MARCH 1977 ourSe Superintendents ?upi OF NEW E N G L A N D , Siociation INC. Sponsors and administrators of the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund — Awarded yearly to deserving Turf Management Students. The Educationoi Explosion Certainly, members of the New England wing of the Golf Course Superintendents of America aren't lacking for want of educational outlets during March. No sooner will Joe Troll's three-day Massachusetts Turf Conference wrap up before the Massachusetts Golf Association puts its one-day Spring Conference out there for inspection and indulgence. The Massachusetts Turf affair is going into the larger and more practical Springfield Civic Center, March 2-3-4. The following day the MGA will have its show at the Marriott in Newton. Dr. Troll thinks he has the roots for the biggest and best of his annual presentations. He will have 22 speakers in all with a new twist coming on banquet night when a former golf course superintendent - Andrew Bertoni - tops the evening as the entertainment feature. There is room for 150 exhibit booths at the spacious Springfield Civic Center. At press time, Dr. Troll had 100 booths sold and hoped to round it off at 125. "I certainly am enthused as ever going into this conference," Joe explained. "We have something for everyone, including our first woman speaker. The superintendents should be interested in her topic, too, since she will be speaking on public relations between woman golfers and the golf course super. She's Miss Kay Kennedy and she's listed out of Vero Beach, Florida." Even though it falls along other lines, the appearance of horticultural expert Dr. Richard Baker is sure to turn some heads and grab some attention. Dr. Baker heads up the force that maintains the Arlington National Cemetery, one of the most famous of its kind. Dr. Troll adds that another speaker might even give our own organization a spiritual lift. He's Paul Borzelli of Fidler's Elbow, New Jersey. Borzelli had a large hand in the reorganization of the New Jersey Golf Course Superintendents Association which went into a district concept a few years ago and has become all the better for it. The MGA's lineup is just as interesting and intriguing. Richard Haskell, executive director of the sponsoring group, says that superintendents will be most interested in two particular phases of the program. One deals with cart paths and the other with irrigation systems and water. "We all know that golf carts are here to stay, whether we like them or not," Haskell remarks. "And with them have come cart paths which present a whole new problem in themselves. For example, how far do we go in the construction of golf paths? First of all, there is the aesthetic effect on the rest of the course. Are we content to have an asphalt jungle out there on the golf course? Then, too, there is the expense involved in building and maintaining the cart paths. We could stay on that subject for hours." The irrigation phase of maintenance certainly is one which has caught attention and comment along the way. "Some clubs actually are finding that their water bills are going out of sight," Haskell reminds. "So, they have had to discipline the use of the irrigation system. They also must look into storage problems and other associated things that surface in trying to make the grass stay green." Away from the immediate interest of the superintendent, the conference will touch on other subjects. Haskell calls one, "the traffic builder." He cites the attempt of golf clubs to get people to patronize them and their facilities. "There are methods in encouraging members to patronize the club," he tells. "Then, we are planning to do something with the social end of the golf club and even touch on the food operation. It is a well-rounded show all right." So, the educational explosion is upon the New England golf course superintendent. He doesn't have to go far to take in a plethora of subject matter, all helpful in his position as an integral part of the force which brings all this recreation and competition to the member. Gerry Finn University of Massachusetts Fine Turf Conference And Industrial Show March 2-4, 1977 Springfield Civic Center Springfield, Mass. M G A Spring Conference March 5, 1977 Marriott Hotel, Newton, Mass. ourAe ^SLper in ten den ts ocia tion Setting A Foster Pace In the spring of our bicentennial year, or 1976 on your last season's calendar, the Massachusetts Golf Association placed a double theme on its agenda. First order of goals was to spread enough influence and example to speed up play. Secondly, the MGA set out to encourage a reduction in golf course maintenance. MGA Executive Director Richard Haskell was asked to comment on the results of this two-pronged drive. And, if anything, the reply was as expected. Generally, the MGA noticed "an improvement in the pace of the golfer, and, likewise, it