Greenkeepers C l u b of N e w E n g l a n d

NEWSLETTER
J u n e , 1929.

Vol. 1, No. 2
Editor

Guy C. W e s t
A s s o c i a t e Editors

J

F r a n k H. Wilson, J r .

J a m e s McCormack

"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it. "
—Margaret

Fuller.

T h e r e seems to be at t h e present time in New E n g l a n d a m o n g
t h e various golf agencies a lack of t h a t cooperation which is so
h e l p f u l and essential to efficiency. T h e G r e e n k e e p e r s Club of New
England, f o r m e d to help g r e e n k e e p e r s in a social and educational
way and to u p l i f t t h e s t a n d a r d s of g r e e n k e e p i n g , is a l w a y s r e a d y
to cooperate with t h e other golf agencies f o r t h e good of Golf in
New E n g l a n d . Let t h e r e be an end to individualism, to petty strife,
to m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g s ; let us pledge ourselves anew to work t o g e t h e r
in h e a r t y cooperation!
Present k n o w l e d g e seems to indicate a higher price f o r bent
seed this Fall, due to a raise in t h e Tariff, and also to a p r o b a b l e
scarcity of seed.
If you have not a l r e a d y used it, you will probably need it b e f o r e
m a n y years, and it would be well f o r us all to get to know a r s e n a t e
of lead, to e x p e r i m e n t with it, and to know t h e results obtained
f r o m it.
The J u n e meeting was held with Ted Swanson at t h e Bear Hill
Country Club; those of us who were t h e r e e n j o y e d t h e d a y very
much. An exhibition of t h e Jacobson 19" p o w e r putting green mower
and t h e W o r t h i n g t o n " O v e r l a w n " and " O v e r g r e e n " was held.

NEWSLETTER
THE STORY OF JCERNWOOD

BENT

Kernwood
velvet
bent
is
called
" K e r n w o o d " because it was p r o p a g a t e d
f r o m a p l u g t a k e n f r o m one of t h e
Kernwood g r e e n s p r e s u m a b l y originating f r o m South G e r m a n mixed b e n t
seed. I t seeds f r e e l y t h e first y e a r , produces very f e w stolons, and comes t r u e
f r o m seed.
The m a t e r i a l used f o r p r o p a g a t i o n is
the s a m e as g r a s s mown to m a k e hay.
The seed in the heads seems to help
g r e a t l y to m a k e a good stand when the
" h a y " is chopped and sown as a r e
c r e e p i n g b e n t stolons.
The first rows of velvet b e n t w e r e
planted six f e e t a p a r t . Seed s c a t t e r e d
f r o m t h e heads soon filled in b e t w e e n
the rows, m a k i n g a solid s t a n d , (hayfield).
Since t h e n we have been planting the rows n e a r e r until last y e a r we
p l a n t e d rows twelve inches a p a r t , and I
believe it would be well to plant six
inches a p a r t or sow b r o a d c a s t to g r o w
" h a y " to p l a n t g r e e n s or sod nurseries.
We have p l a n t e d a b o u t A u g u s t 20, b u t
believe a r o u n d A u g u s t 7 b e t t e r as we
notice t h a t the y o u n g s p r o u t s f r o m the
j o i n t s s t a r t b e t t e r b e f o r e A u g u s t 20.
L a s t y e a r t h e r e was a w e t spot in the
plot used f o r p r o p a g a t i o n which had
m a d e a t a n g l e of n e w g r o w t h . This
g r e w best when p l a n t e d in rows. We
will t r y c u t t i n g off the heads a n d giving p l e n t y of food and w a t e r to stimulate this new g r o w t h ; it m a y prove a
b e t t e r method.

