Green August 2006 is Beautiful The Official Publication of Ontario Golf Superintendents’ Association Good Things Are Happening At Trafalgar Acid Injection CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAIL Spring Field Day PUBLICATIONS AGREEMENTS No. 40027105 Postmaster: Please return undeliverable copies to The 38th Annual Presidents Day OGSA, 328 Victoria Rd. S., Guelph, ON N1H 6H8 Contents Green is Good Things are Happening at Trafalgar ................................... 18 Acid Injection........................................ 20 Beautiful The Official Publication of Ontario Golf Superintendents’ Association Above the hole.......................................................................................... 25 Editorial message....................................................................................... 4 From roots to shoots................................................................................ 8 Golf course highlight - Rosedale GC.................................................. 17 Happy Anniversary................................................................................... 6 Health & safety............................................................................................ 9 Looking back................................................................................................ 34 Off the fairway............................................................................................ 33 On the REEL side of things..................................................................... 31 President's message.................................................................................. 3 Soil Bacteria's Role in Turf Quality & Survival .............................. 15 Spring Field Day........................................................................................ 11 The 38th Annual Presidents Day.......................................................... 16 The way we were....................................................................................... 5 Turf or consequences................................................................................ 35 University of Guelph Update................................................................. 20 What's New.................................................................................................. 4 COVER PICTURE Rosedale Golf Club Photo by by Shawn Kam, 2nd Assistant Advertisers Rosedale Golf Club Almack Agronomic Services Inc.......................................................... 12 Aquatrols...................................................................................................... 25 Bartlett Tree Experts - Canada............................................................. 34 Bayer Enviromental Science - Compass........................................... 23 Bayer Enviromental Science - Roval Green GT.............................. 10 Braemar Building Systems..................................................................... 8 Burnside Golf Services............................................................................ 34 DCS Agronomic Services........................................................................ 5 Engage Agro - Terraclor ........................................................................ 32 G.C. Duke Equipment Ltd....................................................................... 13 Green Horizons Group of Farms.......................................................... 7 H & M Turf Ltd............................................................................................. 3 OGSA is committed to Maple Turf Supply................................................................................. 5, 29 serving its members, Master's Turf Supply Ltd......................................................................... 5 advancing their profession, Nu Gro ........................................................................................................... 33 Nu Gro - Proturf ........................................................................................ 30 and Nutrite ........................................................................................................... 28 enriching the quality P.E.S.T. Institute, The ............................................................................... 34 of golf Skyway Lawn Equipment Limited .................................................... 5 and its environment. Syngenta - Banner Maxx....................................................................... 14 Syngenta - Heritage ................................................................................ 24 Turf Care Products Canada - Irrigation Div.................................... 29 Turf Care Products Canada.................................................................... 36 Layout, Design & Printing provided by United Agri Products Inc......................................................................... 7 G-R-A-P-H-l-C SERVICES PRINTERS & LITHOGRAPHERS Vanden Bussche Irrigation.................................................................... 31 Tel: 519.763.5745 • Fax: 519.763.9532 32-34 Essex Street • Guelph, Ontario • N1H 3K8 Wendover Construction Ltd................................................................... 9 e-mail: info@graphicservices.ca • Zander Sod Co. Limited ....................................................................... 5 www.graphicservices.ca President's message Ideas are free hat continually strikes me about the fraternity of W superintendents is our collective and genuine interest and concern for our fellow colleagues’ success. This state of mind ONTARIO GOLF SUPERINTENDENTS’ is really nothing new, but cultivated from a long history of ASSOCIATION generosity of constructive opinion. Greenkeepers of old Guelph Turfgrass Institute have always been known for pitching in with their 328 Victoria Road South Guelph, ON N1H6H8 neighbours, whether it is up the street or across the country. Ph: 519-767-3341 Whenever I have a respected colleague or researcher visit Rosedale Golf Club for Toll Free: 877-824-6472 lunch or golf, I don’t drive over to my best turf areas, rather, I immediately point out Fax: 519-766-1704 Email: ogsa@gti.uoguelph.ca my problem area or construction project which poses a challenge for us, and wait Website: www.golfsupers.on.ca for an offer of advice or solicit a viewpoint, which is hopefully an honest assessment drawn upon their years of practical experience. What better feeling is there than BOARD OF DIRECTORS knowing that we are all in this course management struggle together, knowing that President : Bob Burrows Past President: Paul Scenna one little idea may improve someone’s chances for growing turf in 40C Vice-President: Sean DeSilva temperatures with greens stimping at speeds of 12+, or tackling a renovation Treasurer: Jeff Stauffer project, which really just increases our job security? Secretary: Randy Booker The real beneficiaries of information sharing are all golfers at all facilities who are DIRECTORS Jeff Alexander frequently amazed at how we offer continually improved playing conditions in the Chris Andrejicka face of mounting scrutiny of budgetary or environmental pressures. “If one Jarrod Barakett superintendent having difficulty succeeds, then we all succeed”, is my mantra. We Randy Booker all ‘manage expectations’ depending on our clientele, and since we manage Doug Breen “mother nature” in essence, we periodically face challenges not of our own making. Trevor Clapperton Rob Gatto You have the ‘home turf advantage’ from being on-site constantly, but sometimes Chris Nelson not seeing the forest for the trees may increase your missed opportunities, which is when a fresh perspective from a respected colleague is of real value. Sometimes the Executive Mgr Dorothy Hills message is just a reinforcement of practices or techniques already in place, or a new Office Staff Pat Thomas Deborah Badger approach to an old problem, which is truly worth a luncheon visit. I encourage everyone to step outside their comfort level, and seek and receive constructive comments. This may take some courage for you, but the spirit in which the comments are given is the key to success. The mere fact that you are reading this President’s message means that you probably belong to the OGSA, and by inference, already support your fellow colleagues and value networking and sharing ideas and taking advantage of the latest and greatest turf research or products or techniques. You belong to a fellowship larger than yourself, one that means a lot to you and others, and has a GREEN IS BEAUTIFUL EDITORIAL powerful influence on the game of golf and its environment. We are highly COMMITTEE respected professionals, primarily due to our success through generosity of opinion John Bladon, Co-Editor and willingness to work hard behind the scenes. Sharing ideas does not cost Chris Nelson, Co-Editor anything, yet is returned in immeasurable ways not just for you at your facility but Dorothy Hills, Coordinating Manager for all superintendents everywhere. Greig Barker Tom Brain Angelo Capannelli Doug Davidson Brett Murray Direct Line 416-659-1020 Jason Hanna Manager Fax Line 519-941-0931 Scott Horsburgh “Green is Beautiful” Justin Parsons P.O. Box 218 is Printed on Orangeville, ON Recycled Paper Green is Beautiful 2006 L9W 2Z6 Although every effort is made to check material for publication, the association is not responsible for material published on behalf of its contributors. All rights are reserved by the publisher and any reproduction in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Although some trade names may be mentioned in articles contained in this publication, no endorsement is intended or brett.murray@sympatico.ca implied by the Ontario Golf Superintendents' Association. Editorial message Having played in the President’s Trafalgar Golf and Country Club is in the process of Day at Rosedale Golf Club, I was completing a greens reconstruction program and fortunate to enjoy a wonderful day on a Superintendent, Mark Prieur provides us with some Donald Ross designed golf course. The interesting insight into the detail of this process, while Pam condition of the course certainly Charbonneau talks about some of the challenging disease complimented the beauty of the problems facing superintendents this season. property, which was developed as a golf Many superintendents have been using acid injection for by Chris Nelson Co-Editor course over a hundred years ago. Some a number of years now. The question for some of the details of Rosedale are listed as part superintendents is whether this is the right approach as part of the golf course highlight in this month’s publication. of their irrigation program. Dan Glitto, from Prime Turf The Spring Field Day was hosted by Wade Beaudoin at St. provides some highlights surrounding the use of acid Thomas Golf and Country Club. I understand from talking injection. to participants, the course was in superb condition, and that While Dr. Eric Lyons brings us some interesting Wade, in his first year as superintendent, is maintaining the information on Poa (Annual Bluegrass) and the invasion of polished image that St. Thomas is known for. You will find this aggressive plant into greens surfaces, Daisy Moore more on the Spring Field Day in this issue. provides us with suggestions on combination planting for Also included in this issue is a summary by Justin Parsons both aesthetics and insect control. of those clubs celebrating their centenary year, and of Enjoy this August issue and the variety of interesting another celebrating their 75th anniversary. We extend our topics. I wish everyone a great fall season. congratulations and best wishes to those clubs. What's new ASSISTANTS TOURNAMENT Thursday, September 21st at The Briars. TURFGRASS DIPLOMA AWARD The lush fairways and greens, meticulously maintained, - $2,500 - deadline date November 17th. are a testament to the skills of 2003 Canadian Golf Superintendent of the Year, Paul White. WILLIAM SANSOM DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD - deadline date September 1st. ALEX McCLUMPHA MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT The above are OGSA awards. Details can be obtained by Monday, October 2nd, at The Club at Bond Head. going to www.golfsupers.on.ca - Benefits - Scholarships Don’t miss this great opportunity. The course is rugged and rough, daring golfers with the challenge of taming HUGH KIRKPATRICK MEMORIAL TURFGRASS more than 7,500 yards of inspiring terrain. MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP- $2,500 - deadline October 1st Register on line for the Assistants Tournament and the McClumpha Tournament by going to www.golfsupers.on.ca NORMAN E. MCCOLLUM TURFGRASS DIPLOMA Events and click on the individual tournament. ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIP - $2,500 - deadline September 30th SCHOLARSHIP & AWARD DEADLINES ARE QUICKLY APPROACHING The above are University of Guelph awards. Details can be obtained by going to HUGH KIRKPATRICK BURSARY www.oac.uoguelph.ca//learning/learn_turfgrass.asp - $2,500 - deadline date October 31st. The way we were Can you identify the people in this picture? To see if you are correct turn to page 31. Welcome! O.G.S.A. Welcomes our newest members Choya Fraser Class C Midland Golf & Country Club Greg Jewell Class A Wolf Run Golf Course Kent Rimmer Class F King's Riding Golf Club Todd Rowden Class F Dalewood Golf & CC Andrew Sandilands Class A Black Diamond Golf Club Paul Sobil Class D SUPPLIERS OF TOP QUALITY TURF PRODUCTS FOR OVER FORTY YEARS Pebblestone Golf Course No. 1 Kentucky Bluegrass Ontario Distributor of Pre-grown Craig Thompson Class C Dense turf with great colour Port Carling Golf & CC Five varieties of Bentgrass (877) 727-2100 Grown on USGA spec, sand or native sand Erosion Control System (905) 727-2100 Derrick Weening Class F Extreme Fescue Drive on it—Park on it Without damaging turf www. zandersod. com The Club at Bond Head Drought resistant—ideal for naturalization Simon George Technical Sales David C. Smith, A.Ag., C.G.C.S. 185 Oriole Crescent Maple Turf Supply Business: (905) 857-2000 Soil & Turfgrass Consultant Gravenhurst, Ontario 8112 King Rd. W. Fax: (905) 857-8215 P1P 1C6 P.O. Box 370 Mobile: (519) 841-3378 Office (705) 687-SOIL (7645) Bolton, Ontario 1-800-268-4425 Fax (705) 687-3518 Toll Free 1 -888-607-TURF (8873) L7E 5T3 sg142@hotmail.com Cell (905) 512-6004 Email dave@dcsturf.com 154 Upper Centennial Parkway (HWY 20) Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada L8J 217 Telephone 905-662-2663 • Fax 905-662-2253 CAN-USA1-800-263-8606 Express Dual 890 Fairground Rd. R.R. #4 Langton Ont. N0E 1G0 & AngleMaster Phone (519) 875-4094 Fax (519) 875-4095 Reel Mower Website: mastersturfsupply.com Sharpeners email: mastersturf@uniserve.com HAPPY ANNIVERSARY by Justin Parsons, Assistant Superintendent Trafalgar Golf & Country Club The 2006 golf season will see a few familiar golf clubs Galt Country Club celebrate some rather big anniversaries. In honour of Waterloo Region’s oldest golf club these courses, here is a brief look at who they are and will also be celebrating its centennial where they have come from. anniversary this year. The Galt Country Club, originally named Mississaugua Golf and Waterloo County Golf and Country Country Club Club Limited, received its operating With the impending closure of charter from then Lt. Governor Wm. The Highlands Golf Club in West Mortimer Clark in 1906. The Toronto in the fall of 1905, a charter came with a stipulation that group of enthusiastic young golfers set out to find a new maintained it could be revoked if anyone was caught, location for a golf course. To ensure that their club would “dealing in, bartering, trafficking in or disposing of spirits, not fall victim to encroaching development, their search spirituous malts or intoxicating liquors”. Shortly after, 86 carried them well outside the city limits to Springfield acres of farmland along the banks of the Grand River were Road (later renamed Mississauga Road) from the Dundas purchased by a group of businessmen. Highway. It was along the banks of the Credit River, where Like Mississaugua Golf 8c Country Club, Percy Barrett the Mississaugua Indians once farmed and fished, that the designed the original nine holes. More than two decades former Highland Golf Club members established their later, Stanley Thompson expanded the course to 18 holes. new golf club. Recently, the membership has been very pleased with the Misssissaugua Golf 8c Country Club had its original nine four holes that have been redeveloped by Doug Carrick’s design team. holes laid out by Percy Barrett, Head Professional at Lambton Golf Club, in 1906. George Cumming, the Perhaps the clubs most famous member was PGA Tour highly respected Head Professional at Toronto Golf Club professional Ian Leggatt who joined the club as a young and host pro Willie F. Lock, later expanded the course to teenager. It comes as no surprise that he currently holds 18 holes in 1909. Since that time, the course has hosted the course record of 62, shot back in 1989. The par-70, numerous provincial, national and international matches 6,304 yard course may be short by today’s standards, but its including six Canadian Open Championships. tight tree-lined fairways offer a challenge to golfers of any In 1931, Mississaugua hosted its first Canadian Open, skill. which saw Walter Hagen prevail in a 36-hole Tuesday Galt’s beautiful new $2.75 million dollar clubhouse, playoff over Peter Allis. Seven years later, the course which was built in 2000, will provide a perfect setting for would see Sam Snead win his first of three Canadian the many special events planned over the course of the Opens. But it was in 1965 that the “Big Chief" would test season. Course superintendent Mark Piccolo will no its greatest field of golfers. Though Arnold Palmer and doubt have the place in beautiful shape to help celebrate Jack Nicklaus headlined the $100,000 event, it was Gene this milestone. Congratulations on your 100th anniversary Littler who edged Nicklaus by a single stroke for the Galt! championship. Over the years the course has been shaped by some of the game’s most famous architects. In 1919, Donald Ross made several recommendations, mainly with regard to bunkering and adding length. Stanley Thompson toughened it up considerably by adding even more length to the course in 1928, extending it to about 6,500-yards. Currently, the course superintendent is Robert Brewster. Happy 100th anniversary Mississauagua Golf 8c Country Club! Oshawa Golf and Country Club Back at the turn of the century, a few dozen golfers assembled to form a golf club in the Oshawa valley. It seems that these 30 golf enthusiasts not only supplied the funding, but also designed the original layout and contributed to the construction. The club originally opened for play in 1906 with 12 holes. It would take more than a dozen years before Oshawa Golf and Country Club was an 18-hole facility. In the early 1930’s, Stanley Thompson was hired to help improve the shortcomings of the original design. There are very few records indicating what changes Thompson carried out. In fact, some believe that the fourth hole has • Flexible Application Timing • 3 Types of Surfactants the only remaining Thompson green. The course - Soil Penetrant • Easy to Use underwent further alterations in 1954 when William - Wetting/Spreading Agent • Safe on Turfgrass Mitchell was hired to alter the layout. and Soil Microbes - Re-wetting Agent Now, 100 years later, the 17 green is considered the only remaining portion of the original layout. However, the 3 in 1 Combination = RESPOND 2 SUCCESS standout features such as narrow fairways with dense tree Available from your local UAP distributor lines, as well as challenging lies amongst a beautiful or call UAP Canada 1-800-265-5444 setting, still remain. Steve Hallard, course superintendent www.uap.ca had the course in fine shape to help celebrate the anniversary when Oshawa played host to the 2006 Investors Group Ontario Amateur Championship this past Obsessed with Customer Service? July. Happy 100th Oshawa! Westmount Golf and Country Club Back in June of 1929, twenty members of the Grand River Golf Club assembled with the purpose of acquiring land so that they could build an 18 hole golf course. The land that was purchased consisted mostly of bush and swamp. It was up to Stanley Thompson, the course architect, to transform the property into a desirable setting for golf. The club officially opened in the summer of 1931 and has since hosted many memorable tournaments including Oh ya... the 1957 Canadian Open, the 1969 Canadian Amateur Unique 3-D Sod Blend, Golf Championship, the 1990 LPGA du Maurier Classic Superior Harvesting Technology, Customer First policy. and the 1991 Canadian Women’s Open. This 160-acre classic parkland course ranks as one of Canada’s best. Congratulations to Superintendent Cory HAMILTON SOD COMPACT SOD MOUNT HOPE CAMBRIDGE 905-389-1315 519-653-7494 Janzen and the entire Westmount golf team on 75 years of NIAGARA SOD HALTON SOD ONTARIO SOD OAKVILLE ST. CATHERINES MILTON golf! 905-849-1764 905-984-8448 905-878-1011 From roots to shoots his season moisture seems to be T hot weather accompanied by thunderstorms has provided less of an issue and now it is the heat that the perfect conditions for summer patch. For many golf is getting to us and our turf. This is course superintendents, this is the second year in a row traditionally a time where turf is lacking where they have been hit by this disease. Brown patch has moisture and at least threatening to go been more common out in the field than pythium blight dormant. Many areas have had near and dollar spot has virtually exploded on fairways during normal rainfall, some have had normal the last weeks of July. rainfall and a few areas have had up to by Pam Charbonneau 50% greater than normal rainfall. The • All the heat and wet soils has also caused a rapid loss in OMAF Turfgrass Specialist wettest areas are in northern and eastern turf roots this summer. Roots die back when soil Ontario, but Vineland and Windsor have also been wetter temperatures are high. Soil temperatures are higher in wet than normal. This year, keeping up with the mowing and soils than dry soils and this situation is exacerbated with having to mow wet turf is the challenge. poorly drained soils and hot night time temperatures. During periods of high temperatures and high humidity, There have been many problems out there over the last when there is standing water on greens you can also month, so let’s tackle a few of them. experience turf loss. Turf is virtually cooked. • One of the main problems facing turf managers this • There is also an explosion of black turfgrass ataenius summer has been disease. Many superintendents are on grubs out now. These are really late, but not expected preventative programs for disease so the amount of disease because the adult emergence of this pest was dragged out that is occurring out in the field is less than you might well over a month because of the warm/cold cycles that we expect based on the weather we have been having. The had this spring. We have found these in our routine root diseases are dominating the samples that have been scouting at GTI. There is no visible damage yet, but the submitted to the GTI Turf Diagnostics Lab, according to numbers are very high and roots are already compromised Dr. Katerina Jordan and Erica Gunn. The early season because of the hot weather, so it is quite likely that we will samples were mostly take-all patch and now there are both see some damage very shortly. Also, there are already take-all patch and summer patch samples coming in. The animals digging for the tasty grub morsels. Braemar Building Systems Custom Design Quality Buildings Competitive Prices • Maintenance Buildings • Storage Facilities • New Buildings • Wood & Steel Structures For your FREE ESTIMATES call us at 1-800-215-1996 www.braemarbuildings.com Health & safetv Emergency Response - "ICE" Now this article is a bit different from some the number programmed under “ICE”. It really could save your of the previous ones. I have borrowed a good life, or put a loved one’s mind at rest. For more than one contact portion of the article from some press releases name simply enter ICE 1, ICE2, and ICE3 etc. A great idea that will and an article in the Toronto Star. make a difference! We often think of emergency response as The American Society of Safety Engineers is pushing to increase something that we deal with at our the use of the “In Case of Emergency - ICE” system for cell phones. workplaces. Well there are times when it may With over 190 million people in the U.S. with cell