was discovered that golf clubs were becoming aware of the flexibility required in making budgets work. "We took a 'do as I do, not do as I say' approach in trying to promote speedier play on the golf courses," Haskell reported. "The obvious method was to start improving our own house. So, we made it a point to emphasize the pace of play in our own tournaments. For the most part, I would say we accomplished something along faster-play lines. However, this is something that will take a long time in effecting." Haskell makes it plain that the MGA is not about to become a dictatorial power and make demands on golf clubs. "We realize that a private club or public course can do as they please as far as determining how fast or slow they'll play," Haskell explained. "After all, it's the club's own business as to what it will and wants to do in speeding up play. There are clubs that are perfectly satisfied to have members take up to five or more hours to play a round of golf. If that is all right with them, who are we to try and change their ways?" There was an overall speed-up mood on the private club and public course level, according to the MGA. "What we did was to make clubs and courses aware of the problem," Haskell continued. "Just making them conscious of the fact was enough to notice a slight pick-up of the playing pace. Sometimes mere suggestion makes people move." The MGA executive director also had an interesting comment on the observation of the golf pace problem. "Remember," he cautioned, "for the most part, golf pace is like 5 o'clock traffic. You don't notice the slow pace or, rather, there is hardly reason to notice it during the week because the rush hours occur on Saturday and Sunday when the courses are crowded. Of course, tournament play anytime can be a problem as far as getting the players over the course in a reasonable amount of time." Yet, Haskell added that a recent MGA survey of golf club presidents revealed that slow play was listed 50 percent of the time as one of the things they were concerned with. Therefore, it will continue to be one of the MGA's objectives for the coming season. "There are a number of factors influencing the pace of play," Haskell remarked. "And one of them is the upswing of senior golf. Now, I don't mean to say that the seniors are the reason for slow play. But, they are part of the overall picture, one that can improve much more in 1977." The maintenance situation is still another avenue on which the MGA travels lightly. Again, it has no intention of setting up a standard of fiscal outlay for the average golf club or public course. And it repeats that a golf club's budget is its own business. "We just hope the clubs are fiscally aware of the dangers evident in a wildfire spending spree in order to upgrade services," Haskell mentioned. "Although we consider service to be First Vice President WAYNE ZOPPO 9A Village Green North E. Providence, R.I. 02915 Home Phone 434-1759 Office Phone 434-8512 Club Affiliation Agawam Hunt an important aspect of golf club living, we don't think it should be exploited to the point where it might put you out of business." The reduced maintenance theme has been a matter of individual club involvement. Some have decided to cut back on fine preparation of the playing area and saved money in the process. But others have not seen fit to make any appreciable change. The MGA's opinion on the maintenance schedule and program is one of practicality. "We think more emphasis should be placed on the condition of the course than on the beautification of it," Haskell concluded. "But, again, it's up to the individual club. And it always will be that way." Gerry Finn 1977 Golf Schedule April 4 Eastward Ho, Brian Cowan CGCS, Superintendent May 10 Woonsocket Country Club, George Marchedo, Superintendent June 13 Franklin Country Club, Gary Luccini, Superintendent July The Country Club, Pete Coste CGCS, Superintendent Aug. 8 Halifax Country Club, Frank Murphy, Superintendent Sept, 26 Hampden Country Club, Robert Johnston, Superintendent Oct. Brae Burn Country Club, Robert Grant CGCS, Superintendent Nov. 1 Hopedale Country Club, Ken Mooradian, Superintendent. Second Vice President DEAN ROBERTSON 24 Riverview Drive Newbury, Mass. 01950 Home Phone 462-4540 Office Phone 254-3678 Club Affiliation Chestnut Hill Country Club RONALD KIRKMAN, CGCS 25 Green St. Needham, Mass. 02192 Home Phone 444-8412 Office Phone 444-5548 Club Affiliation Needham Golf Club Finance Chairman DAVE BARBER 1 Muriel Road Chelmsford, Mass. 01824 Home Phone 256-4417 Office Phone 358-4882 Club Affiliation Wayland Country Club DONALDHEARN 4 Topeka Road Chelmsford, Mass. 01824 Home Phone 256-8709 Office Phone 894-5906 Club Affiliation Weston Golf Club PAUL JOHNSON RFD1 Locust St. Middleton, Mass. 01949 Home Phone 777-0902 Office Phone 777-1134 Club Affiliation Fern- "Country Club