Ufa* \ MARCH, 1975 Q J f Gourde OF Sujierlntenclen N E W E N G L A N D , ~^AAociatton I N C . S p o n s o r s a n d a d m i n i s t r a t o r s of the L a w r e n c e S. Dicki n s o n S c h o l a r s h i p F u n d — A w a r d e d y e a r l y to d e s e r v i n g Turf M a n a g e m e n t Students. LOOK OUT FOR FIZ', WHIZ' ETC. Surely, you have been introduced to certain companies "guaranteed to lavish miracle maintenance a i d s " on the golf course superintendent. They often are known as " F i z " or " W h i z " . Then there are " S e a r c h m e " and " W o w " and the deadgiveaway... " P h e w " . Included in the package deal these firms o f f e r are occasional visits f r o m the sales high command. They start at the top with general sales manager and dip on to district sales manager and farther down to the local salesman. For simple identification, they are fittingly cast in our little episode as " C u r l y " , " L a r r y " and " M o e " . Joining them in what amounts to a fractured conversation is, say, "Super X " . The lines, please: Curly: " H i , there, Anybody home today? Thought you'd be in Florida with the rest of the millionaires... heh-heh." Super X : " I f I had time, I ' d laugh at that one." L a r r y : " T h a t ' s just a joke, Super. Look at us. Don't w e look like w e ' r e all business. The jokes can wait. H a v e w e got a deal for you. Tell 'em, M o e . " M o e : "Thought I'd never get into this battle of wits. W e have just the thing you need. Gets rid of all those pests in your trees. Might even try it on the green chairman if he happens to be nasty." Super X : " Y o u ' r e boring m e with those jokes a g a i n . " Curly: " H e y , Moe, let m e take over. Y o u ' r e right, Super. W e ' r e not here to waste your time with small talk. H a v e you ever heard of 'Be-Gone'? Probably not. W e ' r e the exclusive distributors. But once you use it, you'll say it's the greatest insecticide to be discovered in 50 y e a r s . " Super X : " Y e a h , what's in i t ? " Curly: " W h a t do you mean, 'what's in i t ? ! " Super: "Just what I said, I'd like to know what this 'Be-Gone' contains. That's not asking too much, is i t ? " Curly: "Certainly not. W e c a m e prepared. Hey, L a r r y , answer the man's question. That's why w e have the full squad h e r e . " L a r r y : " Y o u heard the man, Moe, Give him the a n s w e r . " M o e : " I have to admit that's a logical question. What's in it, ey? I know what it is, but I can't pronounce it. It's a big long n a m e . " Super X : " N o w that doesn't tell m e much, does i t ? " Curly: " Y o u really want to know? Well, let m e use your phone for a minute. It'll be long-distance... collect." Super X : " B e m y guest." Curly: " H e l l o , Charle. L e t m e talk to George. Yeah, George, it's Curly. Y o u know, the general sales manager. B y the way, what's the stuff in 'Be-Gone'? Oh, dy-syston. OK, thanks. That's it, super. Dy-syston." Super X : " G o o d , what's the percentage per pound?" Curly: " W h y didn't you ask while I had George on the phone? Here, let me use the phone again, (pause) It's m e again, George. How about the percentage of that stuff? What's it, 'dy-whatever'? Oh, two percent per pound. R i g h t . " L a r r y : " A l l right, w e got that straightened out. Here's the deal. We get $185 a hundred pounds with a minimum order of 300 pounds. Now how many truck loads do you w a n t ? " Super X : " W a i t a minute. I have a local supplier right here in town who'll sell m e as little or as much of a product as I want. It's the same thing, only it contains 15% dy-syston. I don't have to use as much in an application. And...he charges m e $79.90 per hundred." Curly: " Y e a h , but you're dealing with a top company here. W e have faith in our products. W e stand on our reputation." Super X : " I only know what I can get in town. And your reputation might be the biggest joke of all. You don't know what's on your label, you have no knowledge of your product and no concept of our problems." Curly: "Sure, sure. But w e ' r e letting you in on the ground floor. There's nothing like our stuff on the market. There's only one 'BeGone' " Super X : " R i g h t you are. T r y some yourself. B E G O N E ! " Gerry Finn Special Notices i - Dealers — If you wish to demonstrate equipment at upcoming meetings, please contact Larry Bunn Tel. 828-7266 or 828-6540 Employment — Our employment chairman is Arthur Washburn. Job openings are to be channelled through him. Tel. 