Ho¥ember Í97S

ourse «Superintendents
OF

N E W

E N G L A N D ,

^Association
I N C .

Sponsors a n d administrators of the Lawrence S.
Dickinson Scholarship Fund — A w a r d e d yearly
to deserving Turf M a n a g e m e n t Students.

More Thou Just A Lawn Service
A shocking revelation has been unearthed by Herb Graffis, the
eminent senior editor of Golfdom magazine. While researching
the cost of his personal lawn maintenance program for the year,
Herb discovered that if his figure per acre were spent on his
country club course conditioning arrangement the budget for one
season would be $467,543.60.
Now, that's an astounding outlay. What superintendent
wouldn't relish the opportunity to start with more than four
hundred grand in the till before he sweeps one green?
The reason behind Graffis' unusual tinkering with figures is
elementary. He wanted to emphasize the fact that supers actually
are giving country club members a bargain in keeping the
nation's fairways and greens playable. He also had in the back of
his mind an instrument of awakening for those golfers who are
unaware of the amount of time, expertise, planning and money
that go into the maintenance program of a course. Alas, some
people still think that the course maintains itself.
In light of this meaningful projection, it still is a mystery why a
number of clubs and public layouts are looking to a slash in the
maintenance budget for the coming year. A quick survey shows
that clubs feeling the pinch of an uncertain economy are looking
for relief from a source sorely in need of an increase in operating
funds, rather than a cutback.
Strange are the ways of certain country clubs.
Some actually attempt to pay Peter while cheating Paul. It has
been learned that maintenance budgets face the cutback knife
because of failures in other phases of the country club operational
program. If, for example, the club dining room loses "X" number
of dollars the deficit is made up by slashing budgets in other

NEXT MEETING

HOPEDALE C X .
NOV. 4, 1975
TIMES

DIRECTIONS

Directors Meeting
Regular Meeting
Golf
Dinner

10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
5:00 p.m.

From Route 405 take Milford
exit. This is Route 100 and 10.
Go through Milford into Hopedale
then left on Route 16 at Gulf
station. Club is 1 mile down the
road.

areas. Unfortunately, the first well to be tapped is the most important of the entire setup — the funds required to keep the course
in as good a playing condition as possible.
Not only have these clubs set the maintenance budget as the
target for cutback in the coming year, there has been evidence
that some have taken upon themselves the audacity to slash
budgets in the middle of the season!
One of the areas of the superintendent's conditioning process
hard hit in this manner is his labor pool. There have been instances when summer help has been cut from the payroll a full
month in advance of the normal labor force reduction date.
"It's a shame that this has to happen," one superintendent
states. "Obviously, the sudden reduction in help makes it
necessary for me to change my maintenance program. And,
obviously, the course suffers. You cannot complete the job of two
men with one pair of hands. The result is a slowdown in my
timetable and eventual damage to the course."
Another horrendous result of mid-season labor slashes is the
effect such cutbacks has on the future. If a superintendent draws
his summer help from a pool of experienced workers (college
students and retired persons are usually its makeup), there is a
good chance those people will think twice before signing on when
another summer rolls around. Some of these workers base their
own lifestyle budgets on the money they earn in the summer
months. They can't afford to take the chance they will be relieved
of duty at the height of their earning power period.
The maintenance budget, then, is under attack again. It
sometimes is ironic, too, that a superintendent doing a good job
can suffer because of his efficiency. The average golfer sees the
condition of the course thriving and automatically suggests that
the same level of condition can be maintained with a reduction in
the financial means at the super's command.
They should make note of Graffis' deductions and realize that
the job the superintendent does is more than just a lawn service.
Gerry Finn

CHRISTMAS PARTY
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5,1975
CHESTNUT i H COUNTRY CLUB
D E A L E R S COCKTAIL HOUR
DINNER & DANCING

7-8
0-12

A n y friend of the association w i s h i n g to s p o n s o r the
C o c k t a i l H o u r please n o t i f y Pete C o s t s at 5 6 6 - 0 2 4 0
or 3 5 9 - 7 2 4 7 .

