THEGREENERSIDE September - October 2004 • Volume 28 Number 5 Official Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey THE METEDECONK NATIONAL GOLF CLUB Home of the Robert Trent Jones Invitational GCSANJ Newsletter is published six times a year by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey Doug Vogel, Editor Newsletter Business Staff Doug Vogel 973-696-6495 • FAX 973-696-8086 Greg NicoII, CGCS 973-762-0914 • FAX 973-762-0612 Contributing Writer Shaun Barry Please address inquiries to: Editor, The Greenerside 49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, NY 10523 For Ad Placement: Ineke Pierpoint 1-866-GCSANJ1 Art, Typography and Printing by AlphaGraphics, Wayne, NJ 973-692-9090 • FAX 973-692-9032 Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey 49 Knollwood Road Elmsford, New York 10523 1-866-GCSANJ1 • FAX 914-347-3437 Officers: John O’Keefe, CGCS, President Bruce Peeples, CGCS, Vice President James C. McNally, Treasurer Roger Stewart, CGCS, Secretary Ed Mellor, Past President Directors: District 1 Gary Arlio Paul Dotti District 2 Gregory Nicoll, CGCS District 3 Mickey Stachowski Bill Murray District 4 Gregg Armbruster Chris Boyle, CGCS Brian Minemier GCSAA Chapter Delegate James C. McNally Executive Secretary Ineke Pierpoint Commercial Representatives Shaun Barry & Tim Kerwin © 2004 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. From the editor's desk Those of you conversant in advanced German already know my secret. For the rest of you in the dark may you now see the light. The literal translation of Vogel from German is bird. It certainly doesn’t make me a bad guy but I had a dream and the vision was quite clear. It’s time. “It’s time” the English scholar Eric Idle once said “for something completely different.” We are taking this newsletter devoted to golf course management and fulfilling the vision - writing about birds. Indigenous birds and outrageous birds. Birds of prey and birds of play. Identifying them, saving them, watching them slide by the cup. Yes siree Bob nothing but birds. Besides, if we translated Krausz from German we’d be writing about curly things. And who wants that? Ich hat einen Vogel (I have bats in the belfry) The editor and Gary Arlio's thumb pose for a traditional photo­ op. Neither would score well on the worlds #1 rated golf course but they both had a great time. On the cover: The beautiful Metedeconk National Golf Club pays tribute to its de­ signer Robert Trent Jones Sr. by running an annual tournament in his name and generously donates the proceeds to turf research through the GCSAA and GCSANJ Foundations. Host superintendent Tim Christ and staff provide the fantastic conditions. Photos courtesy of the Metedeconk National Golf Club. www.gcsanj.org President's Message John O 'Keefe, CGCS, Preakness Hills CC We all have something special in our wallet. We probably don’t think of it often but it can be a very powerful tool. It can open doors for us, bring us notoriety, make us part of a family, make us smarter, give us solace, support and even provide us with some friend­ ship and fun. Do you know what it is yet? At the Metedeconk National Golf Club the other day, I was approached by a gentleman. His name was Ed Batta and he is the Past President of the New Jersey State Golf Association. After confirming who I was, Mr. Batta said that he had my signature in his wallet. I being just a bit confused, and frankly also a bit scared, responded “what’s that?” He then opened up his wallet and pulled out a 1996 Met GCSA Membership Card. The card indeed had my signature on it as I was President of the Met at that time. I have a lot of junk in my wallet, most of which I have no use for, but this gentleman had very little in his wallet and the card seemed to be very well taken care of. I was impressed by the fact that he so treasured his association with golf course super­ intendents. He kept this card for over 8 years in his wallet and he wanted to let me know how much it meant to him. When someone becomes affiliated with different organiza­ tions, other organizations offer complimentary memberships. I feel that I have been and probably most people have been guilty of taking these memberships for granted. Mr. Batta certainly didn’t feel this way. He still feels honored having once being a part of our professional family. That thing in your wallet can open the doors to a new job or experience. It can bring us notoriety among our peers in the profession and can add to our resume. It can give us a feeling of family, support, solace and friendship when times are good and more importantly when times are bad. It can certainly make us smarter. The education experiences at the Conference at Crystal Springs, November 3-5 alone are worth a year of membership. Educational opportunities abound. Let’s all take our cue from Mr. Batta. Not only to value our GCSANJ membership but use it and let it be known that we use it. Be proud of us. Finally, an effective, long lasting, soil penetrant that is safe and non phytotoxic Dura-Wet by Naiad Contact your Terre Co. sales rep for early order details Safe Effective Economical Convenient Does not require immediate watering in, Tank mix with other spray programs. TERRE The TERRE Co. (973) 473-3393 206 Delawanna Ave., Clifton, NJ 07014 What’s Inside From the editor's desk...........................................2 President's Message .............................................3 Helping wild birds..................................................4 Calendar.................................................................. 5 Are you certifiable?............................................... 