Planting for Sod
A f t e r the seed bed is p r e p a r e d we
roll it firm so t h a t no deep f o o t t r a c k s
will be m a d e by w a l k i n g over t h e
finished bed. A half to an inch of the
s u r f a c e is again loosened with a wheel
hoe so t h a t the chopped " h a y " can be
bedded into the loose s u r f a c e . A strip
a b o u t t h r e e f e e t wide is s c a t t e r e d with
chopped " h a y " and rolled with a light

wood roller. N e x t screened loam or
compost is used to barely cover t h e
s t e m s of the " h a y . " B o a r d s a r e lakl on
the finished s t r i p to walk on, and t h e
n e x t strip p l a n t e d . If the w e a t h e r m a n
gives you a f e w cloudy r a i n y days a s
o f t e n h a p p e n s a b o u t this time, little
f u r t h e r a t t e n t i o n will be needed. In
a n y event, the " h a y " m u s t be k e p t
moist.
More soil can be added if needed b u t
the s p r o u t s do not seem to have p o w e r
to push up t h r u much soil. Mow as soon
as f a i r w a y height. We have g r o w n a b o u t
five or six t h o u s a n d s q u a r e f e e t p e r
year, b u t see no r e a s o n why one c a n n o t
p r o d u c e e n o u g h f o r eighteen g r e e n s in
a s h o r t time. This g r a s s g r o w s best on
moist g r o u n d b u t it is g r o w i n g well on
sandy g r e e n s also.
D u r i n g the last five y e a r s we had
some dead spots on t h e dry g r e e n s one
y e a r due to snow mould, lack of w a t e r
in W i n t e r , or o t h e r cause. This g r a s s is
susceptable to small brown patch, b u t
l a r g e brown patch has a t t a c k e d it v e r y
little.
R O B E R T A. M I T C H E L L

BUILDING A N D

MAINTAINING

TEES.
A f e w y e a r s ago a tee was j u s t a
place to t e e off a ball, b u t t o d a y it
plays an i m p o r t a n t p a r t of t h e golf
course.
In p l a n n i n g a tee it is most essential
t h a t it should be large in o r d e r t h a t t h e
m a r k e r s m a y be changed f r e q u e n t l y ,
t h e r e b y p r o t e c t i n g it. Also it should be
built so as to b e a u t i f y the course. I t
is not n e c e s s a r y to have it a n y p a r t i cular shape b u t planned so t h a t is most
suited to t h e s u r r o u n d i n g g r o u n d s .
It is necessary to know t h e location
of y o u r g r e e n and also y o u r f a i r w a y in
p l a n n i n g y o u r tee. T h e n build accordingly.

'

NEWSLETTER
T h e first t h i n g in b u i l d i n g a t e e is
the f o u n d a t i o n ; this is v e r y i m p o r t a n t
because if it is well c o n s t r u c t e d i t will
not settle e n o u g h to spoil your t o p surf a c e . T h e n a good subsoil a n d a b o u t
f o u r inches of good loam should g r o w
good g r a s s suitable f o r the tee.
D r a i n a g e is most i m p o r t a n t . Be s u r e
to slope your t e e so as to t h r o w t h e
w a t e r off. If allowed to puddle it m a y
cause considerable t r o u b l e .
The l a r g e s t u p k e e p of a t e e is keeping it m o w e d ; this is essential. As f o r
f e r t i l i z a t i o n , I should say a b o u t t h r e e
times a y e a r , either by t o p d r e s s i n g or
j u s t fertilizing, whichever is necessary.
This should keep t h e m in v e r y good
condition.
In my experience with grasses I find
t h a t Poa a n n u a will s t a n d t h e hard use
and also come back m o r e quickly t h a n
a n y other. I have n e v e r p l a n t e d a n y Poa
a n n u a seed, it seems n a t u r a l f o r it to
come in by itself.
T. W. S W A N S O N .

