USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD A Publication on Turf Management by the United States Golf Association USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD A Publication on Turf Management by the United States Golf Association © 1972 by United States Golf Association. Permission to reproduce articles or materia! in the USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD is granted to publishers of newspapers and periodicals (unless specifically noted otherwise), provided credit is given the USGA and copyright protection is afforded. To reprint material in other media, written permission must be obtained from the USGA. In any case, neither articles nor other material may be copied or used for any advertising, promotion or commercial purposes. VOL. 10, NO. 2 MARCH 1972 1972 Green Section Education Conference: "Men, Management and Mechanization".......................................... 1 Motivation: How to Get Your People to "Turn On" to Work by Evan L. Lemley ............................................................................. 2 Pride Beat the Steam Drill by Jack Kidwell and Michael Hurdzan .... 5 Organization in Maintenance by Holman M. Griffin ............................. 7 Management Versus Strawboss by T.A. Doerer, Jr.................................. 9 Ideas and Gadgets by Alexander M. Radko............................................ 10 Manpower Versus Mechanization by Lee Record ................................. 15 Progress Through Mechanization on Golf Courses by Roger J. Thomas............................................................................. 18 Overcoming the Charlie Brown Syndrome by Don S. Marshall.............. 22 The Good and Not So Good of Triplex Putting Green Mowers by William H. Bengeyfield, Joe Sirianni, Harvey Hardin, John Zoller.......................................................................................... 25 Turf Twisters................................................................................. Back Cover Published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by the UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION, 40 EAST 38th ST., NEW YORK, N.Y. 10016. Subscription: $2 a year. Single copies: 35c. Subscriptions and address changes should be sent to the above address. Articles, photographs, and correspondence relevant to published material should be addressed to: United States Golf Association Green Section, P.O. Box 567, Garden Grove, Calif 92642. Second class postage paid at New York, N.Y. and other locations Office of Publication40 East 38th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016. Editor: William H. Bengeyfield Managing Editor: Robert Sommers Art Editor: Miss Janet Seagle Green Section Committee Chairman: Edward L. Meister, Jr., 37841 Euclid Ave., Willowghby, Ohio 44094 Green Section Agronomists and Offices EASTERN REGION P.O. Box 1237 Highland Park, N. J. 08904 Alexander M. Radko, Director, Eastern Region and National Research Director William G. Buchanan, Eastern Agronomist Stanley J. Zontek, Eastern Agronomist (201) 572-0440 MID-CONTINENT REGION P.O. Box 592, Crystal Lake, III. 60014 F. Lee Record, Director, Mid-Continent Region Carl Schwartzkopf, Mid-Continent Agronomist (815) 459-3731 MID-ATLANTIC REGION P.O. Box 5563 Barricks Road Station, Charlottesville, Va. 22903 Holman M. Griffin, Mid-Atlantic Director SOUTHERN REGION P.O. Box 4213 Campus Station, Athens, Ga. 30601 James B. Moncrief, Director, Southern Region (404) LI 8-2741 (703) 296-5353 WESTERN REGION P.O. Box 567 Garden Grove, Calif. 92642 William H. Bengeyfield, Director, Western Region and Publications Editor (714) 638-0962 COVER PHOTO: Herb and Joe Graffis were joint recipients of the 12th USGA Green Section Award at the Biltmore Hotel, New York, on Janu­ ary 28, 1972. With them is Henry H. Russell, of Miami, former Green Sec­ tion Chairman, and Phillip H. Strubing, Philadelphia, former President of the USGA. The Award is given annually for “distinguished service to golf through work with turfgrass.” 1972 Green Section Education Conference: "Men, Management and Mechanization" There was much more to this year’s Green Section Conference on Golf Course Manage­ ment than appeared in the printed program. Nearly 500 attended and some traveled from as far away as the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, and the deep South. Highlight of the Conference was the acceptance of the 12th Annual Green Section Award “for distinguished service to golf through work with turfgrass” by Messrs. Herb and Joe Graffis. Henry H. Russell, of Miami, retiring Chair­ man of the USGA Green Section Committee, also announced the move of USGA Headquar­ ters to Far Hills, N.J., to take place in March of 1972. The new headquarters building is a 50-year-old mansion on 62 acres. The building, in addition to its office use, will house the USGA Museum and Library. It is located about a one-hour drive from New York City. Additional important news concerned the possible development of a USGA Golf Course. The Executive Committee of the USGA has determined that ownership and operation of such a golf course appears desirable. Plans are being prepared for possible development of a course near the new headquarters. Final deci­ sion on whether to proceed with the project will be made this spring. If the course is built, its design will be the responsibility of the Golf Course Committee which will work with a committee of three golf course architects: Pete Dye, George Fazio, and Robert Trent Jones. Mr. Russell is retiring from the USGA Executive Committee. He served as Chairman of the Green Section Committee for 10 years. He was succeeded by Edward L. Meister, Jr., of Willoughby, Ohio. All who have known and worked with Mr. Russell recognize his many contributions to the Green Section Program, both in turfgrass research, Green Section publi­ cations, and direct course visits. Mr. Meister, in addition to being an exceptional amateur golfer, is well qualified for his new post. He heads a publishing company specializing in agricultural magazines, periodicals, handbooks, etc. The Green Section looks to a bright future. Readers of the Record may be interested in knowing their magazine has truly gone international. Although there are no golf courses in Russia, the Central Scientific Agri­ culture Library, Moscow, USSR, has asked to receive future issues of the Green Section Record. We hope our old (and new) readers will enjoy this and future issues. So that all USGA Member Clubs may benefit from the 1972 Conference Program, the papers are reproduced herein for your information and future refer­ ence. MARCH 1972 1 Motivation: How to Get Your People to "Turn On" to Work By Evan L. Lemley, Associate Extension Spe­ cialist, Department of Management Education, University Extension Division, Rutgers Uni­ versity There can be little doubt that among the many tasks confronting the golf course super­ intendent is that of improving performance of the worker. Improved technology, modern equipment, budgets, good scheduling, improved communication systems, and dedication all contribute to improvement. An efficient shop and well organized training programs also con­ tribute greatly to improving overall perfor­ mance. The one ingredient that must be presented is motivation. If a worker is not properly motivated, all the sophisticated equip­ ment and systems will not pay back the large returns in golf course improvement that advo­ cates promise. What is the nature of this broad concept of motivation? In his recent book, Psychology of Personnel in Business and Industry, Roger Bellows de­ scribes motivation as a condition of con­ structive tension. It can be more simply ex­ pressed as the reason a person does something. The reasons people do things can be grouped into three basic categories: (1) The rules: If the organization has a rule that states employees must be at their work place by 8:00 a.m., the workers have a reason for being there. (2) The group: If one worker is not con­ forming in some way, such as producing as much work as others in the group, pressure may be exerted on the poor performer in direct or subtle ways. (3) The individual: Internal forces of pride, ambition, survival, ego, status, etc., give a person reasons for doing things. This list in no way exhausts the subject, but perhaps puts a framework around the concept of motivation. History provides some insights if one ex­ amines certain incidents in the light of the motivational forces involved, particularly the workers and what motivates them. Consider, for example, the building of the pyramids in ancient Egypt. Slave labor was used, and the reason people worked was fear. Because the bosses had absolute power of life and death over the workers, the situation was very simple. Another similar and more modern situation was the Okies of the 1930s here in the United States. Marginal farmers were driven from their homes by the great dust storms and large agricultural combines. They sought to scratch out a living as migratory workers picking fruits and vegetables in California. The migrants’ plight was similar to that of the pyramid builders. When migrants were in a farmer’s camp, in many cases local police kept them in line lest they insist on fresh water or decent sanitary facilities. A significant difference from the pyramid builders was that the workers came from another environment in which they had freedom and independence. The migrants often rebelled because they had known a better life. Many other labor-management examples come to mind to illustrate the point, such as sweat shops in the garment industry, child labor abuses, the coal miners*and their problems with intolerable working conditions and the com­ pany store. Even today the so-called hard core or culturally disadvantaged frequently are forced to work in substandard conditions in order to survive. The picture is currently clouded by the enormous welfare culture which in many cases turns any attempt at analyzing motivation into a nightmare. But what of running of an efficient labor crew? There are many theoretical models with which to examine human motivation. Two of the most popular are those of Dr. Abraham Maslow and Dr. Frederick Herzberg. Dr. Mas­ low’s Theory is a basic one and can be applied 2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD to people in general, while Dr. Herzberg nar­ rowed his examination of the problem to the work environment. In the simplest terms, Maslow said that people operate at five levels of motivation, and that there is a definite priority of needs or a “hierarchy of needs.” At the base of his hierarchy is the need to survive. At this level people are only concerned about food, clothing, shelter, to satisfy basic physiological needs. When these needs are satisfied, the individual moves to the next level of safety and security. At this level he is concerned about being protected, being able to plan ahead, and having a reserve or source of replenishment of the basics. Once these needs are satisfied he moves on to the third level which is social in nature. At this level he needs to “belong,” to have affection, love, affiliation, or to put it another way, be part of a friendly group. After attaining the needs of the third level he moves either consciously or subconsciously to the fourth level of esteem or status. At the fourth level he is looking for recognition, acceptance, praise, or more generally, a feeling that other people consider him a worthy person. Finally, according to Maslow, having achieved the first four, man moves to the highest plateau of self-actualization — “being as much as I can be.” At this level the individual is no longer concerned about the acceptance of others, but rather the acceptance of himself. There are, of course, many instances when people do not behave according to Maslow’s model, such as the martyr who forgets self­ preservation, security, affection, and esteem to be what he has to be; or the man who is so status conscious that he joins an exclusive country club but can’t keep the household bills paid on time. But the exceptions are not the point. The model stands up rather well in a vast majority of cases. The other very popular and controversial motivational theory is that of Frederick Herz­ berg. He has been widely published in popular periodicals such as the Harvard Business Review and Fortune Magazine. Herzberg conducted some basic attitude surveys in motivation and work situation. The essence of Herzberg’s find­ ings are these: There are two