Golf Course Superintendents LETTER Association Sponsors and administrators of the Troll-Dickinson Scholarship Fund — Awarded yearly to deserving Turf Management Students. NEXT MEETING Monday, July 10,1989 Concord C.C. Concord, MA 9:00 am 9:00 am 10:00 am Director's meeting Past President's meeting Regular meeting & Educational Session Lunch 11:45 Golf after Lunch Club Championship Tournament All Flights—Make Your Own Foursome Host Superintendent— Richard Duggan Reservations Required by July 1— (508) 369-0879 14 Carts-first come, first serve Richard has been the supt. at Concord Country Club for 5 years. Previously he had been supt. at Maynard C. C. for 5 years. Dick has a Turf Management Degree from Univ. of MA Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Born in Concord, MA, Dick resides in Marlboro, MA with wife Janet and their 3 boys ages 7, 3 & 1. Hobbies include spending time with family and Little League coach. Directions—From Rte. 128, Take Rte. 2 west, take the Emerson Hospital exit, go past hospital entrance. The club is 1/4 mile from hospital. From Rte. 495, Take Rte. 2 east, take right Emerson Hospital exit. The club is 1/4 mile from hospital. OF NEW ENGLAND, INC. June 1989 Tom Touches All Bases and Heads for Home There's a Sot of Tom Curran in the Eastman Country Club. "That's why everything had to be right, • ~ especially the timing," the soft-spoken veteran golf course superintendent disclosed. "Whoever was to replace me had to have the same interest in Eastman I've had ever since I came here. We have the person. So, now this is the right time to retire." Retirement. It just doesn' t seem to jibe with the pleasant native of Northampton who's been looking after golf playgrounds ever since he took a career tip from old buddy, Bob Grant, when the two were testing professional grounds over 30 years ago. Curran turned 60 only recently. Plenty of time left to keep the green, green grass just that, right, Tom? "Oh, it's not because I'm sick of my job or fed up with work," Curran replied. "I'm walking out the door with a nice arrangement I made with my employer and I'm still young enough to do some of the things I've wanted to do when this day came. Just say, I'm ready.'" Originally, Curran and the folks at Eastman thought a long, transitional period would delay his retirement a year or so. "We figured we'd hire someone as my assistant or associate and it would take that person some time to get acclimated to the environs and the way things are done here," Tom disclosed. "I had the full cooperation of my board, members and everyone else connected with the community. I was to find someone and stay on in an advisory capacity for as long as it was needed." That's when Curran approached Ron Hansen with such a proposal. Hansen, the Spring Valley superintendent who had spent some time in the New HampshireVermont area as head man at Quechee, was anxious to return to that area. Phase I was complete. After that, things started to pop—accelerate, too. "I brought Ron up for an interview and there was a definite positive response on both sides," Tom told. "In fact, Ron impressed the board so much it gave me a chance to re-assess my situation. It was all up to me. Right now, he (Hansen) expects to come here in June and I' 11 be around for any aid he may need. After that and if all goes well, I'll be free to do what I want. "Actually, this is too good to be true. Ron and I have a real relationship. He worked for me at The Country Club, so I know just what kind of a superintendent he'll be for the (Eastman) Club. And, with Ron coming in, it makes for a good transfer ofresponsibility. The whole thing means that I got to name my successor. Not too many people are able to do that." In that transfer portion of the arrangement, one would have to make that a "good transfer of responsibility