The Greenerside November - December 1999 • Volume 22 Number 6 Official Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey Snapshots By Chris Holenstein Superintendent, Mount Tabor C.C. GCSANJ District II Director Each year seems to bring its share of challenges, leav­ ing some of us to wish for a “normal” season. This past season pushed the patience of many superinten­ dents coping with a shortage of qualified labor, water restric­ Watching a trained staff work the course as a team. Getting it done before the holiday weekend. Each year seems to bring its share of challenges, leaving some of us to wish for a “normal” season. Of people: aerification crew. Eating the traditional pizza lunch with the greens- Working with the crew members who always come through when they are needed most. Getting the messages on the answering machine from the ones who don’t. Continued on page 3 In this issue President's Message............................... 2 GCSANJ News......................................... 4 GCSAA News........................................... 14 Rutgers breaks ground for Turfgrass Education Building................................ 15 Frost Delays............................................16 Winterize your lawn............................... 17 Open letter to our wildlife......................... 18 Ten tips....................................................19 Vendor Spotlight.....................................21 A comparative analysis..........................24 tions and record high temperatures, a hurricane’s winds and deluge, and new turf diseases that consumed grass and pesti­ cide budgets alike. Some people of sound mind question why we choose this profession. Golf course superintendents cite the standard answers—working outdoors, managing a living ecosystem, a love of golf and so on. Each of us has our own reasons and takes the good with the bad. One simple truth is that golf course work provides the opportunity to see and experience what some people can only imagine. My wife, Margarida, for example, who commutes to Newark, works worlds apart from Mt. Tabor; wildlife has distinctly different definitions when you compare the two. Each day for me, like many of us, brings sights, sounds and moments that conjure excitement, wonder and appreciation, along with the stress and aggravation, and there is no place other than a golf course where they can be found. The good seems that much better in spite of, or perhaps because of, the bad. As I reviewed my 1999 journal, mental snapshots came to mind of the roller coaster that was this past season. These snapshots are the daily life of any golf course superinten­ dent. As I recalled these moments, I realize that each one, enjoyable or not, routine or not, along with its accompany­ ing emotions and challenges, defines this profession. Those who work on a course can truly understand how each of these affects us. SNAPSHOTS - Of mowing: Mowing greens for the first time and the last time of the Checking the quality of cut day after day after day. The satisfaction of a clean fairway mowed when the grass season. is dry. GCSANJ Newsletter is published six times a year by the Golf Course Superintendents President's Message Association of New Jersey 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 Glenn Miller, Past President Ed Mellor, Treasurer Directors: District 1 John O'Keefe, CGCS Gary Arlio District 2 Kenneth Givens Chris Holenstein District 3 Mark Kriews Bruce Peeples District 4 Gregg Armbruster Brian Minemier Chapter GCSAA Delegate James C. McNally 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. Printed on recycled paper Happy Holidays Well, we made it! Another year has come and is just about over— they do seem to go by faster these days! I could write about the drought and what GCSANJ is trying to do on that front. Tropical storm Floyd would be a good subject. I could comment on the plans for our 75th anniversary. The Annual Party is soon, as well as EXPO, and let’s not forget the national conference and show! I could write about these things. Heck, if you want to read about these subjects, you will have to read the whole issue! By the time you read this, Thanksgiving will be a couple of days away. The leaves will be cleaned up or close to it, so let’s change our thoughts to our families. How about that vacation we have been thinking about? Sleeping in is a great winter activity! How about those projects around the house—if we don’t start them soon the time will run out! Forget about that for today, it is our slow time, so how about spending some time with the family! ENJOY THE WINTER SPEND SOME TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY MAKE THE BEST OF THE HOLIDAYS RELAX AND TAKE SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF I would like to thank the membership for all their support during my first year as president. I would also like to take this space to wish each and everyone A HAPPY THANKSGIVING and hope everyone enjoys HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Including a Y2K compliant HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Snapshots Continued from page 1 operator. best, again and again. Sharing a hot cup of coffee at dawn with the fairway our work. Watching my mechanic, Rudy, work his magic as he does Repeating the tee-mowing instructions for the umpteenth time to yet another new employee. Grass Roots showing up with the delivery before I even Reading the Club newsletter with a positive reference to Facing the Saturday crowd during the first frost delay. Of the work: Cutting cups for the member-guest. Dragging hoses. Staying one step ahead of disease. Saying goodbye to the family as they head for the shore. Fixing the leaky fitting on the main in front of the sec­ hang up the phone. Of wildlife: expects it. sign. Coming face-to-face with a coyote when neither of us Replacing the battery in the Macintosh so the damn thing Having a hawk eyeball me at arms length from atop a tee Finishing the last minute report before the greens com­ ond tee. will work again. mittee meeting. Watching the flock of wild turkeys descend from their hemlock roost into the middle of Saturday morning play. Watching the same flock intently take a greens’ mowing lesson from an astonished employee. Letting the squirrel escape the rope during the morning dragging of the fairways. Occasionally glimpsing the resident 10-pointer. Moving the sunning snake from the footbridge on Making the lists of things to get done. Enjoying sunrise and sunset on the course on the same Taking pictures of a successful flower program. Taking pictures of fall foliage against the green golf day. course. Looking good for another weekend. Enjoy the holiday season and let’s hope for a “normal” summer next year. The family of foxes at dawn. Ladies’ Day. Of drought: another day. Getting the rain shower that keeps the fairways going for Not getting the rain that you expected with “certainty.” Having to set the fairway controllers to “off’ as the grass crunches underfoot. Keeping the carts off the wilting fairways. Praying for a cloudy weekend afternoon. Finally mowing the fairways as they begin to grow again. Of storms: Watching oak trees uproot as Floyd passes through. Watching rivers of runoff wash out the bunkers. Warning the group on the first tee about lightning. Having the sun come back out after an afternoon thun­ derstorm. Deciding to close or not to close. Of the golfers: Watching the finals of the Club Championship from be­ hind the scenes. Meeting the guests during the two-day tournament. Fixing the hallmarks left on the greens. Being told the greens are too fast and too slow by differ­ ent people on the same day. Relinquishing the course to a Monday outing. Seeing yet another flag-cart drive wherever it wants. Calendar November 18 Alliance for Environmental Concerns Annual Meeting: Fiddlers Elbow. Contact Nancy Sadlon at 732-563-9252 November 20 Annual Party: Barclay Hotel, December 6 GCSAA Seminar - Maximizing Belmar, NJ Contact Judy Policastro at GCSANJ at 973- 379-1100 Job Satisfaction: Taj Mahal. Contact GCSAA at 1-800-472- 7878 December 7-9 New Jersey Turfgrass Expo: Contact NJTA at 732-821-7134 December 7 GCSAA Etonic 1/2-Day Seminar - Bringing Out the Best in People You Manage: Taj Mahal. Contact NJTA at 732- 821-7134 December 7 GCSAA Overview of the Professional Development Initiative: Presented by GCSAA. GCSANJ news THE GCSANJ ACCEPTS THE PINE BARRENS INVITATION By Shaun Barr, AgrEvo USA, GCSANJ Commercial Representative In the fall of 1998, Kevin Driscoll suggested that I speak with Dave Giordano at a new course in Jackson, New Jersey. He felt that they would want the honor of hosting one of our monthly meetings. Kevin and I made contact and Dave was very receptive, but the clubhouse would not be ready if we chose April or May for the meeting. After touring the course it became quite evident that this would be a wonderful site for the Invitational, and since that was going to be in Sep­ tember, the clubhouse would be ready. Everybody agreed and we checked with the state PGA for a date. With that secured, everything was in order or so we thought. Dave moved on to Sand Barrens and John La Voie took his place, but John also changed jobs. Jim Strutton replaced John, but I wasn’t wor­ 1999 Invitational 4- Man Team winners are from left:Tony Zappula,Mark Peterson, Lou Katsos and Jack Cox. 1999 Invitational Supt-Pro winners (from left) Mark Peterson and Lou Katsos from Shore Oaks G.C. ried. The course was ready and Jim was happy we were go­ ing to be there. 