JUNE 1973

ouróe
OF

^ u p e r i n t e n d e n t ó
NEW

ENGLAND,

s d ó á o c i a t i o n
INC.

Sponsors and administrators of the Lawrence S.
Dickinson Scholarship Fund — A w a r d e d yearly
to deserving Turf Management Students.

C H A N G I N G DEMANDS OF CLUB MEMBERS
All right, let's look at the changing world of the country
club. And doesn't this sound familiar?
The superintendent . . . once the keeper of the greens whose
sole responsibility was to give the golfing member a playground on which he could swing and sway to his heart's content . . . is fast finding himself a jack of all trades. He is
supposed to know everything and do everything to make the
club member's life that more complete.
You think not? When was the last time you looked at your
present surroundings? Well, for one thing . . . there might
be a tennis court, or two, or three over which you have been
placed in charge (in charge of seeing to it that the surface
is rolled, watered, lined and whatever else in order to make
it into another Wimbledon). And that's only the start of
something bigger than the both of the jobs you used to do.
In the winter time there probably is a paddle tennis (platform, if you will) court, or two, or three which have to be
conditioned for play no matter what kind of weather. In most
cases the superintendent is responsible for plowing it, sanding
or salting it and making sure all lights are in and at a go
condition status.
Winter, you say? How about that pond where members now
have decided to become future Ice Capades performers? This,
too, has to be plowed and the path to same must be made
accessible. And, if you are among the elite, there may be
bowling alleys or curling rinks to be maintained.
Don't stop there, Mr. Super. Now, place yourself in the
springtime of your job. You have to catch up, first of all,
with what you couldn't do the autumn before. And, six will
get you a half-dozen, there will be requests away from the
golf course which will get you hung up on this particular
detail.
Furthermore, there is the new breed in golf course conception. Once upon a time a golfer was satisfied to have slick

MAY MEETING
GOLF
RESULTS
The association would like to thank Manny Francis and
Son for the fine time they extended to us on May 14, 1973 at
their golf course. This was the first outdoor meeting and it
will be remembered as one of the best!
Golf results at Green Harbor:
Dave Barber — Low gross 74
Calloway results
Paul Jones •—• 71
Pete Costa — 71
Ron Kirkman — 71
A1 Auger •— 71
Applications to be voted on at the next meeting:
Mark Taylor, Associate membership. Amesbury Golf and
Country Club, 22 Congress St., Amesbury, Mass.
James R. Fitzroy, Associate membership. Pleasant Valley
Country Club, 12 Millbury Ave., Millbury, Massachusetts.

greens, close-crop teeing grounds and brassie-lie fairways.
This was the ultimate in his needs on his private playground.
But television changed all that . . . or at least its effects
brought even more demands from the member.
With the popularity of television making members aware
of the better sights of golfing life, there now has popped up
the aesthetic touch which clubsters seek. They look at places
like Augusta National — with her brilliant dogwoods and
bursting azaleas — and ask themselves, "why, oh why can't
we have the same on our course?"
So, now the superintendent finds himself prettying up the
playground. He must make sure flowers front the tees and
serve as a background on the putting areas. The 150-yard
marker to the green must now be punctuated by a flowering
crab instead of that old scrub pine which required little or
no attention.
And, the appalling aspect of this whole new world of the
golfer's paradise is that most of its residents expect the super
to provide the ultra-ultra extras, not only on the same working
budget but in many cases at a cut in same.
Little do they know, for instance, that at Augusta National
there is a five or six-man staff which does nothing but court
and pamper the dogwoods, etc., there. Little do they know
that paddle and tennis courts come under the watchful eye
of specialists in those fields at certain clubs. All they know
is what they see and what they have come to expect . . . and
this on an ever-shrinking budget.
This, then, is a pretty fair picture of the demands of the
club member and how they have expanded to the point where
the golf course superintendent has to be the master of many
arts. It is unfortunate that responsibility is running away from
remuneration in that specific race. In fact, it's a runaway. Is
there no leveling off of these demands? We certainly hope so.
•—- Gerry Finn

W a l l i n g to tee off at Green Harbor on M a y 14, 1973.