and expertise". Tom Curran, you see, is pedigree material when it comes to the golf course superintendents' profession. "Like I said, it all started with Bob Grant (recently retired from Brae Burn)," Curran said. "I'd just gotten out of the service and really didn't know what I wanted to do. Bob suggested the golf Continued on page 2 page 2 TOM TOUCHES Cont.from page 1 course maintenance field because there justweren'tenoughsuperintendents around. So, I tried it." Tried and succeeded—in spades. Tom took the two-year course atUMass and in no time he was headed for higher places. "When I graduated from Stockbridge in 1957,Idecided the only job for me was on an 18-hole golf course," Tom remarked. "I got one, too, in Saginaw, Michigan where I had charge of the second oldest club in the state. It worked out well, too. But Nancy (Tom's wife) and I are both from the East. That meant we'd prefer something closer to home." Obviously, Curran was on the ball at Saginaw because he got a call from Oak Hill in Fitchburg two years later. Then after a nine-year stay there, Tom took charge at The Country Club in 1968, an era during which he served as president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England. The offer to get in on the ground floor and grow with the development came from Eastman in 1972. That's where Tom's hung his hat ever since. Every course I went there always was a solid rapport between superintendent and members," Curran said. "I can't remember ever having a problem. I even did it all (club manager for a while at Eastman). And all of it was rewarding. Nancy and I brought up four daughters in a setting just perfectfor family life. Funny thing, though, I followed Bob (Grant) into the business and now I'm following him out the door." And now, instead of growing them, all Tom has to do is smell the roses. "Right," he concluded. "It's been a garden life for us. And we're ready to sit back, relax and enjoy it." Enjoy, Tom, enjoy. GERRY FINN The Super Speaks Out Welcome to The Super Speaks Out—a monthly feature which offers the golf course superintendent a forum to express his or her views on topics and issues relating to their profession. This month's question: How do you cope with the incidence of vandalism, trespassing and other sources of nuisance at your golf course? Jim Leighton, Framingham Country Club: I've just started here, so I really can't comment on this situation yet. However, from what I've seen in a short two months, there shouldn't be much of a problem. "My last course was Wayland and, again, I guess it was the environment or whatever because there were only traces of trouble there. "The only threat of vandalism came around Halloween time. Then, we'dbring in the flags a couple of nights before the holiday. "As for trespassers, I assume you mean golfers who sneak onto the course. Not much along those lines, either. Green fees and such are the responsibility of the golf pro, so I wasn't involved there although we did have some illegal players until we started a tag system to identify those golfers who had paid. "From what I've seen already I do expect to experience a heavy load of Canada geese this year. They are a problem. So messy. I have a solution, though. I have a Labrador retriever who seems to scare geese. They want no part of him. However, from a practical standpoint, I can't have him running the course with golfers trying to concentrate. "Other than that, I' m worry-free. Even the joggers aren't cause for concern. The only place I've seen them is in the parking lot." Bob Heeley, Quaboag Country Club: "I guess you'd have to call me a lucky guy because we haven't had a speck of trouble in the last five years or since that trail biker barreled through here. "I'd say that's about the only serious incidence of vandalism or trespassing we've seen here. But