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 BARTLET Scientific Tree Care Since 1907 T BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS Corporate Office: Stamford, CT • 203-323-1131 www.bartlett.com GUIDED BY THE BARTLETT TREE RESEARCH LABORATORIES AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUNDS, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA By August I became a little concerned about the club­ house. It might not be ready, but that turned out to be the least of my problems. I got a call from the course and there was a scheduling mistake by the course. Another group had our date. From being a little concerned, I went to panic. For­ tunately we were able to secure the course for two days later and that was the last of our major problems. Yes, it did rain on us, but after the summer that we had just come through not one person complained. No, the club­ house was not ready, but the pavilion was just what we needed—dry and bright with enough food and drink to keep us nourished and happy. Steve Chirip, John Hyland and Matt Anasiewicz did not play, but they ran the event beautifully. After all of the cards were turned in it became evident that many teams had played very well. The defending team from Regents Glen was not able to defend but their original team was not here, so maybe that had some bearing on the results. The new champs came from Shore Oaks. This team, comprised of Mark Peterson, Lou Katsos, Tony Zappulla and Jack Cox, shot a beautiful 56 to edge out the team from Knickerbocker. This team was comprised of Sam Juliano, Ed Whitman, Robert Zampieri Continued on page 5 GCSANJ news Continued from page 4 and Bob Pleff, and their 57 was good enough to beat Rolling Green on a match of cards. Completing a sweep of the tournaments, we find Mark Peterson and Lou Katsos capturing low supt.-pro honors with a 62. They tied with John Schoellner and Jim Miller from Metuchen, but lost on the match of cards. Bill King (Spring Lake) and Mike Preston (Echo Lake) both shot 71, but lost low pro honors to Dan Haskell (Medford Lakes) on another match of cards. This one lasted five holes before Dan took the honors. Winning the closest to the pin contests were Pat Campbell (Panther Valley), Bill Clarke (Essex Fells), Angelo Petraglia (Deal) and Clarence Reed (Spring Lake). When the day was over everyone seemed very pleased with the course and the tournament. It was a great day and all of our thanks go out to Jim and his staff and to Rudy and Barbara for their help when things looked bad. THREE GCSANJ SUPERINTENDENTS HOST MAJOR TOURNAMENTS The NFL Senior Classic was held at Upper Montclair C.C. this spring and scores of volunteers rallied to assist Bob Dickison, CGCS. The best compliment that all members of GCSANJ should take from this event is when Bob was told by tournament officials that “the greens are too fast, slow them down!” Good job, Mr. Dickison! Superintendent Rich Lane and Hackensack Golf Club were host to the New Jersey State Golf Association Amateur Championship. Rich had the course in fantastic shape while trying to coordinate the construction of a new maintenance facility. It was a close tournament coming down to the last hole. Congratulations to Hackensack and Rich Lane! Past President of GCSANJ (and drought emergency com­ mittee member) Chris Carson prepared Echo Lake C.C. for Continued on page 6 3235A Turi 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 GCSANJ news Continued from page 5 the New Jersey State Golf Association Championship. Chris and his crew did a great job during the drought! Thanks to Echo Lake C.C. for their support of Chris and the entire crew, as the course played to championship form! DISTRICT REPORTS By Shaun Barry District I Matt Ceplo was asked to host the District I meeting right in the middle of a six-week period where he shut the water off to his fairways. He did this before restrictions were man­ dated. He made a tough decision, and his course still looked beautiful. No, it wasn’t lush and green, but it was wonderful to play. No complaints were heard from the 25 members in attendance. There were smiles everywhere except when the final scores were recorded. Rockland CC played tough. Ian Kunesch led the way with an 81. This score qualified him for the District Team. Other players on the team are Glenn Gallion (84), M. Ceplo (87), Fran Berdine (90), Andy Schuckers (93) and Jim Swiatlowski (94). Dick LaFlamme was Matt’s guest, and he picked up a skin. Joining him were Ian, Ken Duggan, Shaun Barry, Fran and Glenn. All had one skin each. With the knowledge that we were helping a charity, 22 people donated to the long drive contest. Since we were un­ able to run the contest, we chose the winners from past his­ tory. Ian, Matt, Jim (A Flight), Jim Gurzler, D. LaFlamme, Steve Finamore (B Flight), Ken Krausz, George Van Haasteren and Byron Johnson (C Flight) will now compete at the championship. A great day on the course was also followed by a won­ derful meal at a local restaurant. A lot of effort went into this day, and our thanks go out to Matt and his staff. They worked hard for us and it showed. Thanks to all. Continued on page 8 Matt Ceplo, CGCS, receives a plaque for hosting the District I meeting. President Ken Krausz, CGCS, does the honors. 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Your Liquid Fertilizer Experts 38 Hightstown-Cranbury Station Road Cranbury, NJ 08512 • 609-448-0935 800-562-1291 • FAX 609-443-8038 New Jersey Turfgrass Association's EXPO 1999 Trump Taj Mahal Casino/Resort Atlantic City, New Jersey Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday Dec. 7, 8 & 9, 1999 Sponsored by: New Jersey Turfgrass Association In Cooperation With: New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation Rutgers Cooperative Extension, New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station Cook College/Rutgers University and The Center for Turfgrass Science Presents turfgrass education featuring nationally recognized speakers on subjects pertaining to the establishment and maintenance of Golf Courses, Lawns, Parks, Athletic Fields, Cemeteries, etc. Topics of interest to Irrigation Contractors, Landscape Contractors, Landscape Architects and Nurserymen are also included. Pesticide Credits (NJ, PA, NY, DE, CT, MA and MD) for DEPE certification and recertification. New Jersey's largest "Green Industry" Trade Show. For Registration & Information, Call or Write To: (732) 821-7134 or (856) 853-5973 NJTA • P.O. 340 • Milltown, NJ 08850-0340 NJTA • 41 Lupton Ave. • Woodbury, NJ 08096 or GCSANJ news Continued from page 6 District II The day after our meeting at Rockland, District II gath­ ered at Pinch Brook, where Bill Engler had the course all prepared just for us. Well, actually it was only his normal GCSANJ Director Ken Givens presents our flag to Bill Engler from Pinch Brook G.C. for hosting the District II meeting. 