Green is Winter 2015 Beautiful The Official Publication of Ontario Golf Superintendent's Association Building Steeper Greens Is The Way Forward ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 2015 Conference Wrap Up Motivating Maintenance Staff The Hard Lessons Learned CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAIL PUBLICATIONS AGREEMENT No. 40027105 Postmaster: Please return undeliverable copies to The OGSA, 328 Victoria Rd. S., Guelph, ON N1L 0H2 Proper turns have been out of your control. Until now. The new A Model Mowers from John Deere Now your presence can be felt on every pass. Thanks to the TechControl display on our new A Model mowers, the Turn Speed screen lets you slow down a mowei to a percentage of the mowing speed as the cutting units are lifted after a pass, greatly reducing scuffing. You can also plug in mow and transport speeds, service reminders and receive diagnostic feedback quickly and accurately. And all of your operators can now mow in a more consistent fashion. Visit JohnDeere.ca/Golf or contact your John Deere Golf distributor to learn more. Trusted by the best courses on Earth. JohnDeere.ca/Golf PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Green is G reetings. It is my distinct honour and privilege to serve as your president as we embark on the 91st year of the OGSA. Beautiful The Official Publication of Ontario Golf Superintendents’ Association I am looking forward to a challenging and exhilarating year ahead. 2015 started on a very promising note as we had an outstanding and successful conference in Niagara Falls this past January. We will Editor continue to build on the momentum of this conference as we move Justin Parsons forward with the new and exciting format for future conferences. justinparsons@engageagro.com One of my objectives this year is to continue fostering the existing interactions we have with the regional associations. The OGSA Publisher & Advertising Manager by John McLinden currently has a strong relationship with the eight existing regional Terry Davey OGSA President associations, however, there is a great opportunity to advance and terry@blenheim.ca develop our profession in an affable manner. We will continue to work Tel: 877-618-8696 ext. 102 closely and promote all of our regional associations and we hope our eight sturdy regional associations can work closely in assisting and promoting our solid provincial association. Administration Manager It is our intent to have representation at more regional events this coming year and I Diane Davey look forward to playing some outstanding courses and meeting new friends. We are also diane@blenheim.ca exploring the possibility of instituting an equipment managers training program in specific Tel: 877-618-8696 ext. 103 areas throughout the province. The equipment manager is one of the most important assets Production & Design to any golf course and the association feels we are presently lacking in providing educational Jeanette Thompson opportunities for them. By offering an avenue to increase their knowledge and networking, jeanettethompson@mac.com this would be a benefit to our individual properties and the golf industry as a whole. Tel: 877-618-8696 ext. 101 Finally, I would like to say a special thank you to current Past President Phil Scully for his Green is Beautiful is published four times years of dedication and contributions to the OGSA. Phil has served on the board of directors a year (November / March / June / August) for six years and his involvement has been vital to the current status of the association. by Blenheim INK for: I would like to wish each and every one of you all the best for a successful season and best of luck at your facility. ■ Providing engineering solutions Ontario Golf Superintendents' to Ontario’s Golf industry. Association Engineering Design & Consulting Services Sally Ross, Executive Manager Land Development & Approval Assistance Guelph Turfgrass Institute 328 Victoria Road South Permit & Regulatory Agency Approval Assistance Guelph, ON N1L0H2 Irrigation & Drinking Water Supply Strategies Tel: 519-767-3341 Stormwater Management & Erosion Control Strategies Toll Free: 877-824-6472 GPS Surveying & Mapping Services Fax:519-766-1704 Email: manager@ogsa.ca 30 Centurian Dr. Suite 100 Markham, Ontario L3R 8B8 Phone 905 475 1900 Fax 905 475 8335 www.scsconsultinggroup.com www.ogsa.ca Don’t miss out - Published by Blenheim INK bookyourad today! Administration Office: 503-5340 Lakeshore Road Burlington, ON L7L 7A8 Next advertising deadline is: May 1,2015 Production Office: To book, contact: 1727 King Street East, ADVERTISING MANAGER: PRODUCTION MANAGER: Cambridge, ON N3H 3R6 Terry Davey Jeanette Thompson terry@blenheim.ca jeanettethompson@mac.com Toll Free: 1-877-618-8696 Tel: 877-618-8696 ext. 102 Tel: 877-618-8696 ext. 101 Fax:519-340-0293 www.blenheim.ca INSIDE THIS ISSUE INDEX OF ADVERTISERS ABC RECREATION LTD. 28 www.abcrecreation.com ALLIANCE AGRI-TURF 29 www.allianceagri-turf.com ALMACK AGRONOMIC SERVICES INC. 10 AQUATROLS 21 www.aquatrols.com BAYER 19,31 www.bayeres.ca BRAEMAR BUILDING SYSTEMS 25 www.braemarbuildings.com DCS AGRONOMIC SERVICES 29 DOUGLAS WOOD LARGE TREE SERVICE 23 www.douglaswood.ca EVERGRO 22 FAST FOREST 13 www.fastforest.ca 16 Feature: GREENJACKET www.GreenJacket.com/gib 10 Building Steeper Greens is the Way Forward GREEN HORIZONS GROUP OF FARMS 13 www.JustSodit.com JOHN DEERE 2 In This Issue www.JohnDeere.com/Golf MANA QUALI-PRO 14 www.quali-pro.ca 6 2015 Conference Wrap Up 20 The Hard Lessons Learned The horrible winter of 2014 - MASTER'S TURF SUPPLY LTD. 1Q www.mastersturfsupply.com 10 Motivating Maintenance and the resulting carnage - has Staff to Build Commitment ONTARIO SEED COMPANY 24 led Ontario superintendents to www.oscturf.com consider how they operate PLANT FOOD COMPANY 28 www.plantfoodco.com Regular Contributors P.D. SOLUTIONS 30 www.pdsolutions.ca 3 President's Message 24 From Roots to Shoots SCS CONSULTING GROUP LTD. 3 www.scsconsultinggroup.com 5 Editorial Message 26 Off the Fairway SHERIDAN NURSERIES 26 www.sheridannurseries.com 12 Member Profile 29 Looking Back TURF CARE PRODUCTS CANADA 25, 32 Bill Julie, Superintendent, www.turfcare.ca Wildfire Golf Course 30 Turf or Consequences TURF PROFESSIONALS CHOICE 10 15 Golf Course Highlight Ash Brook Golf Course UNITED AGRI PRODUCTS INC. 11 www.uap.ca ZANDER SOD CO. LIMITED 27 www.zandersod.com Green is GREEN IS BEAUTIFUL EDITORIAL COMMITTEE GREEN IS BEAUTIFUL 2015 Beautiful The Official Publication of Ontario Superintendents' Golf Association Justin Parsons Christian Kuhn Although every effort is made to check material for publication, the association is not Alan Dolick Reg Langen responsible for material published on behalf of Cam Shaw Cory Janzen its contributors. Kevin Kobzan All rights are reserved by the publisher and ON THE COVER any reproduction in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Islington Golf Club, Although some trade names may be mentioned 6th Green OGSA is committed to serving its members, in articles contained in this publication, no Photo courtesy: advancing their profession, and enriching endorsement is intended or implied by the Ian Andrew the quality of golf and its environment. Ontario Golf Superintendents' Association. EDITORIAL MESSAGE MARK YOUR CALENDAR UPCOMING 2015OGSA "A11 intelligent uncommon to see the odd course open for play. Tournament & Events thoughts have Of course last March brought about a lot already been thought; of extremes. Not just in terms of weather, what is necessary but also in terms of workload, planning and is only to try to execution, above and beyond the typical Can Am Challenge think them again.” spring cleaning. Now, anyone who under­ Pointe West Golf Club - Johann Wolfgang stands the profession of turf management von Goethe has an appreciation for just how demanding Amherstburg, Ontario By the time this it can be. Even during the best of times, Monday, April 27,2015 by Justin Parsons, Engage Agro Corp. issue of Green is it takes a great deal of strength and devo­ Beautiful reaches tion to be successful. When Mother Nature you, conference season will be wrapped up throws a curveball down the pipe, nothing Pro/Super Challenge and most of you will be diligently prepar­ short of passion and perseverance will do. ing for another golf season. The month In this issue you will find out just Black Bear Ridge Golf Club of March usually brings about significant how resilient a bunch turf managers in Belleville, Ontario change in the Ontario turf world. The Ontario really are. Never backing down Monday, June 1,2015 beginning of the month typically feels from a challenge, this group of turf pro­ a lot like winter, not just because of the fessionals always strives for improve­ cooler temperatures, but also because staff ment. Whether it is sharing past strug­ have not been called back to work yet gles and success with each other, trying Presidents' Day and there usually aren’t too many golfers new and innovative ideas or revisiting Lambton Golf & Country Club loitering around the Pro Shop. By the traditional ideas once thought to be bur­ end of the month however, the reinforce­ ied, no stone gets left unturned when it Toronto, Ontario ments have been called back to ready the comes to the betterment of turfgrass on Monday, July 13,2015 course for another season and it is not Ontario golf courses. ■ WELCOME to Our New Members Don Anthony Class Supt Andrew James Class C Daryll Thomas Class F Settler's Ghost Golf Club Highland Gate Golf Club Lebovic Golf