general classifica­ tions of job needs which are identified as satisfiers and dissatisfiers. In the satisfier cate­ gory are: (1) achievement, (2) recognition, (3) advancement, (4) responsibility, and (5) work itself. In the dissatisfier category are: (1) policies and procedures, (2) technical com­ petence of supervisors, (3) salary, (4) inter­ personal relations, and (5) working conditions. Each of the satisfiers (motivators) and dissatis­ fiers (demotivators) have at least two dimen­ sions which are intensity and duration. For Evan L. Lemley attended public schools in Akron, Ohio, served in the U.S. Army from 1944-46, then attended Kent State University where he received a B.S. degree in business administration. He is currently an associate extension specialist in Management for the Department of Manage­ ment Education, University Extension Division, Rutgers University. Lemley has a very special interest in golf. He began at the age of 10, and was playing to a 4 handicap by the age of 16. He is the founder and General Chairman of the Rutgers Junior Open Golf Tournament which has been held at the Rutgers University golf course for the past four years. He is the past president of the Rutgers Golf Club and three times club Champion of the Rutgers Golf Club. MARCH 1972 3 example, an important achievement has a very strong effect on motivation but does not last very long; whereas a new responsibility which may not have such a strong motivation, but will stay in effect over a longer period of time. This model is most interesting in the aspect of the dissatisfiers having to be satisfied before the satisfiers (motivators) will have any real effect. For example, if a worker is unhappy about working conditions or policies he con­ siders unjust or unclear, he is not likely to be motivated by recognition for a job well done. Can you imagine a worker saying, “The boss told me I did an exceptionally good job on the aerification project today, but it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t have a decent place to shower and dress before going home. I wish they would knock off the pats on the back and do something about our locker room.” Or, “Big deal, I got the foreman’s job but with all the heat we’re gettin' from the committee all I’ve got is more headaches.” To look at another situation, can you imagine a man doing an obviously superior job edging a sand trap and finding out at the end of the day that his raise was turned down by the committee. Frequently we wonder why work doesn’t turn on the men in the crew. Usually one of the dissatisfiers is at work undermining morale, so that pride, recognition, and achieve­ ment cannot function as they should. Our job then as superintendents and Green Committee Chairmen is to use these theoretical models of Maslow and Herzberg as tools of analysis to determine just how we can improve performance on the job. It is necessary to examine the individual and determine what unfulfilled needs he has, and, as nearly as possible, provide the opportunity fpr the in­ dividual to move to the next level of satisfying his needs in the work environment. For ex­ ample, if a particular worker seems secure and confident, but is constantly complaining about the boredom of riding a tractor alone for eight hours a day, it may be that his performance can be improved by moving him to a job where several men work together and can socialize while working. Another worker may be bored with the small talk and welcome a couple of weeks in the splendid isolation of the tractor job. Here we have used Maslow’s model to solve a problem. Another case in point could be the worker who is assigned a job of spraying fungicide. After several times he becomes curious about what this liquid is doing to the grass. In many cases, the super shrugs off a request for such information by saying, “It’s a little too com­ plex to explain. You just spray it and I’ll worry about the chemistry.” So our man gets his ego deflated because he probably feels the boss regards him as too stupid to understand, or he might feel that the boss doesn’t really know what happens and is technically incompetent. In either case he has been turned off by a dissatisfier and even when the fungicide treat­ ment is successful in curbing the fungus, he won’t enjoy his accomplishment because he is upset at the boss. If the worker is told to take charge of a project (responsibility) like a bridge repair, and the equipment is in poor condition, or proper materials are not available, he probably will see the added responsibility as a threat rather than a chance to show the boss the kind of a qood job he can do. On the other hand, if he has good equipment and the right materials, he gets a chance for achievement, recognition, and meaningful responsibility which could eventu­ ally lead to a promotion or a raise. He will be motivated. Now what about our examples of the pyra­ mid builders and the migrant farm workers? They provide us with a picture of how some bosses see their workers. If you read the book or saw the movie “Grapes of Wrath" you can imagine the hostility and distrust present in workers minds when they are treated as chattel. Oh yes, you can get work done under these circumstances. Run a tight ship, don’t listen to advice from subordinates, keep them in their place and you will get performance to some minimum standard. If you don’t get desired performance it is quite simple — fire the worker and replace him with another guy who knows his place. This does not mean that you should aban­ don control. Of course there must be rules, procedures, schedules, discipline, safety, spe­ cific ways of doing things, and adherance to budgets; however, these things can only provide the environment in which real motivation can take place. The important point to remember is that these controls must be administered fairly and consistently and not be used as the ultimate weapon to get desired or improved performance. But if you want improved performance, one of the approaches open to you is the examina­ tion of the basics of human motivation which can be applied to help each man achieve not only his goals, but yours. Give the worker an opportunity to contribute his time and talent while satisfying his psychological needs on the job. Such an attitude toward workers cannot be generated overnight, but if some effort is ex­ pended in each work assignment to match men’s needs with their work you will be a far superior boss and your people will have a true opportunity to be motivated. 4 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Pride Beat the Steam Drill by JACK KIDWELL and MICHAEL HURDZAN Golf Course Designers Columbus, Ohio [^id you ever ask yourself why John Henry raced the steam drill and, as the legend goes died beating it? Was it for higher wages? Doubtful, for John was paid little or nothing as a black railroader. Was it to protect his job? Probably not, because the machine would have only made his work easier, not eliminate it. Perhaps it was because John Henry believed that he was the strongest, fastest man on the railroad and he couldn’t let a steam drill beat him. If you accept this answer you are probably well on your way to being a successful manager of men with few labor problems, for you have done two things. One, you have realized that the most powerful force in this world is a man’s pride; he will even give his life to protect it. Number two, you realize that your best men working for you and with you value praise above money and job security. I’m not for a minute saying that money and security are not important—I am only saying that they are not the most important factors in a job. As evi­ dence of this, surveys were conducted among employees and supervisors to find what em­ ployees wanted in their jobs. The difference between what the supervisors and employees thought may surprise you. TABLE 1. WHAT EMPLOYEES WANT IN THEIR JOBS* Order of Importance to Workers Supervisors Full appreciation for work done Feeling “in” on things Sympathetic under­ standing of per­ sonal problems Job Security Good wages Interesting work Promotion and growth with company Management loyalty to workers Good working conditions Tactful disciplining 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 10 9 2 1 5 3 6 4 7 In another survey the question asked em­ ployees was: “What is important to employ­ ees?” The differences of opinion were again striking. TABLE 2. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO EMPLOYEES Credit for work done Interesting work Fair play Understanding and appreciation Counsel on personal problems Promotions on merit Good physical working conditions Job security Order of Importante to: Supervisors Workers 1 2 3 7 3 1 4 5 6 7 8 5 8 4 6 2 These surveys point out that workers are more interested in appreciation for work done than wages and job security. The work need not even be interesting, as elaborated by Table 1. And notice Table 2, where credit for work done was judged most important to workers and job security least important. Supervisors, on the other hand, judged these completely differ­ ently. Think about it—are your best men paid what they are really worth compared to con­ struction men, factory workers, or salesmen? Don't you think they know they could quit you tomorrow and get a job with another golf course, park, cemetary or landscape outfit? Then why are your men loyal to you and of what value is it to know this? Simply that you can get more work done, keep your men happy, and have fewer general labor problems. Most likely, your men are loyal because they are proud to work at your course, be associated with you, and they know they can do a job well. They are proud of a good job of mowing, watering, raking, or cleanup because ♦Reprinted from Supervisor's Bulletin with the per­ mission of the Bureau of Business Practice. MARCH 1972 5 someone notices the good job. Remember how you feel when you get a compliment about the condition of the course as opposed to only getting more orders or criticism. When you give a compliment like "good job on those traps, Joe,” it does more than talk about the condi­ tion of the sand. It makes Joe feel like part of the team; he has done his part and you realize how tired and hot he must feel for doing it. Don’t be afarid to brag about your staff and when you get a compliment, pass it on to your men. Soon each man will feel peer pressure to do a good job. A compliment can be simple or complex, but it must at all costs be sincere. That is so important that I’ll repeat it—"a compliment must at all costs be sincere." An insincere compliment is a slap in the face and everyone knows when you are insincere. “This is good and true,” you may say, "so I’ll sincerely compliment and become interested in my good men and they will work harder, but it’s the ‘bad’ men that give me the trouble." It works with them, too. I have worked with many men and I will use two as specific examples. Erv Friend is the kind of man who works seven days a week, 12 to 14 hours a day if necessary. Erv is at work every morning on time, rain or shine, and will do any job from raking raps to tee starter and has done so for 25 years. I also worked with a man I’ll call Les Hope who would only work five days a week at the most, was always late (half the time we had to get him out of bed), who was lazy, stole equipment and gas, and didn’t care if the golf course dried up and blew away. Les abused the machinery, counted the weeks till unemploy­ ment would start again, and asked for a raise every week. What was the difference between Erv and Les? Personally, I felt it was pride. Erv is proud of himself, the golf course, the work he does. I felt sorry for Les, for he didn’t care how he looked, what he was, or what people thought. Nothing was important to him. I know now that Les could have been nearly as valuable as Erv if someone had tried to build his pride in his work. Actually, this is what happened. Les Hope was fired, got another job, and his new employer found out he had mechanical abilities and praised his work. At last word, Mr. Hope is one of the most trusted foremen in his business. CAUTION, for our first point of agreement was that pride is the most powerful force in the world. This means it can cause problems as easily as it can cure them. Remember that insincere compliments or compliments that are thought to be insincere will destroy a man’s pride in his work. Be yourself and be true. Secondly, be sensitive to what you say and do toward your men or unknowingly you might hurt someone’s pride. Let