\ S p o n s o r e d by the PROCEEDINGS OF THE 1974 MIDWEST REGIONAL TURF FOUNDATION Page Tha Art & Philosophy of Attending Conferences...,H. W. Glissmann Purdue Serves Students ....D. C. Pfendler Shortages are Relative Around Planet Earth.90.o....R. C. Pickett Energy: Not a Crisis, but a Long Term Problem for Tomorrow . * O.C. Doering, III Fertilizer Notes .. USDA News Hiring a New Superintendent - Our Experience John Foley Graduation - A Student Interviews? Letter, Personal Data Sheet; Interview Questions. Mark Fields My First Experience ....... J.W. Uptgraft Golf, Turf and People Fred Stewart Building a Course - Dream to Reality Developing a New Course Monitoring Modern Operations Thatch - A Part of Turf . ... Fairway Problems - My '73 Experience Fairway Management - Upgrading Turf Areas Tri-Calcium Arsenate - Use and Abuse * A Fairway Improvement Program. . Keeping Poa Out Thatch - Cut Off and Reseed Fairways - One's Club's Record..... More on Nex Page! 3 6 8 9 12 12 16 20 22 Don Essig, III 27 S. K. Gipson 29 J, Albaugh 31 .. . . „Lee Record 35 ....Paul Morgan 38 Mel Lucas 40 Mel Lucas 41 Len Hazlett 44 Earl Dowell 47 Leon Hartogh 48 Steve Frazier 49 The 49 talks included in these Proceedings are condensations of talks by speakers before sections and divisions of the 1974 M.R.T.F. Conference. We appreciated the willingness of the speakers to participate and prepare material for your reading. Proceedings of each annual Conference since 1948 have been prepared. A limited number of 1962, 1963/ 1964 and 1965 Proceedings are available at $ 1.00 per copy. Copies of 1969/ 1970/ 1971, 1972/ and 1973 are $ 2.00 each. A copy of these Proceedings were mailed tos The 741 attending the Midwest Turf Conference One person of each member organization within the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation not represented at the Conference List of those in educational activities. Additional copies are available at $ 2.00 each froms W. H. Daniel, Executive Secretary Midwest Regional Turf Foundation Dept. of Agronomy, Purdue University W. Lafayette, Indiana. 47907 Golf Course Irrigation ... Getting the Job Done . . ... Modernizing Irrigation - I Changed Systems. Serving Turf Needs Today from Manufacturer to Operator. ... . . Paqe 52 55 56 59 My Experience in Turf Care at Purdue University....Nick Rush Industrial Lawns - Turf Technology« ...C« T. Douglass Clean Seed - the How and Why,.o.,0 ..„o.... Spraying - Get the Job Done Quickly.. ..Larry E. Fisher IBDU and My Experiences .....Cliff Helwig 61 62 65 67 69 Insects/ Trees and Ornamentals Reseeding and Roundup Herbicide My Log - It Solved a Complaint with EPA.... ....H. F. Carroll Proper Plant Maintenance as a Preventative to Disease Control ............ .....Harry Murray Selling Good Turf - My Experience 70 72 74 The Putting Green - Current Specifications. ..C. Schwartzkopf A Survey of Sands . . . An Experimental Green in California . ......W. B. Davis Sand Percolation Research........ 77 78 82 83 PURR-WICK - The Start.................. .W. H. Daniel PURR-WICK - Reaching for Results........... My Golfers and PURR-WICK. PURR-WICK Green at Link 1 s Nursery...... ........ .Bill Dj/ve PURR-WICK Rootzones .....W. H. Daniel 85 86 87 90 91 THE PAT System .....W. H. Daniel Purdue Installs a PAT System....... P. A. T., Inc o ................. o ....Robert Linton The PAT System at Goshen nnRichard Kercher Sand Football Fields ....... Field Management for Band & Football. 93 94 95 96 97 100 For lawns - first see articles starting on 20, 61, 62, 65, 69, 70, 72 For sod production - first see pages 27, 29, 48, 59, 61, 62, 65, 72 For athletic fields - first see pages 52, 61, 69, 75, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 100 75 76 THE ART Ai\iD PHILOSOPHY OF ATTEisiDIisiG CONFERENCES Harold W. Glissmann, Landscape & Sales Omaha, Nejoraska Such a subject must be broken down into five or six parts — namely/ motivation, attitudes, questions, responses, plus my own thinking and philosophy. For exanple, how many told the local press you would 'oe here? To philosophize is to explore life. It means breaking free to ask questions«, It means resisting just easy answers. It is seeking in one1 s self the courage to ask painful questions» But, if by chance you have already asked all your questions and are satisfied with the answers, philosophizing would be a waste of your time. Philosophy is for those who are willing to be disturbed with a creative disturbance. It is for those who still have the capacity for wonder. Philosophy does not answer questions - its function is to question answers. Motive*"'* on What is motivation? According to Webster it is a provision of a motive or inducement. So we must have a motive or some sort of inducement. He also says that a motive is that which influences desires or incites the will in a particular direction,, I can assure you that I had afaotive 50 years ago when my father and I first attended my first turf short course at Iowa State University. I attended this conference some 26 years ago. It was my good fortune to be able to sit and listen and take notes from such turf experts as Burt iYLusser, O. J. Noer, Fred Grau, Marshall Farnham, Carl Bretzlaff, Tom Mascaro, and the best friends the superintendent ever had, Herb and Joe Graffis. It was through this conference and others like it that I not only found the answers I was looking for and the guidance I needed to help make me a better turf man and to better serve my clients, but I also developed friendships that have lasted a lifetime. I am sure all of you attending this conference have this same motivation. It will give you a better idea and may even influence you in other ways. All of you must have a motive or personal desire, or you must have been motivated by someone or you would not be here today. Attitudes Try and build a good attitude — that of anticipation« What is anticipation? It is looking forward to something, and oftentimes, is greater than the realization. If your attitude and anticipation are to get all the answers at this or any other conference — forget it. I always felt well repaid if I could get one definite answer. There is no way that you can go home with all the answers. If there were we would not need repeated conferences held each year. I always feel enthused after I receive a copy of a program as I anticipate some answers to some problems, and to meet old friends, and make a few new ones. Study your conference programs. You canft listen to every speaker at a conference of this size, and that is what makes it a great conference. Don ! t be afraid to ask questions. I don't think there is such a thing as a dumb question. Questions come easy after you have been motivated or have a definite attitude within yourself * You will develop a desire to ask questions and thereby satisfy some of your desires. It will also do something else - it will let the speaker and other people know you are in attendance and interested in what is going on. That also is part of the Art of Attending Conferences. Answers —————— Webster defines an answer as a reply in speech or writing, or by signal. Cur tour through the greenhouses this morning may have given you some answers already. Also, I ! m sure it motivated some of you and created some questions and desires that you will want to seek answers for. You may ask yourself, "I wonder how I can get the answer to sgipj of the problems or questions that I have?" Believe me, they won't/be answered here. Attend other conferences, visit with your fellow superintendents or people that could possibly help you; subscribe to publications; visit your local County Extension Office;check with University Publications Offices, or book stores« Call or write some of the people you have listened to or heard about, or you may get the answer by trial and error. Don't forget — you can't win them all! My Rewards Among many rewards the greatest are the friendships I have made. To see the tears of joy on 0. J. Noer f s face at his party in Houston, and the same kind of tears on the face of Burt Musser at his farewell party at Penn State. Also to receive free and postpaid autographed copies of Turf Management from Burt, and the firm hand clasp and thank you for coming was a great moment for me. To see Sam Snead climb a tree to make a golf shot in the St.Paul Open, or the look on Hogan's face when he was tied and then defeated in San Francisco, or to witness golf f s longest hour in Rochester when Middlecoff waited four hours for Julius Boros to finish and miss that 35 footer for a tie. To be invited personally years ago to Chicago to hear Dr. Richard T. White, then Executive Secretary of the American Nurserymen's Association, give his great talk - "Freedom Is Not Free." These things would never have been possible if I had not attended conferences, or tried to be a leader in some small way. I have served on the Board of Directors of this Foundation, and as Master of Ceremonies at your banquet. It was my privilege to help organize and serve as first President of my State's G.C.S.A. A few years ago I was honored as a quarter century member of the National G.C.S.A. And when the Knights of Columbus selected me as "Man of the Year" in Omaha, that's not bad for a Shriner! Having Musser, Noer, Watson, Grau and many others in my room to discuss and argue the merits of new programs for research, seed development, or the best way to do a certain job, or solve a problem that someone thought needed solving, means I learned a lot just by being there and listening. But, this does not always come free. Your attitude, motivation, questions and how you present yourself is all part of the game. Give and you shall receive; be alert to what is going on around you; support your local and national leaders and programs. Know how to say "thank you". I can't stress this too much about saying "thanks." Don't be afraid to show your appreciation by word or deed to the people who help you. It's a lot of hard work to put a conference like this together« Glissmann's Thinking For a country boy who tried to develop my thinking to do a better job. Also to ployees, salesmen and others didn't get out