that guy was something. He made a couple of railroad tracks on my fourth green and that caused me a lot of concern. We caught him, though, and we haven't seen him since. "What'd we do to him? Oh, that'd be telling. Just say we convinced him the golf course is no place to run a trail bike. "This is not a place where you'd expect to find "strangers" or people interested in sneaking onto the course. We're away from everything here. We're noncity, non-residential. All we get are golfers., the legal kind. I wouldn't know what a jogger looks like." Dan Higgins, Cohasset Country Club: "We're another one of those quiet, awayfrom-it-all golf courses where everybody knows one another and everybody's only interested in golf. "We may have someone sneak onto the course once in a great while. But I doubt anyone, who doesn't belong here, could play a full nine holes without "not" being recognized and asked to leave. "What we might have in the winter are sliders. We don't post any signs about this but we do discourage people from using the course as a sliding area. Continued on page 3 -PROPOSED NEW MEMBERSCarl Brooks, Associate Fort Devens G.C. Thomas Piatt, Associate Tara Colonial C.C. PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER TRUSTEE TRUSTEE Richard Zepp, CGCS 27 F o w l e r Rd. N o r t h b r i d g e , MA 0 1 5 3 4 Paul Miller, C G C S 1 L e i c e s t e r Rd M a r b l e h e a d . MA 01945 S t e p h e n A. C h i a v a r o l i , CGCS 100 A i r p o r t D r . W o r c e s t e r , MA 01602 Thomas Schofield, CGCS 290 N o r t h Rd. S u d b u r y , M A 01776 Kip Tyler. C G C S P.OBox671 Peabody, MA 01960 Charles T Passios C G C S 218 C a m e l b a c k Rd Marston Mills, MA 02648 Edward L Brearly 189 M a t f i e l d St W B r i d g e w a t e r MA 02379 Home Phone 508-234-8490 Office Phone 508-234-2533 Club Affiliation W h i t i n s v i l l e G.C. Home Phone 617-631-7910 Office Phone 508-369-5704 Club Affiliation Nashawtuc C.C Home Phone 508-752-0031 Office Phone 508-791-5373 Club Affiliation Tatnuck C.C. Home Phone 508-443-3712 Office Phone 617-235-2487 Club Affiliation Wellesley C.C Home Phone 508-745-8089 Office Phone 508-532-2236 Club Affiliation Salem C.C. Home Phone 508-420-3210 Office Phone 508-775-5116 Club Affiliation Hyannisport Club Home Phone 508-584-6568 Office Phone 508-588-8439 Club Affiliation Brockton C C TRUSTEE Page 3 THE SUPER Cont.from page 2 "Again, we don't seem to attract intruders. There are joggers but we allow them on a road that cuts through the course, allow them just as long as they don't disturb the golfers. "The only "wild" life we see are two mallards who show up each year. There are no geese, no turf-digging animals. This is just a peaceful place in the country." Neil Loomis, Certified Golf Course Management Corp.: "Right now I'm involved with two courses—South Shore and Saddle Hill. One is urban (South Shore) and the other rural (Saddle Hill). And, believe me, that makes a difference. "When South Shore was a private course, there were dull spots and it put up with a lot of sneak-on traffic. However, now it's town-owned, public and so busy it's virtually impossible to get on without paying. "Something else about South Shore. Because it is listed as open space and -NEW MEMBERSWelcome & Congratulations to Peter Lewis, Regular C.C. of Farmington, CT Gregory Misodoulakis, Regular Bellevue C.C. Keith Gavin, Associate Pine Brook C.C. Gregory Riggs, Associate Poquoy Brook G.C. Michael Cummings, Assistant Heritage Hill C.C. FINANCE CHAIRMAN Paul J a m r o g B o x 642, S t l v e r w o o d T e r r a c e S H a d l e y , M A 01075 Home Phone 413-538-7567 Office Phone 413-536-4195 Club Affiliation The O r c h a r d s G.C. GOLF CHAIRMAN Robert DiRico 165 H e m e n w a y St. M a r l b o r o , MA 01752 Home Phone 508-485-2605 Office Phone 617-244-0680 Club Affiliation Brae B u