June, 1980

C^ouráe Superin ten den tô
OF

NEW

ENGLAND,

^áóociation
INC.

Sponsors a n d a d m i n i s t r a t o r s of the L a w r e n c e S.
Dickinson S c h o l a r s h i p F u n d — A w a r d e d y e a r l y
to deserving Turf M a n a g e m e n t Students.

Successful Sound-out Session
Although he was somewhat disappointed with the amount
of membership input. New England Golf Course Superintendents Association president Ron Kirkman thought last
month's by-laws tuneup session at Westover Golf Club was
worthwhile and revealing.
The meeting turned into a sound-out period, directed at acquainting NEGCSA members with proposed changes in the
association's by-laws. After a 13-year stay with the present
guidelines, it appears the time is ripe to make a few alterations.
Some of the changes are simply a matter of semantics. Certain definitions are being restated in clearer and more precise
language. And some references are being eliminated so as to
streamline the revised set of by-laws.
Members are reminded that voting on any and all changes
will take place during the association's July meeting at Mt.
Pleasant Country Club in Boylston. "And we won't make an
attempt to rush things there." Kirkman advised. " W e want to
give the membership enough time to think about and study
the new proposals. And, when we get to Mt. Pleasant, we will
entertain further discussion on them. There'll be no railroad
job here."
Probably the most critical of changes pertains to the fiveyear waiting period before a new member receives full
privileges. Presently, a member must be employed as a
superintendent in charge of a golf course for at least five
years before he becomes fully-franchised (the right to vote
and hold association office). The new by-law would reduce
that period of time to one year.
Strangely, the Westover confab churned little in way of
positive or negative reaction to this drastic change. "I'm not
sure why there wasn't any flak here." Kirkman wondered.

NEXT MEETING
Super Chairman Tournament
Cohasset C.C.
June 12, 1980
Host Supi. Art Washburn
Shotgun
1:00 pm
Dinner
After Golf
Directions:
From route 3 take route 228 and cross route
3A club is on the fifth street on the right.
Lambert St.

•r

"Maybe it was a reflection on the group which showed at
Westover. By the time we get to vote on it. there could be
some different faces in the crowd. I expect there will be a fight
over it. At any rate, I would think it wouldn't go unchallenged."
As a matter of fact, the new suggestion did cause response
from the Westover gathering but only in a section that says
the member shall be a member of the Golf Course
Superintendents Association of America.
One member thought it unfair to include the requirement
of joining the national because of the varying financial arrangements superintendents set up with their employers. "I
would guess that half of the members belonging to the national do so because their dues are paid by their clubs." he
advanced. "That brings the requirement into a shady place
because it involves the member's ability to pay national
dues. I realize most clubs do pick up the tab. What I would
like to know is how many supers would join the national if
they had to pay the dues, themselves?"
There was rebuttal to that comment, too. Another member
thought the requirement helped the profession gain a show of
unity and strength. " W e should support the national association since it is a reflection of our concern and interest in our
profession." he stated. "Besides, there are a number of
benefits derived from being a member of the GCSAA. I don't
see how we can have one without the other."
Kirkman was enthused with that particular part of the
discussion period. "I thought both sides brought up good
points." he said. "I have to be neutral, although I do have an
opinion. However, this association is for the members. It
should be by the members, too. That's why I would like to get
as many viewpoints as possible before the vote."
Outside of the differing outlooks on the national's effect on
the New England and other regional associations, most of the
Westover group appeared to be in agreement with the
changes and the timing of them.
"If anything, this is an educational process in itself."
Kirkman added. "I think that we should take a look at the bylaws from time to time and become familiar with them. I only
hope more members are present when we take the vote. The
more involvement, the more assurance we'll have that any
change is for the good of the entire membership."
Gerry Finn

Congratulations to:
Mark Klimm
Peter Ohlson
Manual Viveiros
David Commee
Ed Brearley
Henry Stelline
Charles Harukewicz
Frank Wingate
Voted in as members last meeting.

