LETTER
Golf Course Superintendents

Association

OF NEW ENGLAND, INC.

Sponsors and administrators of the Troll-Dickinson Scholarship
Fund — Awarded yearly to deserving Turf Management Students.

April 1995

Today's relationship between supers

and salesmen is right on course
April Meeting
Monday, April 17,1995
Pocasset Golf Club
Pocasset, Massachusetts
Host Superintendent
Stephen Can*
9 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
12 noon
1 p.m.

Board Meeting
Regular Meeting
Lunch
Golf
(Cocktails & hors d'oeuvres
to follow. Cost: lunch, golf,
& hors d'oeuvres, $45; lunch
only, $15.)

Reservations Required
Call by April 13,1995
P L E A S E N O T E THIS C H A N G E !
(508) 632-0252
You must pay by check-No Cash!
Checks payable to GCSANE
Steve Carr has been the golf course superintendent at Pocasset G.C. since 1975. He is a
1974 graduate of Stonehill College and the
Turf Winter School at Stockbridge in 1975.
Steve is a former board member and past
president of the Golf Course Managers Association of Cape Cod. He and his wife, Lois,
reside in Pocasset and have one son, Tyler, age
10. Besides golf, Steve enjoys skiing, hiking,
and bicycling.
Directions: Take 1-495 South where it joins
Rte. 28. Continue on I-495/Rte. 28 to and over
Bourne Bridge. Take Rte. 28 south toward
Falmouth. After three miles, turn right toward Pocasset on Barlows Landing Road. At
first traffic light, turn left onto County Road.
Proceed one-half mile to club. Sign is on right.

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Jack Peterson's memory bank bulges
with chuckles when he recalls his first encounter with his first potential golf course
customer, the course superintendent.
"Oh yeah, I was really into golf," The
Tom Irwin Co. chief executive chortled.
"The only greens I knew about were the
ones you put in salads. And a tee (tea)?
That was something you drank. But, my oh
my, how that first impression has
changed."
Thirty-six years later, Peterson reflects
the mentality of all those caught up in a
unique relationship between the folks who
serve up the equipment and services of
their trade and the folks who utilize them.
It is as solid as the grand and ancient game
itself.
Steve Butler of the Larchmont Irrigation Company has been swapping stories
with and throwing out sales pitches to supers for 31 years. How does he rate the
profession? "I give 'em all a 10," he declared. "How could I not? I see them give
their all for the golf course, deny their
families all that time in the height of the
season. I just look up to them. I hope club
members, course owners, and the like realize they're dealing with managers, not
grass cutters. Some of the demands on
these guys are just unreal."

"Their causes are our causes;
their goals are our goals."
Jack Cronln
R.F. Morse & Sons

Dick Gurski, who deploys his selling
skills for the Charles C. Hart Seed Company, is relatively new to the business of
dealing with the superintendent, even
though he draws from 25 years of experience in the wholesale lawn end of it. But
he's learning of the bond between the
salesperson the super fast.
"It's funny," he offered. "Before I got
into direct contact with the superintendents, I always thought I knew more about
this business than my customers. Not true
now. It's amazing. I never knew how professional the supers were until I started
dealing with them. You go to a golf course
and you look around at all the facilities but
no superintendent. Where is he? Out in the
middle of the course doing the most important work around the club. He's the real
hero there."
The recognition factor always has been
a constant flaw in the mental makeup of
country club members. All too often they
simply assume that the condition of the
golf course follows two philosophies. If the
condition is good, the credit goes to the
weather. If the condition is bad, the blame
falls on the superintendent.
"That's something I'm trying to correct, straighten out," explained Jeff Rogers
of the Robert Baker Companies. "I belong
to a club and we have initiated a superintendent appreciation day. I think that
because the condition of the golf course is
a top priority with most members, they
should spend some time to learn just what
the supers do. They should get out on the
course and get first-hand information
about the conditioning process and the
continued on page 2

Page 10

continued from page 1

PRESIDENT
Edward L. Brearley
189 Matfleld Street, West Brldgewater, MA 02379
508-584-6568
VICE PRESIDENT
Robert DIRIco, CGCS*
326 Fuller Street, West Newton, MA 02165
617-527-6968
Brae Burn Country Club
SECRETARY
Kevin F. Osgood
14 Inman Lane, Foxborough, Ma 02035
617-630-1950
Newton Commonwealth Golf Course
TREASURER
Robert Ruszala
69 Gelinas Drive, Chlcopee, MA 01020
413-256-8654
Hickory Ridge Country Club
TRUSTEE
John T. Hassett
110 Montgomery Avenue, Lowell, MA 01851
508-458-7300
Mount Pleasant Golf Course
TRUSTEE
Scott Reynolds
543 Dedham Street, Newton Centre, Ma 02159
617-244-7741
Charles River Country Club
TRUSTEE
James B. Conant, CGCS*
606 River Road, Marstons Mills, MA 02648-1735
508-362-1136
King's Way Golf Club
FINANCE CHAIRMAN
James Fltzroy, CGCS*
357 W. Squantum St., North Qulncy, MA 02171
617-328-1776
Presidents Golf Course
GOLF CHAIRMAN
Michael J. Hermanson
100 Eaton Street, Gardner, MA 01440
508-632-2713
Gardner Municipal Golf Course
EDUCATION CHAIRMAN
Richard Duggan, CGCS*
93 Warren Avenue, Marlboro, MA 01752
508-369-0879
Concord Country Club
NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN
Michael Nagle, CGCS*
51 Lincoln Avenue, Holden, MA 01520
508-853-6574
Worcester Country Club
PAST PRESIDENT
Stephen A. Chlavaroll, CGCS*
6 Birch Street, Paxton, MA 01612
508-752-0031