T E E S AND THEIR UP KEEP.
T e e s give one a good or bad impression of the links. T h e y should be built
as low as possible, because if t e e s a r e
low, we a r e able to cut t h e g r e a t e r p a r t
of t h e m with a t r a c t o r . Sometimes f o r
the sake of vision, t e e s a r e e l e v a t e d ; in
this case the sides m u s t be t r i m m e d with
a high machine, the use of which in t h e
course of a y e a r m e a n s considerable
more f o r m a i n t a i n e n c e . In hot w e a t h e r
t h e raised tee h a s a t e n d e n c y to d r y out
unless it is c o n s t a n t l y w a t e r e d , and this
additional w a t e r i n g necessary m e a n s
m o r e expense.
The m o r e t e e s t h e r e a r e on a course,
the g r e a t e r is the a d v a n t a g e , especially on a nine hole course w h e r e p l a y e r s
repeat.
It is a distinct a d v a n t a g e to lay out
and shape t h e new tees in N o v e m b e r .

This gives the e a r t h a chance to settle
u n d e r the snow and r a i n s of W i n t e r a n d
Spring. In April t h e y a r e r e a d y to be
r e g r a d e d , rolled, a n d sodded. B e f o r e
sodding, however, I t h i n k a light application of bone meal or p o u l t r y m a n u r e
helps to give the old t u r f new life.
J A M E S C.

SULLIVAN.

EXPERIMENT!
Do you each y e a r c a r r y on definite
e x p e r i m e n t s ? Are you t r y i n g o u t on
y o u r course new methods, new f e r t i l i zers, new s t r a i n s of b e n t ? Do you believe all you r e a d and hear, or do you
first wish to t r y it o u t f o r yourself on
y o u r own course?
Each g r e e n k e e p e r should e x p e r i m e n t
as much as possible and k e e p a definite
r e c o r d of w h a t he finds out in each
e x p e r i m e n t . V a r i o u s e x p e r i m e n t s can
be r u n on the golf course a t small cost,
and the r e s u l t s a r e o f t e n v e r y h e l p f u l
and i n t e r e s t i n g . H e r e in New E n g l a n d
we should be i n t e r e s t e d in the v a r i o u s
s t r a i n s of bent, n o t only f o r g r e e n s ,
b u t also f o r tees, a n d f a i r w a y s .
For many experiments the turf nurs e r y can be u s e d ; indeed, should be f o r
a n y w h e r e t h e r e is a n y d a n g e r of b u r n ing, f o r it would be much b e t t e r to
b u r n a small portion of the n u r s e r y in
t r y i n g out some new s u b s t a n c e t h a n it
would be to b u r n a section of a g r e e n .
T h e n u r s e r y is ideal f o r much experimentation.
Fertilizer
experiments
are
easily
carried on, and small e x p e r i m e n t s on
the n u r s e r y should be followed w h e r e ever possible by l a r g e r e x p e r i m e n t s on
the course itself. F o r all of t h e s e exp e r i m e n t s , a m p l e check plots should be
l e f t . An i n t e r e s t i n g e x p e r i m e n t is to
discover f o r y o u r own s a t i s f a c t i o n
which f e r t i l i z e r is best on y o u r own
course, f o r each p a r t . This is especially h e l p f u l a t this time because the

NEWSLETTER
t e n d e n c y is to g e t a w a y s o m e w h a t f r o m
too much s u l p h a t e of a m m o n i a .
W e c a n ' t all have plots such as a r e
b e i n g c a r r i e d a l o n g a t C h a r l e s River
C o u n t r y Club, b u t we can all have our
own e x p e r i m e n t s , and we will all benefit f r o m them, and o u r courses will show
r e s u l t s f r o m them. E x p e r i m e n t !
G. C. W.

