USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT DITHERING WILL GET YOU NOWHERE. HIT IT! Senior golfers have called for speedier play, and plan to campaign for it in their home communities. Their object will be to minimize the un­ necessary preliminaries, to obliterate the selfish hinderances, and to emphasize the GO in GOLF. NOVEMBER, 1957 eUSGA JOURNAL TURF MANAGEMENT Published by the United States Golf Association Permission to re-print articles herein is freely granted (unless specifically noted otherwise) provided credit is given to the USGA Journal AND VOL. X, No. 6 NOVEMBER, 1957 Through the Green ............................................................................................................... 1 A Return to the Golden Years ............................................................................... John P. English p “Uncle Joe” Dickson A Many-Sided Golfer........................................................ Miss Nancy Jupp 8 Do You Know Your Golf ............................................................................................................... 10 Seniors Appeal for Speedier Golf....................................................................... Joseph C. Dey, Jr. 11 John Ames Nominated for Presidency ................................................................................................ 14 The Objectives of the Golf Ball Study ................................................................................................ 16 USGA Competitions for 1959 ............ ................................................................................................... 17 A Bumper Year for New Golf Courses.... ........................................................................................... 18 The Referee ........................................................................................................................................... 21 Turf Management: USGA Green Section The Effects of Compaction on Golf Green Mixtures R. J. Kunze, M. H. Ferguson and J. B. Page 24 Snowmold Control....................................................................... J. R. Watson and J. L. Kolb 27 It’s Your Honor ............................................................................................................... 33 Published seven times a year in February, April, June, July, August, September and November by the UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 40 EAST 38th ST., NEW YORK 16, N. Y. Subscription: $2 a year. Single copies: 30c. Subscriptions, articles, photographs, and correspondence should be sent to the above address. Entered as Second-class Matter March 3, 1950, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y„ under the Act of March 8, 1879. Additional entry at Post office in Sea Cliff, L. I., N. Y. Edited by Joseph C. Dey, Jr., and John P. English. Managing Editor: Miss Nancy Jupp. All articles voluntarily contributed. USGA COMPETITIONS FOR 1958 Championships Championship or Team Match Open Entries Close May 15 Sectional Qualifying Rounds June 2 Dates of Event June 12-13-14 Women's Open June 13 None June 26-27-28 Amateur Public Links ’May 29 tJune 15-21 July 7-12 Junior Amateur June 27 July 15 July 30-Aug. 2 (a) Curtis Cup Match — Girls' Junior Women's Amateur July 25 Aug. 1 (b) Americas Cup Match — — None None — Amateur Senior Amateur Aug. 7 Aug. 29 Aug. 26 Sept. 16 August 8-9 August 11-15 August 18-23 September 5-6 September 8-13 Sept. 29-Oct. 4 Location Southern Hills C. C. Tulsa, Okla. Forest Lake C. C. Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Silver Lake G. C. Orland Park, Hl. University of Minnesota Golf Course, St. Paul, Minn. Brae Burn C. C. West Newton, Mass. Greenwich C. C. Greenwich, Conn. Wee Burn C. C. Darien, Conn. Olympic C. C. San Francisco, Cal. Olympic C. C. San Francisco, Cal. Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Pebble Beach, Cal. Dates entries close mean last dates for applications to reach USGA office, except in the case of the Amateur Public Links Championship. For possible exceptions in dates of Sectional Qualifying Rounds, see entry forms. Re Amateur Public Links Championship: ’Entries close with Sectional Qualifying Chairmen. tExact date in each Section to be fixed by Sectional Chairmen. (a) Curtis Cup Match—Women’s amateur teams: British Isles vs. United States. (b) Americas Cup Match—Men’s amateur teams: Canada vs. Mexico vs. United States. Cosmopolitan Golfing Terms The game of golf, though now universal, has delved into three languages in the past for its terms and expressions. One of the first was the bisque, a French word meaning odds which had previously been used with regard to tennis, lawn tennis and croquet. Bisques, though never officially recognized and seldom used today, were introduced during the latter half of the last century. The gutta, as the old gutta percha ball was called, got its name from the Malayan word getah, meaning gum. The verb to foozle, lifted from the Ger­ man language, is more widely used in Britain than in the United States but is devastating apt for a fluffed approach. It is perhaps too far a cry to claim the Indian name Schenectady, as Walter J. Travis’ infamous putter was so called only because it had been introduced by a Mr. A. W. Knight, of Schenectady, N. Y. Services Commemorated at Saucon Valley The Board of Governors of the Saucon Valley Country Club, Bethlehem, Pa., has agreed to commemorate the services of two of its members by naming its new 18 hole course and halfway house after them. The course will be known as the Grace Course in honor of Eugene G. Grace, honorary Chairman of the Board, who over the past six years has supervised the con­ struction of the course to the smallest detail. His "Chief of Staff,” Vincent J. Pazzetti, Jr. Vice President of the Club, will give his name to the "Villa Pazzetti” between the 9th and 10th holes. Gunning for the Captain! The ceremony of "playing-in” as Cap­ tain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, is one of golf’s oldest traditions. The scene is the first tee on the Old Course, the time, 8 a.m. on a September morning, always nippy and often damp from sea mist. The townsfolk line the railing, the local caddies spread out down the fairway, for tradition has it that the caddie retrieving the ball will be rewarded with a golden sovereign. The Captain emerges from the clubhouse and steps onto the "stage.” There is no question of a Mulligan, for as the shot is struck the sound-effects man will fire the cannon and the annual ceremony will be over. The cannon has stood sentinel over the first tee for 99 years. It was once manned by seamen of the 1,200 ton sailing vessel Sutlej, which was commandeered by the Government during the Crimean War and saw action at Balaclava when she sought to carry supplies to troops besieging Sebas­ topol. On the last leg of her homeward run to her native port of Dundee, she foundered on some rocks in St. Andrews Bay and was wrecked on April 1, 1858. The cannon was among the gear sal­ USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 1 vaged from the vessel. It was bought in a public auction and presented to the Pro­ vest of St. Andrews, since when it has guarded the municipal links. Champion Runner-Up If there were an annual award for the most deserving runner-up golfer, the 1957 candidate would surely be Mrs. Ann Casey Johnstone, of Mason City, Iowa. She reached the final of the North and South at Pinehurst, N. C., in March, only to be beaten 3 and 2 by Miss Barbara McIntire, of Toledo, Ohio. Mrs. Ann Casey Johnstone eyes the Women's Ama­ teur trophy, one of the four which eluded her this season. Four months later Mrs. Johnstone won her way to the final of the Women’s West­ ern Amateur Championship at Omaha, Neb., but fell 2-and-x victim to the Colleg­ iate Champion, Miss Meriam Bailey, of Evanston, Ill. Mrs. Johnstone had reason for third- time-lucky optimism when she gained the final of the USGA Women’s Amateur Championship at Sacramento, Cal., in Aug­ ust. However, her touch deserted her on the vital day and Miss Jo Anne Gunderson came through to win, 8 and 6. Jokingly Mrs. Johnstone told the gal­ lery at the USGA prize-giving that she would go home and arrange a tournament just for herself so she would be sure to win. But the ex-school teacher is determined, and back she came the following month to the Trans-Mississippi Championship at Las Vegas, Nev., where she yielded by 5 and 3 in the final to Mrs. James Ferrie, of Gardena, Cal. Two Titles in the Family Dr. George M. Trainor and his wife, Jean, have set a precedent by being the first married couple to hold the two Club Cham­ pionships concurrently at the Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, N. Y. Dr. Trainor is a member of the USGA Sectional Affairs Committee; Mrs. Trainor serves on the USGA Girls’ Junior Com­ mittee. Britain Takes Ryder Cup Congratulations to Dai Rees and the British Ryder Cup Team on their magni­ ficent comeback to win the trophy at the Lindrick Golf Club, England, after a lapse of 24 years. Britain, for the first time, now holds two of the international trophies having won the Curtis Cup at Prince’s Golf Club, England, in 1956. Sixteen Times Champion In our September issue mention was made of the fine record of Joe E. Bernalfo, Jr., in winning the club championship of the Country Club, Salt Lake City, Utah, 13 times in 13 attempts. In Connecticut, it develops, Frank D. Ross, of the Wampanoag Country Club, won his club championship 16 times in 19 efforts. The US Seniors’ Golf Associa­ tion Champion of 1953 also won the Connecticut Amateur Championship twice and the New England crown once during a colorful career. This year Mr. Ross was named captain of the Connecticut team, an honor he held en 10 other occasions. 