Newsletter Edltor . Michael F. Nagle, CGCS
Associate Editor . Stephen Chlavaroll, CGCS
Contributing Editor
Gerry Finn
Business Manager
Robert Ruszala
Information contained in this publication may be
used freely, in whole or in part, without special
permission as long as the true context is maintained. We would appreciate a credit line.
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variables that go into determining what
that condition will be."
One of the more interesting salespersons s u p p o r t i n g the causes of t h e
superintendent is a "deserter" from the
profession's ranks - Jack Cronin of the
R.F. Morse and Sons group. Actually, Jack
decided to switch from super to salesman
when he was at the top of his game, so to
speak, when he opted for a new challenge.
"One of the side effects of that change
has been the opportunity to view the superintendents' profession from the other side
of the street," Cronin said. "And the first
thing I can say is that demands on the
position are ten times broader in scope
than they were when I worked the golf
course."
Cronin likes to characterize golf and the
part he has in it in tandem with the superintendent as a close knit business. As an
affiliate member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England, he
attends group meetings, plays in summer
tournaments, and develops something
more than just a working relationship with
the people who oversee the making of enjoyable playing grounds.
When reminded that the equipment
and services industry had become solid
contributors to such superintendent-oriented causes as the Turf Research
Tournament and Scholarship and Benevolence events, Cronin said "It's virtually a
given that we share the same kind of indulgence in those things that the super does.
After all, the way we exist with these guys
is a two-way street. Their causes are our
causes; their goals are our goals."
A keen observer of the salesperson-super scene is Bob Brown, who has seen the
remarkable relationship of the two factions take hold during his 20 and more
years with industry patriarch, Sawtelle
Brothers.
"What really impresses me is the way
the superintendent has had to become a
man of many hats," Brown told. "These
guys have been forced to a higher level on
many fronts. They have to be technological
giants, communications experts, financial
geniuses, and executives in order to get
their job done and their message understood.
"As for the relationship from our point
of the game, we in the industry enjoy a fun
part because we're able to associate with
these guys away from the strain of doing
business with them. When we play in their
tournaments and see them in action during
meetings and seminars, we come to appreciate the fact that both of us have the same
thought: what can we do to improve the
golf course?"

Peterson wound up the analysis of the
relationship with a proverb that should be
passed along to all those naysayers who
insist the golf course superintendent contributes only to the dark side of their golf
games. "Remember," Jack quipped, 'there
are no bad players, just bad courses.' The
super lives and has lived under that dictum
ever since I discovered what his part in golf
is all about. Now you know why we support
and cheer them (supers). Do they deserve
it or what?"
GERRY FINN

Calendar
April 13

USGA Regional Conference
Colonial Hilton
Wakefield, Mass.

April 17

Joint Meeting of
G C S A N E & G C M A of Cape C o d
Pocasset C.C.
Pocasset, Mass.

May 5

Pro-Media-Supt. T o u r n a m e n t
Oakley County Club
Watertown, Mass.

May 22

The Memorial Tournament
(Scholarship & Benevolence)
Poquoy Brook G.C.
Lakeville, Mass.

June 19

GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Pittsfield C.C.
Pittsfield, Mass.

June 29

Superintendent Green Chairman Tournament
Wachusett C.C.
West Boylston, Mass.

July 10

GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Indian Ridge C.C.
Andover, Mass.

Aug. 14

GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Ponkapoag G.C.
Canton, Mass.

Sept. 11

GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Westminster C.C.
Westminster, Mass.

Oct. 16

GCSANE
Turf Research Tournament
Salem C.C.
Peabody, Mass.

Oct. 18

Shanahan M e m o r i a l
Pro-Superintendent Tournament
Willowbend Club
Cotuit, Mass.

Nov. 6

GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Hopedale C.C.
Hopedale, Mass.

Nov.
28-29

G C S A A R e g i o n a l Seminar
Golf History, Theory, Construction,
and Maintenance
The International
Bolton, Mass.

Jan.
15-17,
1996

65th Mass. T u r f C o n f e r e n c e
& 20th Industrial S h o w
Boston Marriott - Copley Place
Boston, Mass.

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Page 10

The Super Speaks Out
This month's question: What are your thoughts about the
maintenance program at your dub while you live out the last
days of winter, and what are your immediate plans when the golf
course grooming season resumes?
Ron Hansen, Eastman Golf Links:
"That's kind of a funny question for me up
in the New Hampshire hills and in charge
of a spreading complex with 60 miles of
road to keep in shape.
"I mean funny because I really don't
have much time for thinking about what
I'm going to do when I get back to the golf
course chores because those 60 miles of
road have to be plowed and maintained.
Even though we had a soft early winter I
always have in the back of my mind a
certainty that it's going to get cold again
and the real winter will return.
"In fact, the winter job is so diversified
here I have a full-time crew of 10 people on
the payroll.
"As for the golf course, we have a unique
situation because of the short or what I like
to call 'prime time' golf season. It lasts only
three months, which increases the pressure to perform, because before I know it
the growing period is here and gone.
"I never really think about how I'll attack the golf course maintenance program
until after March 1. Usually, we don't have
any serious golf played before the last week
in April, so I spend most of the parts of two
months cleaning up the mess left from the
snow and other storms.
"In the end, I know I'm going to face the
same spring as always - waiting for the soil
temperatures to rise to resemble something like a growing season and then giving
my members the best possible playing conditions for those three vital months of the