me give you an example. Joe Protz worked for a local club and he was a pretty good mechanic. He prided himself on being able to fix anything and he just about could. Then along came hydraulics, pressure valves, pumps, and special lines, and Joe’s efficiency dropped because he didn’t understand the hydraulics system well enough to find problems and make repairs quickly. Joe’s superintendent thought that Joe should go to school. So he said, “Joe, you just don’t seem to be quick enough on these repairs anymore, so the club has given me money to send you to school.” So the next day Joe quit his job and no one knew why. But you and I know why—Joe prided himself as a mechanic and that pride was shattered by a few thought­ less words. The superintendent didn’t stop to consider Joe’s feelings before he spoke. Chances are if the superintendent had said, “Joe, you’re the best mechanic we have ever had at this course, and as a result, the club has voted money for you to further your education and keep you the best.” Joe would have been honored and probably have worked hard to be at the top of his class. Just recently my wife bought a new vacuum cleaner and on the box was printed “Fragile—Handle With Pride." In this instance, a man’s self image and feelings are much like the vacuum cleaner, for they both, indeed, are Fragile—Handle With Pride! How do we gain skill in using pride as a tool to help us? By first becoming genuinely interested in people and trying to understand their wants and needs. “I don’t have time for that stuff,” you say. It takes just a minute to put yourself in the other man's position, and if you don’t have one minute for “that stuff,” you may be a lonely man. There are a number of excellent books on the subject and I urge you to read as many of them as possible. It could be the best purchase you have ever made. In summary, always remember that a man’s pride defines who and what a man is. Handle it properly, and you have a John Henry. 6 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Organization in Maintenance By Holman M. Griffin, Director, USGA Green Section Mid-Atlantic Region, Charlottesville, Virginia lomorrow we are going to get organized.” Last year on our program we had a topic called, “Tomorrow is the Day You Should Have Planned Yesterday.” Now ‘yesterday and to­ morrow’ was one year ago, and I hope there is really no need to continue urging you to do something about the confusion with which you start each year, each month, each day and possibly each hour. The fact, however, that most of us are born procrastinators necessitates the repetition of topics such as this to keep our incentive keen. Overorganization takes a lot of the excite­ ment out of life and rigid inflexible organi­ zation leads to impotent, bogged-down bureaucracy. A lack of organization leads to utter confusion, waste and failure. Somewhere in between is the middle ground of efficient operation. It has been pointed out that how fast you are going is not nearly so important as the direction you are heading. So it is with organi­ zation on the golf course. If your overall goal is not clearly defined and the steps toward it organized in proper sequence, you are likely to spend all your time and effort getting nowhere. The original topic assigned me was “Pro­ gramming the Maintenance.” I felt that this title was ahead of its time and that it should be reserved for a meeting date around the year 2000. So far, the only thing on a golf course that can be programmed is an automatic water system. By the year 2000, we may be able to program nearly everything including the weather in our smog-proof golf dome. Programming is a rather inflexable, idealistic term which I believe is something to be looked forward to as the ultimate goal of organization. Programming is the final stage of organization and planning is the beginning and the back­ bone. Your operation is either organized or it is spontaneous. There are a lot of degrees of organization between the two poles of program­ ming and spontaneous operation, but you have to be well above the mid-point to be successful. Proper planning means the difference between success and failure. The military has a good system of organi­ zation from which we could all learn. The main reason the military system does not work as well as it should all the time is due to misunderstanding and misuse of the system. The Standard Table of Organization and Equip­ ment (TO&E) and the Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) of the military could prove to be most functional and practical for every superintendent. In getting organized, you must first have a list of the things you have to work with. Most of us call that an inventory. An inventory doesn't help much, though, if you don’t have a special place for each item, because just know­ ing you have it won’t help unless you know where it is. There are a lot of ideas in use along these lines, and some superintendents have not only painted the outline of hand tools on the wall in their special place, but also outlined or designated special spots for tractors and heavy equipment. In addition to your organization of tools and equipment, you also need to organize and have a special place for everything in your mainte­ nance center. Believe me, it is a pain to get organized, but once done, it saves more time and money than you would imagine. To be more specific with a few items to illustrate the necessity of organization: Seed needs a cool, dry storage place away from chemicals to retain its viability. Chemicals need a safe storage place which is clean and dry. Fertilizer cakes up when exposed to moisture, and even if it doesn’t, the sack gets wet and breaks when you try to move it. I have seen literally tons of fertilizer ruined by poor storage facilities. Improper handling and use of grease and oil can cause those small dead spots of grass. Greasy hands make everything you touch greasy, which in turn collects greasy dirt, and so on until everything is one greasy mess. You might also remember that grease deteriorates rubber tires and other rubber products, and dirty grease causes undue wear of moving parts. Now before you name me "Mr. Clean,” think about this seriously and see if you don’t agree that a cleaner shop is worth the cost of a few clean rags, some solvent, some absorbent and soap. It must be hard to become concerned about organization and cleanliness when next week MARCH 1972 7 you will be back at the old rotting barn with the dirt floor that has been the club mainte­ nance center all these years. Well, I believe you can sell almost any idea if you put it in terms of dollars and cents saved, or even some rather good intangible gains. Maybe you could sell the idea of a better maintenance area if you gave some thought to how much it might save in time and money, what it would do for em­ ployee morale (including your own), and what it would do for the club image and property value. My father always told me that, “The only one who need not worry about this public image is the man who has everything he is ever going to want.” The club should be really concerned about this because when you leave, they may find it difficult to replace you with the kind of man they want and need if their facilities are poor and they are unwilling to improve them. Before writing this paper, I asked several superintendents to give me some ideas on programming maintenance. Their reaction was, “It can't be done.” This was another reason for changing the title to Organization in Mainte­ nance. When asked for some thoughts on program­ ming, I feel sure the first thoughts that flashed across the superintendent’s brain were some­ thing like this: “Only three of my nine men showed up this morning and the weather was perfect. Yesterday I was going to aerate greens and it rained all day — everyone came to work then.” Your thoughts right now might be that organization won’t help get your men to work and it won’t change the weather. It may not, but it will help you make the best of a poor situation. When it rained, did you have an alternate work plan or some odd jobs lined up that could be done? When the mower broke down did the operator sit around until it was fixed or did he go on to another job, or better still, help with the repair work. If the broken part on the mower was common, or a fre­ quently replaced part, you should have had spares in stock so that down time was minimal. Also, you should immediately replace the used part in stock. You need not have a huge parts inventory but if you run to the store every time you need a few nuts and bolts, you are certainly wasting a lot of time and money which would be better spent on the parts themselves. The items could usually be delivered before you need them along with a larger order of something else. If your operation is organized, you need not be wondering what is going on there right now while you are here, nearly so much as if you left the man under you in charge with a few well choosen words such as, “Try to find something for the men to keep them busy until I get back,” or “I’m sure you can figure out something to do.” With organization, your second man will have no doubt about what is to be done or how to do it. This is where the military’s standard operational procedure idea comes in, it clearly points out the essential details of the job to be done. Today, even the military is having trouble with discipline at all levels and here I am talking to you about military organization for your golf course crew. Your discipline is not enforce­ able and your crew may very well be comprised of rejects. Not just military rejects, but rejects from almost anything. Organization under such circumstances seems almost hopeless but that is why we are also spending time on this program talking about motivation and management. As a golf course superintendent you will wear many hats. Being a turf expert is only a part of the job; sometimes a small part. The golf course superintendent of today must con­ tinually seek to improve his management skills and leadership abilities. He must be a business­ man and he can’t afford to be unorganized. Let’s stop saying, “Tomorrow we are going to get organized." Do it today! Former recipient of the Green Section Award Tom Mascaro congratulates the Graff is brothers. Manager Versus Strawboss By T. A. Doerer, Jr., Superintendent Ft. Belvoir Golf Club, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia Which one spearheads your course opera­ tions? There is a big difference! Mr. Webster spells out the difference and I quote “A manager is one who is entrusted with the resources and expenditures of a business or situation, one who prudently plans and executes.” A strawboss, as described by Webster, is first a colloquialism; second it is described in two parts—straw and boss. Straw, meaning a reed or stem, worthless, a sham. Boss, meaning one who employs or superintends workmen—to boss over with dominance and authoritative powers. Let us first explore the management image as it pertains to the course superintendent. We all recognize that golf today is big business growing rapidly each year. Golfers are becoming more demanding, expecting better groomed courses and more conveniences. Carts and other sophisticated paraphernalia add to the overall cost of course maintenance. Golf has grown from a social sport for the more affluent into a family form of recreation with a big business flavor. The maintenance area’s budget­ ing labor programs in many instances have not kept abreast of the changes. Trying to catch up in these areas is both a challenge to the younger superintendent, and expensive for the average budget of many clubs. Labor is becoming better educated in regard to their personal demands, less educated as to their employee-employer relationships, respon­ sibilities, duties, etc. Modern machinery has become more sophis­ ticated and complex. If trained personnel are not available to operate this expensive ma­ chinery, it becomes a difficult and expensive management problem. Many courses today have unionized per­ sonnel, this is fine. It protects the employee from a wage and benefit point. However, it does little to educate personnel as to their abilities and responsibilities in more efficient operation of course machinery, one of our more stressed areas of operation. Semi-skilled labor is very difficult to locate, in some areas it is impossible to find. This is true even with today’s high unemployment rate. Skilled labor is non-existent unless hi­ jacked from other areas