAGCS member
Ed Lane
Mark Loper, CAGCS member
(203) 289-3471
Branch Location
10 Fitch St.
East Norwalk, CT 06855

Roger Morhardt
Rudy Litke
(203) 838-7581
TUCO DIVISION OF U PJOH N, CO.

(203) 661-1816

David Sylvester, CA GCS member

SOMERS TURF SUPPLIES
P.O. Box 294
Devon, CT 06460

47 Main St.
East Berlin, CT 06023
(203) 828-3790

Bill Somers, CAGCS member
(203) 878-2108

John Perrotti, CAGCS member
(203) 688-5293
LARCHMONT ENGINEERING &
IRRIGATION, INC.
Larchmont Lane
Lexington, MA 02173

Stephen P. Butler, CAGCS member
(617) 862-2550
THE MAGOVERN CO.
Windsor Locks, CT 06096

THE TERRE COMPANY
1 Sampson Street
Saddle Brook, N.J. 07662

VALLEY FARMS NURSERY
& SUPPLY, INC.
133 Hopmeadow St. (Route 10)
Simsbury, CT 06070

Skip Klimas

Joe Bid well, CAGCS member

(201) 843-6655 office
(201) 875-5665 home

(203) 651-8555

TOM IRWIN, INC.
11 B A Street
Burlington, MA 01803

WESTCHESTER TURF
SUPPLY, INC.
P.O. Box 68
Port Chester, N.Y. 10573

John Callahan, CAGCS member

Curtis Stimson, CAGCS member
Carl Wallace, CAGCS member
(203) 623-2508
METO MILORGRANITE, INC.
P.O Box 267
Hawthorne, N.Y. 10532

John Wistrand, CAGCS member

(203) 677-7054
(617) 273-0143

Bob Lippman, CAGCS member

TOWER TURF
& LANDSCAPE CO.
35 Tower Lane
Avon, CT 06001

OLD FOX CHEMICAL CO.
Hazardville, CT 06082

John Grant, CAGCS member

(914) 937-6523 office
(914) 248-5790 home

Robert Scully, CAGCS member

WHITE TURF, INC.
5 Summer Drive
Winchendon, MA 01475

(203) 677-1220

William Ussinger,CAGCS member

(914) 769-7600

P.O. Box 62
Pleasant Valley, CT 06063
(203) 379-3579

TURF PRODUCTS
CORPORATION
1496 John Fitch Blvd.
South Windsor, CT 06074

EMANUEL SHEMIN —
HORTICULTURIST
1081 King St.
P.O. Box 64, Glenville Station
Greenwich, CT 06830

Peter Moore
(203) 531-7352

ALBERT ZIKORUS
G olf Course Architect
Member ASCGA
Do Little Drive
Bethany, CT 06525
(203) 393-2635

Please Support These Companies

C onn. Clippings
Stephen G. Cadenelli, E ditor
127 C ountry Club R oad
New C an aan , C t. 06840

UNI V .
M I CH I G A H S T A T E
LI BRARY - S E R I A L S
E • LANS I N G , M I C H . 4 3 8 2 4