"My thoughts in winter are
divided between staking out
improvements for the course
and hoping for weather when
i can open for play..."
Mike Videtta
Norwood Country Club

season. In most cases, most years, the
warming trend doesn't hit until around the
first of June. In the meantime, I have no
big projects on the agenda and a master
conditioning plan that's still on hold."
Mike Videtta, N o r w o o d Country
Club: "As you probably know, I lease this
club, and pretty well confine myself to taking care of the financial arrangement end
of the business. That leaves my super, Joe
Piana, to take care of the regular winter job
of refurbishing and getting the equipment
ready for spring.
"My thoughts in winter are divided between staking out improvements for the
course and hoping for weather when I can
open for play - no matter what time of year
it is. The harder the ground in winter the
better for me.
"The improvements will be marked by
a project in spring that will wind up with a
putting green for my customers. That and
a new fairway mower to be set in place. My
aim is to upgrade this place from year to
year. Sometimes it's a struggle but I'm
holding my own after seven years.
"So, in effect, my golf season never ends
just as long ¿is players can use the grounds
without the danger of inflicting damage to
the turf. Therefore, my winter priority is
to stay open as long as I can so that I can
funnel the rewards into making the course
a better place to play."
Bill Zuraw, Crampin-Fox Club: "I
guess the main thrust of my thoughts all
winter is to hope for lots of snow cover to
prevent our turf from getting confused
about what actual weather season it is.
"The early part of this winter was a
screwy one because of the changing
weather patterns. One day we'd have puddles, the next we'd have snow and slush,
then switch to ice before turning full circle
back to bare ground again. If I'm confused
about that cycle, think about the turf.
"In pointing to the grooming season, my
goal is to make Crumpin-Fox a better golf
course as time goes on. We came out of a
May-June drought period counting on im-

provement and the course responded so
that it really was in top shape when the
season ended.
"There always are big projects around
here. This year top priority is the expansion of tees to accommodate the varying
abilities golfers bring to what is reputed as
a challenging layout. I'm getting by with
four off-season full-timers, and we'll add to
that as the growing season arrives."
Dick French, Long Meadow (Lowell, Mass.) Golf Club: "I have a built-in
spring chore situation
that was launched at
the end of the playing
season last year when
a company came in,
pruned some trees,
and left the remains
there. That's what
awaits me, a big cleanup project, when my
active season begins.
"I usually start the serious clean-up and
get-ready-for-play stuff around the first of
March. When there's snow still on the
ground, I plow the greens and wait for
Mother Nature to take care of the rest of
the course. Then, it's a look at other little
items, like seeing if we need to re-edge
traps and perhaps replace lost sand.
"I'm coming off a very good grooming
season, and I consider myself very lucky in
light of what some other courses suffered
because of bad winter damage and carryover drought conditions in 1994. I just
pushed the right buttons at the right time
and results showed in pretty fair playing
conditions. I'm keeping my fingers crossed
that the same thing happens this year.
"My concentration points for the season
are two tournaments - the City Tournament in June and our member-guest event
in July. I key in on that time period and the
planning takes place right now.
"We have an active group here, 375
members on a nine-hole course. It's a challenge to keep them happy with playing
conditions, but I have a good, dependable
crew, and frankly, the gods have been good
to me. I hope for the same this season."
GERRY FINN

"That's what awaits me, a big
ciean-up project; when my
active season begins."
Dick French
Long Meadow G.C.

Page

10

Modern golf course

maintenance: Good or bad?
by C. R. Skogley, Prof. Emeritus,
Plant Sciences Department,
University of Rhode island
During past years I was a frequent contributor to newsletters. Perhaps it was
part of my job. I have always enjoyed writing when I thought I might be contributing
to our profession.
Since retirement, I have found it difficult to sit still long enough to put my
thoughts on paper. Perhaps I have taken a
break and, in the future, can again become
a contributor. I do know that newsletter
editors have to scramble to find interesting
and worthwhile articles for their publications.
Since retiring I have continued some
research and have been able to maintain
my office at the turfgrass research farm at
U.R.I. I continue to do a small amount of
consulting but of most interest has been
my continuing effort in grass collecting.
Most of these trips have been at the request
of a plant breeder friend in the Pacific
Northwest. During 1993 I spent about
three weeks collecting grasses in Greece
and during 19941 concentrated on winterdamaged courses from Rhode Island to
Maine. Also during 19941 visited a number
of courses in Massachusetts with velvet
bentgrass greens. The purpose for these
visits was to council with the superintendents on their successful management
programs. Just before retirement I turned
over materials for an improved velvet to an
Oregon seed company. The first seed of this
new variety ( S.R. 7200 ) reached the market in 1994.1 did write a paper on what I
consider proper velvet management and,
hopefully, it will appear in a publication
before long.
As I continue to visit golf courses, talk
with superintendents and golfers, and
hark back on my experience, I have continued to formulate opinions about current
expectations for our turf and the management thereof. I am convinced that we have
lost our perspective about the game of golf
and the turf conditions necessary to play
the game. I haven't determined whether it
is the golfer or the superintendent who has
created the feeling of need for perfection at
all times. If the need is real, perhaps it
would be simpler, and less costly, in the
long run, to install a green carpet!