ourâe

Superintendents
mp

Ssóociation

THE IDEAL COURSE WORKER
Is there such a thing as the ideal golf course worker?
Would it take a Frankenstein to arrange him from the scatered remains of those who have come and gone over the trail
of precisely-mowed greens and perfectly-set cups? Could be,
could be.
At this time of the year labor on a golf course comes mainly
from two sources. One is the students' well of young people
who want to pick up enough money to perk up their social
life when it comes time to return to the dormitory and the
rigors of life away from home. The other is the vast reservoir
of retired people, those proud gentlemen who feel that they
still have enough energy to lead productive, rather than wasteful lives.
" I ' d like to get a combination of the two", one astute super
volunteers. " T h e young student is full of energy and strength
but not too serious about the output of those assets. The retired person doesn't have the staying power of his younger
counterpart but he has the smarts to regulate it . . . that is,
if he had it."
One of the growing problems in hiring competent people
to keep up with the growth of grass and the idling of the
mowing machine, is the increasing amount of pressure on the
course laborer. And this comes from within . . . or from the
club member.
"Golfers are like any other person of these times", another
super offered his views on the subject. "He wants to get playing without any interruption. He sets a fast pace for himself
and expects the worker to do the same thing. When he looks
at a man mowing the green, he figures that the worker is
moving at half-time. He thinks the worker should get the job
done as fast as he can . . . as fast as it takes to get out of
the golfer's way."
Most of the retired men, working the golf courses, are
stymied by their lack of earning power. There are restrictions

on the amount a Social Security collector can make over a
certain period. Therefore, this tightens the retired person's
effectiveness.
" I have a few retired people working for me", a superintendent noted. "And I really wish I could pay them enough,
so that they wouldn't have to battle the Social Security hold
on their availability. But you can't blame them for keeping
out of the full-time picture. All of them work just so long and
then they take off."
Another hangup with the retired worker is transportation.
Most of them don't drive their own cars or are reluctant to.
They would prefer to _ catch a bus at a reasonable hour in the
morning and climb aboard another one at a convenient time
in the afternoon. This restricts their worth, according to most
reports.
The students comprise another story. " I have to set up their
schedule of work around their social schedule", another super
advised. "Most of my young people are interested in sports.
Sometimes they make plans to take in a baseball game in
Boston or even take part in a softball game at home. So, I
have to conform to their yens."
One of the big complaints about the younger generation
appears to be its reluctance to manual labor or work with the
hands. "I've been told by some that they simply do not want
to get their hands dirty", one irate super declared. "They
don't last very long with me. Either they learn to like getting
dirty or they're on their way."
The summertime help problem, then, does exist . . . although most supers state that there is not a shortage of applicants for the job. " W e get enough inquiries", a superintendent revealed. "But it's tough to lock at a person and know
just what kind of a worker he's going to be. It's usually hit
or miss. I've been lucky. I've had a lot of hits."
Summertime help . . . it's definitely a form of labor pains.
— Gerry Finn

NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the association will be June 4, 1973 at
the International Golf Club, Bolton, Massachusetts. This is the
annual Superintendent-Green Chairman meeting and golf outing. We hope to-see everyone there. Golf will be anytime after
10 A. M. and dinner will be served at 5 : 3 0 P. M. The cost will
be $20.00 per team for green fees, golf cart, and dinner.

Post
look
Bear
sign
here

Office on right, then red "corn crib" Church on left;
for Int. Golf Club sign at fork. (1.6 miles from 1-495).
left onto Wilder Road and proceed to next Int. Golf Club
(0.9 mile) on a tree in center of next fork. 0.8 mile from
to gate on right-hand side. —
Jlanscom/Bedford
See detail below

From Hanscom Field Civil Air Terminal
DIRECTIONS:
For convenience, note your mileage reading.
Approx total distance to Int. Golf Club is 25.5 mi., or an easy
35 minute drive. From Hanscom Drive turn right onto Rt. 2A
at sign "West 2A Concord". Then 2.4 mi. from Terminal, bear
left at fork with sign " R t . 2 Littleton/Ayer". At first traffic
light — go straight — see sign — " R t . 2 Fittleton/Ayer".
Continue Rt. 2 West. Pass Howard Johnson and State Police
on right. Enter " R o t a r y " or traffic circle (7.6 mi. from Hanscom Terminal). Follow signs "Rts. 2 — 111 — Harvard/
Ayer/Acton" with Getty Gas Station on right. Stay on Rt. 2
West 7.2 mi. Take "Interstate 495 south to Hudson/Worcester". On 1-495 go 7.3 mi. to Exit 15.

