JANUARY, p e r i n t e n den t3 ourse OF NEW ENGLAND, ^^idociation INC. 1971 Sponsors and administrators of the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund — A w a r d e d yearly to deserving Turf M a n a g e m e n t Students. NO ROOM AT THE INN Julius Aksten is feeling like a member of the Holy Family at Christmas time these days. "All I get is 'no room at the inn' when I try to line up our program for next y e a r " , moans Aksten who heads up the New England Association's golf planning committee. " A t this time last year I was home free. Everyone had cooperated to the limit. This time it's different." S o f a r , Aksten has been " d e l u g e d " by a total of three golf courses to put the 1971 outdoor show on the road. And one of those is a perennial site for the super-pro championship — B r a e Burn. " I don't know how to approach the subject", Aksten thumbed through some questionable possibilities during a break in the annual meeting. " I t ' s too bad we can't put some kind of a rule in that compels our members to at least attempt to have their courses available once every six or seven years. We have enough of a membership to keep our p r o g r a m rolling on a cycle of courses." There really is nothing demanding about Aksten's thinking on the show of hands as hosts for the important outdoor program of the group. He doesn't believe it should be a case of him having to run down courses. On the contrary, they should be there without solicitation. " I ' v e got to say one thing about certain of our m e m b e r s " , Julius continued. " I have the record to back me up, too. That there are some five to 10 courses which seem to monopolize our schedule. T o these member superintendents we are forever grateful. The complaint is about the scores of others who never host an event." Aksten is of the opinion that several shirkers aren't c o m i n g , up with invitations to their courses because they a r e a f r a i d to ask their boards of governors for permission. " I know of a couple who told me they couldn't in any way be able to have their courses available", Julius roared. " A n d I also know for a fact that the same men never made the faintest attempt to line them u p . " It has been proposed that the outdoor p r o g r a m of the N E G C S A follow a geographical pattern which would find golfing events scheduled at the four corners of the territorial borders. " I think it would be nice to play the Cape one month, then perhaps swing out to the western end of Massachusetts", Julius said. " I can't see anyone getting hurt by such an arrangement. In the end, I'm sure we'd get larger turnouts." This s a m e problem has been brought to the attention of the Newsletter in the past. And its reaction at that time was similar to the response now, meaning we are in complete agreement with Aksten's suggestion some kind of meeting cycle be instituted in order that such schedule problems be avoided in the future. The answer will not be found in the offering of the same courses year in and year out. Rather, every superintendent should make the effort to make his course available after a reasonable interim. Incidentally, Aksten makes it clear that Monday isn't the only acceptable day on the calendar. " W e can arrange to have our meetings most any day of the week", he concluded. "All we need is enough time to inform the membership. That's why I'd like to get the 1971 schedule signed, sealed and delivered right now." We might add there's no reason why he can't do it . . . if he has the cooperation of the full membership. — Cprrv Finn PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE December is a good time to review your past year's accomplishments. If you take the time to analyze your records, to study your labor breakdown costs and to re-evaluate your entire operation, it's just possible that you might find a way to be more effective and efficient in 1971. T o be effective and efficient, don't take things for granted. Taking things for granted is almost unavoidable in these days of intense activity and increased competition for our time and attention. Just to stay on top of vital details and decisions requires utmost concentration. Y o u m a y think you are abreast of what goes on, but a checkup may prove you in error. Don't lose touch with your Association. Here is a random probe to show where it stands in your present scheme of values: 1. Do you promptly read Association literature when it comes to y o u ? 2. Can you name the officers without looking them u p ? 