AUGUST 1975

ourse ^uperintendents
O F

N E W

E N G L A N D ,

-Association
I N C .

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

Rules Were Made To Be ? ? ?
Ah, rules. It used to be that violation of them was accompanied by the terse explanation that "rules were made to
be broken". However, there is a new switch making connections around the country club. In some cases, it appears
that "rules were made to be ignored."
Let's have some simple breakdown of the above. A little
flash survey of a few golf courses reveals that many
superintendents are picking up their rules signs and tossing
them in permanent cold storage.
"What's the use?", says one. "I take time and money to see
that rules signs are made and set up in certain spots on the
course. So, what happens? Some member in a cart knocks one
down. Another sees that it is in the way of his swing. So, he
pulls it up and tosses it into the woods. That's why I don't
bother with rules signs anymore."
The same old golf car rules are being ignored. Most flagrant
of these are driving too close to the green, driving over and
through tees, straying off the golf car path and making
spinout turns. "I have to say that all our members are not
going around turning the golf car into a dangerous weapon,"
another super tells. "But it takes only a few. I have resigned
myself to the fact that I'll always have golf car damage. At
least, I don't get a shock treatment when the damage occurs."
Ball marks on the green. What to do about them? Most
courses provide players with ball mark repair instruments.
The same results can be had from the built-in repair tool -a
simple tee. However, many members forget or just don't
become aware of the dangers of ball marks to greens.
Add to this the completely, inconsiderate member who
takes target practice on par three holes and the problem
becomes compound. Such a violation certainly warrants
suspension. But, here again, begins another story. Just who
enforces rules on the golf course?
"I'd be glad to do it," one super volunteers. "But I'd have to
have an ironclad contract on the subject before I'd say a
word. What I mean is that I would have to be assured there
would be no retaliatory action against me if I reported any or
all violations."
The ideal counter to those breaking golf and course rules
would be a combination of the superintendent and the
professional. Since the pro has the opportunity to "socialize"
with members in the form of playing a round or two together,
perhaps he might be better versed in reporting violations.
And the super, in his daily inspection tours, could supplement
this with reports of his own.
Sounds ideal and for that reason it wouldn't work. Another
super suggests: "I think that the grounds and green committee should be those responsible for enforcing the rules. It is
something else for a member to be reminded of rules by the
pro superintendent. He could resent it. It must be his peers
who do the enforcing."
There was a time when golf pros included a session on the
rules of the game and its etiquette in lesson periods. This
could be reestablished, as well as regular clinics for members

during which the super could be invited as a sort of guest
lecturer.
But then again, the violation of rules on the golf course
could be just another sign of the times. This is the time when
everyone seems to be going off in his or her own direction. The
so-called independence and rights of individuals has stretched
over to the golf course where "rights violations" are being
met with "rules violations".
Whatever, the superintendent is at a point where his efforts
to complement his expertise with cooperation from the
members are being slain by shoddy response. If golfers only
realized how much they undo with violation of the rules, they
soon would open their eyes and take the rules signs seriously.
In the end, they're only hurting themselves. Any repair costs
of damage wrought by them come out of their pockets. So,
doesn't it make sense to obey the rules?
Gerry Finn

Next Meeting
AUGUST 6, 1975
AAT. PLEASANT
COUNTRY CLUB
Times-

10:00 Directors Meeting
10:30 Regular Meeting
12:00 Noon Golf
5:00 Steak Cookout
Host - Red Schultz
Directions —
North on rte. 3 to exit 32. Take first
right at rotary. This is Westford Rd. Go
by incinerator and bear right. Club is
on the fifth street on right.

'(jolf

Course vSuperintenolentd
^^AAociati on
Storming The G a t e s .