Çoff

Course

Superintendents

sAssociation•

It's For The Real Birds Too
Welcome to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
The British-based organization is one of the fastest-growing
groups of its kind. At latest count it had enlisted the aid and interest of over 170,000 bird fanciers, lovers and just plain watchers.
Its purpose is to encourage conservation of wild birds by
developing public interest in their beauty and place in nature.
One of its wings, so to speak, is a publication — naturally called
"Birds". Through the written word it has spread the gospel of
RSPB and enlisted responses in letter form from a number of
people. Occasionally, the magazine tosses out a loaded question
or statement to get the pulse beat of the populace.
One of the more interesting issues surfaced earlier this year
when a letter was printed criticizing the growth of golf courses
because of the adverse effect it had on the preservation of habitat
for birds such as the skylark, wood warbler, nightingale,
yellowhanmier. whitethroat and others familiar to the British
Isles' scene.
The letter brought immediate rebuttal from golf lovers who, in
turn by their reaction, revealed that they also were bird lovers.
One gentleman wrote:
"I would suggest that the golf course is one of the last havens for
wildlife of all kinds. The courses are patrolled only by the golfers
and the greenkeeper's staff and since the single aim of the player
is to keep to the straight and narrow, the scrub and trees are
seldom, if ever, visited. The only occasions on which this does not
apply are perhaps public holidays when there may be some
trespassing.
"I and my friends play at 7 a.m. in the summer and as early as
the light will allow in winter and I can assure you that the sounds
and sights of birds to be seen and heard are abundant and
beautiful.
NOTICE
The USGA Greens Section Educational Conf.
is to be held at the Biltmore Hotel, Madison
Ave. and 43rd St., New York City on Friday,
Jan. 30, 1976.

disturb the normal existence of wildlife. But, in most cases, their
architects realize the value of leaving substantial areas untouched or transplanting them so that they may become havens
themselves."
Another writer unloads:
"The heavily used public course at which I play seems to my
untrained eye to hold a selection and number of birds equal to
equivalent farmland. Skylarks in particular are quite abundant.
"Many odd corners of a golf course remain out of reach of the
wildest stroke and therefore provide undisturbed habitat for
birds. In any case I have noticed that birds on golf courses
become less nervous of people than is usual, no doubt due to being
ignored by preoccupied golfers. I have seen a pair of magpies
nesting within six yards of a green."
The presentation of the above letters and corresponding
mention of the RSPB movement is noteworthy here because of the
part our own golf courses are playing in the preservation of
wildlife. Likewise, it should be brought to the attention of all that
the golf course superintendent (or most of the breed) is a bird
lover and environmentalist in his own right.
Recent tales from supers and country club members in
reference to the concern shown on the course for the well being of
certain wildlife should emphasize that the golf course has a strong
and meaningful place in the makeup of nature.
There are birdies on the course and there are birds on it, too. It
appears the two are compatible, one more reason to raise the
contention that golf is nature's very own game.
Gerry-Finn-

PRO-SUPT. T O U R N A M E N T RESULTS
GROSS
7374 757777 77-R

WET
John Dolan-Bluik
Peter Brusis-Ryan
M. Hermanson-Debie
l a r k Taylor-Mellon
Dave Barber-Browning
Marcus-Samson

81 - 6 6
78 - 0 8
83 - 6 8
77 - 6 9
77 - 7 0
77 - 7 1

Bob Johnston-Dirico
N. Mucciarone-Doyle
Frank Santos-Madson
D o n Hearn-Browning
L. Blodgett-Shea
A . Washburn-Peterson

President

First Vice 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 G o l f 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 & Tennis C l u b

MAX MIERZWA
DAVE BARBER
1 0 6 Crestwood Street
1 Muriel R o a d
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 l a n d C o u n t r y C l u b

Trustee

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

DONALDHEARN
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

—

O F

NEW

E N G L A N D ,

I N C .

Sound O f f
(Those words of wisdom are about to flow once more. This is
Sound O f f , the vehicle which runs wild each month in the
Newsletter. The feature is for the reader, who we hope, will
become the writer and transfer his or her knowledge to all of us.
The ground rules are simple. Letters must be accompanied by the
name and address of the sender. In turn, the Newsletter will
withhold either or both upon request. All letters should be sent to
Newsletter Mail Bag, 290 North St., Sudbury, Mass. 01776. The
Newsletter reserves the right to comment on all letters.)