phones and even be necessary to deal with an emergency more worldwide, ICE can help emergency personnel in quickly by DougJohnson response away from the workplace and away identifying an injured individual and their next of kin in minutes SAFETAID and Health and Safety Consulting from your home. Most of us carry a cell instead of hours. This helps emergency workers provide the best First Aid and Safety Supplies phone, so this gives us a convenient way to care possible. and WHMIS Framing carry some emergency numbers with us as we Individuals can program a new contact in their cell phone travel around. address book with the letter’s ICE followed by the name and phone A recent article from the Toronto Star, “the ICE idea”, is catching numbers of their emergency contacts. If adding more than one on and it is a simple, yet important method of contact for you or a ICE contact, mark the primary contact as ICE1, such as ICE1-John loved one in case of an emergency. All you need to do is program Doe, ICE2-Jane Doe, and so on. These individuals should agree to the number of a contact person and store the name as “ICE”. be the ICE contact and they should be supplied with the The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when individual’s family contacts, primary physician, work contact and they attended at scenes of accidents, there were mobile phones also medical history, which should list allergies, current medication with patients, but they didn’t know which numbers to call. The and previous medical procedures. Individuals under the age of 18 paramedic thought that it would be a good idea if there was a should list their guardian, mother or father as their ICE contact. nationally recognized name to file “next of kin” under. Take the time to make a difference for your family!! Program Following a disaster in London, Ontario the Ambulance Service your ICE! launched a national “In case of Emergency (ICE)” campaign. The idea is that you store the word “ICE “ in your mobile phone address book, and with it enter the number of the person you would want SAFETAID to be contacted “In Case of Emergency”. In an emergency Making safety your 1 st priority! situation, Emergency Services personnel and hospital staff would then be able to quickly contact your next of kin, by simply dialing 519.837.0997 or doug@safetaid.ca - New Course Construction - Course Renovations - Water Feature Development Authorized Dis tributor/lnstaller: Shaping fine golf courses since 1972 905-876-4096 www.wendover.on.ca Performance New Rovral Green GT provides the performance you need and more, to protect high quality turf. Rovral Green GT features very fast knockdown of diseases like Dollar spot and Brown patch along with proven control of Fusarium, Pink and Grey snow mould and Leaf spot/Melting out. NEW Combine performance with a unique mode of action for resistance manage­ ment programs and you have the most Rovral Green GT FUNGICIDE complete disease control package available. Start and finish your fungicide program with new Rovral Green GT www.bayeres.ca 1-888-283-6847 ALWAYS READ PRODUCT LABEL PRIOR TO USE. Rovral® is a registered trademark of Bayer. Always read and follow label directions. SPRING FIELD DAY Article & photos by Dorothy Hills The St. Thomas Golf and Country Club was recognized about an Ontario Regional Asscociation you can contact the for environmental excellence in 1999 when the club following persons: achieved designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Kennedy Court, Northern Ontario Golf Sanctuary.” The club was the eighth course in Ontario and Superintendents Association the fifteenth course in Canada to achieve this status, and has Gordon Witteveen, The Toronto Society of consistently been rated one of the Top 100 Courses in Golf Superintendents Canada as determined by Score Golf Magazine. Sean Evelyn, Lake Simcoe Greenkeepers Those who were fortunate enough to play in the Spring Gary Trudeau, Ottawa Turfgrass Association Field Day were greeted by sunshine and warm hospitality. Mike Gutteridge, Eastern Ontario Golf Superintendent Wade Beaudoin and his staff had the course Superintendents Association in prime condition for our event. Special thanks also go to Marc Brooks Georgian Bay Superintendents Association General Manager, Randy Moncrieff and his staff for helping to make this such an enjoyable event. Mark Hagan, Greater London & Area Association Randy Hooper, Kent Essex Greenkeeper’s Society Green is Beautiful's Co-editor, John Bladon took the mike to express our thanks to the regular contributors and the Editorial Committee for their continued support of OGSA’s official publication. Without their volunteered efforts, it would not be possible to produce this magazine. Prior to the BBQ luncheon, we had an opportunity to welcome Dr. Katerina Jordan as a new OGSA member and Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph. She gave a brief update on her research and plans for future work within the golf industry, including her work with Erica Gunn in the GTI Turf Scott Gardner, Superintendent, Echo Valley Golf Club Diagnostics Laboratory. She is looking forward to getting to won the Clayton Switzer Trophy with a low gross of 73 know and working with the superintendents in Ontario. Wade Beaudoin accepted the Host Superintendent plaque from OGSA President Bob Burrows OGSA Director Doug Breen welcomed our Regional Association guests and recognized the volunteer efforts they Everyone attending the event was a winner that day but one bring to their respective regional associations, making a person in particular made a name for himself. T.J. Rule, difference in promoting our profession in this every from Burnside Golf Services in Pickering sunk a “hole in 1” changing golf industry. Should you require information on #17. Congratulations T.J.! SEVENTH ANNUAL PLANT PRODUCTS BASEBALL TOURNAMENT by Gary Tate Plant Products would like to thank all the teams and volunteers for helping to make the day a huge success. Special thanks to the following sponsors: Bayer Environmental Science, Aquatrols, BASF, Engage Agro, Emerald Isle, Pickseed, Lebanon Fertilizer and Plant Science. Without your generous help, this day would not have been possible. Thank you also to Skyway Lawn Equipment for donating the golf carts for the day. The seventh annual Plant Products Baseball Once again, congratulations to Knollwood Golf Course Tournament was held on July 8, 2006 at Turner Field in and we look forward to seeing all of you next year. Hamilton. This year’s field was made up of forty-two of the best teams from across southern Ontario competing for the coveted trophy and bragging rights. After a long day Ontario Golf Course under the sun, the final four teams were determined. It would be Lionhead vs. Knollwood and Traflagar vs. the Management Conference defending champs, Cutten Club. After two more hard and Trade Show fought games the home town favourite emerged to take on the defending champs, Cutten Club. At the end of the Pre-Conference Seminar game Cutten Club was unable to hang on to the trophy Wednesday, January 17th, 2007 and the tournament’s new comer, Knollwood claimed the top spot for themselves. Testing for the Top Management Of Golf Courses in Canada John McGuire & Mark Flock of Brookside Laboratories Corrie Almack P.Ag. Almack Agronomic Services Inc. Tel: (905) 689-6174 Box 256, Carlisle, On Fax: (905) 689-8522 L0R 1H0 mail: c.almack@sympatico.ca E Eastern Ontario Golf Superintendents Association On June 1st the Eastern Ontario Golf Superintendents tree. Approximately 40 members stood in the light rain Association (EOGSA) recently held an event honoring the to remember Tony as Jack Gorman, owner of the Poplars late Tony Martin, former long time golf course Golf Club shared some inspiring memories of Tony, one of superintendent at the Trenton Golf Club. the founding members of the EOGSA. The club The association planted an oak tree near the clubhouse president, Tony’s nephew and fellow superintendents also in memory of Tony. The golf club purchased a beautiful shared some fond memories. Tony was a fixture at engraved monument with his name, placed beside the association events and will be sorely missed. The New Sweep-star V62 empty table cellSMITHCO Sweep-star V62 vs Competition Engine Liquid cooled - smoother, quieter, longer Air cooled, noisier, engine life, easier to service shorter life Hopper 4 plus cubic yards 3 plus cubic yards Clutch Electric-quiet operation when vacuum disengaged-easy cold starting No vacuum disengagement Tires 13" wide Fairway type tires - softer footprint 10” wide turf tires Controls User friendly controls within driver's reach Driver must dismount to start/set speed Hitch 5th wheel or standard tractor hitch Tractor hitch only Heavier, more-rugged construction Quieter operation, Easier dumping and clean-up 1184 PLAINS ROAD EAST BURLINGTON, ONTARIO L7S 1W6 Burlington area: 905-637-5216 • Toronto Area: 905-338-2404 All other Ontario Areas: 800-883-0761 • Fax: 905-637-2009 Visit our website at: www.gcduke.com RESEARCH PRODUCTS PEOPLE STEWARDSHIP Keep your course in top condition with the premier fungicide, Banner MAXX®. It's proven to provide superior No matter how beautiful protection against dollar spot and many other turf the fairway is, some people diseases, including snow moulds, anthracnose and 7 more. Besides, Banner MAXX is specifically designed still won't use it. for the turf market, so you know what to expect. For more information on Banner MAXX, call Syngenta at 1-888-368-4211 x525. www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com Important: Always read and follow label instructions before using this product. ©2003 Syngenta. Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc., Guelph, ON N1G 4Z3 Banner MAXX® is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. SOIL BACTERIA'S ROLE IN TURF QUALITY & SURVIVAL by Achille Correggia and John Bladon Technical, Nu-Gro Canada The world’s nitrogen supply can be divided into three are water logged or highly compacted and therefore with major segments known as the atmospheric pool, the soil diminished levels of oxygen. Nitrate (NO3-) ions are pool, and finally, the pool of nitrogen contained within converted to atmospheric nitrogen by a series of widely the biomass. The complex interaction between these occurring biochemical reaction that include bacteria from three pools is known as the nitrogen cycle. This process is the Psedomonas, Baillius and Micrococcus genera3. highly dependent on the microorganisms that populate Due to turf’s inability to convert atmospheric nitrogen our soils. Without these vital microscopic creatures the into a useful biological form, the presence of both majority of the processes such as fixation, mineralization, Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter play a critical role in its nitrification, and denitrification, involved in the nitrogen survival. Products that are applied and proactively affect cycle could be hindered dramatically. To provide a better the concentration levels of both of these bacteria in the understanding of these important components, the soil will improve the overall quality of turf and lower following will discuss each process in more detail and what management inputs. A reduction of Nitrosomonas levels it may mean to the golf course superintendent when could cause ammonium to “volatilize” or be lost to the considering nitrogen sources. atmosphere as ammonia. This could result in reduced Nitrogen fixation includes any process that converts fertilizer efficiency, repeated applications and therefore nitrogen gas from the air to ammonium (NH4+) or nitrate higher operational costs. A reduction in the Nitrobacter (NO3-). Nitrogen fixation can occur naturally through population could create higher soil nitrite levels that are biological fixation by bacteria & lightning or artificially potentially harmful to both turf and mammals. through industrial nitrogen fertilizer production 1. So, what does this all mean to the golf course Bacteria that are involved in the fixation process can be superintendent? When considering nitrogen alternatives, classified into two groups, free living (independent) or organic products and reacted products like methylene symbiotic (associated with another species, like soybeans). urea or ureaform are known for their superior controlled Azotobacter bacteria are an example of free-living