3. Have y o u attended at least three of the past five meetings? 4. Have you recently commended the Association to your fellow executives at your club or business? T o your superiors, if a n y ? 5. Do you regard dues as an investment, not a deductible business expense? 6. Can you recall your last letter to Association headquarters? 7. Do you regularly send news items or other material to your Association p a p e r ? 8. Have you suggested a meeting topic or speaker recently? 9. If you serve on a committee, do you attend meetings and do your share of the w o r k ? 10 Have you in the last six months invited a non-member to j o i n ? December is a good time to say thank you for a j o b well done by all Committees, Officers and the entire membership. Dick Blake, President G C S A of N. E. ourde Superintendents _ NEXT MEETING EDUCATION A TWO W A Y STREET The man thought he was being reasonable and also thought he had a legitimate gripe. He was right on both counts. "This will be the fourth different green chairman I've had in the past six years", he approached his future as though it were some kind of sentence. "This means I'll have to break in another one. Lord knows how long it will take him to catch on." Sound familiar? Does this happen to you almost every time the club membership sticks together a string of candidates for the rubber-stamp approval of their peers at annual meeting time? Everyone will agree on one thing. It happens too often, and most often it borders on the ruination of some well-laid plans of the super to get his course in sparkling condition for the season ahead. ^Aociation- The next meeting will be January 4, 1971 at the Holiday Inn, Newton, Massachusetts. Educational Chairman A1 Auger has arranged for Kenneth Mills of the Rain Bird Sales Company to talk to us and have a slide presentation. 10:30 11:15 12:30 1:15 Directors' Meeting Regular Meeting Lunch Educational Program At the dian for Street in intendent a.m. a.m. p.m. p. m. next meeting we will be voting on Kenneth Mooraan Associate Membership. He lives at 130 Green Hopedale, . Massachusetts. Phone 473-7785. Superat the Hopedale Country Club. The Scholarship Committee will meet at 12 noon on January 4, 1971 "This is not a question of personalities", the super on a green chairman merry-go-round continued to explain his case. " I ' m the easiest guy in the world to get along with and I suppose the new chairman is, too. But I just know there'll be trouble because one of us isn't up on his whys and wherefores concerning course maintenance." J O B OPEN Wannamoisett Country Club, 18 holes Apply to: Robert H. Graham, President The Walker Company Middleboro, Massachusetts 02346 Our man has the solution or suggestion, if you will. He would vote for an apprenticeship program for, would-be green chairmen. "Of course, we couldn't use that terminology", he advised. "But it would work along the same lines as any apprentice getting his feet wet." The suggestion is a grooming period for chairmen of the future. "First of all, I think every chairman should be educated in our business for at least two years", was the concrete proposal ."He could call himself an assistant, green chairman in waiting or whatever he wanted. But when he was elected to oversee the operation, he would be prepared for the job. Now it's often two years before the chairman knows what I'm talking about. By that time, his term is up and they're looking over the field for another to take over. It's not good business at all. Actually, it would be to the advantage of a club to initiate such a program of educating potential green chairmen. There are rare cases when a man might be able to bridge the gap with a quick educational run.—However, since the superintendent has taken years to prepare himself for the complexities of his position, it hardly seem possible a layman can learn them overnight. Even the proposal of making a green chairman appointment a two-year venture doesn't solve the situation. As one other super put it . . . "Sure, I would expect a man to come around after a full season, but that first year would be practically wasted. The only way to make sense out of it is to have a training program, something like a second vice chairman, first and then to the top. It's simple." The officers a n d directors of the New 1 E n g l a n d G o l f C o u r s e S u p e r i n t e n d ents A s s o c i a t i o n for 1971 a r e : front row: T o m C u r r a n , R i c h a r d Blake, ( P r e s i d e n t ) , R o b e r t G r a n t , W a y n e Z o p p o ; back row: R o n a l d K i r k m a n , D e a n R o b e r t s o