The development and maintenance of
turf that is adequate for an enjoyable
round of golf in New England should not
be as difficult and costly as we have made
it. During my nearly 40 years as a turfgrass
agronomist I have seen radical changes in
management methods and much of the
change has not been good agronomics.
I believe we have given up on some of
the grasses that have naturalized in our
region and, instead, have created soil conditions unfavorable to them. We have
created ideal conditions for annual bluegrass and a host of uncommon diseases. 1
also think we have come to ignore the value
or necessity of developing or maintaining

The newest dirt
on washed sod
by Dr. Bridget Ruemmele
and Dr. Noel Jackson, U. of R.I.
Since the 1950s, when sod production
began flourishing, numerous changes have
been implemented. The "newest" trend is
the use of washed sod for selected sites,
such as on sand-modified greens, tees and
athletic fields.
When sod was first sold, customers
were advised to install sod on a site with
soil similar to the site from which it was
harvested. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. Since soils vary immensely,
removing the soil from the sod prior to
installation could reduce or eliminate the
interface boundary problems that sometimes occur when sod with one soil is
placed on soil of a different texture, for
example, a sandy loam sod on a clay soil.
A device to wash sod was actually patented nearly 17 years ago, but it took until
the past few years for such equipment to
become available in the United States.
New England sod producers were among
the first to take advantage of this equipment and are even revolutionizing soil
removal from sod in ways which may become available in the near future.
Washed sod is lighter to handle, tends
to root as fast, if not faster, than sod with
soil attached, and reduces management

healthy soils. We cut our grass too close
and use too much water. To create the
increasing quality of turf that we think is
in demand we continue to create new problems. Thirty years ago we had few root
diseases and Pythium was most uncommon. Gray snow mold (not very damaging)
was common, but now we we are faced with
the more damaging pink snow mold. Why
these changes?
I have theories and convictions as to
why we have so many current problems. I
believe many of our current practices and
management procedures are responsible. I
believe we are ignoring some of the important practices that were important to
earlier generations of superintendents. If
there is interest I would be glad to again
take pen in hand and discourse on my
agronomic views and philosophies. Perhaps it is time to determine who is the most
demanding of perfection - the golfer or the
superintendent.

problems that may occur with soil incompatibilities in the sod and soil on the site to
be sodded.
Some concerns about washed sod include the possibility of increased disease
susceptibility during establishment and
the need for quick and thorough knitting
of the sod with the soil on site to keep the
sod from sliding back and forth. There is
also a question as to whether establishment and maintenance procedures
need to differ from standard sod establishment and maintenance
In conjunction with Tee and Green Sod,
the University of Rhode Island has initiated experiments to address some of the
concerns and questions noted above. To
date, we have assessed the value of preventative fungicide applications during the
establishment of washed sod on 70:30
sandrsoil mix (new), 80:20 sand:soil mix
(previously planted with turf) and a native
silt loam soil site.
Sod in the first experiment was laid 24,
40, or 48 hours after washing, while sod in
the second experiment was laid 24, 48, or
56 hours after washing. The sod in the
second experiment was harvested from
Long Island, N.Y., trucked to Rhode Island
for washing, then trucked to Hastings,
N.Y., and back to Rhode Island to be laid.
This was done to determine if the trucking
had an affect on the sod. The second experiment was established on the 80:20
sand:soil mix plots only.
A combination of triadimefon (Bayleton) and chlorothalonil (Daconil) was used
to suppress dollar spot, while fosetyl-Al
(Aliette) and mancozeb (Fore) were used in
continued on page 6

Page 10

Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program
Resource inventory: An essential first step
Reprinted from
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary
News, Winter, 1995
The Resource Inventory is a critical first
step in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. The main function of this
form is to help you describe your course's
current habitat and management practices
so that we can learn more about your
course. New York Audubon then uses the
form to make recommendations for ways
to improve and enhance your course and
become certified. Your Resource Inventory
will also help us to document and publicize
the positive things golf courses are doing
for the environment.
There are many reasons why the
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program
Resource Inventories don't get filled out.
You may be having a busy season, renovating a few greens, or simply believe that the
Resource Inventory is just too complicated
and would take too much time. So to help
you fill out the Resource Inventory and
fully benefit from the program, we have the
following suggestions:
First things first. The best way to
start out any form is to fill in the information you already know. Leave things that
you don't know or are unsure of for later.
Take it in pieces. Many projects can
seem overwhelming if you try and do them
all at once. Take your time. Remember,
your answers do not have to be long in
explanation. Spend ten minutes everyday,
such as at lunch, and fill out one page. In a
week you'll have the whole Resource Inventory completed.
A n s w e r s to c o m m o n q u e s t i o n s
about the Resource Inventory: "What
is the ACSP looking for?"
• Acreage. Don't be intimidated by having to write down the amount of
acreage for different habitats of your
course. We are not looking for exact
numbers, but your best guesstimate.
Another hint is for courses that are
part of a larger property, such as a
resort or park. When filling out acreage, specify whether it refers to the
total property or just the course, and
try and include both where possible.
For example, Total # of Property
Acres: course = 150/resort = 2000.

• History of site. We are curious about
the habitat at the site (i.e. forest,
farmland, wetland, etc.) prior to golf
course development.
• Photos/slides. Photos or slides, whatever is easiest for you to include, are
always helpful in illustrating a
course's natural environment. Pictures of water features and any
natural areas, along with the number
of the nearest hole, are especially useful.
• Maps. Including a map of the course,
especially one with hole numbers included, can help us describe possible
locations for projects.
• Wildlife information. Many people are
overwhelmed by this question, but be
assured we're not looking for a list of
every species that ever occurred on
the site. Just list a few of the major
species that you have seen. If you
don't lmow what something is, look in
a field guide, send us a picture or omit
it. Endangered and threatened species: If you know of endangered or
threatened species, be sure to list
them. If you are not sure whether or
not you have any endangered or
threatened species on your course,
just write "I don't know."
What to do when you don't know.
Feel free to write "I don't know," if needed.
The important thing is to get started. We'll

