NOVEMBER, 1969

^ j o i l f

^ u p e r i n ten d e n ts

( ^ o u r d e
OF

NEW

E N G L A N D ,

^ y ^ d A o c i a t io n
I N C .

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be the annual Super Championship,
to be held at the Needham Golf Club on November 3, 1969.
Superintendent Ronald K i r k m a n promises good weather and
an excellent golf course to play the tournament. Golf is available after 9 : 3 0 a . m . and you should arrange your own foursome. There will be a buffet from 5 to 6 p. m. with a meeting
following. It is hoped that those who show up but once a year
for this tournament will stay and have dinner with us.

hHHmHHHmHIHB
Ronny graduated from Stockbridge in 1958 and became
the assistant at the Merrimac Valley C. C. for three years,
then moving to Bellows Falls, Vt., for one year and then spent
one year as assistant at the Colonial C. C. The job was open
at the Crystal Springs Golf Club for a super to be in charge
of construction and it was only natural that Ronny be hired
for this job. He stayed there through the construction and
then for a while after it opened but decided to move on to
greener pastures and has been at the Needham Golf Club for
the past eight years.
Directions to N e e d h a m : Route 128 to exit 57, Great Plain
Ave., and head towards Needham is one half mile on left.

Information contained in this publication may be used
freely, in whole or in part, without special permission, as
long as the true context is maintained. We would appreciate
a credit line.

Sponsors and administrators of the Lawrence S.
Dickinson Scholarship Fund — Awarded yearly
to deserving Turf Management Students.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

Don't look now, men, but standing on the corner . . . watching all his money pass by . . . is the typical club member who
knows only too well that this is the time of year to think of
budgets.
What is the typical b u d g e t ? Good question which might
be countered by the relative query — what is the typical
club?
The answer to both is elementary, since all golfers want the
same thing — the utmost in playing conditions at ridiculous
prices. The dinkiest of public courses is expected to produce
the same field of play as the lushest of private clubs.
In keeping with the national trend, predicated by the most
demanding needs of the labor market, the average golf course
budget for the season ahead figures to take a pole-vaulting
leap.
The basic reason is the urgency of giving the superintendent more year-round help. With the part-time market depleted
by the forms of giveaway escapes from hunger on the part
of national and local government agencies, the full-time employment theory appears to be the only savior for golf courses.
Naturally, this will mean an increase in the budget . . .
something which places the mean labor outlay of $50,000 in
jeopardy. From all indications, that figure could rise as much
as 50 per cent should the drain on part-time help continue.
The logical setup of the new look in course maintenance
shapes up like this: Six full-time employees, consisting of
a superintendent, foreman, mechanic, arbor culture specialist,
gardener and tractor driver.
Then, too, in order to make the attachment between employer and employee a firmer association, there has to be
additional aids putting a bigger bite on the budget.
In order to have a fighting chance in the competitive labor
market, clubs must offer more than just a suitable wage. There
must be considered matters such as health and accident insurance, term life insurance, vacations and a retirement plan.
Otherwise, nothing can be considered a lasting bond between
worker and club.
There also is involved the curse of digging up part-time
help during the height of the growing and playing season.
Here, too, there must be m a d e adjustments in the form of a
more attractive j o b offer.
As one super stated it, part-time workers on the golf course
are just as hard to find as dishwashers. In its present state of
being, the job is one that nobody wants. Unless wages and
conditions are stepped up, it could be fatal to certain clubs
and courses.
So, one is inclined to think that the budget debate of 196970 could be one of the most critical since the invention of this
hairy necessity.
There is no set figure for a typical budget. If yours rallied
around $100,000 a year ago, set your sights for something
you once thought incredible. It is only in keeping with the
times, and all involved must realize the price of everything
is two times and then some more than any of us ever dreamed
was possible.
— Gerry Finn

ourde

S u p e r i n t e n d e n t s

PROPOSED SLATE FOR. 1970
The nominating committee for 1969 is as follows: John
O'Conner and Leon V. St.Pierre, co-chairmen with Phil Cassidy, Ronald Kirkman and John O'Connell serving on the
committee. They report the proposed slate a s :
President

Richard Blake

1st Vice-President ..

Robert Grant
Charlie Gardner

2nd Vice-President

Thomas Curran
Daniel Collins
Secretary
Wayne Zoppo
Treasurer
Lucien Duval
Trustee
Ronald K i r k m a n
Finance Committee Chairman
N a r y Sperandio
Golf Committee Chairman
Julius Aksten
Educational Committee Chairman Roy MacKintosh
Newsletter Committee Chairman .... Dean Robertson

^ Q d d o c i a t i o n •

GOING INTERNATIONAL?
The ground has been broken, the first impressions are said
to be favorable and the possibility of the national convention
of golf course superintendents going international appears
brighter than ever.
So, why not to St. Andrews in 1972 or 1 9 7 3 ?
Brothers John Spodnik and Dick Blake, just back from a
whirlwind tour of the great sport grounds the Scots built,
will be reporting to the directorship of the national on a trip
which could be the start of the push for conference expansion.
The idea, initiated by the New England section of the
mother company, was set forth into more practical motion
when John Campbell, keeper of the greens at St. Andrews,
proposed a sort of inspection trip for the Messrs. Spodnik
and Blake.