2 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 Mrs. Lynn Creason, of Harrisburg, Pa., who alternates between producing children and winning golf championships, proudly presents her large family. On her lap is baby Elizabeth; in line are David, 12; John. 10; Richard, 9; Robert, 8; Mary Lynn, 6; Jimmy, 5 and Billy, 2. See story below, "Family No Hindrance to Golf Titles." Family No Hindrance To Golf Titles Mrs. Lynn Creason, of Harrisburg, Pa., (pictured above) is a remarkable woman. Not only has she produced a fine, strapping family of eight, but at the same time has been winning local golf titles galore. Six weeks after the birth of baby Eliza­ beth, she defended her title in the Harris­ burg District Championship which she has held for the past three years, only losing in the semi-final. Over the past seventeen years she has won the club championship of the Colonial Country Club on no less than ten occasions, and has also held the Central Pennsylvania title. Her husband, no doubt in self defense, has an equally impressive record, having held the Harrisburg district title on four occasions, the Central Pennsylvania three times, the South Florida Amateur once, and been runner-up twice in the Pennsylvania Amateur. Mayer Voted Tops by PGA Dick Mayer, 1957 USGA Open Cham­ pion and winner of the Tam O’Shan ter "World Championship,” was voted PGA ’’Professional Golfer of the Year” for 1957 by an overwhelming margin in the nation wide ballot. The St. Petersburg, Fla., professional amassed 532 votes, the highest total ever recorded in the ten years history of the award. Runner-up 488 votes behind was Don Finsterwald, followed by Sam Snead, Doug Ford and Jimmy Demaret. The award for "Golf Professional of the Year” has gone to 48-year-old Dugan Aycock, of the Lexington Country Club, N. C. Drastic Step by British PGA The British PGA has suspended Harry Weetman from competition for a year for complaining about his treatment as a mem­ ber of the 1957 British Ryder Cup Team. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 3 This Denver, Colo., quartet, who have played together for 28 years, are still as keen as mustard although they aggregate 314 years. They are from left to right: Walter Beans, 74; R. E. Spence*r, 78; Fred L. Andrews, 84, and LeRoy Lynch, 78. See story "2,250 Rounds—Same 4-Ball" below. Weetman has been barred from playing in tournaments in which about $84,000 in prize money will be at stake. 2,250 Rounds—Same 4-Ball Four gentlemen from Denver, Colo., members of the Lakewood Country Club, have played in the region of 2,250 rounds together over the past 28 years and vow their one desire is to continue to do so twice a week. They are Fred L. Andrews, 84; Walter Beans, 74; R. E. Spencer, 78, and LeRoy Lynch, 78. In order to keep playing the year ’round, they pack their bags each March and hie themselves off to Phoenix, where they play at the Arizona Country Club. Some time back Walter Beans, the youngster of the quartet, considered buy­ ing an electric cart, but, thinking better of it, decided that they still enjoyed the exer­ cise as well as the fun. Turf grass Scholarships Allotted To Penn State University Two scholarships of $100 each have been placed by the Golf Course Superin­ tendents’ Association Scholarship and Re­ search Fund at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Penn., for the Turf grass Management Winter Course to be offered under the College of Agriculture. The complete Turfgrass Management Course consists of two eight week terms in the 1957-1958 school year, a Placement Training Period of six months with em­ ployment in a specialized turfgrass field from April 14 to October 18, 1958, and two eight week terms for the 1958-1959 school year. Placing of these two Scholarships by the Golf Course Superintendents Association Scholarship and Research Fund is part of a continuing program for personnel and turf improvement. Other activities of the Fund include a $400 Scholarship at Pur­ due University, Lafayette, Ind., and a $500 Research Grant placed at the University of California at Los Angeles. Books Received TIMING YOUR GOLF SWING by Robert Winthrop Adams, (The Citadel Press, $3.95). Mr. Adams, an engineer by profession, stresses the importance of rhy­ thm in the mechanics of the golf swing. Incorporated with the book is a 45 rpm disc designed to achieve good timing through waltz time. TO H------ WITH GOLF by Fred Beck, (Hill & Wang, $2.75). 4 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 A RETURN BY TO THE GOLDEN YEARS JOHN P. ENGLISH USGA Assistant Executive Director IN the golden years following World War I, when it was feasible to seed a match- play draw, the semi-finals of the Amateur Championship customarily drew together four of the acknowledged best players of the day. It was not unusual for three or even all four to be members of the current Walker Cup Team. Bob Jones, Francis Ouimet, Chick Evans, Jess Sweetser and George Von Elm appeared regularly in the semi-finals—Jones nine times, for example, and Ouimet seven in that era alone. The growth of the game, however, matched the progress of these appealing Apollos and there came a day when no one any longer had the perception to seed a draw successfully. There were too many fine young players coming up in all parts of the country every year. So after a period of experimentation the all-match-play form and the blind draw were instituted. During the years following World War II, the quantity of fine players, the in­ creased number of 18-hole matches and the blind draw sometimes gave the round of four a morning-glory quality. Semi-finalists withered as fast as they bloomed, and only such giants as Willie Turnesa, Charley Coe, Harvie Ward and Hillman Robbins could achieve that estate twice in the last eleven years. A year of Walker Cup competition usu­ ally became a particular shambles of form. It seemed a fortunate thing if one Team member made the semi-finals. There was even the debacle of 1951 when Coe, the only surviving member, was beaten not in the semi-finals but in the quarter-finals. In 1953 and 1955, Gene Littler and Harvie Ward again were the only Team members in the quarter-finals, but they did redeem the situation somewhat by going on to win. There was no reason to think this state LT. HILLMAN ROBBINS, JR. of affairs would be improved when this year’s fine Walker Cup Team, fresh from its hard-earned, 8-to-3 victory over Great Britain, arrived at The Country Club, in Brookline, Mass., for the 57th Amateur Championship and the fourth at that Club since 1910. If anything, there was suspicion that the situation might worsen, for the famous course where so many great cham­ pionships had been held in an earlier era now seemed hardly long or severe enough to defend itself completely against modern clubs and balls and present-day skills. However, The Country Club folk were among those who shared in the suspicion, and they did something about it before­ hand. With 27 holes to choose from, they eliminated three par 4s (the first, second and fourth, the latter two of which are quite short) from the first, or Clyde, nine USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 5 USGA FILM LIBRARY Latest addition to the USGA Film Library is a 17’/2 minute, full color 16 mm. presentation* entitled "Golf's Longest Hour." Filmed at the Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, N. Y., dur­ ing the 1956 Open Championship, it covers the closing stages when Cary Middlecoff had to wait it out while Ben Hogan, Julius Boros and Ted Kroll were1 striving in vain to beat his score. Other films in the Library are: "Play Them As They Lie," a 16 mm. color production, running for I6V2 entertaining min­ utes in which Johnny Farrell, the Open Cham­ pion of 1928, acts as intermediary between Wilbur Mulligan, a beginner of unimpeachable integrity, and Joshua P. Slye, a past master in the art of breaking the Rules. The film was made at the Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, N. J., where Farrell is professional. "Inside Golf House" gives the viewer an op­ portunity to see the many interesting exhibits in "Golf House," USGA headquarters in New York, and to re-live golf triumphs of the past with many of the game's immortals. The film is a 16 mm. black and white production and runs 28 minutes. ''The Rules of Golf—Etiquette" also has proved popular. The film stresses the import­ ance of etiquette by portrayal of various vio­ lations of the code in the course of a family four-ball match. Ben Hogan appears in sev­ eral scenes, and Robert T. Jones, Jr., makes the introductory statement. A 16 mm. color production, the film has a running time of 1714 minutes. The distribution of all three prints is handled by National Educational Films, Inc., 165 West 46th Street, New York 36, N. Y., which pro­ duced the films in cooperation with the USGA. The rental is $20 per film; $35 for two; $50 for three, or 60 for four, in combination at the same time, including the cost of shipping prints to the renter. of the traditional Old Course, and in their place substituted three monsters, all of which fell on the second nine, otherwise composed largely of holes from the Squir­ rel unit. One of the monsters was not a single hole at all but a combination of two which found the visitors playing from the tee of Primrose 1 across the water hazard be­ hind that hole, to the green of Primrose 2. The next two holes were the eighth and ninth of the Primrose unit, not previously a part of the championship course. The finish was, of course, the last five holes of the championship course about as they had been played since Ouimet beat Vardon and Ray in the 1913 Open. The addition of these Primrose holes made the second nine Herculean, and many an ambitious youngster who had managed to gain an advantage of a hole or two on an experienced player over the first nine saw it vanish before his eyes as they turned down the home stretch. Thus, as the eliminations proceeded, the experienced players, the known quantities, kept winning, and when the semi-final was reached four members of the Walker Cup Team remained. They were Dr. Frank M. Taylor, Jr., of Pomona, Cal., Pvt. Mason Rudolph, of Clarksville, Tenn., Lt. Hillman Robbins, of Memphis, Tenn., the eventual winner, and Rex Baxter, Jr., of Amarillo, Texas. In their wakes lay certainly as strongly balanced a field as has ever sought the Amateur Championship, in spite of the absence of Harvie Ward, of San Francisco, Cal., the 1955 and 1956 Champion, who had been