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 PRIDE Dryject Available exclusively from Advanced Agro Technologies, Inc., Wayside, NJ 1-800-270-TURF E-mail: turf@epix.net conditions, but it felt like extra work had gone into the day. Only 19 players could get away, but 14 of that number do­ nated to our charity effort by trying for the long drive. Chris Boyle, Shaun Barry and Chuck Perkins led their respective flights with Chuck having the longest drive of the day. B. Engler, Pete Pedrazzi, Sr., Joe Ciccone, John Hyland and Joe Guarino also qualified for the finals at Trenton. J. Ciccone’s 74 led all qualifiers for the District Team. He was joined by P. Pedrazzi (75), C. Boyle (75), B. Engler (76), Ken Indyk (77) and Steve Chirip (79). Closest to the pin honors went to none other than “The Root.” D. LaFlamme, Brian Remo and Steve Chirip had one skin each and M. Ceplo had two for the day. Bill and his staff were great hosts. We had a great time and hopefully we can return soon. District III Ed McSeaman is both the superintendent and the man­ ager at Toms River C.C., and now he can add “Rainman” to his resume. Just scheduling the District III meeting brought enough rain to cancel the day. Having a third of his golf course under water made the decision very easy. A week later 48 people still showed up to play and eat. What a beautiful day on a course that was now out of dormancy. All of the players enjoyed the course, but Vic Gerard, Jr. (73) had the most fun. Joining him on the District Team were John Alexander (78), Angelo Petraglia (78), Jim Woods (79), Bill (Yes, I am the real Bill Murray) Murray (80) and Jay Antonelli (82). John Wantz and Matt Dobbie took closest to the pin honors, while J. Woods hit the longest drive on the course. Winners in each flight of the charity long drive were Mr. Murray, Mr. Dobbie and George Thompson. They were also joined by the two Jims, Kevin Driscoll, Shaun Barry, Clyde Ashton and Blair Quinn. With 32 participants we raised $320 for the Foundation to distribute to our charity. Con­ gratulations to each winner and to each one of you who Continued on page 10 Ed McSeaman hosted the District III meeting. He is presented with a plaque by Bruce Peeples. 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 Improves turf quality with no stunting or growth regulator effect 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. www.zenecaprofprod.com 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 GCSANJ news Continued from page 8 reached into your pocket for the donation. We had enough players for two skins contests. V. Gerard, Jr., J. Alexander and Angelo had one each for the first group, while Chris Zelley, John Fenwick, Matt Anasiewicz and Greg Flynn did the same in the second group. During a fabulous poolside dinner, Glenn Miller con­ ducted a question and answer session on the water restric­ tions. It was very timely and informative with many ques­ tions from the group. You could see how much time Glenn had put into this topic at the state level. The whole day turned out so well that we are trying to book this site again for next year. Attend if you can, it truly is a fine experience. District IV District IV Director Brian Minemier had a great idea for a site to host their meeting. Ask the other director. He did 'Since 1923 MATERIALS FROM THE EARTH'S CRUST Geo. Schofield Co., Inc. P.O. BOX 110, BOUND BROOK, NEW JERSEY 08805 • Bunker Sands • Construction Sands/Blends • Topdressings • SUPRGRO Topsoil • Construction Gravels • Cart Path Materials • Landscape Materials • STABILIZER Blending Customized blends available with our new mobile blending equipment. ★ U.S.G.A. specification products. ★ (732) 356-0858 District IV host and director Gregg Armbruster receives our flag from Brian Minemier. and Gregg Armbruster came through. Not only did he have Medford Lakes CC in superior shape, he took the time to organize the whole day. He had gotten numerous sponsors to help, and he put the teams together and he set up the tourna­ ment. I can see a future golf chairman in the wings. We started with the long drive contest. The “Dean,” aka Bob Prickett, unloaded for the two longest drives, but only one counted. His 275-yard shots edged out Doug Larson (270) and Craig Roncace (264). Other qualifiers were Steve Malikowski, Ed Casteen, Shaun Barry, Lance Seeton and Pat Wall. This dis­ trict raised $220 for our charity. B. Minemier led all scorers with a 73. Jim Waniak (78) and Tom Grimac (79) were declared winners, but unfortu­ nately I overlooked D. Larson’s score of 75. Sorry, Doug. It won’t happen again (this year). In addition to these four play­ ers, Gregg (79) and B. Prickett (80) made the District Team. Low net winners were E. Casteen (68), G. Armbruster (69) and B. Prickett (69). Closest to the pin success was seen from John Betts, Gary Ramsey and D. Larson. The longest drive on the course came from Clyde Evans. T. Grimac and D. Larson had one skin each. Gregg had two skins and Brian also had two, but since one of his was an eagle, we doubled it and his total was three skins. The day concluded with lots of food and laughter and a strong desire to do this again. It was a great day and, Gregg, we really appreciated all of the work you did. Thanks. Recap of the August 18, 1999 GCSANJ Executive Board meeting The meeting was called to order by President Ken Krausz at 1:00 p.m. Pat Campbell and Panther Valley was our host. Two thank you notes were read, one from George Wade, president of the Hudson Valley Superintendents Association, and another from Earl Millett, president of the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association. They thanked Continued on page 12 ALL UTILITY VEHICLES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL With over 30 options, the Toro® Workman® performs dozens of tasks no other utility vehicle can. • Choose from 2- or 4-wheel drive, diesel or gas, liquid or air cooled models. • Customize the Workman cargo area with any number of combinations of attachments to increase your productivity. • Some available attachments include: fertilizer spreader, utility dump box, topdressers, air compressor, pressure washer, power generator, finish grader with scarifier, and many more. • Ride better, haul more, and turn tighter with this turf professional. • Comes with Toro’s industry-leading 2-year warranty. Qualit y Turf Equipment, Irr igation any rs of Tractor r or Comp St Distributo 3191 Highway 22 Somerville, New Jersey 08876 908-722-9830 & Supplies Watch for our “New” Workman 1100 & 2100 this Fall! ©1998 The Toro Company GCSANJ news Continued from page 10 GCSANJ for the round table discussion at Ballyowen. Glenn Miller and Mike Mongon met with Mark Smith and members of the DEP concerning the drought. Jim McNally reported that the Noreaster Hospitality Suite has been booked for February 7,2000, at the Marriott in New Orleans. Bruce Peeples stated that there were 96 responses to the survey and that he is working on compiling the information. Ken Krausz gave a report on the 75th anniversary com­ mittee. The next meeting was set for September 17, to coincide with the groundbreaking of the turf building addition. (That meeting was the day after Hurricane Floyd and was resched­ uled for October 8, 1999.) The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m. Golf Inc. Turn-Key Construction Golf Course Construction Two New Jersey superintendents renew professional certification Kenneth S. VanFleet, CGCS, superintendent at White Oaks Country Club, and Patrick A. Wall, CGCS, superintendent at Cedar Creek Golf Course, have completed the renewal pro­ cess for maintaining their status of Certified Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS) with the Golf Course Superinten­ dents Association of America (GCSAA). Kenneth has been superintendent at the Newfield, New Jersey, course since 1998, and he initially achieved his title of “CGCS” in 1995. Pat has been superintendent in Bayville, New Jersey, since 1985 and initially achieved his title of “CGCS” in 1989. GCSANJ congratulates these superintendents for their commitment to education. NJ Turfgrass Association Expo - December 6, through December 9, 1999 The NJTA Expo always provides us with information and speakers on the latest topics. Vendors are avail-able to show their products AND it is a great place to get away and net­ work with others in the business. Besides the usual, there will be a GCSAA seminar on Monday: Maximizing Job Satisfaction. On Tuesday morning there will be an Etonic Series Seminar: Bringing Out the Best in People You Manage. Tuesday afternoon will bring an over­ view of the GCSAA Professional Development Initiative. Contact the New Jersey Turfgrass Association at 732- 821-7134 if you have not received an information packet. 