Golf Course Superintendents

LETTER
Association

S p o n s o r s a n d a d m i n i s t r a t o r s of t h e T r o l l - D i c k i n s o n S c h o l a r s h i p
Fund
A w a r d e d yearly to deserving Turf M a n a g e m e n t Students.

April Meeting
Monday, April 29, 1991
K e r n w o o d C.C., Salem, MA
8:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
After Lunch

Board Meeting
Regular Meeting
Education
Lunch

Golf

Host Superintendent
Dean Robertson
Speaker
Jim Donovan
Agri-Diagnostics
Mass. P e s t i c i d e Credit g i v e n
R e s e r v a t i o n s Required
Call by April 19, 1 9 9 1
(617)527-6968
Dean h a s been the golf course superintendent at Kernwood since March 1978.
Dean is the third person to hold t h a t
position since t h e club opened in 1914. His
assistant, Robert Mcparland, h a s been
employed at Kernwood for 35 years. .
Dean graduated from the two-year prog r a m at Stockbridge in 1962. He is married
and h a s three children. Holly 25, Heidi 23,
Cheryl 20. Dean is P a s t President of New
E n g l a n d , 1978-79, and also former newsletter editor. He enjoys fishing, traveling,
and gardening.
L a s t season Dean, along with his assista n t Robert and their crew, completed a new
5th tee and green along with a new 8th tee
a n d practice tee. Dean says his greens are
Kernwood velvet bentgrass developed by
former Supt. Lester Allen.
A lot of original equipment t h a t built
Kernwood is still in good condition in his
18,000 sq. ft. m a i n t e n a n c e building. Dean's
m a i n t e n a n c e building will be open during
our meeting if you would like to take a look
for yourself.
DIRECTIONS:
Take Route 128 N o r t h to Exit 22 East,
Route 62. Proceed one mile down the road
until you come to a fork in the road. There
will be a Global G a s Station in the center.
Bear right on to Bridge Street. Continue for
another mile until you reach Kernwood
A v e n u e which is the first right after
Simpson's Liquor Store. Take a right onto
this street. Drive for approximately one
mile, pass over the Kernwood Bridge, and
t h e Club's e n t r a n c e is one half mile on t h e
right.

OF NEW ENGLAND, INC.

March 1991

Super's best friend
still gathering awards
In academic
c i r c l e s , h e ' s Dr.
Joseph Troll—
professor emeritus
in the department
of p l a n t a n d soil
sciences at the
U n i v e r s i t y of
Massachusetts.
Around the area and n a t i o n ' s golf
courses, he's Joe Troll—the golf course
superintendent's best friend.
Happy to say, too, Joe Troll is still
gathering awards.
Last month as one of the feature
attractions of the annual Golf Course
S u p e r i n t e n d e n t s A s s o c i a t i o n of
America conference in Las Vegas, Joe
received the 1991 Green Section Award
of the United States Golf Association.
That's top shelf material. The award,
instituted in 1961, is presented to a
person in recognition of distinguished
service to golf through work with turf
grass.
Seven years ago the GCSAA tapped
Dr. Troll for another honor by n a m i n g
him the recipient of its Distinguished
Service Award.
So not only is Joe a m a n of letters, he's
a m a n of awards. In fact, he says his
greatest satisfaction from his endeavors
in his field comes when another of his
"UMass boys" puts his best foot forward
in the golf course superintendents'
profession.
Naturally, that group constitutes a
veritable who's who in the profession.
Among UMass-educated and Dr. Trollinspired supers are Bill Spence, now of

The Country Club by way of Pebble
Beach; Ted Horton of the Westchester
Country Club; Greg G r a h a m of Vegas'
Desert Inn Club; Bill Whitley of the
Chicago Country Club; Fred Meda who
calls the conditioning shots for seven
courses in golf-rich M y r t l e B e a c h
country; and George Thompson of the
Country Club of North Carolina.
Thompson, when reached by the
Springfield Sunday Republican, told
that newspaper: "Dr. Troll uses every
opportunity to promote golf, especially
the golf course superintendent. He has
been a research and turf extension
specialist as well, but his legacy is the
numerous outstanding superintendents
he has inspired."
Joe was very proud to be selected for
the USGA honor when contacted before
l e a v i n g for L a s V e g a s for the
ceremonies.
"Hey, I'm very happy over this," he
said. "The sad thing about this is t h a t I
have so m a n y UMass and Stockbridge
grads spread around the country, I can't
keep track of them. So, it's almost
impossible to name them all and how
much they, too, are doing for the game of
golf."
Funny, though, if it weren't for Joe's
d e t e r m i n a t i o n a n d p l a i n courage to
make a better life for him and his family,
his relationship with golf and the superintendent never would have come about.
" T h a t ' s right," Joe disclosed. "You're
looking at a high school dropout. Well,
j u s t call me a one-time dropout. I