Course Bradley Adams Class F Tim Lea Class F Nikolas Tzimas Class C Essex Golf & Country Club The Toronto Golf Club Eagles Nest Golf Club Joel Archambault Class C Andrew McQuillan Class A William Wallcraft Class F Devil's Pulpit Golf Association Whirlpool Golf Course Lambton Golf & Country Club Scott Barker Class C Jess Pietrzak Class C Kenneth Welzien Class D Smuggler's Glen Golf & Country Club Whirlpool Golf Course Silver Spring Country Club Joey Bloomfield Class C Joey Policelli. Class A Dave Wilson ClassD Cobble Beach Golf Links Carrying Place Golf & Country Club Scott Wilson ClassC Donnie Campbell Class Supt James Sheridan Class A Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club Bear Creek Golf & Country Club Anderson Links Golf Club BrettYoung Seeds Class E Bobby Cook Class C Joshua Sparks Class C Evergreen Liquid Mississaugua Golf & Country Club The National Golf Club of Canada Food Plant Ltd. Class E Stewart Gibson Class A Dan Stockdale Class C KCM Construction Glancaster Golf & Country Club Taboo Resort, Golf & Spa Group Inc. Class E James Horvath Class S Scott Taylor Class F Paul Gillen University of Guelph Ladies Golf Club of Toronto Sales Consultant Class E Howard Houng Class C Derek Therrien Class A Silicorp The Country Club Eagle Creek Golf Club Developments Inc. Class E XGD Systems Class E Ontario Golf Course Management Conference and Trade Show 2015 Conference Wrap Up by Sally Ross, OGSA Executive Manager also reached the 25-year mark, Fast Forest, Ontario Seed Company Ltd., and Plant Products. MILESTONES, Megan Brown, daughter of Paul Brown (Turtle Creek Golf SCHOLARSHIPS Club), received the Heritage Award and the Hugh Kirkpatrick AND AWARDS Bursary was presented to Reg Langen from Richmond Hill Golf wo OGSA members were Club who received first place, as well as the Barry Endicott article T honoured for reaching the 50 of the year for his Green is Beautiful feature from the winter 2014 year mark at the Annual Awards issue, “90 Years and Counting, OGSA Celebrates a Milestone”. event held recently in Niagara Falls. Virginia Kinney from Mad River Golf Club received the second Sam DiPinto and OJ Piccolo were place bursary, and Ken Tilt from Trafalgar Golf and Country the recipients. While Sam could not Club was awarded third place. The Turfgrass Education Award attend the event, OJ was on hand to was presented to Chris Copeman from the University of Guelph accept the watch presented to him and Michael Gentry, Assistant at Silver Lakes Golf and Country by OGSA Conference Chair and Club was presented with the Short Course Award. The Green is L-R:John McLinden, OGSA President, now President, John McLinden. Beautiful Photo of the Year was awarded to Matthew Booth from and 50-year member OJ Piccolo Thirteen members reached Oshawa Golf and Curling Club. the 25-year milestone, some of Christian Pilon was on hand at the awards breakfast to bring whom were on hand to receive their awards, while others due to greetings from the CGSA, and prior to the keynote lunch, Jim various reasons could not attend. Diodati, Mayor of Niagara Falls, addressed the group, welcoming Robert Ackermann, Weston GScCC; Richard Butler, St. Andrew’s them all to Niagara and wishing them a great conference. East GC; Aldo Bortolon, Lookout Point CC; Richard Buttenham, Tri-links Ltd.; Ray Dlugokecki, Springfield GScCC; Doug Francis, SPEAKERS Little River GC; Steven Holmes; James Hopkins, Deer Creek Speakers came from near and far, the furthest, of course, Dr. Micah G&CC; Stephen Jones; Jay Kulak, Port Colborne CC; Paul Scenna, Woods from Thailand. Adam Moeller put in a great effort to make Beacon Hall GC; David Tascone, Granite Ridge G&CC and Alex the show after being stranded in Rhode Island due to snow, and Weatherson, Glen Cedars GC. Three associate member companies Dr. Thom Nikolai, Dr. John Kaminski, and Pat Jones all made the trip to Niagara. Chris Tritabaugh from Hazeltine National Golf Club, host club of the Ryder Cup in 2016, also made the trip and in addition to presenting an education session, joined Rob Ackermann and David Kuypers on a very well received panel presentation. Mark Thompson from McKinley Solutions presented a session on engaging and retaining great staff. The full speaker lineup was very well rated by our attendees , and while 6 IPM CEC’s were available just on day one of the conference, it showed us that people come for everything that the show has to offer, as most registrations were for the full three days. Our surveys results to date confirm this fact. We L-R: Paul Scenna, Scott Horsburgh (Plant Products), Ray Dlugokecki, OJ Piccolo, would like to thank all our speakers for their support, professionalism Dave Schmelefske (Ontario Seed Co.), Aldo Bortolon, Richard Buttenham and expertise. You made our show in 2015! The Barry Endicott Article ofthe Year was awarded to Reg Langen (Richmond Hill L-R: Virginia Kinney, Reg Langen, Ken Tilt, Chris Copeman, Michael Gentry GC)for the Winter 2014 cover story “90 Years and Counting ’. Photo ofthe Year, pictured above right, was awarded to Matt Booth (Oshawa G&CC). Survey Says... COSTS ■ Over 95 per cent of attendees registration costs were paid for by their clubs ■ Of those who paid themselves, comments on the value received were positive LOCATION Niagara Falls came in once again as the preferred location for the Front L-R: Sally Ross, Phil Scully, John McLinden, Mark Prieur, Scott White; conference, as nearly 50 per cent Back L-R: Jason Boyce, Tim Muys, Cory Janzen, Rod Speake, Chad Vibert chose this as their top selection, followed by downtown Toronto with MEETINGS 24 per cent choosing this as their The OGSA held a membership meeting during the conference to preferred location. The exhibitor / keep members up to date on various happenings with the association supplier choice was even higher for as well as future plans, and, in addition, met with the Ontario regional the Niagara Falls location. Less than association representatives to discuss improving communications and one per cent of respondents suggested a possible collaboration on some of our events. locations other than those listed. The OGSA Annual General Meeting took place on Friday, January 30th. A by-law change to reduce the size of the board of directors WHY OUR DELEGATES ATTEND from eleven to nine was unanimously approved by the membership A staggering 92 per cent of respondents to our survey and the meeting resulted in the following representation being elected indicated that they attend for everything the conference to the board for 2015: John McLinden, President, Mark Prieur, Vice offers in terms of education, networking and social events, President, Chad Vibert, Secretary Treasurer and directors: Jason Boyce, with less than eight per cent attending for CEC’s only. ■ Cory Janzen, Tim Muys, Rod Speake, and Scott White. Phil Scully, remains on the board as immediate Past President. SPONSORS We had outstanding support from our sponsors this year. Syngenta and NGF Golf (Div. of Northgate Farms) sponsored the education sessions. Bayer sponsored the name badges and Direct Solutions (now Evergro) sponsored the Trade Show Social. Allturf, Vanden Bussche Irrigation, Zander Sod and Hutcheson Sand sponsored the Party Night, and Masters Turf Supply, GT Golf Sc Turf, Ontario Seed Company and UPI Energy sponsored the shuttles. Turf Care, Nufarm Agriculture, and G.C. Duke Equipment sponsored the refreshment breaks. We would not have been able to stage such a great event without your support, so a sincere thank you goes out to all companies who supported the conference. ■ he off-season can be a wonderful time of T year. It allows the majority of us to enjoy a slower pace, regular weekends, and the chance to spend more quality time with our friends and families. Not just our families at home, but also our brothers and sisters in the turf industry. This is the underlying reason why the Ontario Golf Course Management Conference and Trade Show (OGCM) is such a special event; it is the family reunion of Ontario turfgrass professionals. Former colleagues, classmates, mentors, interns and associates with whom you have bonded with over the years are there to reconnect and collaborate on new ideas. The OGSA show is the largest turf based think tank of its kind in our province and it simultaneously offers OGSA members the opportunity to communicate, network, socialize, learn, laugh, and bond in a professional environment. It really is a beautiful thing. Hosted in fabulous Niagara Falls, the 2015 OGCM Show was a hit. Featuring a world class lineup of speakers, a stimulating palette of topics, great food, and an opening night party which brought the house down, this year's show was a major success and cemented its significance as an annual tradition. For all who attend, experiences can vary greatly. Some members find value in the presentation of new scientific data "Attending the Ontario "2015 was my first time and research, while others find listening to anecdotal sessions by fellow superintendents Golf Course Management attending the OGSA Trade to be of greater use. Still yet, there are Conference is a responsibility Show and Conference. many who simply enjoy the chance to kibitz to not only the long-term The educational speakers with industry reps, learning about new and exciting products coming to our market. sustainability of our association were first class. The ideas This year, we wanted to give a more but to the credibility, success they brought were insightful personal account of what the show means to and development of our and were