5 GCSANJ news.........................................................8 Helping wild birds (Editors Note: The following text is excerpted from the bro­ chure “What you can do to help an injured or orphaned wild bird” published by the Raptor Trust a private, non­ profit, tax exempt corporation dedicated to the preservation and well being of birds of prey. Founded by Dr. Len Soucy and located in Millington, New Jersey, the Raptor Trust is licensed by the State of New Jersey and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to rehabilitate injured and orphaned wild birds of all species.) Birds, vast numbers of them, share this world with human beings. They live virtually everywhere on earth. No one really knows how many birds there are, but the best scientific “guesstimate” is about 100 billion - some 8,700 different spe­ cies. Probably over five billion live in the United States alone. We all see birds every day and surely we’ve become more familiar with them than all other kinds of wild creatures. Because so many birds live in close proximity to humans, every year great numbers of injured and possibly orphaned individuals are encountered by people. Most humane people who come upon a bird in distress want to help, indeed will help. The problem is that very often people simply don’t know how to help. Just determining if a bird should be helped can sometimes be difficult. We hope the information offered here will help you determine what to do, how to do it safely, and guide you in doing what’s best for the bird. Wild Birds and the Law All wild birds, with the exception of exotics (birds, usually non-native species, legally sold as pets), are protected by state and federal law. It is illegal to harm them in any way. (Game birds may be taken according to state hunting laws.) It is also illegal to keep wild birds as pets or to sell them, or their parts, including feathers. Furthermore, the law states that they cannot be held in captivity without authorization from both state and federal wildlife agencies. Obviously, the laws were enacted to protect wild birds from being killed, harmed or exploited in any way. They were never intended to preclude or discourage the public from helping a bird in need. 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Equipment & Irrigation, Parts, Sales, Service you can count on. Are you certifiable? By Paul Dotti How many courses are members of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program? Hopefully most of you answered yes to this question. How many of these courses are Certified Audubon Sanctuaries? This is where it gets a little troublesome. In the State of New Jersey, there are only 17 Certified Sanctuaries out of 62 registered members. Many people I talk to say that I am already doing some things already, why should I go through all the paper­ work to become certified? Each year our industry is in the spotlight more and more, especially for water, fertilizer and chemical usages. As Superintendents, we are the most edu­ cated users of those tools, but the public does not perceive it that way. Go to any town meeting or drought meeting and when golf courses come up, the public has no idea what managing a golf course is all about. How can we change this perception? Becoming a Certified Audubon Sanctuary is a good start. When Edgewood Country Club became a member in 1995, it had no aspirations of becoming certified. I came on as the Superintendent in 1996 and I began researching the program a little bit more. I felt that if we were paying the annual dues, we should get the most out of it. Upon flipping through the binder, I was overwhelmed and hesitant to take on what seemed to be a very big program. The first thing to do was to get the Board and Green Committee to accept this program. Newsletters and presentations at meetings was the way I “planted the seed”. We began by installing blue bird boxes the first year. C C I Course Contractors, Inc. Golf Course Construction & Improvements Dennis Shea Division Manager P.O. Box 158 Mt. Freedom, NJ 07970 800-936-2652 • Cell 973-945-5938 Fax: 973-895-5578 Member GCSAA and NJGCSA The second year, we carefully planned out areas for natural­ ization. I knew the course was maintained from fence line to fence line, and the members would be hesitant to accept this change. We started with an area or two, one in fescue, the other in wildflowers. Yes we heard the old “what did you forget to mow over there” at first, but people began to accept it. The wildflowers were an instant success, especially by the women. Two years later we had 30 acres naturalized. My selling point to the Club was that these are out of play areas with no irrigation that were unsightly in the summer months. We now did not have to water, fertilize or treat for insects or weeds. This saved us about $10,000 the first year alone. We became certified in one category at a time and over the course of three years we were making our way through the program with little or no problems. The paperwork was no way near as much as I originally thought, since we were doing many of the requirements already. I did most of the paperwork in the fall and winter when things slowed down on the course. This is also a good program for assistants and other staff members to be involved with since it will enable them to learn what is happening on the golf course. Our final Continues on page 6 Calendar October 12, 2004 GCSANJ Championship, Ballamor Golf Club, Egg Harbor, New Jersey Host: Michael Miller November 3-5, 2004 2004 Crystal Conference and Golf Classic, Crystal Springs Resort, Hamburg, New Jersey Host: Craig Worts December 7-9, 2004 NJTA Turfgrass Expo, Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Contact Dick Caton 856-853-5973 February 7-12, 2005 GCSAA Golf Industry Show, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida Certifiable? Continued from page 5 Environmental Planning section of certification was Outreach and Education. This is the area that scared me the most and I was not sure how to attack it. Through a member, I contacted the Superintendent at the local grammar school and asked if we could install a few bluebird boxes and a small butterfly garden for the 6th grade students to monitor. They were very excited and that spring I lectured 160 6th graders on the importance of the program. Edgewood has been generous enough to pay their annual dues each year so they continue to receive updated information. Since then, the