Ontario Golf Superintendents BOX 63. ISLINGTON. ONTARIO M9A4XI A.C. 416 - 233 - 2269 VOL. 1 NO. 2 APRIL 1974 N President ROBERT T. HERON 43 Eldomar Avenue Brampton, Ontario E Phone 459-3299 Vice-President/ Treasurer PAUL DERMOTT W Box 131 Islington Golf Club Phone 231-0925 Secretary ALLAN BEENEY Maple Ave. West S Georgetown, Ontario Phone 877-2642 Directors A.V. WHITEY JONES 225 Kennedy St. W. L Aurora, Ontario Phone 727-5640 ROBERT HALL Box 472 Thornhill, Ontario E Phone 889-8105 JOHN STOUGHTON R.R. #3 Barrie, Ontario Phone 1-705-728-0183 CAMERON CAIRNCROSS T 7471 Yonge St., #504 Thornhill, Ontario Phone 881-2436 CARL BENNETT 1265 Sixth Line, #704 Oakville, Ontario Phone 845-3132 HELMUT KOPP - Photographer P.O. Box #9 Thornhill, Ontario Phone 889-8381 PAUL SCENNA 1924-1974 T E 39 Sunset Boulevard Cambridge/Galt, Ont. Phone 623-3292 Past President JAMES WYLLIE 50 TH 14 Cheltenham Cr. ANNIVERSARY R Brampton, Ontario Phone 451-1875 Executive Editor — Newsletter ROSS HAINES 54 Bannon Avenue Toronto 18, Ontario Phone 233-6105 COMING EVENTS May 17 th - Bayview G. C. , Toronto Host - Ed Ortlieb June 13th - Galt G. C. , Cambridge Host - Paul Scenna July - Barbeque and Dance August 9th - Pro - Superintendent Golf Tournament Brampton G.C., Brampton Hosts - John Henrick and Ross Haines September 20th - O.G.S.A. 50th Anniversary Golf Tournament Lambton G. C. , Toronto Host - Jim Wyllie October - P.G.A. National G. C. , Woodbridge Host - Charlie Muylaert November - Oshawa G. C. , Oshawa Host - Rusty Workman December - O.G.S.A. Annual Meeting Summit G.C., Richmond Hill Host - Cam Cairncross The following persons have applied for membership in the O.G.S.A. If any member has any objections, the secretary must be notified in writing within 50 days. David B. Dick - Sleepy Hollow G.C., Stoufville Gerry Laferriere - Garson G.C., Sudbury PRESIDENT'S REPORT Tis the season to be apprehensive. The golfing season does appear to be starting later this year. For all of you who either presently have a worry problem, are apt to get one, and even those who don’t worry about anything, the following points should be considered. 1) What is the problem? 2) What are the causes of the problem? 3) What are the possible solutions? 4) What is the best possible solution? Memorize and think about these points as you attack your respective programs this year. Best wishes for a good year. BOB HERON As a follow up of ’’Who Do You Skate For?", as released to the "press" in an earlier edition of this Newsletter, comes the following .... As in the winter of 72/73, a number of individuals participated in the exciting, fast moving, end to end play of the weekly hockey renditions. Last years regulars provided the backbone of the team with a number of upstarts earning a place on the roster. Blake McMaster of Gormley Green, Bruce Lewis of Georgetown G.C., Whitey Jones of Aurora, Helmut Kopp of Uplands, Carl Bennett of Oakville and Ron Graham, who took a spill into the net and broke his ankle, the first (and last) time out. During the 74/75 season we hope the much talked about game against the golf pros becomes a reality. Negotiations will begin in the near future and the results will be reported, direct from headquarters, in a spectacular news release, as an exclusive, to this Newsletter. PAUL DERMOTT The following two articles are excerpts from papers presented at the R.C.G.A. Conference in Winnipeg. I picked out what I thought was the meat of the articles, for our readers benefit. Many thanks to Bob Moote for so generously providing copies. OVERGROOMING IS OVERSPENDING by PAUL VOYKIN During the last few recession years, North American golf courses, especially the private country clubs, have been in a serious financial situation because of skyrocketing operation costs. The overall economic picture is critical. Though I have always stated that a clubhouse without a golf course is nothing more than a roadside inn, with other gourmet restaurants in the area as good or better, the officials of our country clubs are also looking in our direction with a frugal eye. Though we have always tried to be conservative and have held tight reins on our expenditures for many years, we too have been caught up in this inflation and have had to increase our budgets annually in order to keep up with higher wages and accellerating maintenance costs. But all the time, without any let up in sight, the demand for agronomic perfection and acheivement keeps hammering at us. And in spite of all these drawbacks, we have nobly succeeded with fantastic results. Our golf courses are meticulously groomed and maintained. The best among you