Pawtucket, R. I.

TÈRMINAL

FROM RT. 495 to Int. Golf Club: "Exit 1 5 " onto Rt. 117
West (follow Bolton or Int. Golf Club sign). Remain on 117
through Bolton Center (Yellow Blinker overhead). Pass U.S.
President

—

ROBERT G R A N T
22 Patricia R o a d
Sudbury, M a s s . 0 1 7 7 6
Phone 4 4 3 - 2 6 7 1
Club Affiliation
Brae Burn C o u n t r y C l u b

First Vice President

—

THOMAS CURRAN
Fox C h a s e R o a d
South Sutton, N . H . 0 3 2 7 3
Club Affiliation
Eastman G o l f C o u r s e

Second Vice President —
WAYNE ZOPPO
4 8 Barberry Drive
Seekonk, M a s s . 0 2 7 7 1
Phone 3 9 9 - 7 1 4 1
Club Affiliation
Acawam Hunt

Secretary —
RONALD KIRKMAN, C G C S
2 5 G r e e n Street
Needham, Mass. 02192
Phone 4 4 4 - 8 4 1 2
Club Affiliation
Needham Golf Club

Treasurer
LUCIEN DUVAL
R.F. N o . 5 G a u l t R o a d
Bedford, N . H . 0 3 1 0 5
Phone 4 7 2 - 3 4 5 4
Club Affiliation
Manchester Country C l u b

HARII.COM ÏTUVL

Trustee —
NORMAN MUCCIARONE
101 A l b a n R o a d
W a b a n , Mass. 02168
Phone 3 3 2 - 3 0 5 6
Club Affiliation
Woodland Golf Club

Trustee:

—

BERT F R E D E R I C K
4 5 S t o n e y Brook R o a d
Nabnaset, Mass. 01861
Phone 4 5 3 - 1 2 3 1
Club Affiliation
Vesper C o u n t r y C l u b

Trustee

—

MAX MIERZWA
106 C r e s t w o o d Street
Chicopee, Mass. 01020
Phone 5 9 4 - 4 9 9 6
Club Affiliation
Chicopee Country Club

Finance C h a i r m a n

—

NARY SPERANDIO
Concord, Mass. 01742
Phone 3 6 9 - 4 7 2 3
Club Affiliation
Concord Country Club

OF

NEW

E N G L A N D ,

INC.

S O U N D
(Once again it's time to roll back the flaps of the
envelopes
and let those comments come bursting onto the scene. This is
the space in the Newsletter where the reader calls the shots.
It's by and for him, an opportunity
to let his hair down, his
mind split wide open and his setbacks to be soothed. The subject here is not restricted. A contributor
may comment on any
phase of golf, from the cut of the greens to the size of his
opponent's handicap.
We do ask that each writer include his
request.
name and address. Each or both will be withheld upon
So, keep those letters coming to Newsletter Mail Bag, 24 Rivervieiv Drive, Newbury, Mass. 01950. The Newsletter
reserves
the right to pass its comment on all letters
published.)

OFF!!!!

" I read with much interest your article about women workers on the golf course. Somehow it just doesn't strike a favorable note with me, since I have always categorized golf course
maintenance as a very trying occupation and much too tough
for the fair sex.
"The mention of the girls turning to the tractors and the
mowing machines also creates the feeling that you superintendents are attempting to get some publicity by giving them
the chance to display their technical skills. If this is true, you
are keeping some worthwhile males from making a good living
by going to the glamor side of the labor market.
"Can you clear up this thing for me? I can't understand it
at all. Women certainly have the right to practice whatever
profession they choose, but there is a limit to everything. My
wife never volunteered to mow our lawn in her life. Is she
missing something?"
LEON K R E I G E R
Seabank, N. S.
W o m e n working on the golf course is no joke nor a publicity gag. They know how to mow, too. W h y not get your
wife a Toro for Christmas?