school takes an annual trip to Edgewood to see the various things we do. This has been the most satisfying part of the whole program. I am able to educate children on the importance of protecting the envi­ ronment, and at the same time changing the perception of our course and many others with parents and faculty being involved. What has Edgewood gained since becoming a Certified Audubon Sanctuary? I will briefly highlight how we have benefited in each area of certification. SHEARON GOLF A division of Shearon Environmental Design Company SHEARON Construction Z Maintenance Restorations / Renovations Arboriculture Design Drainage Experts Custom Spray Applicators Certified Irrigation Installers 337 Route 31 ♦ Hopewell, NJ 08525 • (609) 466-0666 5160 Militia Hill Road • Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 ♦ (610) 828-5488 Contact Charlie McGill • www.shearongolf.com ♦ Make a tree and wildlife inventory. Learn what is out on the course. ♦ Make a property assessment; wetlands, woodland, fine turf etc. Wildlife and Habitat Management ♦ Reduced and or eliminated fuel, pesticide and water usage in 30 acres of turf. ♦ Increased blue bird populations with over 35 nest boxes. ♦ Attracted more wildlife with all the naturalized areas. IPM ♦ Reduced chemical usage in fine turf areas with more thorough scouting. ♦ Record keeping allows us to target hot spots first. ♦ Established damage thresholds for fairways, tees and roughs. Water Conservation ♦ Installed quick couplers in known dry areas. ♦ Removed irrigation in certain areas and replaced with fescue or wildflowers. ♦ Changed irrigation around impervious surfaces. ♦ Repaired irrigation leaks immediately. ♦ Recycling wash water. ♦ Individual head control and part circle heads help obtain accurate watering. Water Quality Management ♦ Established buffer and no spray/fertilizer zones around all water bodies. These buffers also act as deterrents for geese. ♦ Installed diffusers and aerators in ponds that have led to reduced chemical treatments. ♦ Recycling wash water. Continues on page 7 Certifiable? Continued from page 6 Public Outreach and Education ♦ Adopted a local grammar school and have hosted annual class trips for 4 years. ♦ Fine turf areas have improved with the removal of maintenance in over 30 acres of out of play turfgrass areas. ♦ Edgewood CC has been featured in 9 national pub­ ♦ Spoke at the NYSTA Conference on the importance lications. of the program. ♦ Have educated the members with newsletters on the importance of the ACSP. If you look at my highlights, I can bet that almost every one of you are doing some of the things already on the list. If that is the case, you need to document it and you will be on your way to certification. Documentation and photographs are very important to monitor your progress. It is really quite easy and here is how we have benefited from the program; ♦ ACSP has named Les Carpenter of Newton CC and myself as the only two Audubon Stewards in the State of New Jersey. ♦ Edgewood members have accepted the program and often offer input, a big change from 9 years ago. ♦ The local community now understands that golf courses benefit the environment more than harm it. PROVEN PERFORMANCE WITH Adams Earth Organic Soil Amendment AND Liquid Fertilizers • 0-0-25 w/Sulfur • 12-3-12 50% SRN & Micros *20-3-3 20% SRN & Iron • 18-3-6 50% SRN & Micros • 20-0-0 50% SRN some formulations include: • Sugar Cal 10% PLANT FOOD COMPANY, INC. The Liquid Fertilizer Experts 38 Hightstown-Cranbury Station Rd. • Cranbury, NJ 08512 Toll Free: (800) 562-1291 • Fax: (609) 443-8038 E-Mail: pfc@plantfoodco.com Visit our Website @ www.plantfoodco.com It is important to remember that not everything you do will be a success. Bluebirds took a year or so to find the nest boxes. Purple Martins to this day have been a failure, due to the competition from Starlings. Naturalized areas will attract wildlife once they are discovered. Most importantly, enjoy your hard work, ride around in the early morning and late afternoon and watch how you have benefited the golf course. Our industry is getting stricter and stricter with water, chemical and fertilizer usage. In the near future, it is going to be mandatory to follow and adhere to strict guidelines concerning water conservation, chemical and fertilizer usage, similar to the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. The DEP is already talking about possible mandatory programs. By taking a proactive rather than reactive approach will only strengthen our industry. When you see top courses like Pine Valley, Ridgewood and Baltusrol as Certified Sanctuaries and Colonial Acres, a 9 hole “mom and pop” course in NY State in the same category, it only shows that this program is a perfect fit for all types of golf courses. Help strengthen our profession and image by taking a proactive approach with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. If you run into problems with the program or to become a member you can call Audubon at 515-767-9051 or you can contact Paul Dotti at edgepaul@hotmail.com or call 201-666-1200 x234. Paul Dotti is the GCSANJ District I Director. GCSANJ news No end in sight at Toms River CC By Shaun Barry Ed McSeaman continues to tempt the fates every year that he hosts the District III meeting. He knows that by being the site for this meeting means that bad weather can occur and it usually does. This year was sort of an exception. At tournament time everything was perfect but a few weeks prior to this he saw how dry things were getting so he told Seamus that he was asking for some rain. A couple days later it does rain but it forgot to stop. Medford Lakes got 14 inches and Gregg Armbruster didn’t know what had hit him and his course. Now you know Gregg, but please forgive Ed because you just got what was meant for him. Scott Evans and his fans are all smiles after his hole-in-one. Continues on page 9 Specializing in sand, stone and soils MITCHELL PRODUCTS □ GC-500 treated topdressing □ TriCure soil surfactant □ Crushed quartzite bunker sand □ Manufactured topsoil / compost □ Crushed stone and rip rap □ Green divot sand and mix □ Green waste compost Complete line: Root zone, tee & divot mixes, dry sands, drainage stone MITCHELL PRODUCTS Millville, NJ 856.327.2005 Fax: 856.327.6881 Email: dmitch67@aol.com Bio Basics PASTEURIZED PPM 4-2-3 w/2% Ca 50 lb. bags starting @ $390/ton Bulk @ $166/ton (24 tons/load) Silo Program @ $205/ton (21 tons/load) Also Available: Ally 10-1-10 & Ally 13-1-13 (ALLY=PPM + Synthetics) grass roots (973) 361-5943 GCSANJ news Continued from page 8 Winners at Toms River CC (L to R) Angelo Petraglia, John Alexander, Bill Baumert, and Shaun Barry. This meeting also has strange things happen on the day it is played. Last year the country had a major power outage and 25 million people were without electricity. This year our governor added some electricity to the state when he shocked the world with his announcement. This also turned out to be the third year in a row that we had a hole-in-one on the same hole. Now the question we are asking is who will make one next year? George McRoberts from Tuckahoe Sand & Gravel continued his generous ways by sponsoring our lunch. By the end of the year he and his company will have done this 4 or 5 times and it is really appreciated. Our closest to the pin contests were funded by CCI, Plant Food, Storr Tractor and The Terre Co. The long drives were not funded but the qualifiers will now be able to compete in the state event at the Championship in October. Continues on page 10 Your Total Source For Used Equipment S A L E S.B.I. TURF Innovative Equipment & Services Toro Workman 3200 200gl Spray Tank $7,995 Toro Model No. 07200 Hours: 1700 Commercial Equipment Off- Lease Equipment Turf Services Irrigation Supplies S.B.I. Turf has over two million dollars of previ­ ously owned Husqvarna, Polaris, Scag, Jacobsen, Cushman, Ryan, Ransomes, Toro, John Deere and EZ-GO equipment. We offer an extensive parts and irrigation inventory for all equipment sold. Sales. Service. Parts. 1-866-765-8873 Fax: 207-396-5386 Web: www.sbiturf.com GCSANJ news Continued from page 9 The winners from all three flights were Jim Cross, Matt Dobbie, Eric Hanisko, Eric McGhee, Mark Peterson, Pat O’Neill, Fred Rapp, Brad Simpkins and Roger Stewart. Show up early at Ballamor guys and see if you can win your flight. Our low gross winner was Angelo Petraglia who shot a wonderful 73. It was vintage Angelo according to Vic Gerard but the best part of the day for Angelo was that he got to do this while playing with his son. John Alexander also played well and he had a 74. Our net winners were Bill Baumert (69) and Shaun Barry (70). Scott Evans from Spring lake was the closest to the pin on 15 with his hole-in-one and Kevin Giles was 6 ft 2 ins further away from the pin then last year because last year it was he who made an ace on this hole. John Alexander was closest on 2 and 11 with shots to 9 ft 2 ins and 5 ft 3 Celebrating 75th Anniversary fisher & son company, inc. The “Green Industry” Supplier SUPERIOR PRODUCTS FOR THE TURF & HORTICULTURAL PROFESSIONAL RANDY RIDER AL PHILLIPS 856-478-6704 302-242-6848 EarthWorks Natural Organic Products www.flsherandson.com ins. To just hit one of these greens is great and to hit both is amazing. Jim Cross did not make an ace but he did make an eagle and that gave him two skins. Joining him with 2 skins were John Alexander, Mark Peterson and Angelo Petraglia. Shaun Barry and Harry Harsin had one each and the big winner was Vic Gerard with three of them. Our day again concluded with a fine meal poolside while live entertainment added to the atmosphere. It really is a great day and our warmest regards and deepest respect go to Mr. McSeaman and his staff for the wonderful job that they do for us. This may not officially be a permanent site for this meeting but there is no end in sight and if the folks here keep inviting us back we will happily return. So thanks to everyone at the club and I hope to see you next year if Ed promises not to ask for some rain. TERRE Professional Turfgrass Products Proudly supplying Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents for over 50 years par ex Lebanon’s Premiere Blended IBDU Fertilizer Dormant feed your turf with ParEx IBDU for strong roots and a consistent Spring green up... The TERRE Co. 206 Delawanna Ave., Clifton, NJ 07014 (973) 473-3393 STC Storr Tractor Company Distributors of Commercial Turf Care Equipment Proud Supplier of Toro Commercial Equipment & Irrigation TORO Count on it. 3191 Route 22 - Somerville, New Jersey 08876 www.storrtractor.com 908-722-9830 GCSANJ news Pine Valley opens its doors By Shaun Barry On September 13, 2004 the GCSANJ had a very unique experience. The meeting site for their monthly meeting was the number one golf course in the world. How did this happen? Why did this happen? The simple answer to both of these questions is Rick Christian. Rick decided that he wanted to host a meeting for his peers. He knew that many of our members had never played there and it would be a very special day for everyone who was lucky enough to be picked to go. Rick asked the club for this meeting and they very graciously gave their ok. Our final field was made up of 84 members on the Championship course and 15 on the short course. Everyone was pleased to have been picked and they thoroughly enjoyed this piece of golfing heaven, The weather was extraordinary and it “almost” matched the conditions on the course. Mr. Christian and his staff are dedicated to working hard and smart and we could all see the fruits of their labor. This has been Rick’s way of doing things since he became head superintendent at Pine Valley at the age of 23 and he will not change. He will always strive to make things even better even if that is not possible. Getting the opportunity to play this storied course helped inspire some of our players with their games but for many of us it was just too tough. That being said I know this was the best day of our golfing lives no matter what we shot. Gary Ramsey is the assistant to Doug Davis at