n , N o r m a n M u c c i a r o n e , R o b e r t M u c c i a r o n e , Julius A k s t e n , A l A u g e r a n d N a r y S p e r a n d i o . M i s s i n g f r o m p h o t o are Lucieni D u v a l a n d Tony Caranci. Yes, it may sound simple, but so far very few clubs have come forth with something even resembling the stepmethod of developing knowledgeable green chairmen. Most clubs apparently think that education is a one-way street, something to expect from the superintendent but no one else. How soon it takes them to realize education is a two-way street remains to be seen. — Gerry Finn President — First Vice President — Second Vice President — R I C H A R D C. BLAKE ROBERT G R A N T THOMAS CURRAN 21 I Sewall Street 22 Patricia Road 153 Fisher Street Boylston, Mass. 01505 Sudbury, Mass. 01776 Walpole, Mass. 02081 Phone 869-2737 Phone 443-2671 Phone 668-7221 Club Affiliation Club Affiliation .Club Affiliation M t . Pleasant Country Club The Country Club Brae Burn Country C l u b Secretary — W A Y N E ZOPPO 48 Barberry Drive Seekonk, Mass. Phone 399-7141 Club Affiliation A g a w a m Hunt Clul Treasurer — LUCIEN DUVAL R.F. No. 5 Gault Road Bedford, N. H . 03105 Phone 472-3454 Club Affiliation Manchester Country Club Past President a n d C h a i r m a n of the N o m i n a t i n g C o m m i t t e e Tony C a r a n c i listing the p r o p o s e d c a n d i d a t e s f o r the election at t h e Annual Meeting. Trustee — Trustee — Trustee — RONALD KIRKMAN ROBERT M U C C I A R O N E NORMAN MUCCIARONE 25 Green Street 465 Summer Street 101 Alban Road Needham, Mass. 02192 Westwood, Mass. 02090 Waban, Mass. 02168 Phone 444-8412 Phone 329-9682 Phone 332-3056 Club Affiliation Club Affiliation Needham Golf Club Dedham Country and Polo Club W o o d l a n d Country Club Finance Chairman — NARY SPERANDIO Concord, Mass. 01742 Phone 369-4723 Concord Country Club YOU SCORE BETTER ON Heller G r e e n s Better T e e s Better F a i r w a y s Good turf is just as important in keeping your score low as good golf technique. Did you know for instance that over five million dollars is being spent this year researching better turf and equipment to give you better playing conditions? Your golf course superintendent has one golden opportunity to catch up on the latest techniques in golf course management and maintenance. This year it's all happening at the 42nd International Turfgrass Conference and Show. The 1971 " G r e a t e s t Show on Turf" will feature twenty-seven of the world's leading authorities on turf technology. Over 100 exhibitors will display the latest and best in equipment, material and supplies for the maintenance of fine golf turf. —And more than 3,000 of the finest golf courses in the United States and C a n a d a will be taking out insurance on their fine turf by sending their golf superintendents to Denver next February. Shouldn't your golf superintendent be there? You're invited 42ND INTERNATIONAL TURFGRASS CONFERENCE AND SHOW Currigan Hail Denver, Colorado FEBRUARY 7-12,1971 SlIOUWItltF" Sponsored by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America 3 1 5 8 D e s Plaines Avenue. D e s Plaines, Illinois 6 0 0 1 8 , T e l e p h o n e 3 1 2 - 8 2 4 - 6 1 4 7 Registration Fee: G.C.S.A.A. Members $ 1 5 — N o n Members $ 3 5 W R I T E FOR DETAILS Why the score c a r d ? Last month we asked you to bring your club's score card to the meeting for exchange with the other members. Now, each month the Newsletter is going to feature a " s c o r e card of the month." Please cooperate by sending or bringing to the meeting your club's score card. WINCHESTER, MASS. Daniel Collins, Golf Course Superintendent BLUE COURSE 6659 YARDS WHITE COURSE 6412 YARDS 4 5 6 7 3 8 9 1 2 Out 3 3 9 472 4 2 8 3 9 6 3 4 0 183 3 8 6 467 171 3182 318 467 419 3 8 5 331 178 377 421 162 3 0 5 8 4 4 4 35 4 4 4 3 3 5 HOLE BLUE WHITE PAR USCA SHiiN SICTi©N COlNlfiiENCS GOLF COURSE OH MANAGIMiNT SUBJECT: HDCP' S T R O K E 9 7 3 5 13 17 11 1 15 U S G A R u l e s g o v e r n all p l a y o n t h i s c o u r s e : W H I T E S T A K E S denote Out of Bounds. Penalty: Stroke and Distance O R A N G E S T A K E S denote Lateral Water Hazard. Penalty: One Stroke Ball may be dropped either where original ball w a s played or within two club lengths of either side of hazard, but opposite point where bail last crossed hazard margin. BLUE C O U R S E RATING 71.6 WHITE COURSE RATING 70.2 In Total Hdcp" Net 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 4 3 2 2 3 0 467 5 4 6 141 3 8 8 4 0 5 4 2 3 4 4 5 3477 6 6 5 9 4 2 3 2 2 4 461 511 138 371 3 9 0 