r n C.C. The annual University of Rhode Island Turfgrass Field Day will be held on Wednesday, August 30,1989 at the Turfgrass Research Farm Plains Road Kingston, RI02881. For information contact: .Dr. C.R. Skogley Plant Sciences Department Woodward Hall Kingston, RI 02881 there for recreational use, town residents have access to it for other activities. In fact, joggers are thinking of applying for a race day. You have to put up with it. I suppose the next thing they'll think of is "kite-flying day". "The urban influence affects the vandalism factor because, to be frank, urban parents are more lenient disciplining their kids. So, we have to look out for flag stealing and flying tee markers at South Shore. "I think the whole situation is dictated by the area where the golf course is located. Heavy populated areas mean looser discipline and more chance of vandalism, trespassing and the like. Lightly populated areas tend to be just the opposite. You can apply this theory to every facet of life." Editor's Note: More on Vandalism next month. GERRY FINN EDUCATIONAL CHAIRMAN R o n a l d E. M i l e n s k i , C G C S 65 R o c k y P o n d Rd. P r i n c e t o n , MA 01541 Home Phone 508-464-5312 Office Phone 508-779-6911 Club Affiliation The International NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN Ronald Kirkman 25 G r e e n St N e e d h a m , MA 02192 Home Phone 617-444-8412 Office Phone 617-444-5548 Club Affiliation Needham C.C. PAST PRESIDENT David Barber. CGCS 145 D e d h a m St C a n t o n , MA 0 2 0 2 1 Home Phone 617-828-7266 Office Phone 617-828-6540 Club Affiliation Blue Hill C.C -iPOSITION OPENING- Assistant Superindent Indian Ridge C.C. Andover, MA Contact Roger Brink Supt. (508) 475-9493 FOR SALE 6 Jacobsen 22" Greens Mowers 1 & 2 years old 1986 Jacobsen Turf King 1986 Jacobsen Greens King Price Negotiable Contact Dave Heroian Supt. Myopia Hunt Club South Hamilton, MA (508)468-2231 FUTURE MEETING DATES July 10 - Concord C.C. Concord, MA—Supt. Championship, one round only August 7 - South Shore C.C.—Hingham, MA September 5 - Larry Gannon G.C.—MemberMember September 12 - Wampanoag C.C.—Joint meeting, New England and CT. October 3 - HyannisportC.C.—Supt. & Green Chairman October 16 - Brae Burn C.C.—Supt. & Pro November 2 - Mt Pleasant C.C.—Lowell, MA Tournament Results Heritage Hill G.C. 1st Gross Richard Tworig, Charlie Dickow, Bob Brown, Dave Heroian 1st Net Gary Luccini, Kevin Osgood, Max Mierzwa, Bob DiRico 2nd Net Dave Barber, John Hudyka, Dick Zepp, Mike Cornicelli I n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a i n e d in t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n m a y u s e d freely, in w h o l e or in part, w i t h o u t special m i s s i o n as l o n g a s 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 . would appreciate a credit line. be perWe Please patronize FRIENDS OF THE ASSOCIATION Agway Inc. Greg Moore Rep. Box 507 Sterling, MA Fertilizer, Seed, Chemicals 800-225-CROP (MA) 617-422-7614 Allen Lawnmower Co., Inc. 197 Main St., Agawam, MA 01001 Professional Turf Equip.-Ransomes/ Bobcat, Salsco, Hustler, Tractors Albert S. McLean, Territory Rep. Eugene S. McLean, Sales Manager Baker Golf Cars 40 Walker Street Swansea, MA 02777 508-379-0092 Sales Rep. Ray Chadwick Sales Rep. Paul Littlejohn Sartlett Troo Experts Tree Maintenance, Fertilization and Consulting 153 Rumford Avenue Newton, MA 02166 Carl DeSimone (617) 969-5990 •The Bordon Company Maynard, MA Tel: 508-897-2571 Sales Rep. Jack Borden Bulk Limestone Dealer Boston Irrigation Company Dedham, MA John Ramey - Paul Kenyon, 617-461-1560 Robin Hayes, 617-477-4423 Distributor of Irrigation Supplies and Accessories C & J Equipment, Inc. 188 Main Street Wilmington, MA 01887 John Deere Golf & Turf Equipment 508-658-2022 Eric Oman, Bill Kemp, Kevin Q'Donnell •Geoffrey S. Cornish & Brian