C. N. HALL
Gateway, Ga.
It is " w a y " beyond, above and anything else the call of
duty, C . N. But such is the life of the super. His loss is someone else's gain.

if

*

*

-»

*

" I have been trying to sell my members on the idea of installing a completely automatic irrigation system but have run
into some of the most ridiculous opposition I've ever heard.
The response from a certain member was so unbelievable that
I had to tell your readers.
"According to him, an automatic irrigation system is nothing
more than a status symbol . . . for me, no less! He argued
that I was pushing for it in order that I would join a certain
few other supers in our area who only had to push a button
in order to make it rain on the course.
" I held back from answering him, but the strange part about
his presentation (or rebuttal) was that some of the other members of our club went along with his thinking. Is this possible
or am I out of touch with the rest of the world?
"As far as I'm concerned, automatic irrigation is the answer
to one of our pressing needs. Not only is it convenient (this
I admit although it won't lessen my worry burden), it does
a better job of seeing to it that our grasses are properly treated with moisture.
"At first I was tempted to drop the whole thing and tell the
members that we could survive without A-I. But I left it up
to them and we are going through with it. Just thought you'd
like to know about the reaction of one very pointed-headed
country club member."
NAME WITHHELD
Club Withheld
That member ought to use his pointed head to stick it in the
sand . . . especially when the tide's coming in!
Golf Chairman

—

ROBERT M U C C I A R O N E
465 Summer Street
V/estwood, Mass. 02090
Phone 329-9682
Club Affiliation
Dedham Country and Polo Club

Educational Chairman —
LARRY BUNN
145 Dedham Street
Canton, Mass. 0202 I
Phone 828-0467
C b b Affiliation
Blue Hill Country C l u b

Newsletter Chairman —
DEAN ROBERTSON
24 Riverview Drive
Newbury, Mass. 01950
Phone 462-4540
Club Affiliation
Chestnut Hill Country Club

Past President

—

R I C H A R D C . BLAKE, C G C S
211 Sewall Street
Boylston, Mass. 01505
Phone 869-2737
Club Affiliation
M t . Pleasant Country Club

" I have been very interested in the growth of tennis in the
past few years and was wondering how it had affected the life
of the golf course superintendent who, I assume, has to add
tennis courts to his list of things to maintain for the day.
"Our club has become one of the most active tennis areas
around the state. One of the reasons for this is the top-conditioned courts which we offer our members and guests. I haven't been around when these courts are placed into shape but
I have to guess that our superintendent is the catalyst for
getting them there.
"Are you people compensated on the side for this extra
service or does it fall under the 'above and beyond the call of
duty' category?"

" W e are planning to have a golf tournament at our course
which will require special tees for youngsters. It is a parentschildren affair and most of the young ones aren't big enough
to drive a golf ball over some of our hazards from the regular
tees.
"Would it be asking too much of our golf committee to request that part of the fairway be used as a teeing area? I
realize the superintendent has his troubles trying to keep the
fairways lush and green . . . so we would not want to cause
any damage in that respect.
" I s this sort of thing done on other courses or should we
dump the whole idea and wait for the kids to get strong enough
to use the regular t e e s ? "
GRACE SOMMERS
Grantland, N. J .
Only your super knows the lay of your golf course and its
shortcomings. Consult him and we're sure he'll accommodate
you. It's nice to know that you appreciate his position, though.
»
*
*
*•
*
(Speaking of position, ive are positioned just at the end of
this month's Sound Off edition. But there'll be more and you
can be part of it by sending us your golf comments. Do it
today.)