The Association will be voting on the above at the first
meeting in December at the Holiday Inn, West Newton, Mass.
on December 1, 1969.

SUPER-MANAGER DAY
The September 29, 1969 meeting with the managers at
the Manchester C. C. in Bedford, N . H. was in the editor's
opinion a success. With about 70 supers and managers attend-'
ing, the weather was just beautiful. A buffet luncheon was
served, then golf, followed by an open bar and cocktail hour
and climaxed by a roast beef dinner in the evening, and all
this for ten dollars.
Congratulations to L o u Duval and J i m Murphy for a wonderful day of golf and relaxation.

Seated I. to r. Lou Duval, superintendent and Jim Murphy,
manager of the Manchester C. C.
Standing 1. to r. Jim Sosiin, president of the Ciub Managers
of N. E. and Anthony Caranci, President of the Golf
Course Superintendents Assoc. of N. E.

John

Spodnik

Dick Blake

Spodnik, national prexy, and Blake, one of the main organization's directors, were guests of the St. Andrews Town
Council at the suggestion of Campbell who was given the
same red carpet treatment when he visited the UMass. Turf
Conference last March.
During their travels the two U. S. supers gave careful consideration of Edinburgh as the center for a proposed international conclave.
" W e have been impressed by the facilities we have seen for
the conference in E d i n b u r g h " , Spodnik told his Scottish hosts.
" W e have examined the Usher Hall, the Waverley Market and
the hotels and we think this would be very suitable for our
gathering. We shall take a-good report home with us. Then, it
will be up to the B o a r d . "
The results of the visit would seem to indicate l h a t the
mass invasion of golf's holy land has developed into something more than just a drop of conversation which it started
out to be when Campbell was here eight months ago. Campbell, for one, is highly enthused over the progress made in
that direction.
If the national board should find its way to approve of such
a venture, it would mark the first international convention in
the history of golf course superintendent meetings.
It would seem that the move is feasible. Golf competition
has flourished for years on an international level, tightening
the bonds between both sides of the Atlantic and Pacific in
events like the Ryder Cup, Curtis Cup and World Cup.
There's no doubt about the other side of the ocean. The Scots
are all aglow over the possibility. Campbell has seen the
drop of a suggestion mushroom into strong indication that
an international gathering can be a reality.
Should it materialize, it will constitute another step in the
right direction for the superintendents, especially since the
seeds of the proposal were dropped right here in the land of
fertile ideas . . . New England.
•— Gerrv Finn

New Hampshire Golf Course Superintendents Association, Inc.
Editor — John J. Barry, Supt. Abenaqui

Country Club, Rye, N. H.

The next meeting of the New Hampshire Golf Course
Superintendents Association will be held on November 5 at
the N a s h u a Country Club. Host Superintendent for the affair
will be Charlie Pullen.
Dr. Joseph Troll of the Plant and Soil Sciences Department and head of the Turf Management program at the University of Massachusetts is scheduled to be our guest speaker.
Dr. ^ Troll's speech will deal mainly with domestic turf
conditions. Dr. Troll spent part of this past year in Europe
and 1 am sure he will have some interesting and educational
comments on his observances overseas.
S C H E D U L E OF E V E N T S
Date
November 5
Directors' meeting
10:00 A . M .
11:00 A . M .
Business meeting
Coffee Hour
1 0 : 0 0 to 1 1 : 0 0 A . M .
Lunch
12:15 P . M .
Educational meeting
1:15 P . M .

NOMINATION OF OFFICERS

A committee has been formed to prepare a list of nominees
for officers to be presented at the November meeting. President George Hauschel has appointed the following to the committee :
John Barry, Chairman
Bill Cross
Bill Barrett
Charles Pullen
Ron Palmer
The elections will take place at our annual meeting in
December.

Host Superintendent and Professional Bob Flanagan and Gene
DeMott.

OCTOBER MEETING
Well the scores are all in and the winners have been announced. The winners of the Professor Leroy J . Higgins
Superintendent-Professional tournament held on October 1st
at the Cocheco Country Club in Dover were Bill Barrett and
Tony Loch of the Portsmouth Country Club. Bill and Tony
cruised around the course in 76. In hot pursuit were Charlie
Pullen and John Wirbal of the Nashua Country Club and Bob
Flanagan and Gene DeMott of the host Club, with both teams
shooting 77's.
Bob gave us some great turf on which to play the challenging par 70 layout.

