THEGreenerside Official Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey March-April 1999 • Volume 22 Number 2 Something new to look out for in the Garden State... Gray Leaf Spot By Matt Nelson, Agronomist USGA Green Section, Northeast Region Golf courses throughout the state of New Jersey with significant stands of perennial ryegrass were af­ flicted with gray leaf spot during the late summer of 1998. The causal agent, Pyricularia grisea, a fungus, is a take on a scorched appearance that can be improperly diag­ nosed as wilt or drought stress. If the turfgrass does not respond to irrigation, closer examination of the turfgrass stand is warranted. It is not uncommon to observe healthy Poa major pathogen of rice across the world. Until the early 1990s, the pathogen had been identified to cause gray leaf spot on St. Augustine grass and blast of annual ryegrass, but had not been documented as a pathogen of perennial ryegrass. Gray leaf spot on perennial ryegrass was reported in the early 1990s, but a major epidemic swept across the Mid-Atlantic States during the summer of 1995. Many golf courses with large areas of perennial ryegrass monostands were decimated by this fun­ gus and chemical control and prevention strategies proved to be expensive. Environmental conditions favorable to gray leaf spot activity again became prevalent during the summer of 1998 and infected stands of perennial ryegrass were re­ ported as far north as upper New England and as far west as Nebraska. Numerous golf courses in New Jersey experienced significant turfgrass loss and injury from this pathogen for the first time. The prolific spore production of Pyricularia grisea and the widespread use of perennial ryegrass throughout the state suggest gray leaf spot is a disease that is here to stay and may become active whenever environmental conditions are suitable to infection. Although development of this disease has been reported as early as June in the Central and Mid-Atlantic States, disease activity typically begins in August following ex­ tended periods of high heat and humidity. Once active, gray leaf spot can remain active until the first hard frost. Gray leaf spot activity in Pennsylvania has been reported in November. Small gray lesions with brown, irregular perimeters develop on leaf blades of perennial ryegrass. Faint, reddish-brown patches 3-24 inches in diameter develop in stands of perennial ryegrass. The disease is frequently confused with brown patch or pythium blight, although mycelium are not easily observed. As disease development progresses, leaf blades A twisted leaf tip is another distinguishing symptom of gray leaf spot, particularly in stands of perennial ryegrass seedlings. annua plants within a gray leaf spot infected stand of peren­ nial ryegrass, in which case drought stress can usually be eliminated as a causal factor of turfgrass decline. A twisted Continued on page 12 In this issue President's Message................................... 2 Profile.............................................................3 GCSANJ News...............................................6 GCSAA News.................................................8 Cadence................... .................................... 9 Ten things to consider before renovating.................................................... 14 Back it up or lose it, literally....................... 18 The three greatest minds........................... 19 Vendor Spotlight.........................................20 Plant & Pest Advisory................................. 22 1999 MGA rules quiz...................................24 GCSANJ Newsletter is published six times a year by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey President's Message Ken Krausz, Editor Newsletter Business Staff Chris Holenstein 973-627-3748 Ken Krausz, CGCS 201 599-8301 • FAX 201 447-0301 Contributing Writers Douglas Vogel, Brian M. Remo, Shaun Barry Please address inquiries to: Editor, The Greenerside 125 Crain Road, Paramus, NJ 07652 For Ad Placement: Judy Policastro (973) 379-1100 Art and Typography by Trend Multimedia 732-787-0786 • FAX 732-787-7212 Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey 66 Morris Ave., Suite 2A Springfield, New Jersey 07081 973-379-1100 • FAX 973-379-6507 Officers: Ken Krausz, CGCS, President Mike Mongon, Vice President Pat Campbell, CGCS, Secretary Ed Mellor, Treasurer Glenn Miller, Past President Directors: District 1 John O'Keefe, CGCS Gary Arlio District 2 Wayne P. Remo, CGCS Chris Holenstein District 3 Mark Kriews Bruce Peeples District 4 Gregg Armbruster Brian Minemier Chapter GCSAA Delegate James C. McNally, CGCS Executive Secretary Judy Policastro Commercial Representatives Steve Chirip Shaun Barry Assistant Superintendent Representative Tim Kerwin © 1999 THE GREENERSIDE Opinions expressed in this Newsletter are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily express the opinions or policies of the GCSANJ Board and its membership. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. So, what did you do all winter? EDUCATION, EDUCATION and more EDUCATION. It is February and that means we are all taking classes to learn more about our profession. I’ll be leaving for Orlando and the conference in a couple of days, and I have a full calendar of education set for those couple of days. Expo had a great lineup of seminars and GCSAA along with GCSANJ held a one-day seminar. Every time I turn around there is another op­ portunity to learn. The Class “C” Commit­ tee is sponsoring a “Strate­ gic Career Planning” semi­ nar at The Rock Spring Club this February. There is a symposium in Maryland, “Advances in the Biology and Management of Gray Leaf Spot in Cool-Season Turfgrasses” and the USGA is holding its Regional Con­ ference at the Golf House. These are just a few of the educational opportunities available to us this winter, so when you are asked, “What do you do all winter?” these are a few of the things we do to fill our “off season”. I mentioned the Class “C” Committee and am happy to report that Brian Remo, our Class “C” Representative, is now a class “B” member as he has taken over the superintendent’s position at Richmond County Country Club, good luck, Brian. Tim Kerwin, assistant superintendent at Metedeconk Na­ tional G.C., has been appointed as the new Class “C” Representative. I have known Tim for the past year and am sure he will be able to take over where Brian left off. Well, it’s off to the National, so I have to go home and pack my bags. I wish all of you a great rest of the winter and hope each of you has a wonder­ ful spring. SEE YOU AT THE SEMINARS, Printed on recycled paper Ken Profile by Brian M. Remo An interview with Patrick K. Campbell, CGCS, 1999 GCSANJ secretary Pat is presently at Panther Valley Golf & Country Club. He has been there as superintendent for seven years. His resume includes a three-year stay at Suburban Golf Club in Union, New Jersey; three years at Basking Ridge Country Club and four years as superintendent/manager for the Cleary Corporation’s Tara Greens Golf Center, Somerset, New Jersey. Pat attended the Rutgers University Turf Man­ agement course from 1971-73 while employed under his dad, Patrick V. Campbell, who was superintendent at Flanders Val­ ley Golf Course, Flanders, New Jersey. He was certified in 1993. Family values and community service are very impor­ tant to Pat, and he has demonstrated such as a trustee in charge of funds and future planning at Rockaway Presbyterian Church. He was equally involved in recreational sports in Rockaway and because of his own experiences of youth, he has spent relentless hours counseling young adults with al­ cohol and drug abuse problems. He has been active in GCSANJ activities since 1991 and became District Director in 1994. He was recently elected as secretary to the Execu­ tive Board. through GCSANJ, I have spent many, many terrific hours discussing my job and experiences. As a young boy out with my dad, I seemed to absorb all the things he did on the course like a sponge. He was my greatest teacher! BR: What, then, would you say has been the most rewarding part of the career? PC: The rewards have been many but to mention the most important: (1) Achieving certification; (2) Gratification from members at Panther Valley; (3) Completion of projects to beautify and enhance the game of golf; (4) Recognition by peers as a true professional and (5) The opportunities to men­ tor my assistant superintendents and assist them in acquiring Continued on page 4 Calendar March 25 USGA REGIONAL CONFERENCE: One- BR: Pat, my favorite question to start with is how you first got into this business. What prompted your career choice to become a golf course superintendent? April 19 PC: My dad was assistant superintendent at Canoe Brook C.C., Summit, New Jersey, for many years, and at ten years old I spent many hours hauling one-inch hose up and down fairways with dad laughing at my struggle. When he became superintendent at Flanders Valley we lived there, and I spent even more hours working with him evenings and weekends learning every aspect of the job. This was long before I was on the payroll. It seemed natural and comfortable that this would be my direction in life. BR: It’s often so difficult to explain to people what we do, why we choose our lifestyle and why we enjoy our work. Many young people find it hard to convey to friends and family this choice and its validity. Did you find this true when you first started out and how did you deal with it? PC. I too found it difficult to express my love of turf and turf management and improving the game of golf for the golfers. I guess one could say my best expression is through my work, my challenges and all the projects I’ve been given the oppor­ tunity to develop and complete. It was difficult in the begin­ ning, but through the great people in our profession and