DEMONSTRATION

TURF

GARDENS

In t h e trial g r a s s plots a t the
Charles River C o u n t r y Club, J u n e 15,
j u d g e d f r o m a s t a n d p o i n t of p u t t i n g
s u r f a c e s , the seeded plots r a n k in the
following
order:
Chewing
Fescue,
Colonial Bent, Seaside Bent, South
G e r m a n Bent, Red Fescue, R. I. Bent
W a s h i n g t o n grown, A n n u a l Blue grass,
R. I. Bent, a n d Velvet Bent.
(These
last two w e r e seeded this Spring.) In
t h e stolon g r o u p , t h e y r a n k Metropolit a n , W a s h i n g t o n , Columbia, Virginia,
Velvet.
In the f e r t i l i z e r series on South German Bent, t h e plots r a n k as f o l l o w s :
12-6-4, 6-12-4, a m m o n i u m
sulphate,
n i t r a t e of soda, a m m o n i u m phosphate,
a m m o n i u m s u l p h a t e and compost, u r e a ,
sewage sludge, p o u l t r y m a n u r e , bone
meal, lime and s u l p h a t e of a m m o n i a .
The poorest plot is quite a little b e t t e r
t h a n t h e checks.
In t h e lead a r s e n a t e plots on South
G e r m a n B e n t and on Red Top and
Bluegrass, the lead a r s e n a t e seems to
have i n j u r e d the g r a s s as t h e check
plots of the same g r a s s e s a r e m u c h
better.
On the f a i r w a y w a t e r i n g plots the
w a t e r e d plots a r e much thicker and
greener.
In the f a i r w a y trial plots the Chewings F e s c u e and plots with Chewings
F e s c u e in t h e m i x t u r e a r e f a r ahead of
the o t h e r plots.
In the f e r t i l i z e r series on f a i r w a y
plots of K e n t u c k y Blue and Red Top
m i x t u r e , r a n k i n g is as f o l l o w s : 12-6-4,
a m m o n i u m sulphate, 6-12-4, bone meal,
sewage sludge, m a n u r e , lime.
These plots w e r e seeded S e p t e m b e r
16, 1928. The South G e r m a n B e n t with
12-6-4 f e r t i l i z e r has a f a i r p u t t i n g surf a c e . The plot of K e n t u c k y Blue and
Red Top f a i r w a y m i x t u r e with 12-6-4
f e r t i l i z e r has a good thick s t a n d of
grass.
F R A N K H. W I L S O N , J R .

It would be well f o r all of us to k e e p
in t o u c h with these e x p e r i m e n t a l plots,
a n d to n o t e with i n t e r e s t t h e r e s u l t s
obtained f r o m them. A v a r i e t y of exp e r i m e n t s are being carried on u n d e r
New E n g l a n d conditions, and f r o m t h e
r e s u l t s obtained t h e r e should be somet h i n g to help Y O U !
EDITORS.

The H a n s e n s
Summer adding
t h e i r old nine a t
be r e a d y to seed

a r e k e e p i n g busy t h i s
a new nine holes t o
Concord. T h e y hope to
this Fall.

T h e new nine a t the C o u n t r y Club
will be opened f o r play on J u n e 8.
H o w a r d F a r r a n t has been so busy this
S p r i n g we h a v e n ' t seen much of h i m !
The A r l m o n t C o u n t r y Club a r e a d d i n g
a new nine to t h e i r layout.
The Board of Directors m e t on May
27 with y o u r s t r u l y a t Fall River, with
ten p r e s e n t . We had a fine m e e t i n g !
T r y and be p r e s e n t a t t h e J u l y m e e t ing a t the New B e d f o r d C o u n t r y Club.
Dan Snow h a s been p u t t i n g in some
new s h r u b b e r y and lawns a r o u n d the
club house at S e g r e g a n s e t t C o u n t r y
Club.
We a r e very glad to see J o h n Shana h a n with us again, a f t e r a short illness!
The E m p l o y m e n t C o m m i t t e e of t h e
Club is r e a d y a t all t i m e s to t r y to help
a n y club which is in need of a g r e e n keeper. If you know of a n y club which
is looking f o r a new g r e e n k e e p e r ,
n o t i f y the c o m m i t t e e , of which J o h n
S h a n a h a n is c h a i r m a n .
Joe Oldfield says, " T h e r e ' s no use in
w o r r y i n g a b o u t which is t h e best f a i r w a y unit, t h e y a r e all good if you use
t h e m r i g h t " . A f t e r all, t h e r e is a sermon in t h a t sentence, and it can be
applied to all m a c h i n e r y !
" G e t y o u r H a p p i n e s s out of y o u r
W o r k , or you will n e v e r know w h a t
H a p p i n e s s is".
HUBBARD.