delivered in an our members, so we at Green is Beautiful went straight to the source. The following profession. The value of engaging fashion. The testimonials were kindly provided by a collaborative thoughts, opening night party was a variety of OGSA members from varying levels of the industry. They help to paint a picture networking and educational great time to kick back, relax, that symbolizes what this show means to opportunities is a testament to and chat. I look forward to our members. If you enjoyed yourself, please the 'spirit of greenskeeping'.” attending the conference in find the time to fill out the survey online so we can continue to deliver the highest Jayson Griffiths, Superintendent coming years.” level of experiences at conferences to come. London Hunt and Country Club Dan Sliasas, First Assistant Thank you to all those OGSA members that St Catharines Golf attended the show this year. Your patronage and Country Club is what makes the show so unique and special. A very heart felt thank you goes out to all the sponsors and volunteers. Without your gracious support, the show could not go on. We hope everyone had a wonderful time in Niagara Falls and we look forward to seeing you again next year in Toronto. ■ The OGSA show was another The networking opportunities This has been the third wonderful educational and while attending OGSA's conference I have attended; networking opportunity. It is annual conference is not the overall passion and always so great to meet new about connecting with togetherness of the turfgrass superintendents, assistants colleagues and industry industry continues to and industry representatives. representatives but rather astound me.” The support and enthusiasm with people whom I would Matt Read, Second Assistant Port Carling Golf and of everyone getting together call friends.” Country Club to share their experiences Jeff Stauffer, Course Superintendent is invaluable. Listening to Rosedale Golf Club other superintendents talk about their challenges and Conference Photography: achievements helps us all Jason Sewell, Superintendent Victoria Park East Golf Club learn and grow.” (Jason Sewell Photography) Jesssica Aytoun, Superintendent Sutton Creek Golf Club Reprinted withpermission ofSyngenta Canada Motivating Maintenance Staff To Build Commitment By Lyn Purdy PhD, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Ivey Business School in London, ON arning commitment from your maintenance team doesn’t happen be. When the maintenance team gets behind the goals of the course, E overnight. With a limited pool of dedicated full time employees, lots of seasonal help, and a tight budget, they are far more likely to feel a sense of commitment in working together towards achieving them. asserting your role as leader requires Fostering this type of motivation dedication, patience, and insight into Creating plans and goals for requires a strong dedication to what makes your people tick. effective leadership. Here are some Three common techniques are used the season won't be useful if you tips for fostering loyalty and gaining to motivate staff: fear, compensation keep them to yourself - get your commitment from your team. and belief. When people are motivated by fear, they tend to be compliant as staff involved. PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE! long as the boss is around, but feel little The first step to building commitment motivation to complete the job without from your staff is to work out a constant supervision. When pay determines commitment, an “I’ll clear plan. Identify the issues for your course, consider their go somewhere else if things are not good here” mentality can often implications, and begin to outline goals for the season. These develop or they need an ever increasing level of pay to keep them goals will guide your day-to-day operations and give your staff motivated to do the job. The third motivational option - belief - is clearer objectives to strive for. best for on-going commitment to get the course the best that it can While your concerns and desires are very important, so are those Corrie Almack P.Ag. Compost Based Topdressing & Construction Mixes Almack Agronomic Services Inc. Tel: (905) 689-6174 USGA Spec. Sand & Mixes Box 256, Carlisle, ON Cell: (416) 580-5152 LOR 1H0 Email: c.almack@sympatico.ca WWW.TPCSAND.COM TPCSANDANDMIXES@ROGERS.COM 705.888.2689 Winter Problems? Get the IMPERMEABLE barrier! Featuring the NEW Air Flow www.mastersturfsupply.com System! P.O.Box 629 Office: 519-510-TURF (8873) Minimizes temperature fluctuations • Protects from ice damage, crown hydration and desiccation 80 William St. W. Fax:519-510-8875 Lightweight and durable for years of easy installation & storage Harriston, ON, NOG 1Z0 Email: mastersturf@wightman.ca www.GreenJacket.com/gib 888-786-2683 of your staff. Consider a day in the life of one of your staff and ask yourself, what would I care most about if I were in their shoes? Take some time to explore the different options for meeting both your goals and theirs, while providing a clear direction for what you want to achieve, and how that plan affects them. GET PEOPLE INVOLVED Creating plans and goals for the season won’t be useful if you keep them to yourself. Get your staff involved in setting these goals and show them the importance of their role in meeting them. Building a mutual understanding with your staff is a powerful tool. Remember to acknowledge their feelings and paraphrase their 9 ways to Healthy Turf points to show you take an active interest in their success. Keep in mind that something as small as acknowledging their contribution can go a long way toward building common ground. respond® 3 grows your turf health Also, don’t forget that gaining commitment is more about asking from the roots up than telling. You will find your staff much more receptive to your ideas if you’ve considered theirs. Ask them for suggestions on how Increased depth of water penetration: to deal with an issue and use it as a platform to build upon. This is 1 Increases rooting depth where your preparation begins to pay off. If you’ve considered the situation from a variety of perspectives, then it will be much easier to 2 Aids survival in drought conditions integrate some of their ideas into your own. Getting everyone involved is a great method of problem solving 3 Favours deeper rooting grasses as opposed to simply telling your staff how to proceed. By using a joint problem-solving approach, actively listening, and engaging in Water soaks in more evenly: two-way communication, while exploring the issue and deciding on 4 Avoids puddling the best course of action, your staff will take more ownership of the issue. And remember, ownership breeds commitment. 5 Helps with drainage ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS More even water distribution/retention: Some days it seems so much easier to just tell people what to do or 6 Better use of water may reduce the need answer their questions, but, as previously mentioned, that won’t lead to commitment and motivation. Instead of automatically giving the for irrigation right answer, try to ask the right questions. Resist the urge to solve 7 Improved turf colour the problems for your staff. If you give them a chance to work the problem out for themselves, then you are helping them to learn and Reduction in the symptoms of localized dry spot: grow in their role. Open-ended questions such as “How will we?” and “what if we?” can be very helpful in developing problem solving 8 More even playing surface skills and giving those involved a sense of ownership over the issue. Don’t be afraid to ask others for advice - this is a great way to open 9 Healthier turf the lines of communication with your staff. Their perspective can shed light on concerns you may not be aware of, and generate ideas Grow your turf health you might not have considered. from the roots up with CRAFT YOUR MESSAGE When expressing your views, don’t use confrontational language. While certain situations can be very frustrating, refrain from “you are” or “you never” statements. Lean towards the positive. For example, instead of interjecting by saying “but”, try “yes... and.” Try to focus on the impact of an issue without putting your staff on the defensive. Creating allies as opposed to enemies generates a team environment which will provide the focus and commitment needed to reach your goals. Ontario & Maritimes: 1-800-265-5444 Leading people can be quite a challenge, but no matter the current West: 1-800-561-5444 state of commitment and motivation at your course, all it takes is BC: 1-604-534-8815 one decision on your part to set change in motion. By motivating Quebec: 1-800-361-9369 your staff through goal setting, asking questions, and crafting your www.uap.ca Always read and follow label directions. message before delivery, you provide your team with the tools they Respond 3 is a registered trademark of Loveland Products, Inc. need to succeed. And when they succeed, so do you. ■ MEMBER PROFILE Bill Julie Superintendent, Wildfire Golf Course BillJulie and his son, Calvin. by Alan Dolick, Assistant Superintendent began to transition to working on the greens staff. He remembers Wildfire Golf Club the first job he performed on the grounds was raking bunkers and cutting tees, likely a similar starting point for most of us. While he ike many in our industry, Bill Julie took the roundabout way relished the idea of working outside, he didn’t love all aspects of the L to a career in golf. Julie’s thirty plus years in golf started