PARTICIPATION
It has become strikingly evident, after writing the Newsletter for the past year, that only certain individuals in our
association care to offer their time and efforts for the betterment of our association and professional status. There also
seems to be direct relation between these few individuals and
the Clubs they represent.
The individuals I speak of generally represent the more
progressive Clubs. Through their participation at various conferences and meetings, and by participation I mean their
presence, they were able to improve both their Club and
their position. Serving on committees and holding an active
interest in our affairs has further enhanced their status.
The winning team in the Leroy J. Higgins Tournament holding
their prize. Pro Tony Loch and Superintendent Bill Barrett of
the Portsmouth Country Club.

I think it is time we reflect on our past and look forward
to the future with a renewed interest. Y o u owe it to yourself,
your family, your Club and your profession.

Maine Golf Course Superintendents Association
Editor

—

Norman

Pease,

Purpoodock

Club,

Cape

Elizabeth,

Maine

OCTOBER MEETING

On October 7th the Maine superintendents attended a meeting at the Natinas Golf Club in Vassalboro. Our thanks to
Paul Browne for his hospitality.
Extension agronomist Vaughn Holyoke of the University of
Maine led a discussion on fungicide treatment on greens for
snow mold. A 9-hole tournament was held with J i m Diorio of
the Augusta Country Club and Harvey L a Montagne of the
Rockland Golf Club in a tie for first. Fred McPheters from
the Northport Golf Club in Belfast placed third.
SUPERINTENDENT-PRO TOURNAMENT
On Friday, the tenth of October, the superintendents and
the pros travelled to the Brunswick Golf Club for the annual
superintendent-pro tournament. It was very fortunate that
there were no early starting times as the f o g was so thick
radar would have been needed to get around. B y the time the
last team had gone off the f o g had lifted and we had a beautiful day.
Long-hitting J i m Diorio of the Augusta Country Club
teamed with pro Pete Hatfield, also of Augusta, and shot a
72 to win low gross honors. Fertilizer salesman Ralph Bishop
and pro Mai Strange of the Brunswick Golf Club teamed for
second low gross with a 75.
Fred Salisbury and Keith Kilborn of J o r d a n River, Lloyd
Ruby of Portland C. C. and Chet Cutting of Naples and Gil
Marco and Royce Abbott of Bath were in a three way tie for
low net with 70's.

GRASS

Grass Is the Forgiveness of Nature — Her Constant Benediction. Fields trampled with battle, saturated with blood,
torn with the ruts of cannon, grow green again with grass,
and carnage is forgotten. Streets abandoned by traffic become
grass-grown like rural lanes, and are obliterated. Forests
decay, harvests perish, flowers vanish, but grass is immortal
. . . Beleaguered by the sullen hosts of winter, it withdraws
into the impregnable fortress of its subterranean vitality, and
emerges upon the first solicitation of spring. Sown by the
winds, by wandering birds, propagated by the subtle horticulture of the elements, which are its ministers and servants,
it softens the rude outline of the world . . . Its tenacious
fibers hold the earth in place and prevent soluble components
from washing into the wasting sea. It invades the solitude of
deserts, climbs the inaccessible slopes and forbidding pinnacles
of mountains, modifies climates and determines the history,
character, and destiny of nations . . . unobtrusive and patient,
it has immortal vigor and aggression. Banished from the
thoroughfare and the field, it abides its time to return, and
when vigilance is relaxed, or the dynasty has perished, it
silently resumes the throne from which it has been expelled,
but which it never abdicates . . . It bears no blazonry or
bloom to charm the senses with fragrance or splendor, but
its homely hue is more enchanting than the lily or the rose.
It yields no fruit in earth or air, and yet should its harvest
fail for a single year, famine would depopulate the world.
— John J a m e s Ingalls in Blue Grass

L. to r. J im Diorio, Pete Hatfield, winners of super-pro
tournament.

NOVEMBER MEETING
The November meeting will take place on the fourth at the
Val Halla Country Club. Host superintendent will be Joe Natolitano. Joe has been the superintendent at the nine hole
Cumberland course for the past three years.
The nominating committee will meet at the November meeting.
MEETING
11:00-12:00
12:00- 1 : 0 0
1:00- 2 : 0 0
2:00

SCHEDULE
Business Meeting
Lunch
Education
Golf

To reach Val Halla from Portland take Rt. 1 north. Take
second right after passing the Falmouth shopping center. Go
over the overpass and take first right and then the first left.