May 10 May 24 June 14 July 26 day seminar to present current infor­ mation about turfgrass management issues at Golf House, Far Hills, NJ. Contact USGA at 908-234-2300 APRIL MONTHLY MEETING: Joint Meeting with Philadelphia Association of Golf Course Superintendents, Manufacturer's Golf and Country Club. Host Doug Larson. Contact Judy Policastro at 973-379-1100 RUTGERS TURFGRASS RESEARCH CLASSIC: Fiddlers Elbow Country Club. Host Dave McGhee. Contact New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation at 732- 821-7134 MAY MONTHLY MEETING: Hopewell Valley Golf Course. Host Steve Bradley. Contact Judy Policastro at 973-379- 1100 JUNE MONTHLY MEETING: Ballyowen Golf Course. Host Rich LaBar. Contact Judy Policastro at 973-379-1100 JULY MONTHLY MEETING: Mendham Golf & Tennis Club. Host Chris Boyle. Contact Judy Policastro at 973-379- 1100 Profile Continued from page 3 a superintendent’s position. BR: You know from my past involvement how I feel about association support and extending that to assistants and stu­ dents through education and involvement. As an officer of this association you provide contributions to these goals; could you comment on their importance and how you feel GCSANJ benefits from them? PC: Every organization is only as beneficial as its directors/ members are willing to give. The hours I’ve spent assisting members acquire knowledge by sharing my own experiences and carrying out project goals are probably the most reward­ ing for me. I do this to give back what many in the industry (commercial reps, as well) have given me, especially mem­ bers of GCSANJ. BR: Looking back on your past, can you recall anyone in par­ ticular who has had the greatest impact on your professional career? PC; Yes, there are many in our profession who are in the fore­ Contec Scotts The Fertilizer for the Future Fran Berdine Executive Technical Representative 914/361-4105 Steve Rudich Technical Representative 610/253-4003 Rich Bernard Technical Representative 609/414-9185 front of my mind who are no longer with us: Jack Ormond (superintendent of Canoe Brook C.C.), Paul Boiszell (super­ intendent of Fiddlers’ Elbow) and Patrick V. Campbell (su­ perintendent of Flanders Valley G.C.). The others too nu­ merous to mention mentored me at Rutgers, worked with me on GCSANJ committees, commercial and chemical reps who educated me, and the crews who worked for me over the years who brought fresh, innovative ideas. BR: You were GCSANJ’s Club Relations Committee chair­ man for 1998. It seems recently to be a vital asset to our profession. What can you comment on the Committee’s im­ portance? PC: (1) Members are aware of the Committee’s availability to discuss problems, whether political or agronomically re­ lated, that are strictly confidential. (2) Brainstorming and team networking can solve a mul­ titude of problems and utilize exchanged ideas by sharing experiences and gaining strength through knowledge, aware­ ness and reinforcement. Continued on page 5 Shearon Golf a division of Shearon Environmental Design Company, Inc. SHEARON - Construction / Maintenance - Restorations / Renovations - Design - Certified Irrigation Installers - Drainage Experts! - Custom Spray Applicators - Arboriculture 337 Route 31, Hopewell, NJ 08525 . 609-466-0666 V Profile Continued from page 4 (3) For the clubs, if no superintendent is currently em­ ployed, the committee assists in defining the club’s require­ ments for candidates and for the members (candidates) that benefit packages should be offered in direct proportion to the level of experience as a professional in turf management. BR: Today’s golfer seems to be more and more educated when it comes to agronomics and course management. How do you promote that at Panther Valley? PC: Constant communication through memos and meetings so the membership is well informed on golf course proce­ dures. When pertinent articles appear in our periodicals, I copy them and provide same to Board Members. My present Greens Chairman joined our crew on weekends to better un­ derstand operations and tournament set-ups because, in turn, he can pass information directly to members and answer ques­ tions professionally with first-hand knowledge. BR: Conversely, it has always been important in our profes­ sion to play and understand the game itself. Where do you stand on that importance and how do you promote that knowl­ edge for yourself and your crew? PC: I have always made it a routine to play a few holes each day so I know the exact conditions of the greens, tees and fairways as a golfer. I do this after the crew begins their daily management details. When I was hired at Panther Valley I was told that playing golf was a requirement, so I make a point to stretch my schedule to play when members or the pro ask. When members stop me as I make my daily reviews around the course, I always take time to patiently explain and answer their questions. I play with my crew periodically and encourage them to play weekly after hours to obtain a better understanding of the course from the golfer’s point of view. Sterilized Dressing Top Our top dressing is formulated especially for your area to specifications recommended by leading universities and testing laboratories. 800-899-7645 • Fax 301-335-0164 BR: As secretary, have you set any goals for yourself or for GCSANJ? PC: I have never been a very good note taker so I know that I can enhance my communication skills. My goal is to increase communication among directors and Board members and encourage discussions and resolutions of GCSANJ goals and future plans. As a Board member I want to ensure that poli­ cies and by-laws passed are beneficial to the organization and its members. I hope in some small way to enhance the benefits of the association by doing my part. BR: Pat, I appreciate you taking time out of your busy sched­ ule to talk with me. I congratulate you on your new appoint­ ment and wish you good luck and green grass for 1999 and beyond. PC: Brian, thanks so much for giving me this opportunity to share this part of my life and offer assistance wherever needed. Good luck with your column and your new position for this 1999 season and your future endeavors. Your Trees Deserve the Best of Care! All Phases of Tree Care: Residential and Commercial Denville, NJ 973-983-1840 Lebanon, NJ 908-735-6619 Ridgewood, NJ 201-444-0002 South Plainfield, NJ 908-561-9440 Scientific Tree Care Since 1907 BARTLETT BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS Stamford, CT • 203-323-1131 Corporate Office: www.bartlett.com GUIDED BY THE BARTLETT TREE RESEARCH LABORATORIES AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUNDS, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA GCSANJ news 25-YEAR MEMBERSHIP AWARDS PRESENTED Sky Bergen did his usual fine job in researching the 25-year members so he could present them at the GCSANJ Annual Meeting at Hollywood Golf Club on November 10, 1998. The following members have dedicated 25 years of service to the association. Fran Berdine has been with the Scotts Company since 1972, working his way up from trainee to technical represen­ tative to senior technical representative and all the way up to executive technical representative. Since this award was pre­ sented, Scotts went through a reorganization and Fran’s po­ sition was eliminated. Fran landed on his feet and is now employed by Turf Partners. Fran received his BS in Floral and Ornamental Horticul­ ture from Cornell University. He is a past editor of the Hudson TURF PRODUCTS CORPORATION 47 Howell Road, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 We Specialize in the odd and the unusual • GRASS SEED • TURF TOOLS • COURSE ACCESSORIES • FUNGICIDES • HERBICIDES •TURF EQUIPMENT Call us at: 973-263-1234 Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association’s newslet­ ter “Foreground” and was superintendent of his family’s golf course in New York State from 1955 to 1967. Fran has two sons who are assistant superintendents at New York golf courses. John Wantz, CGCS, is the superintendent at Due Pro­ cess Stables and has been for the past six years. John was superintendent at Forsgate C.C., Glenwood C.C., Rockland C.C., North Jersey C.C. and Old York C.C. He graduated from Penn State University and has been a member of GCSAA for the past 20 years. John Schoellner, CGCS, has been the general manager at Metuchen Golf Course for the past four years. John started in this business by mowing the greens at Beacon Hill G.C. at age nine. He was an assistant superintendent at Deal G.C. and Jumping Brook G.C. John was superintendent at Beacon Hill and at Essex County C.C. where he also served as gen­ eral manager. He was also general manager at Lakewood C.C. in Maryland. John is a past Board member of GCSANJ, an associate member of the P.G.A. and is a certified club manager. He graduated from the two-year Penn State golf course manage­ ment course. Ken Kubik is the president of Grass Roots Incorporated, a golf course supply company he co-founded 20 years ago. Ken worked at Crestmont C.C. for 13 years as a caddie, club staff member, greens crew member and assistant superinten­ dent under Pete Pedrazzi. He was a sales manager for An­ drew Wilson Company. Ken has an associate art degree from Concordia College, a B.A. from F.D.U. and attended Rutgers University short courses. He was the advertisement manager for The Continued on page 7 Correction For those of you who did not notice, as well as those who did, in the last issue of The Greenerside, the cap­ tions for the pictures on pages eight and nine were re­ versed. As soon as I opened the issue to those pages, I told myself I’m not a big dancer but those people do not look like they’re doing the two-step. Sorry about that. GCSANJ news Continued from page 6 Greenerside and author of the famed column “Willit Wilt”. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from GCSANJ in 1993. Ken is an avid tennis player and his son Keith is active in Grass Roots Inc. The Greenerside congratulates these fine members of GCSANJ and thanks them for their years of service. DISTRICT III CHRISTMAS PARTY By Bruce Peeples On December 17,1998, the annual District III Christmas Party took place at The Paddock Restaurant on Route 33 in Manalapan. Fifty people attended, with many superintendents bringing a number of their staff to celebrate the holidays. Past President Glenn Miller shows his stuff. Mike King of Knob Hill GC won the “award” for bringing the most—seven! After a bit of holiday socializing, a delicious buffet lunch was served with a cash bar available. The pool table and as­ sorted video games seemed to be heavily used as well. A 50­ 50 was run during dessert, and a total of $271 was raised for the Food Bank of Monmouth County! One nameless donor gave back $ 100 that he won for the cause—a true Santa among us! After plates were cleared, about 20 celebrants went into the adjacent bowling alley for some spirited competition. Is Jim Cross good at everything he does? Charlie Dey should be especially commended for being true to his word and show­ ing up a bit late even though a Greens Committee meeting had been scheduled that afternoon! Our thanks go to Mark Kriews, Brad Simpkins, Shaun Barry, Dave Pease, Glenn Miller, Jim Cadott and anyone else who helped before, during or after. A great time was had by all. Without a core in the world, GCSANJ members gear up for the hardwood. District III Christmas Party: Bruce Peeples shows the same skills on the bowling alley as he does on the golf course. KRAUSZ AND POLICASTRO ATTEND CHAPTER LEADERSHIP TRAINING & STRATEGIC PLANNING CONFERENCE By Ken Krausz, CGCS Remember the ice storm on Thursday, January 14 and 15? Judy Policastro and I remember it well! We were sched­ uled to fly to GCSAA Headquarters at 7:00 a.m. to attend the training and planning session starting at 12:00 noon in Lawrence, Kansas. The 4:00 a.m. phone call to the airline resulted in a cancelled flight and a rebooking at 11:00 a.m.. After almost missing that flight due to road conditions we had the pleasure of sitting on the runway for two hours wait- Continued on page 8 GCSAA news A MESSAGE TO THE GCSAA GOVERNMENT RELATIONS NETWORK efforts of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute on noise and emissions issues. By Steve Mona, GCSAA Chief Executive Officer I want to take this opportunity to clarify the facts about the change to the GCSAA government relations program and address several questions raised in response to the December 18, 1998, issue of Greens & Grassroots. The government relations function has been refocused and reassigned—not dissolved nor diminished. The program has been refocused with a greater emphasis on assisting GCSAA chapters with state and local issues, and a smaller number of key national issues that directly affect our mem­ bers. In conjunction with the expanded emphasis on chapter service, the government relations staff has been reassigned to the Information Services Department, to take advantage of some natural synergies with our Information Center and Web resources. Carne Riordan, who has been with the GCSAA government relations program for more than five years, has been named government relations manager. This change enhances our abilities to monitor issues and support GCSAA affiliated chapter needs for information and assis­ tance. GCSAA is continuing its leadership role on certain na­ tional issues, with our key concerns right now being the imple­ mentation of the Food Quality Protection Act and the appli­ cation of the Americans with Disabilities Act to golf facili­ ties. GCSAA will continue to participate in coalitions on other appropriate issues, but will allow the organizations more di­ rectly affected to assume leadership in the advocacy role. For example, GCSAA will support—but not duplicate—the Treating Your Course With One Turf Management Tool Is Like Playing The Course With One Club Matrix Flow Soil Surfactant Prevent LDS & Establish Uniform Turf SOIL SURFACTANT Treat & Promote Recovery of Stressed Turf AQUATROLS Formulating For Eftectiveness (800)-257-7797/ www.aquatrols.com Improve Water Penetration and Turf Quality The next issue of Greens & Grassroots will give additional details about our new government relations focus. The next issue of Greens & Grassroots will give addi­ tional details about our new government relations focus. GCSAA is committed to a strong, effective government rela­ tions program, and believes that this change in focus and structure will serve our chapters and individual members in an enhanced, focused manner. GCSANJ news Continued from page 7 ing to be de-iced (I guess that is a good insurance policy). Our three-hour flight had us sitting in a full plane for five hours and finally making it to the first day of meetings 4 1/2 hours late. The conference was a pilot project by GCSAA and had leaders from 15 affiliated chapters from around the country cram as much information into our heads as we could to see what could be done to make our chapters and GCSAA better. We learned of the availability of information and help from GCSAA committee leaders. We were updated on the Etonic Education Series and the availability of the Speakers Bureau. A lot of time was spent on strategic planning and the willingness of GCSAA to assist in this and many other top­ ics. We were on the go with classes starting at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It was great to meet leaders from around the country and be able to discuss the way our associations were set up and how they ran. Judy and I both feel the two main things we learned is that GCSAA is available and more than willing to help in whatever way they can and, most importantly, we confirmed what we thought, the Golf Course Superintendents Asso­ ciation of New Jersey is in very good shape! Cadence You know, it’s kinda odd ... The past month of my life has been quite possibly the most in­ tense, yet it flew by so quickly just the same. Just recently, I have been named the golf course super­ intendent of Richmond County Country Club in Staten Island, NY. Those close to me know the thrill it has been for me to have reached this point in my career. The feeling of independence ... The feeling of author­ ity .. . The feeling of pride and rebirth of enthusiasm that all assistant superintendents strive each day to at­ tain. Yet, I must admit that a sadness falls over me now as I sit at this computer. By Brian M. Remo This keyboard has been an outlet of great emotion for me this past year and an opportunity allowing me memories that I will always remember as some of my favor­ ites. This past year, a new wave of involvement emerged from the very youth that feeds the membership of an association that continues to ex­ cel. My goals of involving the assis­ tant superintendents of GCSANJ took huge bounds when mere baby steps seemed a difficult goal. The idea of representation of the Class “C” membership has evolved into an appointed position to sit on the Board itself. The idea of gaining valuable insight from other assis­ tants has evolved into a nine-seat committee contributing more and Continued on page 10 Sprinklers • Valves • Controllers• Fountains * Pump Stations * Controller Repair Century golf professionals can show you how to keep your course in top condition with efficient irrigation and drainage, landscape lighting, water features and more. Call today for a free on-site consultation: 800-347-4272. Legacy Golf Control water, labor and energy costs with an efficient Legacy Golf irrigation system. Complete line of rotors, valves and controllers. Pump Stations An efficient pump station can solve many irrigation problems. The SyncroFlo Eagle Series is the premier system for golf courses. SyncroFlo, Inc. Controller Board Repairs Century handles controller board repairs for Rain Bird and Toro. Call 888-855- 9132 for replacements within 24 hours. Century Rain Aid CENTURY GOLF PROFESSIONALS > NJ/PA/LONG ISLAND NY • PHIL DEMARCO • JEFF FABIANO 800-642-3706 Cadence Continued from page 9 more with each passing day. The Class “C” tournament—a huge success. Things couldn’t have gone better, and they continue to progress further. Why then, you might ask, am I saddened? The truth is, amidst the excitement of my new position, I possess the feeling of great loss as well. Truth be told, guys and gals, there’s a part of me that is going to miss being an assistant. My father always told me that this occupation is funny for one simple reason: You go to school for four years to learn how to grow grass at a position where growing grass is the easy part! My father was right. I’ve decided that every time I say those words, either aloud or to myself, I’m going to put a dollar in a jar. Come Father’s Day, it will be this money that I pull from for his gift. I’m no accountant, but it looks like I may have to spring for a Benz this year. Yes, it’s true that the pressure on your position increases. However, the self-esteem that this added pressure exudes on you allows you to perform even better than before. What’s more interesting is the little things you never realized went on behind the scenes of the superintendent’s position. These I thought long and hard about a title tor this column, and, keeping with my football analogy, I tried to picture a coach on his first offensive drive of the season. little things add up to the whole reason that our position re­ quires such a diversified professional for its fulfillment. So once again Remo’s Rhetorical Rambling desperately seeks a point, so here it is. The one thing I’m glad I had the opportunity to do was diversify the superintendents that I had the pleasure of working for. I worked for two established supers, Ed Walsh and Wayne Remo, and a super in his first Continued on page 