They're storming the gates this year. Not the pearly ones,
mind you. But those, which guard the entrance to the private
country club, are almost being beaten down. Alas, the club
has become an oasis in our economic desert.
It's not all economy-inspired, although the pinch on
recreational funds have given some members thoughts about
spending the complete summer at the club. There is a second
reason and it has to do with this newfangled equal rights flak. It
seems women are determined to make the club their "second
home" as some men are wont to do.
The gals are rushing to the golf course all right. And they're
not stopping there. Tennis programs at country clubs are
beginning to challenge golf as sports king there. And the
women-have -a- lot to do with this switch-in^ recreational
priorities.
It used to be that women took time out to have their
children. They would accept the fact that their time and
energy had to be devoted to the bringing up of baby and the
maintenance of the home. In the past few years, such devotion
has been shattered. Alas, a woman's place is not in the
home....it is at the tennis court or on the golf course.
It is very common to view the following sight at the country
club:
Mother arrives at around 9 a.m. Deposits older children
(six to 10-year-old bracket) at the pool where swimming
lessons and junior team practice are available. Takes
younger children (6 months to 2 years) with her to tennis
court. Sets up playpen for offspring and dives into three or
four sets of serves and lobs before lunch break. Everyone
meets at the club snack bar for a restoring of food. After an
hour, the group splits once again for the afternoon routine.
Perhaps, the above is somewhat exaggerated. However, the
truth remains evident. Young mothers of today do not chain
themselves to the home when they can transfer the scene to
the country club where everyone can be entertained and
appeased.
Action on the golf course has increased to the point where
some private clubs aren't private anymore. Maybe they can
call themselves private, but in essence, they are public....or
semi-public.
The influx of the so-called "member-guest" tournament has
been noticeable of late. At one club, on a particular day, there
was scheduled: 1. Regular one-day member-guest, tournament (males}. 2. Early afternoon mini-member-guest
tournament (juniors) 3. Regular husband-wife mixed Scotch
foursome tournament. That day, if you weren't thinking
tournament, you weren't about to play the course.

Tom Curran has appointed the following
nominating committee:
Bob Grant, Chairman John Petreitus
Norman Mucciaroni
Paul Johnson
Brian Cowan
Dave Clements
First meeting in September at Tedesco
Country Club a t 10 AM .
Second meeting at Brae Burn in October, 4 PIVf at the Pro Superintendent
Tournament.

Tournaments have worked themselves onto a large part of
the club golfing calendar which does stamp the course
grounds for public consumption since many of these events
are of the member-guest variety. The arrangement reaches a
point, especially during those four-day invitational tournaments, when for almost an entire week the private course is
used by a combination of 50 percent members and 50 percent
guests.
All of this is noted here, not as a criticism of the situation,
but a reminder that the country club is fast-replacing many of
the other outlets for physical and social exercise. With tennis
courts roaring away at a breakneck usage pace (one club has
been known to house a stream of players from 6:30 a.m. to
midnight) and the golf course beckoning members and guests
to trample its fairways, the country club is in full bloom.
And, in keeping with the traffic at all recreational intersections, the golf course superintendent is busier than ever
before. Even shuttle systems in maintenance have been
required to keep the work flow going at certain clubs.
Obviously^ then, the country club member is taking advantage of those facilities which are offered him/her when
"they" sign and pay on the bottom line. Those country club gates
never have been stormed like they're being stormed these days.
Gerry Finn

July Tournament Results
Super Champion - Bruce Petrel!i
Runner-up
Dave Barber
3rd Gross
Manny Francis Jr.
4th Gross - Tie
Bob St Thomas
Ken Mooridian
Bill Carter

Low Net
2nd Net

Pierre Costa
Tony Caranci
Don Hearn
Eric Brown
Ron Hansen
Frank Murphy

3rd Net
4th Net

President

First Vice President

Second V i c e President

Secretary

Treasurer

Trustee

Trustee

Trustee

Finance Chairman

THOMAS CURRAN
Fox Chase Road
South Sutton, N.H. 03273
Phone 9 3 8 - 5 4 3 6
Eastham G o l f Course

W A Y N E ZOPPO
9 A Village Green N o r t h
E. Providence, R . I . 0 2 9 1 5
Phone 4 3 4 - 1 7 5 9
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Agawam Hunt

DEAN ROBERTSON
24 Riverview Drive
N e w b u r y , Mass. 0 1 9 5 0
Phone 4 6 2 4 5 4 0
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Chestnut Hill C o u n t r y C l u b

R O N A L D K I R K M A N CGCS
25 Green St.
Needham, Mass. 0 2 1 9 2
Phone 4 4 4 - 8 4 1 2
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Needham G o l f Club

LUCIEN D U V A L
12 Gault Road
Bedford, N.H. 03102
Phone 4 7 2 - 3 4 5 4
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Y o r k Golf & Tennis Clul

MAX MIERZWA
106 Crestwood Street
Chicopee, Mass. 0 1 0 2 0
Phone 594-4996
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Chicopee C o u n t r y Club

D A V E BARBER
1 Muriel Road
Chelmsford, Mass. 0 1 8 2 4
Phone 256-4417
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Way land C o u n t r y Club

ARTHUR WASBURN
5 2 0 No. Main St.
Cohasset, Mass. 0 2 0 2 5
Phone 3 8 3 - 9 5 3 2
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Cohasset Golf Club

DONALD HEARN
4 Topeka Road
Chelmsford, Mass. 0 1 8 2 4
Phone 2 5 6 - 8 7 0 9
Club Affiliation
Weston G o l f Club

OF

NEW

E N G L A N D ,

INC.