Silva Golf Course Architects Fiddlers Green, Amherst, MA 01002 Country Club Enterprises, Inc. Club Car Golf Cars Carryalls/Utility Cars P.O. Box 400 W. Falmouth, MA 02574 508-563-2284 Chester Drake & Sons, Ins. 222 Walnut Street Framingham, MA 01701 Golf Course Construction 508-875-7929 Elanco Products Company Stephen C. Dolinak 31 Old Town Trail Narragansett, Rl 02882 401-789-9017 Gold Star Sod Farms, Inc. Sod & Pine Bark Mulch Canterbury, N.H. 603-783-4717 Lexington, MA 617-861-1111 Greenway Irrigation Company Irrigation, Drainage, Wire Laying P.O. Box 8157 East Lynn, MA 01904 John Murphy 617-595-3010 Steve Murphy 617-598-6917 Hammond & Tilton, Inc. P.O. Box 30, Exit 35W off I95 Fairfield, ME 04937 Tel: (207) 453-7131 John Deere Golf & Turf Equipment Contact: Gary Hammond The Charles C. Hart Seed Co. Weathersfield. Conn. , Bob Kennedy, Rep., Roy Sibley, Rep. Holliston Sand Co. Inc. Lowland Street Holliston, MA 01746 Sand forTopdressing a Bunkers International Golf Const. Co. Antonios Paganis, Rep. 5 Pureed Rd., Arlington, MA 02174 Golf Course Construction 617-648-2351 or 508-428-3022 Torn Irwin, Inc. 11 B A St., Burlington, MA Jack Peterson Dennis Friel Phone: 617-938-1751 Wayne Ripley Larchmont Eng. & Irrig. Co. Larchmont Lane Lexington, MA 02173 617-862-2550 •Lesco Inc. 20005 Lake Road Rocky River, OH 44116 Ron Tumiski, Rep., Mike Donahue, Rep. 800-825-3726 •Loft's Seed 20 Beck Road Arlington, MA 02174 Victoria Wallace, Rep. NEWSLETTER myTHE l RONALD W. KIRKMAN Newsletter Editor KIP TYLER CGCS Associate Editor THOMAS SCHOFIELD CGCS Business Manager GERRY FINN Contributing Editor The Magovern Co., Inc. 27 Lawnacre Road Windsor Locks, CT 06096 Tel.: 800-243-7718 or 203-623-2508 Lew Varga, Rep. •D.L. Maher Box 127, Concord Street N.Reading, MA 01864 Mobay Chemical Co. Greg Ellis 67 Primrose Drive Warwick, Rl 02818 R.F. Morse & Sons Inc. W. Wareham, MA 02576 508-295-1553 Larry Anshewitz, Rep. Jack Cronin, Rep. •Nardone Sand & Gravel Co. Inc. 37 Power Road Westford, MA 01886 508-692-8221 Specializing in Topdressing Sand Nor-Am Chemical Co. Wilmington, Delaware Ucwl d Sylvester, Rep. 203-828-8905 Norfolk Power Equip., Ine. 194 Main Street Norfolk, MA 02056 508-528-3120 Don Reynolds, Rep. Old Fdx Chemical Inc. Fertilizers-Seeds-Turf-Chemicals 66 Valley Street E. Providence, R.I. 02914 Partac Golf Course Top Dressing Kelsey Park Great Meadows, N.J. 07838 Jim Kelsey, 1-800-247-2326 P.I.E. Supply Co. Dedicated to sales and service of quality irrigation equipment. (203) 878-0658 John Lensing (401) 246-0864 for your irrigation needs. Read Sand & Gravel, Inc. 171 VFW Drive, Rockland, MA 02370 Top Dressing Loam; Sand, concrete and brick: Stone, crushed, washed, colored; Same day service, Saturday deliveries. John A. Moon, Sales Manager (617) 878-2955 Return to: RONALD W. KIRKMAN 25 GREEN STREET NEEDHAM, MA 02192 FIRST CLASS Sawtelle Bros. 65 Glenn Street Lawrence, MA 01843 508-682-9296 Scott Associates, Inc. 60 Water Street Clinton, MA 01510 508-365-6341 Pumps-Sales, Service installation, Vertical Turbine Pumps Specialists Scotts Pro-Turf Div. Allan Cumps 413-253-5226, Regional Director Rep. Scott Brown 413-245-6038 Stormy Acres Putting green quality sod grown on a fumigated sand base West Haven, Vermont 05743 Kevin Gun, 802-265-3046 Tuckahoe Turf Farms Inc. Exeter, R.I. Litchfield, N.H. West Suffield, CT 800-556-6985 Largest Producer of Penncross in New England Owen Regan •Turf Products Corp. 7 Coppage Drive Worcester, MA 01603 508-791-2091 •Turf Specialty Inc. 60 Merrimac Street Hooksett, N.H. 03106 Turf & Ornamental Supplies 1-800-228-6656 Ken Turner, Kevin Lyons, Dave Schermerhorn, Ed Wiacek Philip Wogan Golf Course Architect 17 Walker Road Topsfield, MA 01983 ' C o n t r i b u t o r s to the Troll.Dickinson Scholarship Fund First Class Mail U.S. POSTAGE PAID Boston, MA Permit No. 52848