GOLF

COURSE

APRIL

SUPERINTENDENTS

ASSOCIATION

OF

ENGLAND

1958

"To improve the golden moment of
opportunity
and catch the good that is within our reach, is
the great art of life." — Johnson.
Opportunity. That was the word that came to
mind as the writer sat in at our April 7th meeting at
the Waltham Field Station. It was a crystalized thought
resulting from a look through a 1500 mile long range
pair of glasses for the past three meetings.
A golden opportunity comes to every member
when he takes office in our association. It is an opportunity to help your association, your fellow members, and especially yourself. When you accept any
office, or serve on any committee with enthusiasm,
dignity, and honor, giving your best at all times, doing
what is right for the association you are doing a service
to your fellow members. By being aggressive and not
bold, honest and not unfair, diligent and not lazy,
modest and not boastful you set an example for others
to follow and establish a personal satisfaction that
makes a bigger person of yourself.
It is unfortuntae that so few have to carry the burden of running the association, but that's the way it is
in most organizations. However, it is a challenge to
give one's best because so many are depending on so
few for the success of the association. For those sitting
in the background it is well to remember, "it is easier
to exercise the mouth than the rest of the body when
it comes to helping the other fellow." In other words,
"if you can't boost don't knock." Be ready to help
and serve when your opportunity comes. Offer suggestions for the good of the association when you have
them.
In this regard, the writer has heard several suggestions under the same general subject, namely, more
educational speakers during the winter months. Perhaps this is a worthy subject for the directors to grapple with immediately. How to finance a stepped up
educational program for 1959.
i

NEW

- While on the subject of "good of the order" it

methylene urea compounds or otherwise known as
urea-formaldahyde material or simply urea form containing 3 8 % nitrogen. In a nutshell this fertilizer
slowly releases its nitrogen over the entire season. An
early application is good for the whole season. It is
odorless, has excellent mechanical properties, does not
leach from the soil, has a high degree of safety, may be
applied wet or dry, and is generally compatible with
other fertilizers and even with most insecticides and
fungicides. Two years of experimentation indicate
best results may be obtained as follows: For greens, per
season, 8 lbs. of urea-form nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft and
for fairways 6 lbs. of urea-form nitrogen per 1,000 sq.
ft. This looks like what the Golf Course Superintendent has been waiting for and seems to be well worth
trials on every golf course.
Following this interesting talk each of the ten commercial men present were invited to speak. A brief
concensus of opinion from these gentlemen indicates
that fertilizers for 1958 will remain about the same in
price, there will be few changes in new models of
equipment in 1958 but prices for the most part will
be up some 5 to 10%. Grass seed at the present
moment is of good quality and reasonable in price,
but next fall's crop may be affected by the weather
which could change the quality and quantity.
At the business meeting April 7 the following Turf
Research Committee was announced by President
Francis, Phil Cassidy, Sim Braio, Dick Silva, and Mike
O'Grady. An application for an associate membership was received from Donald Daigle, Mt. Pleasant
C.C., Boylston, Mass. Chairman Milt Brown of the
Tournament Committee announced the locations of
the first three outdoor meetings to be as follows:
May 5 - New Bedford C.C.
June 2 — Wannamoissett C.C., Rumford, R. I.,
Chairmen's Meeting.
July 7 — New Hampshire.
The lucky door prize winners were: Dick Silva, Jud
Edwards, Mike O'Grady, Joe Dinardi and Bob Grant.

might not be amiss to mention tnat me nymaw C J U I U mittee is working on a complete renovation of our
By-Laws in order to bring them up-to-date and make
them more applicable to present conditions. Perhaps
it would be good business to issue a preliminary
resume of the important changes under consideration
in anticipation of objections or suggestions. Just one
thought for immediate consideration is the change in
the date of our annual meeting. T h e proposal is to
end our fiscal year in November and hold the annual
meeting the first week in December. What's the
reaction?
T h e educational speaker for the April 7th meeting
was the ever-popular and congenial Dr. Jesse DeFrance
— his subject, "New Developments for Turf Grass Fertilization." T h e same subject as the one presented at
the Washington, D.C. National Turf Conference. T h e
new developments refer to the fertilizers containing

DEAR LADIES of the K N I G H T S of the GREENSWARD with the AMOUR, did you read the postcard
announcement of our May meeting? T h e day is being
arranged especially for you. Don't fail us. You are
to be guests of the Golf Course Superintendents As
sociation for a barbecue and social at the New Bedford
Country Club. Please read the card again for all details, make your plans to be present and then be sure
the return card is mailed before May 1. This is most
important. T o our members please note that your
golf must be started before noon in order not to conflict with league play at 3:30. T h e barbecue will be
served from five to six-thirty. T h e price to you for
the barbecue will be approximately $4.50. Your ladies
ticket will be paid for by the Association. W E LOOK
F O R A B I G T U R N O U T . W I L L YOU BE T H E R E ?
H. Darling,

Editor