This NEWSLETTER is published
monthly by the Greenkeepers Club of
New England, and sent free to its members and their Greens' Chairmen. Subscription price ten cents a copy, or a
dollar a year.
GUY C. WEST
Editor
312 Mt. P l e a s a n t St., Fall River, Mass.

HOWARD D. FARRANT Business Mgr.
132 R u s s e r t Rd., W e s t Roxbury, Mass.

March, 1933

Vol. 5, No. 3

SAWYER CONSTRUCTION
P a r k Square Bldg.
Boston, Massachusetts
Tel. Hancock 8270

CO.

January 28, 1933.
Mr. James McCormack, President,
Greenkeepers Club of New England,
% Unicorn Country Club,
Stoneham, Massachusetts.
Dear Mr. McCormack:
I wish to compliment you and Mr.
West on the interesting Newsletter of
the Greenkeepers Club. The publication
always brings a worthwhile message to
me. Each copy is read through with a
great deal of pleasure.
The enclosed check is a modest
acknowledgment of my appreciation of
your good will in keeping my name on
your mailing list.
Sincerely yours,
C. A. Sawyer, Jr.
CAS :H
MARCH

MEETING

The March meeting was held at the
Hotel Statler, Boston on Monday, March
6th. We were pleased to welcome to
this meeting about thirty members of
the classes of the Winter School for
Greenkeepers and the Mass. State College.
Professor Lawrence Dickinson presented his report of the work in Preseeding fertilization at the College
which has been financed by the Greenkeepers Club. The work this past year
was a check on the work done the previous year. This past year it was done
outside whereas before it was done in
the greenhouse.
When pre-seeding fertilizer is used
there is bound to be some loss by leaching, especially with the inorganics.

There is the danger of having a concentrated solution in a small area, hence
a killing or a toxic effect. The use of
nitrogen changes the ratio of root to
top to make top greater. A proper root
is necessary for seedlings especially.
In this year's work the boxes were subjected to the elements from the time
of planting, August 28th. Very infertile
soil was used, with a pH of 5.4, sort of
a sandy loam, 5 inches over 3 inches of
sand. Planted half to Colonial Bent
and half to Kentucky Blue. Same
amount of seed was put in each plot.
The fertilizer was placed in the top 2
inches. The personal factor was the
same for the fertilizing and for the
seeding. The fertilizer was placed 3
days before seeding. The boxes were
lightly watered, three waterings before
seed came up, then grass shifted for itself. Instead of measuring length of
root and top, they were this year
weighed to ten thousandths of a gram,
with individual plants counted, and
weights proportioned to 100 plants. Observations were made at 3 weeks, 5
weeks, 6 weeks, and at 8 weeks. The
work compared remarkably with preceding work. The two best boxes were
probably the loam boxes, and it must
be remembered that the loam ordinarily
used on the golf course is usually richer
than the loam used on this experiment.
"Damping oft'" may be due to overstimulant. At 42 days all showed a
nitrogen deficiency where not supplied,
also potash deficiency, but the ordinary
loam does not show this deficiency.
After 56 days or thereabouts young
seedlings need fertilizer. Fertilize when
plant has fine root system with plenty
of carbohydrates.
Results show that no pre-seeSing
fertilizer is needed, but the use of superphosphate as a pre-seeding fertilizer is
recommended, to get better use of the
phosphorus later on. 15 - 20 pounds of
Superphosphate to a 1000 square feet
is a practical application before seeding.
At the business meeting two amendments to the constitution were proposed
and will be voted on at the next meeting.
J O I N T M E E T I N G W I T H M . G. A .

A meeting sponsored by the Mass.
Golf Assoc. Service Section and the
Greenkeepers Club was held at Braeburn on February 27th with a good attendance. Speakers included President
Jaques of the U. S. G. A., President