Riverton CC and he was asked to fill in for Doug. His 76 was the best score of the day and I am sure he made his caddie quite happy. No throwing the ball out of the scrub for that guy. John Farrell (78), Ian Kunesch (79) and Brian Minemier (80) were close Continues on page 13 When you need Rapid Recovery... AQUATROLSAQUEDUCT SOIL SURFACTANT • Promotes fast turf recovery • Eliminates Localized Dry Spot (LDS) • Reduces wilt • Doesn't need to be watered in • Won't burn turf • Money Back Performance Guarantee For more information about Dispatch or other Aquatrols products, contact Kevin Collins at (609) 841-2077 or kevin.collins@aquatrols.com AQUATROLS® GCSANJ news Continued from page 12 behind Gary’s winning score. Steve Rudich (91), Harry Harsin (92), Dave Pease (94) and Tom Tucci (101) were low gross winners in their flight. The low net winners in both flights were Rich Lane (70), Paul Brandon (72), Bill Murray (76), Ken Mathis (76), Shaun Barry (75), Kevin Driscoll (76), Mike Hocko (80) and Rich Fodor (83). The closest to the pin contests were sponsored by A.T. Sales, Jacklin Seed, Plant Food and Storr Tractor. Prizes were given to Tom Grimac (7 ft 8 ins), Phil O’Brien (5 ft), Charles McMonagle (11 ft 10 ins) and Tom Tucci (14 ins). Doug Larson, Steve Malikowski, Tim Mariner and Jeff Drake hit the longest drives on the selected holes. Their winnings were given by Jacklin Seed, Storr Tractor, The Terre Co and Wilfred MacDonald. Double winners in the skins contest were Brian Minemier RALPH McGILLIAN Excavating Contractor Pine Valley superintendent Rich Christian and his two pals Dozer and Hershey. Specializing in Lakes & Ponds Over 35 years experience in building new ponds, en­ larging & redesigning existing ponds. Can get all DEP permits 609-655-2281 174 Plainsboro Road, Cranbury, NJ People you can trust. Quality you can count on. Vasta Farms Premium Bentgrass Sod For Golf Courses •1107 Courses Landing Road Woodstown NJ 08098 609-685-3818 sales 856-299-0274 voice 856-299-6494 fax A Third Generation Farm Joe & Anne Vasta Bill Murray successfully gets out of the Devils Asshole. and Pat O’Neill. Winning one apiece were John Carpinelli, Keith Chapman, Ian Kunesch, Bill Murray, Fred Reidel, Jeff Riggs, Ron Simpson, Jeff Staeger and Tom Tucci. Some of the other highlights came from Rick Christian, John O’Keefe and Bruce Peeples. These gentlemen chose not to play so someone who had never played the course might get the chance at this meeting. John Farrell and Doug Larson combined to donate $750 towards lunch and they did this before they knew we were playing Pine Valley. Tom Crump made his first monthly meeting since his bout with cancer and he got to do it with his brother Paul who worked so hard at the course in Tom’s absence. Harry Harsin has retired but he flew up from Florida to fulfill a dream. Ian Continues on page 14 GCSANJ news Continued from page 13 Kunesch’s third place finish here was not as good as the state fourball competition where his team came in second. These were just a few things that I thought were too good not to share with you. The only bad things about this day was that we had to tell many of our members that their names had not been picked from the hat so they were not going to be able to play. There also was that small group that either had injured themselves or just couldn’t get away from work. Hopefully we can do this again so they might get another chance. Rick would like this to happen so lets keep our fingers crossed. I will end my report here but the memories of the day will remain with me forever. Thanks for everything Rick and please let everyone at the club know what a wonder- Ken Krausz hit's a real 'bomb'' off the #1 tee. Continues on page 15 Pavelec Bros. Golf Course Construction Co. Professionalism and Excellence in the Construction of New and Renovation Work. ♦Large and small crews for any size job ♦ Rock Walls ♦Pond Construction / Pond Dredging ♦All equipment necessary ♦ Extensive drainage design ♦Certified Irrigation Contractor Fax: 1-973-667-6599 1-973-667-1643 GCSANJ news Continued from page 14 fill time we had and thank them for letting us enjoy their golf course. Shaun Barry, technical representative for Bayer Environmental Sciences, watched Ken Krausz and Doug Vogel leave all their birdie opportunities in the scrub and sand. Did you Know? Birdie, the term for playing a hole in one under par was coined at the Atlantic City Country Club in 1903. The term eagle for two under par was soon to follow. Legend has it that a foursome including A.W. Tillinghast would comment “that was a bird of a shot” which evolved into birdie. The Atlantic City CC is an absolutely fabulous condi­ tioned golf course maintained by superintendent Jeff Kent. The back nine wanders through marshland offering bird­ watchers spectacular opportunities while the wind wreaks havoc with birdie opportunities. Congratulations A round of applause goes out to Ian Kunesh and his partner Brian Komline for taking second place in the 79th New Jersey State Golf Association Four Ball Championship. At the press conference following the match the national golf media grilled Kunesh about losing 6 & 5. “Our goal coming in was to get to the finals. We got to the finals. We did accomplish one thing.” The championship was held at the Alpine Country Club were Steve Finamore CGCS always presents spectacular conditions. Ian now sets his sights on the GCSANJ Championship to be held at the Ballamor Country Club. Obituary Robert Martin Robert Martin, former assistant superintendent of the Greenacres Country Club, passed away on August 18,2004. Martin was 44 years old. Bob started his career working for Jeff Wetterling CGCS at the Forest Hill Field Club and moved on with Jeff to Greenacres where he worked for 6 years. He left the golf business to teach building and lawn maintenance at the Arthur Sypek Vocational Tech Center in Ewing Township. Martin was a devoted father and husband and a United States Marine Corps veteran. He is survived by his wife Carol and children Christopher (3 yrs) and Olivia (1 