of the tenth grade I have along the lines of trying to help myself develop my image with my customers, emI come in contact with. I experienced a great feeling just recently when Dr. Daniel put on a workshop on fertilizers for a competitor of mine in Omaha. My competitor asked me if I would be chairman of his program. This alone made me feel that my thinking and my conduct of myself and business over the years was not all bad. I have some very definite ideas about attending conferences. I don't think that you can be up all night shooting it up and be alert and a good attendant at the morning session. Be on time! That's the way this conference is run — on time. I have told many others how we do it here. By being alert and on time makes your speaker feel that you are interested and will make him feel he needs to do a good job. Conference speakers have a responsibility to those listening by being well-prepared, knowing how long his presentation will last so as to be able to present it in the programmed time. Jim Holmes does a great job as a speaker, but Jim - he can't tell time - which is not all bad. A great guy! Miss him for not being here. Be willing to give more than you receive. My grandfather told me when I was a small boy "if you never do any more than you are paid for, you will never get paid for more than you do." I have always tried to live by that little saying and am sure it has paid great dividends. Treasure your friendships; be interested in what they are doing or trying to do; be active in your home community. Your Church is a great place to start. There is a lot more to life than growing grass or trimming trees and shrubs. Reward a good job well done, and above all be honest with yourself and your fellow man. In closing, I would like to alert you to the second and third generations of Turf iros. The second generation must include - Bill Daniel, Elliott Roberts, Kenny Payne, Mai Shurtleff, Jack rttier, Charlie Wilson, Ray Freeborg, Jim Latham, Bill Bengeyfield - to name but a few. Then comes the new breed headed by Jim Beard of Michigan, A1 Torgeon of Illinois, Bill Lobenstein of Missouri, and the Green Section youngsters, Carl and Lee. They all will be around for quite a while« They're great guys all, and I am proud to be able to call them close personal friends. If you don't know them, make an effort to meet them for they would like to know you. I heard Dr. Grau last week make the statement about hoping to meet those he didn't know. If in some way you've had one or two thoughts alerted in some way, my time in preparing this paper of traveling 1400 miles to present it will have been may know, Bill doesn't pay too well for appearing on or ideas, or been and the expense well spent. You his programs. It has been a great quarter-century for me, and you younger fellows with high school and college degrees here today can get the same benefits and rewards a lot easier than I did if you will put forth the effort and don't forget to say "thanks" once in a while! My only regret is that I can't be around to listen and share with the fourth and fifth generations. PURDUE SERVES STUDENTS D. C. Pfendler, Associate Dean and Associate Director of Resident Instruction Purdue University As a land grant college established by the Morrill Act signed in 1862 by Abraham Lincoln, Purdue is required by law to teach Agriculture, mechanic arts, and military science and tactics. The agricultural complex has a definite mission: to insure an abundant and economical supply of food, feed, and fiber to the American people, to protect and use wisely our natural resources, and to enhance the quality of living. At the time of my original enrollment in 1925, Purdue University consisted of about 3,600 students. In September of 1973 the graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in Agriculture totaled about 3,850o During my undergraduate program and at the time I returned to the University in 1937, the several undergraduate programs were rigidly structured with long series of departmental requirements and little opportunity for inter-disciplinary programs, or any broad base approach to training in agriculture. In about 1940, a General Agriculture option was set up by the then Dean, Harry J. Reed, to permit individual study programs that would incorporate available subject matter in a manner best calculated to meet the needs of the individual student. This plan brought relevance to the undergraduate program and resulted in strengthening the teaching program and putting a strong counseling program in place in each department. Students graduating from programs of this type began to command attention and enrollment grew. General Agriculture permitted the exploration of new areas on an experimental basis. Among these new areas was a program in Turf Management proposed by Professor William Daniel o While this was -operating under General Agriculture, it became clear that this was a program with real vitality and growth with an excellent market for graduates trained in this area«, Turf Management was then set up as an individual entity, and published in the catalog as a regular option available to any interested undergraduate. Educational programs designed to meet specific needs of the type indicated was a new approach. Numbers of students and quality of high school preparation increased. Currently approximately 50% of the students enrolled in agriculture graduated in either the first or second decile of their high school class; in 1960 about 25% came from the two top deciles» The complexion of the undergraduate student body changed. In 1960 about 65% of the students were reared on farms; now only about 40% come from farms. In 1960 there were only a few women enrolled in agriculture; currently there are over 600 undergraduate women in agriculture. Currently there are over 300 members of the agricultural staff, about 225 of whom are engaged in teaching one or more courses. Practically all of the teaching staff are employed to also undertake research in their area of interest. Only by active participation in research can agricultural teachers stay current in the rapidly evolving change and growl';., in their respective fields. This involvement with research adds immense strength to the undergraduate teaching program. Over 50% of each beginning class has a longtime educational objective of acceptance in some type of professional program like veterinary medicine, human medicine, law, dentistry, or acceptance in a graduate program. Since all of these professional opportunities involve a screening process, a very high percentage of undergraduates are serious, determined young men and women who are earnestly making every effort to take advantage of their opportunities. The university Office of Financial Aids is in position to offer scholarships or grants to approximately 25% of the undergraduates in the School of Agriculture to the extent of 25% of their annual cost. This means 75% of the undergraduates have no financial help, and those who do receive help must provide up to 75% of their total expenses from some other source. Rapidly escalating costs impose a serious strain on this system. At the present time, students from so called "middle class" homes are facing real problems in this area. The university, and particularly the School of Agriculture, has always placed enormous emphasis on the counseling program for individual students. About 125 of the senior members of the staff have direct counseling responsibilities covering the range of preparation, motivation, finance, career development and such other personal problems as may arise. Many of these problems are most unusual and serious. The undergraduate student enrolled at the present time, as compared with students of a few years ago, are much better prepared academically, are more mature emotionally and socially, and much more concerned about environment, quality of life, fair treatment, and whether democracy can be made to work. They are the finest students we have ever had. As this conference gives attention to methods of strengthening their organization and giving professional stature to their work, help in underwriting scholarships and help in underwriting research programs certainly are appropriate. I commend these matters to your urgent attention. SHORTAGES ARE RELATIVE T ROUND PLANET EARTH Ro Co Pickett, Dept. of Agronomy Purdue University The subject of shortages is coming up very frequently at this time in the USA in our homes as well as our businesses. It is very timely therefore to examine some of the most essential items in short supply around the world in various degrees in various places inspite of great God-given resources. Pure drinking water is a primary shortage for a great proportion of people in the world. Over half the women of the world spend many hours a day carrying drinking water and fuel for cooking to their homes. Dependability of supply and quality is lacking in both cases. Communicable diseases and parasites are spread much wider and more frequently as a result of the poor water which, in turn, is affected commonly by poor sanitation systems (another shortage I) Electricity is still unbelievably short in many areas, with none into remote areas of South America, Africa and Asia. There are very deficient and undependable (many "outages") supplies even in the major cities in many areas,, When you consider 6% of the people of the world are here in the USA and they use over 50% of the electricity, then you begin to see the scale and dimension of the shortage of available electricity and other available energy in the least developed areas. Lack of transportation systems can be even more crippling in certain situations, e.g., sufficient food produced in a country like Ethiopia, and even grain stored nearby but people starving due to inaccessibility. Our shortages of food in storage and breakdowns in transportation of it are also here, but again of an entirely different dimension. Basic food grains - rice, wheat, corn and others - are seasonally short and vary greatly in price according to the time of year in much of the world. To make the dietary situation