Cross of the M. G. A., Mr. Henry Wentworth, Sec. of the M. G. A., Mr. Roger
Sherman, club manager at Braeburn,
Charles Parker speaking for President
McCormack who was ill, Guy West, Mr.
Adrian Sawyer, and Prof. Lawrence
Dickinson. Mr. Rogers Dow, Chairman
of the Service Section Committee acted
as chairman, and the gathering was
welcomed to Braeburn by President
Leon Rogers of that club.
President Jaques brought out the
fact that there is no thought to cut out
the activities of the Green Section, they
are merely curtailed through a forced
cut in the budget. He spoke with optimism relative to the future of golf,
and pointed out that there were many
women taking up the game yearly. He
recommended that clubs endeavor to
maintain their courses with high
standards of upkeep, and praised the
greenkeepers for what they had done
to lower costs of maintainence.
Mr. Cross spoke of the various activities of the Mass. Golf Association,
saying that the M. G. A. was here to
promote golf and intended to do so
regardless of the international headache.
Messrs. Wentworth and Sawyer spoke
relative to the general condition of
clubs, and presented a chart showing
the trend the past four years of income
and expenses. The majority of clubs
seem to be operating at about 78% of
normal capacity.
A general discussion followed. Some
fifty-five clubs were represented at the
meeting, and we feel that the meeting
is a good start towards solving the whole
problem, as the good fellowship and cooperation which were evident show the
resolution of club officials and greenkeepers alike to keep going until better
times come again.
REPRINT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER WENTWORTH'S ADDRESS
a t t'he J o i n t M e e t i n g o f t h e M . G . A .
Service Section and the New England
G r e e n k e e p e r s Club, Feb. 27, 1933

Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen:
We had three reasons for sending you
the recent questionnaire: (1) That we
might formulate for you a chart of
general trends (which we have here) :
(2) That your attention might become
focused on digging out and studying

the detail facts of the trends in your
own club: (3) And that you might become interested in an interchange of
ideas between clubs. On these questionnaires, were questions whose answers
do not form part of the substance of
this particular meeting, but while at it,
it seemed to us best to get all the data
requested.
The individual club data is private,
and we must so consider it. We were
greatly gratified, however, to see the
great response on the part of the member clubs, evidencing in many cases a
great deal of labor. Nearly 50% of
the clubs responded with various degrees
of completeness: 52% of the answers
coming from within 15 miles of Boston:
21% from other cities; and 27% from
what one might call "Vacation Centre"
clubs. 1/4 were 9 hole courses, 2 / 3
were 18 hole, and 3 were 27 hole
courses.
As our clubs exist under a wide
range of conditions, the problems facing the various clubs, although having
the same qualities, differ tremendously
in detail. Yet there are many problems
in common in groups within the Association. There are the large Metropolitan
clubs, drawing their membership from a
wide area, having within themselves
groups of families acquainted with one
another, and thus not equivalent to one
large family. There are the combined
social and golf clubs serving practically
a single community, like a big family,
with a few outsiders drawn in because
of local friendships. There are the vacation centre clubs with relatively few
all the year round local members. Then
there is the separation of clubs which
have expensive club houses from those
who have merely golf courses with
practically no social phase otherwise.
It would be impossible for us to give
the time to correlate and advise in detail with these various groups, but we
do strongly urge you of each group to
get together to compare your problems,
and your suggested methods of meeting
those problems. Go to the Association
headquarters, and Mr. Corcoran will
run over with you the list of member
clubs and help you pick out others who
probably have the same problem as have
you, and help you make a contact with
some of them. If there are any thoughts
in which you think I could help, I shall
be glad to have you call at my office.
If it is a matter of course upkeep, house
maintenance, etc., Mr. Corcoran will put
you in touch with the proper man on

the Green Section Committee. But,
however, you do it, we strongly urge
you to get together with others having
the same problems.
I do not feel it is fair, with this chart
finished but yesterday by Mr. Sawyer,
who has had to have made hundreds and
hundreds of computations, for me to express definite conclusions so quickly.
You can examine the chart, which in its
four curves shows the average trends
for the past five years, perhaps have
already done so, and can draw your own
conclusions. There are some lessons
hiding in them. The chart will be kept
at the Association office.
Golf is a real business to manage.
One hundred golf clubs are likely to
suffer from the same variety of pains
as 100 members of any other business
in the change of conditions from 1925
to 1933: the disease in many cases being- over-expansionitis, and lack of setting up proper reserves against a serious letup in business for a while. Before me are 1929 income figures for
31 clubs, totalling $1,375,000; quite a
goodly sized business, and for the entire state the amount would probably
be $3,000,000. This of course embraces
income not only from golf, but from
club-houses, winter sports, and other
country club functions, but it illustrates
that their activities are in the order of
magnitude of many important industries
in the state.
What the answer to the falling off in
income is to be, beyond the point of reduction of expense (this partly thru
lower unit costs and partly thru simplification of activities) has not yet become clear: there may possibly need be
some temporary amalgamation of activities while putting some units onto a
standstill basis, just as would be done
in a business having many units. It is
clear that the cost of course maintenance has a fairly definite lower limit
below which a club cannot go and yet
retain its membership.
A study of the chart shows that the
so called tramp golfer, while an important item, is not the main issue. We
must look deeper than that: and, looked
at as factors considered, as in determining a procedure in any other line of
business. There are two important exceptions, however, with respect to golf
clubs; for in some ways the golf club
is a community affair and is possibly
to some extent subject to rules similar
to those applied to a community during
depressions. Also one of my own pet