11 A MOWER THAT MAKES NO IMPRESSION. INTRODUCING THE NEW TORO GREENSMASTER 3050 THE INDUSTRY'S LIGHTEST GREENS MOWER. NOW THAT WOULD BE IMPRESSIVE Storr Tractor Company 3191 Highway 22 Somerville, NJ 08876 Form No. 97-160-T 908-722-9830 This update to the legendary Greensmaster line is 165 pounds lighter than its prede­ cessor, the Greensmaster 3000, and 80 pounds lighter than the 3100. Proven Greensmaster hydraulic system and 16-horsepower Vanguard® engine. A re-engineered precision cable steering system is more durable. All controls are consolidated around the operator making it very user-friendly. Amazingly quiet engine that virtually eliminates vibrations. TORO ©1997 The Toro Company Cadence Continued from page 10 year at the helm, Eric Carlson (1995). I truly feel that the different experiences one gains from both extremes can bet­ ter prepare for that person’s own day of reckoning. So here’s what I was hoping to do. I figure my first year here at RCCC will be chock full of exciting adventures that should keep the job interesting to say the least. So I’m offering to the assis­ tants yet another tool to take with them into their future. I offer you to share in this, my first season as a superintendent. To learn from my findings, bumps in the road and mistakes along the way. Maybe they will help, maybe they are already common knowledge, but I’m sure they’ll be unique and even comical. After all, life is too short to not find levity in its misfortunes. I’ll do my best to keep it interesting. I thought long and hard about a title for this column, and, keeping with my football analogy, I tried to picture a coach on his first offensive drive of the season. The 20-yard line is The 20-yard Une is quite compa­ rable to the opening day of the golf season, with a long, hard road to the end zone called closing day. quite comparable to the opening day of the golf season, with a long, hard road to the end zone called closing day. The off­ season for the superintendent is also so similar to that of a football coach in that staffing, game plan, strategy, sched­ ules and conditioning are the daily tasks. So next month, this column will suitably be renamed to “First and Goal.” I’d like to wish everyone a great spring and green grass for 1999, and thank everyone for their kind regards that I’ve received over the past few months. Good luck, and I’ll see you on the field. PARTAC TOP-DRESSING GOLF COURSE AMERICA'S PREMIUM TOP-DRESSING HEAT TREATED AVAILABLE IN BULK OR BAGS PLUS GREEN & TEE CONSTRUCTION MIXES, DIVOT REPAIR MIXES AND MUCH MORE! WHITE TRAP SANDS, CART PATH & DISTRIBUTED IN N.J. BY: FARM & GOLF COURSE SUPPLY 215/483-5000 GRASS ROOTS TURF PRODUCTS 201/361-5943 FISHER & SON COMPANY 610/644-3300 TURF PRODUCTS CORPORATION 201/263- 1234 PARTAC PEAT CORPORATION KELSEY PARK, GREAT MEADOWS, NEW JERSEY 07838 908-637-4191 The Rutgers Turfgrass Alumni Association holds its annual meeting The annual meeting was held during EXPO. President Jim Wallenstein opened the meeting and there was discussion on how to make the association more ac­ tive. Dr. Karen Plumley suggested that we target not only the short course students but also the two- and four-year stu­ dents. This idea was well received. Dr. Plumley volunteered to assist in this and Ken Krausz offered his help. Joe Bianco presented the treasurer’s report, and it was noted that this year’s scholarship recipients were Erik Caudullo and Timothy Smith. There was some discussion about the cost of the quarterly newsletter and it was sug­ gested that an article be placed in The Greenerside and other publications and only an annual newsletter be printed. There was also some discussion about the direction of the association and the fact that most new members were golf course related and that maybe the landscapers were be­ ing left behind. This was put to committee and meetings will be held to make sure that this is not the case. The annual election was held and the results are as fol­ lows: President Jim Wallenstein, Vice President Ken Krausz, Secretary Dr. Karen Plumley and Treasurer Joe Bianco. President Wallenstein thanked all those who attended and the NJTA for the use of the meeting space. He wished every­ one well and is looking forward to making the association stronger. Gray Leaf Spot Continued from page 1 leaf tip is another distinguishing symptom of gray leaf spot, particularly in stands of perennial ryegrass seedlings. Seed­ lings, by the way, seem to be more susceptible to this disease than mature plants. If gray leaf spot activity is suspected next season or in subsequent years, a sample should be submitted to Rutgers University for diagnosis immediately. Since gray leaf spot can decimate acres of perennial ryegrass stands in as little as 48 hours, do not delay in submitting a sample to a qualified plant diagnostic laboratory. Confirmation of this pathogen is strongly recommended since chemical control is costly. At this time, recommended label rates of Heritage tank mixed with chlorothalonil at the high label rate applied at 21- day intervals beginning in mid-July are believed to provide the best preventative control. Sterol inhibiting fungicides tank mixed with chlorothalonil also will provide reasonable protection, although perhaps not as much as the Heritage/ chlorothalonil combination. Fungicide application should extend into the roughs at least six feet since infection often begins in areas of higher cut grass such as the roughs and surrounds. A minimum of two applications is recommended and three applications would be better if it can be afforded and/or disease pressure is severe. Curative control of this disease is difficult. An initial application of chlorothalonil at the highest label rate should be followed with a tank mix of Heritage at the high rate with chlorothalonil at the highest label rate one week later. Addi­ tional fungicide applications of the above mix will need to be applied on 14-day intervals, if not more frequently. Keep nitrogen fertilization moderate as high levels of nitrogen can increase disease activity. Irrigation should be performed during the day to minimize the duration of leaf wetness (fungal spores require free moisture for germina­ tion). Clipping collection may also help thwart the spread of gray leaf spot and reduce moisture levels within the turfgrass canopy. Mowing when the turfgrass is dry is advised to minimize the spread of the spores. Avoid mechanical injury, i.e. aerification and verticutting, if disease activity is present. Gray leaf spot is a serious disease of perennial ryegrass that can definitely be devastating to large ryegrass stands and very costly to control. For those golf courses without suffi­ cient operating budgets, the viability of perennial ryegrass for use as a fairway turf is in serious question. Conversion to creeping bentgrass fairways may be the best long-term man­ agement decision from a holistic standpoint. The northeast Green Section agronomists can help with conversion strate­ gies if you believe this is the most prudent alternative. Some consultants and industry representatives also are advocating the use of Kentucky bluegrass in fairways, although this species has not been proven to be viable in the northeast under current management regimes within this region. Incorporat­ ing Kentucky bluegrass and fineleaf fescues into the roughs may also be necessary if the roughs at your golf course are dominated by perennial ryegrass. Gray leaf spot is a new disease in the northeast and much of the rest of the country. In lieu of this fact, little research has been completed concerning management factors and strate­ gies for the control of this pathogen. The information within this article is based largely on the field experiences of Green Section agronomists, university extension specialists and golf course superintendents across the country and should not be construed as factual information supported by research. Rest assured, however, that research projects around the nation are being initiated, including an extensive screening of the perennial ryegrass germplasm at Rutgers University for resistance to gray leaf spot. Stay tuned and we may all get through this ordeal together. RALPH McGILLAN Excavating Contractor Specializing in Lakes & Ponds Joseph M. Mercadante, Inc. 973-467-8622 GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION Millburn, NJ Over 30 years experience in building new ponds, enlarging & redesigning existing ponds. Can get all DEP permits (609) 655-2281 74 Petty Road, Cranbury, NJ • PAVING • EXCAVATING • DRAINAGE SYSTEMS • TEE BUILDING • GRADING PRESS RELEASE: NEW LOOK AND PRODUCTS AT PLANT FOOD CO., INC. Plant Food Company, Inc. has more FANTASTIC Liquid Fertilizers and Soil Amendments available now than ever before. Plant Food Company, Inc. has been formulating fertilizers since 1963 This year they have introduced a number of NEW Products and a NEW Look. Displayed here is the NEW Company Logo, which will appear on all products in the near future. One of their new products that will be officially named shortly once the name clears the U.S. Trade Mark Office is a Soil Amendment that contains Humic Acids, Kelp Extracts, Carbohydrates, Wetting-Agents, Amino Acids, Minerals, and Vitamins. For details call Plant Food Company, Inc. The Liquid Fertilizer Experts 800-562-1291 or Contact them @ 38 Hightstown-Cranbury Station Road. Cranbury, New Jersey 08512, Phone # (609) 448-0935, Fax # (609) 443-8038, www.plantfoodco.com. e-mail: pfc@plantfoodco.com If your club is considering a major renovation or expan­ sion, you need to make sure it will address member and club needs not only today, but 10 years from now. 1. Will spending money on your facility be money well spent? Consider the market and existing clientele. Does improv­ ing your facility mean increasing the cost of a round of golf? If so, will the market support the increase? Conversely, you may need to make improvements just to compete with the new golf course down the street. 