by fringe benefits and wages. Seasonal help or part-time help, except college students during summer, is a thing of the past. The farm boy of yesterday is non­ existent. He was once our mainstay of practical experience and knowledge. The farm boy was a highly disciplined young man, well trained by his father from early boyhood through man­ hood. He was trained to handle machinery. He knew soil, fertilizing, seeding, cutting, etc. He was a better than average mechanic, a car­ penter, painter, etc. He was an agricultural student during his school years. He was a natural for golf course work. Today we are faced with 40-hour work weeks. Long weekend holidays means more time for recreation, and this means more golf. This means more maintenance, more labor needs, more equipment needs, with less overall help. Due to vandalism, theft and damage to property, we are exploring the possibilities of trailer housing for one or more course workers and their families housed on the property to act as custodians and guards. The housing will also act as a fringe benefit. Through this medium we hope to attract responsible and loyal personnel. Hiring and training of personnel; administer­ ing to their requirements and requests on a fair and equitable basis; rewarding when necessary and admonishing when necessary; all of this requires a very patient and knowledgeable course manager. Labor is probably the most critical area facing the superintendent today. Without necessary numbers and quality of manpower, one cannot efficiently operate and maintain today’s modern golf courses without encountering excessive costs, even with an alert and resourceful manager. Our present day superintendent has done a remarkable job of hiring and training the course personnel of today. However, he is in need of help. Our schools, associations, etc., are doing a splendid job of training future superintendents, but more time and thought should be given to training course maintenance personnel. If I may offer a suggestion, I would urge our manufacturers, distributors and schools to ex­ plore the possibilities of setting up sectional training facilities for grounds personnel. A few manufacturers have and are still doing some mechanical training on a limited basis. More needs to be done, however, it is presently too MARCH 1972 9 expensive for the average golf club to cover travel expenses and all other requirements. In conjunction with our turf programs at various schools, a mechanical program might be set up for students. Manufacturers could share the expenses by donating machinery and trained teachers. Better trained groundsmen could save clubs many manhours, machinery breakdowns, extensive repairs, replacement parts and time could all be saved. Let us try to develop a course maintenance man. A man with a trade, not just a day-to-day means of making a living. We could start in the high schools of our areas and work with youngsters who want to use their hands and imagination. After all, it doesn’t take a college degree to become a successful golf course employee. High school boys who do not wish to continue on to college are our best pros­ pects. If our courses are to make progress in the future and meet player demands, then our grounds maintenance personnel must be better trained, better paid. Only then will we be able to complete the cycle of performance for a quality golf course at a minimal cost. Each course, like each player, has a personality of it’s own. Golf, after all, is a very humbling and selfish game. It inflates and deflates your ego; golf courses are no different. From observation I have developed a saying: “Show me a maintenance area in disarray and confusion and I will show you a poorly conditioned golf course.” Your maintenance area is the starting point or hub of your operation. An orderly, well- stocked repair parts area saves time, money, and equipment. Machinery under cover is a sign of resourceful management. Lockers, (lunch) eating facilities, rest rooms in sanitary con­ dition; these are the morale builders for em­ ployees. At a recent Baltimore Turf Conference, I was enlightened and impressed by several young superintendents. They presented a panel dis­ cussion and slides depicting improved mainte­ nance areas. It shows they are on the ball as far as good management is concerned. No doubt more clubs should become involved in mainte­ nance area improvement. There are many other suggestions I might make, but to summarize simply, may I say, "Yesterday the strawboss, today the superin­ tendent, tomorrow the resourceful course manager.” Ideas and Gadgets By Alexander M. Radko, Eastern Director and National Research Director, USGA Green Section "PIrepare your golfers for winter greens well in advance of the time they are put into play by cutting out the winter green and dying it a vivid green,” so says Paul Couture, Superintendent at the Plandome Country Club, Plandome, N.Y. "Golfers get used to the plan and accept it more readily when they see the area and the preparation that goes into the winter green.” Artificial coloring makes the "alter­ nate" or "winter" green area stand out and may prepare golfers to better accept the alternate green. 10 Is it possible and practical to topdress fairways? “It is if you use putting green aerators three abreast on fairways,” says Richie Valentine, Superintendent of Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa. Valentine aerated all fairways in the fall of 1970, and the three pictures following show the effect. A close up of cores and aeration holes. Fairway completely covered with cores. Cores were pulverized and dragged with an excellent smoothing and topdressing effect. 11 “If you have occasion to drill a well and it doesn’t produce to requirement for irrigation purposes, don’t cap it and forget it,” advises Roy Mackintosh, Superintendent of Twin Hills Country Club, Longmeadow, Mass. “It may make an excellent source of water for filling your spray tank quickly.” Mackintosh installed permanent overhead pipe, a pump, and electric controls, and in a matter of minutes the spray rig is filled and ready to go. To eradicate patches of zoysia or bermuda­ grass from fairways on northern courses, Mel Lucas, Sr., Superintendent of the Piping Rock Club, Locust Valley, N.Y., recommends work­ ing the patch up in late November or Decem­ ber. Loosening the runners causes winterkill in warm-season grasses, so that when you establish cool-season grasses you’ll experience no more warm-season grass problems. In his specific case, Lucas stripped the sod, rototilled the area, added soil and seeded to bentgrass. Several years have elapsed with no re-invasion of the warm-season grasses. Gary Crothers, of the Apawamis Club, Rye, N.Y., says, “Don’t fail to install a hydraulic lift if you’re building a new maintenance facility.” His cost was approximately $1,000 to install the lift and control mechanisms, but says Gary, “It’s paid for itself many times over. It’s a great asset to our equipment repair operation.” The lift is the same type normally installed in garages. Supt. Roy Mackintosh, Twin Hills C.C., Long­ meadow, Mass., set up this permanent instal­ lation for filling the spray rig efficiently. Supt. Gary Crothers, Apaw­ amis Club, Rye, N. Y., lauds the hydraulic lift as a most helpful instrument in repair operations. He had one in­ stalled when the new main­ tenance area was built at his dub. 12 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Far end, right side completed, center area being improved, foreground right side next. Bank repair on the 11th hole at Merion taught us a new technique. Valentine's experi­ enced labor force did a masterful job of repair by cutting a vertical slice from the cut (weak) area. They removed the soil and turf and placed it on the bank. Then they cut a wedge back two to three feet into the solid turf at the surface and carefully laid it on its side so that the turf and soil that was formerly on top now was lying over on its side to create a solid wall of dense turf that extended into the water and up the bank. Then they filled the hole in back of the new bank and sodded it. Because the new fill and sod was now on top of the bank, it was in no danger of immediate erosion as is the case with new soil and new sod placed at the base of a bank. Finished job looks natural immediately upon completion. Supt. Wayne Ripley in his homemade truckster. Wayne Ripley, of the Blue Hill Country Club, Canton, Mass., advises that a secondhand VW chassis can be the foundation of a home­ made truckster for golf course use. The one shown above was constructed by Ripley. In trying to spray fairways uniformly, it is difficult not to skip or overlap. To minimize this possibility, Frank Stephen, of Westwood Country Club, Williamsville, N.Y., affixed a heavy drag chain to the back of the tractor. The chain scuffs the turf and makes a line that is easily identified, one that the operator can readily pick up to gauge his direction and pattern so that he is far less likely to skip or overlap. This assures an efficient and effective job with a minimum of danger to the desirable turfgrasses. To screen debris from the irrigation water, Saucon Valley Country Club, Bethlehem, Pa. employs a rotary filter. The water is drawn into the housing and the debris is filtered out and deposited in the concrete channel and washed downstream. Closeup of concrete channel where debris is screened to bypass pump and wash down­ stream. 14 Back view shows continuous rotary elevator and screen which keeps debris out of intake line. Manpower Versus Mechanization By Lee Record, Director, USGA Green Section, Mid-Continent Region Rex Hansen, Superintendent of the Lost Woods Country Club, was a very serious man. He tried to be a student when it came to practical management of men and machinery. Rex was not new to the game of having men perform well with machinery purring like a kitten; he was just beginning his 40th year as a golf course superintendent, and had experi­ enced almost every conceivable problem one could experience on a golf course during these years. There had been the lean years, and he had struggled and managed; then came the fruitful years. “Yes,” he thought, “the good in man certainly outweighs the bad.” Rex subscribed to and read all available literature dealing with manpower and mechani­ zation and its relation to turf management. He had attended short courses and turfgrass con­ ferences through the years and felt he had profited by listening to fellow superintendents, and what they had to say. He had tried to implement something new at his golf course each time he came back from a conference. The theory of each article always read well and his colleagues always had words of wisdom, but he realized that self-motivation was the real key to success. Yes, there was always that problem of selling an idea to the board or committee chairman, but he had managed to handle that problem without too much difficulty. It had been challenging and yet rewarding each time he faced a problem at his golf course. Rex whistled on his way to work that morning; he was happy, it wasn’t just another Saturday; it was a special day to him. His grandaughter was celebrating her 6th birthday and he was going to surprise her with a trip to the circus. All the plans had been made well in advance, and it would just be a matter of hours before they would begin the 50-mile trip to Galesburgh. The golf course was in good condi­ tion for late August; he had had better years, but the members were satisfied. Rex seemed to feel this year was more demanding than past years—members wanting to play earlier and stretching out the season, outside parties, family twilight league play; when would it ever stop? “Oh well, the crew is getting along even though Bill and Henry come in late now and then.” The thought raced through his mind, “Suppose they’re late today. Would that put me behind the eight-ball?” With this thought, he stepped on the gas, the pickup truck surged ahead. He just had to get to the course in plenty of time to be sure all the equipment was ready to roll; the sun would be up in another half hour. Many thoughts of previous years sped through his head; the good old days of having MARCH 1972 15 20 to 30 men on a golf course, all dragging themselves to get the job done were over. Tom Mascaro had talked about this at the Purdue Turf Conference in 1967. The hand green push mower was obsolete and the two-handle, two- man spiker couldn’t be found. “How we worked in those days,” he thought. During the mid-’30s, a typical