worse, the major part of the world does not have effective storage of other foodstuffs, e.g., in canned goods let alone frozen foods, though a little dried food in some areas inbetween crop harvest seasons. It is really grevious to see a glut of food so many places at harvest season and then a shortage in absolute amount and very high cost of what remnant there is (usually grain) before the next harvest. Even worse from a dietary point of view is the shortage of high protein foods to go with the cereal grains. Animal products are hopelessly short in many areas so the hope remains with the edible legumes and the vegetables - particularly green leafy ones that are the best source of protein. Improvement of forage crops is needed, and thereby improvement of livestock in South America, Africa and Asia where they are not fed special crops grown for them, but only on range land, weeds and crop residues. There is much that can be done in this area, but so too here in the U.S. where high grain costs on the world market are going* to force these into the human food category (where they really "belong"), and thereby necessitate an improvement on the amount and quality of animal products to which we have become accustomed. As income goes up here or abroad, so too does the demand for animal products so the shortage of suitable high quality forage crops (with suitable supplements of mineral, etc») must be corrected to correct the shortage of meat and other animal products« The shortages of many inputs for agricultural production is now being felt in the U.S.A., e.g., high machinery costs and delays in delivery and repair parts, higher costs of insecticides and fertilizers with deficient amounts. The higher cost of the energy for the industrial production of nitrogen fertilizer is a particularly sensitive spot since it is now at much higher cost and grossly deficient according to the need of world crops, including the grass "crop" on golf cou^ggs and parks. We're all going to feel this nitrogen shortage which/always been there but is grossly exaggerated now. Nitrogen is the most limiting factor in plant growth and must be applied by 'the plant grower in most cases with exceptions in the cases of newly cultivated virgin soils with high residual nitrogen, especially grasslands and in areas under legumes with symbiotic nitrogen fixation. For many crops, legumes in association or in rotation will be the best answer to an adequate nitrogen supply. In the case of pure grass cultures as on golf courses and parks, we are simply going to have to pay the higher cost for nitrogen fertilizer which reflects the higher energy cost of producing it. Consumer goods of short supply to various quite an accurate gauge solute cost and quality all type, including paper products, are in degrees in various countries and are often of the development of a country when both abare considered. Finally, affluence that allows for the development of adequate (though perhaps still "short" from an ideal situation) recreation areas with beautiful turf is a God-given resource that we should appreciate. It is relatively unique for tlie population of planet earth - we should work hard to improve it and appreciate how this conference will help. ENERGY: NOT A CRISIS, BUT A LONG TERM PROBLEM FOR TOMORROW Otto C. Doering III, Agricultural Economics Purdue University We are now using our fossil fuels in amounts that have little relation to their abundance. Coal is by far our most plentiful fossil fuel, yet less than a fifth of the fossil fuel energy we depend upon comes from coal. Our own resources of petroleum and natural gas are much smaller than our coal resources, yet more than three quarters of the fossil energy we consume comes from petroleum products and natural gas. There is, thus, a basic imbalance between the amount of fossil resources that we have and the amounts of particular fossil resources that we have chosen to consume for a number of reasons. Based upon known reserves in 1973 we would deplete our oil and gas resources before the year 2000 if we were to continue increasing our use of these fuels as we have in the paste Our appetite for energy is clearly greater than our own fossil resources can sustain. The "Energy Crisis" is more of a basic problem than crisis of the MidEast oil embargo. It is not far fetched to think of our fossil resources as the balance in a "savings account" - resources which were deposited for us some years ago. We can draw from this account, but there is no way that we can add to this store by making deposits today. Every bit we withdraw leaves less for tomorrow. We do have other forms of energy available to us which we might call "income" as they are available in amounts that do not depend upon how much we previously used. Solar energy would be one example of such energy forms as would wind and tidal energy. Every day some part of the globe receives a new supply of sun, wind and tide. Clearly if we ate to continue using anything like the amount of energy we use today we must learn to use less from our "savings account" of fossil fuels. An end to the Arab oil embargo will not solve our energy problems for a number of reasons. We face shortages of refinery capacity and transportation capacity that will result in spot shortages of fuel oil, gasoline and other finished petroleum products. We do not have the physical capacity to refine and deliver the volume of petroleum products that would have been demanded this year had there been no price increases or shortages of crude oil. We were heading for a basic shortage situation - the Arab oil embargo only hastened it. If the Arabs were willing to sell us everything we wanted at bargain prices it would be several years before our refinery and transportation capacity caught up with our appetite for petroleum products. Remember, however, the Arab nations realize as well as anyone else that even their vast oil resources are limited. They will not be too willing to send us increasing amounts of oil and quickly dimish their only natural resource. Their best strategy is to sell moderate amounts of oil for as many years as possible and for as high a price as possible. They have successfully raised the price of crude oil many times over in the past year. When you can increase the price of your product fourfold you are still making twice as much as before even if you only sell half as much. This lesson has not been lost on the Arab States. Given the price increases that are likely to hold for imported oil, our balance of payments cannot afford the strain of paying for an amount of oil equal to that we imported last year before the embarc:.. Remember that other oil producing nations have raised their prices along with the rates set by the Arab States/ so our total import bill will be based uniformly on these high prices. The oil industry expected that we would be importing half of our petroleum needs by 1985 at a cost of twenty five billion dollars every year. This was before the Arab oil embargo and the resulting high prices. Such a volume of imported oil might well cost us over one hundred billion dollars every year at the present prices. There is no way our nation could afford such a bill. What ways do we have out of this dilemma? There are certainly no easy or inexpensive ways! We can try to develop alternative energy sources. However, remember that we demand many of the fuels we use today for very good economic reasons. Alternative sources of energy are not going to be researched or actually developed if gasoline no- sells again for thirty or even forty cents a gallon. The shale oils only look attractive to investors when the price of crude oil is in the five to seven dollar a barrel price range. Petroleum products may have to get even more expensive to encourage the development of solar energy. We saw such a situation at the time the petroleum industry began. This occurred because the demand for whale oil outstripped the supply of whales. The skyrocketing price of whale oil encouraged the development of petroleum. Higher prices for petroleum products can play a number of important roles. They can encourage the production of more petroleum products. The high prices can also encourage conservation. Thus, we may have turned down our thermostats after looking at our fuel bills, not after listening to the President asking us to dial down. Finally, higher petroleum prices give the necessary incentive for developing alternative sources of energy; whether this be through better utilization of our coal resources, or developing a feasible method for using solar energy to heat homes. An electric car will not be practical with gasoline at thirty to forty cents a gallon. In truth, all energy prices must rise to encourage both increased production and lowered demand for energy. More important h o w ever, is the development of energy saving technologies on a national level. It has only been economic to insulate our houses and refrigerators to a certain level because energy for heating and cooling was relatively inexpensive. A low cost air-conditioner was a good buy even if its motor was inefficient because the cost of the more efficient motor was greater than the cost of the electricity to run a less efficient motor. Industrial heating processes were not designed to capture the extra heat and use it elsewhere in the plant. Fuel costs have been so low it wasn't worth it! We can only hope that higher energy costs will make it worthwhile to spend the human ingenuity necessary so that we will be able to live as well in future years while drawing considerably less from our finite energy savings account. Finally, we worry about the effect of higher energy prices upon those in our society with limited means; the retired, low income or unemployed in our society. This is a welfare consideration and should not be confused with the basic needs for a resource policy that have been outlined above. Those with limited means are not the great users of energy in our society. We should not keep the price of energy low so that the more fortunate will be able to waste energy. If we are really concerned about those with