continued on page 2

continued from page 1

PRESIDENT
Paul Miller, CGCS
1 Leicester Road, Marblehead, MA 01945
(H) 617-631-7910 — (W) 508-369-5704
Ciub Affiliation - Nashawtuc C.C.
VICE PRESIDENT
Charles T. Passios, CGCS
218 Camelback Road, Marston Mills, MA 02648
(H) 508-420-3210 — (W) 508-775-5116
Club Affiliation - Hyannisport Club
SECRETARY
Stephen A. Chiavaroli CGCS
100 Airport Drive, Worcester, MA 01602
(H) 508-752-0031 — (W) 508-791-5373
Club Affiliation - Tatnuck C.C.
TREASURER
Ronald E. Milenski, CGCS
65 Rocky Pond Road, Princeton, MA 01541
(H) 508-464-5312 — (W) 508-779-6911
Club Affiliation - The International
TRUSTEE
Edward L. Brearly
189 Matfield Street, W. Bridgewater, MA 02379
(H) 508-584-6568 — (W) 508-295-7010
Club Affiliation - Bay Pointe C.C.
TRUSTEE
Eric E. Newell, CGCS
113 Cross Street, Hanover, MA 02339
(H) 617-826-7207 — (W) 617-878-5836
Club Affiliation - Rockland C.C.
TRUSTEE
Robert Ruszala
69 Gelinas Drive, Chicopee, MA 01020
(H) 413-592-5780 — Office Phone 413-256-8654
Club Affiliation - Hickory Ridge G.C.
FINANCE
CHAIRMAN
Paul Jamrog
P. O. Box 38, Belchertown, MA 01007
(H) 413-323-8519 — (W) 413-536-4195
Club Affiliation - The Orchards G.C.
GOLF CHAIRMAN
Robert DiRico, CGCS
185 Hemenway Street, Marlboro, MA 01752
(H) 508-485-2605 — (W) 617-244-0680
Club Affiliation - Brae Burn C.C.
EDUCATIONAL
CHAIRMAN
Kevin F. Osgood
62 Maple Street, Hyde Park, MA 02136
(H) 617-364-4859 — (W) 617-254-0925
Club Affiliation - Newton Comm. G.C.
NEWSLETTER
CHAIRMAN
Kip Tyler, CGCS
P. O. Box 671, Peabody, MA 01960
(H) 508-462-9272 — (W) 508-532-2236
Club Affiliation - Salem C.C.
PAST PRESIDENT
Richard Zepp, CGCS
27 Fowler Road, Northbridge, MA 01534
(H) 508-234-8490 — (W) 508-234-2533
Club Affiliation - Whitinsville, G.C.

NEWSLETTER
KIP TYLER, CGCS
Newsletter Editor
RONALD MILENSKI, CGCS
Business Manager

GERRY FINN
Contributing Editor

Information contained in this publication may be used
freely, in whole or in part, without special permission as
l o n g as the true c o n t e x t is m a i n t a i n e d . We w o u l d
appreciate a credit line.

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couldn't have gone through all those
educational halls without a high school
diploma."
Dr. Troll, indeed, never would cotton
to school when he was a young m a n in
Paterson, New Jersey. And, amazingly,
it was ten years before he realized he
wouldn't go far without committing himself to an educational program.
"I can remember those days when I
wasn't aware of the value of an education," Joe continued. "That's when I left
school and joined the Navy. I was 16 at
the time and it wasn't until I was 27 that
I went back to high school, to a new
beginning."
Joe was married and he and Lonnie
had one child when he saw the light.
"I spent six years-in the Navy, got out,
went back iif after Pearl Harbor (start of
World War II), and was working on
factory jobs when I woke up," Joe
recalled. "The factory work did it. I
worked as a tool cutter and grinder in an
aircraft factory, then tried a job in a dye
house t h a t turned out to be hot, miserable, and messy. I just couldn't see
myself living that kind of life and being
happy."
So, it was back to the books for the
unhappy 8 to 5 toiler. Joe ate up the
requirements for his high school sheepskin, then applied to and was accepted
by the University of Rhode Island.
And his life went storybook from
there. Joe graduated summa cum laude
after switching from a pre-med program
to agronomy.
"I was just warming up at that time,"
Joe laughed. "I wanted more education,
but I also had family obligations. I had
two offers to do graduate work and point
toward a masters degree. One came from
Ohio State and I was thrilled about it.
"However, Rhode Island countered
with an opportunity to work for my
masters and teach in the field of plant
pathology at the same time. It took me
three years to get the masters, but all
t h a t time I was paid the same as a
regular college instructor. So, there I
was, 33 years old with the education I
needed to be successful."
It was all downhill for Joe after that.
He heard of a job opening at UMass,
accepted it, became a fixture in the
department of plant and soil sciences
under L a w r e n c e S. Dickinson, a n d
eventually succeeded him as director of
the turf management program. Oh yes,
and in between Joe got his doctorate at
the age of 45.

Dr. Troll stayed on the job at UMass
for 28 years before retiring in 1985.
During that long association with the
u n i v e r s i t y , he developed a s t r o n g
relationship with the golf course superintendent and poured himself into turf
grass-related projects that have become
the talk of the field.
Joe's UMass Conference, staged this
month at the Springfield Civic Center,
draws lecturers and attendees from all
parts of the country. From t h a t voluntary venture (he says wife, Lonnie, does
all the heavy work these days), Dr. Troll
has been responsible for much of the
success of the Troll-Dickinson Scholarship Fund to the tune of over $100,000 as
well as a $114,000 grant for active turf
research.

"The project we really love to
see grow is the Troll Research
Endowment Fund."
Dr. Joseph Troll
"The project wereally love to see grow,
though, is the Troll Research Endowment Fund," Joe added. "We just went
over $300,000 and we're looking to reach
$500,000. Hey, this will be my 31st year
at the conference. And everyone
wonders why I get excited at this time of
year?"
Little wonder, then, t h a t a loud cheer
swept through the golf course maintenance buildings throughout the United
States and the world when word of
Dr. Troll's latest honor was heard. He's
still the super's best friend. Maybe the
best the profession's ever had.
GERRY F I N N

Calendar
Mar. 2 1

Mar. 2 5

Apr. 4
Apr. 29

May 2 0

Regular Meeting
Nashawtuc C.C.
Concord, MA
Lunch
GCSANE andNEPGA
Joint Education Day
Colonial C.C.
Wakefield, MA
USGARegionalSeminar
Weston C.C.
Weston, MA
Regular Meeting
Kernwood C.C.
Salem, MA
Lunch
Regular Meeting
Charles River C.C.

