APRIL

NEWSLETTER

1956

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS
ASSOCIATION OF NEW ENGLAND

Enclosed with this Newsletter is a copy of our
association's by-laws. Because of the recent change in
the name of our organization practically every page
must be corrected. Therefore this seems to be the
logical time to make any other changes that are
deemed advisable in policies, clarification and workability. T h e By-law committee requests the cooperation of every member in completing this task. Please
read through the entire book making notes wherever
you think a change should be made in policy or ruling.
Please do this as soon as you can while it is fresh in
your mind and send your ideas to the editor. A better
knowledge of these by-laws may help you.
Following are two questions for consideration:
1. Shall we increase our dues to $15.00? We just
about break even with our present dues of $10.00.
More money should be available for education. T h a t
is one of the primary purposes of our organization.
See article 2.
2. Shall we tighten the qualifications for associate
memberships, see paragraph b, article 3, requiring
three years experience as a golf course superintendent
rather than three years in golf course maintenance.
Your ideas will be welcomed.
"If a better system is thine, import
make use of mine." Horace.

it; if not,

Our regular meeting, April 2, at Waltham, was
historic in one respect. Perhaps never before in the
history of our organization was so much snow reported
on all golf courses at this date. It therefore, seemed
pertinent to hold a round table discussion on this
situation. For posterity here are a few notes. Except
for the cape most courses reported, as of April 1, snow
12 to 14 inches deep on their greens with drifts 2 to 3
feet. Manchester, N. H., reported 18 inches and Bill
Mitchell reported frost 4 feet deep and snow 3 to 4
feet deep at his N. Sutton, N. H., course. What to do
about it? 16 Supts. planned to let nature take its
course in melting the snow. 7 Supts. intended to push
it off the greens. 12 planned to use a fungicide as soon
as possible. Vespers Golf Club with 14 inches of snow
and 4-5 inches of underlying ice had already used a
bulldozer to clear off the snow. Mr. Martin, of the
Mallinckrodt Company was present and offered his
advice on the use of fungicides for snow mold protection. A similar round the room up to date report
will be called for at the May meeting.
Bill and Sam Mitchell gave very interesting talks
on golf course construction and Velvet bent sod. Here
are the notes. Measure the length of holes from center of tee to center of green by the line of flight of the
ball—Today, the demand is for less hilly courses—In
course construction use all types of machinery as much
as possible because of the cost of labor. Digging an
artificial pond with a drag line has proven the most
expensive. Traps are placed not so much to penalize

but to protect. Highly fertilized sod will not move
as well as a hungry sod. Seed tees with the same grass
mixture as used in the fairways. In the construction
of greens a common mistake is the failure to remove a
sufficiently large area of top soil to permit ease in contouring, not only the green, but the surrounding traps
as well.
A representative from the Nitroform Agricultural
Chemical Co., Woonsocket, R. I., explained the importance of their new nitrogen product, urea-formaldehyde, which releases its nitrogen slowly throughout
the growing season. And finally, Orville Clapper
introduced the latest addition to his line of equipment, the Golf Pony, a one man power golf cart.
At the business meeting Robert St. Thomas and
Thomas Niblet, were voted associate memberships.
President O'Grady announced the new Welfare Committee to be, Albert Allen, Arthur Cody, and Guy
Tedesco. By the way, hats off to President O'Grady
for so ably representing us at the P.G.A. banquet held
at the Statler April 9. His Irish brogue and sharp wit
nearly stole the show from the guest speaker Ben
Hogan. He received a tremendous ovation after completing his remarks to the assembly.
NEXT AND FIRST OUTDOOR MEETING
Date:

May 7.

Place:

Bellevue Golf Club, Porter Street, Melrose,
Mass.

Direction: Take Route 128 — turn off at North Street,
Wakefield. T h e course is near the Melrose Hospital.
Who:

All members assistants are invited.

Time:

Demonstrations 10:30.
Golf Tourney 2:30.

Subject:

Demonstrations by our Members.

Luncheon 12:30.

Arthur Anderson — Ford Root Cutter and Greens
Air Special.
Albert Allen — Care of Equipment.
Phil Cassidy — Trap Care.
Narry Sperandio — Greens Mowers.
Paul O'Leary — Seeding.
Guy Tedesco — T h e Proportioner.
"Imparting
knowledge
is only lighting
men's candle at our lamp, without depriving
selves of any flame."
Jane Porter.

other
our-

H O M E R DARLING, Editor
Juniper Hill Golf Course,
Northboro, Mass.