383-9532 or 383-1870 EDITOR'S NOTE On this month's agenda is one of the highlights of our educational atmosphere. It's the annual Turf Conference, sponsored by the Massachusetts Cooperative Extension Service, Massachusetts Turf and L a w n Grass Council and the N e w England Golf Course Superintendents Association. In other words, it's our show. And our show will be blooming, as one of the first signs of spring, March 5,6 and 7 at the Highpoint Motor Inn, Chicopee, Mass. The planning committee, headed by Dr. Joseph Troll and including N E G C S A president T o m Curran, has lined up another outstanding program. Some of the guest lecturers include Dr. William E. Knoop, Dr. Robert N. Carrow, Alexander Radko, E b Steiniger, Stanley Zontek and Dr. William Daniel. It's a must for e v e r y golf course superintendent. This Conference will take the place of our regular monthly meeting. SOUND OFF (Sound Off moves to the front burner this month with a hot issue getting much of the space. This feature, incidentally, is for all readers of the Newsletter, including members of the NEGCSA. Rebuttal letters on all printed material in the Newsletter always are welcome and will be published if they are received in the proper attire of name and address or both upon request. All correspondence should be directed to Newsletter Mail Bag, 290 North Road, Sudbury, Mass. 01776. The Newsletter reserves the right to comment on all published letters.) " A s a matter of introduction to this comment on the so-called Rule 2 passed at last month's N E G C S A meeting, let m e open by saying that I a m in complete disagreement with it and question its legality as well as its logic. " R u l e 2, in case you are not aware of the particulars, reads thusly: 'Salesmen, whose companies are friends of the Association, shall be allowed to attend all business meetings of the Association. They shall have no vote or hold office'. " I n certain research of our Association's constitution and bylaws, I have attempted to ascertain what type of membership the salesmen assume as regular partakers of our meetings. I found there are six classes of membership-Regular, Associate, Assistant, Honorary, L i f e and Inactive. Without boring you with definitions of each category, let m e assure you that salesmen do not qualify as any of these types. Let m e qualify that, also. They could join as honorary members. However, the process of that route requires m o r e than just a show of hands at a meeting. "So, while concluding that salesmen are to be admitted to meetings as permanent guests, I have come across a section of our bylaws pertaining to the guest situation. Article X I I , Section 1 reads: 'All Association rules governing members, guests, officers and committees found necessary shall be formulated by the Board of Directors in cooperation with the various committees'. " A s f a r as I know, the Board of Directors never took the question of guest privileges for salesmen under advisement. It is m y interpretation of this article that the Board of Directors has the authority to admit or eject guests. " H o w e v e r , w e will leave the legality of the salesmen rule for people of m o r e wisdom than I. Personally, I believe a legal interpretation of our bylaws should be forthcoming because of this situation. "But, now for the logic. At the base of everything is lack of attendance at Association meetings. Our president appointed a committee to study this occurrence and come up with solutions. Unfortunately, the committee failed to begin at the beginning or 'why weren't members coming?' Certainly, it does the association little good to build meeting attendance with persons outside the profession. Of course, there is a connection. But the goals and purposes of the two groups are as different as winter and summer. " W h a t I would like to suggest is obvious to anyone who has been making our meetings of late. W e have fallen into a rut. There is nothing to attract members to meetings. It's the same old endless meanderings of individuals, the same old meeting site and the same old race to leave. It seems to me that w e have become stagnant. " W h y can't our future programs touch on the topical subjects of the day and produce the aggressive, imaginative type of meeting which w e haven't had in years. And it has to be something more than petty controversy. If w e need fights to draw a crowd, w e Golf C h a i r m a n Educational C h a i r m a n Newsletter C h a i r m a n Past President