limited means, let us devise a plan for guaranteed minimum income or "fuel stamps" to help them meet their basic needs for energy. There is a need for a consistent and standardized system for reporting energy production, inventory and flow as a basis for national decisions on priorities and emergency allocation. There is a need for a firm and consistent national energy policy that establishes a workable balance for society concerning the environmental and ecological needs on the one hand, and the production and technological needs on the other. The policy must establish and assure a time frame that can permit short and long-range development in the best total interests of society, on an orderly and efficient basis c There must be a national policy of energy conservation with sufficient incentive so that each individual will reduce, or at least not increase, his energy consumption in future years. Some processes, such as agricultural production, do not appear to offer much opportunity for large fuel savings given current technology. Other areas, such as private transportation in individual automobiles, appear to offer the opportunity for substantial energy savings on a national basis. There should be an increased effort to inform and educate the American public at all levels about the facts and issues concerning the environment and our energy dilemma. The public needs objective information as a basis for their decisions in matters of local, state and national policy. FERTILIZER NOTES AS INFORMATION) TAKEN FROM USDA NEWS, JANUARY, 1974 Nitrogen P 2 °5 k In 1974 8% more 8% more During 197 3 4% more 8.3 4% " 5.1 5% more should be available 2% more was used 4.4 million tons used 2° HIRING A NEW SUPERINTENDENT - OUR EXPERIENCE John Foley, Green Chairman, Crooked Stick Golf Indianapolis, Indiana Club I would first like to thank Dr. Daniel for inviting me to be on the program today« While I don f t pretend to be an expert on hiring superintendents, I am happy to relate to you my experience in interviewing and selecting a superintendent for Crooked Stick - a most difficult task, I might add, and one that I have no desire to repeat on a frequent basis. To properly set the stage, Crooked Stick is an 18-hole private golf club located in Indianapolis and built by Pete Dye about eight years ago. It was originally conceived as a limited membership club financed through an investment by 60 individuals. The initial plan was to build the course in two stages, purchasing the land and building 9 holes with the initial funds. In the next few years as more funds became available through the addition of new investors, the second 9 and clubhouse could be completed. Unfortunately, it is an inflationary age we live in and by the time the second 9 was finished there were no funds left for a clubhouse. This caused some concern among potential members about the future of the Club and who would provide the funds for those items that had not been covered in the initial project» No one was interested in joining only to find they were responsible for bailing the Club out. Crooked Stick maintained this posture for 5 or 6 years with fewer than 100 members providing barely enough income to meet the yearly operating budget. Last year, however, things changed. A program of refinancing was developed along with a membership drive with a guarantee to new members that there would be no capital assessments prior to 1975. This was an important point in our subsequent search for a hew superintendent. Since the financing covered the cost of a clubhouse, the response was excellent, and our present membership exceeds 200. We expect to reach our limit of 225 sometime this spring. The undercapitalization during course construction created some problems which are still with us today. Drainage must be improved on certain holes; a few tees and bridges must be constructed; a putting green is a future necessity; a levee must be built protecting the 8th green from high water in the bordering pond; a new maintenance facility is mandatory by next year; and a new pump house and waterlines of proper size and design must be installed to accommodate an automatic irrigation system for the future. As you can imagine, even though our course was selected in the top 100 in the country by Golf Digest, much remains to be done before it can realize its true potential. The initial concept of the Club remains unchanged - that is, to provide the finest golf facility possible for our members with a small, but functional clubhouse and a limited social program. We are not interested in swimming pools or tennis courts that might take funds precious to our golf program. As Green Chairman I am responsible to the Board and the membership for seeing that a Job Description, Standards of Performance, and an operating budget are prepared with the superintendent. As he reports to me, I am also responsible for his employment and replacement We involve the entire Green Committee in these functions, but only to the extent that their time permits. It is essential that golf course decisions be made on a timely and prompt basis, and I have long ago learned in business that the surest way to take the longest time in getting something done is to assign the task to a committee. Quite often time doesn't permit the luxury of a committee decision. Last August, our superintendent advised me that he was leaving the Club to pursue another career. Realizing the problems of finding a new man, he offered his time until a replacement could be selected. I appreciated this as it relieved some of the pressure and would permit us to consider more applicants. We felt it imperative to hire a replacement before year end as it was important to maintain the positive attitude of the members created by the successful membership cam paign and the fine course condition that they enjoyed last summer. Finding a superintendent was a new experience for me and I didn't know where to begin. I thought I had better determine in my own mind what we are looking for. So, I asked myself: "What is a superintendent?" A superintendent in my opinion could be compared to the Production Manager of a manufacturing plant — responsible for selecting, supervising, and motivating the work force; ensuring that materials and supplies are available when needed; that machinery and equipment are properly utilized and maintained; that expenditures do not exceed the budget; and that the product, in this case a golf course, is ready on schedule and that the highest affordable quality standards are met. In addition to possessing these managerial skills,we ask him to work endless hours, be more knowledgeable than the weatherman, and have the foresight to treat his course for a potential disease before it appears. At Crooked Stick we also ask him to be an architect and construction expert as we begin the corrective programs I previously mentioned. For all his efforts he is rarely complimented, seldom appreciated, and is usually second-guessed and critized. Now that we had an idea of what a superintendent is, we felt we needed a man with the following credentialss 1. A man who had been superintendent at a club with a good performance record. We needed the talents of an experienced man as credibility through performance would have to be established with our members if future capital requests were to be approved. We were in no position to hire an untried man. 2. One who was a graduate agronomist knowledgeable in disease prevention on both Kentucky bluegrass and bent. Our first 9 was seeded in bentgrass and the last in blue. 3. A man who had experience in golf course construction, or had taken basic engineering courses which would better qualify him to supervise the corrective work that I previously described. 4. One who appreciated the need for proper equipment maintenance and repair. 5. A man who was a good planner, scheduler of work, and supervisor. Our course, being spread over 200 acres, requires good work planning and scheduling. 6. A man who could do the job in tune with the timetable of available funds. As mentioned, it would be 1975 before the Club could turn to the membership for additional finances. It would be difficult for a superintendent who had enjoyed former luxuries, or necessities, depending on your point of view, to be patient until the time when Crooked Stick could afford them. We needed a man who would produce results in 1974 if the membership was to enthusiastically provide funds in 1975. 7. A superintendent whom we are providing a career opportunity for. We were not looking for a short-term solution to our problem. We wanted him to grow with us and be happy at Crooked Stick. Having established what was required, I decided to call a few superintendents with a national reputation for advice. Both Bob Williams at Bob O'Link in Chicago, and Warren Bidwell at the Congressional Country Club in Washington, were known to be outstanding developers of assistant superintendents, and frequently knew of superintendents seeking a better opportunity. While each had a name or two for me to contact, both strongly recommended that I talk with the Turf Management Schools here in the Midwest. We contested Dr. Daniel here at Purdue, and Dr. Duich at Penn State. They pro- vided me with a number of potential candidates» I also talked with Max Hayes, President of the Local Superintendents' Association, who was also most helpful* In addition, I sought the advice of other knowledgeable superintendents in the Indianapolis area«, We would have preferred to hire a local man familiar with the problems of our area if mutual opportunity was p r e s e n t o , As word got around, we began receiving applications and resumes» I was ready to list the position with the National and Regional Superintendents Associations, but suddenly realized that we had more applications than could be properly screened. t I would be çemiss if I did not dwell for a moment on the resumeo The resume is very important to the applicant» It could provide the only opportunity for the candidate to express his desire for the position» The résumés we received were as simple as a handwritten note, and as