HOW TO STORE PESTICIDES
_ T a k e inventory of what you have. Make sure all pesticides you plan to keep are in their original containers with
a label that can be read completely. Seal all liquid containers
tightly. Paper b a g s or boxes containing dry products such
as dusts or wettable powders should be closed and re-sealed
with tape or sealed in a clear plastic bag.
Put the containers of pesticides in a storage room, chest or
cabinet that can be locked. The chosen area should not be
subject to freezing temperatures. Keep weed killers away from
insecticides and fungicides.
Tips for storing fertilizer:
1. Store in a dry building.
2. Keep bags off the ground or cement floors.
3. Stack the bags in piles not more than 10 or 12 b a g s high
unless space is at a premium. If necessary, a ton of fertilizer
can be stored on 10 square feet of floor by piling bags 19
high.
— Grounds

Maintenance

ecology
WHAT I

John Muir has been credited with the statement that when one
gs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to everything
se in the world.

Perhaps the simplest explanation of "ecology" is to define it as
the scientific measurement of the strength and means of attachment involving the many threads that are woven together into a
tapestry known as life.
In short, the living environment-na1:y
subject of ecology.

rork—is the grand

Ecology is the science that stands behind conservation. It explores cause-and-effect relationships, often discovering unexpected side-effects that either are more damaging or more beneficial
than the results man expec ; t|8 when he began tampering with a
natural system.
iposes to provide mathematical
In its purest sense, ecology
properly assess what occurs
equations through which m
naturally in the environment. Fro this base, man would be able
inherent in his tinkering
to predict accurately the benefit r:
>w exist many workable
with natural systems. While the
some projections into the
"models" and formulae through
future may be made, ecologists n lain far from the ultimate
rect prediction that may be
objective: equations capable W
applied to all environmental questions.
In his present numbers, man can live at modern standards only
by interrupting natural ecological systems. Man tilts a natural
system in such a manner that the system appears to produce a
surplus. In the process..' man exploits something that does not
truly exist in nature-aiihough it appears to exist. There is no
actual "surplus" in a natural system. In a natural forest, trees,
animals, shrubs, herbacious plants and soil organisms, all have an
intertwined existence a n V j i y e and die by each species' own
"standards", utterly unresponsive to man's aspiration and/or
greed. A t the end of each life within the forest-a period that
varies from hours**© years-all that has been produced returns
into the soil.
In some instances, ecologis must assess whether indeed man
ral systems without
can afford to continue cet
t i t a n ' s own life. Ecologists
destroying the systems and tf
the atmosphere can cope
must determine, for instance,
ion engines or if man must
w i t h the wastes from internal cc
utomobiles.
abandon present systems thai
A few of ecology'^ challenges arfisimpler. For instance, the
question of whether a scaly hide has more value to man when
worn on a lady's purse or worn on an alligator. The ecological
answer here is t o o long to relate,, but it is rather clear-cut: a
scaly hide has greater value to man when it is wrapped around a
living alligator.

ourie

Superln
.^yuperin

Iten den ti

^liiociation
N E W

E N G L A N D

EMBER

ISSUE

EcoIogists-sometimes called "environmental scientists"—
brought to earth the fallacy that DDT was a triumph against
insects and harmless to all other living systems. In laboratories,
the cher Cal's precise effects upon rats, hens and quail were
analyze^ Flies were produced which could survive DDT and
edicted correctly that through normal evolutionary
ecologists
ies would be resistant within five years. Their greater
3n in the persistent pesticide field, however, was their
sntification of the nature of DDT and related chlorinated
hydrocarbons which guided ecologists on where to search for the
chemicals in natural systems. Ecologists determined that DDT
and its relatives were almost insoluble in water but are highly
soluble in fats. The knowledge indicated that DDT could be carried around the world in water or by air without ever entering
into combination with either element. The chemicals dissolve
only when in contact with fat and become incorporated into the
fat of living organisms. Thus, ecologists proved that the manner
of applying DDT and related chemicals were not the cause of the
troubles they created. There is no "safe" means of applying the
chemicals since once they are released into the environment they
will travel relatively unaltered until they enter a living organism.
There are no known controls for such uncontrollable elements.

Stands of corn that contain nothing but corn plants and cover
thousands of acres do not exist in nature. Such monocultures (of
a single species of plant) are artificial contrivances of man. Nature
would destroy monocultures. Insects and fungi run rife when
single species are concentrated. Nature attempts to intersperse
weeds, shrubs and trees, disrupting monocultures.