yr). A trust fund has been set up for the children and donations can be made to: The Christopher and Olivia Martin Trust, c/o Wachovia Bank, 891 Brunswick Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08638. Oceangro 5-5-0 Organic Granular Fertilizer With 2% Calcium & 2% Iron low dust economical low burn potential now offered in blends Produced by The Ocean County Utilities Authority 732-269-4500 ex 8331 www.ocua.com Wild birds Continued from page 4 Wildlife Rehabilitation Providing care for injured and orphaned wild birds is gener­ ally not a service of state or federal wildlife agencies. Here in New Jersey, as in most other states, the care is provided by people called avian wildlife rehabilitators (rehabbers). To be an avian wildlife rehabilitator you must be knowledge­ able in all aspects of bird care, pass a written test, and be licensed by both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state in which you reside. Some rehabbers work at home and receive only small numbers of birds each year. Others, like The Raptor Trust, operate large facilities that care for thousands of birds annually. All rehabbers are dedicated to helping wild creatures, and all provide their services free of charge. Their goal always is to return healthy, self-sufficient birds to the wild. Anyone who rescues a wild bird should get it to a licensed rehabilitator as quickly as possible. By doing so, you have broken no law and have afforded the bird the best possible chance of surviving and ultimately being free again. There are avian rehabilitators located throughout New Jersey. To find one in your area, call one of the following: State of New Jersey Division of Fish, Game & Wildlife Hampton Office 908-735-8975 (8:30-4:30) Trenton Office 609-292-9400(8:30-4:30) Law Enforcement 908-735-8240 (8:30-4:30) (Answering machine after hours) The Raptor Trust 908-647-2353 (8:30-5:00) (Answering machine after hours) You might consider locating a rehabber near you and keeping the phone number and address on file. That way no time will be lost should an actual emergency arise. Continues on page 17 The Pure Spirit of Golf Broad Vision • Careful Thought • Hand-Crafted Design Our team, led by principal golf course architect Robert McNeil, is a visionary group of professionals with proven creative and technical abilities. Through renovation and new construction, we’ve created exciting courses that remain true to our client’s expectations. It would be a pleasure to collaborate and explore the pure spirit of golf on your next project. (732) 747-1888 • e-mail: design@northeastgolfcompany.com • www.northeastgolfcompany.com ROBERT MCNEIL GOLF COURSE ARCHITECT Wild birds Continued from page 16 Determining What’s Wrong Any normal, healthy, wild bird, when approached by a human being, will fly away. If it doesn’t, something is wrong with it. Most times one of the following is what’s wrong: ♦ It’s too young to fly away. ♦ It’s been injured and can’t fly away. ♦ It’s sick and too weak to fly away. ♦ It’s tame (probably because it was improperly raised in captivity) and doesn’t know it should fly away. Injured Birds Many, perhaps most, of the injuries suffered by wild birds are caused by, or related to, human activities. The vast ma­ jority of the injuries are not intentional, but accidents, and often difficult if not impossible to prevent. (See The Raptor Trust publication What you can do to help prevent injuries to wild birds.) Most of the wild bird injuries we see at The Raptor Trust are caused by impacts. Birds regularly collide with motor vehicles, hit tall buildings and fly into glass windows and doors, not recognizing that glass is solid. These impacts result in everything from concussions to nerve and tissue damage and broken bones. Birds also get tangled in fishing line, are poisoned by chemicals, fly into wires and, sad to say, many protected species are still shot by lawless, irresponsible people with guns. Any bird that has sustained a serious injury is in deep trouble, and without human assistance has little to no chance of surviving. Broken bones seldom heal properly on their own - not in humans, not in birds. So if you find an injured bird and you wish to help it, capture it, and get it to a reha- bilitator as quickly as possible. Continues on page 18 PARTAC TOP-DRESSING GOLF COURSE RIGGI PAVING, INC. Asphalt and Concrete Construction Paved or Stone Pathways Fully Insured CALL291-943-3913 AMERICA'S PREMIUM TOP DRESSINGS HEAT TREATED AVAILABLE IN BULK OR BAGS PLUS CONSTRUCTION MIXES FOR GREENS & TEES, WHITE BUNKER SANDS, CART PATH & DIVOT REPAIR MIXES AND MUCH MORE! DISTRIBUTED IN NJ. BY: FARM & GOLF COURSE SUPPLY 215/483-5000 FISHER & SON COMPANY 610/644-3300 GRASS ROOTS TURF PRODUCTS 973/361-5943 TURF PRODUCTS CORPORATION 973/263-1234 PARTAC PEAT CORPORATION KELSEY PARK, GREAT MEADOWS, NEW JERSEY 07838 800-247-2326 / 908-637-4191 Wild birds Continued from page 17 Capturing, Handling and Transporting The degree of difficulty and the risk involved in attempting to rescue an injured wild bird depend greatly on the follow­ ing: what kind of bird it is, how big it is and what’s hap­ pened to it. In general, small birds are easier and much less risky to handle. A hawk that’s been hit by a car and knocked unconscious is no problem to pick up, but the same bird, if alert, can be a handful. An injured bird will not know you are trying to help it and will resist your efforts in whatever way it can. Most of the injured birds people find, primarily song­ birds, are easily handled and pose little risk to their rescuers. Large birds like geese and swans are much more difficult to capture and handle because of their size and strength. They use their wings as weapons and can deliver serious blows with them. A few groups of birds such as raptors, loons, herons and egrets can be risky, even dangerous to handle. Your Trees Deserve the Best of Care! All Phases of Tree Care Residential and Commercial BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS SCIENTIFIC TURF CARE SINCE 1907 Local Offices: Denville 973-983-1840 