work week on greens consisted of the following: “Pole” Mow putting surface Mow collars and approaches Mow outer banks Change holes Spike roll Fungicide Topdress Repair ball marks Superintendent inspected Daily Six times a week Four times a week Three times a week Daily Weekly Weekly Monthly Weekly Daily once or twice as needed Compost or topdressing Made on course and screened Yes, Tom Mascaro’s statement, “Mechani­ zation has changed our way of living and has freed us from the drudgery and toil of hand labor,” was true. Rex knew the one way to compete in the labor market against private enterprise was to “put your employees on wheels." Most men can perform their duties more efficiently by riding than walking. This transition to mobility allows employees to get the job done quickly and inconspicuously, with less inconvenience to members. Rex heard Tom Sams discuss this at the USGA Educational Program on "Economy in Golf Course Mainte­ nance” in 1969. Mechanization and mobility gets the job done faster and saves labor costs. “Yes,” Rex said to himself, “we have come a long way in the past few years; I guess Don Marshall’s article in Turf Grass Times fits right into the picture.” One obvious solution to old labor problems is the “best application of machinery and mechanical operation that you can come up with from both your brain and your wallet. “There is no better way to pull out of a suddenly declining labor situation than with a few judicious purchases of new labor saving pieces of equipment.” Rex thought about this as he turned the curve with only another three miles to go. For many years he watched putting green mowers transformed from ugly, cantankerous beasts, to streamlined, dependable machinery which yet cut only a 22-inch swatch. Now with the breakthrough of the riding triplex green mower, the job was getting done much faster, enabling him to use his crew more efficiently. Bill could really handle that machine; the time required to mow was cut by two-thirds. But, oh what a job he had selling that expensive piece of equipment to his Green Committee. It was hard work at the time, but looking back at it made him smile. He got a raise for the crew last month, as the triplex mower paid for itself three months earlier than he had anticipated. He thought, “I guess I haven’t been to enough turf conferences lately to find out what the real outcome of these machines will add up to. Oh well, I have lots of time for that. I’ll go to the USGA Program in January of 1972 and see what Bill Bengeyfield has to say about ‘The Good and Not So Good of Triplex Putting Green Mowers.’ ” The headlights flashed across the Lost Woods Country Club sign as Rex pulled down the long drive to the maintenance area. "I might as well stop by 14 green,” he thought. “The headlights will show me what I want to see; it won’t be long and the sun will be up.” Rex pulled up to the path that led to the 14th green, got out of the pickup and walked slowly toward the green. Nobody knows how many times he had done this; it was as routine as Pete the hound taking his morning round. “The dew was sure heavy this morning,” thought Rex, “I guess it will be best if we knock the dew off before we mow.” With that he turned and walked slowly back to the truck. Lost Woods Country Club was a typical country club, having an active membership which took pride in its golf course and the club’s organizational structure. Committee members had been faithful in carrying out their assigned jobs and had always looked up to those responsible in holding key positions that made Lost Woods function. The automatic watering system Rex worked so hard for, the manhours he had spent tabulating the pros and cons in not only saving labor, but also providing a more efficient operation for the upkeep and improvement of the country club, spoke for itself. It had been hard work attending all those meetings Rex and his chairman had called, but the results were there. It wasn’t necessary now to have two night water men on the course and the endless miles of hose that used to stretch around the course could not be found. Yes, Rex had been adamant in wanting that auto­ matic watering system; it even caused alarm with the members as an assessment was war­ ranted for the first time since World War II, but Rex knew his job and was thinking of his members; this is what counted. The red glow of the morning sun could just be seen in the east as Rex pulled into the maintenance area and turned out his headlights. When he unlocked his office door, Pete, the old hound, let out with a yelp; he was glad Rex was 16 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD there and so was Rex, that he still had his faithful friend. They had spent many years together. Rex walked past his desk to the master control for a four-minute syringe. This would give two revolutions of the sprinkler on his greens; just enough to get the job done. How much he appreciated this watering system could never be expressed in words. It had been more than two years since Rex sent the crew out to remove the dew by hand; the automatic system had done its job. As he walked back to the office door, he could see the sprinklers turning on the eleventh green; a smile crossed his face. “Sky 6,” came the roar over the metal box on Rex’s desk, "this is Sky 5, over.” The roar scared Rex at first, he couldn’t get used to the two-way radio system his assistant had talked him into. “Sky 5, this is Sky 6; go ahead." “Rex, have you checked the front nine yet? I’m just pulling through the main gate and can swing over that way if you wish.” Rex replied, “Go ahead, Tommy; we have a heavy dew this morning and I have the system set for a four-minute syringe, over and out.” Communication; how simple it was. Rex knew that Tommy would check out the front nine without being told, but he loved to use that two-way system. John Straub’s “Instant Communication” article in Golfdom magazine was every bit of what he said it was; the two-way radio system allowed key personnel to go anywhere on the course and still maintain contact. There was no question in Rex’s mind, the two-way radio had increased mobility, saved time and money, and labor had been reduced through improved communication. The two bay doors began to pull themselves upward as Rex pushed the automatic door button. The sun was now sending the first rays of light across the course. New and old equipment lined the interior of the maintenance building, each piece in a prescribed area. Dr. Jim Watson was right, “Getting the right machine for the right job saves both time and results in better turf.” Rex thought, “I haven’t used a helicopter for pesticides like Charlie Tadge and Len Hazlett have in the Cleveland area, nor have I considered installing a computer for my irriga­ tion system like Jerry Dinelli had done at his course in the Chicago area . . . this is yet in the future, but I have made many strides; the triplex green mower is being used on approach, collar, tee and green areas. Hydraulic fairway units, trucksters, cyclone fertilizer spreaders, power topdressers, spikers, drags, sandtrap rakes and a host of other equipment have been purchased through the years to keep abreast of the latest innovations in turf management.” New pumps, new machines, new ways of applying pesticides had reduced original two- or three-man tasks to one man jobs. Much had been gained through mechanical and chemical advancement. Times had changed from the old days; record keeping and preventive equipment maintenance was now standard policy.lt took only minutes now and Rex could have at his chairman’s finger tips the time-cost analysis of any project on the golf course. “Morning, Rex,” said Bill. “Looks like we’re in for a good day. It sure feels great this time of the year.” “Morning, Bill,” replied Rex. “How is the triplex green mower operating?” ating?” “No problems,” replied Bill. “Good,” said Rex. “See you in a couple of hours.” Tommy pulled up in the pickup truck he was assigned and waved to Rex. “The sprinklers are off on greens,” said Tommy. “We had better set a syringe cycle on tees and fairways; the sun may not burn the dew off before that first group begins.” “Go ahead," answered Rex. Henry and George, the other two men of the four-man Saturday crew, had arrived. George was on the way out to touch up the traps with the new power sandtrap rake. Henry would change water in the ball washers and set the tee markers. Tommy would change cups after he set the time clocks for the syringe cycle on fairways and tees. Two hours passed before the crew began coming back in. Rex had checked his work over for the Sunday morning crew and planned work for the following week. Times hadn’t changed too much from the early days. “We’re still cutting greens six times a week,” he thought, "but I haven’t the manpower I once had. I have horsepower now and it’s much easier.” "See you Monday,” yelled Bill to Rex. “So long, fellows,” replied Rex as they walked toward their cars. "Thanks for doing a great job for me this morning.” Tommy was going to spend most of the day on the course and Rex told him where he would be. “Have a good time with your grandaughter,” said Tommy. “See you tomorrow.” Rex jumped into his pickup truck and headed for home. On the way he thought, “I have always tried to do what I feel is right and in the best interest for the members at my country club. I have tried to think for them and of them. Today, in this economy, I need to stick by them as I have never done before; this is the key to success.” Rex’s grandaughter ran to him as he pulled in the drive of his home. “Grandad,” she cried, “you’re taking me on a surprise trip today.” “Yes, I am,” he said, “thanks to a lot of people who are concerned with ‘Men, Management and Mechanization.’ ” MARCH 1972 17 One of the early horsedrawn gang mowers. better title for this article might well be, “What Else Can We Do Mechanically to A Green?” Mechanically, we have drilled holes, sliced in deep cuts, rolled, dressed, cultivated, spiked, mowed, (many different ways), inter­ mittently slotted, brushed, combed, de­ thatched, syringed, sprayed, dragged, sponged, and now we are even sub-surface gassing greens. To make a uniform approach, it seems best that we cover mechanization on a basis of the work to be performed. TOPDRESSING Let’s begin with topdressing. In the begin­ ning, topdressing was done by dumping or shoveling the material on the green and spread­ ing it. Devices such as old screen doors, pieces of fence, and whipping poles were used to smooth it out. Generally, an old greens mower was used to break up or pick the larger particles; but, the process was slow and gener­ ally not very uniform. Along came the powered top dressers simply because they were faster, and gave the greens a more uniform covering of the material being applied. To eliminate more costs, at least two or three equipment manufacturers have shown a top dresser mounted on a truck. About 50 per cent of the time required to lay on the top­ dressing can be saved. AERIFYING Initially, pitchforks or some other home­ made devices were rammed into dry spots or made holes in the green to permit better moisture penetration. A faster method was found by removing cores of dirt, leaving them on top, and doing whatever was necessary to the greens, such as adding sand or fertilizer. Then the plugs were broken up, dragged back over the holes with fencing material or poles. In later years when the concept of more sand, or adding amend­ ments to greens became popular, coring served to help change the structure of the soil. Plug pulling is still the most popular method used, and it leaves the surface in fairly good con­ dition if it is done during a period when turf recovery is rapid. Recently machines have been offered that cultivate through a slitting effect. Less soil is brought to the surface, but this principle of 18 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Mechanization on Golf Courses By Roger J. Thomas, Jacobsen Manufacturing Company cultivation, while growing in favor, has not achieved the popularity of the hollowtined cultivator. Another new method of relieving com­ paction is a unit which penetrates from 5-7 inches below the surface. A blade oscillating fore and aft shakes the surface from two to three feet around the slits. This process permits heavier and deeper penetration of water into the soil. If calcined clay mixes are placed on the green prior to the sub-airing, remarkable results can be shown on the penetration of these calcined clays to improve porosity of