In creating monocultures, man creates massive problems-most
of which his present level of intelligence and present technology
cannot solve without massive side damages to natural systems. He
resorts to desperation measures, such as persistent pesticides, to
solve these problems. In so doing, he creates other massive problems with which he cannot cope.
If man did no more than tap the cornfield for the ears of corn
it produces, he would be upsetting the system through the removal of carbons and proteins and minerals from the field. When
men were few, such tapping was inconsequential, for man himself
returned these ingredients to that or other fields both at death
and in disposition of daily waste. But man has become many and
his disposition of waste and body have become more sophisticated by necessity. So man's tapping has become massive and his
returns to the system minimal—and often translocated in a manner that creates further problems for nature, rather than contributing to maintenance of a natural system.
There are those who read into the downfall of nations the
basic failure of man to comprehend the danger signals which

should have warned him that he was abusing the natural system
that sustained him. Ecologists hope to codify those warning signals for man's benefit.
It is the mission of ecology to analyze natural systems, reducing their complex components into understandable units.
With this knowledge, ecologists could measure scientifically the
impact that man's tilting has on a natural system. The object of
such research is to f i n d less harmful ways of accomplishing a
comparable harvest from the system.
In this complex world even apparent ecological triumphs may
lead to backlash. The sensational coho salmon fishing in Lake
Michigan of recent years may illustrate the point. Coho salmon
were introduced into the lake because a previous ecological blunder had wiped out native lake t r o u t populations. The Welland
Canal which carried vessels from the St. Lawrence River to the
Great Lakes had permitted the lamprey, a parasitic fish, to enter
the Great Lakes. Lampreys attached to lake t r o u t and other freshwater species including whitefish and destroyed the valuable
Great Lakes fisheries. Ecologists brought the lampreys under
control by devising sophisticated methods of barring further migration into the Great Lakes and destroying the lampreys' spawning grounds w i t h i n the lake complex. With trout, whitefish and
lampreys removed, the alewife population was freed f r o m predation and exploded. Alewives did so well that their excess populat i o n died in droves and windrows of dead fish made lake shores
fragrant. To solve the alewife problem, ecologists (in this case
wildlife managers) introduced coho salmon f r o m the West Coast.
The coho thrived on the alewife diet and the problem became one
of how to control enthusiastic anglers. In late 1968 Michigan
became aware that the coho salmon had run into difficulties in
reproducing. There was evidence young fish were dying as they
absorbed the contents of yolk sacs. In 1969 the U.S. Public
Health Service analyzed Lake Michigan coho salmon shipped to
market and reported a D D T contamination averaging 12 parts per
million. The fish were barred f r o m interstate shipment. Michigan
since has banned DDT.
Although conservationists favor biological controls, controls
instituted w i t h o u t thorough investigation of biological principles
can damage the environment. The introduction of the kiskadee in
Bermuda is a moderate example—to some extent comparable to
the introduction of the house sparrow and starling in the United
States.
The kiskadee is a large-headed flycatcher w i t h a black-andwhite face, brown back, bright yellow chest. It has a raucous
voice and spends much of its daylight hours screaming "kiss-kahdee." Since there are thousands of kiskadees on Bermuda, the
island suffers considerable noise pollution.
Since kiskadees are so common, most visitors suppose that it is
a native bird of Bermuda, It is, however, a mistake which was
introduced to rectify a mistake that interfered w i t h the control of
another mistake. To some extent, the kiskadee would f i t well on
a coat-of-arms dedicated to man's ineptness in juggling nature.
Although kiskadees did not arrive on Bermuda until 1956, the
story of how they got there began in 1905, if not earlier.
A few well-meaning nature-adjusters decided in 1905 that the
native Bermuda rock lizard, whose numbers had been reduced
after the introduction of hogs, cats and dogs, were doing too poor
a job of controlling flies. So they imported f r o m Jamaica a few
blue-tailed lizards, or anolis.