thoughts is that with the return of prosperity there will come more leisure
time per person, part at least of which
must be guided into play. Whether the
average individual income then will be
such that it can be spent on a sport like
golf is something I cannot foresee. Perhaps public golf may develop in a large
way, and if so, courses at present available within reasonable distances of large
groups of people ought not to be broken
up.
Whether or not a large increased
amount of golf is to be forthcoming
with renewed prosperity, ways to utilize the inevitably coming increased
leisure must be found, ways which will
tend to offset the increasing mechanization of the average mind which our
factories and our otherwise highly industrialized civilization is developing,
something which will again permit some
form of self expression to the routine
worker.
The guest fees of the various clubs
(based on fifty) range as follows:
14 have $1.00 but under $2.00
30 have $2.00 thru $3.00.
1 has $4.00.
3 have $3.00 to $5.00 depending on
the time.
From the letters accompanying the
reports, the lowering of guest fees this
past season has not been fruitful, but
disappointing, and there is a general
feeling that the guest fees should not
be reduced.
The reports generally stress the
necessity of keeping up maintenance of
courses, no matter what other sacrifices
have to be made, for a man belongs to
a golf club primarily to play golf.
These letters also urge the importance both for maximum income, and in
fairness to the regular members, that
strict rules be maintained as to the
regulation of guests and visitors.
While we feel we should not give
out any individual club figures, the Service Section will be pleased to give to
any individual club, if desired, a comparison of its figures with the averages,
or average of its class of clubs.
The reports indicate that the clubs
are awakening to the fundamental
necessity of finding ways to retain the
present membership, some making temporary concessions in classes of memberships, time for payment of dues, etc.
How can membership be held and increased?

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Each club and its advantages must be
sold over again to its entire membership, to the end that each club member
will realize his benefits from the club,
and himself become an enthusiastic
salesman in the quest for new members.
The entire executive organization
should be toned up, polished and improved, and service rendered to the
club members. This campaign should be
initiated by the club president and the
board of directors, and heartily supported by the Membership, House, Golf,
Grounds, and Entertainment Committees. Courtesy and interest on the part
of employees is essential.
It should be of great benefit to have
a committee of two or three loyal and
enthusiastic club salesmen to confer
with each member who has signified his
intention to resign in order to have that
member reconsider, or if this is not
feasible to sell him less expensive restricted membership, if possible.
Frequent tournaments of varied
nature to maintain the interest of the
average and dub players are the contributions which can be made by the
golf committee.
Whether the almost universal answer
on the questionnaire to our question as
to 1933 expectations means a similar
universal use of budgets I can't tell,
but if so, the managements are to be
congratulated, for budgeting is an absolute requisite if income and outgo are
to look like twins.
WINTER SCHOOL

CONFERENCE

The sixth annual Golf Course Maintainence Exhibit and Conference was
held at the Massachusetts State College
Saturday and Sunday, March 11th and
12th, with some three hundred and
more in attendance. The exhibits were
many and varied with several thousand
dollars worth of maintainence equipment, including several tractors, power
putting greens mowers, fairway mowers,
hand mowers, spike rollers, and many
small tools and items of equipment.
Other exhibits of special interest included various exhibits of the botany
division with snow mold, etc., and of the
agronomy division with much of interest in soils and fertilizer exhibits. Small
exhibits were presented by the M. G. A.
and by the Greenkeepers Club. To
properly describe every item in every
exhibit would tax the space in the