The Super Speaks Out
This month's question:
How much, if any, has the golf course superintendent's
profession improved in the last ten years, and how has
it affected you and your job?

Charlie Gardner,
Oyster Harbor
GolfClub: "There's
no question about
it. We've come a
long way from the
old days when the
general assumption
was that a superintendent was some guy pushing a lawn
mower all day and holding a sprinkling
hose all night.
"I go back there, so I know. Things
definitely are different now, and better.
For one thing, t h a t old public concept of
the profession has been dead, buried,
and done away with. Our image h a s
improved to the point where we're looked
upon as the top of the turf management
team t h a t services golfers and gives
them playing conditions that could be
realized only by a sophisticated maintenance program.
"Of course, this matter of acceptance
as a professional starts with the superintendent, himself. Unfortunately, there
are still some people in the profession
who are content to be treated like they
were in the dark ages and are afraid to
assume the responsibility that comes
with the upgrade in their personal
station of life.
"The relationship with members also
h a s taken a s h a r p turn for the best, and
with it has come certain pressures to
perform our job at a very high level. I
think the Stimpmeter h a s been the one
single cause of most of t h a t pressure.
However, the fast-green craze seems to
be letting up and we're dealing with it
without too much hassle.
"Overall, things are looking up for the
superintendent. At least it is for me. The
state of the profession h a s never been
better."

Bill Spence,
The
Country
Club: "There's no
ifs, ands, or buts
about it, recognition of the superin;J#tl
tendent
has
reached a high
level. However, all
the improvements and such have been
accompanied by more responsibility
a n d d e m a n d s t h a t s o m e t i m e s are
reasonable, other times not. So, it's a
two-edge sword situation.
"Heavier pressures to perform are out
there, too. One of them is a continuing
burden. I ' m t a l k i n g a b o u t all t h e
exposure golf gets on TV. As we all
know, tournament golf courses are the
result of a concentrated effort to condition them almost up to showcase level.
C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e s i g h t of t h e s e
conditions brings the membership to
another level, that of great expectations
concerning its own course.
That's where we have to conduct an
educational program of our own and
make our members realize tournament
courses receive special treatment t h a t
includes special financial consideration,
or I should say considerable financial
outlay.
"Here, we attempt to do this through
an in-house newsletter t h a t offers
explanation for what we do on the course
and also welcomes any questions connected with our maintenance program. I
think this is working.
"But it's true about the profression.
Ten to 20 years ago there was no such
thing as greenskeeping being looked
upon as a sophisticated art form. Now,
it's a science and business and we are
executives in it. So, as professionals we
are expected to excel. That's the way it is
in all professions and we are just getting
there."

Arthur Silva,
B e l m o n t Country
Club: "I've been a
head super for only
eight years, but I
t h i n k I've been
around
long
e n o u g h to k n o w
t h a t things really
are much better t h a n they were when I
f i r s t got i n t o t h e b u s i n e s s as a n
assistant. Ten years at t h a t level taught
me a lot.
"I remember when the golf pro was the
m a n to deal with around the country
club, the guy who wore the nice clothes,
while the super was the one with the
hose wrapped around his neck and the
dirt under his fingernails.
"Then the superintendent was treated
like a common laborer. Now, he's more
like an executive with responsibilities
t h a t have increased as his performance
gets better and better.
"I think, for the most part, t h a t we
have to thank ourselves for the change
and the cleaning up of our image. We've
taken advantage of educational opportunities, we're involved in a certification
program t h a t keeps us on our toes, and
we're just plain giving golfers the best
conditions they've ever known or even
dreamed about.
"As for pressure, I really don't feel any
because of the added recognition. I just
do my job, there's no one looking over
my shoulder, and my members seem to
be satisfied. So, definitely, my status is
miles ahead of what it was ten years ago
and so are the course conditions. By the
way, even my assistant thinks things
aren't all t h a t bad. I couldn't say t h a t
when I was in his shoes."
Peter Hasak,
T e d e s c o Country
Club: All I can say
about the recognition growth in our
profession in t h e
last ten years is one
word—amazing.
" H o w e v e r , we
had to put on this recognition surge, this
p o l i s h i n g of our i m a g e ourselves.
Frankly, we're doing a pretty good job of
it.
"When I think of my early days in the
profession, the improvements seem all
the more incredible. But we really are
becoming members of an exclusive profession. I was just wondering the other
day what significance some figures I
had related to t h a t recognition surge.
There were 55 in my class in turf
management school. Only six of that 55

continued on page 6

A message from
the President
I would like to
i n f o r m all our
members who are
not aware of the
success our association experienced at
theGCSAATournament and Conven- fgsjjBr
tion. GCSANE #2
Chapter Team won low net at the golf
t o u r n a m e n t in Scottsdale; C h a r l e s
Passios, GCSANE Vice President, was
elected Director of GCSAA for two years;
and Joe Troll was awarded the USGA
Green Section Award in Las Vegas at
the Annual Convention. Congratulations!
Locally, we have a busy month ahead,
and I encourage everyone's participation. It is very important to establish
relationships with our allied associations.
The GCSANE-NEPGA joint meeting on
M a r c h 25 a n d the USGA Regional
S e m i n a r on April 4 are additional
meetings to our calendar of last year.
However, they are important educational sessions and your input is very
meaningful.
I would like to thank those of you who
have attended our monthly meetings
and have honored our dress code. This is
a demonstration of mutual respect to our
Host Superintendent; and if you have
not complied, I would encourage you to
do so (sport jacket preferred). I would
also like to inform our membership t h a t
the Membership Directory is for the sole
use of our membership. It is not a list in
which we sell or give access to other t h a n
our own members. It may be obtained
only by j o i n i n g t h e G C S A N E . I
encourage you to be discreet in its usage
and please honor our members rights of
privacy.
P A U L MILLER

More proposed

GCSAA Conferences,
Las Vegas, Nevada

GCSANE By-Law

E x i s t i n g Article IV, S e c t i o n 2
CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP

Article IV, S e c t i o n 8 s h a l l n o w be
Article IV, S e c t i o n 10.