in turf maintenance business. His fourth season was spent entirely 1981 working for his uncle George Julie at Sawmill Golf Club in cutting rough on an old tractor pulling around a 9-gang mower - a Fenwick, Ontario. His first job at the course had nothing to do job that tested his patience. with maintaining the grounds, in reality, it was everything but. He For the next five or six seasons, Julie continued to split his time started cleaning clubs, vacuuming locker rooms and washing golf between working in the pro shop and working the grounds, all the carts. Julie says that he intended to only work at the course a few while studying at the University of Guelph. His first go around in hours a week, but after showing a good work ethic he, “basically fell University was not related to turf, rather political science. However into a full-time job at 14.” it was while he was at Guelph that he realized that he could take After a couple years of doing odd jobs around the clubhouse, Julie turf management and have a career in the golf business. Before going to Guelph, Julie recalls having, “no idea that one could even go to school for turf management.” The thought of it being a career had never dawned on him. But once that seed had been sown, there was no looking back. IN THE HOT SEAT Julie completed his degree in political science at Christmas of 1989 and was back on campus in the fall of 1990 enrolled in the turf diploma program. It was during this time that Julie got his Q - Favourite Q - Ultimate foursome first real experience at a high-end private golf course, working for tournament A-Jack Nicklaus, Richard Creed at the Cutten Club. Needless to say, it was a big A-The Masters Tiger Woods, change from his time at the family owned Sawmill Golf Club. Wayne Gretzky Julie could not believe how much more there was to the job of Q - Favourite architect course superintendent than he had first thought. “The amount of A-Tom McBroom Q - Lowest round and interaction with the membership, countless meetings, and golfer where demands really took me by surprise.” Undeterred, he continued to Q - Favourite equipment A-80, Bell Bay Golf Club work hard at both his studies and on the golf course. A - Toro Procore 648 Once Julie graduated in the spring of 1992, he expected to land Q - Favourite movie a full-time, year round job, which, for many graduates of the turf Q - Favourite golf course A - Wedding Crashers program, did not pan out the way he had anticipated. “It was a real A - Highlands Links, eye-opener, ” Julie says. This propelled him to make his next move, Ingonish, Cape across the country to British Columbia. Breton, N.S. The early 1990 ’s found British Columbia in a golf course construction boom. It was the wealth of jobs and the promise of year round employment that drew Julie to the West Coast. In February of 1993, Julie took his first golf course construction and families. So, in 2002 Julie was hired to build the new Tom job at Belmont Golf Club in Fort Langley. Julie was charged McBroom course on Stony Lake, Wildfire Golf Club. with the maintenance of the irrigation system by then grow-in Wildfire would be Julie’s first grow-in as a superintendent. It superintendent Joe Veller. While he enjoyed his time at Belmont, was a much different experience than previous projects. Much less he was promised year-round employment, but it didn’t exactly physical labour, but much more responsibility. “Very demanding,” work out that way as he was laid off in the winter of 1994. By Julie remembers. “Just constantly having to consider materials, the following spring, he was working another grow-in project at budget, and the organization of trades and equipment.” Northview Golf Club. In his 13 years at Wildfire, much has been accomplished. Multiple He began working with a former classmate and friend, Dave high level amateur events and by the end of this year, three professional Fehr, who is still the Superintendent at Northview to this day. Julie PGA Tour Canada events will be under his belt. To this day, Julie again spent much of his time working the irrigation system, while could not be happier with his decision to move his young family to continuing to gain valuable experience in golf course construction. Lakefield, Ontario. “It is the perfect place to raise a family.” ■ It was during this season at Northview that Julie’s former co­ worker Eloise, moved out to the West Coast, to become Northview’s horticulturalist. While he was enjoying working for a friend, he and Eloise became a couple, loving the west coast lifestyle. However, it wasn’t all perfect for Julie. That winter he found himself laid off from the golf course, but he was given employment at a local sawmill that was also operated by Northview’s owner.” It was the toughest job I have ever had,” Julie recalls as he lasted only a few weeks. LARGE TREE SALES AND RELOCATION In January of 1995, Julie was While he relished once again on the move, and Phil Dickie - ISA Certified Arborist ON-0309A pdickie@fastforest.ca this may have been the most the idea of working important move of his career. 270 Shoemaker Street, Kitchener, ON N2E 3E1 outside, he didn't love That winter he began working P: (519) 748-6610 • F: (519) 748-6626 • www.fastforest.ca yet another grow in at Morgan all aspects of the turf Creek under Brent Rogers. maintenance business. Julie credits Rogers with being the biggest influence on his His fourth season was career and firmly believes he spent entirely cutting would not be where he is today without his guidance. rough on an old trac­ The fall of 1996 again tor pulling around a brought a huge amount of change for Julie. Brent Rogers 9-gang mower - a job had taken the job as grow-in that tested his patience. Superintendent at Bell Bay “GREENHORIZONS EXCEEDED ALL in Baddeck, Nova Scotia and EXPECTATIONS OF QUALITY AND SERVICE” offered Julie the assistant’s DOUG ERWIN, HEAD SUPERINTENDENT position. So in the spring of ANGUS GLEN GREENS RENOVATION, FALL 2014 1997, the young couple packed up all of their belongings and moved to the opposite end of the country. Julie instantly fell in love with the east coast lifestyle and it was during this time that he and Eloise got married and had their first son, Calvin, shortly thereafter. After the grow-in at Bell Bay, Rogers accepted a job in Ontario and left Julie with his first superintendent’s position in the spring of 1998. While there was some small growing pains, Julie felt that his time under Rogers left him well prepared. “He was very organized and meticulous in his planning,” Julie recalls. “He was a smart man and was very good at hiring quality people.” It was during this first season as head superintendent that Bell Bay won Golf Digest’s “Best New Canadian Course”. Julie gives all the credit to Rogers for the honour. While extremely happy on the east coast, it was the impending HAMILTON: (905) 389-1315 • CAMBRIDGE: (519) 653-7494 birth of his second son, Cameron, that forced Julie to re-evaluate where they were living. This ultimately led to the decision to move 1 -800-367-6995 WWW.JUSTSODIT.COM back to Ontario so his children could be closer to their grandparents The Gift of CHOICE Give back to your turf. Protect your turf from a full range of insect and disease pests by choosing the right product and the best supplier for your needs. 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GROWTH SPRAY PATTERN FUNGICIDE INSECTICIDE REGULATOR INDICATOR Same a.i. as Same a.i. as Same a.i. as Same a.i. as Same a.i. as A unique pigment Green™ GT Banner Maxx® Merit™ 0.5G Merit™ 75 WSP Primo Maxx® spray pattern indicator Don Surgeoner, Canadian Quali-Pro Manager (519) 535-2409 • don.surgeoner@adama.com • Quali-Pro.ca ™ Know the Sign, Foursome and T-NEX are trademarks and ® Quali-Pro is a registered trademark of ADAMA Agriculture Solutions Canada Ltd. ™ Merit and Green are registered trademarks of Bayer. ® Banner Maxx and Primo Maxx are registered trademarks of Syngenta Group Company. 829-1.01.15 GOLF COURSE HIGHLIGHT Ash Brook Golf Club 7215 Dale Road Port Hope, Ontario L1A 3V6 Tel: 905.885.8546 Ashbrookgreens@hotmail.com www.ashbrookgolfclub.com Golf Course Superintendent: Darryl Yorke COURSE PROFILE Biggest Maintenance Challenge Being such a busy course it makes top dressing and aerating About the Course greens a tough challenge, while an older irrigation system can Ash Brook is situated on picturesque countryside with a freshwater prove difficult as well. brook running through the course and mature ash trees that line the fairways to provide a challenge for all golfers. A CLOSER LOOK Established: 1977, Redesigned 1986 What You Need to Know Original Architect: Mac McEwen Predominant Grass Type: Bluegrass / Bentgrass Type of Club: Semi-Private Predominant Soil Type: Sandy / Clay Number of Holes: 18 Type of Greens: T-1 Bentgrass / Poa Number of Rounds Annually: 55,000 Course Length: 6,438 yards Size of Property: 150 Acres Size of Greens: 2.5 Acres Size of Tees: 1.5 Acres Size of Fairways: 22 Acres Building Steeper Greens is the Way Forward By Ian Andrew again rival its nearby neighbours. The club entrusted Ian to select the green profile and turfgrass. They gave me the mandate to make he most common answer to rebuilding greens, at least in my two the decisions on what should be done with the green surfaces. The T decades of experience, has been to make them as gentle as possible. There are plenty of reasons why. It avoids controversy, allows for plan was to build steep greens, something that hasn’t exactly been in vogue in recent years. high green