NEWSLETTER; it is sufficient to say
that in our opinion the exhibit was more
complete than any other exhibit we have
ever seen along golf course maintainence lines.
The speaking program opened with
four talks by student speakers, A. W.
McLean of Kernwood spoke on "Labor";
M. MacFarlane on "Machinery"; L. Erb
on "Iron Sulphate"; and A. Lesperance
on "Greenkeeper as a Manager". These
talks were well presented and brought
out many points of interest. (We will
present some of these talks later).
Dr. M. H. Cubbon spoke on "Fertizers," and discussed several features of
this subject as applied to golf courses.
The first figure in the fertilizer ratio
now means total nitrogen, not ammonia.
The nitrogen is about four-fifths of ammonia. There is often more possibility
of burning with a low analysis fertilizer
(15% or so plant food) than with a
high analysis fertilizer (40% or more
plant food) when equal amounts of
nitrogen are used. The best way to increase the fertility of a soil is to grow
grass and fertilize it. The lack of
phosphoric acid at the surface is often
due to the acidity. Lime stays at the
surface, acidity the same.
The Saturday afternoon program
opened with a few words of welcome
from the new president of Mass, State,
Dr. H. P. Baker. Following this, Prof.
C. H. Thayer spoke on "Soils". This
speaker pointed out that about half the
volume of soils was composed of pore
space, filled with either air or water.
The rest is composed of broken up rock
particles and organic matter. Soils types
are classified as fine gravel, coarse sand,
medium sand, fine sand, very fine sand,
silt, and clay. The soils in the field are
mixtures of these soil types. Prof.
Thayer spoke of the soil surveys by the
U. S. Bureau of Soils, and their value in
indicating what soils to expect in any
locality. A large amount of sand is required to change a soil .and to reduce
the stickiness and its likelyhood to become hard, but a little clay goes a long
way to change the soil. It only takes
30% clay to make a clay soil, but it
takes 80 % sand to make a sandy soil.
A broad definition of humus:—humus
is organic matter that has so far decayed in the soil that it has lost its original character. There should be an
abundant supply of organic matter in
the soil. Three types of soil bacteria
are of importance; those that cause the
decay of organic matter, those that

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change the nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen,
and those who take nitrogen from the
air, and make it available.
Dr. W. H. Davis presented an interesting talk on "Fungus Diseases" and
illustrated it with various slides showing
various fungi. Dr. Davis has isolated
the fungus which causes the so-called
snow-mold, and believes that the same
fungus causes what we know as "dollar
brown-patch".
Motion pictures of Golf in Slow Motion, Japanese Beetle, etc. were shown
in the evening and followed by a question box period.
On Sunday afternoon Professor Dickinson presented a timely talk on "Maintainence and Costs". He presented the
idea of a "yardstick" to evaluate golf
course condition. The same yardstick
should be used constantly, possibly
twice a year. It must not be used to
compare two courses, as a comparison
of costs between courses is dangerous
and unsatisfactory. Costs will discover
bad points, management will correct
them. The costs in the past have been
divided into dollars and cents; better
often to figure in labor hours, or even
in percentage. Take care of the labor
hours and the dollars will take care of
themselves. Costs are either transitory
or stationary. The stationary costs are
due to management. Beware of hidden
costs, as a change of chairman, new
construction from the maintainence
budget, etc. The idea of a fund to be
set aside for the purchase of equipment
was presented. The greenkeeper should
have a very thorough understanding of
labor saving machinery.
Prof. C. R. Kellogg spoke on "Insect
Control", giving a graphic description
of the fight between man and the insects, intelligence vs. instinct. The insect problem is a hard one because we
do not realize that the insects are taking
their "percentage" every year. Control
is difficult because many insects are so
small, their color often protects them,
as does their adaptability, their ability
to change their habits, and because
they multiply so rapidly. Cooperation
between all men and all nations is
needed to destroy the insects.
The exhibits were in general care of
the various members of the Winter
School for Greenkeepers, and to them
and to Professor Dickinson and his colleagues we extend our congratulations
for this very splendid exhibition and
conference.