The blue-tailed lizard not only thrived but also out-competed
the native rock lizard, severly reducing its numbers.
Things went along fairly well until 1944 when a Bermuda
resident decided that a California cedar was more beautiful than
the exquisite native Bermuda red cedar and imported a few for
his lawn. The California cedar was infested by a scale insect which
California cedar could withstand. However, the Bermuda red
cedar lacked a defense against the scale and the blight began
spreading across the island, destroying the Bermuda forest which
primarily was native red cedar.
To combat the scale, Bermuda began importing predatory insects such as ladybird beetles which eat scale insects. Unfortunately, the scheme failed to work. Authorities decided that the
predatory insects were not wiping out the scale because bluetailed lizards were eating the predators before they could eat the
scale.
To bring the blue-tailed lizards into check, Bermuda imported
200 kiskadees from Trinidad in 1956. Although it is a flycatcher,
the kiskadee will eat animals as large as blue-tailed lizards.
For a flycatcher, the kiskadee is an extremely versatile bird.
David Wingate, Bermuda conservation officer, discovered that on
Bermuda the kiskadee even catches small fish along the rocky
coastal sections. The kiskadee also preys on the nestlings of Bermuda's only native land bird, the Bermuda white-eyed vireo, w i t h
the result that it is on the verge of extinction today.
Ecology developed late among the sciences. The word wasn't
even coined until 1869 when a German biologist put together t w o
Greek words meaning roughly "study of the home". A standard
definition now is: the study of the interrelations of living organisms w i t h each other and w i t h their environment.
I t seems easy to understand but, as an ecologist has said,
"Nature is not more complicated than we think—it is more complicated than we can t h i n k . " The living organisms in the definition include plants as well as animals, and the non-living environment includes everything else — sun, wind, water, minerals,
seasons, great natural catastrophes, even influences from the
moon.
Man is an important figure in ecology. He may be only a single
species among the million and a half species of living organisms
inhabiting this planet. But he is a most dangerous one, for himself
as well as all the others, recklessly upsetting delicate relationships
that took millions of years to develop and that he doesn't understand.
The current space programs have given man a new outlook on
his own environment—and some new knowledge of how to maintain human life for weeks in isolated capsules. Determining the
life-support system for an Apollo trip to the moon is an ecological exercise, just as determining power and guidance systems are
engineering exercises. Meanwhile, voyagers into space have provided us w i t h photographs and verbal descriptions which indicate
that our sphere is a limited capsule hurtling through space. The
ultimate goal of ecology is to make certain that spaceship earth,
w i t h its limited supply of space, water, air and food and its fragile
natural balances operates w i t h an efficiency that can support the
six billion persons expected to live w i t h i n its closed system in the
Year 2000. To make this possible w i l l require on a grand scale all
the finesse necessary to assure the safety of three men in a moonshot capsule.

O F
C H A I R M A N ' S M E S S A G E — taken from the summer issue
of Turfcrajt,
the Official Publication of the Scottish Golf
Greenkeepers' Association.
We have got another " S c o t t i s h " behind us, and I think a
very happy and successful occasion it w a s ; unfortunately, the
weather was very wet in the early part of the day and this
may have kept the numbers down. Our hosts at H a g g s Castle
made this a day to remember by providing excellent meals
and a first class course, and in every way catered for our
needs. As usual, our friends in the trade co-operated in their
capacity as score checkers, etc., to make everything go smoothly. We did have one reason for discussion and this was in
regard to the " F r i e n d s h i p Shield" presented by our friends
in New England. The feeling was that it would not be suitable as a prize on account of its size, and it was agreed that, as
this is a token of Friendship, we should present it to the Club
every year over whose course the Annual Golf Tournament
is played. This would serve to record our appreciation for
the courtesy and friendship extended to us on these special
occasions when every course is being played to the limit.
I trust this decision will meet with the approval of all members and I am pleased to report that the Captain of H a g g s
Castle was delighted to accept the Shield on behalf of his Club,
and, after the manner in which we were received there, it
has found a worthy home.
George Alexander, Chairman

N E W

E N G L A N D ,

I N C .

THE HOP-AROUND
Is job-hopping w r o n g ?
Society still frowns on the man who can't keep a job. But,
many jobs can't hold the man. Y o u may know an ambitious
person, dissatisfied with his present occupation — perhaps
his third or fourth job. Should your friend stick with i t ?
Not necessarily. Let's dismiss one notion now: the idea that
a person owes unfailing allegiance to his employer. It's a
common theme, but an outmoded concept. Company loyalty,
a tradition rooted in 19th century paternalism, was nurtured
by necessity during the Depression. After World War II,
however, prosperity blossomed. Old values melted as the economy heated up. Transiency? A way of life. With jobs abundant, people can afford to look around.
Of course, your acquaintance may be unhappy with his
current assignment f o r many reasons. Perhaps he's outgrown
the job. Personnel people who paint bright pictures of challenging careers forget that even oil paintings fade. Many companies do a bang-up job with recruiting, then fail to focus
011 retention. The real test of a job often comes in the employee's second season. Frustration over repetitious chores may
force your friend to seek a new challenge.
The IN Box — Aetna L i f e & Casualty