N o w Reads: 1. There shall be five
c l a s s e s of m e m b e r s h i p : R e g u l a r ,
Associate, Assistant, Honorary, and
Life.
C h a n g e to Read: 1 There shall be
seven classes of membership: Regular,
Associate, Assistant, Honorary, Life,
Affiliate, and Student.

Article IV, S e c t i o n 9 s h a l l n o w be
Article IV, S e c t i o n 11.
Article IV, S e c t i o n 10 s h a l l n o w be
Article IV, S e c t i o n 12.
Article IV, S e c t i o n 11 s h a l l n o w be
Article IV, S e c t i o n 13.

Beautiful warm weather prevailed for the 1991
GCSAA conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Top left, the
GCSANE and CCTMA hospitality suite was in full
swing. Below, Doug Stachura (left) and Jack Pluta
enjoy appetizers. Jack said something about eating his
dues worth.

changes
N e w Article IV, S e c t i o n 8 t o be
inserted shall read:
AFFILIATE MEMBERS: An Affiliate
Member shall be a person who is
employed by a company t h a t sells a
product or provides a service t h a t is used
in the maintenance of a golf course. He
or she shall have all the privileges of this
Association except to vote and to hold
office and shall pay initiation fees and
dues as established by the Association.

Deep tine

aerification

by Jim Connolly, USGA
Editor's Note: At a recent GCSANE
meeting, J i m spoke on aerification. He
was kind enough to prepare this written
text for our newsletter.

Turfgrass problems can occur from a
variety of situations. It seems that for
each problem there exists a product t h a t
will offer a solution. If you have bugs...
apply an insecticide; fungus...fungicide;
compaction...aerify; and so on. This
thinking is not wrong, and the most
successful superintendents are experts
at applying solutions to problems. The
idea of one simple solution is seldom the
answer to the complex science and art of
t u r f g r a s s m a n a g e m e n t . On the
contrary, it is usually the application of
several tools t h a t can correct or modify a
difficult situation.
Deep tine aerification h a s gained
widespread attention for the relief of a
variety of turfgrass problems. It is
estimated t h a t about 20% of the golf
courses in New England have used the
deep tine aerification method on their
golf course. T h e two t y p e s m o s t
commonly used are the Vertidrain and
Floyd-Mckay drill.
The percent of use seems to be slightly
in favor of the Vertidrain, although the
drill machine h a s attractive benefits.
The Floyd-Mckay seems to be used on
courses t h a t desire minimum disruption
of the putting surface. It is true t h a t the
drill will leave a smoother putting
surface t h a n the Vertidrain; however, it
is my opinion t h a t the benefits are
shorter lived.
What type of soil problem will deep
tine aerification minimize? There are
several scenarios which lend themselves
well to a deep aerification:
1. Poor surface drainage.
2. Soils that exhibit poor drainage.
3. Layers in the subsurface.
Poor surface drainage due to bad
c o n t o u r i n g is b e s t e l i m i n a t e d by
reconstructing the surface (rebuilding). I
have visited several golf courses t h a t
have bowl-shaped greens t h a t h a v e
benefited from deep tining...temporarily.
Don't sell deep tining as a cure-all.
Poorly drained soil can be modified to
some degree and deep tining can relieve

saturated soils. I have seen very poor
soils deep tined four times and still fail!
Use the aerification as a possible help.
M a n y s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s will t r y to
backfill the holes with sand in an effort
to modify the soil drainage characteristics. This is extremely difficult and not
worth the time. If you wa»t to try to fill
the holes, select low spots and severe
problem areas and fill those holes
completely.
Soils t h a t are uniformly poor past a
depth of 10 to 15 inches may not benefit
from deep aerification. If a layer of poor
soil, 10 inches or less, is over top of
better-drained soil, the benefits could be
great.
Theoretically, if you could deep aerify
and install drain tile at a depth of 24",
you could greatly improve drainage in a
green. In practice, I seldom see this done
a n d t h e i m p r o v e m e n t is s e l d o m
noticeable. You are better off rebuilding.
What should the membership expect
from deep tine aerification? First, be
ready for major disruption. This is a
large, h e a v y m a c h i n e a n d c a u s e s
physical disturbance to the subsoils;
this is the objective in order to improve
drainage! Subtle changes can also occur
on the surface of the green and cause
bumpy putting conditions for weeks.
Second, sod may be torn and repair
necessary. Finally, the green may not
improve at all. This does not mean
someone screwed up. It may need to be
rebuilt.
What is to be done after Vertidraining?
T h e g r e e n s s h o u l d be t o p d r e s s e d
regularly in an effort to smooth the
putting surface as soon as possible. I
have heard of applying sand 1/2 inch to
1 inch thick on the surface of the green
before vertidraining. This minimizes
track-marks and makes topdressing
easier. Continue to lightly topdress each
week with 1/3 to 1/2 a cubic yard/5000
sq. ft. Don't apply too much sand at once
or you may create a layer of sand in the
soil profile.
How often should you deep tine? This
depends upon the club membership's
tolerance to this practice! Most clubs go
once a year for starters. You may be able
to go every few years. Seldom do I see
more t h a n once a year.
Hollow or solid? 90% go with 3/4 inch
solid. I have seen several superinten-

