ourie •Superintendents
OF

NEW

ENGLAND

^^IdAociation
N C

August 1978
Sponsors and administrators of the Lawrence S.
Dickinson Scholarship Fund — A w a r d e d yearly
to deserving Turf Management Students.

Tournament Pressure?
Are the pros and low ams the only victims of golf's tournament pressure?
How about the golf course superintendent . . . the club
manager ... the home pro?
One veteran super recently included everyone on the lot.
"When our member-guest tournament arrives, it's tension
time," he cracked. "Even the guy running the swimming pool
has to be on his toes. One of our greens fronts that area. And
when someone's putting, he has to hold up a 'quiet please' sign."
The latter might be a slight exaggeration. However, tournament time at the country club does present quite a challenge
to certain of those people connected with the golf operation. This
is especially true of the four-day, member-guest brand of
competition - that popular social-business-pleasure-obligatory
session highlighting the golfing season.
"For some members, our four-ball is a time for them to
showcase the course," one superintendent told. "And this is only
natural. One of the most popular topics of conversation among
golfers is their invidual courses arid the conditions of them.
Frankly, there's no special formula I have for bringing the
course to peak playing form and aesthetic height. But I'm aware
of the fishbowl nature of the place during a tournament."
Some tournament committees have the foresight to engage in
deep preparation for the annual member-guest or invitation whatever it is called. They meet with each head of the country
club operating wings in order to have a fluid motion to the
staging of the event. Such sessions are held well in advance of
play.
"I think advance preparation is the most important phase of
getting it all together," one pro commented. "There are so
many details to be studied and decisions which might seem
trivial but turn out to be major when they are put into practice
under game conditions.
"I remember one year our whole tournament was hanging
between success and failure because of the placement of tee
markers on a certain hole. We had altered it slightly from the
year before, moving the marker back about 15 yards. However,
those 15 yards meant that the average tee shot wouldn't carry an
extended rough area between the tee and fairway. Most of the
post-round conversation on the first day centered on those
markers. Somehow, they got changed in a hurry."
Can the super do anything to give that showcasing aspect
some appeal?
"Most of the big attractions to guests - the ones that they see
during their rounds and casual observations - are the results of
long-range planning by the golf committee and others involved
in maintenance and improvements," another superintendent
disclosed. "Sometimes a drain placed in a vital spot, maybe two
or three months before the tournament, proves to be the key in
the course holding the well-groomed look. As far as on-the-spot
pampering and crash-course improvements, it just can't be
done.
"Oh, sometimes we may spray the greens to fancy up their
color. But I find that extreme caution must be followed here.
I've seen cases where spray methods made the greens so green
that the rest of the course looked a sickly yellow by comparison.
As far as I'm concerned, the conditioning of the golf course is a
12-month process. If Mother Nature cooperates at opportune

times, we can give the members a good and pride-venting layout
when their guests come to play."
Tournament time also presents another form of cooperation that among the super, home pro and clubhouse manager. "We
all have to work together and sometimes a comment of
agreement from one or the other does magic with the overall
operation," our professional friend added. "I'm in closer oncourse contact with the members and their guests. And, if I can,
I direct my efforts toward a one-for-all, all-for-one existence for
myself, the superintendent and the manager."
Tournament pressure, then, does exist for those non-players
whose contributions are just as important as the birdies and
bogies out on the course. But as one super put it. . . "what the
hell; it's like this for me all the time. We still have to play golf
here, long before and long after a tournament."
Gerry Finn

Next
Meeting
September 118,1978
Vesper Country Club
Host Superintendent - Bert Frederick
Director's Meeting - 9:30 a.m.
Membership Meeting -11:00 a.m.
Lunch available at club
Golf -1:00 p.m.
Directions: Route 3 North to
Tyngsboro/Westford Road exit. Take
right at bottom of ramp. Go to next
stop light and take left. Go to next stop
light and take right over bridge.
Coming off bridge take first right.
Club on right about2 miles.
Tournament Format:
Superintendent/Superintendent
Championship
Make your own teams. Prizes for
Gross and Net.