found in violation of the Rules of Amateur Status and was serving a proba­ tionary period. The entry of 1,578, only 22 short of last year’s record, included Reid Jack, of Scotland, the British Amateur Champion, and all the other members of the British Team, a strong one. In particular, the semi-finalists had eli­ minated four other great players in as ex­ citing a series of quarter-final matches as the old championship has ever seen. For example, Taylor made a brilliant birdie 3 on the home hole for a one-under­ par 71 to beat Gene Andrews, of Los Angeles, Cal., the 1954 Public Links Cham­ pion and a man who had lost only to Reid Jack in the fifth round of the British Ama- teur last spring. Andrews had made a run for it by holing a 50-foot putt for a 2 on the sixteenth. Rudolph dropped an equally fine birdie 3 on the nineteenth to stop Richard L. Yost, of Portland, Ore., a member of the T955 Walker Cup Team, after Yost had squared the match at the eighteenth. Rudolph also was 71 for the eighteen holes. Robbins finished with two successive birdies, a 2 on the sixteenth and a 3 on the seventeenth, to oust Richard D. Chapman, 5 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 of Osterville, Mass., the former United States, British, Canadian and French Cham­ pion, 3 and I. Robbins, too, needed a par for a 71 when Chapman finally succumbed after another great showing at the age of 46. Baxter eliminated his fellow-student at the University of Houston, 19-year-old Phil Rodgers, of La Jolla, Cal., by holing a tough eight-footer at the twenty-first hole. Rod­ gers had holed a fifty-foot downhill putt for a birdie 3 on the seventeenth, only to see Baxter match it from twenty feet, and then a twenty-footer for a birdie 3 on the eighteenth which Baxter could not match. Baxter had, however, played the regulation round in 72. Unfortunately, the British had not ap­ peared in the quarter-final round and, in fact, stayed nowhere near as long as many had hoped they would. Jack was a third- round victim of Claude L. Wright, of Denver, Colo., and by the fourth of the eight rounds only two had been left, Alan Thirlwell, of England, and Alan F. Bussell, of Scotland, and they were paired against each other. Thirlwell won, but it was his last victory. It was in a way sad that the eliminations had to continue after these sensational matches, and as a matter of fact the players did display less zest in the semi-finals. Tay­ lor defeated Rudolph, 5 and 4, with one- over-par play; and Robbins barely got away from Baxter with an eight-over-par per­ formance. Incidentally, Rudolph, Robbins and Bax­ ter, all southerners, came to the champion­ ship together and roomed together through­ out the week. In the final, Taylor and Robbins emu­ lated the girl with the curl. Taylor won the very first hole with a smart birdie 3, lost the next five hand-running to four pars and a birdie, then surged back and was 1 up again at noon. Neither player was at his best, however. The brilliant golf of the earlier rounds did not appear until the short sixth in the afternoon where Robbins in effect stole the hole to draw even. Robbins’ iron shot came to rest in the rough at the base of a steep bank to the left of the green, and Taylor’s ball stopped on the front apron. However, Taylor chipped too strongly. Rob­ bins wedged dead to the hole and Taylor missed his putt for the par and the half. Thereafter, Robbins, a 2 5-year-old Air Force officer, made four pars and three birdies on the last eight holes to close out the 40-year-old dentist, who obviously tired rapidly. There were, of course, many other great matches in the early rounds, and not the least appealing of these were the two in which Chick Evans, the 67-year-old win­ ner of the 1916 and 1920 Championships, triumphed by successive scores of 4 and 3, then 4 and 2. The championship was his forty-fifth in succession since 1907; the ap­ pearance in match play was his thirty-first; and the victories were his fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth. Exciting, too, was the fourth-round con­ test in which Willie Turnesa, of Elmsford, N. Y., the 1938 and 1948 Champion, and Jack Penrose, of Miami Beach, Fla., went to the 24th hole, Penrose finally winning. These were all sources of keen interest for some of the largest and most golf-mind­ ed galleries to attend the Amateur in years. The favorable response indicated that Bos­ ton never should have allowed twenty-thretf years to elapse between Amateur Cham­ pionships. The last one it had seen was in 1934, also at The Country Club, when Lawson Little won his first Little Slam. Bostonians, too, seemed to appreciate not only a first-hand look at the new young amateur stars but a chance to see again their own favorites—Jesse P. Guilford, the 1921 Champion, Fred J. Wright, then the Senior Amateur Champion, and Ted Bishop, the 1946 Champion, all of whom were in action, and Francis Ouimet, who was in the gallery. The response, too, was a tribute to the energetic and conscientious manner in which Charles Devens, the general chair­ man, and all The Country Club’s officers and committees applied themselves to the business of putting on an attractive, hospi­ table and well-managed event. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 7 "UNCLE JOE” DICKSON A MANY-SIDED GOLFER by MISS NANCY JUPP TT is a sad fact that many ardent golfers become one-track-minded and develop into golfing bores. It is therefore a sur­ prise and a delight when one comes across a man like Joseph S. Dickson, of Louis­ ville, Ky., who has turned his fertile brain and adequate resources down so many di­ verse channels. Mr. Dickson, who will celebrate his 79th birthday on November 24, has been dubbed by scholars "The Sage of Louisville.” The intimate appellation of "Uncle Joe” was accorded him, with good cause, by Louis­ ville’s public links golfers, and taken up by those who have had the good fortune to come within his orbit. His association with golf dates back to 1919 when he was taken to play at the Cherokee course, Louisville, Ky. It speaks volumes for his instant enthusiasm and personality that in no time at all he was President of the Club, a position he held for ten years. It was during his tenure of office at Cherokee that Uncle Joe began to cham­ pion the public links golfers. Since 1929 he has been their guide, philosopher and friend, and has accompanied the Louisville team to every USGA Amateur Public Links Championship since that date, with the exception of the 1953 meeting in Seattle, Wash. In 1933 he was invited to join the USGA Public Links Committee, and now holds the distinction of being both the oldest and longest serving USGA Com­ mitteeman. There is no keener student of Roberts’ Rules of Order, and woe betide the man who steps outside its code during a committee meeting. Joe Dickson’s service to golf has not been confined to the one channel. He de­ signed and organized the Seneca Golf Club in Louisville, and served two terms as its Joseph S. Dickson strikes a familiar pose as he leans on his famous cane. President in 1933-1934 and 1949-1950. He was further honored with the Presidency of the Kentucky State Golf Association in 1951-1952 and again in 1955-1956. He is still on its Board of Directors. Besides Cherokee and Seneca, he is a member of the Shawnee and Iroquois Clubs and an honor­ ary life member of Cresent HilL Considering he was a man of forty-one before he became acquainted with the 8 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 game, his service is all the more remark­ able. But golf has only been one facet of his many sided life. As a young lad he did not have more than an average education. He entered a store as office boy at the age of 17 and later became a printer’s devil When he was 27 his father founded a printing works and took Joe into partner­ ship. The business is flourishing to this day and Joe is still at his desk in charge of operations. From his earliest days he was a deep thinker, and when problems worried him he would not rest until he had found a solution. His biggest problem, which took him thirty-six years to resolve, was a satisfac­ tory interpretation of the Book of Revela­ tion. He was 22 when he first began to ques­ tion all and sundry; he was 58 when he published an 159-page volume entitled "The Revelation of St. John the Divine; An Explanation.” His research had taken him deep into the realms of astronomy covering a period of 12,000 years. He had taught himself Greek, Hebrew and Latin, and had studied the rites, cultures and agricultural practices of all the ancient races. Joe Dickson is more than an intellectual. He is a humane man. He was so moved to pity one day by a child who had never walked that he took up the problem with iome of his Masonic friends. Three years later a Crippled Children’s Hospital was built sponsored by the Kosair Temple. He served on the Board for twenty years. An ardent Mason, Dickson has been honored by Temples throughout the coun­ try. In his eary days he sang in the Temple’s Chanters and played a Chinese musette in its Oriental Band. But there is also a lighter side to the Kentucky benefactor as those who have seen him perform with his cane will testify. Joe Dickson’s cane has a history. It was the treasured possession of one Captain William I. Hunt which had been sent to him from Jacksonville, Fla., during the Civil War. GOLFER AND CADDIE Mr. Golfer, I would warn you, there's a youngster at your side, And if you are fit to be with, he will very soon decide. He must watch the ball you play with, That is what he's paid to do, But as long as he's your caddie, he'll be also watching you. You're that growing boy's example. You will not have journeyed far Before you will have shown him just the sort of man you are. If you break the rules he'll know it. He'll exactly keep the score And he'll know the hole just finished was a "five" and not a "four". He'll go home and tell his mother: "I had So and So today And I Liked him, or I didn't" Mothers learn of men that way. You may think it doesn't matter what you say or what you do, But that youngster, Mr. Golfer, has both eyes and ears on you. Edgar Guest Seeking a life of peace and quiet, Cap­ tain Hunt eventually pitched his tent in Cherokee Park in 1889 where he tended the tennis courts and skating pond. Two years later he laid out a 9-hole golf course. Cherokee became his home and his life in his twilight years. When the Captain was 90 be bequeathed the cane to Uncle Joe who was then Presi­ dent of his beloved Cherokee. That cane, refinished and lacquered, has accompanied Dickson on all his many golfing trips. Watching others play he used to swish about with the cane until he became quite proficient. He would offer to shoot a 10 on the longest par five hole and would often finish with a 7 or 8. One day he wound up the subject of an unusual radio commentary from the North Fulton Park Golf Club, Atlanta, Ga., in 1948. Six interested parties had wagered amongst themselves that he couldn’t shoot the first hole in 12. A radio reporter with nothing else to cover joined the unique gal­ lery and reported a blow for blow descrip­ tion. Those "for” him were in the money— Joe shot a 7. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 9 DO YOU KNOW YOUR GOLF? Answers to questions below will be found on page 16. Scoring: Answers right—4 {Par 36). For every answer wrong—•y. 1. What famous golfer Score (a) Won the Purple Heart? ................................................................... (b) Was killed in an RAF crash? ............................................................................ 2. Complete the names of (a) Samuel Jackson ................................................................................. (b) Patricia Jane..................................................................................... (c) Arthur D’Arcy................................................................................... (d) William Joseph ................................................................................................... 3. In what States are the following courses? (a) Oakland Hills Country Club............................................................ (b) Oak Hill Country Club..................................................................... (c) Southern Hills Country Club .......................................................... (d) Indian Hills Country Club.................................................................................. 4. Are these statements true or false? (a) The weight of the ball must not be less than 1.62 ounces avoirdupois ........................................................................ (b) Ben Hogan was injured in 1949.................................................... (c) Schenectady putters are illegal in Britain ..................................... (d) Commonwealth players are eligible to play on British International Teams ............................................................................. 5. Can a golfer get relief from an obstruction in a bunker? .............................................. 6. The diameter of the hole is 4^ inches. Has it ever varied? .......................................... 7. You have often heard a player say: "Another roll and it would have been in.” Approximately how far does a ball travel in a single revolution? 8. Which of the three major team matches between the United States and Great Britain was the first to be instituted? ........................................ 9. Excluding the Junior Championships, two teenagers hold USGA titles. Can you name them? ..................................................................................... 10 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 SENIORS APPEAL FOR SPEEDIER GOLF BY JOSEPH C. DEY, JR. USGA Executive Director t'AR more than a champion is apt to come out of a national golf champion­ ship, especially when the players are elder statesmen of the game. So it was with the third Senior Amateur Championship of the United States Golf Association, conducted recently at the Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey, on the outskirts of New York City. The Champion who came out of this Championship is J. Clark Espie, of Indianapolis, and a very deserving win­ ner he is. He was 3 down and 6 to play in the final match against the man who had defeated him in last year’s final, Frederick J. Wright, of Boston. But there were other happenings of note at Ridgewood, and chief among them was the start of an effort by the seniors to influence golfers in general to speed up play. The seniors began with themselves. At the USGA Players’ Dinner before the Championship, four types of golfing "snails” were described—the Nature-Lover, the Debator, the Waggler, and the Sur­ veyor. The unhappy delay they can cause for following golfers was pointed out by four prominent seniors—Messrs. Espie, Wright, Chick Evans and Woodie Platt, who was the first USGA Senior Champion in 1955. As elder statesmen, seniors can exert good influence upon the game in their home clubs and districts. The USGA Sen­ ior Championship Committee hopes to en­ list them to carry the gospel of speedier play through the land. Chairman of the Committee is John G. Clock, of Long Beach, Cal., a USGA Vice-President. It is entirely possible that from the small beginning at Ridgewood can start an effort which will, through force of edu­ cation and public opinion, cut out some of the unduly slow play now bedeviling golf. The problem is, to some extent, a mat­ ter of courtesy. Ray Schlicht, a senior of St. Paul, Minn., had suggested to the USGA that seniors be asked to take the lead in bringing about better observance of golf’s code of etiquette. Now the spearhead is to be an attack on slow play. So, Seniors, arise! Out with the stop­ watches! Ready . . . Set . . . Go! Repeat Finalists Clark Espie and Fred Wright set a LTSGA record for men’s championships in being the Senior Championship finalists for the second year in succession. Bob Jones and George Von Elm were twice finalists in the USGA Amateur Champion­ ship but not in consecutive years—1924, when Jones won, and 1926, when Von Elm won. The Women’s Amateur Cham­ pionship has had one case of consecutive finalists—Mrs. Julius A. Page, Jr., and Miss Patty Berg, who won in that order in 1937 and 1938. Mrs. Edwin H. Vare, Jr. (Glenna Collett) and Miss Virginia Van Wie thrice met for the Championship but never in successive years. Espie produced perhaps his best golf of the week at the crucial stage of his 18- hole Championship match with Wright. It looked as if Wright would retain the Championship when he was 2 up at the turn and 3 up after 11 holes. But Espie played the next six holes in one under par and took five of them, winning the match by 2 and 1. Factors in his winning surge were two big putts he holed, two three-putt greens by Wright and a virtually unplay­ able lie by Wright in the base of a tree­ trunk on the concluding hole. The new Champion, who is 58 years old, USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 11 reached the final by victories over Martin M. Issler, of West Orange, N. J.; Vincent Fitzgerald, Garden City, N. Y.; Harold B. Ryder, Siasconset, Mass., and John M. Win­ ters, Jr., Tulsa, Okla., who is Chairman of the USGA Rules of Golf Committee. The semi-final with Winters was even after n holes and Espie took four of the next five for a 4-and-2 victory. Wright’s victim in the semi-finals was James H. McAlvin, of Lake Forest, Ill., 2 and 1. Before that he defeated Roy L. Corey, of Syracuse, N. Y.; Paul A. Dunkel, Ridgewood, N. J., and Thomas C. Robbins, Mamaroneck, N. Y. Espie, who has several grandchildren, has won the Indianapolis district, Indiana Senior and Western Senior Championships. He is a member of the USGA Senior Championship Committee. The Ridgewood course provided a sound and exacting test. It was the scene of the Ryder Cup Match between British and American professionals in 1935, and it kept the seniors on their toes. The course was in splendid condition. So was Ridge­ wood’s hospitality—nothing was left un­ done for the seniors, thanks to Howard Smith, Ridgewood’s President; Joseph Ganann, General Chairman of the Club’s Committees for the Championship, and George Jacobus, long-time Professional and formerly PGA President. Sectional qualifying at 24 locations re­ duced the original entry of 349 to 120 for the Championship proper. At Ridgewood the medalist was a new senior, 5 5-year-old Thomas M. Green, Jr., of Seattle, with 73. Scores of 81 tied for the last place in the Championship flight of 32 who competed for the trophy presented by Frederick L. Dold. For the first time there were consolation match play flights of 16 for non-qualifiers, and the results in the finals were: First flight—Allen R. Rankin, Columbus, Ohio, won by default from James S. Man­ ion, St. Louis. Second flight—Maurice R. Smith, Kan­ sas City, defeated William E. Norvell, Jr., Chattanooga, 6 and 4. Third flight—Frank K. Stevens, New Rochelle, N. Y., defeated C. E. Bader, Gary, Ind., 3 and 2. Fourth flight—Maurice L. Wilcox, Phila­ delphia, defeated G. Calvert Hoyt, Red­ wood City, Cal., 3 and 1. Losers in the first round of all flights became eligible for an 18-hole consolation stroke play, which resulted in a tie at 83 between Robert U. Davidson, of Kansas City, and Paul W. Horn, Allentown, Pa. A Lifetime Game Anyone seeking to make a virtuous case for golf as a lifetime game doesn’t have far to look. Among the many exemplars in the Senior Championship we would cite Chick Evans and Runcie Martin. Chick Evans is 67 now, and it is 41 years since he won the Open and the Ama­ teur in the same season. This year, after winning two matches in the National Ama­ teur in September, Chick went to the Senior Championship. His qualifying score of 84 landed him in the first consolation flight. In spite of some seventh-decade aches and pains, he played as far as his game would take him. Runcie Martin, a curler and a golfer from Duluth, Minn., has never had the skill of Chick Evans but, today at age 72, he is no less enthusiastic. He played at Ridgewood, and it was just 52 years after he first played in—a national Champion­ ship, the Amateur of 1905. After the tournament he wrote the USGA as follows: "I thoroughly enjoyed meeting