BRIAN COWAN Robins 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 C a n t o n , 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 THOMAS SCHOFIELD 2 9 0 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 Affiliation Wellesley C o u n t r y C l u b ROBERT GRANT 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 C l u b Affiliation Brae B u r n C o u n t r y C l u b O F N E W E N G L A N D , I N C . should stage our meetings in exhibition halls and m a y b e even sell tickets. " T h e r e are a number of issues which touch the daily life and the future of the superintendent. F o r example, are w e all up on the happenings on the Massachusetts Bill #H2738? It has been introduced to the legislature and could destroy the work of the profession and those who provide us the weapons to combat course damage and disease. " T h i s bill, if passed, would prohibit use of petrochemical fertilizers for everything other than food production. Since almost all fertilizers used on the golf course are petrochemical products, the outlawing of them would place an incredible burden on the superintendent, not to mention the entire course maintenance family. " T a x e s are an integral part of the country club system these days. T h e r e are plenty of avenues to explore here. Some courses are being unfairly taxed out of business. In certain areas the survival of the golf course has reached a critical stage. How do our law-makers feel about a special zoning proposal, one that would place golf courses under the protective wing of the environmental-awareness explosion? " T h e s e are only two thoughts for consideration as attractions for our coming meetings. There are experts available in each field of thought who could be invited and would be delighted to be heard on their particular subject. And f r o m these could come other ideas to keep a steady flow of information available for members. " F o r this reason and others stated before, I think w e have m a d e a mistake in changing the look of our organization and yielding to the easy w a y out in tackling an attendance problem. What makes you think that the addition of salesmen will make any difference in the number of bona fide Association members who make the meetings? What w e needed were suggestions to get the ball rolling within our own ranks,not one that seeks aid and comfort f r o m outside them. " I f w e can't solve our own problems f r o m within, it's a sad day in our lives. And, who ever asked the salesmen if they wanted to attend our meetings in the first p l a c e ? " RON K I R K H A M Needham, Mass. W e ' r e sure there'll be comment on this one f r o m others. Let it be. * * * * * * * * * * (That wraps up Sound Off for this session, a lively one for Let's hear from you and you and you out there.) sure. CONGRATULATIONS TO Charles R. Lane — Regular Member Leo Bouchard — Associate Member Voted in at the last meeting Information contained in this publication may be used freely, in w h o l e or in part, w i t h o u t special permission as long as the true context is maintained. We w o u l d appreciate a credit line. ourSe S u p e r i n ten den ^ td ocla tion • DEFECTOR' TO LEAD THEM One of our own, so to speak, has been elected president of The American Society of Golf Course Architects. Goeffrey Cornish, he of the intriguing Fiddlers Green address in Amherst, touches us two ways. First, he is a " f r i e n d " of the New England Golf Course Superintendents Association. And, then, he is a " d e f e c t o r " from the superintendents' ranks. "Oh y e s " , he chimes. " I served two years as the course superintendent at the St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg. I have been associated with the game of golf in all ways. Did a little playing, had a handicap of seven...once." Cornish's high post among those referred to as those "battling designers" gives him an opportunity to spread the main message of the golf course architect, that his product and the maintenance of same by the superintendent form a major impact on the environment. —-Itis a matter of fact that the 12,000 golf courses in the United States now occupy more land than the state of Rhode Island. Cornish reminds that the golf course represents one of the rare open space entries that will be " o p e n " forever. He also drops the call that golf courses in urban areas are the last resort for many species of wildlife. According to Cornish the golf course construction business is beginning to catch up with