nitrogen release qualities. They “spoon feed” or meter nitrogen to fixating bacteria, while Bradyrhizobium japonicum is a the turfgrass plant while having proactive effects on soil symbiotic nitrogen fixating bacteria primarily associated bacteria enhancing their populations and therefore with soybeans. Although free-living bacteria are overall turfgrass health. Release of nitrogen from these widespread, they multiply fairly slowly and are confined to forms is dependent on these soil microorganisms. Even in specific habitats2. low organic matter soils, choosing to apply these forms of Mineralization of nitrogen can be described as a process fertilizer encourages the buildup of soil bacteria by where mineral forms of nitrogen are released into the soil providing sustained food (nitrogen) and energy (carbon) through organic matter degradation by microorganisms. to soil microorganisms. They, in turn, convert the water­ Examples of nitrogen sources that function in this manner insoluble nitrogen fractions back to available nitrogen are organic forms, methylene urea and urea form. The over the course of the growing season. nitrogen is released initially as ammonium, which is then Without the continued healthy presence of these rapidly converted to nitrate by nitrifying bacteria in the bacteria in the soil, and inputs stimulating their life cycles, nitrification process 1. overall turf quality could be compromised. Management These nitrifying bacteria are vital in the production of and cultural countermeasures would certainly rise over nitrate for turf uptake. Nitrification is a two-step process; time resulting in higher expense or operational costs. the first step is the conversion of ammonium to nitrite by Finally, and most importantly, our mission of providing a a specific group of bacteria called Nitrosomonas. The quality stand of turfgrass for the enjoyment of our golfing nitrite that is generated during the first step of clientele could certainly be diminished. nitrification is immediately acted upon by a second group of bacteria called Nitrobacter. Under favorable conditions, References: high soil nitrite concentrations should not occur, as the second transformation is thought to follow the first closely Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Publication to prevent any nitrite build up in the soil. This is fortunate 611 (1998). Soil Fertility Handbook. Toronto, Ontario, as nitrite is toxic to most plants and mammals, even in Canada: Queen’s Printer for Ontario. minute amounts3. Hopkins, W.G, (1995). Introduction to Plant Physiology. Nitrogen fixation, mineralization and nitrification can Toronto, Ontario, Canada: John Wiley & Sons Inc. be classified as processes that supply soil nitrate in either Brady, N.C., Weil, RR. (1996). The Nature and Properties of small or large amounts for turf uptake. Denitrification on Soils. (11th Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA : the other hand can be described as a process that removes Prentice Hall. nitrate from the soil. Denitrification occurs in soils that THE 38th ANNUAL PRESIDENTS' DAY article by Trevor Clapperton course photos by Shawn Karn 2nd Assistant, Rosedale GC This year’s Presidents’ Day tournament was hosted by Peter Oldfield for tabulating the pari-mutuel. A special the beautiful Rosedale Golf Club. Located in Toronto, thank you must go to Dorothy Hills and her staff at the the club was established in 1893 and was remodeled in OGSA for their organization in making this day a great 1921 by Donald Ross. Course Superintendent, Bob success. Burrows, Assistant Superintendent, Steve Tschanz and their staff had the course in absolutely magnificent Winners condition. 1st place -Lambton Golf & Country Club Peter Kinch, Ross Fletcher, Roman Winnicki, John Demko 2nd place - Deer Ridge Golf Club Jarrod Barakett, Don MacKenzie, Joe Hamley, Pat George 3rd place - Twenty Valley Golf & Country Club Steve Muys, Gary Hunter, Ken Teshima, Wayne Nicholls Closest to the pin Longest Drive Team - Deer Ridge Men - Ashley Chinner Men - John Cormier Women - Ginny Mawer Women - Donna Armstrong The Ontario Golf Superintendents’ Association’s most popular and prestigious event was a great success. This event is designed to promote camaraderie between team members and other teams. It is an opportunity to share ideas between clubs and enjoy friendly competition between clubs’ Presidents, Greens Chairmen, Directors and Superintendents. After golf all teams enjoyed a terrific meal served in the dining room provided by catering manager Lisa Brown and her staff. Following dinner, Rosedale’s Greens Chairman, Chuck Thompson 1st place Lambton team officially welcomed all participants to Rosedale Golf Club and expressed his appreciation towards the efforts of Bob Burrows and his staff for the conditions of the course all year. Bob Burrows accepting host superintendent plaque from Trevor Clapperton After the scores where tabulated by Mike Sherman and his pro shop staff the William Sansom Trophy, named after OGSA’s first president, was awarded to the team Lambton Golf Club with a score of 120. Congratulations to Peter Kinch, Ross Fletcher, Roman Winnicki and John Demko. Our thanks to Mr. Paul Stone, Curator of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame for making their “Rub of the Green” golf course design and maintenance exhibit available for Chuck Thompson, Green Chairman, Rosedale Golf Club viewing in the cocktail lounge, and to General Manager, Golf course highlight Rosedale Golf Club 1901 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto ON Phone: 416 485-9742 Fax: 416 485-8532 Email: rburrows@rosedalegolf.org Golf Course Superintendent: Robert Burrows COURSE PROFILE Is your club private, semi private or public? What is the size of your maintenance shop? -Planned renovation of all bunkers with Private 12,000ft2 “ProAngle ” sand this fall; larger square tees; Size of membership? What type of irrigation system? re-building ofsix greens using Poa cores; 1020 total, 600 golf with 22,000 rounds Toro, Network 8000, Site-pro/T-Map/ rebuilt forward tees Typical opening and closing date Handheld remote -New irrigation system and new workshops Early April to early December What is the size of the greens, tees & in conjunction with renovation work fairways? -Replacement of 10 bridges How long have you been an OGSA member? 20 years, 17 years as Superintendent 2 acres ofgreens, 2 acres of tees Are there any particular challenges you face 31 acres offairways with your property? Are you a CGCS or Master Superintendent? What is your predominant grass? -Age and diversity of over-mature tree MS and CGCS Poa Bent mixture population on property requires proactive List other accomplishments grove management. Hiredfull-time certified OGSA President (2006) How many USGA/loam greens? Arborist, Tuan Tran, purchased necessary CGSA Secretary Treasury (2006) 4 modified USGA greens with Poa sprigs equipment and developed tree nursery. CGSA Article of the Year Award (2005) What is the predominant soil type? - Valley-holes require constant monitoring in CTRF Chairman (2001) Sandy loam throughout property hot/dry periods as high temperatures Numerous GCSAA committees What equipment do you have in inventory? coupled with air, drainage and sunlight GCSAA Environmental Steward Award (’97) Extensive fleet of adequate size ofstate-of- issues impact turf environments consisting Audubon Certification (Hillsdale GC, ’96) the-art units to deliver member expectations of bent/poa blends QGSA Board and QTRF (1993-1997) in a safe and efficient environment. Stay -Providing firm/fast/consistent conditions on How many year round and seasonal staff? well ahead of member morning play, while a sandy property is achievable yet not easy 7 year round and 21 seasonal having ‘reserve ’ units in inventory. Goal is -Managing expectations with less pesticides to remain self-sufficient and not rely on -Invasive weeds in fescue hillsides How many mechanics and assistants? outside contractors for most equipment. -Course renovations with a club membership Assts: Steve Tschanz (1st), Shawn Karn (2nd) Strict adherence to a comprehensive and who does not relish change, interruption or Fleet Technician: Ray Joyce well supported long-term plan of equipment inconvenience. How many gardening staff? replacement on a timely basis. James Pittson, Horticulturist Do you have any success stories? -Learning from mistakes breeds success OTHER COURSE INFORMATION COURSE STATISTICS -Keep management/cultural plans simple, What projects have you recently completed? “old-school ” and straight-forward, while How many holes? -Ongoing use of big-roll Kentucky sod to re­ recognizing proven, cutting-edge techniques 18 contour fairways -Be generous and sharing with your time What is the yardage from back and forward tees? -Re-sodding around all greens complexes and life-lessons. Remain humble and low- 6,471 yards from the gold tees and with bluegrass key, yet subtly promote/communicate your 5,168 yards from the red tees -Stone curbing around all paths to replace professionalism/value to golfers/employers. What is the size of driving range and range tee? wooden timbers, as well as stone stairs -Reconstruction of 18th hole, 1st tee, and What type of innovative cultural practices Driving range: 210 yards. Range tee: 1 acre have you performed? practice facilities in conjunction with new How many bunkers? While not unique industry practices, perhaps Pro shop and clubhouse landscaping 87 viewed as more site-specific responding to -Parking lot resurfacing and landscaping Rosedale’s unique property: How many does water come into play? -Equipment wash-pad andfiltration system -Growth regulators on bunker faces 1 pond as irrigation reservoir and West -Fairway and green slit-drainage -Green/fairway slit drainage Don River comes into play 7 times -Riverbank erosion abatement with TRCA -Fairway topdressing Who was the original architect? approved natural wood crib-wall structures -Acid/potassium injection at pump house Tom Bendelow in 1909 (current location) -GPS all trees on property to develop -Use ofsolid geotextile green/tee covers for extensive inventory and grove management What was the year of original construction? winter/ice protection plan using specialized software 1893 Deer Park GC-founding member RCGA -Painting ‘Roundup ’ herbicide on invasive What long range plans for renovation do you weeds on hills By whom and when was the course remodeled? have in the next five years? -In-house tree shade analysis using GPS and Donald Ross onsite in 1921 -Conducting a search for architect who has inventory software Major Tournaments held? extensive experience in motif ofDonald -Poa sod nursery using aerification Canadian Open in 1928 and Ross renovations cores/sprigs 2 RCGA Presidents ’ Days -Use of ‘Dryject’ and soil amendments Good Things are Happening at Trafalgar by Mark Prieur, Superintendent Trafalgar Golf & Country Club The first entry of a two part series on greens reconstruction. rafalgar Golf and Country Club is a private, T the spring of 2006, the remainder of the greens built in eighteen-hole golf facility located in Milton, Ontario. the fall of 2006 ready for play in 2007 Having been designed by legendary Canadian golf course A visit to the sand pit proved extremely informative as it architect C.E. Robinson in 1958, it was indeed time to provided insight into the many different types off upgrade the tired push up soil greens to sand based ones aggregate that can be incorporated into a greens medium. in time for its 50th anniversary in 2008. After consultation with our agronomist, it was decided The decision to rebuild the putting greens came on the that an 80/20 calcareous mix was the most beneficial heels of last year’s scorching hot season. Some of the blend for Trafalgar. The 3600 tons of sand would have to greens, most notably the 1st and the 18th’ fell victim to the be staged out of the clubhouse parking lot to stresses placed upon them by the extreme weather they accommodate the large influx of tractor trailers arriving faced last summer. on site at any given time. In addition to the sand, approximately 1100 tons of pea gravel was also delivered Planning and Logistics at the same time. Needless to say, the members were Upon learning that the owners were committing to the extremely patient during the first leg of the construction project, preparation for the project was done