407 4 2 9 3 3 5 4 6412 71 5 5 4 4 4 4 36 4 3 3 THE BUDGET AND THE SATISFIED GOLFER Friday, January 2 9 , 1971 Biltmore Hotel, New York, N. Y. M o d s s o n A v e n u e a n d 4 3 r d Street 6 16 4 2 18 14 12 10 8 Chairman: Henry H. Russell, Chairman, USGA Green Section Committee; Indian Creek Country Club, Miami Beach, Ha. B L U E S T A K E S denote Ground under Repair Lift and drop ball without penalty as near as possible to the spot where it lay, but not nearer the hole, on ground which avoids these conditions. F R E E LIFT from golf cart p$ths and planted area behind 18th green. PLAYER , ATTESTED DATE. Admission free. Lunch $7.50; reservations must be made by January 11, using form attached. F NEW HAMPSHIRE TURF SEMINAR New England Center for Continuing Education University of New Hampshire Campus Durham, New Hampshire Contact William E. Knoop, Extension Turf Specialist (Time once again for the reader to pick up the pen and blast o f f . Sound Off is a Newsletter feature by and for the person interested in golf whether it be the condition of his club's first green or the hitch in his swing. So, get yourself a gripe or compliment, put it down on paper and ship it to Newsletter Mail Box, 24 Riverview Drive, Newbury, Mass. 01950. The Newsletter reserves the right to comment on all letters published.) * * I'm writing to tell you of my plans to attend the national convention next month in Denver. F o r one thing, I have to give those who arranged it a word of praise. I've always wanted to see Colorado country and this gives me the chance to do it. "Now, the important part of my letter. What I would like to know is how much I will get out of attending the convention. I've been told that the educational programs can get boring. Is there anything I can do to get something more than a few days of fun from the experience? This is my first convention." ANTHONY RONCOLLO Canton, N . J . You will, as the saying goes, get just as much out of the convention as you put into it. In other words, no sleeping during the lectures. ^ ^ ^ ^ " I read a recent article in Golfdom by your Mr. Gerry Finn and am surprised that you people still have anything to do with him. " T h e article was about snowmobiles and how they don't do much harm to golf courses. I have a snowmobile of my own but would never dare try and run it on my club's course. Naturally, my superintendent echoes my thoughts that Mr. Finn should be censured or something just for even suggesting snowmobiles be allowed on the golf course." JIM SMITH Avon, Conn. Golf Chairman — Educational Chairman — JULIUS AKSTEN 6 Main Street Southboro, Mass. 01772 Sr-S? 9 5 * , St. M a r k s Golf Club ALBERT AUGER * Newsletter Chairman — 24 Riverview Drive Newbury, Mass. 01950 STJ2E?72 S South Shore Country Club Now we look at the survey and we are perhaps a little more puzzled for we still are not sure where we stand. A r e some of us a f r a i d to put down on paper, anonymously, a few facts and figures? It is better to survey, than be surveyed. JOE SILK Sharon Country c ^ u Joe, I sure wish that more felt the same way that you feel ^ ^ tt " J u s t thought I'd inquire during the 'off-season' about the possibility of some courses going for complete synthetic turf in the near future. " I ' m an avid golfer and interested in the problems and methods of maintenance as practiced by the golf superintendent. To say that I can understand some of the tough problems you face day in and day out is putting it mildly. My son has been working on a golf course the past summer and he made a believer of me as to the importance of your work. " N o w , I'd like to get expert opinion on this synthetic rage. Will it take over the entire c o u r s e ? " MOE DRENZEK Ware, Mass. Your taken a there's natural question is hard to answer. The superintendents haven't stand one way or the other on synthetic turf. Certainly a place for it . . . just as there is a a place for turf. « * {That puts the final touches on another Sound Off session. Remember this space in the Newsletter is reserved for you. Let's hear from you.) ANTHONY CARANCI. JR. 22 Hillview Drive No. Providence, R. I. 02900 teST8 Club about surveys. A survey can benefit all of the superintendents. Past President — DEAN ROBERTSON 6 A Fort Hill Street Hingham, Mass. 02113 ^ The most frequently expressed reason f o r not participating in the survey is that it may hurt us if it is published. One of the questions on the survey was whether or not to publish it. Although most replies indicated agreement to publication, presumably the other group, if