are to blame for the situation we are in. The problem as I see it is overgrooming of our golf courses. We do too damn much of it. My contention is that if we did less grooming, the country clubs could save money and have a more challenging golf course with fewer headaches. Please also understand that I am not in any way talking about reducing the upkeep and management of our greens and fairways. I am talking only about reducing the cost of grooming in other areas that we so diligently maintain now. In my opinion we can let some of the areas grow a little shaggy, a little hippy so to speak, and still have a great golf course. Gentlemen, what I’m saying is that it is becoming too damned expensive to maintain 160 acres like our own backyards. The machines are going constantly from morning to night. And now I want to correct, once and for all, the chronic complaint, by us superintendents, that the membership is playing too much golf and are interferring with our work. Not so! It’s the other way around. We are the ones who are interferring with their play. We have spoiled the golfer rotten with expensive round-the-clock maintenance and grooming. Now we have the high cost monster looking over our shoulder with hungry fangs, and I say that we can’t afford him for a pet any longer. SYSTEMIC FUNGICIDES; Their Use in Combating Summer Diseases by Houston B. Couch In basic cocept, the systemis fungicide represents the ideal in the chemical control of plant diseases. It is a material that can be applied to the plant in low concentration. Immediately after application it is absorbed by the plant and translocated to all tissues — where it not only eliminates any existing fungus infection, but also protects against any new infections that might occur from external sources of inoculum. This is in contrast with the classic contact fungicide, Continued on next page which must eliminate the invading fungus prior to its successful infection of the plant. An additional side effect from the use of systemic fungicides has been noted in recent reports from Europe in which it has been observed that benomyl, thiophanate, and thiobendazole are highly toxic to surface feeding earthworms inhabiting grass sod. There have been recent reports of resistance to benomyl on the part of both powdery mildew organisms and the fungus that incites Sclerotinia Dollar Spot. Studies revealed an interaction of side effects of benomyl and thiobendazole with respect to air temperature, turfgrass species and variety, and level of plant nutrition. Also, thiobendazole - induced leaf chlorosis, developed earlier, and the total damage was greater, in the plants grown at 95 degrees F. With the benomyl treated plants, phyto toxicity was observed earlier and was most severe in the plants grown under low nitrogen nutrition. Also, plants grown at the higher air temperature showed symptoms of injury earliest and were most severely affected by the material than those grown at 75 degrees F. In the field trial studies, benomyl and the ethyl and methyl formulations of thiophanate were tested as 50% wettable powders in 5 gal. water/1000 sq. ft. In these trials, a singlt application of either benomyl or the thiophanates at 6 oz. 50$ wettable powders per 1000 sq. ft. induced visible signs of phytotoxicity. The first symtoms appeared in 36 - 72 hours from the time of fungicide application and lasted approximately 21 days. The individual leaves were characterized by a tip die-back — beginning as a yellow discoloration and finally becoming brown in colo®. In overall view, the turf assumed a mottled light yellow appearance, with light yellow rings 1-2 ft. in diameter. From the foregoing however, it cat be seen that in using systemic fungicides for turfgrass disease control it is extremely important that dosage rates and prescribed intervals of application be followed without variartion. If the often used practise, employed with contact fungicides, of increasing dosage rates and closing up the interval between dates of application is applied to systemic fungicides programs, it could result in undesirable side effect problems, including fungus resistance to the materials. As a general rule in developing the total program, no more than 6-8 ozs. of formulated 50$ wettable powder of either benomyl or thiophanates ( or combinations thereof ) should be applied annually to 1000 sq. ft. of turfgrass. Suggested Program for Sclerotinia Dollar Spot 0.5 oz. 50$ wettable powder / 1000 sq. ft. at 2 week intervals, or 1 oz. / 1000 sq. ft. at 3 week intervals, beginning in mid - spring and continuing through the fourth week of August. If this