T H E G R E E N K E E P E R AS A
MANAGER

by Alfred Lesperance
Professional and Supt. of Grounds,
Westmoreland C. C., Wilmette, 111.
(Paper read at Amherst Conference)
Managerial ability in my opinion is
the most important qualification of the
greenkeeper, for much of the time the
greenkeeper must stand on his own
feet. He must depend upon his own
judgement.
He may know how to handle any part
of his work, but unless his perspective
of the amount to be done is clear, and
his assignment of labor to his crew well
planned in advance, he will very shortly
find himself in a tangle, from which no
amount of turf-growing knowledge will
free him.
Greenkeepers who do not thoroughly
understand turf culture usually cannot
keep golf courses in satisfactory condition. Greenkeepers who are poor
managers cannot operate courses economically.
While greenkeeping is being established on a finer business basis, a
minority of greenkeepers are proficient
in such managerial work as cost analysis, budget making, and report making.
If they would realize that they are not
merely workmen or supervisors, but
managers, they would improve their
chances of success.
Greenkeepers who are only half
familiar with their courses are only
half efficient.
Well informed greenkeepers are always the most competent. A daily
record of operations should be kept, as
they provide a basis for comparison,
and for a more complete understanding
of maintenance problems. Such daily
reports should contain all essential information such as weather conditions,
temperature, and the hours spent on
each piece of work done on the course.
Annual reports should be carefully
prepared by greenkeepers who will find
them excellent means of informing officials of their clubs of their efficiency.
The psychological reaction of report
making upon greenkeepers is important.
Budgets should be self-explanatory
and should be prepared in such form
that they will be easy to interpret. Frequently budgets are cut, not because
of the impossibility of raising the
money, but because the necessity or de-

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sirability of the work outlined is not
understood thoroughly.
Purchasing of supplies and equipment
is another responsibility of greenkeepers.
It is necessary therefore to keep a
close watch on what is offered for sale
to the golf course trade and whenever
something new comes to the attention
of the greenkeeper he should add the
literature describing each new offering
to his file of reference catalogues.
Prices that are subject to fluctuations
can be noted as they are received.
There are many methods of filing this
particular information, but the prime
service such notifications perform, is to
lay before the greenkeeper facts pertaining to sharp rise or fall of the
market, and to predict for his benefit
what may be reasonably expected within a specified time, that he may place
his orders to the advantage of his club.
Hasty purchasing seldom secures low
prices or satisfactory service.
The appearance of the greenkeepers
office, the condition of its files, and the
methods used in keeping the records,
are all constantly under the eye of the
chairman of the green committee.
Cleanliness, orderliness, and efficiency
are quickly noted by any business or
professional man, and such is the chairman of almost any golf club.
The most efficient greenkeepers will
have on hand an accurate and complete
map of the drainage and water systems.
The areas of the putting greens, tees,
fairways and traps can also be noted
upon the same map.
There are many things which can be
noticed on well managed golf courses
that will indicate the executive ability
of the party in charge.
A place will be provided in the barn
for the storage of small tools and they
will always be found in their proper
places, clean and sharp, ready for the
next time they are to be used. Large
machinery will always be put away in
a condition that will not delay the
starting of the next job upon which
they are to be used.
A place will be found, on the best
kept courses, to store extra parts for
machines, so as not to delay the work
should anything happen to any part of
the course equipment. Worn-out or discarded equipment will always be disposed of or put in a place which is out
of the sight of the players.

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All workmen will be instructed to
pick up papers and trash as they make
their rounds, and receptacles to hold
trash placed at the tees will be emptied
as often as necessary.
Extra poles, flags and cups for the
greens, will be on hand, all painted and
ready to replace equipment that may
become worn or broken.
Grass clippings from the greens and
tees will never be left in a pile to get
in the way of the players, or to stay
in a pile long enough to kill the turf
under them. Many greenkeepers furnish the men doing the mowing of the
greens with sacks for the clippings,
which can then be handled very easily
in taking them to the compost pile.
Bridges, birdhouses, shelters and
benches will always be kept in repair.
Paint will be applied as it is needed.
Benches at the tees and rain shelters ^ ^
upon which the members may rest will
be cleaned regularly.
Drinking fountains and ball washers
will not be allowed to become dirty.
It is impossible to maintain turf
around drinking fountains and ball
washers, so many greenkeepers improve the looks of these areas by applying crushed stone, or by building concrete walks in these areas.
Higher standards of golf course maintenance than ever before are being insisted upon today by the players of a
private course.
There is, in my opinion, a wide field
for a competent, well trained greenkeeper, who is experienced in the art
of maintaining fine turf, and is a business-like manager.