the soil and hold more water in the top four inches of the soil without “puddling.” Recovery is fairly quick if a light topdressing is done, and the surface is generally playable shortly after the work is done. Again this process is used at a time when the turf is in its best growing period. DETHATCHING The terms “mat," or “thatch,” has had a cloudy definition for some time but for our purpose here, we may refer to it as a surface organic accumulation which limits water and fertilizer penetration. In addition, it prevents good root growth and produces a spongy and rough putting surface. Dethatching machines were developed to cut the strands of stems and leaf sheaths which fail to decay over a period of years. The purpose of the machine was to slice the runners or vascular strands, accumulate them at the surface and remove them. Much has been written regarding proper soil topdressing of a putting green to reduce thatch accumulation. In recent years however, the mower has also become popular. Vertical mowing can reduce the nap and/or graining that develops on a green, improving the putting surface. Properly adjusted, vertical mowers merely “tick the tops,” leaving the playing surface in good condition. Over a period of time, thatch will be removed in this manner and deeper slicing may not be required. Vertical mowers are now available up to 60 inches in width as attachments for triplex greens mowers. The increase in the use of vertical mowers on greens probably stems from the fact that runners, etc., can be cut and caught at the same time. Also, the time and effort required to do the job permits course operators to do “de­ thatching” more often without damage to the green. AERATING This term is often confused with aerifying, but it too is a form of cultivation. We have already discussed the subject of deep slicing, but more recently aerators using a straight 4-inch to 6-inch blade being pulled across the greens in cross patterns has proved to be effective for getting better water penetration. The play is disturbed less than through the method of punching holes, and if it is properly used, it can produce fine turf. We have known of fairway aerators for many years, but the penetration of the 4- to 6-inch blades being used on greens seems to satisfy the need for breaking up sub-surface compaction; hence, smaller aerators have been developed for greens. Spiking is another method of cultivation primarily used to break up surface crust. Originally, hay forks or spikes on boards were used to break the crust. Finally power spikers came into use because they were faster, and spiking could be done more often, which resulted in better putting greens. The first machines were about 18 inches in width, and now 60-inch units are available as attachments for triplex greensmowers. SPRAYING Times have changed since spray tanks were strapped to the shoulders of the man sent out to spray the green. Today small vehicles with 16-foot booms are available to spray greens quickly and get out of the way of the golfers. MOWING Probably the biggest strides that have taken place in the area of the greens maintenance has come about in mowing. From early hand mowers as small as 14 to 16 inches, a single power head was developed to pull three traction-driven hand mowers across a green. These units succumbed to the engine-driven 18- and 19-inch power mowers in the early ’20s, MARCH 1972 19 An aero-spiker. and the size grew to 24 inches during that period. Undulations in the greens caused manufacturers to reduce the units to 22 inches in size. In San Francisco in 1968, a completely hydraulic-driven greens mower was introduced. Having been introduced at the same time that labor shortages were appearing on the golf courses contributed greatly to the popularity the triplex greens mower enjoys today. There are five manufacturers of such mowers today. It appears that triplex greens mowers will be 20 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD An early tractor for golf course use. A greens mower. MARCH 1972 around for many years. Many attachments are available now and more attachments will be coming soon so that the main unit can be used for work at other places on the course. WHAT'S NEW AND FOR THE FU­ TURE AROUND THE GOLF COURSE Many old tractors and mowers have had their day, and several new products will become available during the next few years. One that soon will be introduced will be equipped with pressure tanks to inject a gas three to seven inches below the surface for nematode control. Who knows where this development can lead? Some of the chemicals now restricted from being sprayed may be acceptable if laid in below the surface. It may also lead to new methods of getting soil amendments into the top five inches of the soil. Self-contained 9-gang tractor/mower combinations will become more popular again with the idea of reducing costs. Several efforts will be offered to mechanize sand trap work by using riding sand trap rakes. New styles of seeders as well as new methods of seeding will become popular in the market this year. And there will be many new products in the next few years to further mechanize golf course maintenance. SUMMARY If we really analyze it, with the exception of a few items, the major changes in golf course maintenance equipment have come from the concept of “push to power” and “walk to ride.” True necessity will cause more riding equipment to come to the fore regardless of what has been done in the last 10-15 years. The future developments also seem to be headed for the replacement of mechanical drives to hy­ draulic methods as well as simplified overall design for less mechanical maintenance of a product. We forecast a greater need for edu­ cation in the field and we as manufacturers will have to accept responsibility for providing it. So for the future, a host of mechanical products will be forthcoming to help golf course operators reduce effort, time and costs. The requests operators have made toward these new developments In mechanization involve products aimed at minimum maintenance with maximum benefits for better turf. Overcoming the Charlie Brown Syndrome By Don S. Marshall, General Manager, Mont­ clair Golf Club, Montclair, New Jersey It is not quite clear to me with a title such as this whether I have been selected for the program as a successful failure, or a failure at success. From the position on the program, the odds seem to be stacked, but then again wouldn’t that be the way with Charlie Brown? My factual Charlie Brown experience is limited to the local Newark paper, which conveniently went on strike during the 90 days this short talk was being formulated. In fact, by my recollection they struck just about exactly the day Holman Griffin called, and they haven't gone back since. Closer to life, when Holman did call in regard to this topic, I quite naturally closed the conversation with the normal rhetorical, "How’s your family?" The answer I received just had to be straight from the comic strip. “Well,” said Holman, “everything’s just fine, but my father-in-law just had an attack, and my mother-in-law broke her arm the next day, so my wife is in Texas. Of course you know I was just transferred to Charlottesville, Virginia, so I’m up here; my youngest is in Hillsboro, Texas, and the cat is in Atlanta, Georgia; but actually we’re very happy, the furniture’s in the moving van!” Now I ask you: who should be giving this talk? There is probably no group of people more highly subject to a sense of consistent and heart rending failure as golf course superintendents. If it isn’t the weather, it’s the members; if not the members, the help; and if not the help, it’s the unindoctrinated wife who doesn’t under­ stand why you can’t visit mother-in-law over the long 4th of July weekend. A lot of this feeling is true. Nature does seem to have a way of continually attempting to return your golf course to the primeval forest, and if you stop to think of it, that’s the bulk of your problem—you are in charge of an un-natural arrangement. The September issue of Scientific American indicates that it will take her just about nine years from the time you toss it in to erase your recognizable presence. Crabgrass and Poa annua are naturals evolved 22 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD for excellent purposes; yet we and our Green Committees have decided we don't like them. So, when we fail slightly in their removal, we have really failed to divert some two million years of natural evolution. When you take this perspective, it may not appear that any success is possible. On the other hand, perhaps even 70 per cent control is beyond belief, with no special thanks to the federal government on the long time it took for the 70 per cent product to achieve a legal label. Members are another source of potential stone wall banging. There are the conservatives and the expansionists; the social ins and the outs. I have often thought that the only real solution is to make every superintendent a full-fledged dues-paying member: thus, capable, or at least in a position, to rise and fall with the economic and social tide as must be expected of an honest-to-gosh “first class” citizen. Admittedly there are those who on occasion might attempt to bluff the membership with a highly technical answer regarding the reason for a problem. It’s a good ploy—tackle someone out of his area of technical knowledge and he’s dead. However, often we tend to justify our failings with an exaggerated technical explana­ tion that, while true, is phony. “The members were complaining about dandelions on the fairways to the extent that we had to use 4-diphenyl-phenoxy-etc-etc. herbicide against our better judgement, and it killed everything." What we don’t say is that if we truly had thought we couldn’t pull it off, we wouldn’t have done it, and if only the sprayman hadn’t thought the x-and-a-half formulation we mixed for him meant overlap half a width every pass’ No one told him to, but we build the team spirit, so to him the only good weed was a dead weed. This leads us to the subject of panic. I doubt there is a superintendent who hasn’t had that hard knot feeling in his stomach caused by a careless, off-handed comment of his Chairman, or a Board member, that really cut to the core. The other cause of the same feeling is a judg­ mentgamble. Your club is to be the site of a big state tournament so you raised the fertilizer rate slightly just to provide “a little color.” Trouble is there was a stone jammed in the proportioner (or the weather changed drastically), and there’s tip-burn on every green. Members just don’t un­ derstand tip-burn or proportioners. The informal locker room talk indicates you are one step above a moron, and you leave work ready to lose the dinner you haven’t even had yet, and it's 8 p.m. In this case no one will even listen to your explanation—and, in fact, they let you believe it never happened, at least on the surface. It’s right after this type of situation that you spot a blind classified ad in Golfdom for a “challenge in North Jersey,” and begin to wonder if it’s your job. Or the local drummer comes in and says he’s heard “a couple of boys are in trouble,” but he can’t give you any names. So let’s face it, the job of superintendent is the worst imaginable. It could be great, but probably only if grass were our prime concern. It is unfortunate that our failures, in general, are measured only against our previous suc­ cesses. But so be it: success is possible, but in our situation, perhaps not permanent. It is also unfortunate that our view of success does not necessarily coincide with the feelings of our members. A new trap, beautifully placed and executed, is a work of art to us, but perhaps one more leg on the pink slip to a loud group of members. It is here that public relations comes into play—an area in which we as a group are all weak. There are many of our failures that can, fortunately, or unfortunately, be foreseen. The dissemination of this information can do us no harm. Because we know disaster will happen, it might just help us to clue our employers in. If hot weather is going to cause a flush of silver crabgrass that we have failed to control due to lack of money, or acceptable methods, let’s at least say so before it happens. Preventive maintenance starts with the superintendent’s mind and mouth in all cases when failure is foreseeable. And, in fact, is a foreseeable failure a true failure? In our business predicting failure is most likely what we do best. Opening the course on