C^ourâe Superintendents

Ssôociati on

Ay, there's the rub
by W I L L I A M S. B R E W E R , JR.
Northeastern Agronomist, U S G A Green Section

U T P HOSE

I

WHO DO NOT remember
.the past are condemned to
JLth
repeat it." George Santayana said this —
or something like it — but he left out
one vital element. He didn't mention
responsibility! Only as we feel personally
responsible are we moved to at least
attempt to direct events which become
history. In any successful venture,
plenty of people are willing to take
-credit — at

early in fall to maintain greens, tees,
collars and fairways that were predominantly annual bluegrass. That
winter the course suffered extensive
winter turf damage. Very early in
the spripg, when the time was right
for overseeing damaged greens and
such, it was also discovered that the
irrigation system required some $30,000
worth of work to make it effectively
operational. That expenditure was

have been achieved. How many of them,
though, had their necks stuck out from
the beginning when the outcome was
still in question?
The history of any enterprise, whether
it fails or succeeds, may sometimes even
turn on luck. A golf course, for example,
may be blessed with particularly favorable weather that greatly moderates or
erases the effects of some serious mistakes. So pin a medal on the weatherman! The astute golf course superintendent knows wherein the determining bit of credit lies.

not authorized until June, well past
the time of critical need. The course
subsequently experienced a most disappointing season. The superintendent
was fired. The policymakers had succeeded once again in failing to take the
responsibility to act when the time was
appropriate. They succeeded once again
to misplace the blame for the consequences of their mistakes.

What we are all interested in achieving, however, is such consistency in
conditioning that the course will hold
together even in a season with adverse
weather. Probably every good golf
course superintendent realizes how
thoroughly nature can stack the deck,
and not a one of them would willingly
gamble that next year will bring about
such happy circumstances that the golf
course under his care will thrive in
spite of deficiencies in the resources for
providing that care. Yet club officials,
owners, and administrators consistently
seem to misread the situation.
Almost always the superintendent is
held to be ultimately responsible for
everything bad that happens on or to
__his ..golf, course. Without meaning to
take away at all from the superintendent's rightful degree of accountability
for his golf course, club officials must
recognize and assume their own share
of responsibility — before the fact —
for the events to come in the history of
their golf courses. They are the policymakers; it is they who set the limitations
of resource and authority. Often it is
front office actions either taken, postponed, or overlooked that have, in the
end, forced an unhappy decision to
make a change. Only a college football
coach seems to have chosen a more precarious career than a golf course
superintendent.
For a simplified example, consider a
golf course hiring a new superintendent

PRESIDENT
Ronald Kirkman
25 Green St.
Needham, Mass. 02192
Home Phone 444-8412
O f f i c e Phone 444-5548
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Needham Golf Club

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
Brian Cowan CGCS
Robins Way
Harwich. Mass. 02645
Home Phone 432-9041
O f f i c e Phone 945-9230
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Eastward Ho.

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
Donald Hearn CGCS
4 T o p e k a Rd.
Chelmsford. Mass. 01824
Home Phone 256-8709
O f f i c e Phone 894-5906
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Weston Golf Club

Something roughly equivalent to this
sad scenario is played out at many golf
courses each year, and it will very likely
be repeated at most of them through
several cycles until new leadership
arrives with a proper perception of how
things function in any undertaking that
involves a chain-of-command. The field
general is granted a certain amount of
authority, and he must assume an
equivalent amount of responsibility.
However, to at least the extent that the
front office places restrictions (financial
and otherwise) upon the field general, it
retains ultimate responsibility (acknowledged or not) for the outcome as well.
The field general may or may not be
guilty of failing to make the most effective use of those powers and resources
which are given to him, but to hold him
solely responsible is a mistake that is all
too easily made by those at the top.
Other than pointing to additional
obvious instances where front office
mistakes significantly contributed to
disastrous golf course conditions, which
were then made to reflect only upon the
golf course superintendent, is there any
evidence that this sort of misunderstanding of organizational responsibilities is widespread in the management of golf courses? Yes, if certain
inferences be granted, some compelling
statistics support a contention that top
management must "get its act together"
and accept its rightful responsibility for
golf course conditions if it expects consistency from its field generals.
Would it be reasonable to assume
that, as a group, the top 100 golf courses,
as ranked in the November, 1979, Golf

SECRETARY
David Barber CGCS
145 Dedham St.
Canton. Mass. 02021
Home 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 Hills C.C.