Lebanon 908-735-6619 Ridgewood 201-444-0002 S. Plainfield 732-968-0800 www.bartlett.com When rescuing these birds the rescuer must take precautions to avoid being stabbed, bitten or clawed by the “rescuee.” The best way to contain and transport an injured wild bird is in a cardboard box. Shoe boxes work well for small birds and can usually be found around the house. Larger and heavier boxes can be obtained from a super­ market. The box needs to be large enough so that the bird fits comfortably in it without being cramped. Punch a few air holes in the sides and put a towel or a piece of old carpeting on the bottom so the bird is not on a slippery surface, and tape the top closed. Small birds may be safely transported in a paper bag, again with a towel to stand or lie on. Airline sky kennels and other pet carriers can also be used. Placing the bird in a closed, secure, darkened environment is very important. It will help keep it calm, reduce additional stress and prevent it from causing further injury to itself. Do not transport wild birds in wire cages or glass aquariums. If you should find an injured bird in a situation you cannot resolve yourself, don’t risk getting injured - get help. Call your local animal control officer or a rehabilitator for advice. Songbirds are by far the most common group of birds people come in contact with. They are generally quite small, often tiny, colorful birds that are not difficult to handle. Injured songbirds are easily captured, by simply walking up to them and picking them up in your hands. If you’re apprehensive about touching them with your bare hands or afraid of being bitten (seldom very hard) use gloves. If you own or can borrow a small fishing or butterfly net, you can use that. Or you can drop a lightweight towel or tee shirt over the bird to secure it. Handle the bird gently to avoid further injury. Wading birds such as herons, egrets and bitterns are dif­ ficult to handle and can be very dangerous to rescue. Most are large (Great blue herons are four feet tall), long-legged, long-necked, birds with formidable beaks. They primarily eat fish, capturing them by stabbing and impaling them with their beaks. These birds are capable of inflicting a painful and serious wound. Be careful when handling them. The best way to capture any of these birds is with a long-handled, Continues on page 19 Wild birds Continued from page 18 large fishing net. If a net is not available, use a blanket or coat and cover the entire bird before picking it up. If you must carry the bird in your arms, be sure to keep its beak away from your face. Place it in a box suitable for the bird’s size, and keep it warm, dark and quiet until you can get it to a rehabber. Loons are dangerous to handle because, like herons, they have long, sharp, stabbing beaks. If you come across a stranded loon, you won’t have to chase it to capture it be­ cause once on the ground, they stay grounded. Their legs are located so far back on their heavy bodies that they are very clumsy on land and cannot take off from solid ground. To pick them up it’s best to employ the “cover ‘em completely technique” using a coat, blanket or heavy cloth of some kind. If you must hold the bird, be sure to hold the head or beak firmly with one hand, keeping it away from your face. Use a heavy cardboard box for transport. Raptors are another group of birds that can be danger­ ous to handle. Also known as birds of prey, they include hawks, falcons, eagles and owls. Raptors come in all sizes from diminutive American kestrels, not much larger than Blue jays, to huge eagles with seven foot wingspans. The most common species in New Jersey are Red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, Great homed and Screech owls. (See Raptor Trust publications Hawk Facts and Owl Facts.) Raptors can be recognized by their hooked beaks and taloned feet. Although their beaks are formidable weapons, the real business end is their incredibly strong feet. Their grip is vise-like, and large hawks and owls are capable of seriously hurting a human. The best way to capture an alert raptor is to completely cover it with a jacket, coat or blanket. If pos- Continues on page 20 U.S. Silica's Golf Sand Capabilities Have Grown Custom Blends Divot Mixes Pro-White Bunker-Sand Sure-Play Root-Zone-Mixes Sure-Play Drainage-Media Our Products Meet USGA Recommendations Call toll free 800-257-7034 www.golfsand.com Email: sales@ussilica.com Trust U.S. Silica and technical support when selecting either construction or maintenance materials. Our top-dressing sands, root zone mixes and drainage stone are easy to apply and maintaine U.S. Silica Company 9035 Noble Street Mauricetown, NJ 08329 Wild birds Continued from page 19 sible wear heavy gloves. Gather up blanket and bird together, keeping it away from all parts of your body that you deem valuable. Cardboard boxes work well for transport. By rescuing an injured or orphaned wild bird you’ve taken the very important first step in saving its life. You’ve taken it out of harm’s way and have it safe and secure in a box. We strongly urge that your next step be to get it to a qualified and licensed person as quickly as possible. Do not try to raise a baby bird yourself, no matter how appealing, or treat an injured one, no matter how tempting. Realistically, even experienced rehabilitators can’t save them all, but they can offer the bird its best second chance at survival, self-suf­ ficiency and freedom. Stnce 1923 MATERIALS FROM THE EARTHS 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 Turn back the clock Does anyone know who these two GQ guys of the GCSANJ are? "DryJect Aeration/ Sand Injection is tremendous. There's nothing else like it." Paul B. Latshaw, Superintendent, Muirfield Village Golf Club Let us aerate, amend, and have your greens and tees each ready to play in about an hour. Exclusive patented technology injects amendments into the root zone while shattering compacted layers and aerating 4" and deeper. No cores. No disrupted play. No lost revenue. Superintendents who