JHi
;;"••• TN '

"'^•BS

A
f

f "cNf ( rf

s3
•

The Retired and the Young. Left to right: Heidi Robertson,
Arthur Anderson, Manny Francis, III, and Cheryl Robertson.
I n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a i n e d in this p u b l i c a t i o n
freely, in whole or in part, without s p e c i a l
l o n g as t h e true context is m a i n t a i n e d . W e
ciate a credit line.

m a y be u s e d
permission as
would appre-

PCe*Ae

Agrico Chemical Company
R. D. Sibley, Jr., Representative
375 Power Rd.
Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860
Alfco 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.
Richard McGahan, Rep.
Wethersfield, Conn.
Corenco Corporation
525 Woburn Street
Tewksbury, Mass. 01876
G. D. Kimmey
1-800-222-7976 — 1-800-225-7955
* T h e Clapper Co.
1121 Washington St.
West Newton, Mass.

FRIENDS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Fairway Equipment, Inc.
Sales —• Service —• Rentals
35 Walnut St., Reading, Mass.

D. L. Maher Co.
Water Supply Contractors
P . O. Box 274, Woburn, Mass.

Farm Bureau Association
158 Lexington St., Waltham, Mass. 02154
Fred Heyliger, Representative
Thomas F. Grummell, Representative

R. F. Morse & Son, Inc.
Cranberry Highway
West Wareham, Mass. 02576
Tel. 617-295-1553

Ron Gagne - Scotts Golf Course Div.
5 Kendall Park, Norton, Mass.
617-285-7446

New England Sealcoating Co., Inc.
Tennis Court Const, and Maintenance
Sealcoating — Hingham Industrial Center
Hingham, Mass. Tel. 749-3236

Grounds Equipment Co., Inc.
383 Boylston St., Newton Cen., Mass.
Holliston Sand Company, Inc.
Lowland Street, Holliston, Mass. 01746
Sand for Golf Bunkers and Traps
Irrigation & Equipment Supply Co.
P. O. Box 147 Route 1
~ WalpOierMassT0208i—
Tel. 617-668-7814
*Tom Irwin, Inc.
I I B A Street
Burlington, Mass.

Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc.
* Geoffrey S. Cornish & William G. Robinson
Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative
Golf Course Architects
15 Longmeadow Drive, Canton, Mass.
Fiddlers Green, Amherst, Mass. 01002
George E. Cull
Terra-Green Soil Conditioner
112 Green St., Abington, Mass.
C. S. Curran
T. R. C. Products, Oils and Greases
7 Linden St., Framingham, Mass.
E-Z-Go Golf Car, Division Textron, Inc.
Sales - Service - Rentals
Route 28, Pocasset, Massachusetts 02559
Call Ed McGuire collect 617/563-2234

The Kenneth Barrie Company
Irrigation
375 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Mass.

Old Fox Chemical Inc.
Fertilizers •—• Seeds —- Turf Chemicals
66 Valley Street
East Providence, Rhode Island 02914
Sil Paulini, Inc.
6 Manor Avenue
Natick, Mass. 01760
Richey & Clapper, Inc.
28 Rutledge Road
Natick, Mass. 01760
Trencher & Equipment Leasing, Inc.
Ditch Witch Trenchers
38 Fairview St., Agawam, Mass. 01001
Phone 413-781-4600
*Sawtelle Brothers
Jet. Routes 128 and 62
Danvers, Mass.

Larchmont Irrigation Co.
Larchmont Ln., Lexington, Mass.

Shepard Sod Campany
Merion Blue Grass and Pencross Bent
200 Sullivan Ave., So. Windsor, Conn.

Mallinckrodt Chemical Works
Second and Mallinckrodt Streets
St. Louis, Mo. 63160

Tuco Products Co.
Division of the Upjohn Company
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Magovern Company, Inc.
Lawn Acre Road
Windsor Lock, Conn.

White Turf Engineering
5 Sumner Drive, Winchendon, Mass. 01475
617-297-0941
Philip A. Wogan
Golf Course Architect
21 Budleigh Ave. Beverly, Mass.

* Contributors to the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund

(Sourie Superintendents -dissociation
DEAN ROBERTSON
Newsletter C o m m i t t e e C h a i r m a n
2 4 Riverview D r i v e
Newbury, Massachusetts 01950
Phone 462-4540
C i u b Affiliation
Chestnut Hill 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

12.