2. To plan or not to plan? A master renovation plan is a strategic tool used to guide future golf course improvements. Develop one comprehen­ sive plan that covers the entire golf course rather than sev­ eral small, loosely connected plans. A comprehensive plan gives the “big picture” and ensures an integrated approach to improving the facility. 3. Focus on the fundamental first. SINCE 1925 TURF SUPPLIES THE PRO’S CHOICE Grass Seed Fertilizers Insecticides Nursery Stock Fungicides Herbicides Mulches Tools Stone Soil Ties One of the first things to think about is where to make improvements. Review all golf course features—tees, put­ ting surfaces, hazards, practice areas, etc.—and focus ini­ tially on improvements that will address fundamental issues of playability, strategy, shot value, maintainability, drainage, aesthetics and safety. Addressing shortcomings in these ar­ eas is a first step in the right direction. 4. Don't let the budget get in the way of a sound compre­ hensive plan. A budget should be used as a tool to schedule a neces­ sary improvement. Prioritize improvements and then imple­ ment them as a budget allows. Before long, the plan of im­ provements will be implemented. 5. What are some of the factors that impact the cost of re­ modeling a golf course? Scope of improvements, availability of qualified contrac­ tors, using in-house vs. outside contractors, materials cost and time of year. Continued on page 15 Hardgoods - 973-473-3393 Nursery - 973-473-2749 Fax - 973-473-4402 To Keep Your Turf Free from Disease & Insects Ten things to consider before renovating TERRE Co has the Turf & Ornamental products that perform TERRE & Co. BANNER LINK PACK 206 Delawanna Ave Clifton NJ 07014 Primo Link Pack Ten things to consider before renovating Continued from page 14 6. How to handle disruption of play? Typically, phasing improvements minimizes impact to the entire golf course and allows a portion of the course to remain open for play. Other ways to minimize disruption in­ clude using temporary tees and greens and changing the rout­ ing of the course. Another strategy is to limit work to two or three holes at a time. Scheduling work during off-peak play times is also an option. 7. Determine if in-house resources can complete some of the work or if all work will be completed by outside contractors. In most cases, in-house resources can perform some golf course improvements. Tasks such as stripping sod, tree re­ moval, minor drainage and minor irrigation system modifi­ cations can usually be completed by a maintenance crew. 8. Who should be included in a master planning project? The key to a successful master plan depends on input from the individuals who are responsible for the fiscal or GEESE MANAGEMENT Tired of the constant nuisance and mess on walkways, patios and turf? Specially trained Border Collies can control the problem, quickly, safely, humanely and environmentally correct. Call (215)968-0843 for more information. Serving Eastern PA, South NJ & Del. daily operations of the facility. These are the major contribu­ tors in the planning team: golf course general manager, su­ perintendent, golf pro, green chairperson, long-range plan­ ning committee chairperson, representative men, women, junior and senior golfers, golf course architect. 9. How long does it take to complete a master plan reno­ vation document? This depends on the scope of the project, but preparation of a master plan document should take about 60 to 120 days. 10. Work with an architect who has golf course renovation experience. Many architects consider golf course renovation work more challenging than new course work design because of “built-in” constraints associated with existing courses. Of­ ten renovation work requires working around existing irriga­ tion systems, drainage, trees and parts of the golf course that are to be preserved. Renovation work requires a certain level of experience and it pays to work with an architect who has course renovation experience. Aerate, amend and topdress - play in 1 hour on a smooth surface The only machine in the world that injects high volumes of dry material. Before you buy, contract your greens aeration to us. Tired of drill-and-fill and time-consuming greens aeration? The new Land Pride Dryject™ injects soil amendments or topdressing so fast you can aerate, amend, and topdress in one pass. You’re back in play in 1 hour on a smooth putting surface. Adjust injection depth from 2” to 10” deep. Aerate and inject up to 8 cubic feet of amendment per 1000 sq. ft. at 10,000 sq. ft. per hour. Now, for about $15K, you’ll have unequaled versatility for injecting both dry and liquid materials. Easy operation. No maintenance headaches. LAND PRIDEDryJect Available exclusively from Advanced Agro Technologies, Inc., Wayside, NJ 1-800- 270-T URF E-mail: turf@epix.net Lofts Seed presents $575,000 check to Rutgers University Dr. Richard Hurley, executive vice president of Lofts Seed, recently acknowledged the company’s com­ mitment to turfgrass research at Rutgers University by presenting a check in contribution to the Peter Selmer Lofts Scholarship Fund. The check, which totaled $575,000, was presented to Dr. Bruce Carlton, executive dean, Cook College/Rutgers Uni­ versity. This represented royalties paid to Rutgers on the 1997 production of Lofts Seed varieties that were developed in cooperation with Rutgers University. Others in attendance from Rutgers included Dr. C. Reed Funk, Dr. Bruce Clarke, Dr. William Meyer, Dr. Peter Day and Dr. Donald Rossi. Since 1982, Lofts has paid a total of $6,389,251.28 to Rutgers Uni­ versity in support of their leadership in turfgrass develop­ ment. Based in Winston-Salem, Lofts Seed, a subsidiary of AgriBioTech, Inc., markets turfgrass seed to professional ath­ letic field managers, golf course superintendents, sod farm­ RIGGI PAVING, INC. Asphalt and Concrete Construction Paved or Stone Pathways Fully Insured CALL 201-943-3913 Dr. Richard Hurley presents check to Dr. Bruce Carlton, looking from left are Dr. Day, Dr. Funk, Dr. Meyer, Dr. Clarke and Dr. Rossi. ers, landscapers, lawn-care operators, municipalities and homeowners. The company owns patents on more than 25 seed varieties such as Rebel III Turf-Type Tall Fescue, Palmer III Perennial Ryegrass, Eagleton Kentucky Bluegrass and L- 93 Creeping Bentgrass. Lofts Seed can be found at many famous places such as: Fenway Park, Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill golf course, the White House putting green, Central Park and the Pentagon. Lofts operates branches in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jer­ sey, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia and Oregon, as well as marketing turfgrass seed internationally. The 75-year-old company has more than 100 employees, including two full­ time Ph.D’s for extensive research and plant breeding, pro­ ducing new and improved seed varieties. Famous golfer, Arnold Palmer, has been a spokesman for the company for 19 years. Joe and Anne Vasta Premium Bent Grass Sod for Golf Courses People you can trust—Quality you can count on A Third Generation Farm 1107 Courses Landing Road Woodstown, NJ 08098 Business Phone/Fax: (609)299-0274 Sales- Chip Presendofer Toll Free: 888-442-2322 Legacy Golf Control water, labor and energy costs with a Legacy irrigation system. Century is your local distributor with a complete line of rotors, valves and controllers. CENTURY RAIN AID Sprinklers • Valves • Controllers • Fountains • Pump Stations • Controller Service Repair Golf course superintendents like yourself are making help solve any irrigation or drainage problems. They can also plans to get their courses in top shape for the new season. show you what's new in clubhouse landscape lighting, And irrigation is at the top of their lists. Century golf professionals water features and more. Call today for a FREE catalog and on-site consultation: 800-347-4272. can show you how to maintain a highly-playable course, and can Controller Board Repairs Call Century when you need controller board repairs for Rain Bird and Toro golf controllers. Replacement boards can be shipped within 24 hours. Call 888-855-9132. SyncroFlo Pumps An efficient pump station can solve many irrigation problems. Century now offers the SyncroFlo Eagle Series, the premier system for golf courses. Aqua Master Fountains Improve water quality with an aerating fountain. Century can also show you how to create water features from existing streams or ponds. SyncroFlo, Inc. www. rainaid. com 800-347-4272 CENTURY COLF PROFESSIONALS NJ/PA/LONG ISLAND NY > PHIL DEMARCO • JEFF FABIANO 800-642-3706 Back it up or lose it, literally By Chris Holenstein How many times have you heard the importance of copying crucial computer files to save them in case of system failure? How diligent are you at actually doing it in a timely fashion? I recently got a lesson in the Needless to say, everything has since been saved to disks, lesson learned. A word of advice: back up your files now, lest someday you discover that you have “lost” everything. Since 1923 MATERIALS FROM THE EARTH'S CRUST Geo. Schofield Co., Inc. P.O. BOX 110, BOUND BROOK, NEW JERSEY 08805 • Bunker Sands • Construction Gravels • Construction Sands/Blends • Cart Path Materials • Landscape Materials • Topdressings • SUPRGRO Topsoil • STABILIZER Blending Customized blends available with our new mobile blending equipment. U.S.G.A. specification products. (732) 356-0858 need for back-up disks for another, more unexpected reason. Monday, November 23, 1998, started as any other fall morning on the way to the shop: updating the day’s sched­ ule, picking up the mail, checking for frost. The weather was cold, but the first sight of my office trailer gave me a differ­ ent kind of chill. The trailer door was