program does not hold Dollar Spot, then additional systemic fungicides should not be applied. Rather, a good contact fungicide should be used. He also stressed the point that systemic fungicides should not be watered in to the soil after application. G. C. S.A. A. Conference and Show .... Anaheim, California Well here we all are, back in one piece. Just had a fantastic time at the Conference - a lot of memories there. As most of you know, I flew out with the whole dang family, rented a car out there and drove some 5200 miles seeing the sights. And the sightseeing was out of this world. Saw some of the local sights such as; Disneyland, ( 2 1/2 days), Universal Studios, Knotts’ Berry Farm and the ones a little farther away such as; Malibu, Big Sur, Pebble Beach G.C., Monterrey, Death Talley, Los Vegas, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Pheonix, San Diego, Tijuana, Ensanada, Sea World, desert, mountains and more desert. It’s the very first place in the States that I’ve seen That I wouldn’t mind Living in. A good delegation of Canadian boys at the conference too. Most of the boys took advantage of the trip to do some sightseeing also. Paul Dermott and Jackie were down to Mexico and up to San Fransisco to visit some relatives. Paul dropped in to Pebble for a round of golf while Jake did the driving of the cart. Bob Heron and Carolyn were down to Mexico, then over to Los Vegas to do what comes naturally for him, gambling. I found the conference stimulating and am already looking forward to New Orleans next year. I attended the Newsletter Editors Meeting while there and met some fine fellows and we all rapped about the business of editing these things. Some guy named Smart, from some valley or other, down in N. Y. state didn’t show at that meeting though. I know he was there because I finally met him (after many years of hearing about him) the day before. And here I thought he was supposed to be one of the best in this editors business. Must’ve gotten lost in his valley I suppose. CONGRATULATIONS to the MANITOBA GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION on being host to such a SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE AND SHOW R.C.G.A. Conference And Show . Winnipeg, Manitoba The conference this year was a big success, again! With 380 or 90 registering at the Winnipeg Inn. The guys and gals that left Toronto International on the Monday (33) had a great reception waiting for then. Zero degrees in Winnipeg. That's nothing! The next morning it was 17 below at the corner of Portage and Main. Got to be the coldest, windiest corner in the world. That wind must have a 2000 mile headstart straight from the North Pole. Brrr, Baby, Brrr. The talks and presentations were very well attended. To the point, most of the time, where you could hardly find a seat. Sure was good to see the G. C.S.A. A. Prsident Charlie Baskin, Paul Voykin and Mike Bavier up from the States. Fine fellows these and always a pleasure to visit them. The Manitoba Association done a fabulous job along the hospitality line and many thanks to Lloyd Fulton and his crew. Although I still want to know from John Steel "What happened to his so called committee?" I understand the ladies were kept busy on their programme as well as having a ball. A few of us came back on Thursday and the rest on Friday. Good flight both ways and thanks to Bobby Hall for looking after the arrangements and the tickets etc. We'll be looking for all of you at the Skyline next year here in Toronto, and maybe, just maybe, we can dish out the hospitality also. Here's a reminder to the following members who are delinquent in their dues, as of April 8th, Courtney Ablett Brian Egan Barrett Muir John Bennett Bruce Fairbarn Ed Ortlieb Joseph Blake Roy French Joe Reid William Calhoun Harold Gard William Shea Thomas Crowe Raymond Grinikis William Thompson Ted Charman J.C. Hallman Eugene Toombs Arthur Dodson John Harris Henry Vandenburg Doug Elliot David Moote Richard Woodward John Engel Robert Moote Tony Wozniak Associates, D.L. Bassett Harrison & Crosfield Rene Muylaert Otto Pick & Sons Bill Robinson By the time you read this, our membership roster is probably already at the printers. So if your name is on this list it is unlikely that your name will appear in this years roster. You've already had at least 3 billings, How many is necessary? The skiing group - with 3 instructors. Stu Mills getting some capable assistance from the pretty blond instructor. Al Beeney - our host showing Lloyd Chappell - THE WINNER some fine form. (although I think he’s bragging) PHOTOS Bobby Hall Carl Bennett is all set