speeds, and maximizes available pin positions. It can also I knew only half the greens were the original designs by Thompson lead to incredibly boring greens. While I can understand easing off and the club made it clear that they were not looking for preservation. one green to find more areas for flags and playing it a little safe, a set They left it up to me to make the decisions on what the new greens of flat greens leads to repetition. should look like and how they should play. That was the mindset at Islington Golf Club in Toronto. I’ve been playing regularly at Islington since 1992. I could still Islington was once notorious for its putting surfaces. Its Stanley remember a time when Islington’s greens were famous for being Thompson greens could be devilish. Islington, like a lot of clubs, lightning fast and the heart of the golf course. But shade and ice suffered a huge blow with the ice damage that hit Ontario courses had conspired to create greens that no longer met expectations. with Poa annua greens last winter. The decision was made to Some trees on the property directly surrounding greens were cut rebuild the greens. After consulting with Superintendent Ian down a few years ago, but it was too late to reverse the decline of McQueen, we elected to create a set of greens that would once the surfaces. My process in reconceiving the greens was to personally survey every putting surface, identifying all the problems, from ice formation on the surfaces to lack of pinnable’ areas. I listed my favourite characteristics of each green and the aspects where I felt the surfaces could be improved. I retained every key feature, although a couple were shifted to bring them more into play. The greens at the course that had been rebuilt over the previous decades consistently featured mounds on the edges that effectively eliminated the ability to pin the perimeter and forced most hole locations to the centre. This is even more egregious when the mound began in the middle of a key bunker, eliminating the pin positions tightest to that feature. Have a look at courses with modern greens and more often than not you’ll find the single most consistent architectural disappointment is that many greens can’t be pinned to the outside edge. Continued on page 18... "I'd rather have Ian manage the speed than be forced to try and manufacture speed. Besides they'll drain better and he'll have more grass." - Ian Andrew I determined right away that a few of the iconic greens, those that were the heart of the course, were going to be replicated. I believe it’s important as an architect to recognize that some things cannot be improved upon. I also believe that you must address all the problems and make the small modifications that will address ice or limited pin positions. Still, I had some decisions to make, which is the point when I resolved to move forward with more aggressive slopes. My thought process was based upon the following logic: the bentgrass turf will provide the opportunity for greater speed, and Ian can control the moisture content, meaning firmer and drier green surfaces will generate speed. The most common complaint at Islington was that the greens were too slow, so naturally, the club wants consistently fast greens moving forward. That said, my answer is to avoid forcing Ian to cut the greens as short as possible every day. By building them on the steep side they will be naturally fast greens. Therefore it’s up to Ian to manage the speed, rather than be forced to manufacture speed out of flat greens. I believe in three important principals that led me to my decision. All great golf courses have complicated greens that are decidedly on the steep side. Green speeds are not going to get slower. More turf equals healthier greens. The answer is a little counterintuitive, but healthy and fast greens were the goal. Ian McQueen, Bryan Smith (KCM), Andre Aymar and Ian Andrew I’m confident we’ve pulled it off at Islington and members will see (Credit: Brent Long). for themselves when the course reopens this year after a long layoff. If members are engaged and excited by greens that run fast and are interesting, and Ian is able to have healthier turf that isn’t as stressed, then it will surely be a win-win situation for all involved. ■ A member ofthe American Society of Golf Course Architects, Ian Andrew consults to more than 40 courses across Canada and the U S. New and Improved Merit • A New Formulation allows for less dust with more uniform coverage • New packaging that’s easier to handle and store • And the same great efficacy The standard in grub control Another Innovation from Bayer. BayerGolfCA For more information on Merit Granular and the complete line of Bayer products, contact Bayer. www.bayeres.ca 1-888-283-6847 ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. Merit is a registered trademark of Bayer. The Hard Lessons Learned The horrible winter of 2014 - and the resulting carnage - has led Ontario superintendents to consider how they operate. by Robert Thompson in an attempt to make them more resilient to any problems this winter. However, raising green heights comes with some potential issues, ade Beaudoin recognizes the duality of the situation. namely the notion that golfers still relate mowing height in direct W Superintendents - along with practically everyone else in the Ontario golf industry - are tired of talking about the disastrous proportion to speed. That means many are reluctant to embrace raising mowing heights, even if they will have better greens the following year. spring of 2014. They are worn out by the discussion of dead grass, “We’ve faced a bit of an arms race in the golf business,” says Beaudoin. of ice and snow, of temperatures that dipped into the double digits “Golfers have come to expect great greens really late into the year.” below zero in March. But Beaudoin says most of his members didn’t notice the But Beaudoin, the longtime superintendent at St. Thomas Golf change, which saw him raise the mowing height by 30 per cent and Country Club, a course that saw the same kind of carnage that late in the year and promote more nitrogen in the fall. hit many Ontario courses last year, also understands that you can’t Al Schwemler, the property manager at Toronto Golf Club, a simply ignore what happened, historic Harry Colt design, says put your head in a snow bank and he also raised his mowing height hope it doesn’t recur. in the fall in the hope of creating “The truth is what happened But one thing that seems to be almost universal heartier turf heading into the last year has everyone concerned,” winter freeze. among turf managers with Poa greens is they admits Beaudoin, who had “We have done everything we temporary greens on much of his all have raised mowing heights in an attempt to can do to promote healthy grass course until the end of May last and a better growing environment,” create heartier, healthier greens. year. “I’m not jumping to any he says. conclusions. This year could be fine or we could have the wrong FIND AN AMBASSADOR snow melt and lose it in 48 hours. You just can’t tell for sure.” TO YOUR GOLFERS Because of that uncertainty, Beaudoin made subde changes in what Greig Barker, Superintendent at Highland Country Club, isn’t sure he did with the course. His goal was to be forward-thinking and try when the greens on his Stanley Thompson golf course in the heart of to prepare for whatever surprises the winter could throw at him. He London, Ontario started to die last year, and in the end it didn’t matter explained what he was trying to accomplish to his members, and tried all that much. He had a problem and needed to explain to members to educate them on the situation at the 90-year old course, which has not only what the issue was, but how he was dealing with it moving Poa Annua or annual bluegrass greens. forward. Being proactive with communications, setting objectives Beaudoin is like many of his peers - trying to take whatever lessons that are achievable and are communicated to members, and avoiding he learned from the mess that was the spring of 2014 and put them rumors among golfers, are key takeaways from the disastrous spring, into play into improving his course moving forward. And despite Barker explains. And part of that communication is connecting what occurred last year, he’s optimistic. personally with the members, which was the case for superintendents “I’m actually really looking forward to the golf season starting,” he at both pubic and private courses. says. “I’m really excited for it.” “You have to be available to talk to members - that’s part of our job,” With that, Green is Beautiful looks at some of what superintendents he says. “These days members need to be updated, and if they want to in Ontario took away from the turf death of last year, and how they are know something, you need to be able to explain it to them. It is just the moving forward with that knowledge. way our current world works with social media. Our members wanted to be assured we were doing everything we could do.” USE THE FALL TO PREPARE In Barker’s case, he turned to Mike Silver, the club’s longtime head There have been plenty of ideas for how to deal with the potential pro, to help explain what was going on with the course. Silver regularly challenge of an extremely cold winter. Tarps had mixed success for held court around the first tee on weekends, offering insights into the courses, while other superintendents talk about stripping off some turf recovery process. in an attempt to keep water from pooling and