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Woburn, Massachusetts

CARRY ON
by Ray Granger

Greenkeeper, Newport (R. I.) C. C.
During the past few years the attention of all persons connected with the
operation of golf clubs throughout the
country has been focused on the many
manifestations of a change in the old
order of things regarding golf course
management.
My attention has been attracted by
the increasing number of articles appearing in various publications regarding this inevitable change, now slowly
gaining momentum, and which, in the
not far distant future, will prove to be
of vital importance to the future status
of those persons now holding supervisory positions at golf clubs.
The primary factor responsible for
the appearance of these articles is undoubtedly the present period of depression, with its attendant demand for
economy in all things. The situation in
the golf field today presents a vivid
picture of the need of evolution to a
higher plane, of the antiquated methods
of management. Most greenkeepers
have recognized the need of a change
to more sound business standards in the
interests of efficiency and economy.
That they are not alone in recognizing
this need of new methods, is evidenced
by the aforementioned articles, most of
which are written by various club officers and persons who are otherwise interested in a more sound golf structure.
A current example of a sign of changing times may be mentioned in the increased desire of professionals and
stewards to acquire a working knowledge
of greenkeeping, in order that they may,
to quote a recent item, be of more service to their clubs. That our co-workers
in the pro shop and clubhouse should be
interested in the future workings of
their club, is perfectly natural as it
should be. Having the best interests of
their clubs at heart, they should be just
as quick as we greenkeepers in sensing
the need for a change which will react
to the benefit of the clubs and golf in
general.
This change of which I write, is the
employing of a general manager to
supervise the entire club plant. These
two words in themselves, have in the
past been shunned as some particularly
awesome bugbear in most quarters, and
were not to be mentioned out loud in
any event. Times change, however, and

with more clubs each year placing their
plants under the control of one operating head, the old general manager
"skeleton" has lost its power of frightening us by being carried out in the
sunlight. Now that this has been accomplished, let us take a more intimate
look at the situation.
When the time comes for the selecting of a general manager at the average
club, the officials most concerned will
undoubtedly, choose their man from the
time-honored triumvirate, namely the
pro, the steward and the greenkeeper.
I make this assumption with the knowledge in mind that in most instances a
.
man can be selected from this group
of experienced supervisors to efficiently
fill the office of general manager. In
making this statement I have paved the
way for an argument with the type of
club official who still thinks of his greenkeeper as a person who has attained
the peak of his intellectual usefulness
in keeping the weekly payroll straight.
In this regard I have in mind an
article accorded prominent space in the
current (February) issue of a golfing
publication, in which the author goes
to some considerable length in telling
of his accomplishments in reducing golf
course maintenance costs; some of the
methods used being very creditable and
in constant daily use by greenkeepers.
However, the point I wish to bring out
as being pertinent to the present discussion, is contained in the closing paragraphs of the paper in question.
The article naturally carries the
authors signature but does not state
the position he holds at his particular
club, and it is only near the end of his
discourse that his possible status is de- ^ ^ k
fined. From his article I would take
him to be a club official of the type
mentioned above, one who would be
skeptical in looking for his general
manager among the present employees
of his club. In bearing out my supposition in regard to this gentleman, I quote
from that part of his discourse where
he mentions the distressing financial
conditions of clubs in general due to
the depression; "For those larger and
wealthier clubs who can afford an expert manager or a highly paid greenkeeping specialist whose work is really
managerial, the situation is not as serious as for the smaller club. In many
small clubs the situation is desperate.
There almost invariably the greenkeeper works right on the course with his
men, and his days are too full to permit