Whoa there fella! to give it a try. Ted Charman - laying one on. The old Smoothie himself - Keith Nisbet. BY HELMUT KOPP The February meeting of the O.G.S.A. was held at Uplands Ski Hole as its known in the winter, otherwise Uplands G.C. in the summer. Helmut Kopp was our host and just for some fun, invited everyone to come early and try his slopes on the boards. Eight or ten foolhardy individuals showed up and found that all the ski equipment and lessons were provided for us, through the courtesy of Uplands and Helmut. After some comical errors in getting the proper equipment in the right places, it was out to the slopes. Some expert instruction from Helmut and those guys were doing very well in short order. Helmut also took some movies and along with some other events such as hockey, the Annual Dance and baquet and others, will put them all together and show them at some future meeting. Helmut must have thought these guys had taken his instructions pretty well also because before long he had a small slalom course laid out and was clocking the guys as they came through. Guess who won the marbles? That's right. Hone other, but our President Bob Heron, who was presented with a medal to honor the occasion. After the skiing, it was into the clubhouse for some lunch and the business meeting which followed. Our speaker for this day was Al Sellers of Cedarvale Tree Experts. Al showed us many terrific slides on trees and insects and gave us another one of his superb presentations. The March meeting was held at North Halton G.C. and Al Beeney, our secretary, was the host for the day. Curling was the game at this meeting. (More games? Ho, hum!) This time around, sixteen fine gentlemen made up four teams for a showndown playoff. After much straining, moaning and groaning, trying to sweep those rocks into the house, it was Lloyd Chappell, from Vingham, who skipped his rink to a scanty victory over the rink skipped by Paul Dermott, which I was a member. Guess who was on the winning team again? Tup! None other than Bob Heron, our notable President. Well he can't seem to win that expensive watch at golf during the summer, so we might as well let him win a few games during the winter, eh! Report on the University of Guelphs' 1974 Turf Managers Short Course It was rather strange, after 20 years, to be sitting in a class room with 35 other fellow Superintendents and Assitants trying to learn more facts and skills about a trade that I have been practising for the past six years. Anyone thinking that nothing can be learned at a short course like this is wrong! I learned a lot, maybe, not so many new things, but a lot of open ends were tied together and many questions were answered. At first you hear a lot about soil particles, soil separates, aggregates, roothairs, cation exchange, buffer capacity, coleoptile, coleorhiza, oxygen, photosynthesis, carbon dioxide, etc., etc. Well after two weeks of 70 hours of lectures and another 50 hours of studying, things start to jell and fit together. You begin to enjoy the instructors and you spend a lot of time in the greenhouses studying the grasses. You don’t spend quite so much time in the pub. The time for the final examinations is drawing nearer and one starts to think about it a lot. Questions are asked, discussions are started and more information is gained from the instructors and fellow classmates. The library becomes a regular visiting place , one makes many new friends. Pour weeks go by as four days. The night before the final exam, one can’t sleep or cram, and finally it is here, three hours of it. The final touch to the course is the Alumni Day. A get-together of graduates from years past. A cocktail hour, a dinner, and a few ggod jokes round out the four weeks. Thanks to Dr. Jack Eggens and his colleagues which have given so much time to this course which I have thoroughly enjoyed and which was well received from the other fellows. HELMUT KOPP SATAN AND THE SUPERINTENDENT Old Satan sat with face so grin And muttered "what’ll I do with him? He’s sure to find this place a bore With the life on earth he’s had before!" And then while shaking his horny head He opened his ledger and this he read: "John Doe - Superintendent of Greens A man behind the golfing scenes - Had sixty years of toil and strife Pleasing golfer, manager, pro, and wife! His job included keeping the grass Planting new turf, repairing machines. Fighting diseases, insects, a defeat Battling rain, humidity and heat. Fixing water pipes that break through the ground Changing all markers and mowing all weeds down. He worked all the day - studied all night, Trained all