'SOUND OFF"
(Here it is . . . round two of the NEGCSA
Newsletter's
version of reading the riot act to the editors — "Sound
Off."
This section of our publication
is for you — the reader. We
would like to hear from all of our friends, colleagues,
dealers
and what have you. And you can bat the breeze on any subject pertaining
to golf. We would like letters brief and to the
point, signed and presented
in neat form. Send along
your
impressions
of life among the velvets and bents to Newsletter Mail Box, 24 Riverside
Drive, Newbury,
Mass.
01950.
The Newsletter
reserves
the right to comment
on
letters
printed.)
" I have been at both ends of my wits recently trying to explain to the makers of our club budget that it is customary
for the club to pay the national and sectional dues of its
superintendent. My employers are good people, but they are
also stubborn. Would you please let them know I'm not trying to put something over on t h e m ? "
JOHN DOE
Wherever, Possible
This seems to be a touchy subject with most people in
clubs who are not aware of the advantages a superintendent
has in being part of the national and sectional organizations.
Believe us. The money spent in matter of dues wil! be returned
to you twenty-fold because your super belongs to both
groups.
"There has been a lot of criticism pointed in my direction
this season because of an unfair comparison between my
club and another in the vicinity. The reason I am appealing
to you for airing the situation is because my members (playing on a 65-year-old course) don't seem to understand it is
far more difficult for me to maintain it than the other course
(which happens to be six years o l d ) .
CRAIG STEVENS
Newburgh, N . Y.
This has been a pesky problem of late. But you are justified
in seeking relief. Comparing a 65-year-o!d course with a sixyear-old layout is akin to comparing the physical properties
of a social security case and a candidate for Mr. America.

There are a million and one accomplices to the side-by-side
view of the courses. All in your favor. Don't let it get you
down. You are not alone.
*

*

*

*

" I am a golf professional and am of the opinion that the
superintendents know more than I do about the golf course.
Often I am encountered by members, mostly low-handicap
players who come up with ideas for drastic change of our
layout. The great majority of them come up empty as far as
I'm concerned. But they insist that I agree with them and
force the super to make changes. Y o u probably know the type
of member I'm talking about. Is this thing spreading?
RONALD DUPUIS
Gilbertville, Mass.
You're not alone, Ron. Many pros have talked about the
same old noise from self-appointed architects and superintendents who think they know it all because they've played a
few of the nationally-known courses. The only advice we car.
offer is to listen to the chirpers in one ear and let it pass out
the other.
*

*

*

*

*

"This probably is a familiar case, but I'm a f r a i d our club
has gone and invented unnecessary trouble for itself. Recently the B o a r d of Governors voted to place the club manager
in charge of all facets of our operation — clubhouse, golf
course and pro shop. I can't believe one man knows enough
about these separate functions to ably control them.
JOE FRIBERG
Waitfield, Vermont
A good point taken, Joe. The New England Association of
Golf Course Superintendents Association stands totally against
such an assumption that club managers can run the whole
show. It feels each task should be under the direction of an
expert, a specialist in that particular field. That's why we have
such single titles as manager, pro and superintendent.
-X-

-X-

-»

X-

{That's the round of missiles for this issue.
Remember,
that everyone is invited to voice his views via "Sound
Off."
Sit doivn today and let us know how you see the golf
world).

P i e c u e fuxbuMije

Alfco Rokeby Co., Inc.
Fertilizers and Chemical Specialties
P. O. Box 267, Marietta, Ohio

President
Anthony Caranci, Jr.
22 H i l l v i e w D r i v e
N o . P r o v i d e n c e , R. i. 0 2 9 0 0
Phone 7 2 3 - 1 6 8 8
Ci..b Affiliation
tedgemont Country Club

First Vice-President

—

Secretary

R I C H A R D C. BLAKE
211 Sewall S t r e e t
Boylston, Mass. 0 1 5 0 5
Phone 8 6 9 - 2 7 3 7
Club Affiliation
M t . Pleasant C o u n t r y C l u b

Second Vice-President

Astroturf Recreational Surfaces
Monsanto Co., R. Spencer Thompson
P. 0 . Box 2130, Springfield, Mass.

LUCIEN DUVAL
R.F.D. N o . 5, 6 a u ; t Rd.
Bedford, N . H . 03105
Phone 4 7 2 - 3 4 5 4
Club Affiliation
Manchester Country Club

NORMAN MUCCIARONE
101 A l b a n R o a d
W a b a n , Mass. 0 2 1 6 8
Phone 3 3 2 - 3 0 5 6
Club Affiliation
Woodland Country Ciub

—

E D W A R D J. M U R P H Y
194 O x b o w R o a d
W a y l a n d , Mass. 0 1 7 7 8
Phone 3 5 8 - 7 4 1 0
Ciub Affiliation
Lexington Country Club

—

Golf

ROBERT M L I C C I A R O N E
4 6 5 Summer Street
W e s t w o o d , Massachusetts 02090,
Phone 3 2 9 - 9 6 8 2
Club Affiliation
D e d h a m C o u n t r y a n d Polo C l u b

Trustee

Philip C. Beal, Consulting Engineers
Irrigation and Recreation Facilities
P. 6 . Box 102, Hanover, Mass. 02339

—

Educational C o m m i t t e e

Trustee

Baker Tractor Corp., Ford Tractors
Harley Davidson Golf Cars
Swansea, Mass.