ajar; the office was burglarized! As I cautiously entered the trailer, the empty space on my desk glared at me, the missing Macintosh ap­ parently the object of this “B&E.” As thieves go, this bunch was fairly considerate. The pic­ ture of my family and the other items on my desk were placed carefully to the side, and they didn’t bother to trash the office or deface it in any way. They were determined to get past the deadbolt securing the door, however, so the damage to the door and frame was considerable. After filing the police reports and taking inventory (they took my radios and chargers as well), I thought of my com­ puter desktop and the files I kept on it. When was the last time I backed-up my files, what was missing and how sensi­ tive was the information that was stolen? Personnel records, pesticide application records and Greens Committee reports came immediately to mind. These had been saved to disks. The few files I did lose were relatively unimportant, but I mentally kicked myself for not copying everything. Over the years many items had accumulated in the computer’s memory that were minor, yet useful in many ways. Bulletins and no­ tices commonly posted in the clubhouse, inventory forms and letters were all things previously just a “point and click” away that now would have to be generated again. Besides taking their availability for granted, it was difficult to remember everything stored in memory until it was needed. The convenience of using the computer for writing re­ ports, finding and checking records, and faxing payroll was missed in the following weeks. Thoughts turned toward re­ placing the computer. Laptop or desktop, Mac or PC? If PC, how to convert my Mac files to a Windows environment? Fortunately, as things turned out, I didn’t need to make these decisions as an unexpected call from the Parsippany police informed me that my computer had been recovered, and the individuals responsible (one of whom was a former employee) had been caught and charged. Fine detective work, a search warrant and an observant patrolman resulted in the computer’s return, files intact. I was lucky, one of a minority of victims who recover lost or stolen items. The three greatest minds By Doug Vogel A prominent professor from a local state university was holding court at a holiday cocktail party to which I had the so-called privilege to have been invited. He was boasting about how the three greatest minds of the twentieth century all lived and worked in New Jersey. His claim quickly turned into an intellectual debating game in which he gave any of the interested pseudo-intellectuals a chance to name the three giants of thought. The best the turtlenecked forty-somethings could come up with was Piscipo, Springsteen and Parcells. So it was no surprise that the professor was in shock when I leaned in and calmly peeled off the names of Einstein, Edison and Pedrazzi. "And did I forget to mention that they all had a great influ­ ence on the game of golf?” The disbelief in their faces was priceless. I continued to shock the cocktail crowd with what I thought was general Garden State knowledge. "Thomas Alva Edison revolutionized civilization by in­ venting the light bulb, phonograph, motion pictures, electric power stations and 1,089 other patents. The electronic prin­ ciple known as the Edison Effect is widely used in communi­ cation systems for irrigation and two-way radios on every golf course in the world.” And I continued. "The deep thinking Albert Einstein defined the Universe while walking the streets of Princeton. His Theory of Rela­ tivity has changed the way we adjust bedknives and how short we can cut our greens.” "What about this Pedrazzi fellow?” scoffed a naysayer. "What about him? Pete Pedrazzi is not only a great thinker but he is a great talker. With over 40 years in golf course management, he is known as the Wizard of Florham Park. The Pedrazzi Effect is a well known phenomena in the golf community, and his Theory of Irrelativity is adhered to by many young students of the turfgrass discipline.” I left the confused group so they could debate amongst themselves my perplexing statements. As I stepped up to the bar for another beer, the young pre-law student/bartender was nodding his head in agreement. "Hey, mister, I’m impressed, not only do you drink Schaefer in cans, but you know Pete Pedrazzi. But who were Einstein and Edison?” The moral of this story can be summed up by the old adage that "you can learn more about greenkeeping with your belly against the bar.” The young bartender is going to go home knowing who Edison and Einstein were simply because he asked the question. With that in mind, we have numerous veteran superin­ tendents in our association who can be found at meetings, conferences and at the other end of a telephone. These gentle­ men are more than willing to share their knowledge and, the last time I checked, the advice was free. Not many people know more about tournament prepara­ tion than Bob Dickison or Joe Flaherty. Ed Walsh and Steve Malikowski certainly know about putting thoughts down on a piece of paper. Jack Martin knows the ins and outs of run- So whether it's in a hospitality room, a monthly meeting or at the Barnyard Tavern, talk to a veteran superintendent because they are the Edisons and Einsteins of turf. ning an association. And Pete Pedrazzi has some great in­ sight on job preservation and country club policies. So whether it’s in a hospitality room, a monthly meeting or at the Barnyard Tavern, talk to a veteran superintendent because they are the Edisons and Einsteins of turf. Golf Construction Inc. Turn-Key Golf Course Construction 908-429-1400 TEE AND GREEN CONSTRUCTION DRAINAGE . RETAINING WALLS IRRIGATION . PONDS OTTERBINE INSTALLATION MEMBER OF NJ TURF GRASS ASSOC. & GCSANJ Vendor Spotlight Storr Tractor Company serving the industry for over 50 years! was a learning experience for both of us, understanding the needs of all of our customers, the golf course su­ perintendents, landscapers, irriga­ tion contractors, parks and recre­ ation superintendents, the supervi­ sors of the department of public works and cemetery associations, anyone and everyone involved in the turf industry. They were all very important to us, as I hope we were to them. Mary Lou Des Champs President and CEO The Des Champs era for over 30! By Mary Lou Des Champs President and CEO It was in the mid-sixties that fate led Paul and me to Storr Tractor Company, where we were given the opportunity of a lifetime. My husband’s vision for the future was to change the focus of the company from construction to a turf- related business. He aligned himself with the Toro Company, signing a contract to market their commercial and irrigation products. Timing is everything in life and that acquisition changed our direction and opened a whole new world to us, “The Green Industry.” That was the beginning of a lifetime dedicated to turf and the wonderful people we met involved in the industry. It Specializing in sand, stone and soils MITCHELL PRODUCTS □ GC-500 treated topdressing □ TriCure soil surfactant □ Crushed quartzite bunker sand □ Manufactured topsoil / compost Complete line: Root zone, tee & divot mixes, dry sands, drainage stone Paul and me had a unique relationship from the beginning, for we were a team in every sense of the word. His dreams were my dreams, and we worked very hard to make those dreams come true. When he passed away almost nine years ago, there was never any doubt what I would do with the rest of my life. It was my intention to continue with the business, for it was my pride and my passion as well! As I reflect over the years, the business has been most gratifying, the people I have met and friendships made have been most rewarding. Some of my greatest memories are of times spent with those associ­ ated with the industry. It gives me great pleasure to continue with the same traditions that have always been a great part of our lives. Words cannot express my appreciation to all that have supported Storr Tractor Company and contributed to our success, for that success would be meaningless if it can­ not be shared with those in whom we believe. Our accomplishments would not have been possible with­ out the support of a truly great team of people, my “Storr Family,” whose loyalty and dedication have continued to Continued on page 26 How Far Can You Spread A DoIIar? □ Crushed stone and rip rap □ Bentgrass green divot sand □ Green waste compost MITCHELL PRODUCTS Millville, NJ 609.327.2005 fax 609.327-6881 ORGANOSILICONE SPREADER ADJUVANT Superior CoveraGe, Better VaIue With AQuatroIs AdjuvANTs organosilicone spray Adjuvant BREAKTHRU - 100% Organo-Modified Siloxane CapSil 30™ - 100% Surfactant blend with 30% Organo-Modified Siloxane AQUATROLS (800) 257-7797 / www.aquatrols.com The Perfect Fit. HERITAGE and DACONIL. The Fungicides That Fit Your Disease Management Program Perfectly. Most all golf course superintendents puzzle over the right combination of disease control prod­ ucts for their turfgrass management program. Put an end to this dilemma with HERITAGE and DACONIL, the two broad-spectrum fungicides that fit your program perfectly. Together, HERITAGE and DACONIL bring just the right complement of advantages to your tees, greens, and fairways. HERITAGE Fungicide • Exhibits both preventative and curative activity • Only strobilurin chemistry with systemic activity • Controls most turfgrass diseases, including Pythium, take-all patch, summer patch, anthracnose, and snow mold • Reduced risk to environmental resources • Extended spray intervals with low use rates DACONIL Fungicide • Multi-site mode of action • Sticks and stays for maximum protection against fungal diseases • Controls 14 diseases, including dollar spot, leaf spot, melting out, rust, and red thread • Three flexible formulations—Ultrex®, Weather Stik®, and Zn When putting