908-429-1400 TEE AND GREEN CONSTRUCTION DRAINAGE . RETAINING WALLS IRRIGATION . PONDS OTTERBINE INSTALLATION MEMBER OF NJ TURF GRASS ASSOC. & GCSANJ 1999 GCSANJ survey to be updated There were two superintendents that submitted surveys this past year that were not included in this year’s results. They will be published and sent out to all superintendents that participated this year. If you sent in a completed questionnaire and did not get the survey or infor­ mation was not correct or missing, please contact Bruce Peeples and those corrections will be added to the update. 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There are two openings for directors and three candidates are running: Jon Maddern, James Nicol and Timo­ thy O’Neil. The most important part and most time spent was with membership and professional development initiatives. Two- 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 □ Crushed stone and rip rap □ Bentgrass green divot sand □ Green waste compost MITCHELL PRODUCTS Millville, NJ 609.327.2005 fax 609.327-6881 and-one-half years in the planning and a big change in the way of not just paying dues to be a class A or B member. Expect to hear and read about this in coming months. Thanks for the opportunity to be your representative at the annual meeting. GCSAA CONTRIBUTES TO MORE THAN 50 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS As part of its commitment to supporting the community, GCSAA and its staff contributed time and resources at both the corporate and individual levels to benefit more than 50 local organizations in the Lawrence community throughout fiscal year 1999, which concluded June 30. Community programs supported include The American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association of Kansas, the American Red Cross, ECKAN (East Central Kansas Eco­ nomic Opportunity Corp.), Douglas County AIDS Project, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, Lawrence Cham­ ber of Commerce, the Lawrence Business/Education Part­ nership, Cottonwood Inc., Special Olympics, the Sunflower State Games, Toys for Tots and the United Way of Douglas County, among many others. In addition to financial contributions, each GCSAA staff member is allowed and encouraged to use two business hours per month (equal to three business days per year for each of the 115 staff members) for volunteer opportunities. This in­ cludes activities such as spending time with students in local schools, making deliveries to those in need and/or organiz­ ing staff events on behalf of a charitable cause. GCSAA regularly supports charitable activities in the community meeting one or all of the following criteria: pro­ viding support to children of the community, providing for the overall welfare of the community, promoting the game of golf and helping to inform the community about GCSAA. An internal committee consisting of nearly 20 team mem­ bers evaluates all requests for funding and volunteers and leads in the decision-making process. “Just as GCSAA is dedicated to serving its members, it is also dedicated to making a difference in the community,” said Stephen F. Mona, CAE, GCSAA chief executive officer. “We encourage GCSAA members to get involved in their own communities—and further recognize the importance of providing similar opportunities for GCSAA staff. We are proud to be a part of the Lawrence community and continu­ ally strive to be a good corporate citizen.” Rutgers breaks ground for Turfgrass Education Building The day was sunny and breezy. What this beautiful day did not show was the horrible weather the area had been through the past few days due to Hurricane Floyd. Bound Brook was under water. Part of downtown was By Steve Chirip, Egypt Farms, GCSANJ Commercial Representative to see if he can set up another building dedication. Over 80 brave people made the trip. They heard Art Brown, Secretary of Agriculture for N.J., along with the Dean of Cook College and other industry representatives dedicate this great new addition to the Rutgers facility, which many feel is the finest turf program in the country. on fire. Roads were closed. But many people were on their way to Rutgers for the groundbreaking of the new multi-use building. Classrooms, labs, office and storage space make up this newest building at Hort Farm II Ryders Lane. This building is a joint effort by private funds as well as many local associations. Stepping up are GCSANJ, NJTA, Metro­ politan Superintendents Association, N.J. Landscape Asso­ ciation and others. Ralph Geiger, a Suburban C.C. member, started the ball rolling and today is the groundbreaking. It seems whenever Dr. Clarke plans a building dedica­ tion, we get generous amounts of rain. Four inches in one hour before the Reed Funk Building was dedicated, over 12” due to Hurricane Floyd. Next drought give Dr. Clarke a call Groundbreaking for the new Rutgers Turfgrass Education Building. Shown left to right are GCSANJ members Joe Flaherty, CGCS, Gregg Armbruster, Mike Mongon, Brian Minemier; Clyde Ashton, Dave Pease. defibrillators and the companies that employ them from civil liability. At a country club, even if a physician is available, each minute of delay of CPR and defibrillation decreases survival by up to ten percent. After 10 minutes, very few resuscita­ tion attempts are successful. Quick application of a defibril­ lator can mean, quite literally, the difference between the life or death of a club member, guest or employee. The new defibrillators are known as Automatic External Defibrillators (AED). They are light, compact and, after a short training session, can be operated successfully by just about anyone. They are being used by first aid squads, police departments, fire departments, airlines, major corporations, large industrial installations and, now, golf courses. For additional information on this life-saving break­ through, we recommend you call SOS International at 800- 782-3695. SOSI is a full service company providing emer­ gency lifesaving and defibrillation equipment and interna­ tionally accepted training for non-medical workplace first aid responders. Jump start your heart Loss control bulletin Every day nearly 1,000 people in the United States suffer sudden cardiac arrest. More than 95 percent of these people die, in many cases because CPR and a defibrillator are provided too late, if at all. Golf courses are among the top five locations where sudden cardiac arrest occurs. National Heart Association statistics tell us that for every five golf clubs, there will be one heart attack per year. Until a few short years ago, heart defibrillators, because of their high cost and complexity of operation, were only found in hospitals and only accessible to highly trained health professionals. Then, because of the high frequency of car­ diac arrests in airports, shopping centers, golf courses and other public places, two things happened: 1. New, compact, automated heart defibrillators were de­ veloped. These devices, which are kept on premises, can be used quickly by non-medical people who have received ap­ proximately 4 1/2 hours of training. 