some 27 contestants in your Sen­ ior Championship whom I had either played with in previous tournaments or made the acquaintance of during tourna­ ments in the past.” Now there is supposed to be an essential difference between the USGA Senior event and most other senior tournaments. In the LTSGA Championship the emphasis is on competition; in the others, the main idea seems to be just fun and sociability. But the two objects are not mutually exclusive, as Mr. Martin has so nicely testified. Senior golf has had a tremendous growth since World War II. The last ten years have produced a favorable climate for the game to appeal to elder citizens—an abundant 12 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 J. Clark Espie, of Indianapolis, Ind., lines up a putt in the final of the USGA Seniors' Championship. From 3 down with 6 to play, he made a great come back to win by 2 and 1 from the holder, Frederick J. Wright, of Boston. economy, shorter work days, earlier retire­ ment, more leisure time, the example of a golfing President. These elements have been added to the natural charm of golf as a lifetime game in which, with handicaps, you can make a match with your grand­ mother. The result has been a quiet but rather phenomenal upsurge in interest among older men. It has been evident at all levels, starting in individual clubs and extending to international team matches. A strong reflection of booming local in­ terest is seen in sectional and national competitions for seniors. New tournaments have sprung up all over the country. Sen­ ior entry lists sometimes must be held down by such devices as limits of age and handicap. The United States Seniors’ Golf Associa­ tion pioneered national competition, start­ ing in 1905. Its members are individual seniors at least 55 years old. The member­ ship list is restricted to a fixed number. The USGA started its Senior Amateur Championship in 1955, for members of USGA member clubs whose age is not less than 55 and whose handicaps do not exceed 10. Although various senior events have various emphases, they all have the same flavor of boyish play. The participants may be business leaders or manual laborers, ministers of the gospel or skilled techni­ cians, but in golf they find a common de­ nominator, and become boys again. Golfers often improve with age. Al­ though it 30; R. 16, 27-ia, 27-ic. Q. 1: In a tournament, a thunderstorm came up, and the committee ordered play suspended until after the storm. One wo­ man had driven off the tee, and all four in the group marked her ball visually; no actual marker or cover was placed over the ball or spot where the ball rested. After the storm and when play resumed, the other women drove off, but the woman who had first driven was unable to find her 22 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 ball. Someone must have removed it, acci­ dentally or otherwise. The committee penalized her two strokes over her objec­ tions. What should the ruling be? Q. 2: On addressing a ball on the fair­ way or putting green, should the face of the club touch the ball, I understand that is allowable, but suppose on the putting green the ball is jiggled, not actually moved? I’ve seen players double-face a ball, put the putter first behind then over the top of the ball and line the putt up from in front of the ball then place the putter behind the ball to stroke it. Any number of times I’ve seen the ball jiggle. Is this a stroke? I’ve been told that a ball must roll half a revolution to be a stroke, something which is pretty hard to define. Q. 3: A player chipping missed his shot completely, and in swinging his club back he accidentally hit his ball, which was driven backwards some dozen feet by the back of the club. Is this considered a stroke, or does he just count the missed stroke and not the one hit as his club swung backwards? Questions by: Fred C. Clarke, Jr. Woodstock, Vt. A. 1: As the player’s ball was visible from the tee by all four players before play was suspended, it can be claimed in equity that the ball was moved by an outside agency, and a ball must therefore be drop­ ped without penalty under Rule 27-1 a. When play is temporarily suspended, it is permissible and advisable, but not obliga­ tory, to lift and mark the location of a ball in play. A. 2: A ball may be touched while be­ ing addressed provided it does not move. (Rule 16). A ball is deemed to have moved if it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other place (Definition 3). A. 3: A "stroke” is the forward move­ ment of the club made with the intention of fairly striking at and moving the ball (Definition 30). In addition to counting the missed stroke, the player is charged with a penalty stroke for accidentally mov­ ing the ball with his backward swing fol­ lowing the missed stroke (Rule 27-ic); and the ball is then played as it lies. Testing Brake With Putter Contrary To Rules USGA 57-27 R. 35-ic, 35-id Q: I have been experimenting to check the break on a green by placing my mallet­ head putter flat on the green and then by lifting it at the end of the handle and checking the way it swings to determine the break. Putter-head placed in three places—im­ mediately behind the hole, just to the side of the line of putt, and immediately be­ hind the ball—can give me a very definite idea of break. In no case have I touched the line of putt or placed the putter with more than its own weight, nor has the green been rubbed with the putter to test the grain. I don’t see that I have violated any rule but would like your opinion as to this procedure. Question by: Gene Andrews Beverly Hills, Cal. A: The action violates Rule 35-id, which prohibits testing the surface of the putting green. Attention is also called to the provision in Rule 35-ic that "the line of the putt shall not be touched in front of, to the side of, or behind the hole”. Holes Must Be Played In Correct Sequence R. & A. 56-75-31 D. 29 Q: Two players in an Inter-Club Match played on a neutral course, and omitted to play the fifth hole. They were playing on a nine-hole course and found out their mistake at the 9th hole. They returned to the clubhouse and reported their mistake and the member in charge for that day told them to return to the 5 th hole and replay to the 9th, can­ celling 6th to 9th holes played. Was this correct? A: In the circumstances described by you, the member in charge gave a correct ruling. The stipulated round consists of playing the nine (or eighteen holes) in their correct sequence. Definition 29. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 23 THE EFFECTS OF COMPACTION ON GOLF GREEN MIXTURES by R. J. Kunze, M. H. Ferguson, and J. B. Page Former Graduate Assistant, Texas A. & M. College; Mid-Continent Director and National Research Coordinator, USGA Green Section; and Dean of The College, formerly Head, department of Agronomy, Texas A. & M. College, respectively. /ANE of the difficulties encountered in building a golf green is the choice of the proper sand-soil-peat ratio. When pre­ paring a soil mixture for use on golf greens, one must consider a host of factors. Not only should this material produce a turf with a good putting surface, but it should also possess a resiliency that will be suitable to the players. It should hold moisture, yet allow any excess of water to drain in a short period of time. After much play and frequent applications of water, the soil mixture should retain its porosity and permeability to air and water. Prefer­ ably the mixture should be of such a nature that the maintenance costs of the green are at a minimum. Nature has endowed very few soils with the chemical and physical properties that meet all the specifications of a good golf green soil mixture. Although man has found reasonable means of controlling and maintaining the fertility of the soil, he has had very little success in the alteration of its physical properties. When a soil is subjected to compaction, high moisture ap­ plications, and nutrient levels that accele­ rate the decomposition of organic materials, experimental evidence indicates that the physical properties will not be maintained at a level that will produce turf with a desirable playing surface. One way to overcome this undesirable change in soil structure is to create a soil mixture that will resist the effects of com­ paction but otherwise possess the qualities that are conducive to good turfgrass growth. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate experimental mixtures and to find a sand-soil-peat mixture that would be superior to all others in the experiment. This evaluation was made by measuring the clipping yield and total root weight of grass grown in various soil mixtures. Phy­ sical measurements were made of each mixture at the conclusion of the experi­ ment. An attempt was made to relate the magnitude of these measurements to the clipping and root yields produced. Commercial concrete sand was used as the skeletal agent for the soil mixtures. It was used in a natural form and in five sieved sizes. Houston Black clay soil and a black cultivated sedge peat were the other constituents. Mechanical analysis in­ dicated that the soil was 57 percent clay, 34 percent silt, and 9 percent sand. A soil aggregate analysis by the Yoder wet sieve 24 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 method showed 91 percent aggregation. The soil aggregates like the sand were sieved into 5 separate sizes. An experimental green with adequate subsurface drainage was constructed. Metal containers (five-quart size) were buried in the green so that the tops of the con­ tainers were level with the surface of the soil. Drainage from the container to the porous material below was facilitated by three ^-inch holes in the bottom of each container. These containers were filled with different mixtures containing sand, soil, and peat. A single core of Texturf iF (formerly T-35A) Bermudagrass with all the soil was planted in each container. Before compaction treatments commenced, the grass became well established in each con­ tainer and completely covered the sur­ rounding area. During the course of one summer seven compaction treatments were