your turfgrass disease management program together, pick up HERITAGE and DACONIL fungicides—they’re the perfect fit. For more information, contact your authorized Zeneca Agent, or call Zeneca Professional Products Toll Free at 1-888-617-7690. Labels and MSDSs available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via Fax on Demand. Please call 1-800-640-2362. • Improves turf quality with no stunting or growth www.zenecaprofprod.com regulator effect Daconil Fungicide ZENECA Professional Products Always read and follow label directions carefully. DACONIL Ultrex®, DACONIL Weather Stik®, DACONIL Zn®, and HERITAGE® are registered trademarks of a Zeneca Group Company. © 1999. Zeneca Inc. Zeneca Professional Products is a business of Zeneca Ag Products, a business unit of Zeneca Inc. ZPP-HER-009 Plant & Pest Advisory The Plant & Pest Advisory is a cooperative effort be­ tween New Jersey county agents, research special­ ists, growers, landscapers and the agricultural services industry. No other publication provides you with timely in­ formation pertaining to your growing problems and IPM needs. Here’s what readers have to say about the Plant & Pest Advisory: “By alerting growers to problems we might not be experi­ encing, I can be on the alert and treat minor problems before they become major.” . . my sprays are more efficient and I’m growing better quality.” “The newsletter has assisted us in saving money—we now use less pesticides and attempt to use less each year.” “It usually reinforces, sometimes corrects my opinion of situ­ ations (e.g. drought, freezes) and presents them scientifically.” No other publication provides you with timely information pertaining to your growing problems and IPM needs. If you are a commercial grower, dealer, landscaper, turf manager or arborist you will benefit from the latest research information, field observations and industry professional education events from Rutgers Cooperative Extension county agricultural agents and specialists. Continued on page 23 *5 Floating 22” decks *Mulches grass *98” Width of Cut *38 HP Kubota Engine *4-wheel drive Wilfred MacDonald, Inc 2 Terminal Road Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 (201)-804-1000 www.vvilfredmacdonald.com THE RANSOMES AR-250 ROTARY MOWER RANSOMES TEXTRON Turf Care and SPeCiALTY PRodUCTS Plant & Pest Advisory Continued from page 22 To receive Plant & Pest Advisory, please photocopy and fill out all sections below: I’d like to receive the newsletter starting early Spring 1999: □ by mail □ same day by FAX Check which edition(s): □ Landscape, Nursery & Turf (16 issues)..........$22 □ Vegetable Crops (28 issues)............................... $25 □ Field Crops/Livestock (13 issues)..................... $20 □ Cranberries (12 issues)........................................ $20 □ Fruit (32 issues)................................................... $27 TOTAL ENCLOSED $ Business Name To whose attention Address City________________________ State------------Zip----------- County _ Telephone Fax # (for fax subscriptions only) Make check payable to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Mail payment and form to: Plant & Pest Advisory Rutgers Cooperative Extension 18 College Farm Road New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8551 Tee & Green And In Between Whether your challenge is a deadline, a tee, a green, a fairway, a rough, or a bunker surround, we have a blend that fits your needs. Give us a call for information about our selection of products, and our unique harvesting and washing techniques. •Bluegrass-Fine Fescue •Bentgrass •Bluegrass •Washed sod •Bluegrass- Ryegrass •Installation TEE& GREEN SOD -INCORPORATED - 401/789-8177 • 401/789-3895 (fax) PO Box 418, Exeter, RI 02822 1999 Rutgers Turf Research Golf Classic set for May 10 Fiddlers Elbow Country Club is the site for the 4th annual fund raiser. In the past the Founda­ tion and the New Jersey Turfgrass Association have contributed to the cause for “Better Turf” through grants, scholarships and gifts to various Cook Col- lege/Rutgers University turf programs. They include the C. Reed Funk Turfgrass Research Equipment Stor­ age Facility, Turf Lab and Conference Facility, Turfgrass Economic Impact Survey, Funding of a Turfgrass Extension Specialist and Golf Green Con­ struction Project to name a few. This year a portion of the proceeds will be used to support the construction of the new Turfgrass Edu­ cation Complex at Rutgers University. Please contact Dr. Bruce Clarke, Dr. Richard Caton or Bea Devine at 732-821-7134 for further information. Horizontal Centrifugal Pumping Stations... Programmable microprocessor controls Precise pressure regulation under all flow conditions Electronically actuated regulation valves that “work dependably” even in dirty water conditions. All station warranties are for 12 months, controls for 24 months, 5 year pro-rated war­ ranty on electronic regulating valves. Watertronics Systems are proven performers. Call today for a free brochure and find out how efficient and cost-effective these systems can be. Ask for Joe Jaskot 800-922-0717 Aquarius. IRRIGATION SUPPLY,INC. ' 1120 Goffle Rd. Hawthorne,NJ 07506 Visit an Aquarius location near you: NJ,PA,DE,MD 1999 MGA RULES OF GOLF QUIZ The following quiz was reprinted with the permission of the Metropolitan Golf Association. Test your knowledge of the Rules of Golf; the answers are on page 26. 1. A and B are partners in a four-ball match. B removes the flagstick, places it on the putting green behind the hole and putts. A, believing that B ’s ball will strike the flagstick, picks up the flagstick allowing B ’s ball to roll beyond where the flagstick had been placed. What is the ruling ? A. There is no penalty. B. A is disqualified from the hole. C. B is disqualified from the hole. D. A and B lose the hole. 2. A and B are fellow competitors playing behind C and D. C’s ball lies on the putting green. However, since D is search­ ing for his ball, they invite A and B to play through. Subse­ quently, A putts his ball on the green and it strikes C’s ball. A. It is a “rub of the green” with no penalty to either player. A’s ball is played as it lies, while C’s ball is replaced. With the right soil, you can grow anything. Even your reputation. Earthworks - The Complete Biological Soil Management Company We start with the soil first and all of our products are agronomically formulated. We can provide you a comprehensive soil testing program, a full line of liquid bio-stimulants and the most complete line of Natural Organic Fertilizers available anywhere, Replenish. Find out more by calling 800-732-TURF or look us up on the web at www.soilfirst.com. Earthworks Introducing The Replenish Line of Natural Organic Fertilizers B. A incurs a penalty of two strokes and must play his ball as it lies. C replaces his ball without penalty. C. C incurs a penalty of two strokes and must replace his ball. A must replay his stroke without penalty. 3. his ball. A's ball is deflected by the tee. In a match, B uses a wooden tee to mark the position of A. Player A incurs a one-stroke penalty and must play the ball as it lies. B. Player B incurs a one-stroke penalty and A must play his ball as it lies. C. There is no penalty and A must play his ball as it lies. 4. A players ball is in a fairway bunker. He enters the bun­ ker without a club and positions his feet for the purpose of determining how he wishes to play the shot. When he steps out of the bunker to get a club, the ball moves. A. No penalty. The ball is played as it lies. B. The player is deemed to have moved the ball and Continued on page 25 United Horticultural Supply. SR 1119®, Providence®, & Dominant® Creeping Bentgrass roots inc. Champion GQ® Perennial Ryegrass 1-2-3 For information call United Horticultural Supply (732)296-8448 1470 Jersey Avenue North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Ask for Gerald Fountain, Tom Hughes, or Rich Baker SRI 119, Providence, Dominant, and Champion GQ are Registered Trademarks of Seed Research of Oregon, Inc. roots 1 -2-3 is a Registered Trademark of roots, inc 1999 MGA RULES OF GOLF QUIZ Continued from page 24 incurs a penalty stroke. The ball shall be replaced. C. The player incurs a penalty stroke and the ball is played as it lies. 5. A player lifts his ball for identification without announc­ ing his intention nor marking its position. He then cleans the ball beyond the extent necessary for identification. The player incurs: A. A two-stroke penalty in stroke play or loss of hole in match play. B. A one-stroke penalty in either form of play. C. No penalty provided he gave his opponent or fellow competitor the opportunity to observe the lifting and replace­ ment. In stroke play, a player's ball comes to rest on a paved 6. cart path. He drops the ball at a point two-club lengths from his nearest point of relief and plays it. Realizing that he may have made an error, he announces his intention to play a second ball under Rule3-3 and indicates that he would like the score with the second ball to count. He drops the second ball correctly and plays it. A. The score with the original ball counts with a pen­ alty of two strokes. of two strokes. alty. B. The score with the second ball counts with a penalty C. The score with the second ball counts with no pen­ 7. In a match, Player A plays out of turn. Player B, his opponent, requests that Player A abandon the ball and play in correct order. However, after playing his shot, Player B withdraws his request for A to replay. A. Player A must replay his tee shot since the request may not be withdrawn. B. Player A was obliged to continue with the original ball. C. At his own option Player A may replay stroke or continue with original ball. Finding the right products for disease prevention and control just got easier with the introduction of Spectro™ from Cleary Chemical. Spectro is based on a physical combination of Daconil Weather Stik® and 3336™ fungi- cides-two of the best formulations for disease control on the market today. Cleary has removed the guesswork from tank mixing by creating Spectro, a 90% WDG. Make no mistake, there is no other product with this unique formulation. Field research demonstrates that Spectra's contact and systemic action pro­ vides one of the widest spectrum of disease control available. Effective against Brown Patch, Dollar Spot, Anthracnose and Gray Leaf Spot, Spectro performs with a lower cost per use. All this plus less plant stress than DMI's during the heat of the season. Choose a proven winner with outstanding results that won't break your budget. Spectro-The Clear Choice for fine turf disease control. C leary Chemical Cleary Chemical Corporation/800-524-1662 178 Ridge Road, Dayton, NJ/732-274-0894 fax 3336™ is a trademark of the Cleary Chemical Corporation. Daconil Weather Stik™ is a trademark of a Zeneca Group Company. Now available in a 5 lb bag/20 lb case. ANSWERS TO 1999 MGA RULES OF GOLF QUIZ Comment: Player addressed ball when he took his stance 1. D Rules 1-2; 30-3f; 17-3b; Dec. 1-2/3 Comment: Removal of flagstick prevented B’s ball from striking unattended flagstick. 