freezing on their greens, “He became my ambassador to the members, and that was really as well as the removal of any collar dams. None of these ideas come important,” Barker says. “It was finding the right guy who understands with any guarantees, it seems. the club, has a connection to the members. That was really significant.” But one thing that seems to be almost universal among turf That works with private clubs, but public courses face a different managers with Poa greens is they all have raised mowing heights in circumstance. While they can still communicate directly to their an attempt to create heartier, healthier greens. Every superintendent customers through social media and email lists, word can quickly contacted for this story said they raised green heights slightly in the fall spread through the Internet if a course has struggles with its greens due to weather. That creates a sustain bentgrass,” Baker says. problem, says one public assistant “Three years ago we wouldn’t superintendent, who asked to have been prepared to make remain anonymous, because a this decision.” club never wants to admit it has Beaudoin at St. Thomas conditioning problems for fear of faced a similar situation. In scaring off paying golfers. And the past few years St. Thomas most public courses won’t go to underwent an aggressive and temporary greens, even if that is ongoing tree-clearing program the best solution for their situation. Collars being sodded to promote healthier greens. “At public courses I think during greens renovation. While he still struggled with your hands are more tied,” says ice damage on his greens, the the assistant of an established recovery time was improved on Toronto public course. “And if you make a change it can imply you the putting surfaces where trees had been cleared. did something wrong, and that can cost you your job.” “Those greens were better off, there’s no question about it,” Beaudoin says. PREPARE FOR THE WORST Sometimes it takes a challenge to move a club forward. Both Burlington Golf and Country Club’s Dean Baker had been gearing Beaudoin and Baker agree that their tree removal programs have left up for a change at his classic course since he first came to the club in their clubs more prepared to deal with any problems that may occur in 2012. At that time he found Burlington with too many trees around the future. In Baker’s case, his new bentgrass greens should be much green sites and turf that was struggling as a result. It was at that point more resistant to anything Mother Nature throws at Burlington. that Baker started an aggressive plan of removing trees to improve the “As bad as it was, we’ve walked away a better club with a better light and airflow on the club’s Poa greens. course,” Baker says. “In 10 years we’ll be a lot better than we were In the end it couldn’t save Burlington’s greens, which were hammered [before the weather of 2014] and I’m betting at that point there will be by the cold weather and ice. But by being proactive, Baker was prepared grasses that will make the course better still. for the next step - sodding the club’s greens with bentgrass. “The key was to have the proper growing environments to Continued on page 23... Greens • The #1 surfactant worldwide for highly managed turf areas • Produces drier, firmer putting surfaces • Strengthens plant's natural ability to withstand stress and disease pressure Coursewide Confidence Fairways • The perfect water management solution for fairways and other large turf areas • Enhances penetration and distribution of water and nutrients • Reduces water use on cool-season grasses by 25% or more www.aquatrols.com For information on our premium turf products contact your Evergro representative Crop Production Services (Canada) Inc. Evergro Division Damagefrom the ice storm oflate 2013 and the cold snap in thefollowing months was so extensive that vast areas ofturfsimply died. Superintendents across the province are working to do everything they can to avoid repeating the situation. Continued from page 21... Griffiths and Schwemler both agree that 2014 was an anomaly, a rare period where a variety of weather elements came together, and neither STAY THE COURSE superintendent is prepared to treat it as the new normal. But that doesn’t Al Schwemler doesn’t remember a situation like the one that hit mean they won’t do everything they can to protect their courses. Toronto Golf Club - and many of the surrounding courses. And his “I’m not expecting that we’ll see that again,” Schwemler says. members can’t recall a situation like it either - even those members “It was really the perfect storm of situations coming together.” who have been around the historic course for four or five decades. “It was the worst situation any of them can recall, and that includes Golfanalystfor Global Television, and the bestselling author offive books, members who have been here since the 1950s,” says Schwemler. The Robert Thompson lives in London, Ont. course had 11 temporary greens, as well as the closure of its putting green, and didn’t fully open until the middle ofJune. Like other clubs, Schwemler sent regular communications out to members, sometimes as many as three times a week, detailing the progress on the course. That doesn’t mean Schwemler didn’t make any changes - he did raise mowing heights in the fall from .120 inches to .150 inches, following a pattern set by other clubs (“Members won’t really notice a difference,” he Awaken says) - but he isn’t prepared to change his preparation or the direction of the course due to one winter that he expects is an anomaly. Excitement Given that, Toronto Golf Club continues to create the best Douglas Wood environments for its greens, which are 30 per cent bentgrass on Large Tree Service average, and will continue to do so. That means clearing trees wherever possible, a plan that was in place well before 2014. can jump start your “Some clubs have opted to go fully bentgrass,” says Schwemler, course’s appeal noting nearby clubs like Islington and St. George’s closed to with the help of resurface their greens. “Instead of doing that we opted to create the Paul Hanousek, best environments we could for our greens.” Certified Arborist That’s exactly what Jayson Griffiths, superintendent at London Hunt and Country Club, is planning on doing. Griffiths, who ran the CP Women’s Open at his club last August despite decimated greens, says he was already trying to create strong growing environments at his club by removing trees wherever possible. Griffiths says part of the issue was how greens at older clubs were built. At Hunt, www.douglaswood.ca like many clubs, he has flat areas that collect water that can then freeze, and the greens don’t always drain well. He’s tried to remove Paul Hanousek, Certified Arborist any area where water can collect and advises clubs to work with Members of OGSA, ISA and OCAA their consulting architect and an agronomist to find the right way 1.800.353.3019 forward. He adds that wherever possible his team has removed slush T. 519.856.2771 • F. 519.856.1447 from greens to keep it from turning into ice. paulhanousek@douglaswood.ca “The goal is to help move water off wherever possible,” he says. P.O. Box 339 Rockwood ON NOB 2K0 “And you need the staff in place to be able to react to the situation.” FROM ROOTS TO SHOOTS Heading to Greener Pastures s of today, February 1st, 2015, the A Roots to Shoots column will go quiet because I have entered the next stage of By the Numbers my life - retirement. My career as the OMAFRA Turfgrass Specialist began in November, 1991. As you can well imagine, the turf industry at that time was very different than it is today. Integrated Pest Management was taught in seminars, but not widely implemented on golf courses. There were no European crane 20 207 455 2,789 6,478 Priceless! flies in Ontario that we knew of, and golf Years of Technical Twitter Leatherjackets Adult The number superintendents wore plaid pants. teaching turf articles followers: counted Japanese of friends and Fast forward to 2015, where IPM is now the Turf written @ONturf beetles colleagues mandatory for all golf courses in Ontario in Managers' collected made over order to continue to use pesticides, European Short Course my career! crane flies have spread to many areas of the province and golf superintendents wear solid coloured pants. OMAFRA Publication 816, sector. It will become the It has been my great pleasure to work TurfIPMManual. It contains recommended study material with many of the OGSA board members information on turfgrass soil for the IPM accreditation (past and present) on things as varied as the management and fertilizer exam for the Golf Course speaker programs for the Ontario Turfgrass use, turfgrass species and IPM Accreditation Program, Symposium, the IPM Advisory Committee water management for turf which is required under The of the IPM Council of Canada and the that was previously found Pesticides Act and Regulation Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation. in OMAFRA Publication 63/09 and is administered by I have been a regular contributor to Green is 384, Turfgrass Management the IPM Council of Canada. Beautiful since the beginning of my career, Recommendations. The current There will be a new Golf but most recently with my Roots to Shoots OMAFRA Publication 384 IPM Exam and study guide column. It is a challenge that I enjoyed has been renamed and is now written to reflect the new and hopefully the information was useful. called Protection Guide for Turfgrass. It is a material