the design of the layouts, meaning that there will be a slight tailoff the architectural level. The reason for this lag with our present declining economy is the planning period involved. Some of the courses under construction today were set down on their blueprint stage two and three years ago. Despite an expected decrease in the future, presently new course construction and refurbishing of older courses continue at a high level in New England-specially in Massachusetts where the firm of Cornish and Robinson (Bill who is Geoff's architectural associate) currently has a hand in the bulk of business. The lineup of new courses in New England includes Iyanough Hills, Hyannis; Quashet River, Mashpee; Heritage at Plymouth; The New Wollaston CC, Milton; The New Walpole CC, Walpole; new nine at Fall River CC; Greylock Glen, Adams; Nepsic CC, Glastonbury, Conn.; new nine Eastman Lakes, New Hampshire. Some long established layouts, particularly in Connecticut are in the process of having their faces lifted. They are New Haven Municipal; Keney Park, Hartford; Goodwin Park, Hartford; Stanley Municipal, New Britain and Hartford Golf Club, Hartford. Cornish's individual contributions to the golf architectural field 2who5received YeartheirMpinsam b e r s at Feb. Meeting. Henry Genther Norm Mucciarone Mel O'Kelly Sam Swayze Members to receive pins at April Meeting Guy Tedcsco Leon St. Pierre Al Sanders mount with the turning of each spring. With Robinson, Geoff has been in the thick of the rise of some 150 courses which are now in play or scheduled to open in 1975. He lists the Golf Club at Aspetuck (Easton, Conn.) as his own personal gem. Aspetuck is a "men-only" club and therefore is shunning publicity these days of libs and what not. It's so private (only 100 members) no one knows about it. It is cut between ledge with a beautiful natural background which is breathtaking, according to Geoff. One of his most unusual ventures takes him to Northern Greece where he is designing an exclusive course there. "When it is completed", Cornish quips, " i t will have an added hazard of its own. The only way to get to the course is by y a c h t ! " The affable Cornish looks upon Robert Trent Jones as the patron saint of the golf course architectural profession. Oddly, he chooses The Country Club. Brookline as the greatest course he's seen. Oddly, because the course was designed by a Crimean War captain-one Charles Blair MacDonald-certainly not a member of the ASGCA. Thus, congratulations are in order for one of our own. Geoff Cornish certainly will serve his group well. His professional reputation must be regarded as a forerunner to his success as commander-in-chief of those "battling designers". Gerry Finn TEMPORARY RULES, 1941 RICHMOND GOLF CLUB LONDON, E N G L A N D 1. Players are asked to collect the bomb and shrapnel splinters to save these causing damage to the mowing machines. 2. In competitions, during gunfire or while bombs are falling, players may take shelter without penalty or ceasing play. 3. The positions of known delayed action bombs are marked by red flags at a reasonable, but not guaranteed, safe distance therefrom. 4. Shrapnel and/or bomb splinters on the Fairways, or in Bunkers, within a club's length of a ball, may be moved without penalty, and no penalty shall be incurred if a ball is thereby caused to move accidentally. 5. A ball moved by enemy action may be replaced, or if lost, or destroyed, a trail may be dropped not nearer the hole without penalty. 6. A ball lying in a crater may be lifted and dropped not nearer the hole, preserving the line to the hole, without penalty. 7. A player whose stroke is affected by the simultaneous explosion of a bomb may play another ball. Penalty one stroke. Thanks To Bert Frederick Job Opening W R I T E TO: D E D H A M C O U N T Y C O U R T H O U S E , D E D H A M , MASS. ATTN: J E R R Y COLLETTS, W O L L A S T O N GOLF CLUB President First Vice President S e c o n d V i c e President Secretary Treasurer 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 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 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 Needham 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 & Tennis Cli Trustee DAVE BARBER MAX MIERZWA 1 Muriel R o a d 1 0 6 Crestwood Street Chelmsford, Mass. 0 1 8 2 4 Chicopee, Mass. 0 1 0 2 0 Phone 5 9 4 - 4 9 9 6 Phone 2 5 6 - 4 4 1 7 C l u b Affiliation C l u b Affiliation Chicopee C o u n t r y C l u b , W a y land C o u n t