dents choose hollow and they seem to be
quite happy. They also do a great job of
filling the large holes. 1/2 inch tines
seem to bend and break too easily.
Spacings? Try to keep the linear
spacing at least 5" apart. Too close will
cause furrowing, your greens will putt
like a corn field.
How deep? The first green should be
6", then you can adjust to maximum
depth with the least amount of damage
to the green. You may be able to go 12"
plus if conditions allow.
Moisture content. The subsurface
should be dry and the upper 3" should
have some moisture but not soaked.
Drainage problems may not be what
they appear to be. Be sure to check the
irrigation pattern, delivery rate, tree
influence, subsurface water seepage,
and other external influences. View deep
tine aerification as one in a series of
management techniques that you can
use to provide improved agronomic
conditions.
S o m e a d d i t i o n a l n o t e s on VertiDraining are taken from an article by
J i m Arthur in Amateur Golf, J u n e 1990
(a UK publication). The article explains
how the idea of deep tining is not new.
British Greenskeepers used pitch forks
to prise up compacted turf over a century
ago. It was called "raised forking".
He gives some guidelines on how he
feels Verti-Draining is to be done:
1. To achieve the best and lasting
results, subsoil conditions must be
dry and friable. This means that
vertidraining on wet soils in late
winter could be harmful. I agree.
2. Hurrying a job can result in wider
spacing, rippling is inevitable as the
green surface is not raised uniformly but in sections.
3. Don't bring out a heavy topdresser
laden with sand in an effort to
smooth bumpy or uneven surfaces.
You only end up with wheel tracks
from the Cushman (or like).
4. It is a very bad idea to sand greens
a f t e r v e r t i d r a i n i n g , t h o u g h on
heavy soils 4mm grit can be worked
into holes to keep them open.
5. T h e o p t i m u m p r o c e d u r e is as
follows:
In August, or when ground is
dry, operate two machines to
speed up the job. Keep spacings
close to avoid rippling; and
either light roll or topdress
afterwards. Back this up with
your regular aerification
schedule.
I believe t h a t while turf and weather
conditions are quite different in Great
Britain, we can learn from Mr. Arthur's
experience.

Friends
of the Month
H a m m o n d & Tilton, Inc.
In 1983 Gary Hammond and Dale
Tilton purchased an existing equipment
dealership in central Maine. The prior
company had been a J o h n Deere dealer
in business since 1901. A new corporation and name change was completed at
that time. Both the prior and existing
companies are the largest farm, garden,
and turf dealer in Maine. Equipment
lines include J o h n Deere, Kubota,
Kawasaki Mule, Hardi Sprayers, Kuhn,
Bush Hog, Woods, Landpride, Ferris,
Nunes, Coremaster, and others.
In 1986 Hammond & Tilton received
the J o h n Deere Golf and Turf Agree-

ment for Maine, New Hampshire, and
Vermont. Since that date they had fulltime sales representatives for Golf &
Turf customers. Effective December
1990, their golf territory expanded into
eastern Massachusetts.
The company has a new 21,000 square
foot facility on 195 in Fairfield, Maine.
Total employees number 24 with over
305 years of combined experience with
this company. Salesmen Eric Oman and
Bill Kemp look forward to working with
their new Golf and Turf customers in
eastern Massachusetts.
The second Friend did not respond.
Editor's Nfflte: I call two companies from
the back of t>?e newsletter for each issue.
Each eagarfy agrees to send an article
about their company and are given
ample time to submit it. As you can see
by this and past issues, m a n y of those
who say they will respond do not.

GCSANE & NEPGA seminar
notice to members,
apprentices & salesmen
To N E P G A Members, A p p r e n t i c e s ,
Salesmen, and GCSANE Members:
There will be an educational seminar on
Monday, March 25, 1991 in the new
Colonial Ballroom, Route 128/195
Walnut Street (Exit #43), Wakefield, MA.
A t t e n d a n c e is w o r t h t h r e e selfi m p r o v e m e n t credits for t h e P G A
P r o f e s s i o n a l Development P r o g r a m
ending April 30,1991.

AGENDA
8:00-8:10 a m
8:10-8:45 a m
8:45-9:05 a m
9:05-9:15 am
9:15-10:15 a m

10:15-10:25 a m
10:25-11:30 a m

Opening remarks
President's M e s s a g e / V i d e o
Old's Scramble Representative
T h e Registrar
Teaching/Video
Bob Miller-NEPGA
Teacher of the Year
Break
M e r c h a n d i s i n g P a n e l - Les Bond,
A n d y Froude, J i m Tobin, B a r t
Brown, D a n F r a n s o z o

11:30-12:00 p m

Workaholic E x p r e s s L u n c h e o n

12:00-3:00 p m

a. Welcome Kevin Osgood, Superintendent Newton Commonwealth
Golf Club.
b. I n t e g r a t e d pest m a n a g e m e n t on
golf c o u r s e - M i c h a e l N a g l e ,
S u p e r i n t e n d e n t Worcester C.C.
c. C u r r e n t approaches to research,
Dr. Michael P. K e n n a , Director of
Research, USGA, Stillwater, OK.
d. U n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d d e t e c t i n g
l i g h t i n g on t h e golf course - R a l p h
Markson, Airborne Research
Assoc., Weston, MA.
e. Pesticide A w a r e n e s s - Posting,
Exposure, Safety, Emergencies Scott Reynolds, S u p e r i n t e n d e n t
C h a r l e s River C.C.; M a r k Gagne,
SuperintendentWalpoleC.C.; a n d
Andrew Langlois, Superintendent Foxboro C.C.