in this publication. Over the last several months I have been companion publication to this publication This publication contains extensive busy creating a new publication, OMAFRA (OMAFRA Publication 845, Integrated Pest information on the diseases, insects, and Publication 845, Integrated Pest Management Managementfor Turf. weeds that are found in turf in Ontario with for Turfwrth. co-author Dr. Tom Hsiang from OMAFRA Publication 845, Integrated well over 110 colour slides. Also included the University of Guelph. This publication Pest Managementfor Turfhas been designed is a turf disease identification key, turf replaces OMAFRA Publication 162, Diseases as a field handbook for golf courses, disease time profile, turf scouting calendar, and Insects of Turfgrass in Ontario and lawn care, sod growers and the parks turf insect injury key and an example of a pest scouting sheet. This publication, along with OMAFRA Publication 384, Protection Guide for Turfgrass, provides a complete reference package on turf IPM Premium Products for Ontario. This publication is available online: www.ontario.ca/crops. for all Your Turf Needs Thank you and all the best! ■ PO Box 7, Waterloo, ON N2J3Z6 Pamela Charbonneau OMAFRA Turfgrass Tel: 519-886-0557 Specialist (Retired), Fax: 519-886-0605 The Guelph 1-800-465-5849 Turfgrass Institute Guelph, Ontario www.oscturf.com 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 The most advanced, most durable and most flexible irrigation products. Built for today’s golf courses. The right choice. Turf Care Products Canada 200 Pony Drive, Newmarket, ON L3Y 7B6 • PH: 905-836-0988 • FAX: 905-836-6442 LONDON Ph: 519-668-7664 • Fax:519-668-3722 EDWARDS Ph: 613-821-1880 • Fax:613-821-2919 www.turfcare.ca TURFCARE Helping your business grow. OFF THE FAIRWAY Gardens: More Than Meets the Eye This time of year is when gardeners' eyes are bigger than their stomachs. encils hit paper and fingers hit keyboards to begin the planning process P for the upcoming seasons landscape and garden projects. We all dream big and want to do so many amazing things, but obviously and unfortunately there are restraints, usually relating to finances and man power. As budgets grow tighter, competition grows stiffer and environmental issues continue to make news, we scramble to juggle all of these very precarious issues. In most cases, gardens on golf course properties are the last thing money is spent on, since they are sometimes viewed as a large expense generating no return. What I have learned in many years designing, installing, maintaining and being involved in the horticulture industry is that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to gardens. Of course a well designed, properly installed garden or landscape has aesthetic value or can control traffic, but can it do more? Delivering Value Through Creative Solutions! From tees, greens and fairways to the surrounding club house areas, we can help enhance the visual appeal of your golf club. Whatever the project size, we have the products, services and knowledge to help you landscape your course. • Expert Staff • Proven Winners® Diamond Level • Delivery Service (Crane Service Grower Plants will enhance For Local Deliveries) • Network Grower For Endless Summer® • Quick Order Turnaround Time & First Editions® Collections • Perennials Available in 1,2, • Environmental Growing Practices and 5 gallon the visual appeal Canada's Largest Container Grower of your Golf Club Chris Mason Wholesale Landscape Sales Representative Tel: 416-798-7970 ext. 289 Cell: 647-297-2991 E-mail: cmason@sheridannurseries.com Website: www.sheridannurseries.com The decline in pollinating insect populations have been making Finally, growing your own cut flowers can create significant savings headlines for a couple years with pesticides being the forerunner for the if you already have flower arrangements in your clubhouse, proshop blame. Creating gardens specific to promoting indigenous pollinators or other buildings on your property. Flower arrangements and floral to your area can alleviate some political challenges or public pushback displays can be quite expensive to purchase. I like to use plants like all the while providing a location for life to thrive and sustain. The gladiola and lilies for my cut flower specific gardens. These are bulbs general opinion on this topic is to use native plant material for such which multiply underground creating more and more amazing flowers gardens. I believe this to be true to a certain extent, but also know year after year with very little maintenance. Cut flower specific that native isn’t always aesthetically pleasing. I also know that there gardens could be used for producing arrangements for weddings are some non-native plant species that do an amazing job of feeding and other events held at your property. If you foresee an overflow or a multitude of pollinators. Butterfly bush comes to mind. Other abundance that cannot be used on your site, advertising the sale of cut plants that do a great job of feeding our pollinating insects and are flowers could help generate a little extra revenue from the membership great aesthetically are bee balm, spirea species, Echinacea cultivars, and or public. If you think there might not be a demand, floriculture is a lilacs. Advertising these types of gardens to your membership or public $100 billion dollar industry globally and cut flowers are amongst the could be a strategy to market your club differently than competition highest grossing cash crops in North America. in a society that is becoming increasingly environmentally sensitive. Being strategic and thinking outside of the box when it comes to Can gardens be used to create another revenue stream for your golf your property can create multiple uses for a singular space that can course property? bring many benefits to your operation. ■ In the past I have hosted garden tours for our membership. This was done voluntarily and no additional cost was incurred by the membership. There was a demand for tours and because of my Chris Cumming CLP, Horticulturist passion for educating people and showcasing my work, I felt no Muskoka Lakes Golf and Country Club desire to charge the membership. If done differently, there could Port Carling, Ontario be a program created where your membership pays for this service Email: chriscumming@live.ca which could include a lunch and a complete information/educational Tel: 705-765-3165 session. A large percentage of the population have some form of Cell: 705-644-3994 garden or landscape on their property which is either maintained by the homeowner or someone who is contracted to do it for them. The information provided through a tour can be marketed as teaching best practices and could save attendants money at home or give them Call us confidence that the companies they are paying to maintain their about our properties are doing a professional job. Advertising the use of your Turf Services gardens for tours could generate revenue from local horticultural Delivering societies, schools, retirement homes and even just the general public who have an interest in paying to see something beautiful and superior sod and the wildlife that it attracts. In a recent seminar I attended at the Landscape Ontario Congress, I learned of a growing trend, using quality service gardening or plants as a source of therapy for many types of conditions in the young and old alike. Offering the gardens on your property to horticultural or plant therapists can generate some additional income. • No. 1 Kentucky Bluegrass You could also benefit from a little free labour, and not to mention • Premium Bentgrass help improve the lives of some fellow human beings. • Extreme Fescue How can there possibly be any more that we can get out of our gardens to benefit our club? Well, there is more. Does your property • Custom grown sod available have a kitchen? Is there a farmers market nearby? Vegetable gardening • Large or small rolls has huge benefits and uses for a golf course property. Advertising to • Healthier, greener sod your membership or public that you serve fresh, organically grown, pesticide free food is another great way to separate yourself from your competition. If a strategic program is developed, potential for food cost savings is achievable. If and when there is an abundance that your kitchen cant utilize, a weekly trip to the farmers market can bring in some additional revenue. Using in-house grown vegetables can also be a way to help with retaining employees or sweetening their compensation packages. Food is a major expense impacting an employees personal budget. Competing with local landscape Phone:877-727-2100 companies, the retail industry, and the fast food industry for personnel www.zandersod.com with wages alone may not be enough to sway a person to choose to 17525 Jane St., RR #1 | Kettleby, Ontario | L7B0J6 work in the golf industry over the others. ENHANCE THE GOLF EXPERIENCE benches • tables • chairs • receptacles • bollards • custom fabrication www.abcrecreation.com info@abcrecreation.com 1-800-267-5753 innovative solutions for outdoor spaces Wetting Agent Performance! 