ARTHUR WASHBURN, CGCS 520 No. Main St. Cohasset, Mass. 02025 Home Phone 383-9532 Office Phone 383-1870 Club Affiliation Cohasset Golf Club MAX MIERZWA 106 Crest wood St. Chicopee, Mass. 01020 Home Phone 594-4996 Office Phone 592-9540 Club Affiliation Chicopee Country Club AL AUGER 3 Andover Rd. Beverly, Mass. 01915 Home Phone 927-0060 Office Phone 922-8511 Club Affiliation Folly Hill Country Club — — O F NEW E N G L A N D , INC. Course Conditioning For A USGA Championship Much has been written and/or anticipated about course conditioning for a USGA Championship. Course conditioning is the prime concern of the Green Section's eight agronomists who cover the entire country and work with golf clubs and all aspects of fine turfgrass management. When a course is selected for a USGA event, the Green Section Regional Director in that area is immediately notified. This normally is two years in advance of the tournament date. From that time on, visits are arranged with the Tournament Chairman, the Chairman of the Green Committee, and the Golf Course Superintendent. During the course of the two years, several on the site visits are made and close contact is kept with the course superintedent by phone or by mail in order to devise the very best program possible for the National Championship for that specific course. Every visit to a golf course is a stimulating experience. It is a study in techniques and management that are intricate and exacting and no two superintendents' programs are exactly alike. Therefore, it is a very delicate thing to make recommendations of any kind without considering the long term effects on the total program, on the course and upon the grasses involved. Most people know generally what the requirements for tournament play involve-close-cropped grasses throughout except in nontarget areas; greens that are fast and firm, meticulously groomed tees and fairways. Before making any recommendations, however, a thorough study of the course is first made. This includes a thorough discussion with the superintendent about all conditions observed during inspection of the course and his total management program. Once this is completed, then recommendations are discussed and the championship direction is decided upon with all agronomic considerations involved. After all, when the tournament is over, the course should be returned to the membership in as good or in better condition than it was before the championship was scheduled. Please note: THE GREEN SECTION AGRONOMISTS MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, they don't dictate the terms of management changes! For example, "Do you think you could safely condition greens to reduce the height of cut 1/32 to the area of 5/32 inch"? "Would you double-cut greens beginning with the practice round and throughout the tournament"? "Could you CONGRATULATIONS to Phil Cassidy, retired Superintendent at Weston Golf Club for being honored a 25 year member of GCSAA. CONGRATULATIONS to Brian Cowan, Superintendent at Eastward Ho for completing the requirements for Certification. Golf Chairman BRIAN COWAN Robins Way Harwich, Mass. 02645 Home Phone 432-9041 Office Phone 945-9230 Club Affiliation Eastward Ho Country Club Educational Chairman PETE COSTE, CGCS 89 Pleasant St. Medfield, Mass. 02052 Home Phone 359-7247 Office Phone 566-0240 Club Affiliation The Country Club Newsletter Chairman LARRY BUNN 145DedhamSt. Canton Mass. 02021 Home Phone 828-7266 Office Phone 828-6540 Club Affiliation Blue Hill Country Club Past President THOMAS CURRAN Fox Chase Rd. South Sutton, N.H. 03273 Home Phone 938-5436 Office Phone 863-4500 Club Affiliation Eastman Golf Club reduce the height of cut on fairways 1/8 to 1/4 inch during the entire competition"? "Would you contour this fairway slightly"? "Would you change your fertilizer program or water management program to insure firmer and tighter playing conditions"? It is a "give and take" process to assure that nothing is done that will cause the slightest turf injury. Most courses today are beautifully groomed so the changes involved are very slight and subtle differences from the norm. Surprisingly, many of the changes are retained because once a championship is played on a course, golfers remember every stroke and want to test their skills against the performance of favorite contestants. "Let me see now, Arnie drove the ball here. . . hah! I'm only 10 yards behind him . . . not bad for a once a week golfer, eh?" That drive is conversational fodder for father for a long time thereafter! Of course, no mention is made that "Pops" played the white tees! This article is designed to let you know what to expect should your club be selected to entertain a USGA Championship. It's a fun and learning experience for everyone involved. We of the Green Section staff always look forward to the challenge with anticipation, to the pleasure of