"This is in no way offered to promote sympathy. Rather, it is
intended to straighten out those golfers who take time to criticize
a course when it is not at its peak of condition and are ignorant of
the fact that it enjoyed marvelous condition most of the year."
NAME WITHHELD
Club Withheld
The so-called "guests" must be great members wherever they
belong. But it's the same' old story. The complaints come on loud
and strong. The raves are mere whispers.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I couldn't help but recall that in a Newsletter I read about the
club, it must have been a month or so ago, some startling figures
were accumulated during the heavy rainfall we experienced this
summer.
"It also was startling to me, being a novice in the art of growing
grass, that rain sometimes can be a definite destructive force to
the conditioning process on a golf course.
"When I was young and living on a farm, we were taught to
pray for rain and sunshine. However, after seeing some of the
rain that fell here, it would seem that many prayers were offered
by someone.
"Was that big rainfall of summer that much of a bother to the
golf course superintendent?"
R. G. CONNORS
Winthrop, Mass.

"Recently your Gerry Finn wrote about the increasing
responsibilities of the golf course superintendent in regard to his
overseeing the maintenance program of country club tennis
courts. I agree with the fact presented but I am not quite clear as
to the unusual tag placed on it. He wrote the article as if the
superintendent was not supposed to serve the needs of all country
club members.
"Perhaps there is a matter of interpretation present here. I am
not at fault with the article so much as I am at fault with the
assumption that the country club is for golfers only.
"With the increase in interest in tennis all over the world, it is
only natural for tennis players to seek facilities and environment
of their own choosing. Many country clubs have constructed
additional tennis courts and some are offering memberships on a
tennis-social basis.
"Therefore, I would assume that tennis members receive the
same
considerations and services that golfers do. This should
The rain probably made for one of the most testing seasons ever
it?"
for the superintendent, although its fall varied. . . even from include the service of the superintendent, too, shouldn't
CRAIG JOHNSTON
community to community. By the way, here are some new ones
Somers, Conn.
for you! The rainfall for September was 9.22 inches compared to a
norm of 3.71 inches. On one day, it totalled 3.21 inches. So, the
Your gripe should be with your club, Craig. It probably has
assault carried over into fall!
added the responsibility of maintaining tennis courts to the
superintendent without adding the means with which he can
accomplish the job.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I would appreciate the deletion of my name on this matter.
"Obviously, I am upset because of some recent criticism of the
course at my club where I am the superintendent.
"Let me rephrase that a bit. The criticism didn't originate from
the members at the club, but from a few outsiders who played the
course in a member-guest tournament.
"I am irritated by it because I think the remarks are unfair in
light of the circumstances that caused slight damage to a couple
of our fairways during that period of wet wilt and rot when I was
lucky the course wasn't washed away.
"The criticism got back to me in late September. Apparently,
the players had seen the course at its worst, I mean patches of
rotted turf here and there. I admit that at the time the course
wasn't a national velvet advertisement.
"What irked me, though, was the fact that the course was in top
condition most of the summer, returning to that state in September. I thought it might have been in the best shape ever. Then,
because of a few people who played it once, the criticism came
and really hurt.
Golf Chairman

Educational Chairman

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
145 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 Chairman
THOMAS SCHOFIELD
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 Affiliation
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
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

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I enjoy your Newsletter when I get a chance to read it.
"Anyway, I was interested in the feature about setting up a golf
course for a tournament and some of the reaction by superintendents. It seems to me the welfare of the course should come
before the welfare of a name professional's reputation. I wouldn't
want to see our course ruined for the rest of the season just for the
sake of watching a few birdies for four days."
PAULJUSTUS
Quincy, Mass.
Then you agree with us, Paul. We think the same way.
(That puts the windup sign on things for this time. Remember to
get into the swing of Sound O f f . Your letters keep this feature
going, so let's hear from you.)
I n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a i n e d i n t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n m a y b e i^sed
f r e e l y , in w h o l e o r in p a r t , w i t h o u t s p e c i a l p e r m i s s i o n a s l o n g
as t h e t r u e c o n t e x t is m a i n t a i n e d . W e w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e a
credit line.