new men in the ways that were right. Knew the diseases; Till his face would turn blue. Not only a scholar and teacher was he, But an ambassador of good will - and publicity. Records he kept; watched budget allocation On him depended the course reputation. And tho heading a project whose value was high, Credit and praise went to some other guy. Griping and moaning he got every day But seldom a raise in the old take home pay! Now here he lies, his days they are through, "Tell me," said Satan, "What hell can I put him to?" After sitting and thinking for quite a while His face broke out in a great big smile; The best known hardship he could deem Was to send him where all was calm and green. Reprinted from the Superintendents Handicap Finger Lakes G. C.S. A. A. Here’s some information you might find timely .... Excerpts from Bill 268, Amending Act, Regulation 770/73 Ministry of Labour Effective January 1, 1974 Some changes which will affect superintendents and persons employed in the maintenance of machinery or equipment used in the greenkeeping operation. Minimum Wage: a. $1.65 per hour to a student under eighteen years of age when the weekly hours of the student are not in excess of 28 hours or where the student is employed during a school holiday. b. $1.90 per hour to a learner during the first month of the employment of a learner. c. $2.00 per hour for general employees. Exemption; to persons employed in the business, trade or activity of landscape gardening under which golf course workers are classified. 1. the overtime pay rate is not necessary after 44 hours as in industry. 2. statutary holidays do not apply and therefore the normal rate of pay is applicable. Vacation Pay; All employees are entitled to vacation pay accruing at the rate of 4% of all monies earned on or after January 1st, 1974. No minimum period of employment is required to entitle an employee to vacation pay. After one year of service, employees are entitled to two weeks vacation pay. If the service is less than one year, employees must receive vacation pay on termination of employment. QUOTABLE QUOTES Driving home from work on March 27th last, I was listening to Boh Hesketh on CFRB doing his regular 5:00 PM news broadcast. He was really ripping it off about the fact that a large Canadian conglomerate, such as the ones that presently own Glen Abbey G.C. and Pine Valley G.C. , has to go south of the border and import the "Golden Bear"and his buddies to design and build a decent golf course. And in particular, in view of the fact that Glen Abbey will be the future, permanent home of our Canadian Open. Rene Muyleart, Howard Watson, Robbie Robinson were all mentioned as full time, capable, Canadian golf course architects, who had built golf courses all over the world, and yet, were never considered for the jobs. "HERE, HERE!" Let’s keep stirring the pot on this one. Drop me a line and lets hear what you think. IN MEMORIAM David Taylor Barnes Born - February 9th, 1898, County Down, Northern Ireland Died - Suddenly, St.Catharines, Ontario March 8th,1974. Buried - Hespeler, Ontario PUTTING AROUND The news has not exactly been flooding to this desk, but asking around has produced the following items ... TED CHARMAN has completed his new maintenance buiding and moved in. CAM CAIRNCROSS is also in the process of building a new shop. STU MILLS lent a helping hand at the Canadian Curling Championships held in London recently, to make the ice. BILL HYND lost his mother recently and had a hurried trip back to Scotland. Our sympathies to Bill on his loss. HELMUT KOPP won a gold medal at the Hotdogging Skiing Championships held at Blue Mountain a while back. STEVE MILLER has moved to Dundas Valley G. C. as Superintendent. Congratulations to him. Steve was assistant to Gord Witteveen at the Board of Trade last year. Tuesday March 5th was trouble in this area. After a warm weekend with lots of melting snow, an all night rain hit us on the Monday night and the rivers and creeks went over their banks. The western portion of Metro Toronto seemed to be the hardest hit. On the Etobicoke Creek, I lost a bridge entirely here at Brampton and had some damage to another one. Plus lots of debris and silt left behind. Farther downstream on the same creek, Markland wood had considerable damage to flooding also. At Chinguacousy G.C. on the Credit River, that long footbridge on the 17th hole was washed out completely. FOR SALE Lely Model W fertilizer spreader - $150 plus tax. Contact Kimmo Salonen York Downs G.C. 297-5092 Used tee markers Contact Gord Witteveen Board of Trade G.C. 851-1968 BOX 63, ISLINGTON, ONTARIO M9A 4X1