in a little process. over two months. It was decided that the superintendent be the general contractor for the entire project. Confirming quantities of sand, gravel, sod and drain pipe were of utmost importance before the shapers had arrived on site. The greens were to be excavated to a depth of sixteen inches, with a herringbone style drain system installed, followed by a 4” gravel layer to provide a perched water table. It was also decided that the renovation project would be done in two phases. Eight greens would be complete by Temporary greens (mowing down of the fairways) commenced about three weeks prior to construction. These greens were core aerated and topdressed heavily and kept at a height of 0.180” during the entire construction process. There is a little more planning involved in selecting a temporary greens sight other than, “pick a spot 45 yards down the fairway.” Avoiding steep slopes, valve boxes and having more than two cup positions are key considerations for providing an acceptable interim putting surface for the members. Construction Opening Day We broke ground on the sixteenth green on October The first four greens opened forty days after installation 17th and by the time the snow flew in late November, four at 0.200”. Pressure to open the greens was not felt from greens were complete and ready for sod and two more the owners and members, as was previously expected. were excavated, bottom graded and drained. The ninth Everybody was just happy seeing the progress because they and eighteenth greens were going to have to be dug up in knew eventually that they would be playing on a fine stand the spring. The wet fall posed many construction of pure bentgrass. problems as excavation and aggregate hauling equipment The next two greens (eight and ten) would be sodded on could not navigate in and out of the soggy greens cavities. May 3rd and opened on June 7th (that’s 34 days for quick When the weather finally allowed the shapers to wake math). The growing days were greater in number than from their slumber, it was the beginning of April. The L- the previous four. The last two were installed on May 17th 93 bentgrass sod was installed on four greens, the first, and opened on June 19th (31 days) also to the height of seventh, twelfth and sixteenth. The process was nothing 0.200”. As the weather improved and the construction short of amazing. The crew arrived at first light and by crew had fewer weather delays, the whole process flew by. dinner they had installed, perfectly, approximately 26,000 The eighteenth green (the last one of the spring) was square feet of bentgrass sod on all four greens. The large completed in just six days! It was nice to be blessed by rolls were forty-two inches wide and each one covered 360 great weather after a disastrous fall where it seemed every square feet, which was roughly 18 rolls per green. other day there was some sort of weather setback. Even in early April, sod can dry out fast. Constant hand The Future watering was done morning, noon and night. Speed As this article is being written, we are at the tail end of rolling to help the seams knit faster was employed almost some of the hottest days this summer. There was even one every other day. Fertility levels were monitored frequently record breaking night (27°C in Milton). Coupled with to ensure proper rooting. There were not many days off high humidity, it is certainly a recipe for high disease taken after the sod went down. New greens sod pressure. The new greens that were properly planned, installation can be roughly equated to having a newborn constructed, and maintained, were headache free during child; you never want to take your eyes off them for one the onslaught of high temperatures; if only the same could second. be said for some of the old greens! The first mowing was eleven days after the installation, Phase two is slated to begin at the end of September and daily mowing occurred not long after. This spring we with a scheduled completion at fall’s end. Let’s pray for a had some higher than average temperatures which great fall and an even better spring! resulted in an early opening. ACID INJECTION by Dan Glitto, Prime Turf After a couple of years of digging into the technology of of a given irrigation water. This confusion is complicated by water treatment and its effects on turf, I have to say that the the water analysis reports that are often presented with chemistry of irrigation water is one of the least understood mixed terms such as ECw and TDS and some values in ppm aspects of the overall challenge of maintaining a high while others are in meq/1. quality turf. Unlike the industrial and municipal markets It’s not simple, but judging the quality of water has in some where I lived for 25 years, the turf industry has been slow to cases been over simplified. A complete understanding of all develop meaningful tools for the turf manager to use in the potential interactions will lead to a proper assessment. dealing with the issues related to poor water quality. The point is this: You put more water on your turf than Collectively, we have seen a number of indices and anything else! Know your numbers and what the impact of recommendations for control limits which do not make those numbers may be. I would guess that each of you at much sense to the average guy trying to grow grass. Most of some level recognize that to be true. I also have had the information comes from people trying to sell something enough conversations on the subject with many of you to and is often viewed skeptically. know that the industry hasn’t made it easy for you to make As an industry, much of the emphasis is placed on fertility an assessment of your water. Many of you rely on soil and disease control programs, new configurations of “iron” consultants who collect a water sample and compare the and relatively little attention is paid to water quality issues. results to guidelines that never change and in many cases This is unfortunate because the need to understand water don’t make a lot of sense. One report, one look and a few chemistry grows in importance as we face a host of various lines of recommendations aren’t enough in my view. Harsh environmental concerns and economic considerations but true. connected to poor water quality. If we irrigate at a rate of I’d like you be able to make your own assessment or at 1,000,000 gallons per season, we are putting out over 8 least have some solid background information to help to million pounds of water! We put out 350 times more get a feel for how your water stacks up against generally pounds of water than we do nitrogen! We ought to know accepted control limits. what’s in that water! There is an alphabet soup of indices which have been The fact is that the chemistry of the water DOES impact developed to help. They can be tough to understand and on the physical properties of our turf. Another fact is that even harder to calculate if you don’t know what goes into we cannot select a single set of guidelines for “acceptable” them. We are going to get started on a series which breaks water quality and apply them to every golf course in the down the more meaningful indices and begin to get a feel country! An understanding of how the given components for what goes into them and review why those parameters making up the water analysis react with each other is are important to turf quality. essential in determining how the water may or may not There are a number of acronyms we see show up on affect the quality of the turf. In addition, soil analysis and reports and in articles that in general are poorly explained. specific course conditions must be worked into the Each of them has a purpose and has been developed from assessment in order for it to be truly valid. years of experience and some research. The inter-relationships between pH, alkalinity, Calcium, You may be working with or have seen the following indices: Magnesium and Sodium are complex. The values of each relative to the total dissolved solids (TDS) present must be • SARw - Sodium Adsorbtion Ratio considered in selecting control limits for a given water • adj.SARw - Adjusted Sodium Adsorbtion Ratio quality. Guidelines should be considered guidelines, not • TDS - Total Dissolved Solids values that are carved in stone for every water quality. • ECw - Electrical Conductivity of Water There are several indices developed over the years that help •SI- Saturation Index determine the potential negative impact poor water quality • Ca: Mg - Calcium to Magnesium Ratio may have on turf. A few notables are: • RSC- Residual Sodium Carbonate • pHc - Calculated pH • SAR............Sodium Adsorbtion Ratio • adj.SAR...... Adjusted Sodium Adsorbtion Ratio So which one of these indices are the best? What’s most • pHc............Calculated pH important? Who knows! There are so many • RSC............Residual Sodium Carbonate interrelationships at work in your water; you ought to • Ca:Mg....... Calcium: Magnesium Ratio consider them all! Before we tackle the formulas, we need to take a step back. These are formulations that can be confusing and often For a full understanding of this important element of your misleading. Nevertheless, they attempt to take the critical management program we should try to simplify key water factors into consideration while determining the worthiness issues beginning with a demystification of the water analysis. When one take’s a look at typical water analysis, each So if your Calcium is reported as 80ppm, you divide by 20 parameter is compared to desired guidelines. These to get a meq/1 of 4. By breaking everything down to meq/1 guidelines are generally expressed as: we begin seeing things in equal terms that help us understand the volume relationships better and will help • pH = 6-7 when we work through the index calculations that will show • Alkalinity HCO3=<120ppm you whether or not you have a potential problem. • Alkalinity CO3 = 0 It is widely accepted that many of the problems caused by • Calcium = 40-120ppm poor water quality are traced higher pH and alkalinity • Magnesium = 6-24ppm values, when the potential for sodium to become the • Sodium = <40ppm predominant cation increases. This is due to the calcium • Chloride= <140ppm and magnesium being “tied-up” by the alkalinity and made • TDS = 125-500ppm unavailable to soil exchange sites, since these “good guys” • Sulfur = <180ppm cannot get to the ion exchange sites, they are replaced with • Iron = 2-5ppm Sodium. This seals the soil and dramatically reduces the • Potassium = .5-10ppm ability of the turf to take up nutrients. The balance between cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negatively You can see that some parameters are a strict control limit charged ions) is important and relatively easy to get a while others have huge ranges! handle on. How can you have calcium be okay at 120ppm and 40ppm? Or TDS be in range at 4 times the lower control CATIONS + ANIONS - limit? This is because of the interrelationships that exist. A simple check against these desired values isn’t enough. We Calcium Ca++ Bicarbonate HCO3- - need to know how they relate to each other. Magnesium Mg ++ Carbonates CO3 - As we review the analysis, we often see the results expressed Sodium Na+ Chlorides Cl- in mixed terms. ome are ppm, some are meq/1 and some Potassium K+ Sulfates So4 - - are mg/1. Furthermore, the indices used to tell you whether Nitrates NO3- or not you have a problem are numbers that are based on Boron B3 - - formulas and terms that are in most cases are viewed as a magical number that doesn’t make sense when looking at a The balance is important. For example, if the water analysis. It is calculated by the laboratory without Bicarbonate and Carbonate (alkalinity) ions outnumber much explanation. the Calcium and Magnesium ions, it’s certain that they (Ca & Mg) will be tied up, therefore allowing the sodium to fill The indices desired guidelines most commonly seen are: the cation exchange sites at the soil particle. This is bad news. Once again, we can use the meq/1 conversion to get • SAR ( Sodium Adsorbtion Ratio)......... <3* all these things on equal terms to determine the severity of • Adjusted SAR............................................ <6* the potential problem. • pHc ( Calculated).................................... >8.4 • RSC ( Residual Sodium Carbonate) The key parameters which are examined most closely by *meq/l the collective group of control indices are: Since these critical values are expressed and calculated in •pH meq/1, we ought to know how to simply convert ppm to • Alkalinity ( Carbonates and Bicarbonates) meq/1. • Hardness ( Calcium and Magnesuim) • Total Dissolved Solids (Total Salts) (ppm to meq/1) • Sodium Divide ppm by equivalent weights These are the main parameters we need to focus our •HCO3 61 initial review on. The issue of water quality is not going • SO4 48 away. Between the impact it has on your turf and the • CO3 30 impending environmental considerations, it’s something •Na 23 we have to pay growing attention to. • CL 35.4 • Mg 12.2 Dan Glitto has spent the last 25 years working in all aspect of water • Ca 20 treatment. His background includes specialty chemical programs and the equipment to control and monitor these programs. NEWSLETTERS: A KEY COMMUNICATION TOOL Are you responsible for contributing to your facility Write what you know. Potential topics to address newsletter? Are you confused about what to write and include new staff members, facility changes, upcoming how? A good newsletter article can be a key events, specials, golf cart rules, ball marks, divots, communication tool for superintendents. Following are a aerification, winter play/frost, raking bunkers and few tips to help you get started. pesticide applications. If you’re still stumped, search chapter and industry publications and Web sites, as well as Why contribute to your GCSAA.org, which has a wealth of resources on industry facility's newsletter? topics that can be easily applied to your facility and situation. There are only so many hours in the day and superintendents already work long hours. However, Personalize your content. Make your stories golfers may not see the superintendent as often as they see personable and phrase articles with a positive, informative the rest of the golf course management team, which bent. Include quotes, interviews and even tasteful jokes (if makes it important for superintendents to connect applicable) and be sure to cite your sources. By telling through other means, if possible. Providing content for your golfers what you and your crew are doing and writing your facility’s newsletter is a quick and easy way to stay in in a way that lets them get to know you better, they’ll feel touch with golfers, let them know what is going on with more included and be able to understand and appreciate the course and why. Newsletters also are good for getting the work you do. employees, the media, sales reps, and others excited about your facility and projects. Gather feedback. Ask your patrons for their opinions - are you hitting the mark with your articles? By tracking Where should I start? what’s happening, you’ll be able to better meet your golfers’ needs. The first step is to develop an editorial calendar - With the proper set-up and writing, a newsletter can be a having a plan will allow you to efficiently gather the tool for reaching your audience in a quick, concise way. It information you need for each issue. Outline topics you’d allows you to reach out and tell your golfers the enjoyment like to cover during the year, including key projects. you get from your job and how the work you do contributes to their recreation and enjoyment of the How do I begin the writing process? game. Identify your audience. Are you writing to golfers, Sources: employers or potential members? Make sure the http://www.gcsaa.org/industryclients/research/print/newsletters,asp newsletter content is relevant and important to them. http://www.riches.com.au/articles/writing_email_newsletters.htm#how_to_write http://www.email-marketing- Keep it simple. Precise editing for grammar and facts is reports.com/emailnewsletters/newsletterwriting.htm more important than an exciting look. Pictures can help http://www.publications.pdx.edu/tips.html tell the story, but too many pictures or irrelevant pictures http://www.topstory.ca/newsletters.html can make a newsletter too confusing or busy. Remember, http://www.gcsaa.org/gem/2002/dec02/12Write.asp newsletters are meant to be quick reads, so keep the stories short and to the point. If you’re writing on a topic that’s too long to be fully discussed in the newsletter, you may want to summarize your topic and provide a link directing readers to your facility’s Web site for the full story. Zero in on fairway disease control. Strong enough for your greens - economic enough for your fairways. COMPASS 50WG has everything you need in a strobilurin fungicide: excellent disease control, broad spectrum activity and low use rates. With its revolutionary mesostemic mode of action, COMPASS binds tightly to turf and redistributes itself. This prevents infection and maintains continuous protection of the treated and nearby turf plants for up to 21 days. COMPASS is strong enough for your greens and economical enough for your fairways. Learn more about the proven performance of COMPASS today - the best direction in turf protection. Compass 50wg www.bayeres.ca 1 -888-283-6847 FUNGICIDE ALWAYS READ PRODUCT LABEL PRIOR TO USE. Compass™ is a trademark of Bayer. Always read and follow label directions. RESEARCH PRODUCTS PEOPLE STEWARDSHIP The most complete Heritage, the only systemic strobilurin, is registered to control fungicide for cool Fusarium Patch, Leaf Spot & Melting Out, Summer Patch, Anthracnose, & wet weather. and 5 more turf diseases. Broad spectrum activity and long control intervals of up to 28 days make Heritage the best fungicide to keep your course clean during the spring & fall. For more information on Heritage, call Syngenta at 1-888-368-4211 x525. www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com Important: Always read and follow label instructions before using this product. ©2002 Syngenta. Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc., Guelph, ON N1G 4Z3 HERITAGE® is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Above the hole by Ian Boyd, Student & Intern Carruther’s Creek Golf & Country Club courses are very dynamic work environments and to keep Golf advantage of having 20 plus years of experience versus a everything up to the demanding standards of golfers takes a handful, as this kind of observation becomes almost automatic. keen eye and skilled labour to go along with it. Knowing what Not only does this become second nature but so does the ability is happening at all times on a property is one of the most to keep tabs on the what’s and where’s of the golf course staff. valuable assets of a successful superintendent and one of the In second year at Guelph we are required to take a human most difficult to be successful at as a turf student. For part of the resources course, which basically covers issues with staff, summer work term, we as interns are required to take record of patrons, and management at the golf course. However, I have a the daily events at our respective courses. This is a great funny feeling that this is where they teach you how to take your opportunity to practice these observational skills and really staff completely by surprise. There must be some kind of focus on and understand what happens at the course in “spidey” sense superintendents have about their staff taking a preparation for our future careers. In school they stress signs break. Riding a tuned up electric golf cart, guys have a way of and symptoms over and over; I’ve found you don’t really get it appearing out of nowhere scaring some poor kid half to death until you step out of the class and onto the turf. When I first who has just leaned on his shovel after slugging it out for the last started out in the business I had a severe case of tunnel vision. hour. At one point or another we have all been that kid, and What I was doing was the only thing going on at the course and sooner or later someone else will take that place. really hadn’t any idea of the bigger picture. As the years It is interesting to see and to be part of the evolution of progressed the tunnel vision subsided and I became more aware someone taking golf from just a sport, to a hobby, a job, and of what was happening on the course as a whole. With a few then a career. The reasons you get into the business aren’t years of work and a year of school under the belt it all begins to exactly what you end up doing, but the love for the job remains. make sense and come together. Now I have a very firm grasp of Responsibilities and stress tend to increase, while sleep and hair what happens out in the field, whether it is with respect to pest decrease at alarming rates, hmm maybe there is a connection issues, maintenance being carried out, watering issues or here other than just male pattern baldness. With all joking whatever else may occur. Yet, I still miss the odd thing, or am aside, to become a good turf manager it takes years of late on picking them up. Just as I think I may have got the jump experience and from that experience the tools to do so. We as on say a disease problem, it’s already been seen and the students have to strive to not only learn as much as possible, but chemical ordered for the treatment. It is easy to see the to keep learning in whatever facet of the industry we end up. Protects turf against winter desiccation Reduces transpiration stress Shield your turf Stays flexible & will not discolor foliage from the elements. Washes easily out of spray equipment 1273 Imperial Way • Paulsboro, NJ 08066 • USA • 1-800-257-7797 • www.aquatrols.com University of Guelph update by Eric Lyons, Assistant Professor Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph Annual bluegrass invasion on golf putting greens, factors behind the inevitable. Annual bluegrass invasion on golf course putting management decisions affect the quality of annual greens is such a common incident that even golfers refer bluegrass and its competitiveness with creeping bentgrass to annual bluegrass by its Latin Genus Poa and in some and other desirable species. cases I have even heard it referred to as Poor Anna in the Annual bluegrass is often a desirable grass for southern United States. Those of us in the industry also playability. With the exception of seed set, the annual refer to it as Poa ourselves even though we know that Poa bluegrass can create a very smooth putting surface due to is actually the designation for all of the bluegrasses such as its density and upright growth habit. In fact efforts have Kentucky bluegrass (Poa Pratensis).. Annual bluegrass or been made to breed it for commercial seed production Poa annua is a reality that all turfgrass managers must live resulting in at least one commercial variety. The problems with. The competitiveness of annual bluegrass is with annual bluegrass arise with the patchiness it can beginning to be better understood and with continual create when growing with the stoloniferous, prostrate research we hope to crack the code to help us better growing creeping bentgrass. The color can also be manage this highly competitive grass. aesthetically less pleasing. Annual bluegrass is also more Annual bluegrass is very competitive in a variety of susceptible to many pathogens and abiotic stressors such different situations because it has high variability within as heat, cold, flooding and ice encasement. the species. Turfgrass scientists have tried to classify sub­ Currently, we are studying factors that affect annual species to help aid in the discussions surrounding annual bluegrass invasion and persistence when competing bluegrass management; Greens-Type VS. Wild-Weedy-Type against creeping bentgrass. Fertility can be a major factor or annua (referring to annual life pattern) VS reptans in annual bluegrass invasion. We have shown that annual (referring to close to the ground) are just two examples. bluegrass has significantly less root mass than creeping Actually, these designations are there to aid in bentgrass (Figure 1) possibly limiting its acquisition of conversation but the population of annual bluegrass immobile nutrients. This also creates a need for syringing actually exists along a gradient from true annuals to greens to keep them cool due to the fact that the roots perennial varieties that cannot produce viable seed. cannot take up enough water to cool the plant. Last year Within that gradient there is also a gradient from coarse an undergraduate student in our lab, Kelly O’Conner, did textured