If you have not yet pre-registered, call
Kevin Osgood at 617-254-0925 for a
reservation.

A letter
to the President
February 6, 1991
Dear Paul,
The contribution that the GCSANE
donated to us was used in a variety of
different ways. Some of the donation
went to the transportation for the Turf
Club's trip to the Canadian Turfgrass
Superintendent Conference in Montreal
in early December. The rest will be used
for guest speakers and possibly for a
small golf tournament in the spring.
On behalf of the Turf Club, I would
like to t h a n k you and the Golf Course
Superintendents Association of New
England very much for your generous
contribution. Once again, t h a n k you
very much.
Gratefully yours,
Michael Marshall, Pres.
Turf Club, UMass Amherst

The Super Speaks...
continued from page 3
are still in the business. It says a lot for
the survivors, if you will, when you think
a b o u t all t h o s e s e v e n day-a-week
experiences early in your career.
"The superintendent started to accept
the challenge of improving himself and
his measure of performance when golf
and country clubs raised the standards
of the industry. Let's face it. T h a t old
image had to disappear. It's hard to sell
a half million-dollar budget wearing cutoff blue jeans.
"With our growth in professionalism
h a s come added responsibility, and most
of us have handled it by hitting the
books a n d keeping a b r e a s t of the
constant changes in regulations as well
as conditioning methods and products.
"In the end, it really is up to the
individual superintendent as to how far
up he goes on the professional totem pole
and how he adjusts to improvements in
the profession. For example, I'm about
to wrestle with a new computer for the
next two weeks. And in the end, it's just
another step in the right direction. The
golf course superintendent has taken it
and is on track for a better life all
around. Hopefully, all of us will remain
on it."
GERRY F I N N

DIVOT DRIFT. ..announcements...educational seminars.,.job opportunities
...tournament results...and miscellaneous items of interest to the membership.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

COURSE OFFERING

1 9 7 7 C h e v y 3 / 4 - t o n dump truck with
plow. Runs good. $1,500

A course is being offered to superintendents, assistants, and mechanics focusing
on " C u s h m a n " turf-care vehicles. A
representative from Cushman (Lincoln,
Nebraska) will be the guest speaker.
Robert Gross, from Cronatron Welding
Systems Inc., will also speak on oxyacetylene safety. The course is being
sponsored by Sawtelle Bros. Inc. and
promoted by the NejR_jSngland Golf
Course Mechanics Association (GCMA).
The date for the one day course is
March 27, 1991 fronrS a.m : to 3 p.m. The
cost will be $20 which will include lunch.
The class will be held at Weston Golf
Club, Grounds Dept. and is limited to
the first 20 people who register. Please
contact Steve Lucas at Weston Golf Club,
275 MeadowbrookRoad, Weston, MA 02193,
(617) 894-2383 by March 22, 1991.

Early '70s F - 1 0 tractor without units.
New motor. $1,600 or reasonable offer.
Call John Kotoski at Pine Ridge C.C.
(508) 892-9110

WANTED
Set of J a c o b s e n 7-Gang Blitzer
M o w e r s , to include frames. Contact
Michael Hermanson, Gardner Municipal
Golf Course, at (508) 632-2713.

CORRECTION
1991 S l a t e of Officers and Directors
GCSA of N e w E n g l a n d
President
P a u l Miller, CGCS, N a s h a w t u c C.C.
Vice President
Charles Passios, CGCS, Hyannisport Club
Secretary
Stephen Chiavaroli, CGCS, Tatnuck C.C.
Treasurer
Ronald Milenski, CGCS, T h e International
Trustee
Eric Newell, CGCS, Rockland C.C.
Trustee
Robert Ruszala, Hickory Ridge C.C.
T r u s t e e (3 y e a r s )
Edward Brearly, Bay Pointe C.C.
Finance Chairman
P a u l Jamrog, The Orchards G.C.
Golf Chairman
Bob DiRico, CGCS, Brae Burn C.C.
Educational Chairman
Kevin Osgood, Newton Commonwealth C.C.
Newsletter Chairman
Kip Tyler, CGCS, Salem C.C.
Past President
Richard Zepp, CGCS, Whitinsville G.C.

GOLF RESULTS
GCSAA Tournament Results,
Phoenix, Arizona, Feb. 1991 - GCSANE
Chapter Team - 1st Net (a first for New
England!!). Great golfing by Don Hearn,
Gary Luccini, Paul Jamrog, and J i m
Beane.
Don Hearn - 2nd Net - Mixer and
3rd N e t - 3 r d Flight
Gary Luccini - 3rd Net - 2nd Flight
Bob DiRico - 5th Gross - 3rd Flight
Paul Jamrog - 9th Net - 1st Flight
Wayne Zoppo - Also a prize winner
Did Don have to buy another suitcase to
transport all his golf prizes home?

AldLiJiULUlliiLl^^

CONFERENCE
USGA Regional Conference A green seminar conducted by the
United States Golf Association in cooperation with the Golf Course Superintendents
Association of New England and the
Massachusetts Golf Association will be
held oh Thursday, April 4, 1991, at the
Weston Golf Club, 275 Meadowbrook
Road, Weston, MA. The luncheon and
registration fee is $30 for each prepaid
r e g i s t r a t i o n a n d $35 at t h e door.
Gentlemen, jackets are requested.
Questions for the seminar should be
directed to J a m e s A. Farrell, Manager,
Northeast Region, USGA Regional Affairs,
177 Georgia Avenue, North Kingstown,
RI 02852. Phone is (401) 295-5430.