Sound Off
(It's that time once again for the reader to right all our
wrongs. This is Sound O f f , the feature that is and for the
reader. The subject matter is right up the reader's alley. He
or she may write on any subject pertaining to golf. Contributors are ashed to include their names and addresses with
each letter, although either or both will be withheld upon
request. All communication
should be directed to Newsletter
Mail Bag, 290 North St., Sudbury, Mass. 01776. The Newsletter
reserves the right to comment on any or all of the letters
The Newsletter conducted a survey on the subject, Mildred.
published.)
The findings: Nine out of 10 ducks prefer swimming pool

water over pond water. They just like your pad, Mildred.

**********

"For reasons which will become apparent here, I request
that my name and affiliation be withheld.
"Last month I read with interest your fine article concerning the 'new and fresh' attitude of the golf course
superintendent's summer help. It was indeed enlightening to
many people to read that workers on the course aren't there
just to 'turn a buck'.
"I was amused, too, by the mention of how some supers are
conducting impromptu classrooms during which some of the
'college' help seek some explanation of plant life behavior and
such.
"My two cents on the subject may not be appreciated.
However, let it be in the form of a suggestion to those young
seekers of knowledge. I have on my course several college
people who are just as interested in the job as those you
depicted. However, I find that they seek too many definite
answers to questions. They seem to forget that we are dealing
in an indefinite science where there are no flat book answers.
As you know, often there are three or four answers to a single
question.
"So, I'd just remind our young and eager friends that there
is more to our plant sciences than flat answers. I only write
this so that they continue to seek the knowledge of the subject
while realizing that the superintendent cannot provide all the
answers as if he had a book at his call and could snap them off
without a blink."
NAME WITHHELD
Club Withheld
You've made a good point here. Plant behavior remains a
mystery and maybe this is why the subject is so fascinating.
Evidently, the younger generation is finding it to be just that.
* * * * * * * *

"It has been interesting for me to read several times in your
Newsletter about the damage that the electric and gas golf
cars do to golf courses. I'm not defending the superintendent
or the golf car manufacturer in writing this. But I would
suggest that the mechanized golf car is not alone in having
damage potential.
"I play a municipal course where many pull-carts are used.
And as far as I can see, people using them probably do more
damage than those riding the mechanized jobs.
"I have seen players ignore roped off areas, pick up their
pull carts and drag them through freshly seeded areas. I have
seen them pull their carts practically to the pin before they
decide to take their putter out of their bag. And I have seen
them take deep gouges out of sparsely grassed areas as well
as tramping across tees.
"So, why not get after these culprits, too?"
SAM GELINAS
Springfield, Mass.
You just did, Sam. And you did a darn, good job of it!
"I have become very intrigued by some of the many steps a
superintendent has to take in order to fight the diseases that
attack the golf course. I realize now that the job of maintaining a golf course is as complex as any task I know.
"I do have a question, though. Many people hear of the
insect pests that haunt trees and plants. I am somewhat
confused over some, actually the gypsy moth and tent
.caterpillar. Is there a difference between them and please
forgive me for wasting your time, if I have."
WILLIAM L. JOHNSON
Wilbraham, Mass.
No bother, Bill, but the explanation might fill most of the
remaining space. The gypsy moth and tent caterpillar are
similar in their defoliating habits (eating leaves). The gypsy
is a caterpillar, black in color. The tent caterpillar also is
black but has a white stripe down its back. It produces a
silken tent where it lives when it isn't devouring leaves. The
gypsy moth prefers a diet of hardwood tree leaves like oak,
birch and poplar. The tent caterpillar likes all the fruit trees
but will hit the others if fruit is not available. One common
bond between them is their reputation as serious plant pests.
They are, indeed, the enemy!