large plants to very fine textured small plants that an experiment where we compared applying liquid can survive lower mowing heights (the type we tend to fertilizers to the leaves with a spray as opposed to applying find on golf greens). The interesting thing about these the same fertilizer directly to the soil in pots that had a gradients is that they are actually independent of each mixture of creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass. The other. Typically, we think of the small, Green-Type as preliminary results were that annual bluegrass had more being more perennial, but we have seen small greens-types tillers than the creeping bentgrass in the foliar applied that seed heavily and are actually very annual in nature. pots and in soil applied pots the tiller ratio’s were the same Why is annual bluegrass so variable and adaptive? The (Figure 2). I am very happy to welcome Ms. O’Conner to answer lies in its evolution. Annual bluegrass as a species the turfgrass group this fall to pursue a Masters of Science. has two other species as parents. Annual bluegrass is the Her project will be an extension of how fertility affects result of a cross between Mediterranean bluegrass (P annual bluegrass survival and competitiveness on golf infirma) and mountain bluegrass {P. supina). This cross course putting greens. Our first project will be to see if may have occurred many times throughout the evolution what we found in the pots in the greenhouse actually of annual bluegrass creating many different lines of translates into the field leading to recommendations for annual bluegrass adding to its variability and ability to fertility to allow turfgrass managers to grow better golf invade a wide variety of different habitats. The real greens whichever the desirable species the superintendent question is how do we live with this grass and how do our is trying to encourage. Figure 1. Root mass on a golf green of creeping bentgrass (dotted lines) and annual bluegrass (solid lines) throughout a growing season. Figure 2. Tiller number of annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass grown in a mixture. MY SCREEN SAVER AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE by Don Crymble, Property Manager Keeper of the Markham Green We have all paid lip service to a commitment to after 6:30. Our legs were sore for days. The course is excellence and thinking outside of the box; I didn’t what we wanted to see, feel and understand. know what these terms meant until recently. Equipped with digital cameras and gigabytes of Recently my brother Gord turned 50; as is common storage we photographed everything. he made a list of a few things he wanted to do. Play Augusta National and the Masters are without doubt Pebble Beach, The Old Course at St. Andrews and visit the most esteemed property and event in the golfing Augusta National (he realized his limitations by not world. Any superlative I could use could not do it listing to play Augusta). The family provided funds for justice. Pebble Beach (over $600 green fee plus stay on the My screen saver is a photo of a collar #15 green which property). Gord arranged to play, booking almost a had appeared to have been scalped by a greens mower year in advance. Gord had been submitting to the some 3-6 weeks previously. I found the photo Masters for practice round tickets for years and was interesting and thought I would set it as my wall paper. finally chosen and given the opportunity to purchase I considered the photo an inspiration; if Augusta can tickets to the Wednesday practice round of the 2006 make a mistake, so can I. How could anyone explain if Masters. Gord invited me and with the approval of my Tiger had to chip out of that imperfection? What employer we arranged to attend. happened to the person responsible for that scalp? We arrived at Augusta National as the gates opened at Many other questions and considerations. 8:30, walked the course, re-walked the course, followed I realized how little I know about excellence and a few groups, re-walked the course and left the property thinking outside of the box. Certainly Augusta From experience and know-how come the best results. With Nutrite, turf and landscape professionals can rely on premium products, reliable innovation and personal service that is second to none. Success on the green is simple - just look to the people with the deepest roots. 1-800-265-8865 www.nutriteturf.ca National has the resources to do what ever they want; they could have flown a piece of turf in from anywhere Ontario Golf Course Management in the world. Why was that one imperfection left on Conference and Trade Show that magnificent course? To inspire me? I have no Keynote Speakers doubt that Augusta National purposefully installed that scalp on the collar of #15 as an inspiration to all who Thursday, January 18th, 2007 - Jimmy Westrick aspire to excellence and are daring enough to take risks Creative Leadership - The Competitive Edge in order to be the absolute best that they can be. Friday, January 19th, 2007 Thank-you Augusta National, thank-you Masters. Michael "Pinball" Clemons Thank-you. Thank-you. Thank-you. Winning Against the Odds Post script: I realize my complete and utter naivety. From my experience, or lack there of I know the planning, timing and honour associated in executing that perfect imperfection. Mark Schneider I am aware that there are many traditions associated with Technical Sales Augusta National, the Masters, rub of the green and golf in Maple Turf Supply Business: (905) 857-2000 general. I do not intend to dishonour any of those traditions 8112 King Rd. W. Fax: (905) 857-8215 P.O. Box 370 Mobile: (519) 372-5181 in any way. I may also have been aware of this tradition from Bolton, Ontario 1-800-268-4425 L7E 5T3 Email: m___schneider@sympatico.ca discussions with colleagues and may have even seen a photo of this tradition. TURF CARE Introducing the 835S and 855S Series Sprinkler with Trujectory™. You know that bunker that’s always getting wet? Or that tree branch that’s always in the way? Now you can address trouble spots with Trujectory, exclusively from Toro. Simply adjust the trajectory of the spray from 7 to 30 degrees and get better head-to-head coverage. Plus there’s part- and full-circle operation in one sprinkler. Add these new features to the great ones already standard on the 800S Series sprinklers and you’ll gain the flexibility you need for better results. And you’ll get it all for the same value as your current part-circle fixed trajectory sprinklers. For more information, contact one of our sales representatives at Turf Care or go online to www.turfcare.ca. Out of the bunker and under the trees, to water the turf we go. Turf Care Products Canada 200 PONY DRIVE, NEWMARKET, ONTARIO L3Y 7B6 • PHONE (905) 836-0988 • FAX (905) 836-6442 London Mississauga Scarborough Gloucester Ph: (519) 668-7664 Ph: (905) 890-6290 Ph: (416) 298-2101 Ph: (613) 822-1881 Fax: (519) 668-3722 Fax: (905) 890-5598 Fax: (416) 298-8758 Fax: (613) 822-2099 BEAUTIFUL TRUTH The truth is, you make this happen. We understand that beautiful turf doesn't come easily and you don't get any second chances. ProTurf shares in your relentless pursuit of perfection. We promise you our best every time. Proud supplier of quality products including Contec™, Poly-S™, FFII™, and K-O-G™. ProTurf Dave Dick (905) 846-3319 serving you since 1977 Jeff McMaster 1 800 839-6526 serving you since 1980 Nu-Gro Corporation, 10 Craig Street, Brantford, ON N3R 7J1 ProTurf® is a registered trademark used under license from The Scotts Company. On the REEL side of things by Mike Slack Slack Reel Service Reels that make you go hmm or hum... Ihave received a number of calls about reels that are • Lack of lubrication between the reel and bedknife, stripping and or humming very loudly. I thought it may especially in fairway units. The reel requires lubrication be a good time to address the issue, as it seems that there from the grass blade. If it does not receive enough are many people with this problem. lubrication, it’s like putting the reels down in mow There are many reasons for this phenomenon. The position on the shop floor and letting them run for a largest reason is improper maintenance of your reel period of time. Anyone who has done this knows that in bearings either through: a matter of 1 or 2 minutes the reels get louder and louder. a) improper torque valve adjustment I have never heard of so many instances of reel striping b) lack of lubrication before. Are we getting lax in our maintenance program, c) faulty bearings cutting costs on bearing replacement in the winter or is itjust that our season has been very dry from the start? I know, as As your reel spins and makes slight contact with your of late July we, or most people, have received more rain than bedknife a misaligned or faulty bearing can rotate usual, but maybe there is something to be said for our reels unevenly, resulting in too much contact on your bedknife. and the unusual dry spring. This produces heat therefore putting a roll in your I generally have a tough time trying to decipher each bedknife by removing the temper from the steel. Other individual case, but maybe if you consider each of the above reasons include: issues you may be able to work your way through the problem to find your own answers. Finally, keep the e-mails coming! • Adjusting your reels too tight. Improper adjusting puts extra contact on your bedknife, resulting in the same Mike will be happy to answer any of your questions, on a regular preceding results. weekly basis, through the OGSA web site forum, “Turf Talk”. To post a question or comment go to the Members Only Section of • Foreign material. If a stick or a divot etc. passes through www.golfsupers.on.ca click on “Turf Talk” and start a new thread the reel, something has to give. Usually the bedknife or click on an existing thread. Ifyou have a problem using “Turf will bend away then retract to its regular position. But Talk” call the OGSA office at 877-824-6472 or 519-767-3341 and at times it does not, also resulting in too much contact. they will assist you. Reservoir to Rotor Milton 1.800.263.4112 King City 1.866.703.KING www.vandenbussche.com Rain Bird Central Control Systems The Intelligent Way to Manage Irrigation The Quintozene You Trust... ...In a Formulation You’ll Love Crompton, the first manufacturer to put quintozene in a pail, now brings you the same time- tested quintozene in an easy to use flowable formulation. Terraclor Flowable Fungicide provides a hassle free application with reliable and cost effective snow mould control. For more information, call Engage Agro at 1-866-613-3336 or visit www.engageagro.com ® Terraclor is a registered trademark of Chemtura USA Corporation. Off the fairway ... Plant Combinations right plant combinations will The aesthetic appeal. Plants assist or harm each other through convert an average garden into a great their odour, root secretions and their effects on soil garden. The most pleasing gardens nutrients. The poisonous secretions of the Black Walnut have individual plants amidst well are well known by most gardeners. The poison, secreted by selected planting partners. As with any the roots, prevents seed germination to keep many plants good companion, plant companions from growing near its base. This is an excellent example of make their partners look good and the profound effect that plants have on each other. by Daisy Moore cover up for them when they are not at On a more positive note, certain combinations are known their best. It is rare that an individual plant, marooned in to produce better results because the plants help each a sea of lawn, will be captivating enough for the entire other. Bush beans and potatoes, for example, are excellent season. companions because they protect each other from beetle I was recently asked to assist in improving the look and attack. Radishes can be planted in the same row as carrots feel of an established garden where everything was doing because the radishes will germinate rapidly and loosen the well but the appearance was often unsatisfactory. The soil for the later emerging carrots. The radishes are biggest problem was that the individuals were all great, but harvested and the carrots are left to fill in the spaces. they didn’t work well together. The garden was a blur of Flowers and vegetables are excellent