(bourse

«Superintendents

^^Isdocialion

GM Concept a "Certainty'
According to a recent feature in Club Management - the voice
and conscience of the Club Managers Association of America - it
appears that the general manager concept of country club
operation is a certainty for the future.
In fact, the CMAA already has a strongbead on the future.
Seventy-five of its members several months ago met to attend a
general manager workshop. The general feeling or pulse of the
clubhouse manager is that he or she must be prepared for
elevation should the general manager trend develop into permanent practice.
Dean Gerald Lattin of Florida International University
highlighted that workshop with a job description draft for the
position. Roughly interpreted, the general manager is involved
directly in the management of personnel and operations of the
club under the guidance of elected club officials who also formulate policy. Among his/her responsibilities are the
development of operational policies as separate from club
—policy, preparation of the annual -budget, coerdinatien-of-aHmanagement functions of the club and supervision of all
department heads (clubhouse manager, food-beverage
manager, golf professional, golf course superintendent).
During the session, staged in Boston, it was estimated that
only 20 percent of the private clubs across the country now
operate under a true general manager system. However, the
consensus was that the percentage will continue to accelerate
and that eventually all clubs will embrace the GM concept as the
answer to operational demands.
Dean Lattin is convinced that the bulk of general manager
material resides in the ranks of clubhouse management. "That
(GM system) really is the future as far as club management is
concerned in this country," he advised. "There is no question in
my mind who is the most logical choice, the best qualified man
for the general manager job. It's the clubhouse manager. But
that may not always be the case."
Dick Worthington, another speaker at the Boston conclave,
had his idea about the filling of the general manager's position.
"When the club industry accepts the general manager concept,
we are not going to pick all the plums in the orchard," he
proposed. "But club managers should fill most of the positions."
If there is an issue to be drawn from these scattered conclusions, it centers on the qualifications of those pretenders to
what would be the high and mighty position among the private
club managing trio of clubhouse manger, superintendent and
golf professional. Would the clubhouse manager be the most
qualified because he wears a shirt and tie - maybe even a
cummerbund - to work every day? Or is he versed in certain
subjects and responsibilities foreign to his pro shop and golf
coursecounteiparts ?
It is pure speculation on the part of Lattin and Worthington as
to the giant's portion of job promise each gives to the clubhouse
manager in the allocation of the GM franchise. Possibly, it
descends from a close association with the clubhouse manager
and a personal prode attachment to the profession, such pride
generating the assumption that it is the closest under present
conditions to the general manager image.
Obviously, if the general manager system is to materialize
most of the immediate jobs will be filled by those already in the
employment of the club. This makes for a highly, political-laced
situation in the race by the clubhouse manager, superintendent,
pro or whoever to gain favor of the selection committee. And,
despite contradictory feelings on the part of educators and their
life, personality probably will have more to do with finalizing
the selection than anything else.
To enter into arugument as to which department head is best
qualified to run the whole show constitutes an interminable
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
DEAN ROBERTSON
24 Riverview Drive
N e w b u r y , Mass. 01950
H o m e Phone 462-4540
O f f i c e Phone 745-7289
Club Affiliation
Kernwood Country Club

RONALD K I R K M A N
25 Green St.
Needham, Mass. 02192
H o m e Phone 444-8412
O f f i c e Phone 444-5548
Club Affiliation
N e e d h a m Golf C l u b

S E C O N D VICE PRESIDENT
BRIAN C O W A N CGCS
Robins Way
Harwich, Mass. 02645
H o m e Phone 432-9041
O f f i c e Phone 945-9230
Club Affiliation
Eastward H o !

SECRETARY
DAVE B A R B E R CGCS
P.O. Box 221
Wayland, Mass. 01778
H o m e Phone 358-7678
O f f i c e Phone 358-4882
Club Affiliation
Wayland Country Club

TREASURER

debate. But is is interesting to note that one facet of club
operation - the clubhouse manager - is readying himself for
positional battle. If the others follow suit, it should be one
humdinger of a war.
Gerry Finn

SUPERINTENDENT CHAMPIONSHIP
T O U R N A M E N T RESULTS
B. Carlson
J. S p e r a n d i o
K. M o o r a d i a n

1 st Gross
2nd Gross
3 r d Gross

76
77
78

B. M u c c i a r o n e
N. M u c c i a r o n e
W. Zoppo

1st N e t
2nd Net
3rd Net

63
64
64

SENIORS
G . Tedesco
M. O'Kelly

1 st Gross
2nd Gross

79
86

P. Cassidy
j. Aksten

1st Net
2nd N e t

87
92

TR

D O N A L D H E A R N CGCS
4 T o p e k a Road
C h e l m s f o r d , Mass. 01824
H o m e Phone 256-8709
O f f i c e Phone 894-5906
Club Affiliaton
W e s t o n Golf Club

FIANCE CHAIRMAN
PAULJOHNSON
4 J u d i t h Dr.
No. Reading, Mass. 01864
H o m e Phone 664-6664
O f f i c e Phone 777-1134
Club Affiliaton
Ferncroft C o u n t r y C l u b

MAX MIERZWA
106 C r e s t w o o d St.
Chicopee, Mass. 01020
H o m e Phone 594-4996
O f f i c e Phone 592-9540
Club Affiliation
C h i c o p e e C o u n t r y Club

BERT FREDERICK
45 Stoney B r o o k Rd.
Nabnaset, Mass. 01861
H o m e Phone 692-6445
O f f i c e Phone 453-1231
Club Affiliation
Vesper C o u n t r y C l u b

ROBERT J O H N S T O N
128 W i l b r a h a m Rd.
H a m p d e n , Mass. 01036
H o m e Phone 566-3075
O f f i c e Phone 566-3096
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
H a m p d e n C o u n t r y Club

OF

NEW

E N G L A N D ,

INC.