2. “Good Samaritan” legislation has been enacted in a num­ ber of states, which will protect the trained users of the How can a footprint be a killer? Frost Delays When it’s a footprint made on a putting surface that’s covered with frost. It’s hard to believe that sim­ ply walking across a golf green covered with frost can cause so much damage, but the proof will be there in a few days as the turfgrass dies and leaves a trail of brown footprints. That’s why most courses will delay starting times until the frost has melted. And it’s also why golfers who appreciate a quality putting surface will be patient during frost delays. Why does frost cause problems? Greens are fragile. The putting sur­ face, or green, is an extremely fragile en­ vironment that must be managed carefully and professionally. Remember that every green is a collection of millions of indi­ vidual grass plants, each of which is a deli­ cate living thing. Obviously, Mother Nature never meant for these plants to be maintained at 3/16 or even 1/8 of an inch for prolonged periods. This “stress” makes greens constantly vulnerable to attacks from insects, disease, heat, drought, cold—and frost. Frost is essentially frozen dew. It can form when the tem­ perature (or wind chill) is near or below the freezing point. The ice crystals that form on the outside of the plant can also harden or even freeze the cell structure of the plant. When frosted, the normally resilient plant cells become brittle and are easily crushed. When the cell membranes are damaged, the plant loses its ability to function normally. It’s not much different than cracking an egg. Once the shell is broken, you can’t put it back together. The proof is in the prints Although you won’t see any immediate damage if you walk on frosted turf, the proof will emerge within 42-72 hours as the leaves die and turn brown. And, since just one foursome can leave several hundred footprints on each green, the damage can be very extensive. Thanks for understanding The damage isn’t just un- ghtly—putting quality will also be reduced until repairs are made. Those repairs are expen­ sive and, in some cases, the green may have to be kept out of play for days or weeks until the new turfgrass is established. A short delay while the frost melts can preserve the quality of the greens, prevent needless repairs and may even save you a few strokes the next time you play. For more information, please contact the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049-3859; telephone 785-841-2240; www.gcsaa. org. Editor's Note: Feel free to copy this and post at your club. Create a logo and receive a golf shirt! GCSANJ and the 75th anniversary committee have launched a contest to create a logo celebrating our 75th anniversary. Any person who submits an entry will receive a golf shirt with the new logo. The winning artist will also receive a jacket with the logo and tickets for two to attend and be recognized at the 75th anniversary kickoff gala at Upper Montclair Country Club in the fall of 2000. Look in your mailbox for contest details and other 75th anniversary happenings. stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.” “What nonsense! At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away? form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and pro­ tect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It’s a natural circle of life.” “You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles, bag them and pay to have someone haul them away.” “No! What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and keep the soil moist and loose?” “After throwing away your leaves, they go out and buy something they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.” “And where do they get this mulch?” “They cut down trees and grind them up.” “Enough! I don’t want to think about this anymore. Saint Catherine, you’re in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for tonight?” “ ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ Lord. It’s a real stupid movie about.." “Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story.” Winterize your lawn Editor’s Note: This was sent to me over the Internet; I don't know where it originated. “Winterize your lawn,” the big sign outside the garden store commanded. I’ve fed it, watered it, mowed, raked it and watched a lot of it die anyway. Now I’m supposed to winterize it? I hope it’s too late. Grass lawns have to be the stupidest thing we’ve come up with outside of thong swim­ suits! We constantly battle dandelions, Queen Anne’s lace, thistle, violets, chicory and clover that thrive naturally, so we can grow grass that must be nursed through an annual four-step chemical dependency. Imagine the conversation the Creator might have with St. Francis about this: “Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in the Midwest? What hap­ pened to the dandelions, violets, thistles and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multi­ ply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracted butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.” “It’s the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburban­ ites. They started calling your flowers ‘weeds’ and went to great extent to kill them and replace them with grass.” “Grass? But it’s so boring. It’s not colorful. It doesn’t attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It’s temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburban­ ites really want all that grass growing there?” “Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.” “The spring rains and cool weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.” “Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it—sometimes twice a week.” “They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?” “Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.” “They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?” “No, sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.” “Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?” “Yes, sir.” “These Surburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.” “You aren’t going to believe this, Lord. When the grass Dear Wildlife, Open letter to our wildlife When are you going to wake up and take notice? We are members of the USGA, NJSGA and the METGA, not the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. Our acreage is a golfing sanc­ tuary and, therefore, subject to a high standard of etiquette. Mr. Fox - You have beautiful fur and a wonderful little family, but we are not hiding anything under our newly changed hole plugs. Stop digging them up! And either rake the sand traps after you play in them or stay out! Mrs. Deer - Your family is al­ ways a welcome sight strolling down the fairway even if you are a high risk agent of disease. Do I have to remind you that if the greens are closed to the members they are closed to you too? I was quite dis­ turbed to find my #5 green, which had been submerged un­ der water for 2 1/2 days, punctured with your pre­ cious little Bambi’s hoof prints. Doesn’t your hus­ band give a crap? Big Blue - The Great Blue Heron Scien­ tific Research Society has recently released their three-year study titled “Aerial Heron Guano Droppings and Their Ef­ fect on Golf Greens.” Read it! Uncle Redtail - We enjoy watching you soar effort­ lessly. You are polite and sit still when our golfers putt. We also envy your hunting skills, but when are you going to realize that women golfers love baby bunnies and don’t like to find fur and guts spewed about the fairways? Be more considerate! Snappy - The sight of your menacing looking head peer­ ing out of the muck still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Although we don’t discriminate against ugli­ ness at our club, we do discriminate against turtles that rip up cart paths, bunkers and tees just to deposit a few eggs. Knock it off or I’ll send you on a vacation to Pine Valley. Joe Crow - Please be advised that we have cut our pes­ ticide usage in an effort to be better stewards of our land, not to provide bigger, juicier grubs for your benefit. Respect our turf or does Diazinon on corncob ring a bell? The last time one of your peers didn’t heed our warning we introduced them to a Border Collie named Rocky. She has since brought law and order to our course with minimal bloodshed. As a sign of good faith, we have rewarded the songbirds with wildflower patches, built aquatic habitat for frogs to prosper and seeded native grasses for rabbits to dine on. It is now time for you to do the same. This is a golf course not some shot and a beer joint for you to carry on as you please. If you feel that we have singled you out unjustly, please be advised that separate letters have been sent to The Golfer and The Teenage Vandal. I hope this letter finds you in good health and I remain Yours in turf Doug Vogel Packanack GC 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 Ten tips Editor's Note: Since “Conference Season” is here, I thought the following article from the American Society of Associa­ tion Executives may help you to get the most value for your time: 10 TIPS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR ASSOCIATION'S SEMINARS Take advantage of the wonderful networking and pro­ fessional development opportunities awaiting you at asso­ ciation educational workshops and seminars. Here are ten ways you can maximize your involvement in association edu­ cational seminars: 1. Arrive early. This gives you the information and control to make the seminar work for you. Find a comfort­ able seat. Arriving early gets you “in the mood” for learning and avoids the stress of rushing in. 2. Remove yourself from office pressures. Nothing’s worse than taking the office with you everywhere you go. Let the office function without you for one day. If possible, ask your assistant or co-workers to leave messages or make an appointment at a set time to check in. Perhaps you can call in during your lunch break. 