sophisticated as a commercially printed page complete with the applicants life history ad and picture. The better resumes received the most attention. Complete resumes are most helpful in matching the abilities and experience of the man to the requirements for the job. A well-written and comprehensive resume reveals much about the applicant and can work in his favor. Remember you are competing for the time of the interviewer, and the more that your resume reflects your personality, the better your chance of getting an interviewo I was very impressed with the resume of a young applicant who very creatively sold himself, and a picture of his smiling face was ever present as you considered his talents„ He was disqualified because of his age and experience, but his resume did make quite an impression. There are two key factors in the interview and selection process. The first is time, and the second is a budget. Personally I am responsible for 5 manufacturing plants in our company, plus do considerable traveling in working with customers and suppliers. I am reluctant to take much of my remaining time away from my family to tend to the affairs of Crooked Stick. Other members of the Green Committee are in the same position. We just didn't have the time to extensively interview each applicant, thus we had to follow a procedure which would expeditiously help us find the right man. We first reviewed the resumes and disqualified those that did not fit our superintendent profile. We attempted to interview the qualified applicants by phone, though if a man could not be reached we soon stopped calling him due to the pressures of time. We also called the USGA Green Section agronomists, the Turf Management Schools, and golf course equipment and chemical salesmen in the area to confirm the qualifications of the applicants. We then brought the applicant to our Club to be interviewed by myself and members of the committee who were available. In addition, I feel that after you have reduced your prospects to a select few that a visit be made to his club to get a feel for the kind of conditions he has faced and the standards of quality he has maintained. Certainly the time of year would influence the value of this visit. The second factor that must be considered is the budget. How much is the club willing to spend to find a new man? Will they pay the expenses of the committee to visit an applicant's course? How about air fare; hotels; meals, and expenses for applicant to come to our Club for the interview? If not, does he lose interest^ Should all costs of the interview be at the expense of the club? These are questions each club must answer for itself. However, I bring it up only to point out that it can be an additional barrier in bringing the Green Chairman and an applicant together for an interview. I seriously doubt that ipany superintendents were ever hired over the phone, or by resume without a personal interview. To summarize then, it would be ideal if each applicant was given full opportunity to compete for the job. Time and a budget are the two factors which work to the disadvantage of both parties. With this in mind, anything that you, as an applicant, can do to make it easy and inexpensive for a Green Chairman to interview will be to your advantage. If the job looks attractive, and you feel that you have a good chance of getting it, then pursue it like a salesman does in trying to sell his product. Even if it causes you temporary inconvenience the potential benefits could be most attractive. Once you have won the chance for a personal interview/ then it's just a matter of matching your desires to the club's need to determine if there is a fit. If there is, then a contract stipulating what is expected of you and what the club will provide in return should get you started off on the right foot. GRADUATION - A STUDENT INTERVIEWS Mark Fields, Dec. '73 Now Ass1to Supt., Scioto C.C., Columbus, Ohio Searching for a job should be an organized plan of attack. One must have a step-by-step strategy to win the job desired. This strategy should begin when you first decide to become a superintendent. I started working on a golf course at 13, but decided to pursue this as my occupation when I was 17. Therefore, I began my strategy when I was 17. The first part of my strategy was to attend college for a two-year degree in Turfgrass Management. My second step was to, during the summer months, work for one of the top superintendents in the country. While attending school find a job at one of the better courses and with a superintendent that has the experience and the reputation. You may not get paid as much as if you were working in some factory, but in the long run, when you graduate it will pay off. A college degree is a piece of paper with meaningless words unless it is backed with some practical experience. You can not grow fine green turf with a piece of white paper - it takes the the green,thumb of experience. When I graduated from the two-year .school I was only 19. I decided to complete my education for my Bacheler's Degree at Purdue University. This was my third step of strategy. But, while my third strategical step was still being carried out, my fourth plan of attack was in the making. Using simple observation, I noted that most golf courses do their firing and hiring in the winter months. Therefore, I timed my graduation to occur in December when the most openings are available. I've found that the best source for job openings for the college graduate is right here at Purdue University. Dr. Daniel receives in his office a wide variety of available positions. But, if you find it necessary to seek other sources, I would highly recommend you to attend conferences, ask around, and get to know some of the salesmen and superintendents. Two of my best friends found their present positions at conferences by simply letting people know they were looking for a job. When you graduate from college the jobs don't come looking for you - you have to look for the jobs. The third source one may try when job seeking is the numerous trade journals. The Golf Superintendent; Golfdom; Weeds Trees and Turf; and Turf-Grass Times seem to have the best classified sections for job openings. For the college graduate seeking an assistant superintendent's position, the classified sections of the trade journals would be an excellent source. The Golf Superintendent magazine will print free of charge, in the Student Directory Section, a small resume of the graduating student's qualifications. It's an inexpensive and timesaving way of finding an assistant superintendent's position. A job opening through the Placement Service gave three Purdue students a real ride. We traveled 800 miles round trip to an interview at a "country club" that couldn't even afford a tractor. They had an old beat-up jeep, one set of mowers and an old chicken coop for a maintenance shop. Anyway, all was not lost - we all got some unique experience interviewing and learned a lesson. A resume and a job application letter is almost required by every business today. Club presidents and greens chairmen are business men and will value a business-like approach. So, a properly written resume of your past experience is your introduction to the prospective employer and may open the door for a future interview. The interviewing techniques of clubs varied greatly. By far the best method was used by Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati, 0. They hired one of the top superintendents in the country to screen out resumes. He was also hired to ask agronomic questions during the interview to see if the applicant had formed his own ideas about methods and techniques of golf course maintenance. From what I have said you can readily see that a student graduating from college in Turfgrass Management has no easy task when it comes to job interviewing; in fact, there is a lot of time and money involved. I estimated that my four interviews cost me $ 83.45, that is about $ 21 o 00 each. Also, I estimated that my four interviews involved a total of 77 hours, that is 19.25 hours per interview. SAMPLE LETTER 2501 Soldiers Home Rd. W. Lafayette, Ind.47906 October 4, 197 3 Frank D. Keck, Greens Chairman Champaign Country Club 1211 South Prospect Avenue Champaign, Illinois 61820 Dear Mr. Kecks Dr. W Q H. Daniel has informed me that you are looking for a Superintendent for Champaign Country Club. I have completed ten summers of practical experience, and will be receiving my Bachelor's Degree in Turfgrass Management from Purdue University in December, 1973. I feel I will then be qualified to become a Golf Course Superintendent at your Club. Will you take a moment to consider my qualifications? Five summers working on a public golf course and five summers working at a private country club has given me a wide range of experience in golf course operations«, I have already completed Michigan State University's Technology School in Turfgrass Management, graduating third highest in the class of 1970. Financial support for my education has come from pari-time employment at Purdue University's turfgrass greenhouse, and a scholarship award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America in 1970. Every summer vacation, while at Purdue University, I worked at The Inverness Club in Toledo. Last summer I had the unique experience of assisting Mr. Wilbert Waters in organizing the crew for the successful preparation of the golf course for the 1973 U.S. National Amateur Tournament. Mr. Waters at the Inverness Club, has trained me in all phases of golf course operations. In the fall of 1972, I had the opportunity to help the March Irrigation crew with the installation of a $100,000 Automatic Toro Moist-o-Matic irrigation system. Working five years for Mr. Waters has also given me the unique ability to mimic his marvelous method of management. He has shown me the way to make any golf course look and play like The Inverness Club. I should be able to lower your cost of operation and still maintain the high quality the modern golfer desires by using some of the practical and technical knowledge I have gained. If I become the Golf Course Superintendent of your organization, I will work closely with the members and give the greens committee my full co-operation. If you feel that my background qualifies me for a Superintendent's position, I shall appreciate a personal interview with the members of the greens committee. I believe such a meeting will be mutually beneficial,, Very truly yours, Mark Fields. (Signed) SAMPLE PERSONAL DATA SHEET Job Address School Address Home Address Date and Place of Birth Marital Status Physical Condition Education Applicable Courses Awards, Activities, Organizations and Hobbies Work Experience References SOME QUESTIONS ASKED DURING THE INTERVIEWS AGRONOMIC lo What type of Nitrogen would you use on greens? 