\
JULY 1975

C^joi^ (bourse J^uperintendentd
OF

N E W

E N G L A N D ,

^AAociation
I N C .

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

M o r e Than Just A Job
There is a healthy sign gathering momentum among the
nation's small army of "working naturalists" -that group which
takes to the golf course each summer as part of the seasonal labor
force. The sign is refreshing since it points to a sudden interest in
what is being attempted and accomplished by golf course
superintendents.
One superintendent, recently pleased by several comments
from club members on the excellent condition of their golf course,
epitomized this new surge of interest by course workers.
"Everyone who picks up a shovel or pushes a mower here really
takes pride in what we're trying to do," he told those same
members. "I suppose it has something to do with being able to
contribute to living things. Anyway, most of my help is just as
eager to keep the course in shape as I am."
The same super also reports that his summer help are not clockwatchers. "You know how it usually is with kids who are just out
to make a few bucks during the summer," he added. "They can't
wait to hear that 'five o'clock whistle.' But our people are more
concerned with finishing a job they've started earlier in the day
than waiting for the regular time to quit."
It could be the influence of the times, Since most of the summer
help is from the newer generation, that influence is apparent.
"The young people of today have known or heard about nothing
except death and killing things," another super explained.
"That's why there's this big interest in raising plants and working
backyard gardens. These kids like to think they're part of a
project that promotes living things rather than one which
destroys them."
Many of the year's part-time help are right up there in
educational letters. There are graduate engineers, biology
majors and the like. And their natural tendency to seek answers
to things they encounter on the golf course has turned some of the
lunch hours there into impromptu classrooms.
"I'll bet I spend at least 15 minutes a day in little rap sessions
with my workers," another super disclosed. "It's kind of good for
me, too. I find myself brushing up on what goes out there during
the growing stages of the golf course. It's educational for all of
us."
The labor market also has contributed to this new tone of involvement by seasonal help. College students, especially, have
turned to the golf course as a source of employment for the
summer. For one thing, the old plush jobs are difficult to find and
for another, the very nature of a golf course job is inviting to an
inquiring mind.
"Some of my help are studying botany and other related subjects," the same super continued. "In school, most of the time
they are working with textbooks. When they get to the golf course,
they can see those book words in action. That's why they're
getting wrapped up in things here."
NOTE:
Tournaments are restricted to members only.

Of course, too, there also surfaces the fact that enthusiastic help
identifies with the finished product. Some superintendents tell
that their workers get more satisfaction out of seeing a flawless
green than some of the members do playing such a green.
This new commentary on the part-time help isn't confined to
youth, either. Some "regular" part-timers (older people who
supplement retirement incomes with golf course jobs each year)
are picking up the same attitudes. Perhaps, they also have had
enough of death and destruction on their minds 24 hours a day and
they combat it by contributing to the preservation of living things
in the form of golf course plant growth.
Whatever, the sign is a welcome one for the superintendent and
those who benefit by the interest-rise. To these surveyors of
troubled times, breathing and encouraging to life beats
destroying it every time.
Gerry Finn

Next Meeting
Super
Championship
JULY 10, 1975
HALIFAX COUNTRY CLUB
Directors Meeting
Regular Meeting
Buffet
Golf

10:00 A M
11:00 A M
12 Noon
12:30

Directions: From Route 24 take W. Bridgewater
exit. Follow Route 106 for 10 miles. Club is
on the right.
From Route 3 take Route 3 A exit in Kingston.
This runs into Route 106. Follow for 10 miles.
Club is on the left.

'Cjoff

ourAe

Superintendents

^4ddocialion•

Golf On A Drawing Board
George C. Thomas, Jr. has written an interesting book.
Take away the date of publication and some of the cost figures
quoted and "Golf Architecture in America" is almost as modern
as the leisure suit or the graphite shaft. And... it was written in
1927!
Thomas' background is sketchy. Somehow, he imparts the
assumption that he has been a club member in various parts of
the country. And it is through his association with the game as a
club member and player that he was drawn to its drawing board
as an architect.
Most of Thomas' actual designing of courses occurred in
California where he was the mind behind two municipal layouts in
Los Angeles as well as the nationally known Ojai course in Ventura. However, along the way he had stops in the Eastern section
of the United States where he touched and worked on such outstanding golf landmarks as Myopia, Essex, Sunny Brook and Pine
Valley. Some of the influence on his blueprints and thought
process in design come from such as Donald Ross, Hugh Wilson,
Horrace Leeds, William Bullivant and George Crump.