they replied, would not want publication, and that would have been O K . * Mr. Finn already has been advised of our position. O n e more article like that and he may find himself writing for the Snowmobile Association Newsletter! * I N C . ™ " Most of these people probably did not think that a survey could help them and therefore did not respond. How can we help ourselves if we know not where we s t a n d ? SOUND OFF « E N G L A N D , The annual meeting is now adjourned, but a few thoughts from the discussion of the various surveys still linger. S o m e Superintendents feel that people have no business prying into the inner operations of golf courses in quest of facts and figures. Perhaps they don't, but the fact remains that they are, apparently in ever increasing instances. Whether they get a true picture of us, the Superintendents, is dependent entirely upon the validity of the information they acquire, and the method by which it is interpreted. The former most of us should have more control over than the latter. We ourselves have just completed a survey. T h e returns suggest that a reply of under 5 0 % was received. What happened to the others? Sponsored B y The Cooperative Extension Service J a n u a r y 14 and 15, 1971 At The * N E W Ledgemont Country Club , . Information * .„| « • i contained • i • in this '.I i publication i ' 1 may i be • • • used Treeiy, in Wnole Or in part, WlthOUt Special permission l o n g as t h e true context is m a i n t a i n e d . W e Clflte a Credit Ilft6. would aS appre- Piea&e Agrico Chemical Company R. D. Sibley, Jr., Representative 375 Power Rd. Pawtueket, Rhode Island 02860 Agway Commercial Sales Richard Williams 66 James St., W. Newton, Mass. Phone 244-5309 Allco Rokeby Co., Inc. Fertilizers and Chemical Specialties P. O. Box 267, Marietta, Ohio Baker Tractor Corp., Ford Tractors Harley Davidson Golf Cars Swansea, Massachusetts The Charles C. Hart Seed Co. Wethersfield, Conn. Corenco Corporation Tewksbury, Mass. 01876 J. E. Nordholm Turf Specialist *The Clapper Co. 1121 Washington St. West Newton, Mass. * Geoffrey S. Cornish Golf Course Architect Fiddler's Green, Amherst, Mass. George E. Cull Terra-Green Soil Conditioner 112 Green St., Abington, Mass. Arthur Curran Rock Driller Supply Equipment, Inc. 20 E. Glenwood Ave. Hyde Park, Mass. 02136 C. S. Curran T. R. C. Products, Oils and Greases 7 Linden St., Framingham, Mass. fi&hmife FRIENDS O F THE A S S O C I A T I O N ! Fairway Equipment, Inc. Sales — Service — Rentals 35 Walnut St., Reading, Mass. Tuco Products Co. Division of the Upjohn Company Kalamazoo, Michigan Farm Bureau Association 158 Lexington St., Waltham, Mass. 02154 Fred Heyliger, Representative Magovern Company, Inc. Lawn Acre Road Windsor Lock, Conn. Manuel Francis and Son, Inc. Turf Nurseries 624 Webster St., Marshfield, Mass. D. L. Maher Co. Water Supply Contractors P. O. Box 274, Woburn, Mass. Ron Gagne — Scotts Golf Course Div. 45 Mechanic St., Apt. 1A Foxboro, Mass. 02035 Old Fox Chemical Inc. Fertilizers — Seeds — Turf Chemicals 66 Valley Street East Providence, Rhode Island 02914 Gold Star Sod Farms, Inc. 181 South Ave., Weston, Mass. 02197 Grounds Equipment Co., -Inc. 383 Boylston St., Newton Cen., Mass. *Tom Irwin Co. Bennett Hill Road Rowley, Mass. Sil Paulini, Inc. 6 Manor Avenue Natick, Mass. 01760 Richey & Clapper, Inc. 28 Rutledge Road Natick, Mass. 01760 Johns-Manville 'p. 150 Causeway St., Boston, Mass. *Sawtelle Brothers Jet. Routes 128 and 62 Danvers, Mass. Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc. Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative 15 Longmeadow Drive, Canton, Mass. Shepard Sod Company Merion Blue Grass and Pencross Bent 200 Sullivan Ave., So. Windsor, Conn. The Kenneth Barrie Company Irrigation 375 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Mass. Philip A. Wogan Golf Course Architect 21 Budleigh Ave., Beverly, Mass. Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp. 380 Union St. West Springfield, Mass. 01089 Wyandotte Chemical Co. 709 Salada Bldg., Boston, Mass. Larchmont Irrigation Co. Larchmont Ln., Lexington, Mass. Yerxa's. Inc, Golf Course Equipment 740 Broadway, S. Portland, Me. * Contributors to the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship i t J.-. ' 'v** -r-/ s m m J: t: » v DEC? r —" Newsletter Committee Chairman 24 Riverview Drive Newbury, Massachusetts 01950 Phone 462-4540 C l u b Affiliation Chestnut Hiil C o u n t r y C l u b L E O N V. ST. P I E R R E Business M a n a g e r GERRY FINN Contributing Editor Fund I 'jswssai ~ r u I 741 75 06