3. Bring business cards. Attending association edu­ cational seminars gives you the edge, both intellectually and professionally. It’s a great place for networking and you’ll want to have business cards ready for those people with whom you’d like to keep in touch. 4. Introduce yourself to at least three people sitting near you. You obviously have something in common with them: they are probably fellow association members, they want to learn, and they chose a seat in the same vicinity you did! Break the ice and say, “hello.” 5. Take notes. It helps your comprehension to make a few notes, even on the workbook or handouts. Write down questions as they pop up, so you’ll remember to ask them later. Joseph M. Mercadante, Inc. 973-467-8622 GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION Millburn, NJ PAVING • EXCAVATING DRAINAGE SYSTEMS TEE BUILDING • GRADING 6. Participate in the discussion. You’ll remember more of the material if you participate in the discussion. If you have a suggestion that works or had a similar problem and solved it, please share that information so others can learn from your experience. 7. If you have a question or need further clarifica­ tion, just ask! Chances are if you have questions or some­ thing isn’t clear, you’re not the only one puzzled. This is your opportunity to get your questions answered. 8. Keep an “action items” list. Throughout the semi­ nar jot down ideas you can implement immediately when you return to the office. Share the ideas you’ve gleaned and notes with your boss and co-workers. Think about what you’ll do next to reinforce what you’ve learned. 9. Have lunch with someone you don’t know. Take an opportunity to flesh out ideas with someone you meet at the seminar. 10. What’s next? Find out if your association provides additional resources on the same subject. Are books or tapes available for you to take home? Determine additional sub­ jects to explore that will enhance your professional career. WATERTRONICS 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. brochure and find out how efficient and Watertronics Systems are proven performers. Call today for a free 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 By James K. Woods Retirement: Know your choices If you’re in the first wave of America’s largest genera­ tion, baby boomers, you’ll be entering into retirement sometime in the early next century. That may seem a long way off, however, in actuality it may only be conservative asset allocation model that includes fixed-in­ terest and income-producing investments may be more ap­ propriate for retired investors. For many people, these objec­ tives can be met by creating a portfolio of various types of a few years away. With this in mind, you may benefit from a review of some of the retire­ ment planning choices you will face. Pension Pay-Out Options - if you have a company pension plan, you will need to decide how you want to receive your pension pro­ ceeds when you retire. Generally, you’ll be given a choice between receiving income for the rest of your life (single life option), receiving an income for the life of you and your spouse (joint and survivorship op­ tion) or receiving a lump sum dis­ tribution. Each option has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, a single life option will pay a higher income than a joint and survi­ vorship option. However, if you take the single payout op­ tion, income will cease at your death whereas if you take the joint and survivorship option, payments continue for the life of both you and your spouse. With both of these payout op­ tions, you give up your pension balance in exchange for in­ come. In other words, you cannot stop receiving income and withdraw your remaining pension balance. If you want full control over your pension assets during retirement, or are concerned that your pension income may not keep pace with the cost of living or support your intended lifestyle, you might consider taking a lump sum distribution. You’ll receive the pension proceeds net of income taxes, and then you can manage your retirement portfolio. In this re­ spect, you’ll find yourself in the same situation as those indi­ viduals who are participants in employer-sponsored plans. Qualified Plan Proceeds - If you’re a participant in an employer-sponsored retirement plan (i.e. 401(k)), you’ll be required to actively manage your retirement assets. You’ll need to make prudent investment decisions consistent with your goals and tolerance for risk. Keep in mind the investment principles that will help you attain a satisfactory retirement. A well-diversified port­ folio is still essential, as is allocating your assets among vari­ ous types and classes of investments to spread risk. A more mutual funds. Note, however, that diversification and/or as­ set allocation cannot eliminate the risk of investment losses. Before You Pass “Go” - As you can see, you’ll need to make a number of decisions as you approach the homestretch to retirement. However, here’s one important point to keep in mind—if you were forced to retire today, would your re­ sources be adequate to provide a comfortable retirement? What if you suffered an untimely death? Would your current retirement assets be enough to support your spouse and fam­ ily? For these and many other reasons, life insurance should be an ongoing part of your financial program. As you clarify your retirement goals and objectives, it’s prudent to regularly review your plans with your financial professional. This article is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any indi­ vidual. You should consult with your advisor, attorney or accountant with regard to your individual situation. James Woods is a Registered Representative with New En­ gland Securities Vendor Spotlight The Terre Company of New Jersey The Terre Company is closely associated with the earth. The word Terre is derived from the French meaning Earth. In 1925, The Terre Company of New Jersey was established in Rochelle Park as a farm fertilizer blend­ ing company. At that time, truck farms covered the landscape of Northeastern New Jersey and gave the state its name, “The Garden State.” After World War II the truck farms gave way to subur­ ban sprawl and The Terre Company shifted its emphasis to becoming an independent, wholesale source to the profes­ sional turf and ornamental trade. They began to distribute everything from A to Z in horticultural materials. Their broad customer base, consisting of garden centers, florists, golf courses, municipalities, boards of education, athletic organi­ zations and landscape contractors, enjoy the ability to ac­ quire all their supplies, including custom blends of grass seed, professional fertilizers, pesticides, nursery stock, and even landscape construction and mulching materials from one source. It can be said that The Terre Co. can provide you with everything that grows under the sun, or shade. The Terre Company, now going on over 75 years of qual­ ity service to the landscape trade, employs over 20 people The Terre Company, now going on over 75 years of quality service to the landscape trade, employs over 20 people experienced in horticulture. experienced in horticulture. The depth of their experience in the turf and ornamental field is enormous, mainly due to the fact that 15 of their staff members have been employed with them between 10-25 years. It is this experience that enhances Terre’s ability to act quickly and efficiently in servicing their customers. The Terre Company’s present location in Clifton, New Continued on page 22 Hardgoods - 973-473-3393 Nursery - 973-473-2749 Fax - 973-473-4402 SINCE 1925 TURF SUPPLIES THE PRO’S CHOICE Grass Seed Fertilizers Insecticides Nursery Stock Fungicides Herbicides Mulches Tools Stone Soil Ties To Keep Your Turf Free from Disease & Insects TERRE Co has the Turf& Ornamental products that perform 206 Delawanna Ave Clifton NJ 07014 Vendor Spotlight Continued from page 21 Jersey, was established in 1979 and