r y C l u b Trustee Finance C h a i r m a n ARTHUR WASBURN 5 2 0 N o . M a i n 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 Piecue FRIENDS OF THE ASSOCIATION A l f c o , Inc. Fertilizers and C h e m i c a l Specialties P. 0 . B o x 267, Marietta, Ohio R o n Gagne - Scotts G o l f Course Div. 5 K e n d a l l P a r k , N o r t o n , Mass. 617-285-7466 Baker T r a c t o r C o r p . , F o r d T r a c t o r s Harley D a v i d s o n G o l f Cars Swansea, Massachusetts Grounds E q u i p m e n t C o . , Inc. 383 B o y l s t o n St., N e w t o n C e n . , Mass. Chanderlin Seed C o . , Inc., Division o f L o f t s P e d i g r e e d S e e d , Inc., 20 Beck R o a d A r l i n g t o n , Mass. 0 2 1 7 4 Joe Moran — R e p . Gull A g r i c u l t u r a l Service C o . Allen Bonnell 6 1 7 - 3 6 2 - 2 1 8 1 J o e Silk 6 1 7 - 7 8 4 - 3 9 6 6 55 F r e e m a n R o a d Y a r m o u t h p o r t , Mass. 0 2 6 7 5 T h e Charles C . Hart Seed C o . Wethersfield, Conn. James R . F i t z r o y , R e p . Bus. ( 2 0 3 ) — 5 2 9 - 2 5 3 7 H o l l i s t o n Sand C o m p a n y , Inc. L o w l a n d Street, H o l l i s t o n , Mass. 0 1 7 4 6 Sand f o r G o l f Bunkers and T r a p s Irrigation & E q u i p m e n t Supply C o . P. O . B o x 147 R o u t e 1 W a l p o l e , Mass. 0 2 0 8 1 Tel. 6.17,668^1 4 Corenco Corporation 525 W o b u r n Street T e w k s b u r y , Mass. 0 1 8 7 6 H.U . A n t r u m ) 1-800-222-7976 - 1-800-225-7955 * T o m I r w i n , Inc. 11B A Street B u r l i n g t o n , Mass. * T h e Clapper C o . 1 1 2 1 W a s h i n g t o n St. West N e w t o n , Mass. * G e o f f r e y S. Cornish & W i l l i a m G . R o b i n s o n G o l f Course A r c h i t e c t s F i d d l e r s G r e e n , A m h e r s t , Mass. 0 1 0 0 2 G e o r g e E . Cull Terra-Green Soil C o n d i t i o n e r 1 1 2 G r e e n St., A b i n g t o n , Mass. C . S. Curran T . R . C . P r o d u c t s , Oils and Greases 7 L i n d e n St., F r a m i n g h a m , Mass. E - Z - G o G o l f Car, D i v i s i o n T e x t r o n , Inc. Sales - Service - R e n t a l s R o u t e 2 8 , Pocasset, Massachusetts 0 2 5 5 9 Call E d M c G u i r e c o l l e c t 6 1 7 / 5 6 3 - 2 2 3 4 F a i r w a y E q u i p m e n t , Inc. Sales — Service — Rentals 35 Walnut St., R e a d i n g , Mass. K a r a n d r e w T u r f F a r m s , Inc. Sam M i t c h e l l , Sales R e p r e s e n t a t i v e 15 L o n g m e a d o w D r i v e , C a n t o n , Mass. K e n n e t h Barrie C o r p . 2 4 9 M i l t o n St. D e d h a m , Mass. 0 2 0 2 6 Tel. (617) 364-3333 L a r c h m o n t Irrigation C o . L a r c h m o n t L n . , L e x i n g t o n , Mass. P. O . B o x 127, N o r t h Reading, Ma. 01864 R . F . M o r s e & Son, Inc. Cranberry H i g h w a y West W a r e h a m , Mass. 0 2 5 7 6 Tel. 617-295-1553 N e w England Sealcoating C o . , Inc. T e n n i s C o u r t C o n s t , and M a i n t e n a n c e Sealcoating - H i n g h a m Industrial C e n t e r H i n g h a m , Mass. T e l . 7 4 9 - 3 2 3 6 O l d F o x C h e m i c a l Inc. F e r t i l i z e r s - 1 Seeds — T u r f Chemicals 66 V a l l e y Street East P r o v i d e n c e , R h o d e Island 0 2 9 1 4 Si! Paulini, I n c . 6 Manor Avenue N a t i c k , Mass. 0 1 7 6 0 R i c h e y & C l a p p e r , Inc. 28 R u t l e d g e R o a d N a t i c k , Mass. 0 1 7 6 0 T r e n c h e r & E q u i p m e n t Leasing, Inc. Ditch Witch Trenchers 38 F a i r v i e w St., A g a w a m , Mass. 0 1 0 0 1 Phone 413-7814600 *SawtelIe Brothers 565 H u m p h r e y Street S w a m p s c o t t , Mass. Tel. 617/5994856 Lee L i m e Corp. L e e , Mass. ( 4 1 3 ) 2 4 3 - 0 0 5 3 2 Special Spreaders designed f o r G o l f Courses T u c o Products C o . D i v i s i o n o f the U p j o h n C o m p a n y K a l a m a z o o , Michigan Purdy A . O u t h o u s e ( 9 1 4 ) 4 6 2 - 7 1 1 7 M a l l i n c k r o d t , Inc. White T u r f Engineering S e c o n d and M a l l i n c k r o d t Streets 5 Sumner D r i v e , W i n c h e n d o n , Mass. 0 1 4 7 5 617-297-0941 St. L o u i s , Missouri 6 3 1 4 7 F a r m Bureau A s s o c i a t i o n 158 L e x i n g t o n St., W a l t h a m , Mass. 0 2 1 5 4 Fred Heyliger, Representative Thomas F. Grummell, Representative D . L . Maher Company C o n c o r d Street M a g o v e r n C o m p a n y , Inc. Lawn Acre Road Windsor L o c k , C o n n . ' Contributors to the Lawrence S^.~DicMnson Scholarship tuncT Philip A . W o g a n G o l f Course A r c h i t e c t 21 Budleigh A v e . , B e v e r l y , Mass. First Class U. S. Postage C'oursv S>upcriiittnihitU or •» « w f t t U H f t . .. -A.i»fi'r«/<