The best way to start out any
form is to fill in the information
that you already know. Leave
the things that you don't know
or are unsure of for later. Feel
free to write "I don't know" if
needed. The important thing is
to get started.
Audubon Cooperative
Sanctuary News,
on filling out ACSP
Resource inventory

help you learn more through the program.
Call the ACSP anytime between 9am and
5pm EST, Monday - Friday, at (518) 7679051. If you ever have any questions about
filling out the Resource Inventory, please
call us. We're here to help.
The next step: What to do after receiving your report. Approximately four
weeks after sending in your Resource Inventory, you should receive our report
describing different projects to enhance
your course's environmental quality. Once
you review the report and the corresponding materials, we recommend that you take
the following steps to create a successful
golf course sanctuary and apply for certification:
Step 1: Let people know you're an
ACSP member. We include a press release
with your report to help you announce your
participation in the ACSP. Feel free to send
it to local media that your club deems appropriate or simply use it in your club
newsletter.
Step 2: Form a Resource Advisory
Committee. Gather a small working group
of interested employees, regular golfers or
members, and representatives of local
groups with expertise in wildlife or plants
to help you formulate plans and implement
projects.
Step 3: Formulate an Environmental
Plan. Use the Cooperative Sanctuary Report for suggestions and guidance in
setting goals and deciding which projects
you'd like to do. In each certification category, review what you've already done and
choose projects that will help you start or
expand your environmental management
of the course.
Step 4: Obtain Detailed Certification
Guidelines. If you are ready to begin the
certification process, call us for a copy of
the detailed Certification Guidelines or
submit your "Report Form" included in
your report packet.
Step 5: Apply for Certification. If
you've completed your Environmental
Plan, you can apply for certification in this
category right away. As other projects are
undertaken, you can apply for certification
in the other five categories (Wildlife and
Habitat Management, Member/Public Involvement, Integrated Pest Management,
Water Conservation, and Water Quality
Management).

Page 10

The newest dirt on washed sod
continued from page 4

tandem against pythium in both experiments. Control plots received no fungicide.
Approximately two weeks after establishment, 3 X 3" plugs were removed from
each plot to measure longest rooting and
total root mass. Dollar spot damage to
leaves was severe in the first experiment,
with both the control and pythium-treated
plots devastated. Pythium symptoms did
not appear in the first experiment. No disease symptoms were in evidence at the
time of the second experiment and prior to
root measurements.
Interestingly, the longest roots on
either mix in the first experiment tended
to be on plots receiving either of the fungicide combinations. The 70:30 sand:soil
root lengths were greatest on the dollar
spot-treated plots, with the pythiumtreated plots somewhat less and the
control plots having the shortest roots.
Overall, when looking at both sand:soil

mix results, plots receiving either of the
fungicide treatments averaged significantly longer roots than plots receiving no
treatment, regardless of the appearance of
the leaves. Thus, even though the plots
receiving only pythium fungicides were severely damaged by dollar spot rather than
pythium, rooting was better than when
there was no fungicide applied. The time of
sod laying made little difference in root
length in the first experiment.
Dried root weights on the 80:20
sand:soil in the first experiment did not
differ significantly among the different
times of sodlaying or among the fungicide
treatments. The 70:30 sand:soil, however,
showed dramatic differences in root
weight. Plots treated with triadimefon
(Bayleton) and chlorothalonil (Daconil)
had more root mass than plots with fosetyl-Al (Aliette) and mancozeb (Fore),
which, in turn, had more root mass than
plots treated with no fungicide. The second
experiment, with longer intervals between
laying, demonstrated that sod laid after 24

DIVOT DRIFT...announcements...educational
...tournament results...and miscellaneous
MEMBERSHIP
Proposed: Andrew Gay, Associate, Orchards G.C., South Hadley, Mass.; Richard
Lawlor, Associate, Tatnuck C.C., Worcester,
Mass.; Carlton Minor, Assistant, Presidents
G.C., Quincy, Mass.; Frederick Wood, Regular, Willowdale G.G., Mansfield, Mass.;
Matthew Marrone, Associate, Wachusett
C.C., West Boylston, Mass.; Cedar Lawn Tree
Service, Friend, Ashland, Mass.; William
Maley, Affiliate, Cedar Lawn Tree Service.
Welcome N e w Members: Thomas Bachli,
Assistant, Ipswich C.C., Ipswich, Mass.; Victoria Wallace, Affiliate, Loft's Seed Co.,
Arlington, Mass.; Peter G. Larman, Associate, Duxbury Yacht Club, Duxbury, Mass.; J.
Matthew Faherty, Affiliate, Sodco Inc., Slocum, R.I.; Mark A. Casey, Assistant, Tara
Ferncroft C.C., Danvers, Mass.

INFORMATION
P L E A S E N O T E T h e reservation
number change: 508-632-0252!

phone

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
The Scholarship and Benevolence Tournament will be held May 22, 1995 at Poquoy
Brook Golf Course.
W e h o p e the "The Nob Hill Roller", Owen
Regan, has recovered from injuries sustained
in San Franciso at the GCSAA convention.

hours had significantly more root weight
than sod laid either 48 or 56 hours after
treatment. The latter two time intervals
did not differ from each other, although the
48 hour treatments were slightly greater.
Treatments for either pythium or dollar
spot resulted in plots that had significantly
more root weight than control plots with
no fungicide treatment.
Future experiments will evaluate topdressing to enhance stability (i.e. reduce
slipping of the turf), the benefits of rooting
enhancers during stress periods, nutrient
management, and any other concerns expressed to us by users of the washed sod.
The availability of washed sod in New
England has increased dramatically in the
past two years and will continue to increase if market demands for it remain. We
are working on management protocols to
optimize washed sod establishment and
will continue to keep you updated.
Reprinted from TURF NOTES,
Sept./Oct. 1994

seminar$...j©b
opportunities
Items ©f interest to the membership.