2. How would you control quackgrass? 3c. What are your thoughts on Poa annua? 4. What is a good chemical control for Pythium blight? 5. What major Diseases would you be concerned about in this part of the country? 6. How would you know when to fertilize? 7 o What do you think of Dr. Daniel's PURR-WICK system for greens ROUTINE 1* What do you expect your wages to be the first year if you were superintendent? 2. What do you expect your wages to be five years from now? 3. Describe a routine days activities if you were superintendent 4o Do you play golf? 5c From what sources would you seek your summer employees? 6 0 What How many do you expect work per week? 7. will hours the crew do on rainytosummer days? 8. Would you keep daily records, and if so how? 9. Do you want this job? ICE BREAKERS lo Are you nervous? 2. Why are you interested in this job and golf course^ AMBIGUOUS (Lack clearness) I» How many men would it take to effectively operate this golf course? 2. How large a budget would it take to operate this golf course? 3o Describe an "ideal" Grounds Maintenance Shop. 4 0 How many employees will you keep hired in the winter? 5. What 1 s the greatest problem you foresee if you were the superintendent at our club? IRRELEVANT 1 0 How would you describe your family life? QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK THE CLUB 1. 2. 3o 4. 5o 6. 7o What are the immediate objectives of this golf course? What are the long-term objectives of this golf course? Request to see last year's budget. How many men? Ask if you can see the maintenance building. Ask for a Job Description. Ask to see Organizational Chart Why are they looking for a new superintendent? MY FIRST EXPERIENCE James W a Uptgraft, Formerly of Turf Managers, Inc., Eau Claire, Wisconsin I would like to begin by telling each of you a little about myself. I was reared on a large grain farm in the northeastern section of Indiana near Bluffton* I came to Purdue in the fall of 1969 and enrolled in Agronomy. Upon meeting Dr. Daniel I became interested in Turf Management. Like most students, I struggled along day to day with my studies. After four years of books and pushing pencils, Purdue decided I was ready to handle the problems awaiting me. However, it was after graduation and upon leaving the safe confines of Purdue, that school really began. I found myself thrown head first into the business world. In my case, my first assignment landed me in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with Turf Managers, Inc., a landscaping firm. Turf Managers began in the spring of 1973, following an investment from four men which totaled $ 52,000. Not an extremely large amount, but more than adequate for starting a new business. Part of this figure was used to pay off debts which had incurred in 1972 when the Company was called Grounds Maintenance, but had to be changed because of the magazine of the same name. These old debts required about two-thirds of the $ 52,000, or around $ 30,000. The remainder of the money was used to set up a leasepurchase contract for the necessary equipment. Looking briefly at this equipment list we finds a. b„ c. d. eo f. g. h. i. j• Two One One One One One One One One One 1973 Ford three-quarter ton, 4-wheel drive pickups 1973 Ford station wagon 1973 Greensaire II aerifier Hahn verti-cut Beck Sod-O-Matic - sodlaying device 3,000 gal. Reinco hydroseeder 500 gal. Bowie hydroseeder 1973 John Deere 401 tractor with roterra Bolens 20 hp. tractor with rotary aerifier Melroe Bobcat In addition to this, the Company had purchased, through G.M.A.C., 2 used dump trucks. As you can see, this list hosted everything needed to do landscaping and golf course maintenance, which included aerifying, verti-cutting, and the application of snowmold control, by specializing in the tasks that were only performed once or twice a season. This service, we thought, would be most beneficial to the smaller clubs that operated on a more limited budget. For example, a course that could not afford a new greens aerifier last season would find our type of service more economical, allowing us to absorb the labor cost, operating expense and depreciation. This maintenance was also available to school and park systems . Part of my job was to notify a superintendent that this service was available and to help him better understand its advantages. We had no problem in selling service, which seemed to catch on immediately. I'm not here today, however, to discuss aerifying greens, or establishing a new lawn, but to share the experiences, both good and bad, that I encountered on my first job. I feel that my contribution to this 1974 Conference is quite unique. I would like to stand here and tell all of you that the landscaping and golf course maintenance business is booming, and that everything want so smoothly this past season that I can report no problems whatsoever. Unfortunately, we all know that this is virtually impossible. Because of this and the events thatffollowed my graduation, I learned a far better lesson than I could have if things would have gone smoothly. In less than eight months I advanced from turf graduate to project superviser, to general manager, and then to first in line at the unemployment office. I witnessed a Company sprout from a mere idea, grow into a profit-sharing venture, and finally to bend under the weight of bankruptcy. Let me take you back now to last May when I began my duties as project supervisor. My responsibilities included scheduling of work projects, and supervising two crews - one in landscaping, the other in golf course maintenance. As the season progressed we had to drop the latter division and concentrate on the establishment of new lawns. This decision was determined by the Board of Directors as a result of a severe financial condition. It was at this time, about mid-August, that the Company realized it had over-spent its capital investment. The two new 1973 pickups, and stationwagon, all equipped with telephones were nice, but unnecessary. The $ 52,000 investment soon dwindled to a few hundred dollars. By cutting our golf course maintenance division and dismissing half our labor force, the Board of Directors felt that increased profits could once again be attained. During the next few weeks this method seemed as though it might lift the Company from its financial struggle. At about this time our John Deere crawler operator decided to return to his union job, so we were stuck with an $ 825.00 per month rental on a machine that was to remain idle for the remainder of the seasono Because of this and other setbacks,, we were forced to sell two of the used dump trucks that were needed to haul in the topsoil for the seedbed. This was a necessity on every job because the Eau Claire area is blessed with several feet of sand. By losing our trucks we were faced with yet another barrier. As a result we had to hire trucks for this hauling service and, thus, cut our margin of profit even more. We completed the remainder of the season operating in this manner. Up to this point I had only watched the problems snowballing from afar, but that was soon to come to an end. On October 8 I became general manager of a young Company that was struggling for existance„ There were just two of us on the payroll by this time, the other fellow being a student, that only came to work in the afternoons. I began cutting corners by doing most of the grading and spreading with the Bobcat rather than the more expensive crawler that was returned to the rental firm. The black dirt was still brought in by the commercial trucks, but price adjustments were made to account for this added expense. We began to lay sod on those lawns that the homeowners would agree to pay the additional cost over seed. These people might have waited until next spring and had their lawns seeded, but we convinced them the sodded lawn would give them immediate coverage this fall. By so doing we generated badly needed capital. We worked hard for two months, ending the season November 15. The station wagon, telephones, all the luxuries that were not needed were dropped. And, for the first time since its origin the Company showed a profit for October and November. However, it was too late, for on January 15 I was informed by the board of investors that they were out of money and there would be no more. Suddenly I found myself 500 miles from Indiana with a family to support and no job. What would you do? I tried to regain my composure and started doing a lot of soul searching. Fortunately, I found a construction job to help us out financially and to keep me from feeling sorry for myself. During the next few weeks that followed I was honest with myself. I asked myself what it was that I really wanted to do. I had two alternatives: I could return to Indiana and pursue a career in farming; however, that could mean uncertainty and insecurity also. Being the only son my father had offered me this opportunity several times in the past few years, or perhaps I could secure a superintendent's position and give that a whirl. I chose to join the ranks of those who farm and sweat out a living from mother nature. Being only 22 years old it is hard to say whether or not farming will be my life's work, but right now it's the next step for me and my family. As said earlier, I feel that mine was a valuable experience and for this reason I wanted to share it with all of you. For all