of anything more than day to day maintenance. Assuming that he has _ the
ability, the experience, and the inclination, it is not reasonable to expect
him to work half the night and weekends on course economies and attend
to daily maintenance as well.—It is a
specialists job."
It is hard to picture anyone in the
capacity of greens chairman in this enlightened day, propounding such ancient
axioms. His greenkeeper is so busy
doing manual labor on the course that
he can give no time to course economies
or planning for the future. After readJI*. ing that I am firmly convinced that
there are such things as ghosts, for
surely this is a message from the dead.
It does not seem possible that an intelligent chairman would think of inserting
such a statement in an article designed
to be of service in rationally cutting
course costs. To pay a man a superintendent's salary and then have him
spend his time laboring with the men
under him, thereby increasing labor
costs, does not resemble economy in
any respect; and in this case as in all
others, the need has arisen for intelligent forethought and planning beyond
the daily routine requirements.
The gentleman suggests as his solution of this problem that certain groups
of clubs in given localities secure the
services of an expert maintenance man
to advise them and help them out of
their difficulties. Here again, economy
is conspicously absent, and I venture to
say will not be found in that direction.
When a club hires a greenkeeper today
it expects him to be competent to deal
with any economic problem that may
arise and thereby obviate the necessity
of spending additional funds for outside
help.
I have mentioned the incident of this
recent article because it has a direct
bearing on the matter of general management from the greenkeepers standpoint. It proves to us that there are
still some chairmen who underrate the
ability and accomplishments of the
average greenkeeper and who are in
need of further enlightening in the
matter. Until all clubs are made to
realize the importance of the greenkeeper in relation to the whole structure
of golf, the greenkeeper will not be
able to share equally in an opportunity
for further advancement. The work of
the various greenkeeping organizations
throughout the country has been of inestimable value along this line and they

will prove to be the vital power behind
the future rise of greenkeepers to
higher places.
I think that a great deal of good
could be accomplished right now by
having those in our ranks who have won
through to managership, and possibly
some out side authority, speak to us
occasionally on the problems and developments within that sphere. Personally I think the time is ripe to vary
our discussion of turf problems with
those of general management.
We all have our ideas of the requirements of the general manager's position
and it will be to our advantage to add
to this knowledge as much as possible.
We all know more or less of the duties
of the pro and the steward, just as they
know our duties to a certain extent.
These two men possess certain advantages that the greenkeeper does not
have. Not the least of these advantages
is the one of close contact with the club
members. The greenkeeper on the other
hand, has an all powerful advantage in
that a thorough knowledge of his work
is a prime requisite for successful management.
At most clubs the golf course represents the major investment and is the
primary reason for the clubs existence.
To say that a manager, lacking greenskeeping experience, would be handicapped, would be stating the case very
mildly indeed. He would be handicapped at the outset in selecting a
greenkeeper to work under him. In endeavoring to fathom the ability of a
greenkeeper, we immediately enter a
realm where the earmarks of ability or
inefficiency are not always at once apparent. A prolonged period of conjecture as to the ability of a greenkeeper
on the part of a manager, through his
own lack of knowledge of the work,
may easily prove to be a very costly
guess to the club. The greenkeeper,
while working with soil, and to "most
people this is a hidden medium, may
employ cultural practices which will
have a direct bearing on the condition
of the course, good or otherwise, for
years to come. The manager who is
not equipped to foresee and forestall
any possible error on the part of his
greenkeeper can hardly be successful.
The problems of bookkeeping and
cost accounting usually lay within the
province of the manager. The requirements in this department are also of
vital importance. The experience of
the greenkeeper in budgeting the golf

course expenditures and keeping his
own cost records should be a great help
in understanding the financial structure
of the club. The degree in which he
applies himself in assimilating knowedge of club financing, will be a prime
governing factor in his climb to the
top, for this department requires much
more than a cursory knowledge of
simple cost recording.
The last requirement of managership
is one of varying importance, but still
must be given due consideration. It
has to deal with personal appearance
and habits of speech and dress. The
general manager must be equipped personally to meet the members of his club
on a common ground of dignity and intelligence. His bearing must be of such
calibre that it will lend weight to his
views concerning matters of club affairs which he may bring before the
board of governors.
In closing I call particular attention
to the accomplishments of the greenkeeper in this regard. The transition
of the greenkeeper's state of lowly subservience of past years to the present
high plane of dignified culture and intelligence, coupled with the very evident high standing which the members
of our profession have attained in the
economic and social life of their respective communities, bears splendid
witness to the fact that through the
years we have kept in step with the
march of time.
Carry on.