Congratulations to Scott Reynolds, Charles River C.C. and David Mucciarone,
Woodland C.C., who recieved M G A Recognition Awards for their efforts hosting the
MGS Amateur and Open tournaments.
P l e a s e g e t those membership dues in
ASAP. It will cost you an additional $20 for
reinstatement if they're not paid by May 1. If,
after June 1,1995, you still have not paid,
your name will be dropped from the membership list and re-application will be required.
Jack Hassett is still accepting names or
nominations for .Memorial Tournament
(Scholarship & Benevolence) dedication.
I n the G C S A A Chapter Publications Contest at the convention, The Newsletter was
Runner-up to publications from the Wisconsin GCSA and the Georgia GCSA, who were
declared co-winners. Many thanks to the
Newsletter staff, especially Gerry Finn, the
folks at Zip Type (Reg Bacon in particular),
and all members who contributed articles
during this past year. Hopefully, we can
match or improve this standing next year.
Congratulations to a number of GCSANE
members who distinguished themselves by
winning or placing at the GCSAA Golf Championships. They are as follows:
3rd Flight Gross Division Winner - Paul Jamrog; 1st Division - 3rd Place Net - Paul Miller; and Senior 1 Division 3rd Place Net - Eon Kirkman. Also winning in the "Fun
Contest" on Feb. 20 were Peter Lund, Closest-to-Pin on # 12
at Quail Lodge; Wayne LaCroix, Long Drive at Poppy Hills;
and John Kotoski, Closest-to-Pin on #3 at Rancho Canada.

Again, congratulations to you all!

T h e r e ' s still p l e n t y of room for more people on the Gloucester fishing trip June 5. Call
Mike Nagle to sign up at 508-853-6574.
Kudos to Bob DiRico and Kevin Osgood for
an excellent job organizing and running the
hospitality suite at the GCSAA convention.
Out of r o u g h l y 1400 high school referees in
Massachusetts, our own Mike Hermanson
was one of only 6 chosen to officiate in the
state girls basketball semi-finals at Muffins
Center at UMass. Mike narrowly missed out
on refereeing in the finals. Congratulations!
Applications for the Ciba Legacy Awards
are available from President Chip Brearley.
These scholarships are for students not enrolled in a turf-related curriculum. They
must be submitted by April 15.
Congratulations to Dr. Joe Troll, who was
presented the Ike Granger Award for service
of over 25 years to the USGA at the Mass.
Turf Conference.
M e e t i n g Notes: A " T h a n k Y o u " to Dave
Kahrman and everyone at The Thomson
Country Club for a finejob hosting the March
Monthly Meeting.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
1 E-Z-Go GXT-800 turf truckster. Good
condition. Asking $1500. Call Mike Nagle or
Joe Dumas, Worcester C.C., at 508-853-6574.

Page 10

Please Patronize These FRIENDS OF THE ASSOCIATION
A-OK Turf Equipment
8 Boulder Dr., Coventry, Rl 02816
Buy & sell used turf equipment.
Mike Cornicetli - (401) 826-2584
AA Will Materials Corporation
168 Washington St., Stoughton, MA 02072
Top dressing & bunker sand, loam, decorative
stone, a landscape materials. Est. 1886.
Frank Will, Dan Graziano, Kevin LaPorte
1-800-4-AAWiLL
Agriturf, Inc.
59 Dwigttt St., Hatfield, MA 01038
Fertilizer, seed, and chemicals for turf.
Bruce Chapman, Paul McDonough,
Chris Cowan
1-800-346-5048
Baker Golf Cars
40 Walker St., Swansea, MA 02777
Steve Founier, Doug Hooper
(508) 379-0092
Bartlett Tree Experts
153 Rumford Ave., Newton, MA 02166
Tree maintenance, fertilization & consulting.
(617) 969-5990
Best Bent Turf, Inc.
P.O. Box 318, Raymond, NH 03077
Alan Anderson - (603) 895-6220
The Borden Company
Maynard, MA
Bulk limestone dealer.
Jack Borden - (508) 897-2571
Boston Irrigation Company
Dedham, MA
Distributor, irrigation supplies & accessories.
John Ramey, Paul Kenyon, Robert Barbati
(617)461-1560
Brennan Saies
P. 0. Box 1082, Scarborough, ME 04070
Turf care products.
Bob Brennan - (207) 883-5799
Caldwell Environmental
5 Cross St., Acton, MA
(508) 263-4586
The Cardinals, Inc.
166 River Rd., P. 0. Box 520
Unionville, CT 08085
Golf course & landscape supplies.
John Callahan - (203) 673-3699
Geoffrey S. Cornish & Brian Silva
Golf Course Architects
Fiddlers Green, Amherst, MA 01002
Country Club Enterprises, Inc.
P. 0. Box 820, Cataumet, MA 02534
Club Car golf oars, carryalls, utility cars.
Jim Casey, Dave Farina, Ed Maguire
(508) 563-2284
Country Golf, Inc.
4852 Westchester Dr., Traverse City, Mi 49684
Golf course construction & reconstruction;
specialists in Donald Ross courses.
Jerry Deemer-(616) 947-5751
Doering Equipment
P.O. Box N, Franklin, MA 02038
Distributor of John Deere golf & turf equipment.
Mark Doering - (508) 520-3629
Elanco Products Company
31 Old Town Trail, Narragansett, R! 02882
Stephen C. Dolinak - (401) 789-9017