the men that have experienced what I have you can identify with me. For those who had not and for ¿hose students who have yet to take their first position, I would tell you to go ahead, take that venture and to satisfy your dreams. You may reach heights you only dreamed possible, or you might fail. But in either case what you will gain cannot be read from a textbook or learned from classroom discussion. What you will gain will be experience - nothing can be more valuable. GOLF, TURF & PEOPLE Fred Stewart, Midwest Consultant, National Golf Foundation Lafayette, Indiana The game of golf has historically been a game of the people. The St. Andrew's Golf Course in Scotland, regarded by most people as the birthplace of the game of golf, was by 1754 a public facility. To this day two of the four 18-hole courses at St. Andrews are open to the public. As in Scotland, the public course has a long history in the United States. The first golf course in the U.S. opened during the late 1880's. The first public course opened in 1895 in New York -22- City. While the history of the public golf course in the U.S. is nearly as long as that of the private club, it was not until the early 1960's that the dramatic increase in public course development became so apparent. Jn 1931, the first year for which figures are available, there were 5691 golf courses in play. By 1961 the number had increased to 6623. Of this total 3348 were private, 2363 daily fee, and 912 municipal. As of September 30, 1973, National Golf Foundation statistics indicate the number of golf courses had increased to 10,871. Of these, 4825 were private, a 44% increase over the 1961 total; 4610 were daily fee, a 95% increase; and 1436 were municipal, a 57% increase. The increase in public golf courses was nearly double that of private courses. The tremendous growth in public golf courses brings clearly into focus the trend in golf course development in recent years. All indications are this trend will continue. During the last 10 years an average of 390 new courses, or additions to existing courses opened for play. 1965 saw a high of 500 new openings, while 1972 a low of 266. In 1973, there were 208 new course openings and 114 additions to existing courses, a total of 322o With 290 new golf courses or additions now in some stage of construction, 1974 should be another normal year for golf course development. The effects of the energy crisis will have a greater impact on planned projects than those currently under construction. A number of projects which had planned to go under construction this year are now indicating their plans are in abeyance until the full effects of the energy crisis can be determined. Those indicating their plans are in abeyance are mostly located in the distant fringe areas of large urban areas, many 40 or more miles out. Such courses obviously would be most affected by a gasoline shortage as much of their anticipated play would have come from the urban area. The pressure of 11,000,000 golfers defined as one who plays 15 or more rounds annually, plus another 2,555,000 who play less than 15 rounds, rapidly increasing participation by women and juniors, population growth, urbanization, more leisure time, and increased personal income will continue to create a demand for new golf courses. With some 84% of the golfers playing on public courses, the demand for new public courses should continue strong for many years to come. While the problem of weekend congestion on golf courses has received considerable attention in the industry in the past decade, another problem in the distribution of play is even more critical. Many of the same golf courses which have been unable to accommodate the crush of weekend golfers are comparatively abandoned on weekdays. With operation and maintenance costs increasing steadily, municipal and daily fee golf courses operators face the alternatives of attracting more customers or raising fees. Since weekend capacity is a reality at most courses, increased weekday play can be an important source of new revenue. Ideally, golf courses should experience about 70% of their play on weekdays. Anything over 60% must be considered good by today!s standards, but anything under 50% can mean trouble* for a public course operator. The long-promised effects of expanded leisure time, the fourday work week, early retirement and new affluence simply have not filled the weekday void for many golf courses. Enterprising course operators are no longer waiting for them. They are going out after the mid-week player with all the inducements at their command. Efforts to increase weekday play generally fall into three categories financial considerations, changing golfers1 habits, developing new players. It has long been the practice at many public courses to offer a cheaper rate for weekday play than for weekend and holiday golf. At those clubs selling annual or monthly memberships, reduced prices may be available for weekday play only. Other clubs offer reduced rates to juniors and senior citizens on weekdays. Such rates usually apply to the morning hours when play is the lightest. The golfer who cannot be lured to the course through weekday savings must be approached in another way. Many times the mere introduction to the pleasures of mid-week golf, uncrowded conditions on the course, in the pro shop and restaurant, is enough to coax an avid golfer into setting aside a regular weekday for his game. Certainly there are an increasing number of occupations which provide for off time during the week, and these will increase as the weekend, as we now recognize it, continues to lose its identity for many employees. Radio advertising has also been effective in pointing out the advantages of weekday golf. One course operator has patterned his radio advertising after ski reports. The aired message mentions course conditions, green fees, lesson tee rates, lounge and dining facilities available, and updates the information by adding the waiting time, if any, a player can expect at the first tee. This, of course, is usually minimal on weekdays. Other course operators now set aside time each day for organized activities by men's, women's, junior's or senior golf associations or leagues. Epecial efforts on the part of course operators and through the cultivation of active, imaginative group leaders cam make these days more than just another golf date for those who take: part. Golf league activities, generally after the workday at twilight, have also proven helpful in increasing weekday traffic. A golf course with five leagues of eight four-man teams each would add 160 rounds of golf a week, or over 3,000 over a 5 month season. ,, League play can also be developed during the daytime in metropolitan and industrial areas. Night shift workers can be organized into morn ing or early afternoon leagues. Special one day golf outings can also prove to be an important source weekday revenue at public courses. The course may be closed either a half-day or the full day, depending upon the size of the group. Using a shot-gun start with players starting at all tees simultaneously, the group can move around more quickly and finish sufficiently close together to facilitate the awarding of prizes and serving of drinks and dinner should those services be available. One midwest course reported nearly 100 such events last year. Developing new golfers, the final and ultimately the most important of all methods of creating more play, both on weekdays and weekends, it is given priority attention by the National Golf Foundation, the USGA, the PGA, and other golf organizations» Too often it is overlooked by the public course operator. With 84% of the golfers playing on public courses, all efforts to develop new golfers will produce a direct benefit to the public course operator. Instrumental programs for women and juniors are desirable for two reasons? they are usually able to play during the weekdays when play is less heavy, and their interest in golf will help to increase participation by their husbands and fathers. The development of new golfers can start during the winter or off-season months in adult education classes in local high schools, colleges, junior colleges or community recreation centers. Where local officials have not taken the initiative to develop such instructional programs, the alert course operator should encourage them to do so. School officials, both high school and junior high, should be encouraged to offer golf classes to physical education students. Several excellent manuals on golf instruction are available from NCF 1 s Chicago Office. "Golf Teaching Kit" and "Planning and Conducting Junior Golf Programs" include much valuable information for anyone planning a golf instructional program«, Golf instructional programs should be structured to teach not only the fundamentals of the golf swing, but golf etiquette, golf rules, and course rules as well. This will result in not only creating new golfers, but more importantly, educated golfers who respect and use the golf course properly. The personal contact and rapport developed on the practice tee or in an off-season instructional program can also benefit the course operator by increased sales of golf merchandise and apparel. The effort will have a public relations benefit as well. Recognizing the need for additional public golf courses, the National Golf Foundation initiated a program of regional public golf seminars to encourage the construction of new courses in those areas most needing them. Emphasis is placed in both daily fee and municipal courses. Individuals interested in building profit motive daily fee courses and municipal officials such as mayors, city managers, finance directors, parks and recreation department officials, members of golf associations, etc., are invited to the seminars. The seminars cover thoroughly the planning, organization and operation of public golf facilities. Economics and practical politics indicate municipalities will have to build many of the needed new public golf courses. Land costs, development costs and operating expenses, including rising taxes, make it increasingly