applied with an impact device. A high moisture treatment was applied for a per­ iod of 40 days the following spring before the conclusion of the experiment. Six lots of clippings were taken during the 21 month experiment to be used for growth analysis purposes. Prior to compaction, the clipping weights indicated only very small differ­ ences in yields between mixtures of differ­ ent particle sizes. After compaction these differences were found to be quite large. It was found that the 1-0.5 millimeter and the mixed particle size gave by far the largest clipping yields. This is indicated by Figure 1. The lower yield of the 0.5-0.25 millimeter size corresponds to decreases in non-capillary porosity and permeability rates. The root weight on the other hand in­ creased with a decrease in particle size. This is shown in Figure 2. The roots in the finer mixtures had a long thin appear­ ance while the roots in the larger particle size mixtures were thick and short. This lack of correlation between root and top growth had not been anticipated. Tem­ perature, aeration, moisture, nutrient sup­ ply and other plant environmental factors have been shown to have a differential COMING EVENTS November 18-22 American Society of Agronomy Annual Meetings Atlanta Biltmore Hotel Atlanta, Ga. Dece-mber 4-5-6 12th Annual Oklahoma Turfgrass Conference Oklahoma State College, Stillwater, Okla. Dr. Wayne W. Huffine December 9-10-11 12th Annual Texas Turfgrass Conference Texas A. & M. College, College Station, Texas Dr. Ethan C. Holt 1958 January 13-14-15 Second Annual Meeting of Weed Society of America Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tenn. Leonard Lett, P. O. Box 9905, Memphis 12, Tenn. January 20-23 Rutgers University Turf School Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J. Dr. Ralph E. Engel February 2-7 29th National Turfgrass Conference and Show Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D. C. Agar M. Brown February 17-28 Penn State Turfgrass Conference Nittany Lion Inn, University Park, Pa. Prof. H. B. Musser February 24-25 Southern Turfgrass Conference Chickasaw Country Club Memphis, Tenn. Reg Perry—-P. O. Box 2057 DeSoto Station effect on root and top growth. Additional work is necessary to help clarify this phe­ nomenon. With the more desirable particle sizes (1-0.5 millimeter or mixed) it was found that compacted soil mixtures of 5 to 10 percent Houston Black clay soil by volume or 2 to 4 percent clay by weight produced the largest yield of top growth and in most instances also produced the largest amount of root growth. Larger amounts of clay soil reduced the amount of non-capillary porosity and decreased the permeability of the mixtures. The amount of total porosity is not as important as a graduation and continuity of pore sizes. The presence of the proper amount of large or non-capillary pores in the soil is needed for the removal of ex­ cess water, exchange of gases in the soil and for the growth of a deep rooted sys­ tem. Small pores on the other hand act as USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 25 excellent discussion of soil porosity and its importance in soil-plant relationships in his text. Figure 3 shows the relationship between the percent of non-capillary poro­ sity of various mixtures and the amount of clippings produced by these mixtures. With each added increment of soil, the amount of larger pore space is reduced with a corresponding reduction in yield. On the basis of this work it appears that 10-15 percent non-capillary porosity is sufficient for good plant growth. Permeability data indicate that mixtures with ratios of 8-1-1 or 8%-%-i regardless of particle size were highly permeable to water. Only with the very fine mixture sizes (less than 0.25 millimeter) was there any Particle Size of Soil Mixtures (mm) Figure 1 Clipping weights produced by the indicated par­ ticle* sizes. Each bar represents an average of 16 measurements. water reservoirs which may be utilized by the plant as needed. Except in very sandy soil mixtures or soils with good structure the larger pore sizes usually are limited in quantity. In turn aeration is reduced, and this impairs root respiration. Conse­ quently absorption of water and nutrients is reduced, followed by a resulting reduc­ tion in plant growth. Baver(i) gives an Figure 3 Variations in clipping weights and non-capillary porosities obtained from mixed particle size mix­ tures. The reduction of the non-capillary porosity indicates a corresponding decrease in clipping weights. difficulty in getting water through the mix­ ture. This is in general agreement with the work of Lunt(2) who suggested that fine sands—0.25 to 0.10 millimeter—may be satisfactory, provided they are relatively free of silt and clay. The bulk density determinations were Particle Size of Soil Mixtures (mm) Figure 2 Root weights produced by the indicated particle sizes. Each bar represents an average of 8 measurements. 26 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 of very little significance in evaluating tne over-all fitness and productiveness of the soil. Evidence was found that the variable amounts of roots found in the soil cores was a major factor in the inconsistencies found in the bulk density measurements. The heavy rates of water applied during the last 40 days of the experiment did not appear to limit growth. Clippings weights before and after the moisture treatment exhibited the same general trend of growth. This seemingly indifferent response was not anticipated; however, subsurface drainage appeared to be quite adequate so that no harmful effects resulted. Because of the wide variations in the physical and chemical properties of soils presently used on golf greens, it would be foolish to suggest that these findings should apply to all situations. Every possible effort should be put forth to have the selected soils analyzed for their various physical and chemical properties before any green con­ struction is attempted. Much additional work with other soils and skeletal agents, with other climatic environments, and with other grasses, is needed so that a more abundant and diversified library of infor­ mation may be made available. References (1) Baver, L. D. Soil Physics. Third Edi­ tion. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 1956. (2) Lunt, O. R. Minimizing Compaction in Putting Greens, United States Golf Association Journal and Turf Man­ agement. 9:5, 25-30, 1956. SNOWMOLD CONTROL by J. R. Watson, Jr. & J. L. Kolb Agronomists, Toro Manufacturing Corporation, Minneapolis, Minnesota QNOWMOLD probably causes more damage to golf course turfgrass than any other disease in the snow belt—north­ ern United States and Canada. The disease is most serious on the green proper, the aprons, approaches and shoulders. Bent­ grass tees and fairways are likewise at­ tacked, but in general, damage is less severe than on greens. Under extreme en­ vironment—heavy and persistent snow packs with temperatures around freezing— snowmold may cause damage on tees and fairways. Two organisms—Typhula itoana, the "gray snowmold,” and Fusarium nivale, the "pink snowmold,” are responsible for this disease. These organisms are active between 28° and 420 Fahrenheit, when ex­ cessive moisture is present. This environ­ ment exists as the snow pack melts in late winter and early spring. The common name, "snowmold,” has developed because of this association with melting snow. It should be pointed out, however, that the disease will develop whenever temperature * Trad* names of chemicals and carriers included in the study are used for purposes of clarity and convenience. and moisture are favorable, irrespective of snow coverage. Several fungicides have been reported and are known to be effective against the snowmold organisms. The list includes Calo-Clor*, Phenyl Mercury, (Liquaphene, PM AS, etc.), Teresan, Semesan, Cadminate, and straight corrosive sublimate. This lat­ ter material has proven especially effective against the virulent strain of snowmold found in the Prairie Provinces of Canada. The major problem associated with con­ trol of the disease is one of longevity and persistence of the applied chemical. This develops from the necessity of applying the fungicide in late fall or early winter, after the soil is frozen and prior to the first snowfall which will remain. Another prob­ lem is that of holding the fungicide in place when thaws occur in late winter or early spring. Often snow may melt, par­ tially or completely, thus washing out or dissipating the material. In an effort to find a material which would prolong the effectiveness and per­ sistence of the fungicide, a snowmold test was located on an experimental green at the Toro Research and Development Cen­ ter in the fall of 1953. This study was con- USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 27 SUBSCRIBERS TO USGA GREEN SECTION RESEARCH & EDUCATION FUND Augusta National Golf Club Catto & Putty Cooperative Seed & Farm Supply Service Dorado Beach Development Bob Dunning-Jones, Inc. E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. Floyd Farley Georgia-Florida Turf Assoc. Lynde & Rowsey Lawn Grass Nurseries Augusta, Ga. San Antonio, Tex. Richmond, Va. Dorado, P. R. Tulsa, Okla. Wilmington, Del. Oklahoma City, Okla. Winter Park, Fla. Musagee, Okla. Boston, Mass. New England Golf Assoc. Maine Golf Association Massachusetts Golf Association New England Golf Association New Hampshire Golf Association Rhode Island State Golf Association Vermont Golf Association Watson Distributing Co. Houston, Texas Western Pennsylvania Golf Assoc. Pittsburgh, Pa. tinued in 1954, 1955 and 1956. The results of the 1953 and 1954 tests (readings made in the spring of 1954 and 1955) were re­ ported in the May, 1956, issues of "Golf Course Reporter” and "Golfdom.” Materials and Methods Certain revisions were made in the 1955-56 study. These were as follows: (1) Chemicals—only one rate of each chemical was used—PMAS at three (3) ounces of 10% material per thousand square feet; Calo Clor at three (3) ounces per one thousand square feet. In earlier tests, PMAS was used at one and one-half (1^) and three (3 ) ounces per