^tglf^lllll

Thomas' approach is very up to date, though. His handling of
the great debate between distance and character reflects the
design of recently completed courses. His architectural religion
follows the teachings of Ross who is noted as an exceptional
example of being able to join beauty and utility into perfect
marriage in the layout of a championship course.
The author also recognizes the need for three courses in one made adaptable to playing proportions of championship, regular
and easy with strategic formation of teeing areas. There the
courses can be arranged according to the needs and aspirations of
the individual player. ..just as it is on most of our better layouts
today.
Thomas lends himself to retaining the natural look of the land,
where possible, "The contours of our tees, of our hazards, of our
greens, of our rough and of our fairways should melt into the land
surrounding -them," he says. "And should appear as having
always been present.'
One of Thomas' prevailing themes throughout his approach to
the design of the golf course is the offering of as much playing
strategy to the golfer as possible. Always, he claims, the golfer
should be presented options related to consequent penalties in the
playing of a hole. His theory is the severer the risk, the greater
reward and in keeping with that . . . the harsher the penalty.
Consequently, he suggests a sensible blend of character
(hazards) and length to golf courses. A perfect blend of each is
what makes the outstanding course.
Thomas goes off the modern track only because of a relation in
time. That would be in construction and maintenance costs. His
total cost for the building of a 6500-yard course seems amazing in
this day and age. But in 1927 his estimate was $76,000. Included in
that figure was a watering system at an outlay of $24,000 and a
$20,000 allocation for six months upkeep of the course - to include
cutting, care of greens and fairways, top dressing, fertilizing and
other such necessary work as weeding, rock picking etc.
A typical 1927 Thomas budget also pops the eyeballs. In
California districts, where the course is played the entire year
and irrigated regularly for seven months, the average yearly
budget ran between $25,000 and $30,000. In that year the average
cost for ordinary labor was placed at $4.00 to $4.25 a day.
"Roughly speaking," he advises, "it should take 20 men to care
for the average 18-hole course properly."
Away from these "ridiculous" figures, though, one could pick
Thomas out of the 1920's and drop him into the '70's of today and
his theories would apply in substance to the present needs and
desires of the golfer
His one favorite line-to be savored by the golf course
superintendent-has to be with priorities. "The golf course holds
priority over all other facets of the country club", he insists. "Its
avenue should be laid out first; the others after."
Gerry Finn

Super Choirman Results
First gross - T. Carangels & L. Gregory
Second gross - M. O'Kelly & B. Willmont
Third gross - H. Chelmes & E. Wieioch
Individual - Marry Sperandio
( Marry had a hole in one) Congratulations

First net - Arthur Washburn & Roy Macdonald
Second net - Ken Mooridian & Bob Phillips
Third net - Bob Mucciarone & Fred Clapp
Fourth net - Dr. Troll 8s D. Suochak
Fifth net - J. Gerrasi & D. Lynch
Sixth net - D. Heam & J. Perry

President

First V i c e President

S e c o n d V i c e President

Secretary

Treasurer

Trustee

THOMAS CURRAN
F o x Chase R o a d
South Sutton, N.H. 0 3 2 7 3
Phone 9 3 8 - 5 4 3 6
Eastham Golf C o u r s e

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
C l u b Affiliation
Agawam Hunt

DEAN ROBERTSON
2 4 Riverview Drive
N e w b u r y , Mass. 0 1 9 5 0
Phone 4 6 2 - 4 5 4 0
C l u b Affiliation
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
2 5 Green St.
Needham, Mass. 0 2 1 9 2
Phone 4 4 4 - 8 4 1 2
C l u b Affiliation
N e e d h a m Golf C l u b

LUCIEN DUVAL
1 2 Gault R o a d
Bedford, N . H . 0 3 1 0 2
Phone 4 7 2 - 3 4 5 4
C l u b Affiliation
Y o r k Golf & T e n n i s C l u b

MAX MIERZWA
1 0 6 Crestwood Street
Chicopee, Mass. 0 1 0 2 0
Phone 5 9 4 - 4 9 9 6
C l u b Affilia
Chicopee C o u n t r y C l u b

Trustee
DAVE BARBER
1 Muriel R o a d
Chelmsford, Mass. 0 1 8 2 4
Phone 2 5 6 - 4 4 1 7
C l u b Affiliation
. Wayland Country Club

Trustee

Finance C h a i r m a n

ARTHUR WASBURN
5 2 0 N o . Main St.
Cohasset, Mass. 0 2 0 2 5
Phone 3 8 3 - 9 5 3 2
C l u b Affiliation
Cohasset Golf C l u b

DONALD HEARN
4 Topeka Road
Chelmsford, Mass. 0 1 8 2 4
Phone 2 5 6 - 8 7 0 9
C l u b Affiliation
Weston Golf C l u b

-

~

OF

Sound Off

NEW

ENGLAND,

INC.

(Here we are, right back at the old baiting board. This is Sound
O f f , the monthly feature that's designed to guarantee every
reader a piece of subject to which he or she can relate. Topics
here are free-lance. Writers may expound on any golf subject;
playing, promoting or preserving the game in its many forms.
Ground rules are simple. Names and addresses of contributors
are mandatory, although some will be withheld upon request. All
flak 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 published in this space.)
* * * *