F.D.I., Inc.
(Fairway Design Illustration)
55 Railroad Ave., Warren, Rl 02885
Custom granite signs & markers.
Joseph K. Martin, Robert Page
(401) 245-7890 or 1-800-358-8337
Gold Star Wholesale Nursery & Sod Farm
Bill Thompson
Lexington, M A - ( 6 1 7 ) 861-1111
Canterbury, NH - (603) 783-4717
Golf Direction Associates
54 N. Grove St., Foxboro, MA 02035
Business forms, graphics, reports, resumes.
Nora Berard - (508) 543-9822
FAX (506) 698-0402
The Charles C. Hart Seed Co.
P. 0. Box 9169, Weaihersfield, CT 06109
Roy Sibley, Dick Gurski
1-800-326-HART
international Golf Construction Co.
5 Purcell Rd., Arlington, MA 02174
Golf course construction.
Antonios Paganis
(617) 648-2351 or (508) 428-3022
Irrigation Management & Services
21 Lakeview Ave., Natick, MA 01760-4252
Irrigation consultation, design and
system evaluation.
Bob Healey, ASIC, CID - (508) 653-0625
Tom Irwin, Inc.
11B A St., Burlington, MA
Jack Petersen, Wayne Ripley, Dennis Friel
Paul Skafas, Chris Petersen
1-800-582-5959
Ken Jones Tire Co.
Worcester, MA
Distributor of tires for lawn & garden, trucks,
cars, industrial equipment, and golf carts.
Gerry Jones-(508) 755-5255
Larchmont Eng. & Irrig. Co.
Larchmont Lane, Lexington, MA 02173
Steve Butler-(617) 862-2550
The Lawn Co., Inc.
P. O. Box 1540, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532
Fertilizers & pest controls applied;
fairway aeration & slice seeding.
Tom Fair- 1-800-660-TURF
Lazaro's Golf Course Accessories
dba Hammond Paint & Chem. Co., Inc.
738 Main St., Suite 223, Waltham, MA 02154
Joseph Lazaro - (617) 647-3361
LESCO, Inc.
20005 Lake Rd., Rocky River, OH 44116
Ron Tumiski, Mike Donohue
1-800-321-5325
Loft's Seed
22 Lantern Lane, Exeter, Rl 02822
Victoria Wallace - 1-800-648-7333
D.L. Maher Co.
Box 127, Concord St., N. Reading 01864
Water supply specialists;
water wells & pumping equipment.
(617)933-3210
Mass Natural
P. O. Box 363, Westminster, MA 01473
Manufacturers & suppliers of organic compost, enriched topsoil, custom planting mixes.
(508) 874-0744
Lawrence H. McCoy & Co., inc.
100 Front St., 700 Mechanics Tower
Worcester, MA 01608
Wholesale resource for railroad ties, timbers,
bagged or bulk mulches, fencing, stakes,
planters, and ice & snow melt.
1-800-346-2269

Miles Specialty Products
1516 Capeila South, Newport, Rl 02840
Baylaton, Merit, Dylox, Tempo, Nemacur.
Brad Herman - (401) 846-3515

Sodco, Inc.
P.O. Box 2, Slocum, Rl 02877
Matt Faherty, Joe Wagner
1-800-341-6900

Modern Aeration Service, Inc.
62 Maple St., Boston, MA 02136
Featuring water injection aeration.
Kevin Osgood - (617) 630-1950

Sports Club Management
104 Wyman Rd., Braintree, MA 02184
Hazcom and right-to-know
compliance implementation.
Ron Smith-(617) 848-5978

Modern Tractor & Truck Service, Inc.
400 Pine St., Seekonk, MA 02771
Holliston sand/loam topdressing mixture, 1/2"
or 1/8" screened loam, underground tank
removal, Convault aboveground fuel tank.
Steven S. Howitt - (508) 761-5554
R.F. Morse & Sons, inc.
W. Wareham, MA 02576
Larry Anshewitz, Jack Cronin
(508) 295-1553
Nardone Sand & Gravel Co., Inc.
37 Power Rd., Westford, MA 01886
Specializing in topdressing sand.
Greg Frederick - (508) 692-8221
Agr-Evo U.S.A. Co.
Wilmington, Delaware
David Sylvester - (203) 828-8905
Partac Golf Course Top-Dressing
Kelsey Part, Great Meadows, NJ 07838
Heat treated top-dressing, golf hole targets,
turf blankets, and other specialty golf supplies.
Jim Kelsey, 1-800-247-2326, (908) 637-4191
P.I.E. Supply Co.
For your irrigation needs; dedicated to sales
and service of quality irrigation equipment.
Frank Santos
(508) 420-0755 or (203) 878-0658
Pro-Lawn Products, inc.
24 Johnathan Rd., W. Greenwich, Rl 02817
Specializing in turf & ornamental needs.
(401)397-8880
Read Sand & Gravel, inc.
171 VFW Dr., Rockland, MA 02370
Topdressing; root-zone mixes; bunker sand;
3/4 & 3/8 screened loams; cart path materials;
mulch; drainage stone.
Joe Farina- 1-800-660-2955
J.P. Roberts Co.
Technical resource catalog; survey-weathertesting-measurement & diagnostic equipment.
Barbara Piantedosi - (508) 456-6886
Safety Storage, Inc.
86 Sanderson Ave., Lynn, MA 01902
Prefabricated pesticide storage buildings,
gas & oil, storage cabinets.
(617) 599-5490
Sani-Mate Supply, Inc.
88 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, MA
Distributor of Karcher hot high pressure
equipment and bulk detergents, sales, service,
and rentals.
Barry Hackett - (508) 752-8888
Sawtelle Bros.
65 Glenn St., Lawrence, MA 01843
Bob Brown, Larry Bunn, Mike Hannigan,
Frank Higgins, John Lenhart
(508) 682-9296
Scotts Pro-Turf Div.
Allan Cumps, Regional Director
Randy Hamilton - (508) 528-4642
Richard Forni- (413) 534-8896