a floating day in March, or all winter, will cause a failure in July only if you did not go on record in writing as to the results that will naturally derive from this action when the final decision was taken out of your hands. In many instances preventive maintenance takes a back seat to preventive problems and, again, most golf course problems are solved by more talk than action. On golf courses in general, I find it is extremely rare that there is a saleable emer­ gency. Therefore, my basic working rule is, “whatever is urgently needed requires five years lead time." While this condition may not apply in all situations, if we do not properly com­ municate our problems, we will eventually end up the sole owner of same. Conversely, most situations should never reach the panic stage if the superintendent has properly recognized future conditions that will certainly arise and begun a planned program leading to a cure. Constant complaining about the old shop isn’t going to accomplish a thing unless some facts and figures on costs and loss of efficiency are reasonably presented. The main thing is not only to present the facts, but to do it regularly MARCH 1972 23 with calm reason, and to establish priorities. No one is going to look upon you with any great sympathy the day you’re wearing the roof of the old barn around your ears and you don’t even have a plan for a new one. There is a big difference between registering a complaint and making a complaint register. The latter is often distinctly helped by a lack of the former. In the same vein, the presentation of a proposed plan for future action may be the presentation of a complaint in your view, but will be seen as constructive original thought on the part of your employers. It is now obvious we are talking about the man, the superintendent, and how he conducts himself. But wait a minute: Are we both talking on the same wave length? Probably not, I can’t understand at least half of Charlie Brown either. Superintendents in the future will be certi­ fied as to proven minimum knowledge of the methods of the industry. Not long after will come a certified superintendent failure. Un­ fortunately, he will become our original Charlie Brown. He will have been judged not by his peers in the business, but by his employer; a truly acceptable and reasonable method. If the knowledge and/or inate ability of every practicing superintendent were plotted on a graph, there is very little doubt that on the basis of 1—100 their profile would create some form of bell curve. That is to say, the majority of the men rated would fall somewhere in the middle of the scale, with about an equal number at the top and an equal number at the bottom trickling off to almost nothing at both the high and the low end. If we add some variables, we could do what statisticians call skew the curve either way—if knowledge of equipment operation were heavily weighted in the survey, the curve created would be skewed in the upward direction, or the 100 end of the curve. If complete knowledge of the insurance laws applying to golf course operation were used as a strong criterion, the curve would undoubtedly drop off to the low end. By now I can see several good friends adjusting their positions wondering just where I think I’m going. Well, let’s look a little further. Other than the establishment of par, I don’t believe anyone has ever rated golf courses on any other meaningful scale, with the possible exception of budgets. In fact there are strong doubts that a scale could be established if such variables as budgets, geographical area, and the number of golf rounds, were added to the survey. However, let’s stick to golf, our ulti­ mate consideration. If on a given day, or month, all courses in the country could be rated by knowledgeable golf people on a scale of what is most Important to the game, we would most assuredly come up with another nearly normal curve. The question here is, "would our rating of quality courses match the curve of quality superintendents we have previously deter­ mined?” Would our highest-rated superin­ tendents be serving our highest-quality courses? If our highest-rated superintendents are also, as they should be, our “certified” superinten­ dents, then the only way to have a quality course is to hire a certified superintendent. It is here that I think our distribution will not correlate. Attempting to simplify: I would be willing to venture that some of the most talented men we have are operating courses that are considered somewhat below modern stan­ dards, yet it is only by virtue of the above average talents of these men that these courses can even pe played. Let’s not be so sweeping as to say that anyone can produce a quality product with a fat budget, good equipment, watering system, and an acceptable soil and terrain. Let us say that these conditions seem to have become the name of the superintendent’s game. It is easy to understand why all or any of the aforementioned make the job a lot easier. Do I dare state that these easy jobs call for superintendents, while the more difficult jobs call for managers—managers in the true sense of the word—people who control an operation based on outside variables, not those who oversee the carrying out of a predestined conclusion. Charlie Brown can supervise, but he goes down the drain every time he attempts to manage. Now that a number are bristling and mum­ bling “hypocrite” under their breath; just let me state that golf course and golf club manage­ ment, in my opinion, are not separable. The enterprise is not large enough economically to support two true managers, and the working climate, as many know, will not. Can it be hoped that “certified” will come to mean a knowledgeable golf club operation manager? He need not cover all technical aspects of any one field; his entire responsibility is to spot weak­ ness in the operation and correct it as soon as possible to the best of the limits of his club's overall policies. Gentlemen, we have true man­ agers in our ranks. It is fortunate that clubs are showing a distinct tendency toward recognizing them; it is just as fortunate that some of them are not the people you think they are. The present operating economy of golf clubs in this country cannot allow them to be kept in limbo much longer. As a group, the golf course superintendents are probably some of the unusually talented people employed by any industry. There is virtually no corporation, or even small business, that would lump so many job specifications on 24 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD one man, ranging from scientific to financial, to personnel, to engineering, to public relations, and, finally, to knowledge of golf and overall club operations. It is true that no one can expect a given individual to be fully knowl­ edgeable in all of these areas, any more than a club house manager can be the best of chef, accountant, and public relations man. Knowl­ edge is one thing, but ability to think is another, and anyone knows a golf course superintendent has to think. Anyone who can think intelligently can manage, and it’s about time we began to look upon management, not as a governing body, but as a goal to be reached, and the sooner the better for both ourselves and the clubs we serve. There are ways that we can guarantee ourselves that we shall forever be Charlie Browns. We can take each day as it comes. Why plan ahead, if you’re not even sure who’s going to show for work in the morning. We can make up an excellent defense after our “supervision” fails. A green chairman once told me, “Don’t scream 'til you’re hurt.” I didn’t for a while until I remembered what people do when they fall off tall buildings. We can accept our established positions and not fill a management void in other areas of the club operation. If a 3-inch water line in the club house bursts, what business is it of yours, even though that’s small stuff to you and your men. We can treat communications as something for television and the club manager—as long as you know what you are doing, why should they? We can continue to be the only people in the world to own a one-sided coin—there ain’t no way someone else could be right when I made a decision the other way—like closing the course. Friends, let Charlie supervise. Perhaps that’s the heart of our schizoid problem anyway. We are true managers playing a role that we have been cast in by others—called superintendents. The Good and Not so Good of Triplex Putting Green Mowers By William H. Bengeyfield, Western Director, USGA Green Section lhe modern triplex putting green mower has produced a not so minor revolution in putting green care. As in all revolutions, the determi­ nation of whether it is good or bad rests largely with who you are and how you are affected by it. Triplex mowers, although not new, are still in their infancy, and today's models will be tomorrow’s curiosities. But for the moment, many hold doubts as to their present value if judged strictly by the results they produce. The problems of grain, wear and compaction are very real, especially if they are continually used on bentgrass greens in all kinds of weather. On the other hand, if you are the fellow paying the labor bill (which comprises 70 per cent or more of the budget), the triplex green mower must be considered a godsend! Some years ago, agricultural economists at Purdue University undertook a study to deter­ mine how much a farmer could afford to invest in equipment to save his labor time. If labor is worth $2 an hour and if golf course chores are similar to farm chores, the tabulation would look something like this: Machine Saves 60 minutes per day 50 minutes per day 40 minutes per day 30 minutes per day 20 minutes per day 10 minutes per day Farmer Can Afford $4,500.00 3,800.00 3,000.00 2,200.00 1,400.00 600.00 No wonder triplex putting green units have literally saved the day for many municipal as well as private golf courses. They are here to stay and the equipment is going to get better with time. As increased labor costs have forced the use of more sophisticated machinery, the trend is undeniably toward more versatile equipment; i.e., being able to do more than one job. Triplex mowers already have interchangeable units for vertical mowing, tee mowing, etc. Fairway sweepers now have dethatching devices, etc. I’m MARCH 1972 25 Joe Sirianni, Supt. mowing the Olympic Club's 16th green with a Hahn West Point. waiting for the day when the triplex putting green mower will vacuum grass clippings (and Poa annua seed) while mowing greens, and then discharge the load automatically on the way to the next green. The mower could also be rigged to apply small amounts of fertilizer, fungicide or insecticide (wet or dry) during the mowing operation. What a labor saver it will be! If progress in equipment during the past 10 years is any indication of the coming 10, we are going to see more and more heavy machines used on greens. Early greenkeepers would have nightmares if they knew what we are doing and planning to do. Heavier equipment means more compaction, more wear, more grain, more thatch, more headaches for the superintendent devoted to quality golfing turf. And all of this is done in the name of “saving labor costs.” Resistence to this trend is already evident among some clubs and superintendents. Quality playing conditions and appearance is more important to the game than minimum budgets. They hasten to point out that they, too, can mow 18 greens in less than three hours time with their sectionmen using the smaller walking mowers. And the sectionmen also fix ball marks on greens, touch up bunkers and overall, provide a finer, well-groomed golf course. They believe the time saved by triplex units is not all “saving." The controversy will continue for there are good and not so good points on both sides. Perhaps with time there will be a blending of views, a compromise. Manhours are the differ­ ence. But this difference may be found in using the triplex mower on tees and, on Saturday and Sundays, on the greens when overtime must be employed. In this way, labor costs can be held down and, at the same time, quality turf preserved. The following are comments of superin­ tendents concerning the use of triplex putting green mowers. They are based on a variety of conditions and duration of use. They Save Time By Joe Sirianni, Superintendent, Olympic Club, San Francisco, California I have had two triplex putting green mowers for the past three months, and so far, they have been very good. They are a great time saver