We do not hesitate to recommend this
book as a very practical and helpful
addition to our profession. Copies may
be obtained by writing either of the
authors at Amherst.
CORRECTION

We are pleased to correct a misstatement in our February issue in the
outline, "Control of Weeds in T u r f "
presented at the Rhode Island State
College by Dr. Odland. The information given under "Most troublesome
weeds" was gathered by Mr. Fred V.
Grau of the Maryland Experiment Station for the Green Section with the
cooperation of the University of Maryland. The list of weeds under "Pastures" is also given incorrectly. It
should read: Thistles, Plantains, Dandelion, Ragweeds, Rumex sp. We are indebted to Mr. Grail and to Dr. Odland
for calling these mistakes to our notice.
Howard Farrant reports
ter at the Country Club
work; filling in seventeen
over the steeple chase
roughing out a new green
rose ninth.

a busy Winwith various
traps, fixing
course, and
on the Prim-

We are pleased to note that the
Green Section is well represented in
New England, with recent appointments
to its Advisory Committee of Frank
NEW BOOK OF INTEREST
Wilson of Charles River, John Shanahan of Braeburn, and C. Adrian Sawyer, Jr., chairman of the greens comA recent book which should be in mittee at Braeburn.
every greenkeeper's library is "Soil
Management for Greenkeepers", by Dr.
M. H. Cubbon and Professor M. J.
Dr. Howard Sprague of the New
Markuson of the Massachusetts State Jersey
Experiment Station
College Faculty. This book is written is to beAgricultural
speaker at our April meetin a manner which is both easy to under- ing. Wetheexpect
Mr. Herbert Jaques,
stand and interesting, and contains
of the U. S. G. A. also to be
much of the work presented by the president
Plan to attend this last inauthors in their work with greenkeepers present.
door meeting for several months.
during the Winter Schools.
Part one of this book is devoted to a
study of soils and fertilizers and has
much of value to anyone who is to use
Doctor: "At each meal you are to
the soil or fertilizer. The second part is have
a bit of lettuce, some dry toast,
devoted to a consideration of drainage, and peas."
and the material presented is of value
to anyone who may be interested in
Sick Recruit: "When do I take it,
this subject.
sir—before or after meals?"

Don't Starve the Grass
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131 B E V E R L Y S T R E E T
Boston, Mass.

The NEW Toro 3"Unit Power
Greensmower

ERE is the latest and by far the most improved high-grade power putting green mower.
H
Cuts a swath fifty inches in width. Greens can

Rear mower raises clear and 2 front mowers
fold up for quick, easy transportation.

December 20th, 1932

Qentlemen:During the past three (I) months I'have baa
on trial at The Olympic club at lakeside a Tore
power Gang Putting Mower. This machine hae been
given an extensive trial and hae been ueed under all
.cpnd it i one , both normal and wet greens, and have
round it to be perfectly satisfactory and certainly
a great savings in green cutting e.tpenee, - and
example of this is as follows. Our Ho. 18 Green
on the Ocean, Course has an approximate arsa of 0500
tting it by a hand greer

•ily t

Personally, I-am more than grateful to
Mr. Biabop for the time and interest shown to prove
the amount of time and labor that it would save.
In fact, its performance has been eo good that I
am malting errangemsnts to pirohase three (3) nor> in
the near future and by doing this I will save
approximately (300.00 per month in labor on the '
Also, I have discussed with several of the
Clubs in the Bay area the possibility of their
installing this aquipmant, and have advissd Mr,
Bishop that I will be more than pleaBed to cooperate
--"i any of the Greens Comnittees at the other Clubs
i giving a demons
t any t

The Olympic Club at LakeSida

be mowed in one-fourth the time formerly required ... without loss in quality of smooth cutting.
The three wheel feature is highly important because the two front mowers are connected to the
front wheel frame and are steered by the same
action which guides the machine. This permits
accurate control, together with the ability to make
short turns. The two front mowers being placed
ahead and in direct line of vision of the operator
enable him to follow the cutting swath easily.
The mowers are mounted so as to provide full
floating action instantly, yielding to the undulations of the ground. There is no possible chance
of scalping the turf.
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Get full information about this and other Toro
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New England Toro Company
1 1 2 1 W a s h i n g t o n Street
W e s t N e w t o n , Massachusetts