TREASURER
Pete Coste" CGCS
121 Granite St.
Medfield, Mass. 02052
Home Phone 359-7247
Office Phone 566-0240
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
The Country Club

Digest, represent excellence in conditioning as well as in challenging
design? Certainly. What is interesting to
know in this context is that a club from
this group is over six times more likely to
avail itself of the consultative assistance
of the U S G A Green Section's Turf
Advisory Service than a course selected
at random from among all the nation's
golf facilities.
There may be a number of factors
involved in explaining these data, but
coincidence has nothing to do with it.
It would even seem a not-unwarranted
conclusion to find in this a more enlightened concern with course conditioning
among the nation's premier golf facilities. Why else pay even so modest a fee
as $200 for an annual tour of the course
and a follow-up written report by an
agency whose only mission is precisely to foster more consistently fine
playing conditions? The management of
these facilities is not afraid, in other
words, of what an impartial but critical
eye may see. They prefer to be made
aware of such existing or potential problems as may be found in time for corrective action to be taken, rather than to
remain blissfully ignorant of troublesome situations that may be developing
and which, if not addressed early, will
very likely become costly to deal with
once the effects have become compounded to the point where deteriorating golf conditions are unmistakable
even to the casual observer.
There is a further point that begs to
be cleared up. Club officials occasionally
seem to be surprised that some of the
very same points raised by the Green
Section have already been presented to
them by their superintendent. A degree
of skepticism in the face of problematic
news is to be anticipated, but it should
also be comforting to find such instances
of confirmation. Remember that both
the golf course superintendent and the
green section agronomist have expertise
in the same field and are dedicated to
achieving the same ends. It is true that
they each bring a different perspective
to the situation — because of the differing nature of their jobs and of their
professional backgrounds — but it is by
far the more desirable situation to have
these orientations mesh smoothly and
for this relationship to be harnessed by
the responsible top management, forming a kind of triumvirate with respect
to setting a course for the future.
The photographs illustrate one of the

TRUSTEE
Bert Frederick
45 Stoney Brook Rd.
Nabnaset. Mass. 01861
Home Phone 692-6445
O f f i c e Phone 453-1231
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Vesper C.C.

TRUSTEE
Meindert S c h u l t s
737 Princeton Blvd.
Lowell. Mass. 01851
Home Phone 458-7605
O f f i c e Phone 452-8228
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Mt. Pleasant G.G.

TRUSTEE
Melvin O'Kelly
345 Plain St.
Marshfield. Mass. 02050
Home phone 834-4229
O f f i c e Phone 837-3321
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Marshfield C.C.

FINANCE
CHAIRMAN
Robert J o h n s t o n CGCS
128 Wilbraham Rd.
Hampden. Mass. 01036
Home Phone 566-3075
Office Phone 566-3096
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
Hampden C.C.

OF
problems which seems to be getting
more out-of-hand: the employment
each year of a high percentage of inexperienced people on golf course crews
and the resultant increase in mistakes.
Although this is generally perceived as a
funding problem, it is more likely a
question of policy and the allocation of
funds. Given a fair chance, no superintendent in his right mind would want
a preponderance of new workers every
year, particularly if his permitted workforce was also smaller than in the past.
But this is being forced upon him at an
alarming number of courses. We know
of at least two instances last season

when not only was the entire crew new,
but also it was the superintendent's first
year as a superintendent. Anyone who
fails to appreciate the difficulties inherent in this sort of situation is simply
out of touch with reality.
The point which would be well taken
from this argument is simple: it is necessary for a golf facility to employ a good
golf course superintendent, but that
alone is not sufficient to ensure a good
long-term result. There needs also to be
a top management that is aware of
problems and responds to the fundamentally important requirements of
the golf course.

from USGA Greens Section

NEW

E N G L A N D ,

I N C .

Joint meeting
Managers and Supt.
June 9, 1980
Metaeomet C.C.
May Tournament Results
1st gross T. Qhlson
2nd gross B. Carlton
3rd gross K. Mooradian
4th gross A. Parchecky

"RECORD"

To be voted on next meeting
Richard Duggan
Maynard C.C.