2. B Rules 19-5 and 18-5; Dec. 19-5/2 Comment: A should have asked C to mark his ball. 3. C Rule 19-1; Dec. 20-1/17 Comment: the tee is not “equipment.” 4. B Rule 18-2b; Dec. 18/2b/2 in bunker. 5. B 6. A Rules 12-2 and 21; Dec. 21/4 Rules 3-3 and 20-7b; Dec. 3-3/3 Comment: Player must announce intention to play a sec­ ond ball before he plays stroke. The score with the original ball will count including a 2-stroke penalty for playing from a wrong place. 7. C Rule 10-1; Dec. 10-lc/l Storr Tractor Company serving the industry Continued from page 20 make our company a viable force in the industry. We con­ stantly strive to improve our organization so that those asso­ ciated will receive only the very best Storr has to offer! It is our commitment to each other and to excellence that allows us to overcome the everyday challenges, as well as take ad­ vantage of the opportunities for all of our tomorrows. They have helped me make my dreams come true, as I hope I have made theirs a reality. “We are the wind beneath each other’s wings!” 3235A Turf System II • 38.5hp Diesel • 5” + 7” dia. Reels • Clip Frequency .060” • Micro-Lap Backlapping • 7+8 Blade Reel • Rotate-For-Service Cutting Units Finch Turf Equipment, Inc. 404 Elm Avenue North Wales, PA 19454 215-661-0390 Central & South Jersey & Pennsylvania When You Run With The Deeres... You Run With The Best! E/T Equipment Co. 425 South Riverside Avenue Croton, NY 10520 914-271-6126 Northern Jersey & New York 1999 Patron Directory ADVANCED AGRO TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Aeration Equipment, DryJect Peter van Drumpt - Chris desGarennes (732)922-4743 ALAN G. CRUSE INC. Golf Course Materials Alan Cruse - Jim Cruse (973) 227-7183 STEPHEN KAY, GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS Golf Course Design, Master Planning Stephen Kay - Doug Smith - Ron Torek (914) 699-4437 AGREVO USA CO. Plant Protectants Shaun M. Barry (732) 846-8173 1 ALPINE THE CARE OF TREES Tree Service Peter J. McFarland (201)445-4949 DAVISSON GOLF, INC. Distributor of Turf Products Jeff Lacour - Tim Davisson - Ken Braun (800)613-6888 DeBUCK'S SOD FARM Sod Leonard DeBuck - Valorie DeBuck (914) 258-4131 KOONZ SPRINKLER SUPPLY INC. Distributors Turf Irrigation William F. Koonz, Jr. (973)379-9314 LEBANON TURF PRODUCTS Fertilizer, Control Products, Seed John Farrell (800) 532-0090 Ext. 331 PAVALEC BROS. GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION CO., INC. Golf Course Construction Anthony Pavelec (201)667-1643 PENNINK ARRIMOUR INC. Golf Course Renovation & Construction Tom Ristau (215) 659-6411; Fax (215) 659-9317 PLANT FOOD CO., INC. Fertilizer Supplier Ted Platz - Anthony Rippel (Rip) (609) 448-0935 RIGGI PAVING INC. Asphalt & Concrete Construction Paved or Stone Pathway Frank S. Riggi,Jr. (201)943-3913 SADLON ENVIRONMENTAL Environmental Consultant Nancy Sadlon, John Sadlon (732) 560-9377 AQUATROLS Specialty Chemical Company Phil O'Brien - Andy Moore - Colleen Tocci (609) 751-0309 DOUBLE EAGLE EQUIPMENT CO., INC. Distributor Jerome Pearlman (908) 329-9292 ATLANTIC MILLS INC. GOLF DIV. Tee to Green Accessories Jack Brady - Abner Garcia - Dianne Hill (800) 583-3465 JAMES BARRETT ASSOCIATES, INC. Irrigation Consulting & Design Jim Barrett (973) 744-8237 • BAYER CORPORATION Chemical Mfg. Jeffrey Weld, (973)208-2418 Bob Hughes (888) 242-2659 BLUE RIDGE PEAT FARMS Topdressing - Construction Mix - Sand - Potting Soil Gene Evans (717)443-9596 BOHM'S SOD FARM Growers of Premium Golf Turf David Bohm (800) 624-1947 THE BRUEDAN CORPORATION Golf Cars Peter Siegel - Mike Gesmundo (800) 535-1500 CENTURY RAIN AID Legacy Golf Phil DeMarco - Jeff Fabiano (800) 642-3706 CHIPCO/RHONE-POULENC Protective Plant Chemicals Greg Hutch (732) 929-4657 • CLASSIC GOLF INC. Golf Course Renovation/Restoration, Laser Grading Charles Cross - Mark Klimm (516) 262-8953 • COUNTRY VIEW, INC. Design, Renovation, Construction & Root Zone Mixes Scott A. Bills - Dave Barie (800) 284-9701; Fax (732) 560-0535 e-mail cvi560@aol.com WA CLEARY CHEMICAL CORP. Turf & Horticulture Chemicals Bryan Bolehala (908) 329-8399 CONCRETE STONE & TILE CORP. Concrete Paver Manufacturer Maryanne Nolan - Kevin Murphy (201)948-7193 • New Patrons for 1999 DuBROW'S NURSERIES INC. Certified Landscape Architects, Wholesale Tree Grower, Ground Management Michael Branch - William Mulvaney (973) 992-0598 EARTH WORKS NATURAL ORGANIC PRODUCTS Organic Fertilizers and Bio-stimulants Joel Simmons (800) 732-TURF EGYPT FARMS INC. Topdressing & Construction Mixes Steve Chirip - Dean Snyder - Mary Thurn (800)899-7645 E/T EQUIPMENT CO. Distributors of Quality Turf Equipment - John Deere Dick Neufeld - Tom Fallarcaro (914) 271-6126; Fax (914) 271-6146 FERTL-SOIL TURF SUPPLY Golf Course Supplies, Chemicals & Topdressings Marty Futyma - Cathy Futyma-Brown (908) 322-6132; Fax (908) 322-6332 FINCH TURF EQUIPMENT, INC. "Turf Equipment Sale" Dennis DeSanctis - Bob Fields - John Westover (215) 661-0390 FISHER & SON CO., INC. Superior Turf and Horticultural Products Alan Phillips - Mike Fisher (609) 478-6704 FLANAGAN'S LANDSCAPE-IRRIGATION CONTRACTOR, INC. Robert J. Flanagan, Sr. - Roger P. Flanagan, Jr. - Christine Flanagan (908) 429-1400 GOLF CARS, INC. Distributor of Golf Cars & Utility Vehicles Jon F. Schneider - John A. Czerwinski - Paul H. Szymanski (215) 340-0880 GO WILD! NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Wildlife Consulting, ACSS Certification Consulting Christopher J. Markham (973) 726-0995 GRASS ROOTS, INC. Golf Course Supplies Ken Kubik - Keith Kubik - Jay McKenna (973) 361-5943 REES JONES, INC. Golf Course Design Rees Jones (201)744-4031 LEON'S SOD FARMS Sod Farm Samuel Leon - Diane Leon Berger - Irene Leon (908) 996-2255 LESCO, INC. Manufacturer & Distributor of Products for the Green Industry Craig Lambert - (973) 663-3368 Brad Simpkins - (609) 758-7620 Greg Moran - Tim Reinagel - (800) 321-5325 LOFTS SEED INC. Grass Seed Co. Kevin Driscoll - Scott Mearkle - MaryBeth Ruh (800) 708-TURF GEO. SCHOFIELD CO., INC. Turf Products Adam Geiger - Wes Perrine - Tom Casmer (732) 356-0858 WILFRED MacDONALD, INC. www.wilfredmacdonald.com Turf Equipment Blair Quin - Chris Hunt - Mike Pelrine (201)804-1000 RALPH McGILLAN EXCAVATING Lakes and Ponds Ralph (609) 655-2281 THE SCOTTS CO./TURF PARTNERS Fertilizers, Turf Protectants, Seed & Growth Regulators Fran Berdine, (914) 361-4105 Steve Rudich, (610) 253-4003 SHEARON ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN Golf Course Design and Construction Chip Kern (609) 466-0666, (215) 828-5488 JOSEPH M. MERCADANTE, INC. Golf Course Construction, Paving, Excavating, Cart Paths,Tee &Trap Construction Joseph Mercadante - Robert Mercadante (973) 467-8622; Fax (973) 467-2225 STORR TRACTOR COMPANY Turf and Irrigation Equipment, Environmen­ tal Products & Services Fred Rapp - Bob Kaufman (908) 722-9830 METRO MILORGANITE, INC. Golf Course Supplies Joe Stahl - Scott Apgar - Gary Rehm (888)217-1039 MITCHELL PRODUCTS Treated Topdressing, TriCure Surfactant, Construction Sands & Mixes Dave Mitchell (609) 327-2005 MONTCO/SURFSIDE (MONTCO PRODUCTS CORP.) Turfgrass Wetting Agents Bob Oechsle, (215) 836-4992 Tom Hunter, (215) 766-0420 Information: (800) 401 -0411 NATIONAL SEED COMPANY Lawn & Specialty Seed Ken Griepentrog - Sky Bergen - Barry Van Sant (800) 828-5856 NOVARTIS TURF & ORNAMENTAL Primo, Banner Maxx, Sentinel, Subdue Maxx, Barricade Mike Oleykowski (609) 267-8041; Fax (609) 267-5011 P&P EXCAVATING INC. Excavating, Ponds & Lakes Bob Laner (201) 227-2030, (201) 227-2819 PARTAC PEAT CORPORATION Top-Dressing & Construction Mixes, Golf Hole Targets, Turf Blankets & More Jim Kelsey (908) 637-4191 WILLIAM STOTHOFF CO., INC. Well Drilling, Pump Sales and Service David C. Stothoff- Bill Snyder (908) 782-2717; Fax (908) 782-4131 STULL EQUIPMENT COMPANY Turf Equipment and Supplies John Barrow - Charlie McGill (800) 724-1024 SWEENEY SEED COMPANY Grass Seed, Fertilizer, Chemicals Andrew Sweeney - Desri Pursell - Charles Baker (610) 239-8770 TEE AND GREEN SOD INC. Sod Supply and Installation Owen Regan - David Wallace (401)789-8177 THE TERRE COMPANY OF N.J. INC. Nursery Stock, Turf & Landscape Supplies Byron Johnson - Bob Schreiner - Pat O'Neill - Mark Lonski (973) 473-3393 TURF PRODUCTS CORPORATION Golf Course Suppliers Buddy Rizzio - Ron Lake - Jim Dempsey (973)263-1234 UNITED HORTICULTURAL SUPPLY Fertilizer, Grass Seed, Chemicals Gerald Fountain - Richard Baker - Keith Lord -Tom Hughes (732) 296-8448 KOONZ Sprinkler Supply, Inc. Irrigation supplier to the Golf Course Superintendent No one knows irrigation like Koonz 800-772-8486 39 Waverly Avenue, P.O. Box 55 Springfield, NJ 07081 RAIn BiRd. GREEN-RELEAF.