has grown to a 22,000- sq. ft. warehouse and seed blending facility. In 1988 they expanded into the nursery and ornamental business, both re­ wholesaling out of a 3-acre yard as well as representing over 20 growers for direct shipment to customer yards or job sites. Terre’s latest endeavor has been to supply a full line of Christ­ mas items to garden centers and florists. These items include Christmas trees, wreaths, roping, handmade specialty items and much more. The Terre Company has survived many industry changes over the past 75 years—mostly due to loyal friends, custom­ ers and suppliers. Although the future is always uncertain, one certainty is that The Terre Company is going to continue to strive to improve on what they have always done best, servicing their customers. To the people at Terre, this indus­ try is more than just business, it’s a way of life. Being close to the earth makes it a challenging, but friendly business. In The States New York - S. 2543, passed by the Senate in June, and A. 1461, passed by the Assembly in February, have so far re­ mained separate entities. Both bills are “right-to-know” bills to require 48-hour universal pre-notification of pesticide ap­ plications. No further action is expected on these bills, even though environmental activists have called for a conference com­ mittee to negotiate differences and resolve the bills. The leg­ islature has finished regular session business and is focused on adopting a state budget—now more than 100 days past the deadline. The bills will likely remain this way until next session, which coincides with an election year. RISE reports that, should this occur, our industry can anticipate that right-to- know will become an election year issue for downstate legis­ lators. Superintendents will need to be ready and willing for considerable grassroots activity. 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: (856)299-0274 Sales - Chip Presendofer Toll Free: 888-442-2322 New York - Governor Pataki has vetoed legislation that would have given local governments the authority to regu­ late pest control and ban the use of federal- and state-regis­ tered pesticides. RISE lobbyists were instrumental in lead- The bills will likely remain this way until next session, which coincides with an election year. ing the successful grassroots effort to get the bill vetoed. The law would have been devastating to golf courses in New York and would have set a precedent due to the power granted to local governments. Originally designed to stop the use of pesticides for pi­ geon control, the bill was passed by the legislature due to pressure from environmental activists. As it moved through the legislature, the bill language was broadened to allow lo­ cal governments to regulate pest control practices—not just for government-owned facilities but privately owned prop­ erty as well. This one was too close for comfort and is a reminder for the golf course management industry that more superinten­ dents must get personally involved in local and state level grassroots efforts to protect our industry from legislation that threatens the availability of pesticides. DROUGHT INFORMATION PACKET Any GCSAA member whose golf course suffered from the recent drought can call the GCSAA service center at 800- 472-7878 to receive a free drought information packet. Maximizing Job Satisfaction to be held at Turfgrass Expo Maximizing Job Satisfaction will be held in conjunction with the New Jersey Turfgrass Expo ’99, December 7-9, 1999. Are you comfortable in your present position? Are you suf­ fering from burnout? This seminar will help you evaluate and work through the gaps in your level of job satisfaction. Topics include working systematically to be content and productive, and identifying job traits that provide you with the greatest and least amount of satisfaction. The seminar will be held Monday, December 6, 1999, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Trump Taj Mahal Resort and Casino in At­ lantic City, New Jersey. The member fee is $120; non-mem­ bers - $180; 0.7 CEUs will be offered. The instructor will be Gerry Sweda, a former corporate training manager for O.M. Scott Sons and a former golf course superintendent. He is an independent trainer who specializes in improving the effectiveness of businesses and individu­ als. Maximizing Job Satisfaction is brought to you by GCSANJ. For more information or to register, contact the GCSAA Service Center at 800-472-7878. Playing golf in the GCSAA Golf Championship? All members of GCSANJ playing in the Golf Cham­ pionship will represent GCSANJ in the Chapter Team Competition. The $5 per person entry fee will be paid by GCSANJ. This year we will also be providing Jim McNally, our GCSAA Chapter Delegate, to let him know of your shirt size and if you plan on playing in a team al­ ready. If you are not a member of a chapter team, Jim will assign you to one. GCSANJ Team Golf Shirts for each player. Please contact Good luck to each player and team! A Successful Season... Starts with Century Golf Course Services An inviting, well-maintained course means challenging play...and a profitable season. As a golf superintendent, you can achieve this success with Century Golf Course Services. Century's team of professionals can help you solve irrigation or drainage problems and show you what's new in clubhouse lighting, water features and more. Call today for a free catalog and on-site consultation: 800-347-4272. Century offers the complete line of Legacy Golf rotors and valves, Genesis central satellite and Viking decoder control systems. LEGACY bv Hunter Efficient and economical, SyncroFlo VFD pumping stations are the solution to many golf course irrigation problems. SyncroFlo, Inc. Call the Century National Service Center for repairs or upgrades on Toro and Rain Bird golf controller boards. Toll free 888-855-9132 BoardTronics Inc. CENTURY GOLF PROFESSIONALS NJ/PA/LONG ISLAND NY > PHIL DEMARCO > JEFF FABIANO 800-642-3706 • Sprinklers • Valves • Controllers • Pump Stations • Controller Board Repairs • Fountains Century Rain Aid 800-347-4272 • www.rainaid.com A comparative analysis NOTE: What does it take to present a golf course that meets the expectations and challenges of the world's top golf­ ers? The Pinehurst Resort golf course maintenance staff docu­ mented the labor expense necessary for such preparations. In labor costs alone, the price tag was nearly $1 million more than “normal” if the facility was to be maintained year round in a like manner. This does not include the added expense for equipment and machinery to facilitate such activities. The following analysis for Pinehurst No. 2, site of the 1999 U.S. Open Golf Championship, was provided by Pinehurst Resort Director of Golf Course Maintenance Brad Kocher, CGCS, with input from Assistant Director Bob Farren, CGCS, and Pinehurst No. 2 CGCS Paul Jett. Each year after attending the U.S. Open (or viewing it on television), the other “majors” or professional tour events, golfers inevitably inquire, “Why can’t our golf course look perfect like those?” Well, it can. All it takes is a huge staff, a large invest­ ment in machinery and a great deal more money. PARTAC GOLF COURSE TOP-DRESSING AMERICA'S PREMIUM TOP-DRESSING HEAT TREATED AVAILABLE IN BULK OR BAGS PLUS GREEN & TEE CONSTRUCTION MIXES, WHITE TRAP SANDS, CART PATH & DIVOT REPAIR MIXES AND MUCH MORE! DISTRIBUTED IN NJ. BY: FARM & GOLF COURSE SUPPLY 215/483-5000 GRASS ROOTS TURF PRODUCTS 973/361-5943 FISHER & SON COMPANY 610/644-3300 TURF PRODUCTS CORPORATION 973/263- 1234 KELSEY PARK, GREAT MEADOWS, NEW JERSEY 07838 PARTAC PEAT CORPORATION 908-637-4191 The Pinehurst Resort golf course maintenance depart­ ment sought to put in perspective the costs involved in prepa­ ration for the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. Included were the labor costs as well as the amount of labor hours for the week of the championship. The data was then extrapo­ lated for the entire year assuming the same “U.S. Open” main­ tenance levels. In terms of extra labor in the two years (1997-1998) pre­ ceding the U.S. Open,, Pinehurst incurred approximately $100,000 in additional expenses for such activities as hand mowing around greens, leveling sprinkler heads, additional bunker maintenance, cleaning of wooded areas, golf cart path maintenance/preparation, as well as additional work on greens