Letters to the Editor
The Green Section of the
United States Golf Association
May 15,1978
Dear Gerry:
Your Newsletter editorial of May 1978 makes interesting
reading but I must say it misses the mark by a long shot in
stating the USGA's position on irrigating golf courses. Although
no direct reference was made to my "Green Is Not Great" article that appeared in the August 1977 Golf Journal, this apparently has been the basis for comments by the panel cited in
your story. A copy of "Green Is Not Great" is enclosed. Its
pertinent points in summary are:
(1) Overwatering is not only bad for turfgrasses but it's also
bad for golf. All knowledgeable superintendents and
agronomists agree that more permanent turf is lost from
overwatering than from underwatering. All knowledgeable
players prefer to play from firm turf - on the dry side.
(2) That it is impossible to water fairway turf uniformly
because of differences in terrain and soils, presence of rock,
contour, slope, etc. Therefore, if a good job of watering is being
done, some brown areas are inevitable. It is mainly because of
pressures from the membership or a breakdown in communications that forces some superintendents to overwater.
Many know that they are doing so! Paul Voykin's comment that
"I wish I could get a written statement from my green chairman
saying it was all right to reduce irrigation" attests to this
dilemma. But I disagree with the conclusion of the editorial that
"it boils down to having burned fairways or green, soggy turf."
The solution certainly is somewhat in between as my original
article clearly points out!
(3) Apparently most golfers believe that the darker green the
turf is, the healthier it is, and this is entirely false! There is wide
genetic variability in turfgrasses. Not all have the deep color of
Merion bluegrass but some attempt to force that dark green
color by the use of extra fertilizer and water. There are healthy
green shades in-between and if the grasses present are of that
genetic type, overfertilizing and overwatering inevitably will
lead to a solid stand of Poa annua. This is proof of our present
predicament and the reason why many of our courses today
have so much Poa annua.
(4) Pressures from the players, who are neophytes to turfgrass management, exert influence on the superintendent to
water to keep greens soft in order to make up for the deficiencies
of their game. The USGA holds to the thesis that the course
should be conditioned to the requirements of the game; the
Green Section holds to the thesis that the course should be
managed to encourage the permanent grasses. We have never
waivered from this position.
No amount of research in better grasses will cure the ills of
overwatering. We're not going to discard our irrigation systems
as new varieties are introduced. We are not going to, with a
wave of the hand, eliminate the natural problems of terrain, soil
types, etc. listed under (2) above, simply because we introduce
new, more drought-resistant turfgrass varieties. Rather, we

GOLF C H A I R M A N
KEN M O O R A D I A N
134 Green St.
Hopedale, Mass. 01747
Home Phone 473-2352
O f f i c e Phone 473-3508
Club A f f i l i a t i c
Hopedale C o u n t r y Club

EDUCATIONAL C H A I R M A N
PETE COSTE
121 G r a n i t e St.
Medfield, Mass. 02052
H o m e Phone 359-7247
O f f i c e Phone 566-0240
Club Affiliation
The C o u n t r y Club

NEWSLETTER C H A I R M A N
LARRY B U N N
145 Dedham St.
Canton, Mass. 02021
H o m e Phone 828-7266
O f f i c e Phone 828-6540
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Blue Hill C o u n t r y Club