thousand square feet, and Calo Clor at two (2) and four (4) ounces per thou­ sand square feet. (2) Carriers—Processed sewage sludge —Milorganite at the rate of fifty (50) and one hundred (100) pounds per thousand square feet^ topdressing at a volume equal to one hundred (100) pounds of Mil­ organite, a mixture of topdressing and Milorganite at a volume equal to fifty (50) and one hundred (100) pounds of Milogranite, and water as a spray, were used as car­ riers. Sand was omitted from the test in 1955-56. Earlier studies had shown the sand to be of little value, other than providing additional bulk for spreading the chemical. (3) Milorganite, topdressing and a combination of the two materials were used without chemical. (4) A series of plots received soluble nitrogen from an inorganic carrier (ammonium sulfate) at a rate to equal the amount of nitrogen con­ tained in one hundred (100) pounds of the organic carrier— Milorganite. The treatments were replicated three times. They were applied in late Novem­ ber only. Effectiveness of the various chemicals and carriers were measured by recording the actual number of snowmold spots which developed during late winter and early spring. Color ratings were also re­ corded during this period. Two or three thaws and subsequent snows occurred, thus providing excellent conditions for evaluat­ ing longevity and persistence of the various chemicals and carriers. The 1955 snowmold control program at the Somerset Country Club, St. Paul, Minnesota, although not an integral part of these experiments, serves to illustrate the practical application and to support the validity of the test results. Following a fall topdressing, the greens were treated in late November, early December, with four ounces of Calo Clor mixed with ten pounds of Milorganite per thousand square feet. The results of this program are pre­ sented in the discussion phase of this paper. Results Results of the 1955-56 test at the Toro R. & D. Center show: (1) Three ounces of Calo Clor per thousand square feet produced ef­ fective control of snowmold, irre­ spective of carrier. (2) The three ounce rate of PMAS was effective against snowmold under 28 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 (6) Soluble nitrogen (ammonium sul­ fate) produced severe damage re­ sulting in almost complete destruc­ tion of the turf. Some variation between the results ob­ tained in 1955-56, and those of previous years are noted. These variations will be discussed. Discussion Check plots, as well as plots which re­ ceived carrier alone—without chemical— were heavily infested with snowmold. See Figures 1, 2 and 3. The degree of infesta­ tion was less on plots receiving carrier alone than on the check plot (Figure 3). Nevertheless, the necessity of using a chemical effectively to control snowmold is obvious, since any degree of infestation is undersirable. Calo Clor applied in late fall—early winter at a rate of three ounces per thou­ sand square feet under the conditions studied controls the development of snow­ mold, irrespective of carrier or severity of environment (Figure 3). Effectiveness of Calo Clor may also be noted in Figures 1 and 2. Figures 4 and 5 show the effective­ ness under field conditions. While the three ounce rate was satisfactory under controlled test conditions, it would appear that four ounces per thousand would be a more practical and desirable rate for golf course greens. It likewise appears that in the northern sections of the border states and Fig. 3—Plots in immediate foreground treated with Calo Clor. That to left was sprayed; to right, Milorganite was used as carrier. Note contrast in color and freedom of dis­ ease. Check plot located three plots in rear of spray plot. Plot treated with topdress­ ing alone—without chemical—located two plots to rear and one to right of Milorgan­ ite plot. Fig. 1—Plot (left foreground) treated with Milor- ganite and Calo Clor. Plot at right treated with topdressing alone. Note color and freedom of disease on treated plot. Note also color of the disease-free grass on topdressing plot in contrast to that beyond test area, and on the spray plot located immediately behind topdressing plot. Fig. 2—Plots treated with Calo Clor and PMAS as indicated. Milorganite was used as carrier for both chemicals. Note development of disease along plot borders. Second plot in rear of PMAS plots is a check—no treatment. Note severity of snowmold infestation. normal environmental conditions. Under heavy and persistent snow pack and in low areas where mois­ ture persisted—extreme environ­ ment—as on some plots, PMAS failed to render control, irrespective of carrier. (3) Milorganite and topdressing pro­ duced earlier greening than spray treatments. (4) Effectiveness of the Milorganite as measured by density, vigor and color throughout the growing sea­ son, was considerably superior to topdressing. (5) Milorganite, topdressing, or the combination alone—without chemi­ cal—did not effect control of the snowmold. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 29 in Canada, an even higher rate may be desirable. In the 1955-56 test, PMAS at three ounces per thousand square feet failed to produce the satisfactory control experi­ enced during the previous years of the study. It should be pointed out that certain plots receiving PMAS were completely free of snowmold (Figure 2); neverthe­ less, the average infestation for all plots in all replications was such that the overall performance in 1955-56 was rated unsatis­ factory. This average was materially influ­ enced by the heavy infestation occurring on plots located in areas classified as having an extreme environment. The failure to control the disease on these plots is prob­ ably related to the soluble nature of phenyl mercury, since it appears that under nor­ mal environment, PMAS does render satis­ factory control. Heavier rates, as well as 1 etreatment with PMAS in late winter— early spring, may produce satisfactory con­ trol under all conditions. Uniformity of coverage is essential for effective control of snowmold, This is illus­ trated in Figure 3, which shows the de­ velopment of the disease along plot borders where treatments did not completely abut. Also, the development of disease along spreader borders where material was not lapped (Figure 4) and where the hopper was exhausted of material midway through one lap (Figure 5) illustrates the import­ ance of uniform coverage. The evidence indicates that where carrier is used with the chemical, it is held in place with little to no lateral movement. As noted, earlier spray applications are as effective in the control of snowmold as are those in which an organic carrier is used. The convenience of applying chemi­ cals with available spray equipment may, under certain conditions, constitute an ad­ vantage for this method. It should be noted that the carrier may be applied dry and rhe Calo Clor sprayed over the material in place, as well as mixing carrier and chemi­ cal before application. The major advantage of using an or­ ganic carrier appears to be the early greening produced. Plots receiving Milor- ganite and topdressing alone or in com­ bination "greened up” some two to three weeks earlier than sprayed plots (Figures 1 and 3). This early greening may be par­ tially explained by the thermal effects pro­ duced. The dark material absorbs and holds more heat; hence, raises the temperature of the micro-climate enough to permit early growth activity. The presence of available nitrogen at this time stimulates additional growth. Other than the initial early greening produced by the topdressing, there ap­ peared to be little advantage from using topdressing as a carrier. However, plots which received Milorganite alone or in combination with topdressing displayed continued superiority in density, color, and Fig. 4—Green at Somerset CC topdressed in fall and treated in late November with four oz. of Calo Clor and 10 lbs. of Milorganite per 1000 sq. ft. Note development of dis­ ease along areas where spreader did not lap. Note also severity of disease on un­ treated apron and shoulder. Fig. 5—Smail area of bentgrass in fairway at Somerset C.C. treated with four oz. of Calo Clor and 10 lbs. of Milorganite per 1000 sq. ft. Note development of disease and lack of color in center swath where spreader was exhausted of material mid­ way through run. 30 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 vigor in almost direct relation to the amount of material used. The rates of Milorganite used in the 1955 test supplied three and six pounds of Nitrogen; in the 1953 and 1954 tests, twelve pounds of nitrogen; and the rate used at the Somerset Country Club in 1955, six-tenths (0.6) pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet. In one series of plots in 1955, ammonium sulfate was applied at a rate to supply six pounds of nitrogen pet- thousand square feet. It is highly significant to note that dam­ age to the turf in the form of burning or over succulence from even the twelve pound rate of nitrogen from sewage sludge did not occur, whereas severe damage— actually almost complete kill—resulted from the use of six pounds of nitrogen from the soluble carrier (ammonium sul­ fate). The contrasting results can be attri­ buted only to the difference between the rate of release of nitrate from the two types of carriers. The failure of the Milorganite treated plots to develop succulence and the resultant damage associated with this con­ dition may be partially explained by the slow breakdown of the material. The appli­ cation was made very late in the fall; low temperatures at that time, as well as dur­ ing winter, prevented complete breakdown. Subsequent spring temperatures were such that decomposition proceeded rather slow ly, with no apparent ill effects. The possi­ bility exists that the grass may be able to utilize some of the early products of de­ composition (amino acids) for its very 1 educed metabolic activity during its period of dormancy. The use of soluble nitrogen at materially reduced rates to produce early greening may be possible; however, the results of this study do not warrant a re- ccmmendation as to the rate or time of application. In the central and southern extremities of the snowmold zone, it would appear that low rates—ten to twenty pounds—of Mil­ organite would be preferable to the higher rates—up to fifty pounds—which appear satisfactory in the more northern areas. Although the 100 and 200 pound rate of Milorganite gave satisfactory results, it is TURF MANAGEMENT The book "Turf Management," sponsored by the United States Golf Association and edited by Prof. H. B. Musser, is a complete and authoritative guide in the practical de­ velopment of golf-course turfs. This 354-page volume is available through the USGA, 40 East 38th Street, New York 16, N. Y., the USGA Green Section Regional Offices, the McGraw-Hill Book Co., 350 West 42nd Street, New York 36, N. Y., or local bookstores. The cost is $7. felt that a maximum of fifty pounds per thousand square feet is adequate. Higher temperatures and more infrequent snow­ fall in the central and southern belts would undoubtedly lead to a release of more nitrates than would be experienced in the northern belts. This conceivably could pro­ duce sufficient succulence which, when coupled with rapid drops in temperature, might produce damage to the turfgrass. Conclusions Based on the results of experiments and observations conducted at the Toro R. & D. Center for the past three years, the following conclusions regarding the pre­ vention and control of snowmold on golf course turfgrass seem warranted. 