Sullivan Tire Co.
Goodyear specialty tires & tubes.
Tom Wilson
MA: 1-800-464-1144, (508) 580-2222
NE:1-800-321-0042
Dahn Tibbett Professional Golf Services
20 Clark Lane, Marshfield, MA 02050
Tee and Green Sod, Inc.
Exeter, Rl 02822
Bentgrass, bluegrass and blue/fescue sod.
Dave Wallace, Robin Hayes
(401) 789-8177
Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Inc.
Richmond, Rl
Chris Beasley - 1-800-556-6985
Turf Enhancement Enterprises
Featuring Floratine Products, Precision Small
Engine Co. & Trion Lifts.
Tom Fox-(508) 865-9150
TurfNet Associates, Inc.
21 Brandywine Road, Skillman, NJ 08558
Communication...information...
market intelligence
Peter L. McCormick - 1-800-314-7929
Turf Products Corp.
7 Coppage Dr., Worcester, MA 01603
Distributors of Toro irrigation and maintenance
equipment, lightning detection systems, and
other golf-related products.
Tim Berge, Ed Fallow, Rick Moulton,
John Winskowicz
(508) 791-2091
Turf Specialty, Inc.
15 Londonderry Rd., Londonderry, NH 03053
Turf & ornamental supplies.
Bob Flanagan, Kevin Lyons,
Dave Schermerhom, John Lensing
1-800-228-6656
United Horticultural Supply
P.O. Box 7, Sodus, NY 14551
Fertilizer, seed, chemicals, and IPM.
Glen Larabee - (508) 223-4931
EdWiacek-(401) 254-1674
Varney Bros. Sand, Gravel & Concrete
Bellingham, MA
Concrete golf cart paths.
Kenneth Mooradlan - 1-800-441-7373
Winding Brook Turf Farm, Inc.
240 Griswold Rd., Wethersfield, CT 06109
1-800-243-0232
Winfield Nursery
1320 Mountain Rd., Suffield, CT 06109
Wholesale nursery trees & shrubs.
Jeff Rogers
Philip Wogan
Golf Course Architecture
17 Walker Rd., Topsfield, MA 01983
Zip Type Service
50 Kent St., Newburyport, MA 01950
Design, printing, mailing,
advertising specialties.
Sheila Johnson - (508) 462-9358

Page 10

Friend of the Association profile
TurfNet Associates, Inc.
TurfNetAssociates, Inc. is a provider of
information services specific to the maintenance segment of the golf course
industry. Founded early in 1994, TurfNet
was created to assist the golf course superintendent in keeping abreast of new
products and technologies, while also acting as a forum to share the "tricks of the
trade" everyone has up their sleeves.
TurfNet currently has over 225 clubs involved, ranging geographically from
northern Virginia to New England to Ohio.
TurfNet Monthly is the newsletter of
the organization, and focuses on presenting concise, bulleted topics without hype,

sales pitch, or sugar-coating. Features include capsules of information from area
university and industry specialists during
the growing season, and synopses of industry seminars. Information presented is
timely and focused on what is happening at
the time, rather than three months prior.
The annual Used Equipment Special Edition serves as a clearing house for used
equipment, with some dramatic success
stories of increased value received through
selling direct, rather than trading in.
TurfNet Research Reports are available
to TurfNet members on 20 categories of
turf equipment, and provide an overview of
every available product within each category. Specific performance advantages and
disadvantages are highlighted, along with

numeric indexes of satisfaction and reliability (generated from questionnaires
submitted by TurfNet members). Compreh e n s i v e U s e r R e f e r e n c e L i s t s and
Transaction Histories of recent selling
prices are provided in an effort to help
fine-tune purchasing decisions.
All information is currently presented
in print, although plans are in place to
intergrate an on-line component to the
service shortly. Computer experience is
not needed to participate.
TurfNet Associates is proud to be a
Friend of the Golf Course Superintendents
Association of New England. Further information can be obtained by calling
TurfNet Associates atl-800-314-7929.

Companies unite to sponsor environmental message
Corporate members of Responsible
Industry for a Sound Environment
(RISE) and several plant nutrition companies have joined to sponsor a special
environmental message on "Par for the
Course." Produced by the Golf Course
Superintendents Association of America, "Par for the Course" is a 30-minute
newsmagazine aired on ESPN that takes
an inside look at the world of golf.
The special message will run in a
30-second television commercial during

"Par for the Course" and selected ESPNt e l e v i s e d golf t o u r n a m e n t s . The
commercial tells viewers about the community and environmental benefits of
golf courses and managed greenspaces.
The following companies helped fund
the special message:
American Cyanamid Co.; BASF Corp.; Ciba Turf &
Ornamental Products; DowElanco; Ironite Products
Co.; J.R. Simplot Co.; Miles Inc.; Milorganite;
Rhone-Poulenc Ag Co. ; Sandoz Agro Inc. ; The Scotts
Co.; Toro Probiotic Products; Vigoro Industries Inc.;
and Zeneca Professional Products.

Every episode of "Par for the Course"
highlights great courses anyone can
play and features conversations with
well-known golfers. The program also
offers practical golf instruction and informs viewers about the environmental
attributes of golf. Thirty episodes of
"Par for the Course" will air on ESPN
in 1995. Twenty-three episodes will air
on Sundays, and seven episodes will air
on weekdays.

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