P ù x t e e

Alfco, Inc.
Fertilizers and Chemical Specialties
P. O. Box 267, Marietta, Ohio
Baker Tractor Corp., Ford Tractors
Harley Davidson Golf Cars
Swansea, Massachusetts
Chanderlin Seed Co., Inc., Division of
L o f t s Pedigreed Seed, Inc.,
20 Beck R o a d Arlington, Mass. 0 2 1 7 4
J o e Moran — R e p .
T h e Charles C. Hart Seed Co.
Wethersfield, C o n n .
J a m e s R . Fitzroy, R e p .
Bus. (203) - 5 2 9 - 2 5 3 7
*The Clapper Co.
1 1 2 1 Washington St.
West N e w t o n , Mass.
* G e o f f r e y S. Cornish & William G. R o b i n s o n
Golf Course Architects
Fiddlers-Green, A m h e r s t , Mass. 0 1 0 0 2
George E . Cull
Terra-Green Soil Conditioner
112 Green St., A b i n g t o n , Mass.
C. S. Curran
T. R . C. Products, Oils and Greases
7 Linden St., F r a m i n g h a m , Mass.
E-Z-Go Golf Car
Sales - Service - Rentals
Polaris / E-Z-Go Northeast
Box 817
N o r t h F a l m o u t h , Mass. 0 2 5 5 6
F a r m B u r e a u Association
158 Lexington St., Waltham, Mass. 0 2 1 5 4
F r e d Heyliger, Representative
Bus. 893-3570 H o m e 7 7 2 - 3 6 0 5
R o n Gagne - Scotts Golf Course Div.
5 Kendall Park, N o r t o n , Mass.
617-285-7466

fiaimmje

FRIENDS

THE

A S S O C I A T I O N

Gold Star Sod Farms, Inc.
Sod & Pine Bark Mulch
Canterbury, N e w Hampshire
1-800-528-5205

New England Power Sweeping Co. Inc.
Parking Lots and R o a d w a y s
187 South Street
N e e d h a m , Mass. 0 2 1 9 2
Jack Kidd Phone 3 3 2 - 1 4 5 1

Grounds E q u i p m e n t Co., Inc.
3 8 3 Boylston St., N e w t o n Cen., Mass.

New England Sealcoating Co., Inc.
Tennis Court Const, and Maintenance
Sealcoating — Hingham Industrial Center
Hingham, Mass. Tel. 7 4 9 - 3 2 3 6

Gull Agricultural Service Co.
M e n 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
Holliston Sand C o m p a n y , Inc.
Lowland Street, Holliston, Mass. 0 1 7 4 6
Sand for Golf Bunkers and Traps
Irrigation & E q u i p m e n t Supply Co.
P. O. Box 147 R o u t e 1
Walpole, Mass. 0 2 0 8 1
Tel. 6 1 7 - 6 6 8 - 7 8 1 4
K e n n e t h Barrie Corp.
249 Milton St. D e d h a m , Mass 0 2 0 2 6
Tel. (617) 3 6 4 - 3 3 3 3
* T o m Irwin, Inc.
I I B A Street
Burlington, Mass.
Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc.
Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative
15 L o n g m e a d o w Drive, C a n t o n , Mass.
L a r c h m o n t Irrigation Co.
L a r c h m o n t Ln., Lexington, Mass.
Lee Lime Corp.
Lee, Mass. (413) 2 4 3 - 0 0 5 3
2 Special Spreaders designed
for Golf Courses
R e p . Bill Kershlis 4 1 3 - 2 5 3 - 7 4 8 5
Mallinckrodt, Inc.
Second and Mallinckrodt Streets
St. Louis, Missouri 6 3 1 4 7
Magovern C o m p a n y , Inc.
L a w n Acre R o a d
Windsor L o c k , C o n n .

* Contributors to the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund

Sudbury, Mass. 01776
Phone 443-3712
Club Affiliation
Weilesley Country Club
DONALD HBAftN
Business Manager
LEON ST. PIERRE I
Co-ordinator
GERRY FINN
Contributing Editor

OF

Old F o x Chemical Inc.
Fertilizers — Seeds — Turf Chemicals
66 Valley Street
East Providence, R h o d e Island 0 2 9 1 4
Sil Paulini, Inc.
6 Manor Avenue
Natick, Mass. 0 1 7 6 0
Richcy iv' Clapper, inc.
28 Rutledge R o a d
Natick, Mass. 0 1 7 6 0
Trencher & E q u i p m e n t Leasing, Inc.
Ditch Witch Trenchers
38 Fairview St., A g a w a m , Mass. 0 1 0 0 1
Phone 413-786-8600
*Sawtelle Brothers
5 6 5 H u m p h r e y Street
S w a m p s c o t t , Mass.
Tel. 6 1 7 / 5 9 9 - 4 8 5 6
T u c o Products Co.
Division of the U p j o h n C o m p a n y
K a l a m a z o o , Michigan
David Sylvester
203-828-3790
White Turf Engineering
5 Sumner Drive, W i n c h e n d o n , Mass. 0 1 4 7 5
617-297-0941
Philip A. Wogan
Golf Course Architect
21 Budleigh Ave., Beverly, Mass.