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Salicylic Acid improves water efficiency within www.plantfoodco.com the turf plant. follow us on twitter @PlantFoodGo LOOKING BACK Fifteen Years Ago Today he board of directors in 2000 were as follows: Keith Bartlett TOURNAMENTS: The President/Greens Chairman/Superintendent T (President), Thornhill G&CC, Ian Bowen (Past President), Event was held at the Donalda Golf Club, hosted by Paul Scenna. This Oshawa G&CC, John Gravett (Vice President), Granite GC, year’s team champion, with a low score of 117, went to John Taylor from Jim Flett, Muskoka Lakes G&CC, Mark Piccolo, Galt CC, Rob Hunters Pointe GC, second place went to Phil Brown from Summit Ackermann, Markland Wood CC, Dean Baker, Glen Abbey GC, Jeff GC (123) and third place went to Aldo Bortolon from Lookout Point Burgess, Weston GC, Robert Burrows (Editor), Rosedale GC, Dave CC (127). Cours, Erie Shores G&CC, Robert Heron, Beacon Hall GC and Paul The Pro/Superintendent Tournament was held at King Valley, Scenna, Donalda Club. Dorothy Hills was the office administrator. hosted by Jason Honeyball. The top team was led by Ray Richards, Mad River GC, second led by Tom Murphy, Lampton G&CC and ON THE MOVE: John Taylor went from Twenty Valley G&CC to third led by Richard Butler, St. Andrews East G&CC. Low scoring Hunters Pointe GC. Mark Sevsek, Assistant at Nobleton Lakes GC superintendent was Jason Ireland from Conestoga CC. moved to Rio Vista GC. Chris Davies, who worked at Glen Abbey GC and before that Deer Creek, made a career change and started Al Beeney hosted the McClumpha Tournament and Keith Bartlett working for Vanden Bussche Irrigation. presented him with a watch inscribed with “Congratulations from your colleagues for your years of involvement in the association.” First low MILESTONES: AlanBeeney retired from the Halton Hills CC after gross was Bruce Burger (73) and first low net was Kenneth Patterson thirty six years. (64). The George Darou Trophy went to Tom Murphy for the best low gross for over 50. ACHIEVEMENTS: The CGSA Conference and Trade Show was held in Ottawa. Jim Wyllie was awarded the John B. Steel Distinguished TRIVIA: Bob Hutcheson, owner of Hutcheson Sand and Gravel, Service Award. Paul Dermott, Property Manager of Oakdale G&CC, supplied the sand for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney Australia was the winner of the 2000 Environmental Achievement Award which to be used as the sand for the Beach Volley Ball competition. was co-sponsored by the CGSA and The Toro Company. Tiger mania came to the Canadian Open at Glen Abbey. It was the first At the CGSAA Convention held in New Orleans, Green Is Beautiful time that tickets were sold out for the Canadian Open. To give you an tied with Iowa’s The Reporter for the Most Improved Publication at the idea of how successful the tournament was, consider these final numbers: years Newsletter Editor Session. Robert Burrows, Rosedale GC, was ■ Ticket sales on property $100,000 ($17,000 in 1999) the editor. ■ Sunday crowds estimated at 60,000 (30,000 in 1999) EVENTS: Major rainfall events plagued the Toronto area golf courses ■ 10,000 hats sold (4,000 in 1999) from April to June. Extensive damage was reported from Robert ■ 180 Prime Rib Roasts (80 in 1999) Cowan, Royal Woodbine GC, Don Crymble, Markham Green GC ■ 62 kegs = 7,000 glasses of beer (30 kegs in 1999) and Rob Ackermann, Markland Wood CC. Courses were closed and major damage was reported from many other courses during three ■ 8,400 bottles of beer (3,600 in 1999) separate storms. These figures were taken from an article written by Dean Baker who was the At the Ontario Turf Symposium, Gary Gravett, on behalf of the superintendent for many of those Canadian Opens held at Glen Abbey. ■ Georgian Bay Golf Superintendents Association, presented Rob Witherspoon, director of Guelph Turfgrass Institute, with a $1,500 check to be put towards GTI research. The OTRF tournament was Barry Endicott held at Wooden Sticks GC on August 14th was hosted by Brian Haus. Retired Golf Course Superintendent Over $40,000 was raised for turfgrass research. The GTI Summer Brampton, Ontario Research Field Day was held at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute. After Tel: 905-846-1440 lunch, Jack Eggens, Pam Charbonneau and Ken Carey led the Email: barry.endicott@gmail.com hands-on workshop. David C. Smith, P.Ag., c.g.c.s. 550 Musquash Road See us for all our Fertility & Plant Protection needs Soil & Turfgrass Consultant Gravenhurst, Ontario Custom Blending | Stabilized Nitrogen | Golf& Landscape Products | Speare Seed Dealers P1P1R2 Office (705) 687-SOIL (7645) P.O. Box 370 Bolton, ON L7E5T3 Telephone: 905-857-2000 Fax:905-857-8215 Fax (705) 687-3518 Toll Free 1 -888-607-TURF (8873) alisona@agri-turf.ca | 1-800-268-4425 Cell (905) 512-6004 dave@dcsturf.com www.allianceagri-turf.com TURF OR CONSEQUENCES Beards by Doug Breen, Superintendent any of this season’s GolfNorth Properties NCAA Football Bowl Games? Didn’t matter see that kids are growing beards again. if it was the Rose I Not the Don Johnson two day shadow of the 80s, or the carefully groomed Bowl on New Year’s Day, or the Marge’s goatees of the 90’s, or the two hour Screen Door Repair & shaving marathon that was the turn of Recreational Apothecary the century chin strap. Nope, these are Bowl two weeks before 1970’s style, Grizzly Adams, Creedence Christmas - on each Clearwater Revival tour bus, Hippie Jesus sideline, there were Freak, Hillbilly beards. I’m old enough about seventy players to remember the last time these sweat sporting enough facial soaked things were popular, and I don’t hair to stuff a pillow miss them. At the time, I was too young (bet the thought of the to grow one, but I remember all of my beard hair pillow made older cousins looking like the cast of Hair, out for the night than Cher. My son’s you shudder a bit). And the CFL too - and smelling vaguely of soup. I always working on a beard right now, but since the kicker for the Edmonton Eskimos has attributed the soupy smell to the beards, he’s only seventeen, it’s coming in more a beauty, and when he puts on his helmet, although I never really got close enough like Joe Dirt’s. the chin strap spreads it all over his face to any of them to know for sure. But I’m no curmudgeon; I can live with like a hair balaclava. He could rob a bank, And now the mountain man beard is the beards. Just like the first time around, if not for the number on his uniform. It’s starting to appear in sports. Did you watch eventually the novelty of the beard will safe to assume that this will eventually wear off, and girls will decide that looking find its way onto the golf course. Can it be homeless is unattractive (borderline long before PGA players all have beards disgusting), and everyone will shave them like Happy Gilmore’s caddy? Will there ATTENTION! come a day, where Rory will be strolling up the fairway looking like ZZ Top? off in one weekend. What I’m far more concerned about, is the fact that 1970’s clothes are sneaking back too. This is a IPM Certified There are even more luxuriant beards, if you go see a band play - especially an Indie disaster for the image of golf. We only just got many of our members to stop Agents band. And if the band has the odd banjo solo, or uses a violin from time to time - it wearing Rodney Dangerfield’s wardrobe from Caddyshack about two summers will be plaid flannel and beards from wall ago. I can still remember the skin tight to wall. And this is the part that I find the peach polo, and plaid polyester pants. most puzzling - up until now, guys with Get your beards were the toughest of the tough. When I got into the business in the 80s, they were still being worn, sometimes recertification credits You know - bikers, lumberjacks, pirates, and such. But now, extravagant facial even still sold on the bargain rack. I could live with PGA golfers growing beards ON-LINE hair is just as likely to be found on guys like The Sheepdogs, because I know that who play acoustic guitars, write poetry, with and have feelings that they aren’t faking. they’ll disappear, the first time some Club Bunny calls one of them “gross”. Guys are spending hours shaving their P.D. Solutions! chests, while growing massive beards, But if tour clothing gets any more “pastel” and “microfiber” we’re going to have to call and then spending hours grooming that it what it is - peach polyester. Eventually, beard. The whole point of these beards in those styles will present themselves on local the 70’s was to show that “the man” wasn’t courses, because we all know that those old going to show you how you had to present Visit: yourself - that, and they were so addled boys were far too cheap to actually throw out their 70’s garb, and are just waiting for www.pdsolutions.ca with drugs, that not having bugs living in the opportunity to pull them back out of the your hair, was no longer a priority. What or call we’ve ended up with, is thousands of closet. Then we’ll be looking at another two decades of golfers looking like idiots - we twenty-somethings that look like Gabby 1-877-977-6774 Hayes, but smell like Louis the 14th, have to stop this, the image of the game has come too far. ■ and spend more time getting ready to go Join the conversation @BayerGolfCA www.bayeres.ca For more information on Aliette Signature and the complete line of Bayer products, contact Bayer. 1-888-283-6847 ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTION. Aliette Signature is a registered trademarks of Bayer. WE DIDN’T JUST RAISE THE BAR WE PUT IT LIGHT YEARS OUT OF REACH. The new Toro® Greensmaster® TriFlex™ is the first riding greensmowe that cuts with the precision of a walker. But don't take our word for it, call your Turf Care Sales Representative to arrange a FREE demo and see for yourself. Visit www.turfcare.ca for more ways we can Help Your Business Grow. 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