CONGRATULATIONS

INFORMATION
T h e r e s u l t s of the GCSANE annual
survey will be ready soon. The response
from superintendents this year has been
excellent.
S t e v e C h i a v a r o l i will have GCSANE
By-Law books, for those who do not
already have one, at the March meeting.
Bob L a k e is the new superintendent at
HolyokeC.C. He was previously atHolden
Hills.
A t t e n t i o n all S u p e r i n t e n d e n t s and
S a l e s m e n - Save all your "BLUE TAGS"
from the certified seed you buy. Our
Association will receive 50$ per tag from
seed p u r c h a s e d from Turf-Seed Inc.
Varieties of seed that have a redemption
value are:
C r e e p i n g B e n t g r a s s e s - Penncross,
Penneagle, Pennlinks.
P e r e n n i a l R y e g r a s s e s - Citation II,
B i r d i e II, O m e g a II, M a n h a t t a n II,
CBS II, Blend, 246.
K e n t u c k y B l u e g r a s s e s - Columbia,
Midnight, Challenger, Galaxy Blend.
Tall F e s c u e s - Olympic, Apache,
Triathalawn Blend.
Fine F e s c u e s - Shadow, Flyer, Fortress.
Hard F e s c u e s - Aurora, Waldina.
S h e e p F e s c u e - Bighorn.
Please forward your "BLUE TAGS" to
Robert Ruszala or bring them in to any of
our monthly meetings. One of the western
associations received over $1100 from this
program.

To Charlie P a s s i o s for being re-elected
to the position of Director for the GCSAA.
T h a n k s to Kevin Osgood a n d Scott
Reynolds for once again doing a fine job of
r u n n i n g t h e hospitality suite in L a s
Vegas.

CONDOLENCES
To P a u l and S a l l y Miller. Sally's father
died in mid February.
To D o u g Stachura. His father passed
away in February.

MEMBERSHIP
NEW MEMBER - D a v i d Mucciarone,
Assistant, Woodland Golf Club

NEW FRIENDS
Lazaro's Golf Course A c c e s s o r i e s
Suite 223, P. O. Box 9038
Waltham, MA 02154
Joseph Lazaro
P r o - L a w n Products, Inc.
231 Heather Street
Cranston, RI 02920
Mike Kroian

Please Patronize These FRIENDS OF THE ASSOCIATION
Baker Golf Cars
40 Walker St., Swansea, MA 02777
(508) 379-0092
Reps, Ray C h a d w i c k , Paul Littlejohn
Bartlett Tree Experts
Tree Maintenance, Fertilization &
Consulting
153 R u m f o r d Ave., Newton, MA 02166
(617) 969-5990
*The B o r d o n C o m p a n y
Maynard, MA, Tel: (508) 897-2571
Sales Rep. Jack Borden
Bulk Limestone Dealer
Boston Irrigation C o m p a n y
Dedham, MA
J o h n Ramey, Paul Kenyon
(617) 461-1560
Distributor of Irrigation Supplies
and Accessories
The Cardinals, Inc.
166 River Rd., P.O. Box 520
Unionville, C T 06085
Golf Course & Landscape Supplies
J o h n Callahan (203) 673-3699

H a m m o n d & Tilton, Inc.
P.O. B o x 30, Exit 35W off I95
Fairfield, M E 04937
Tel: (207) 453-7131
J o h n Deere Golf & Turf Equipment
Contact: Gary H a m m o n d
T h e Charles C. Hart Seed Co.
P.O. Box 9169
Weathersfield, C T 06109
1-800-326-HART
Roy Sibley, (203) 376-9525
D o n W h i n n e m , (603) 692-5097
Holliston Sand Co., Inc.
P.O. B o x 393, Trifft Rd., Slatersville, Rl
(401) 766-5010/Topdressing & Bunker Sand
International Golf Const. Co.
A n t o n i o s Paganis, Rep.
5 Purcell Rd., A r l i n g t o n , M A 02174
Golf Course C o n s t r u c t i o n
(617) 648-2351 or (508) 428-3022
Irrigation Maintenance & Service
21 Lakeview Ave., Natick, MA. (508) 653-0625
Irrigation c o n s u l t a t i o n , design, and
system evaluation - Bob Healed, ASIC-

C & J Equipment, Inc.
188 Main St., W i l m i n g t o n , MA 01887
J o h n Deere Golf & Turf Equipment
(508) 658-2022—Eric Oman,
Mike Cornicelli, Kevin O ' D o n n e l l

*Tom Irwin, Inc.
11B A St., Burlington, MA
Jack Peterson
Dennis Friel Phone: 617-938-1752"
Wayne Ripley, Paul Skafas

' G e o f f r e y S. Cornish & Brian Silva
Golf Course Architects
Fiddlers Green, Amherst, M A 01002

L a r c h m o n t Eng. & Irrig. Co.
L a r c h m o n t Lane, Lexington, MA 02173
(617) 862-2550

C o u n t r y Club Enterprises, Inc.
Club Car Golf Cars, Carryalls/Utility Car:
P.O. Box 400, W. Falmouth, MA 02574
(508) 563-2284

The Lawn Co. Inc.
P.O. 1540, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532
T o m Fair, 1-800-660-TURF
Fertilizers & Pest C o n t r o l s Applied
Fairway Aeration & Slice Seeding