"I have a question for you, one which you probably think is
absurd.
"However, I live close by to a golf course where several
ducks take sanctuary during the summer. I have no quarrel
with that wonderful gesture by the course to keep the ducks
fed and happy.
"My quarrel is that somehow the ducks have taken it upon
themselves to enjoy the waters of my swimming pool. I have
talked to the golf course people several times about it and
they sympathize with me.
"They come with equipment to transport the wandering
ducks back to their own ponds. But a few days later there the
ducks are again. Why aren't the ducks content to stay where
(That puts the cork back on the bottle for this trip.
they belong?"
Remember, your letters are what make this feature. They are
MILDRED JONES most welcome, so keep them coming whether they contain
Holyoke, Mass. orchids or onions!)
G o l f Chairman

Educational Chairman

B R I A N COWAN
Robins Way
H a r w i c h , Mass. 0 2 6 4 5
Phone 4 3 2 - 9 0 4 1
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Eastward Ho C o u n t r y Club

LARRY BUNN
145 Dedham Street
Canton, Mass. 0 2 0 2 1
Phone 828-7266
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Blue Hills C o u n t r y Club

Newsletter Chairman
THOMAS SCHOFIELD
290 N o r t h Road
S u d b u r y , Mass. 0 1 7 7 6
Phone 443-3712
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Wellesley C o u n t r y C l u b

Past President
R O B E R T G R A N T CGCS
22 Patricia Road
S u d b u r y , Mass. 0 1 7 7 6
Phone 4 4 3 - 2 6 7 1
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Brae B u r n C o u n t r y Club

Information contained in this publication may be used
freely, in whole or in part, w i t h o u t special permission as long
as the true context is maintained. We would appreciate a
credit line.

Pietue

fratwUfe

FRIENDS OF THE A S S O C I A T I O N

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

Ron Gagne - Scotts Golf Course Div.
5 Kendall Park, Norton, Mass.
617-285-7466

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

Gold Star Sod Farms, Inc.
Merion Blue Sod & Bark Mulch
Canterbury, New Hampshire
1-800-528-5205

Chanderlin Seed Co., Inc., Division of
Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc.,
20 Beck Road Arlington, Mass. 02174
Joe Moran — Rep.
The Charles C. Hart Seed Co.
Wethersfield, Conn.
James R. Fitzroy, Rep.
Bus. (203) - 529-2537
Corenco Corporation
525 W ob ur n S-tr eet
Tewksbury, Mass. 01876
S.W. Anthony
1-800-222-7976 - 1-800-225-7955
*The Clapper Co.
1121 Washington St.
West Newton, Mass.
*Geoffrey S. Cornish & William G. Robinson
Golf Course Architects
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
Sales - Service - Rentals
Polaris / E-Z-Go Northeast
Box 817
North Falmouth, Mass. 02556
Fairway Equipment, Inc.
Sales — Service — Rentals
35 Walnut St., Reading, Mass.
t

Farm Bureau Association
158 Lexington St., Waltham, Mass. 02154
Fred Heyliger, Representative
Bus. 893-3570 Home 772-3605 ~

Grounds Equipment Co., Inc.
383 Boylston St., Newton Cen., Mass.
Gull Agricultural Service Co.
Allen Bonnell 617-362-2181
Joe Silk 617-784-3966
55 Freeman Road
Yarmouthport, Mass. 02675
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
Walpole, Mass. 02081
Tel. 617-668-7814
Kenneth Barrie Corp.
249 Milton St. Dedham, Mass 02026
Tel. (617) 364-3333
*Tom Irwin, Inc.
11B A Street
Burlington, Mass.
Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc.
Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative
15 Longmeadow Drive, Canton, Mass.
Larchmont Irrigation Co.
Larchmont Ln., Lexington, Mass.

Co-ordinator
GEftRY FMH
Contributing Editor

New England Power Sweeping Co. Inc.
Parking Lots and Roadways
187 South Street
Needham, Mass. 02192
Jack Kidd Phone 332-1451
New England Sealcoating Co., Inc.
, Tennis Court Const, and Maintenance
Sealcoating — Hingham Industrial Center
Hingham, Mass. Tel. 749-3236
Old Fox Chemical Inc.
Fertilizers — Seeds — Turf Chemicals
66 Valley Street
~EastTrovfdenc e, 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 413-786-8600
*Sawtelle Brothers
565 Humphrey Street
Swampscott, Mass.
Tel. 617/599-4856

Lee Lime Corp.
Lee, Mass. (413) 243-0053
2 Special Spreaders designed
for Golf Courses

Tuco Products Co.
Division of the Upjohn Company
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Purdy A. Outhouse (914) 462-7117

Mallinckrodt, Inc.
Second and Mallinckrodt Streets
St. Louis, Missouri 63147

White Turf Engineering
5 Sumner Drive, Winchendon, Mass. 01475
617-297-0941

Magovern Company, Inc.
Lawn Acre Road
Wiiiusoi Lock;-Conn.

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

* Contributors to the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund

Sudbury, Mass. 01778
Phone 443-3712
Club Affiliation
Weftesley Country Club
DONALD HEARN
Business Manager
LEON ST, PIERRE

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