companions both grassy foliage offered by grape hyacinth, daffodils, daylilies, for the aesthetic appeal and the protection from pests they and ornamental grasses. A form of season-long interest is can offer each other. Garlic is one of my favourite additions achieved with this mixture but the sameness of the foliage to the perennial garden. The distinctive odour will keep makes the combination rather boring, so I replanted and away many chewing insects and the flower heads, which recombined the plants on the basis of the potential mixture appear in July, are a special and unique addition for most of foliage and flowers. Bold, broad leaves, variegated beds. Basil, sage, parsley and coriander are all attractive and foliage and highlights of summer flowering perennials useful components of the flower garden. Marigolds and improved this garden immensely. Being a bit ruthless in the nasturtiums are always useful in pest control and on top of thinning of daffodils and daylilies also went a long way in that they are orange. What more can you ask for? eliminating the sameness of the garden. If you are looking to improve the appearance of your Disguising another plant’s short-comings is another role garden by adding new perennials, shrubs or grasses, you will of a good companion plant. For example, after the tulips need to narrow things down a bit. Think first of the height have finished their bloom, the leaves are not attractive. you need and always of blooming dates for a balance of Lupins or peonies combine well with tulips because they early, mid and late season plants. I don’t worry so much will both frame the tulip flowers with their attractive foliage about colour combinations or clashes, to the chagrin of and disguise the dying tulip foliage after the tulip blooms some of my pink-hating clients, but make my choices to have finished. Another winning trio for the early season deliver something that highlights the garden when other combines early flowering yellow Anemones, the grey plants are waning. foliaged lamb’s ears and the later flowering Siberian iris. Plant combinations such as these will extend the glory of Daisy Moore P.Ag. is a horticulturist. She operates a garden design that section of the garden. and consulting business from her home in Elora The long term success of plant combinations is Visit her website www.daisymoore.com for more tips on gardening determined by the ability of plants to find a balance and Listen to The Gardening Show on 570news (www.570news.com) co-exist. The plants cannot be invasive because they will Saturday mornings 7-8 take over and require a lot of maintenance to keep them in check. In your own garden, there will be areas where some combinations work but will fail in others because of Doug Hubble a slight change in growing conditions. This difference in Sales and Marketing Manager light, water or soil type will give one plant an advantage 519.770.3157 over the other. You can try to mimic combinations from dhubble@nu-gro.ca gardens you have seen, but trial and error is often the best way to find your own winning combinations. John Bladon Experimenting with the infinite possibilities of plant IPM Coordinator / Technical Sales combinations makes gardening great fun as well as a 519.574.2013 challenge. jbladon@nu-gro.ca Companion planting in vegetable gardening is done www.nu-groturf.com more to promote the success of the vegetable crop than the Looking back 30 YEARS AGO TO-DAY by Barry Endicott n 1976 the directors of the OGSA were as follows: Paul Henderson; Board of Trade, Gord Witteveen; and Maple Downs, Dermott (president), Al Beeney (vice), Carl Bennet (sec.), John Art Dodson. Hutchinson (treas.), David Gourlay, Paul Dodson, Hugh The C.G.S.A. Conference was held in Toronto at the Inn On Kirkpatrick, Whitey Jones, Stew Mills, Paul Scenna and Bob The Park. There was a spring dance at Islington G.C. The Galt Heron (editor). Country Club hosted the Galt Field Day and the President, New members: Graham Shouldice, Highland G.C.; Doug Green Chairman, Superintendent Tournament was at St. Hoskins, Summit G.C.; John Ingram, Glenview G.C.: Graydon Georges, hosted by Bill Hynd. The Pro/Superintendent Rogers, Westers Trent G.C.; Craig Wilton, Greenhills C.C.; Tournament was held at North Halton G.C. hosted by Al Beeney Gerald Gitzel, Rain Tech Irrigation Services; David Jackson, and the Christmas Dance was held at Markland Wood C.C. The Southbrook G.C. McClumpha Memorial Tournament was held at St. Thomas G.C. Sid Witteveen has left Glen Abbey as assistant and is joining The Canadian Open was held at Essex G&CC. Ken Wright at Northwood. Cam Cairncross started a new On March 26th, a curling meeting was held at North Halton position with the Sault Ste. Marie Parks Department, Ted hosted by Al Beeney. The winning team was made up of Al Charman has started at the National, G.C. and Doug Hoskins Beeney, Carl Bennet, Paul White and Bill Robinson. Larry has moved to Summit G.C. Sherk from Sheridan Nurseries gave an interesting slide The Sixth Annual Management Symposium was held at presentation. Aurora Highlands G.C., hosted by Whitey Jones and chaired by John Bennet moved from Cedar Brae G&CC to London Keith Nisbet and Bill Glashan. Guest speaker was Murray Hunt, and Bruce Thrasher, assistant to Paul Dodson at Tucker, golf director from the Board of Trade. Mississaugua, moved to Cedar Brae. Ted Tom, formerly working Meetings were held at Bayview G.C., Ed Ortleib; North Halton at Islington G.C., is now at Uplands G.C. as superintendent. G.C., Al Beeney; Beach Grove (via “Pelino Express”), Ed The way we were... answer from page 5 Bob Moote, Tim Wyllie and RT Heron at Markland Wood. 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Paul G. Pilley, B.Sc., M.P.M. P.O. Box 1021, Lindsay, ON K9V 5N4 Toronto • (416) 657-2059 Tel: (705) 324-PEST (7378) Bracebridge • (705) 646-8733 Fax: (705) 324-9729 Gravenhurst • (705) 687-0696 E-mail: ppilley@cogeco.ca Huntsville • (705) 789-0929 PESTICIDE TECHNICIAN COURSES ALSO AVAILABLE www.bartlett.com BACKED BY THE BARTLETT TREE RESEARCH LABORATORIES AND EXPERIMENTAL Offices located throughout Ontario GROUNDS, CHARLOTTE, NC Members of OGSA, CGSA and Golfmax Suppliers to the NGCOA Turf or consequences by Doug Breen, Superintendent Golf North Properties What I Did Last Summer In our mail a couple of months back, we got a letter in an that relatively speaking, Collingwood is practically at the comer of embossed envelope, with fancy gold writing on it. We have a Yonge and Dundas. We even cheated a bit and took the ferry to system for the mail at our house. All bills go to my wife, who pays Manitoulin, but it’s still twenty hours of rocks, trees, and moose them if she thinks of it. All junk mail goes into the garbage, along to get to the Manitoba border. Once you cross that line, it’s still with anything important that’s addressed to me (the sorters are another couple hours of exactly the same scenery. The only very sloppy). And anything with red letters on it gets dumped on difference is that there are ‘watch for deer’ signs instead of ‘watch my desk, so that I can try to explain to the gas company why my for moose’ signs. wife hasn’t thought to pay them in six months. But this day, the Then the prairies open up. The prairies are flat. People will children mistook a wedding invitation for an overdue notice and try to tell you otherwise. They are lying. When you get far I got to open it. The whole Breen family, young’uns and all, were enough north that there are no more red lines on the map, invited to a wedding in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. Krista still hasn’t you’re in Nipawin. Two days later, we did it again, only thought to send the RSVP, but we’re back now anyway, so what’s backwards. the point? Everyone said that we were crazy to take a seven and nine year Flights to Western Canada are obscenely expensive to begin old that far without a DVD player in the truck. I told them that with, but once you add on sales tax, airport tax, special terrorism our children would sit quietly, look out the window, and learn tax, temporary fuel surcharge tax, living in a free country tax, about the country. What they learned, was that it’s a very long, waking up this morning tax.... it would have been cheaper to just stinky drive from Rockwood to Nipawin. I kept them riveted by buy my own jet and fly it out there. I could have driven to pointing out every golf course I saw, discussing ‘cut and fill Argentina for what they wanted for four tickets and a rental car. balance’ at every rock cut, and explaining that we couldn’t stop So I drove to Nipawin for less than the taxes would have been. to see the interesting roadside attractions because we were That’s right, 70 hours in the Tundra with the family, and since it ‘making good time’. This would usually be followed by a fun was the middle of summer, I had to take as little time away as mathematical equation for them to figure out how long it would possible. So we drove straight out, went to the stag, rehearsal take to get to the next point of interest that we wouldn’t stop at. party, wedding, and drove straight back. More time in the truck, So that’s what I did on my summer vacation. It was really just a than in Saskatchewan. long weekend, but it was the closest thing I’ve had to a summer Nipawin is one of those names that pops up all over the north in vacation in about 25 years, and I made the most of it by driving various forms. Nipigon, Neepawan, Nipowan, Nipassing... I halfway across the country, turning around and coming back. figure that it’s the punch line to an Ojibwayjoke that they used to Next year, perhaps we’ll drive to Newfoundland for dinner and a play on the fur traders. It likely means, “White people are idiots,” movie, then be back for work on Monday. or “Poopytown”, or something like that, and the guides used to sit around and laugh about how they could tell the Fur Traders anything and they’d believe it “The other day, I told a White Man that we called a place Moose Jaw, and he bought it!” The town is easy enough to find, just drive to La Pas, Manitoba and turn left. It’s so far north, that the first night we were there, the northern lights came out and I had to look south to see them. We were in a bar with the groom dressed as Spiderman. Somebody sent their kid in to tell us to come out to see the Aurora Borealis, and there was his hero - half unmasked, playing a video lottery terminal, holding a beer, with his Spidey gut hanging over his belt. We assured the kid that Spiderman was just on a well deserved vacation from crime fighting. It will all come out in therapy later. The best news was that the wedding guests were all booked into a hotel on a golf resort, so I can try to write the whole trip off as a business expense. It turned out that the course was in the Score 100, and rated number two in Saskatchewan, so I thought that I wanted to play it. On further discussion with my wife, it turned out that I really didn’t want to play golf at all. Oddly enough, after they talked to their wives, all of the other married guys suddenly realized that they didn’t want to play golf either! All the single guys played every day. Anyhow, back to the drive. Let me begin by saying that Ontario is a very, very big province. Those of us in Southern Ontario tend to think of places like Collingwood and Barrie as ‘going up north’, but once you’ve driven to Kenora, you realize TURF CARE Hundreds of improvements, one great result. TURF CARE PRODUCTS CANADA 200 Pony Drive, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 7B6 Tel: (905) 836-0988 Fax: (905) 836-6442 London Ph: (519) 668-7664 • Fax: (519) 668-3722 • Mississauga Ph: (905) 890-6290 • Fax: (905) 890-5598 Scarborough Ph: (416) 298-2101 • Fax: (416) 298-8758 • Gloucester Ph: (613) 822-1881• Fax (613) 822-2099 Exceptional quality of cut and after cut appearance is the result of the new Reelmaster® 5010 series fairway mowers from Toro®. It’s all thanks to a completely new design that’s focused on performance, operator comfort, and serviceability. The innovative new DPA cutting units offer simple adjustment along with major advances in reel and bedknife edge retention. The detailed improvements will keep you out of the shop and on the fairway producing the results you’ve come to expect. After all, beauty lies in the details. To find out more call your Turf Care Representative. www.turfcare.ca