UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION NORTHEASTERN OFFICE College of Agriculture Rutgers University NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY Telephone: CHarter 9-0225 ALEXANDER M. RADKO N O R T H E A S T E RN DIRECTOR Vol. 3 No. 2 NORTHEASTERN TURFLETTER C O N F E R E N CE I S S UE April 1956 Early in the New Year, each year, many important turf conferences take place. Progressive turf men from all parts of the country attend and par- ticipate in the winter conferences, eagerly seeking new information that will help them do a better job in the season ahead. Everyone who attends the winter conferences is a winner because each gathering consists of men learned in growing fine turf; men from each phase of the fine turf field - research, extension, teaching, equipment, and practical specialists. Thus not only is benefit derived from the lectures presented, but very often the "chin- sessions" that follow the formal sessions are just as valuable. Perhaps the fellow sitting next to you at the dinner table or in the hotel lobby has had a problem similar to the one confronting you at the present time - his thoughts on how he dealt with the problem might prove very helpful to you. While it would be most beneficial to report proceedings of all conferences, space does not allow it; therefore, we shall attempt to review but a few papers from each which we feel would be of most interest to workers in the Northeast. THE LONG BEACH CONFERENCE The 27th Annual Conference of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America was a highly successful event. Word from Mr. Agar Brown, Secretary, showed it to be the best attended national conference ever held - over 1100 persons attended. This fact is surprising in view of the distance that many had to travel, yet there was good representation from most of the country. GOLF TODAY AND TOMORROW Mr. Rex McMorris, Vice President of the National Golf Foundation pictured golf today as everybody's game, and the popularity of the game very definitely on the up-grade. He described the golf course as a bee-hive of activity, in fact, in many cases the golf plant seems to he bursting at the seams. He stated that in 1955 we had ^ million people who played 66 million rounds of golf on 5>2l8 courses. In the 1920fs, there were more courses in play as com- pared with the present total - the war years, the depression, and sellouts to Real Estate developments decreased this total, but the popularity of the game in recent years has brought on a rebirth of new course prosperity. According to Mr. McMorris this is the new course picture. New courses in play 61 105 127 1953 195b 1955 Under construction Additional possibilities 109 198 285 225 359 516 Although these figures are encouraging, the demand for play far exceeds the pace of building new courses. Interest among the youngsters coming up is greater than ever before - junior teaching, high school, college and military programs are funnelling a good number of ndivot diggers" to the golf courses yearly. This factor, on top of the increased play by women in recent years makes the present day golf course a very busy plant, and the need for additional courses paramount. Mr. McMorris closed with most encouraging remarks about the superin- tendent's stake in the future - the demand for qualified men is on the up- grade - the future of the superintendent looks bright indeed! FERTILIZER-WHEN, WHERE, and HOW MUCH? Dr. O.J. Noer, the perennial favorite of many a conference-goer, dis- cussed this topic in his usual inimitable fashion. Just a few of the high- lights follow - O.J. stressed the importance of timing and rates of fertilizer re- quired for turf grasses, and emphasized that these vary with different grasses. He drew the analogy that in Agronomic crops it has been proven that it takes about 5 times more water to yield one bushel on unfertilized plots as compared with the amount of water required to yield the same bushel on well fertilized plots. He stressed that-in order of importance, he felt that fertilizer came first, water second, grasses require ample fertilizer with reasonable amounts of water. Dr. Noer stated that the average requirements for cool-season fairway grasses ranged from 100 to 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year. In terms of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. this is equivalent to 2.5 to 3«^ lbs. nitrogen per year. In terms of pounds per acre of some of the common analyses fertilizers this would equal - Nitrogen analysis Amounts required to deliver 100 lbs N/ acre 150 lbs N/ acre 5 Qjo &fo I 2200 lbs 1825 " 1375 " 1100 " 2992 lbs 2U82 " 1870 " 1^96 11 é EMPLOYEE - EMPLOYER CONTRACTS . Mr» John Clock, Attorney at Law and Vice President of the USGA presented a most interesting and informative paper on this topic. Mr. Clock emphasized the desireability of written contracts between the superintendent and his club. Most clubs today employ their superintendent on an oral basis, .even though it is a simple matter to put the agreement in writing. In most states, Mr. Clock said, any oral contract of employment which lasts in excess of one year must be in writing. Oral contracts are not enforceable by either party if the con- tract lasts for more than one year. The written contract could be simply a memo signed by both parties with the option clause that it can be renewed each year. Mr. Clock offered these suggestions for written contract, additions or modifications could be made to fit the individual case. 1. Term of employment. (a) Statement defining your jot position and duties. (b) Basis on which the superintendent or club could terminate the contract, 2. Specify salary and any other considerations that go with the position such as house, meals at club, gas, conference and/or meeting allowances, etc. 3. Duties and responsibilities of the superintendent. management program. superintendent each year. (a) Keep the course in condition - list major phases of maintenance and (b) Keep equipment in repair. (c) Specify who the authority to purchase rests with. (d) Specify from whom the superintendent is to receive instructions. (e) Specify to whom and how many written reports are to be made by the (f) Specify who is responsible for making up the annual budget. (g) Hospital benefits. (h) Vacation. (i) Whether club is to provide insurance benefits in course of employment, (j) That tournament chairman furnish schedule of tournaments for the year. These were but a few suggestions that Mr. Clock mentioned could be in- corporated into the written contract. -The advantages of written contract are many and the following were mentioned. 1. The superintendent and the club both have a greater feeling of security. 2. The contract is valid and enforceable by both parties. 3. With the usual turnover of Green Committee personnel at clubs, the written contract provides a measure of continuity. SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF LOCAL CONFERENCES WILL APPEAR IN THE NEXT TURF LETTER Smooth Traps In the locker room of the Morris County Golf Club, Morristown, N.J. the following sign is posted prominently so that no one misses seeing it... "Upkeep of sandtraps costs money — and its YOUR moneyI Smooth sand after play. Northeastern Turfletter USGA GREEN SECTION BULK RATE U. S. POSTAGE P A ID PERMIT No. 366 New Brunswick, N. J. Mr. 0. J. Noer Milwaukee Sewerage Commission Box 2079 Milwaukee 1, Wis.