difficult for daily fee courses to be built, especially in the metropolitan areas where they are most needed. The problems facing the daily fee course operators will only get more serious unless our state legislators can be made to see the myopic ways of their reasoning concerning taxing golf courses and other open space areas at their highest and best use rather than at its current use. It is a puzzling paradox when you consider J hat the federal government is encouraging the construction of golf courses and other open space areas through the distribution of'millions of dollars annually in federal programs while, on the other hand, some state governments are threatening to put existing daily fee and private clubs out of business by taxing them at their highest use. Current emphasis on recreation and open space has created more official and citizen support for golf-recreation complexes. Such complexes now often include, in addition to a well-designed and constructed' golf course, tennis courts, swimming pools, artificial ice skating rinks, playground and picnic areas, a community center building, camp- . ing, hiking, nature study, and other appropriate areas. Such projects may be financed through general obligation bonds or revenue bonds, federal grants or assistance from the BOR (Bureau of Outdoor Recreation) , Legacy of Parks-Surplus Property Program, Use of National Forests Lands, The Farmers Home Administration Loan Program, and revenue sharing funds. An important recent trend in municipal course development is the emphasis on quality: quality design, construction and maintenance. Some of the new municipal courses will rival those of any private club or resort operation. Many municipalities were slow to learn the importance of good design, construction and maintenance to the long-run success of their course. A poorly designed, constructed, or maintained public course can only deteriorate in condition when handling the heavy play they are subject to annually. Today1s public links golfer is more sophisticated. He appreciates the aesthetics of good golf course design and the strategy behind it. He has been exposed to the pleasures of playing on lush, manicured turf through the televised PGA tour and the new common golf vacation to a golf resort. Because of this exposure, he is more discriminating about the course he plays. Probably the most startling statistic of golf course development during the past ten years is that concerning the golf course real estate development. Real estate developers have found that golf sells. The game has been snared and used as a shill for making a buck off land. Many developers are making it big. NGF records indicate that at the beginning of 1964 only 16.3% of all the golf courses built that year were associated with land development projects. Last year that figure had soared to nearly 41% - the rate is increasing. Of the total courses now under construction 59% are reported to be a part of real estate ventures. Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Oregon report over 80% of the courses in planning are in this category; in Alabama and California it is over 70%. BUILDING A COURSE - FROM DREAM TO REALITY Don Essig, III, The Hoosier Links New Palestine, Indiana Shortly after Judd Negus came to Hillcrest Country Club, Indianapolis in 1969, he and I talked about building our own golf course. We felt the combination of a golf course superintendent and a golf professional would be an ideal partnership to go into such a venture. Our first step was to talk to one of the top executives of a large bank about the possibility of obtaining financing. He encouraged us to do a feasibility study, secure front money, and then come back to him. more deal also Golf In preparing the feasibility study we learned a great deal about the business that we both were in. We received a great of help from some local people who owned their own courses. We talked to many professionals, superintendents and the national Foundation. Obtaining the "Front" money was not as easy. After about 5/8 of it was committed we ran into a snag. It was shortly after that that many of my friends from church came to me and asked if they could invest in the project. A real answer to prayer had been seen. We selected the Maddox Construction Company as our designer and builder. The help that we received in the early stages from them was immeasurable. After getting our selection down to five sites, Mr. Maddox, Sr. came down and looked over all of them with us. After telling a real estate agent that none of them were suitable for a golf course, he then told us (after the agent was gone) that site #1 was the best site that he had seen in over 5 years. Negotiations were then entered into to purchase this farm. When a price had finally been settled upon, the agreement was signed subject to zoning, financing and water. The zoning was very easily obtained. The co-operation that we received from the Shelby County Planning Commission was the best I have ever seen from any governmental agency. When the hearing was held, we felt very confident when the lawyer from the Commission came in with an alligator shirt, a sun tan and a white left hand. After hitting one dry hole when we were testing for water, the second hole showed very favorable results. A 10" well with the prescribed screen should produce 1,000 to 1,200 gal. per minute. After we purchased the property the well actually produced 115 g.p.m.Water was the one area where we over-shot our forecasts. Many "experts" were engaged in finding water, pump sizing, etc. This is the one area that we felt we really got some bad advice. The bank decided to help us get our loan through the Small Business Administration. The education of applying for a loan through the SBA is enough to make you wonder how the government exists. It took 26 different forms, some up to 40 pages each, to apply for the loan. Had it not been for some excellent help from the SBA employees and the bank, this might have been the end of the project. After a tentative OK from the SBA and the bank, we were given the "go ahead." Actually construction on the golf course started two months before the final papers were signed. This was not quite as bad as it sounds - the bank was advancing us money on the loan - so we were very confident that they were serious. Mr. Maddox went to work making routings for the golf course. We told him that we wanted a golf course that could stretch from under 6/000 to over 7,000 yards, big greens, 40 - 50 traps, as many lakes as he wanted to put in, as l'-'ng as the golfers did not have to hit over them, C-15 greens, and bluegrass fairways. (We used a blend of FyIking, Pennstar, Newport and Park). We also wanted 4 holes leaving and 4 holes coming back into the clubhouse as our plans call to go to 36 holes some day. We said we would like to see the clubhouse in different locations on the property. He sent us some different routings, but always the clubhouse was located in a woods, 1/2 mile off the road. He said that it was the only place that the clubhouse would fit and still get the golf course of the quality we desired. When Chuck told us that he would build the road back to the clubhouse for no additional charge, the location of it was not nearly so objectionable. The contract wa signed and construction was to start in March, 1972. Construction was going at a good pace most of the year and things looked pretty good until a very wet fall set in. Seeding that was supposed to take place before September 15 was not done until October and later. The greens were stolonized on October 19. To say that our initial plans were set back quite a bit by this is an understatement. It continued raining all winter and well into the spring. The grass never started showing signs of growing until late April. The wet winter did show the wet spots on the course. We had numerous areas that were reworked and reseeded that spring. On July 1 we opened the front 9 in very rough condition. It would be at times like this that you wish you were not on an unlimited budget. We felt that it was imperative to open - not only to start getting in some money to offset some of the expenses, but to let people know where we were. The back 9 was opened August 3. Our initial comments were unanimous that the layout was great, and some day it would be a fine course. We hope that some day will not be too far in the future. The fall weather and this winter have been as good as the last one was bad. The turf is getting better all the time so the golfers should be able to see the improvements greatly this spring. In our fi&al agreement with Maddox a side dump will be left over one year to help in filling washouts. This is probably the biggest visible problem we have. Our priorities for this year are greens first, then washouts. As I stated before, our 40 traps turned into 72. It's lots of fun to kid Chuck about this, but his trap work is definitely his strong suit. The shaping and ability to use the traps as background for shots on a relatively flat course will make this into the truly "Championship" course that we wanted. At the end of the first six months of operation the dream is not a reality yet. The reality will come when the bottom line on the profit and loss will be black instead of the red that it now shows._ _ DEVELOPING A NEW COURSE Stephen K. Gipson, Supt., TRW Coif Chesterland, Ohio Course, TRW began with an idea in the mid-1960fs that they wanted to build a golf course for their employees. At that time there were nearly 800 employees who were playing in the Company-sponsored golf leagues, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors was an avid golfer. The Company chose Pete Dye to design the golf course, and presented several tracts of land for his inspection. One tract had everything an architect could want: rolling topography, lake site, excellent stand of trees, easy access, few drainage problems, and a high price tag. One location had everything but a lake site necessary for irrigation. The last site had nearly everything previously mentioned# plus local lore of people vanishing on the property never t