1. Three to four ounces of Calo Clor per thousand square feet provides satisfactory chemical control of snow­ mold. 2. Spray applications of Calo Clor give effective control of snowmold, but grass takes longer to green up than when Milorganite or topdressing is used as a carrier. 3. Milorganite or topdressing may be applied and Calo Clor sprayed onto them with the same results as ob­ tained from mixing chemical and carrier before application. 4. Ten to fifty pounds of Milorganite per thousand square feet will pro­ duce greening some two to three weeks earlier. Greens so treated will exhibit superior color, density and vigor for an extended period of time in almost direct relation to the amount of material used. Low rates —ten to twenty pounds—are sug- USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 31 Photo by O. J. Noer Experts gathered at the University of Rhode Island for the Rhode Island Field Day Meeting are left to right: Edwin H. Vare, Jr., Chairman, Green Committee, Philadelphia C.C.; Dr. J. A. DeFrance, Research Professor; Dean Mason H. Campbell, Director, Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station; Dr. W. H. Wiley, Associate Director, Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station; Dr. T. E. Odland, Head, Department of Agronomy. gested for central and southern belts; higher rates appear satisfactory in more northern areas. 5. Topdressing used as a carrier pro­ duces eary greening, but fails to pro­ duce the improvement in quality ex­ perienced on Milorganite treated areas. 6. The combination of topdressing and Milorganite used as a carrier pro­ duces satisfactory results—early greening and superior quality. Pro­ longed superiority from a quality standpoint is directly related to the amount of Milorganite used. 7. PMAS (10%) used at a rate of three to four ounces per 1000 square feet may provide satisfactory control under normal conditions, but ap­ pears inadequate under extreme en­ vironment—heavy and persistent snow pack and low poorly drained areas. Retreatment in late win­ ter—early spring, or possibly higher rates may be necessary to produce completely satisfactory control under all conditions. 8. Uniform application of any chemical is essential for satisfactory control. 9. Treatment of aprons, approaches and shoulders, as well as the green proper, is recommended. Such will protect the bentgrass present on these areas and possibly prevent in­ vasion of weeds. 10. The results of these studies clearly indicate that from a practical stand­ point, snowmold can be effectively controlled and greens brought into play considerably earlier by correct choice of chemical and carrier. Nevertheless, further research on all phases of this investigation are war­ ranted. Fundamental studies are particularly needed on the effective­ ness and retention of mercury vapors by humus and related materials, as well as the relationship between late fall—early winter applications of nitrogen and turf quality. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 IT’S YOUR HONOR USGA Handicap System in Brazil To the USGA; Our Brazilian Open was won by Robert de Vicenzo, and I feel that the tournament was most successful. This in part was possible through the ad­ vice which you gave us. It may interest you to know that our club, Itanhanga, now uses the USGA Golf Handicap System and the members are very enthusiastic about it. Our course has been rated 73 by Mario Gonzales, pro at Gavea; Walter Seigh, pro at Itanhanga; Walter Ratte, captain of Gavea, and yours truly. Charles M. Johnson Captain, Itanhanga Golf Club Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Research in St. Louis To the USGA: I feel that we in the Mid-west should be recognized now and then for the work we are doing in the way of research. I understand that St. Louis is probably the only city in the coun­ try that is doing private research and we, in turn, pass on our information to the USGA and the Midwest Turf Foundation. This past summer we had a young student from Purdue University who worked here from June 15 until Sep­ tember 15. Our experimental work took in about twenty-five experiments consisting of the following: fertilized plots, weed control, crab grass and goose-foot control, soil fumigation on soil and top dressing from eight clubs, pythium controls, four different types of Bermuda. We had an afternoon field day which was attended by 191 men, and a dinner meeting held at the West­ wood C. C. attended by 143 persons. St. Louis is one of the toughest places in which to raise grass, and through the fine work of the superin­ tendents’ association and the St. Louis Turf Research, which the Association is called, I believe we have conquered a large part of our trouble. Leo S. Bauman St. Louis Turf Research Creve Coeur, Mo. Memories Revived at Minikahda To the USGA: The Walker Cup Match at Mini­ kahda really brought back old memories to me of the days when we had the Public Links Championship here in 1931, which was the first activity Tot Heffelfinger took part in for the USGA. I think that Championship had a lot to do with his becoming part of your organization and I re­ member he spent a great deal of time with Ganson Depew and other execu­ tives of the USGA at that time. It truly made me homesick. The ten years I served as a member of that Com­ mittee were ones of great remem­ brances as well as experiences which I shall always cherish. Tom Hastings Minneapolis, Minn. Mid-West Appreciation To the USGA: As Co-Chairman of the Green Com­ mittee at the Ashtabula Country Club, I wish to express the committee’s high regard for the many splendid articles appearing in the USGA Journal. The April 1957 edition with its articles about the work and problems of Green Committees was greatly appreciatetd and we all hope many more will be printed in the future. Joseph F. Swift Ashtabula, Ohio USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: NOVEMBER, 1957 33 USGA OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN PRESIDENT Richard S. Tufts, Pinehurst, N. C. VICE-PRESIDENTS John D. Ames, Chicago, III. John G. Clock, Long Beach, Cal. SECRETARY Charles L. Peirson, Boston, Mass. TREASURER J. Frederic Byers, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The above officers and: C. W. Benedict, White Plains, N. Y. Emerson Carey, Jr., Denver, Colo. William C. Chapin, Rochester, N. Y. John W. Fischer, Cincinnati, Ohio Richmond Gray, Richmond, Va. Stuart A. Heatley, San Francisco, Cal. Gordon E. Kummer, Milwaukee, Wis. William McWane, Birmingham, Ala. F. Warren Munro, Portland, Ore. John M. Winters, Jr., Tulsa, Okla. GENERAL COUNSEL Wm. Ward Foshay, New York, N. Y. COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN RULES OF GOLF: John M. Winters, Jr., Tulsa, Okla. CHAMPIONSHIP: John D. Ames, Chicago, 111. AMATEUR STATUS AND CONDUCT: John W. Fischer, Cincinnati, Ohio IMPLEMENTS AND BALL: Charles L. Peirson, Boston, Mass. MEMBERSHIP: Gordon E. Kummer, Milwaukee, Wis. GREEN SECTION: William C. Chapin, Rochester, N. Y. WOMEN'S: Mrs. Charles Dennehy, Lake Forest, III. SECTIONAL AFFAIRS: F. Warren Munro, Portland, Ore. PUBLIC LINKS: Emerson Carey, Jr., Denver, Colo. HANDICAP: Richmond Gray, Richmond, Va. Handicap Procedure. William O. Blaney, Boston, Mass. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: J. Frederic Byers, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: John G. Clock, Long Beach, Cal. GIRLS' JUNIOR: Mrs. John Pennington, Buffalo, N. Y. MUSEUM: C. W. Benedict, White Plains, N. Y. BOB JONES AWARD: Totton P. Heffelfinger, Minneapolis, Minn. FINANCE: J. Frederic Byers, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. USGA HEADQUARTERS "Golf House", 40 East 38th Street, New York 16, N. Y. Joseph C. Dey, Jr., Executive Director John P. English, Assistant Executive Director USGA GREEN SECTION EASTERN REGION Northeastern Office: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J. Alexander M. Radko, Director, Eastern Region T. T. Taylor, Northeastern Agronomist Mid-Atlantic Office: South Building, Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Md. Charles K. Hallowell, Mid-Atlantic Director Southeastern Office: South Building, Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Md. James M. Latham, Jr., Southeastern Agronomist MID-CONTINENT REGION Southwestern Office: Texas A. and M. College, College Station, Texas Dr. Marvin H. Ferguson, Director, Mid-Continent Region and National Research Coordinator James B. Moncrief, Southwestern Agronomist Mid-Western Office: Room 241, LaSalle Hotel, Chicago 2, III. James L. Holmes, Mid-Western Agronomist WESTERN REGION Western Office: P.O. Box 567, Garden Grove, Cal. William H. Bengeyfield, Director, Western Region