DryJect do it year after year. It's that good, that effective, and that easy. Seeing is believing. Call today for a free DryJect demonstration. DryJect The only way to aerate, amend and play in 1 hour Chris Collins 610-212-0656 Peter van Drumpt 732-922-4737 www.dryject.com Come Visit Us On-line! www.gcsanj.org “The website has a lot of great links and it’s an easy way to keep in touch with local fellow superintendents.” Brad Sparta, Ballyowen Golf Club 2004 Patron Directory TUCKAHOE SAND & GRAVEL CO, INC. Golf Course Maintenance & Construction Material, Bunker Sands, Root Zone Mixes,USGA Gravels Lorenzo Romano - Ron Carusi George McRoberts 800-922-7263 Fax: 609-861-3671 TURF PRODUCTS CORPORATION Golf Course Supplier Buddy Rizzio - Ron Lake 973-263-1234 UNITED HORTICULTURAL SUPPLY/VERDICON Grass Seed, Fertilizer, Crop Protection Gerald B. Fountain Cell: 877-697-1199 Ofc: 732-296-8448 WESTCHESTER TURF SUPPLY Golf Course Maintenance Supplies Bob Lippman, Jr. - Dave Lippman 845-621-5067 Fax: 845-621-7180 WILFRED MacDONALD, INC. Turf Equipment / Irrigation Tim Kerwin - Bernie White Steve Kopach 888-831-0891 WM. STOTHOFF CO., INC. Well Drilling, Pumping Systems & Meter Testing/Replacement David Stothoff 908-782-2717 ADVANCED AGRO TECHNOLOGIES/DRYJECT DryJect, Axis, Break-Thru Peter van Drumpt Chris des Garennes Chris Collins 732-922-4743 ALAN G. CRUSE, INC. Golf Course Materials Alan G. Cruse James A. Cruse 973-227-7183 AQUATROLS Manufacturer of Root Zone and Water Management Products Kevin Collins 609-841-2077 BAYER E.S. Shaun M. Barry 732-846-8173 EAST COAST SOD & SEED Bentgrass Sod, Short Cut & Reg. Bluegrass Sod, Tall Fescue Sod, Installation & Turfgrass Seed Kevin Driscoll - 609-760-4099 FERTL-SOIL TURF SUPPLY Golf Course Supplies, Topdressing & Divot Mixes Marty Futyma - Cathy Futyma-Brown 908-322-6132 FINCH SERVICES, INC. John Deere Equipment, Irrigation & Supplies Fred Blaicher - John Barlok 800-875-8873 FISHER & SON CO., INC. Superior Products for the Turf & Horticultural Professional Al Phillips - 856-478-6704 Randy Rider - 302-242-6848 Mike Oleykowski - 609-267-8041 FLORATINE PRODUCTS GROUP Biostimulants, Soil Amendments, Soil Testing Richard Hendrickson 609-714-1151 GOLF CARS, INC. Sales & Service of Golf Car & Utility Vehicles John Czerwinski - Jon Schneider 215-340-0880 GRASS ROOTS, INC. Distributor of Golf Course Maintenance Supplies Ken Kubik - Keith Kubik Jay McKenna 973-361-5943; Fax 973-895-1388 JADA CORP. The Water Experts David Kronman - Barry Kronman 973-762-8002 www.jadacorpnj.com JAMES BARRETT ASSOCIATES, INC. Irrigation Design & Consulting Jim Barrett 973-364-9701 LEBANON TURF Fertilizer Company John Farrell - Dennis Smith 609-404-3143 LEON’S SOD FARMS Sod Diane Leon - Rudy Wedle 908-713-9496 LESCO, INC. Manufacturer & Supplier to the Green Industry Craig Lambert - 800-321-5325 John Fitzgerald - 800-321-5325 John Fenwick - 800-321-5325 METRO TURF SPECIALISTS “Customers, Our Top Priority” Ernie Steinhofer - Dave Conrad Scott Apgar - Gary Rehm 888-217-1039 - 203-748-GOLF metro@metroturfspecialists.com MONTCO PRODUCTS CORPORATION SURFSIDE WETTING AGENTS LIQUID - GRANULAR - PELLETS ZAP! Defoamer Information: Bob Oechsle 215-836-4992 800-401-0411 NATIONAL SEED Grass Seed & Seeding Supplies Ken Griepentrog - George Rosenberg Barry Van Sant 732-247-3100 PARTAC PEAT CORPORATION Premium Top-Dressing & Construction Mixes, Green Sand Divot Mixes, Bunker Sand, Cart Paths, Turf Blankets Jim Kelsey 800-247-2326 908-637-4191 PHILADELPHIA TURF CO. Toro Turf & Irrigation Equipment Thomas Drayer - Mike Hartley 215-345-7200 PLANT FOOD COMPANY, INC. 38 Hightstown-Cranbury Station Road Cranbury, NJ 08512 Ted Platz 609-448-0935 POCONO TURF SUPPLY CO., INC. Distributors of Chemicals, Fertilizers, Seed & Supplies Doug Larson - NJ Sales Cell: 609-335-0106 Fax: 609-646-8528 DPLll@vertizon.net RALPH McGILLAN EXCAVATING Lakes & Ponds - Ralph PO Box 544, Cranberry, NJ 08512 609-655-2281 RIGGI PAVING, INC. Asphalt & Concrete Construction PO Box 2214, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010 Frank J. Riggi, Jr. 201-943-3913 SBI TURF Turf Services & Used Equipment Jen McDonald Courtney Thompson 866-765-8873 SHEARON GOLF Golf Course Design, Construction & Renovation Charlie McGill - Jim Waitkus 609-466-0666 SIMPLOT PARTNERS Suppliers of Fertilizers, Seed, Protectorants and Specialty Products to the Golf Course Industry Fran Berdine - 845-361-4105 Alfie Gardiner - 610-278-6762 800-228-6656 STEPHEN KAY, GOLF ARCHITECTS Golf Course Design Stephen Kay - Doug Smith 609-965-3093 STORR TRACTOR COMPANY Turf and Irrigation Equipment Blair Quin - Rick Krok - Bruce Wild 908-722-9830 SYNGENTA Plant Protectants Lee Kozsey - Bethlehem, PA 215-796-0409 TERRE COMPANY OF NJ Distributor of Pesticides, Fertilizers, Seed and Plant Material Dennis DeSanctis, Jr. - 732-580-5514 Byron Johnson - 201-321-2009 Pat O’Neil-201-321-2007 Bob Schreiner - 201-321-2008 Office - 973-473-3393 THE CARE OF TREES Total Tree Care Services Brian Nadriczny - Mike Cook 201-445-4949 THE NORTHEAST GOLF COMPANY Golf Course Design Robert McNeil, President & GC Architect Traci McNeil, Business Manager 732-747-1888 Harry Harsin retires The king and queen of the Presidents Ball - Harry and his beautiful wife Rita. A dashing Harry Harsin accepting 6 golf balls along with Sabby DeFalco after winning one of many tournaments. Circa 1968. Harsin captures the 1990 Invitational along with his Greenbriar Woodlands teammates. Harry proudly represented the GCSANJ at the MET Team Championship at the Westchester CC. Bill Murray is in awe of the 3 time GCSANJ Championship winner. GCSANJ vice president Bruce Peeples congratulates Harry on his long successful career. Glenn, Ed, and Ed hand over Harry to Floridians Skip and Jack for safe keeping. Harry Harsin closes the door on his life of a golf course superintendent. Good Luck Harry! koonz Sprinkler Supply, Inc. Supplier of irrigation and turfgrass products to the Golf Course Superintendent For more information call: 973-379-9314 39 Waverly Avenue, P.O. Box 55 Springfield, NJ07081 RAIN BIRD