such as topdressing and ballmark repair. These costs do not reflect capital investment for irrigation additions, greens con­ struction, tee additions, tee leveling or bunker renovation, which needed to be done regardless of the championship. The most dramatic numbers involve the labor hours worked during the week of the event compared with what would be a typical mid-June expense. In a normal June pe­ riod, Pinehurst staff would work 580 regular hours and 80 hours of overtime in a seven-day week. A combination of 16 to 18 full- or part-time employees would comprise the staff at this time of year. For the U.S. Open, Pinehurst No. 2 had 28 regular employees and approximately 50 volunteers work­ ing 3,120 regular hours (78 total employees x 40 hour work week) and two hours overtime (78 total employees x 2 hours) for a total of 156 overtime hours. Obviously, the volunteers were crucial to the cause. These hours translate into the following: Normal June Week (hours worked) Full/Part-time hours: 580 regular + 80 overtime 16-18 employees: 580 regular hours + 80 overtime (at 1.5 time pay) = 700 hours of expense U.S. Open Week (hours worked) Full/Part-time + Volunteers: 4,120 regular +156 over­ time 78 employees: 3,120 regular hours + 156 overtime (at 1.5 times pay) = 3,354 hours of expense The above computation indicates the labor necessary for U.S. Open week and equates to approximately 4.8 times the normal labor hours over a one-week period. In terms of Pinehurst’s hourly annual payroll for Pinehurst No. 2, this intensity of maintenance would result in an annualized in­ crease of $950,000 in labor. With a normal budget of ap­ proximately $750,000 on No. 2, this increase in labor would result in an annual expense of approximately $1.7 million. Granted, not every U.S. Open venue has been the benefi- Continued on page 25 A comparative analysis Continued from page 24 ciary of so many volunteers giving their time and energy to prepare the course to this intensity. It is a luxury to have 78 workers, and Pinehurst is an appreciative benefactor. If the number were only 50 staff, which might be more “normal” for an Open, the net result over a year would be an annual­ ized expense of three times the normal labor hours. This would result in an annualized increase of approximately $500,000 in labor and an annualized budget of $1.25 million. Below are some of the tasks performed and the hours associated with normal maintenance levels as well as U.S. Open levels . The goal of course preparation for professional events is to have the golf course—the field of play—set up to test the skills of the participants. Consistent, daily preparation of the golf course from height of fairway cut, green speed, repaired divots and hand raked bunkers ensures that each player en­ counters the same conditions as their competitors each day of the event. Those same conditions can be attained at one’s home course, but it comes at a steep price. U.S. Open Course Preparation Greens (mowing) Setup Fairways (mowing) Tees/Short cut (mowing) Rough (mowing) Intermediate rough (mowing) Bunker raking Divot repair Stimpmeter reading Backpack blowers (pine needles off bunkers/turf) Clipping removal (Poling) Rake sand cart paths Rake natural sand areas Collect fairway clipping Normal Day (staff x hours) 2 x 2.5 hours = 1 x 4 hours = 2 x 2.5 hours = 3x4 hours = 2x12 hours = 1 x 3 hours - 2x3 hours = 12.50 4.00 5.00 12.00 24.00 3.00 6.00 1 x .25 = 0.25 1 x 8 hours = 1 x 4 hours = 8.00 4.00 Normal Week 87.50 x7 = 28.00 x 7 = x4 = 20.00 x 5 = 60.00 x 2 = 48.00 x 3 = 9.00 x 7 = 42.00 30.00 0.25 2.00 7.00 8.00 4.00 N/A US Open Day (staff x hours) 8 x 1.5 hours twice/daily = 24.00 2x4 hours = 8.00 5 x 1.5 hours twice/daily = 15.00 10 x 2.5 hours = 25.00 24.00 4x6 hours = 3.00 1x3= 10x4 hours = 40.00 4x6 hours = 24.00 US Open Week 168.00 x7 = 56.00 x 7 = 105.00 x10= x7 = 175.00 168.00 x7= 21.00 x7 = 280.00 x 7 = 169.00 168.00 x7 = 3x3 hours = 5x3 hours = 1 x 6 hours = 9.00 15.00 6.00 x 7 = x7= x 7 = 168.00 252.00 63.00 105.00 42.00 RALPH McGILLIAN Excavating Contractor Specializing in Lakes & Ponds Over 35 years experience in building new ponds, enlarging & redesigning existing ponds. Can get all DEP permits 609-655-2281 174 Plainsboro Road, Cranbury, NJ Sterilized Top Dressing 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 The Alliance for Environmental Concerns annual meeting set for November 18 Pesticide-free golf courses? That will be one of the top­ ics discussed as the AEC has scheduled Kevin Hutchings to speak at its annual meeting, November 18, 1999. He is the golf course superintendent at Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco. Kevin is dealing with strict pesticide regulations from both the city of San Francisco and the National Park Service. He will speak of the whole story, not just the parts re­ ported on by the press. The lead environmental consultant working with Presidio will also be there to share the real truth, both successes and problems. There will also be a “DEP Update,” a seminar entitled “The Realities of IPM, Past, Present and Future.” The topic “Balance of Risks - Synthetic vs. Natural Chemicals” will be presented as well as a panel discussion with Fred Langley from RISE, Jane Nogaki of fhe NJ Environmental Federa- tion, Dr. Darrell Sumner from the Bow­ man Gray School of Medicine, and others. The meeting will be held at Fiddler’s El­ bow Country Club in Bedminster Township, NJ. As usual, a silent auction will take place. To register, please call Nancy Sadlon at 732- 563-9252. Shearon Golf a division of Shearon Environmental Design Company, Inc. SHEARON Construction / Maintenance Restorations / Renovations Design Certified Irrigation lnstallers Drainage Experts Custom Spray Applicators Arboriculture 337 Route 31, Hopewell, NJ 08525 . 609-466-0666 RIGGI PAVING, INC. Asphalt and Concrete Construction Paved or Stone Pathways Fully Insured CALL 201-943-3913 1999 Patron Directory ADVANCED AGRO TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Aeration Equipment, DryJect Peter van Drumpt - Chris desGarennes (732) 922-4743 DOUBLE EAGLE EQUIPMENT CO., INC. Distributor Jerome Pearlman (908) 329-9292 LEON'S SOD FARMS Sod Farm Samuel Leon - Diane Leon Berger - Irene Leon (908) 996-2255 PLANT FOOD CO., INC. Fertilizer Supplier Ted Platz - Anthony Rippel (Rip) (609) 448-0935 AGREVO USA CO. Plant Protectants Shaun M. Barry (732) 846-8173 ALPINE THE CARE OF TREES Tree Service Peter J. McFarland (201)445-4949 AQUATROLS CORPORATION Surfactant Specialty Chemical Company Phil O'Brien (800) 257-7797 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 ALAN G. CRUSE INC. Golf Course Materials Alan Cruse-Jim Cruse (973)227-7183 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 Dave Geyer, 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 STEPHEN KAY, GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS Golf Course Design, Master Planning Stephen Kay - Doug Smith - Ron Torek (914) 699-4437 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 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 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 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 METRO MILORGANITE, INC. Golf Course Supplies Scott Apgar (914) 282-0049 Sean Moran (203) 263-7351 Tim Joyce (516) 425-0018 Office (203) 748-GOLF (4653) • 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 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 GEO. SCHOFIELD CO., INC. Turf Products Adam Geiger - Wes Perrine - Tom Casmer (732) 356-0858 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 STORR TRACTOR COMPANY Turf and Irrigation Equipment, Environmen­ tal Products & Services Fred Rapp - Bob Kaufman (908) 722-9830 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 NATIONAL SEED COMPANY Lawn & Specialty Seed Ken Griepentrog - Sky Bergen - Barry Van Sant (800) 828-5856 TEE AND GREEN SOD INC. Sod Supply and Installation Owen Regan - David Wallace (401)789-8177 NOVARTIS TURF & ORNAMENTAL Primo, Banner Maxx, Subdue Maxx, Barricade John Fowler - Mike Oleykowski (610) 998-2896; Fax (610) 998-2897 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 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 THE TERRE COMPANY OF NJ. 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 Rich Bernard (609)414-9185 • New Patrons for 1999 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.