"I've played several courses in our area and seem to come to
the conclusion that conditions on them are the best in many years.
"It does take a lot of knowledge, experience and patience by the
golf course superintendent to get a course in shape. However, it
has to be partially because of the weather that courses shape up
better in some periods than they do in others.
"I noticed that the month of May was unusually warm for that
time of year. And probably it helped in the growing of grasses to
get our courses as lush so early in the year. Am I correct? "
JAMES CURTAIN
Holyoke, Mass.
May certainly was a favorable "growth" month, Jim. Put these
figures in your statistical bank: The average daily temperature
was 77, some seven degrees above norma!. We had four days in
All the super has to do is transform his course into Augusta
the 90-degree range and the average low was only 52. National
for four days. Unfortunately, no one's invented a kit to
Precipitation totalled 3.16 inches which may have varied make
an
instant Augusta National at this writing.
somewhat from community to community.
* * * *

"Recently, the acts of vandalism hit a new high in our area. On
three different courses, motorcyclists put their tires to work on
greens and made a mess of them. In some instances, the damage
incurred resulted in repair costs exceeding $1,000.
"I can't for the life of me understand why this destruction takes
place. I only can conclude that people, who do this type of thing,
must have something mentally wrong with them. I have seen such
damage happen almost year after year and am amazed that
nothing can be done about it.
"Further inquiry leads me to believe that the concentration of
such unnatural behavior in one area means it could be the work of
the same cyclist or group of cyclists. If only these culprits could
be caught and given a lesson.
"If you print this letter, please don't use my name. Thank you."
Name Withheld
Address Withheld
One of the ironies of this situation is that nothing happens to
these "culprits", even when they are caught. What we need is a
new set of laws and vigorous enforcement of them to discourage
this vandalism.
* * * *

* * * *

"There have been given many explanations for the missing of a
so-called 'easy putt'. They follow:
"The putter (not the man who putts) is off line.
"The putter (the man who putts) didn't line it up right.
"Someone sneezed in the middle of the back stroke.
"A glare of sunlight bounced off the blade causing the player to
experience a brief spell of blindness.
"The greens weren't mowed properly and the cup not placed
correctly.
"Which is the feasible explanation?"
CARSON WALTERS
Leeds, Mass.
Every one, except the last!
* * * *

"Is it true that golf course superintendents pray for rain, so that
they can take the day off and go fishing or maybe even take in a
movie?
"Every time it rains I don't see anyone on our golf course, so I
just assume you guys close up shop and take some time off. I'm
not knocking it, mind you. But I was just curious."
JOHN AL WARD
Pownal, Vt.
Rainy days are work days, John. With the expanded responsibilities placed on the superintendent, there are countless other
jobs awaiting him and his crew when they're not able to operate
on the golf course. The only thing the rain does to the super's life is
make the grass grow (if it arrives on a sensible schedule).

"I see where you people have been given some tips on the
conditioning of a golf course for tournaments. This reminds me
that the old four-ball or member-guest season is in full swing by
this time which has to put some pressure on the superintendent.
"There seems to be an increasing number of these events on the
calendar every year and it must give the superintendent reason to
believe somebody's out to get him with his fertilizer dragging.
"Are there any special things the super must do in order to keep
(That brings us to the end of another session with the reader.
his membership happy at four-ball time?"
VERNONSCHUTT Keep those cards and letters coming. They always are welcome. .
Oxford, Mass. good, bad or otherwise.)
* * * *

r

Golf C h a i r m a n

Educational C h a i r m a n

BRIAN COWAN
R o b i n s Way
Harwich, Mass. 0 2 6 4 5
Phone 4 3 2 - 9 0 4 1
C l u b Affiliation
Eastward H o C o u n t r y C l u b

LARRY BUNN
1 4 5 D e d h a m Street
Canton, Mass. 0 2 0 2 1
Phone 8 2 8 - 7 2 6 6
C l u b Affiliation
Blue Hills C o u n t r y C l u b

Newsletter C h a i r m a n
THOMAS SCHOFI ELD
290 North Road
S u d b u r y , Mass. 0 1 7 7 6
Phone 4 4 3 - 3 7 1 2
C l u b Affili;
Wellesiey 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
2 2 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 Affili
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, without special permission as long
as the true context is maintained. We would appreciate a
credit line.

P t e t u e f i a f a o K i f e F R I E N D S O F THE

ASSOCIATION

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

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

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

New England Power Sweeping Co. Inc.
Parking Lots and Roadways
187 South Street
Needham, Mass. 02192
J a c k K i d d Phone 332-1451

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

Gull Agricultural Service Co.
Allen Bonnell 6 1 7 - 3 6 2 - 2 1 8 1
Joe Silk 6 1 7 - 7 8 4 - 3 9 6 6
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
*Tom Irwin, Inc.
11B A Street
Burlington, Mass.
Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc.
Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative
15 Longmeadow Drive, Canton, Mass.
Kenneth Barrie Corp.
249 Milton St.
Dedham, Mass. 02026
Tel. (617) 364-3333
Larchmont Irrigation Co.
Larchmont Ln., Lexington, Mass.

Co-ordinator

G E R R Y FINN
Contributing Editor

Old F o x 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 413-786-8600
*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
Windsor Lock^Conn.

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

tutors to the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund

Sudbury, Mass. 0 1 7 7 6
Phone 4 4 3 - 3 7 1 2
Club Affiliation
Wellesley Country Club
DONALD HEARN
Business Manager
L E O N ST, P I E R R E

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