1st net B. Mucciarone
2nd net R. Kirkman
3rd net G. Luecinni
4th net E. Wiacek

Spring's Dilly-dally Effects
Now, that we're into June nights and the comforting
warmth that they lend to the growing process, this story
might be outdated by time and the intricacies of publishing
just once a month. However, that was a peculiar spring which
just passed us by, leaving a bad taste in many a golf course
superintendent's mouth.
"Spring just dilly-dallied along as far as I'm concerned,"
one burnt-eared super moaned. " I t wasn't until the middle of
May that w e had anything close to a warm night. I'd say we
had to be two to three weeks behind our regular weather pattern in New England."
Because of the tardiness, plus the old uneducated golfer
syndrome, several superintendents took some unfair shots
concerning the condition of their courses. " I don't know what
the reason is," our harassed super questioned. "But. I had
more complaints about greens being hard and without color
by people who forgot that winter doesn't just change into
summer overnight. There has to be an in-between."
There was, all right, and it did nothing to speed up the conditioning process. " T h e soil just remained cold too darned
long," our man remarked. " I couldn't do anything about
that. In the meantime, m y greens didn't respond to any kind
of treatment."
" M y m e m b e r s couldn't understand the situation.
Although. I have to say that only a handful actually thought
it was m y doing. A n y w a y , 1 had to explain to them how our
winter produced just enough snow to keep the greens under
its cooling effect longer than I wished."
Country club golfers, those in the affluent sector, often are
spoiled by the opportunity to spend time in the South when
Northern courses are being belted by the weather. Many set
their own transition standard which is zilch. They expect to
step off a Florida course, step on a plane, arrive at the old
home club and pick up their putting stroke on the same kind
of greens they just left.

biggest noise I encountered came on our greens," the super
continued. " T h a t ' s when I had to go through the routine of
explaining how the snow first disappears from the rough,
then the fairways, the tees and, finally, the greens. That's the
way it's been happening around m y course every year. Consequently, our greens are always the last to take shape."
Some of the comments collected from an informal gathering of supers at last month's N E G C S A A meeting at Westover
Field spread some indifferent light on the subject.
The most cutting remark on early-season conditioning was
heard by a super ( " n o names, please") who really takes pride
in his efforts to give members the best possible playing conditions.
" T h i s certain person should have known better," was the
opener. " H e knew that the course had been under heavy traffic all winter because of the snowless period and unusual
pleasant temperatures. Yet. he insisted that our greens were
the bumpiest he'd ever seen them. I wouldn't mind, but he
was one of the people who caused the bumps by being part of
that winter assault on the greens."
That's right, golfers. Bumpy greens are the scars of winter
play. "Our membership is one of those that never knows
when to quit," the super revealed. " I don't fault that.
However, if members insist on playing the course when it is
laid bare to possible damage, they should be willing to pay
the price. Oh, the greens do get back to normal but the
recovery time is dictated by the amount of winter play. The
sooner the members realize this, the sooner they'll understand that greens must be treated with care...and respect."
So, because of a deceiving winter and an uninformed golfing few. some of our superintendents were under the gun this
spring in a premature attack on their professional reputations. Hopefully, in the future, the complainers will check
their calendars and their logistics.
Gerry Finn

Actually, they're about three months off schedule. " T h e

GOLF
CHAIRMAN
Ken M o o r a d i a n
134 Green St.
Hopedale. Mass. 01747
H o m e Phone 473-2352
O f f i c e Phone 473-3508
Club Affiliation
H o p e d a l e C.C

EDUCATIONAL
CHAIRMAN
Paul Miller
173 Salem SI.
S w a m p s c o t t . Mass. 01907
H o m e Phone 581-2808
O f f i c e Phone 595-3107
Club Affiliation
Tedesco C.C.

NEWSLETTER
CHAIRMAN
Tom S c h o f i e l d CGCS
290 North Rd.
Sudbury, Mass. 01776
H o m e Phone 443-3712
O f f i c e Phone 235-7333
Club Affiliation
Wellesley C.C.

PAST PRESIDENT
Dean Robertson
24 Riverview Drive
Newbury, Mass. 01950
H o m e Phone 462-4540
O f f i c e Phone 745-7289
Club A f f i l i a t i o n
K e r n w o o d C.C.

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.

Pieoàe fxibifiKtje FRIENDS OF THE ASSOCIATION
Baker T r a c t o r Corp., Ford T r a c t o r s
Harley Davidson Golf Cars
Swansea, Mass.
Bordens Spreader Service
M a y n a r d , Mass.
Tel. 617-897-2571
Sales Rep. Jack Borden
Bulk Limestone Dealer
The Charles C. H a r t Seed Co.
Wethersfield, Conn.
Bob Kennedy, Rep.
Roy Sibley, Rep.
203-529-2537
Chester Drake & Sons Inc.
222 Walnut St.
Framlngham, Mass. 01701
Golf Course Construction
617-875-7929
The Clapper Co.
1121 Washington St.
Newton,"Ma ss.
617-244-7900
Grounds E q u i p m e n t Co., Inc.
383 Boylston St.
Newton Center, Mass.
Geoffrey S. Cornish & W i l l i a m G. Robinson
Golf Course A r c h i t e c t s
Fiddlers Green, A m h e r s t , Mass. 01002
C.S. C u r r a n
T.R.C. Products, Oils and Greases
7 Linden St., F r a m i n g h a m , Mass.
Scotts Pro-Turf Dlv.
Rep. Ed Wiacek 1-401-253-4284
Rep. A l l a n Cumps 1-413-253-2995
Gold Star Sod F a r m s , Inc.
Sod & Pine Bark M u l c h
Canterbury, N.H. 603-783-4717
Weston, Mass. 617-894-5474
Holllston Sand Co., Inc.
Lowland St., Holliston, Mass. 01746
Sales Office: 401-769-3526
Box 575 Woonsocket, R.I. 02895
Contact: Dick Halpern
USGA Spec top dressing and trap sand
I 8< E Supply, Inc.
66 Erna Ave.