and I am very happy with the job they have done for us to this date. At the Olympic Club, we have 36 holes, and the new machines are used on both courses. Where it used to take three men on each course from 3V2 to 4 hours to cut six greens apiece, we can now cut the entire 36 holes in four hours with only two men! This gives me a chance to use the other four greensmen four hours every morning for jobs like working on their bunkers, cleaning up their sections, or for whatever needs to be done. In effect, the triplex putting green mowers have given me four additional 26 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD men to do the chores that, in the past, often went undone. Our greens are largely Poa annua, average 5,200 square feet, and they are mowed five days a week during the cutting season; Tues­ days, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. We are fully unionized and right now; my greensmen receive $3.95 an hour or $31.60 a day. This comes to $684 a month for an 8-hour workday and 40-hours a week. From this you can see that overtime costs can be staggering. For our last fiscal year, overtime alone amounted to over $18,000, and it was basically for cutting greens on Saturdays and Sundays. Something had to be done about it, and the triplex putting green mower was the answer. Where we once used six men on overtime, we now use two men, and they both come in on Saturdays and Sundays. I am frequently asked about the ‘quality of cut’ and the compaction from the use of triplex mowers. So far, I have found the quality of cut very good, but again, I have only used the mowers for the last three months. If there is a compaction problem, it hasn’t shown as yet, and I am on the constant lookout for it. As to the development of more grain on greens, I do think we will be doing more vertical mowing in the future. However, with the vertical mower attachments available for triplex putting green mowers, this does not present any major problem. In fact, more frequent vertical mowing may actually produce even better putting surfaces than in the past. To sum up, I am very pleased with our triplex putting green mowers and see no reason why we would ever return to the use of the smaller units. Of course, if we get a lot of heavy rain and the greens become very wet, I’m a little reluctant to use the heavier triplex units. So we still occasionally use the hand mowers or smaller machines. We are not throwing them away. Nevertheless, the triplex mowers are certainly a time saver and have done a very good job for us. Any green superintendent would be wise to at least look and try these new machines. Watch for Thatch By Harvey Hardin, Superintendent, Indian Wells Country Club, Palm Desert, California Indian Wells Country Club was fortunate in having the use of the first pilot model triplex green mower in early 1968. This was the mower first shown at the GCSAA International Turf­ grass Conference held in San Francisco earlier that year. It received a full workout under our conditions as we used it six days a week for ten full months. Since that time, triplex putting green mowers have been in almost constant use at Indian Wells. Initially we used a circular mowing pattern on the greens. However, our members preferred the striped appearance of greens and it wasn’t very long before we went to this type of mowing pattern. The new triplex mower per­ formed beautifully for the first several months. Supt. Harvey Hardin has used the Jacobsen triplex for four years at Indian Wells Country Club, Palm Desert, Calif. The Toro Greensmaster mower reduce man hour mowing requirements. However, after about three or four months I found it necessary to brush cut because definite signs of grain began to appear. I think after several months of mowing with any triplex mower we are going to have to closely watch the grain and thatch problem. The reason is the ‘floating head.’ Any cutting unit that ‘floats’ must gradually raise up more than the solid, fixed head of the older walking mowers. To correct the condition, we used the walking vertical mowers since the vertical mowing units were not yet available for the triplex riding mower. From my experience, brushing does not do the job of grain and thatch removal as well as a vertical mower. Another problem we encountered is that of excessive wear on putting green perimeters. Of course this is from ‘ringing the greens’ with each mowing—six days a week. We have tried ‘ringing’ greens every other day but you can still see some wear. The only way to correct this is by step-cutting; i.e., alternating from three to two to one mowing unit for the outside circle cut each succeeding day. This seems to even out the compaction and wear problem and helps avoid wheel marks or track­ ing. During the winter season, we will often have 300 rounds of golf a day on our 27 holes. With temperatures as low as 15°F. at 6:30 in the morning and then up to 85°F. by 10:30 a.m., we must do all we can to reduce excessive putting green wear caused by equipment. Indian Wells is one of the host clubs each year for the Bob Hope Desert Classic I have checked with the PGA and it has no objections whatsoever to the use of the triplex greens mower. The PGA wants all four courses in the tournament to use the same height of cut, however. In my operation, I have four triplex putting green mowing units; one I use for tees, two are used for greens and one is available just in case one of the others blows up. In addition, I still have several of the older walking mowers and use them periodically. This seems to help keep down thatch and we are not verti-cutting in front of the members quite so often when this technique is used. In summary, I think we will all have to learn to live with the triplex putting green mower because of its great labor saving advantage. Personally, if I had my druthers I would be mowing with the old walking mowers. There are simply more maintenance procedures to be accomplished with the triplex units; i.e., more vertical mowing and more brush cutting than in other years when we were using the smaller mowing units. Certainly there is more wear on greens. Nevertheless, I used to use seven men every morning to mow 27 holes, and now I use two mowers and two men! In addition, vertical mowing of greens is easy with the new units that may be used with the triplex machine. Our tees have also been improved with triplex mowing and at a lower cost. Therefore, whether we like the triplex mower or not, I think we are all going to have to use them at some future date and we can be sure they will be con­ tinually improved. 28 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD The Toro vertical mower. Quality Lowered By John Zoller, Superintendent, Eugene Country Club, Eugene, Oregon l\/l uch has been said about the convenience and speed of the triplex putting green mower and these are important considerations in this day of high maintenance costs. I am not sure the story ends here however. In some ways it is another case of our subordinating what is best for the golfer to what is best for the golf course superintendent. This has been done too fre­ quently already. In our section of the country, I have heard members of some clubs say that suddenly their greens don’t seem to putt as good as they used to. They seem to be slower or not as smooth or they have more grain. In most cases, the member is not aware that a change in mowing equipment has been made. I have had ex­ perience with only one of the three triplex putting green mowers that are on the market, so I am not qualified to discuss two of them. But here are some of the day-to-day problems we must give attention to with our triplex mowers. First of all, by the very nature of triplex mowing, it is a must that all three cutting units be matched as to cutting height and balance. This must be checked every day. If a bearing or bushing on a roller shaft has some wear, that means it will not cut at the same height as the other two. Another problem that we must guard against is damage to the putting green hole. It would appear to be an easy thing to straddle the cup with one of the wing units but more often than not, a portion of the hole is run over by one of the tires and the edge of the hole is broken down. The result? A good putt is unfairly penalized. The perimeter cut around the green presents another problem that demands attention, par­ ticularly greens that have a high percentage of bentgrass. Because this cut can be made in only two different directions, a lot of swirling of the grass seems to develop. It can only be elim­ inated by vertical mowing and topdressing. We have tried to help this condition by not mowing around the perimeter every time the green is mowed. In summation, we—at our club—are not sure that we want to sacrifice the quality that we feel we can get with the single unit mowers for the quantity that we get with the triplex mower. The actual savings are not all that great. Undoubtedly, there is a place for the triplex green mower and many golf courses can benefit from the use of it. But at no time have I heard any of our members favor lessening the quality of green maintenance in order to reduce costs. There are many other time and labor-saving pieces of equipment that, to me at least, are a more practical way of reducing costs. For instance, the use of 9 and perhaps even 11-gang fairway mowing units; the power sand trap rake; and even the 3-wheel vehicles for use in spraying and top-dressing greens can sub­ stantially contribute to lower costs. It has been said that a person is recognized by his face not by his feet, and so, too, a golf course is largely recognized by its greens and not by its roughs or fairways. MARCH 1972 29 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD MARCH 1972 omi A N 331S3H9O3 3AV 1SV3 SE6Z ddlS3H3OH 30 0013 AblNnOO H3 WW03 39 AdO9 31dWVS LZLZSIOZ. TURF TWISTERS HOW TO W.I.N. Question: What do the letters “W.I.N.” mean on the fertilizer bag label and how do I use them? (Illinois) Answer: “W.I.N.” stands for Water Insoluble Nitrogen, i.e., nitrogen not readily available. If, for example, you have a 50-pound bag of 16-4-12 fertilizer with 4.8% W.I.N., you may find the total amount of water insoluble nitrogen by multiplying 4.8% by the 50 pounds or 2.4 lbs. W.I.N. To find the percentage of W.I.N. in the fertilizer, divide the 4.8% W.I.N. by the 16% total nitrogen or, in this case, 30% of the total nitrogen is W.I.N. WITH WINTER Question: What is winter desiccation and how can it be controlled? (Colorado) Answer: Desiccation is basically a wilting or drying phenomenon of the grass plant and is one of the primary types of winter injury to turf. A grass plant must rely on an internal water supply for respiratory activity even during the winter months. When soil moisture is limited, the supply of water within the plant diminishes to a point where transpiration is greater than that amount of water being replaced by the root system. The turf plant desiccates or dries out. Desiccation can be held to a minimum by applying several hundred gallons of water to the problem area before it comes under stress. Several applications are normally required. Light to moderate top-dressing in the late fall will also help reduce damage. If desiccation has occurred, power spike, overseed, topdress and syringe frequently to encourage recovery and germination of the damaged turf in the spring and early summer. Play should be restricted until the damaged area has recovered sufficiently to withstand traffic. TURFGRASS PROBLEMS Question: Can there be mechanical injury to turf in winter? Is this injury serious? (Ohio) Answer: Turf can be mechanically injured by both foot and vehicular traffic. This type of injury to the grass plant can be very serious. On frosted playing areas, ice crystals within the grass blades distort and rupture the living cells, causing death. Syringing greens in early morning, before traffic is allowed on the course, will help solve the problem by melting the ice crystals. When the upper portion of the soil has begun to thaw during the early spring, foot traffic will cause severe compaction and tearing of the grass roots at the point where they penetrate the still frozen area. Visual damage may not be noticed at this time, but is one of the primary causes of trouble during summer stress periods. Snowmobile damage to turf is becoming more apparent each season. A snowmobile can create a five to six inch deep track and can cause a glazing or icing effect with resulting development of toxic conditions.