must through management now, seek better ways to combat
problems inherent to present day golf course culture. This is the
short term cure for better golf courses. Using less water is a step
in that direction.
I would hope that you would publish my article in full when
space permits. The comments from many have been good;
therefore, it surprises me that some could place the extreme
interpretation upon it by intimating that the USGA is advocating
solid brown golf courses. Nothing is farther from the truth!
Sincerely,
Alexander M. Radko
National Director
1233 Kansas Avenue
Modesto, CA 95351
May 25,1978
Dear Jerry:
The recent crusade by the USGA for brown fairways surprises
me because I thought we were all striving for ideal conditions.
Brown dry fairways leave a lot to be desired because they can be
equally as unpredictable to play off as the green somewhat over
watered ones.
In my opinion we should not compromise. There is no reason,
with the irrigation equipment available, not to be able to provide
a green firm fairway turf. This gives the serious golfer the good
lies he is entitled to and the person who eniovs olavine for the
beauty and relaxation what he prefers.
The two major causes of poorly irrigated golf courses are
inadequate systems and the inability of superintendents to apply
water. I have seen superintendents with some very poor
systems produce some good turf. Also I have seen other
superintendents with good systems with very poor turf. I do not
need or want my green chairman to tell me to have either soggy
or brown fairways. I believe it is my responsibility, first to
select equipment which will be adequate. And second to
dedicate myself to provide green and firm golf turf.
It appears to me the USGA agronomists would provide a
greater service to golf by attempting to educate the club official,
owners, etc. of the importance of a well designed irrigation
system rather than crusade for less than ideal conditions. Since
irrigation is one of the most important management practices
on a golf course, it behooves every superintendent to devote a
greater amount of his time in gaining knowledge of principles
and application of water. Research has provided us with new
grasses, better equipment, information on fertilization, heights
of cut and many others; but, they are of no use unless we try
them in our conditions.
Golfers at Del Rio are not willing to settle for brown or soggy
fairways and will not have to because I intend to continue to
manage the application of water even if it means plugging
sprinklers, changing nozzle sizes, adjusting cycles and times
daily and making alterations in the system as needed. No,
unless Mother Nature alters the climatic conditions so as to
make it impossible to have adequate water, I will not be a party
to this new crusade.
Sincerely yours,
Clifford A. Wagoner, CGCS

PAST PRESIDENT
WAYNEZOPPO
9A Village Green North
E. Providence. R.I. 02915
H o m e Phone 434-1759
O f f i c e Phone 434-8512
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
A g a w a m Hunt Golf C l u b

I n f o r m a t i o n contained in this p u b l i c a t i o n 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 c o n t e x t is maintained. We w o u l d appreciate a
credit line.

Ptecue

frcUwwfe

Baker Tractor Corp., Ford Tractors
Harley Davidson Golf Cars
Swansea, Massachusetts
The Charles C. Hart Seed Co.
Wethersfield, Conn.
Bob Kennedy, Rep.
Steve Hart, Rep.
203-529-2537
The Clapper Co.
1121 Washington St.
West Newton, Mass.

FRIENDS OF THE A S S O C I A T I O N

I & E Supply, Inc.
66 Erna Ave.
P.O. Box 9
Milford, Conn. 06460
Tele (203) 8 7 8 0658
Kenneth Barrie Corp.
249 Milton St., Dedham, Mass. 02026
Tel. (617) 364-3333
Tom Irwin, Inc.
1 IB A Street
Burlington, Mass.

Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc.
Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative
Geoffrey S. Cornish & William G. Robinson 15 Longmeadow Drive, Canton, Mass.
Golf Course Architects
Fiddlers Green, Amherst, Mass. 01002
Larchmont Irrigation Co.
Larchmont Ln., Lexington, Mass.
C. S. Curran
T. R. C. Products, Oils and Greases
Mallinckrodt, Inc^
7 Linden St., Framlngham, Mass.
Second and Mallinckrodt Streets
St. Louis, Missouri 63147
E-Z-Go Golf Car
* Magovern Company, Inc.
Sales - Service - Rentals
Lawn Acre Road
Polaris/E-Z-Go Northeast
Windsor Lock, Conn.
2237 Route 28
West Wareham, Mass. 02576
D. L. Maher
Box 127, Concord St.
Scotts Pro-Turf Div.
N. Reading, Mass. 01864
Rep Ed. Wiacek 1-401-253-4284

Rep Allen Cumps M13-253-2995.

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

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

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
Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Inc.
Slocum, R.I.
Xitchfield. N.H,
_
Bluegrass Blends/Penncross Bent Grass
Tel. 1-800-556-6985
Alan Anderson
Chris Beasley
Co.
Division of the Upjohn Company
Kalamazoo, Michigan
David Sylvester 203-828-3790
Turf Products Corp.
14% John Fitch Blvd.
S. Windsor, Conn. 06074
Tel. 1-203-289-3471
Gary Braynt, Sales Rep.

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

Old Fox Chemical Inc.
Fertilizers - Seeds - Turf Chemicals
66 Valley Street
East Providence, Rhode Island 02914

White Turf Engineering
5 Summer Drive, Winchendon, Mass. 01475
617-297-0941

Holliston Sand Company, Inc.
Lowland Street, Holliston, Mass. 01746
Sand for Golf Bunkers and Traps

P & L Equipment Corp.
Golf Cars & Commercial Turf Equipment
80 Lynde Street, Melrose, Mass. 02176
Phone 617-665-5990

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

* Contributors to the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund

Canton, Mass, 02021
Home Phone 828-7266
Office Phone 828-6540
Club Affiliation
Blue Hill CountryClub
DONALD HEARN
Business Manager
LEON ST. PIERRE
Co-ordinator
GERRY FINN
Contributing Editor