—

THOMAS CURRAN
153 Fisher S t r e e t
W a l p o l e , Mass. 02081
P h o n e 668-7221"%
C b b Affiliation
The C o u n t r y C l u b

ROBERT G R A N T
22 Patricia R o a d
S u d b u r y , Mass. 0 1 7 7 6
Phone 4 4 3 - 2 6 7 1
Club Affiliation
Brae S u m C o u n t r y C i u b

—

Committee

Chairman

W A Y N E RIPLEY
216 South Street
W r e n t h a m , Mass.
Phone 3 8 4 - 3 1 4 2
Club Affiliation
Walpole Country Club

DEAN ROBERTSON
24 R i v e r v i e w D r i v e
N e w b u r y , Mass. 0 1 9 5 0
Phone 4 6 2 - 4 5 4 0
Club Affiliation
Chestnut Hill Country

Past President

Finance C o m m i t t e e C h a i r m a n JULIUS AKSTEN
6 Main Street
S o u t h b o r o , Mass. 0 1 7 7 2
Phone 4 8 5 - 8 8 8 5
Club Affiliation
St. M a r t ' s G o l f C l u b

The Charles C. Hart Seed Co.
Wethersfield, Conn.
The Clapper Co.
1121 Washington St.
West Newton, Mass.
Geoffrey S. Cornish
Golf Course Architect
Fiddler's Greer- Amherst,
George E.
Terra-Green
112 Green I

Mass.

Conditioner
lington, Mass.

C. S. Currafi
T. R. C. Products, Oils and Greases
7 Linden St., Framingham, Mass.
Fairway Equipment, Inc.
Sales — Service — Rentals
35 Walnut St., Reading, Mass.

Newsletter C o m m i t t e e C h a i r m a n -

PHILIP CASS1DY
45 Grosvenor Road
N e e d h a m , Mass. 02192
Phone 4 4 4 - 4 1 2 7
Club Affiliation
Weston Golf Club

FRIENDS

Ciub

—

L E O N V . ST. PIERRE
51 F e n w o o d Road
L o n g m e a d o w , M a s s . 01 106
Phone 5 6 7 - 5 5 6 2
C
Affiliation
Longmeadow Country Ciub

Farm Bureau Association
158 Lexington St., Waltham, Mass. 02154
Fred Heyliger, Representative
Fisk, Alden Ford, Tractor Sales, Inc.
Rear 900 Providence Highway
Dedham, Mass. 02026
Manuel Francis and Son, Inc.
Turf Nurseries
624 Webster St., Marshfield, Mass.

O F THE

Johns-Manville Sales Corp.
150 Causeway St., Boston, Mass.
Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc.
Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative
18 Old Randolph St., Canton, Mass.
The Kenneth Barrie Company
Irrigation
375 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Mass.
Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp.
380 Union St.
West Springfield, Mass. 01089
Larchmont Irrigation Co.
Larchmont Ln., Lexington, Mass.
Bob Lippman, Tuco Products Co.
Division of the Upjohn Company
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Magovern Company, Inc.
Lawn Acre Road
Windsor Lock, Conn.
D. L. Maher Co.
Water Supply Contractors
P. O. Box 274, Woburn, Mass.
Ken Minasian — Scotts
Golf Course Division
312 Marlborough St., Boston, Mass. 02116
Sil Paulini, Inc.
6 Manor Avenue
Natick, Mass. 01760
Sawtelle Brothers
Jet. Routes 128 and 62
Danvers, Mass.
Shepard Sod Company
Merion Blue Grass and Pencross Bent
200 Sullivan Ave., So. Windsor, Conn.
Stur-Dee Rake Co.
P. O. Box 1087, Woonsocket, R. I. 02895
U S S Agri-Chemicalss Inc., A. P. Bonnell
Seaboard Distributing Co., Inc. j
Yarmouth Port, Mass. 02675

Gold Star Sod Farms, Inc.
181 South Ave., Weston, Mass. 02197

Philip A. Wogan
Golf Course Architect
21 Budleigh Ave., Beverly, Mass.

Grounds Equipment Co., Inc.
383 Boylston St., Newton Cen., Mass.

Wyandotte Chemical Co.
709 Salada Bldg., Boston, Mass.

Tom Irwin Co.
Bennett Hill Road
Rowley, Mass.

Yerxa's. Inc.,
Golf Course Equipment
740 Broadway, S. Portland, Me.

»

1
(bourse Superintendents ~Mssocialion
Or

MEW

E N C U N D ,

GERRY F I N N
Contributing

IMC.

Editor

L E O N V. ST. PIERRE
Business

Manager

DEAN ROBERTSON
Newsletter C o m m i t t e e Chairman
24 Riverview D r i v e
N e w b u r y , Massachusetts 01950
Phone 462-4540
Club Affiliation
Chestnut Hill Country C l u b

ASSOCIATION

w