Chester Drake & Sons, Inc.
222 Walnut St., F r a m i n g h a m , MA 01701
Golf Course C o n s t r u c t i o n
(508) 875-7929
Elanco Products C o m p a n y
Stephen C. Dolinak
31 Old T o w n Trail, Narragansett, Rl 02882
(401) 789-9017
Gold Star Wholesale Nursery & Sod Farm
Bill T h o m p s o n
Lexington, MA, (617) 861-1111
Canterbury, NH, (603) 783-4717
Greenway Irrigation C o m p a n y
Irrigation, Drainage, Wire Laying
P.O. Box 8157
East Lynn, MA 01904
J o h n Murphy, (617) 595-3010
Steve M u r p h y , (617) 598-6917

Lazaro's Golf Course Accessories
d b a H a m m o n d Paint & C h e m . Co., Inc.
Ste. 223/P.O. Box 9038, Waltham, MA 02154
Joseph Lazaro, 617-647-3361
*Lesco Inc.
20005 Lake Rd., Rocky River, O H 44116
Ron Tumiski, Rep., Mike Donahue, Rep.
800-825-3726
*Loft's Seed
20 Beck Rd., A r l i n g t o n , M A 02174
Victoria Wallace, Rep.
L o w d e n Tree & Landscape
433 Chestnut St., Needham, MA 02192
Tree maintenance, spraying, c o n s u l t i n g ,
landscaping, c o n s t r u c t i o n
Scott A. Stover, Rep. 617-444-0402

T h e Magovern Co., Inc.
27 Lawnacre Road
Windsor Locks, C T 06096
Tel: 800-243-7718 or (203) 623-2508
Lew Varga, Rep.
*D.L. Maher Co.
Box 127, C o n c o r d St.
N. Reading, MA 01864
(617) 933-3210
Water Supply Specialists
Water Wells & P u m p i n g E q u i p m e n t
Mobay C h e m i c a l Co.
Greg Ellis
67 Primrose Drive
Warwick, Rl 02818
R.F. Morse & Sons Inc.
W. Wareham, M A 02576
508-295-1553
Reps., Larry Anshewitz, Jack C r o n i n
*Nardone Sand & Gravel Co. Inc.
37 Power Rd., Westford, MA 01886
(508) 692-8221
Specializing in T o p d r e s s i n g Sand • •
N o r - A m C h e m i c a l Co.
W i l m i n g t o n , Delaware
David Sylvester, Rep.
(203) 828-8905
N o r f o l k Power Equip., Inc.
194 Main Street, Norfolk, MA 02056
508-528-3120
Don Reynolds, Rep.
Old Fox Chemical Inc.
Fertilizers-Seeds-Turf-Chemicals
66 Valley Street
E. Providence, Rl 02914
Partac Peat C o r p o r a t i o n
Great Meadows, NJ 0 7 8 3 3 - 8 0 0 - 2 4 7 - 2 3 2 6
(201)637-4191—G.C. topdressing, const.
mixes, tennis ct. supply
P.I.E. Supply Co.
Dedicated to sales and service of qual
irrigation e q u i p m e n t . (203) 878-0658
J o h n Lensing, (401) 246-0864 for y o u
irrigation needs.

J. P. Roberts Co.
T e c h n i c a l Resource Catalog
Survey-Weather-Testing-Meas.&Diag. Equip.
Barbara Piantedosi (508) 456-6886
Sawtelle Bros.
65 G l e n n St., Lawrence, MA 01843
(508) 682-9296
Scotts Pro-Turf Div.
Allan C u m p s , Regional Dir.
Rep. Scott B r o w n , (401) 294-3606
Rep. Richard Forni, (413) 534-8896
Shemln Nurseries, Inc.
C o m p l e t e Hort. and Irrig. S u p p l y Ctr.
H u d s o n , MA 01749
Michael G i m m e l f a r b 1-800-274-3646
Steiner Turf E q u i p m e n t
Sales & Service, Vernons, Inc.
13 School St., Danvers, MA 01923
Dick Leigh, (508) 774-4410
T u c k a h o e Turf Farms Inc.
Exeter, Rl, Litchfield, N H
West Suffield, C T
800-556-6985
Largest Producer of Penncross in
New England
O w e n Regan
*Turf Products C o r p .
7 C o p p a g e Dr., Worcester, MA 01603
(508) 791-2091
*Turf Specialty Inc.
60 Merrimac St., Hooksett, N H 03106
Turf & O r n a m e n t a l Supplies
1-800-228-6656
Bob Flanagan, Kevin Lyons,
Dave S c h e r m e r h o r n , Ed Wiacek
Philip W o g a n
Golf Course A r c h i t e c t u r e
17 Walker Rd., T o p s f i e l d , MA 01983
W i n d i n g B r o o k Turf Farm, Inc.
240 Griswold Rd., Wethersfield, C T 061
800-243-0232, A l a n A n d e r s o n

P r o - L a w n Products Inc.
231 Heather Street, Cranston, Rl 02920
Specializing in turf & o r n a m e n t a l needs
C o n t a c t Mike Kroian, 401-944-9990
Read Sand & Gravel, Inc.
171 VFW Dr., Rockland, M A 02370
T o p Dressg Loam; Sand, c o n c r e t e
b r i c k ; Stone, c r u s h e d , washed, color
Same day service, Sat. deliveries.
Mike D o n o v a n , (617) 878-2955

'Contributors to the Troll-Dickinson
Scholarship Fund

kmjjihiLl^i.iUii.iiJii.iLijdiUJ^^

PA
N E W S J. L E T T E R
mT

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