or

* I W tncLAND. IOC.

TOM SCHOFIELD CGCS
Newsletter Committee Chairman
290 North Road
Sudbury, Mass. 01776
Home Phone 443-3712
Office Phone 235-7333
Club Affiliation
Wellesley Country Club
PETE COSTE'
Business Manager
LEON ST. PIERRE
Co-ordlnator
GERRY PINN
Contributing Editor

Box 9 M i l f o r d , Conn. 06460
203 878-0658

Richey & Clapper, Inc.
28 Rutledge Rd.
Natlck, Mass. 01760

* T o m I r w i n , Inc.
I I B A St.
Burlington, Mass.

•K Sawtelle Bros.
565 H u m p h r e y St.
Swampscott, Mass.
617-599 4856

L a r c h m o n t Engineering and I r r i g . Co.
L-archmont Lane, Lexington, Mass.
617-862 2550

Scott Associates, Inc.
60 Water Street, Clinton, Mass.
617 365-6341
Pumps-Sales, service
Installation- V e r t i c a l
Turbine pump specialists

* The Magovern Co. Inc.
27 Lawnacre Road
Windsor Locks, Conn. 06096
Tel. # 1-800-243-7718 or 1-203-623-2508
Louis C. Rogers, Vice Pres.

T u c k a h o e T u r f F a r m s , Inc.
Slocum, R.I., Litchfield, N.H.
1-800-556-6985
Aian Anderson
Sam M i t c h e l l

D. L. M a h e r
Box 127, Concord St.
N. Reading, Mass. 01864
*

R. F. Morse &Son, Inc.
W. W a r e h a m , Mass. 02576
T e l : 617 295-1553
J. Willen Roell. Rep.
Larry Bunn, Rep.

Tuco Products Corp.
Div. of the Upjohn Co.
Kalamazoo, Mich.
David Sylvester
203-828-3790

New England Sealcoatlng Co., Inc.
Tennis Court Const, and Maintenance
Sealcoatlng - H l n g h a m Ind. Center
H l n g h a m , Mass. 749-6800
N.E. Chapter Land Improvement
Contractors of America
Professional Conservation of
Soil and Water
Contractor In your area,
call Peter Whiting, Pres.
617-877-5323
Now Chemical Corp.
Bill Brennan: Rep.
Tel. # 891-1275 anytime
Box 522
Holliston, Mass. 01746
Tel. # 429-2044
•it Old Fox Chemical Inc.
Fertilizers - Seeds - T u r f Chemicals
66 Valley St.
E. Providence, R.I. 02914
Pro-Lawn Prod., Inc.
Fred Anthony, Sales Rep.
391 T r e m o n t St.
N. Dlghton, Mass. 02764
617-823-1348

T u r f Products Corp.
1496 John Fitch Blvd.
S. Windsor, Conn. 06074
1-203-289-3471
John P e r r y , Sales Rep.
*

Turf Specialty, Inc.
84 Merrimac St.
Hooksett, N.H. 03106
Turf & Ornamental Supplies
Ken Turner 617-263-7526
Valley Farms Nursery & Supply, Inc.
133 Hopemeadow St., Rt. 10
Simsbury, Ct. 06070
Putting Green Sod for the Professional
Joe Bidwell Pres.
Bus. - 203-651-8555 Res. - 203-658 6886
White T u r f Engineering
5 Summer Drive, Wlnchendon, Mass. 01475
617-297-0941
Phillip Wogan
Golf Course A r c h i t e c t
21 Budleigh Ave., Beverly, Mass.
* Contributors
Scholarship

to the Lawrence
Fund

S,

Dickinson

Return t o :
TOM SCHOFIELD
290 N o r t h Road
Sudbury, MA 0 1 7 7 6

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Maynard, M A

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