working out intricate management problems on the site with the golf course superintendent, and to making friends with new people in this great game of golf. Alexander M. Radko National Director USGA Greens Section The Quantity of Roots Under Bluegrass One who has handled sod knows that the surface area under grass is full of roots, but few know the tremendous quantities of roots produced by such a plant as Kentucky bluegrass. Howard J. Dittmer studied this matter in Iowa and published his results in the American Journal of Botany, He also determined the quantity of roots produced by rye and oats, but our interests lies in his results with Kentucky bluegrass. Dittmer took soil samples 3 inches square and 6 inches deep. The soil was carefully washed away. All roots, no matter how small, were counted and representative lots were measured for length and diameter. From these figures it was calculated that the 84,000 separate roots found represented a total length of 1,250 feet with a total root surface of 332 square inches. Even the root hairs, the organs through which the plant absorbs water and nutrients, were counted. Kentucky bluegrass had in each soil sample an average of 51.5 millions of root hairs which, if extended in one line, would reach 32 miles, with a surface exposure of 18.9 square feet. Kentucky bluegrass had 12 times as many roots as rye, 6 times the root length and the roots had 5 times the surface area of those rye. His study showed one reason why Kentucky bluegrass is so much more effective in holding soil than rye or oats. Reprinted from Turf Culture April, 1939 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. W e would appreciate a credit line. P t e a d e f x t t n t o U f e FRIENDS OF THE ASSOCIATION Alfco, Inc. Fertilizers and Chemical Specialties P.O. Box 267, Marietta, Ohio Baker Tractor Corp., Ford Tractors Harley Davidson Golf Gars Swansea, Massachusetts 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. Wethersfleld, Conn. Bob Kennedy, Rep. Steve Hart, Rep. 203-529-2537 The Clapper Co. 1121 Washington St. West Newton, Mass. 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 Jack Krdd Phone 332-1451 Gull Agricultural Service Co. Allen Bonnell 617-362-2181 Joe Silk 617-784-3966 55 Freeman Road Yarmouthport, Mass. 02675 New England Sealcoating Co., Inc. Tennis Court Const, and Maintenance Sealcoating — Hingham Industrial Center Hingham, Mass. Tel. 749-3236 Holliston Sand Company, Inc. Lowland Street, Holliston, Mass. 01746 Sand for Golf Bunkers and Traps Old Fox Chemical Inc. Fertilizers - Seeds - Turf Chemicals 66 Valley Street East Providence, Rhode Island 02914 1 & E Supply, Inc. 66 Erna Ave. P.O. Box 9 Milford, Conn. 06460 Tele (203) 878-0658 P & L Equipment Corp. Golf Cars &-Comme?cial Turf Equipment 80 Lynde Street, Melrose, Mass. 02176 Phone 617-665-5990 Kenneth Barrie Corp. 249 Milton St., Dedham, Mass. 02026 Tel. (617) 364-3333 * Geoffrey S. Cornish & William G. Robinson Tom Irwin, Inc. Golf Course Architects 11B A Street Fiddlers Green, Amherst, Mass. 01002 Burlington, Mass. George E. Cull Terra-Green Soil Conditioner Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc. 112 Green St., Abington, Mass. Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative 15 Longmeadow Drive, Canton, Mass. C. S. Curran T. R. C. Products, Oils and Greases •* Larchmont Irrigation Co. 7 Linden St., Framingham, Mass. Larchmont Ln., Lexington, Mass. * E-Z-Go Golf Car Lee Lime Corp. Sales - Service - Rentals Lee, Mass. (413) 243-0053 Polaris/E-Z-Go Northeast 2 Special Lime Spreaders Box 817 Designed for Golf Courses North Falmouth, Mass. 02556 Rep. Bill Kershlis 413-253-7485 Farm Bureau Association 158 Lexington St., Waltham, Mass. 02154 Mallinckrodt, Inc. Fred Heyliger, Representative Second and Mallinckrodt Streets Bus. 893-3570 Home 772-3605 St. Louis, Missouri 63147 Scotts Pro-Turf Div. Rep. Ron Gagne 746-7000 Rep. Allen Cumps 413-253-2995 •St Gold Star Sod Farms, Inc. Sod & Pine Bark Mulch Canterbury, New Hampshire 1-800-528-5205 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 Magovern Company, Inc. Lawn Acre Road Windsor Lock, Conn. * D. L. Maher Box 127, Concord St. N. Reading, Mass. 01864 Tuco Products Co. Division of the Upjohn Company Kalamazoo, Michigan David Sylvester 203-828-3790 White Turf Engineering 5 Summer Drive, Winchendon, Mass. 01475 617-297-0941 Philip A. Wogan Golf Course Architect 21 Budleigh Ave., Beverly, Mass. * Contributors to the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund C f o f j (bourse ^>uperintendent3 - /tio< iu Iton OF NEW ENStANO, INC. LARRY BUNN Newsletter Committee Chairman 14S Dedham St. Canton, Mass. 02021 Home Phone 828-7266 Office Phone 828-6540 Club Affiliation Blue Hill Country Club DONALD HEARN Business Manager LEON ST. PIERRE Co-ordinator GERRY FINN Contributing Editor First Class U. S. Postage FIRST CLASS PAID Maynard, M A