LETTER
G o l f

C o u r s e

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 NEW ENGLAND, INC.

December 1998

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

«Soff Course Mechanics Association

fosters education & exchange of ideas
T h e percentages weren't with him . . . in
a big way.
Several years ago Steve Lucas mailed
fliers to 270 New England golf courses,
soliciting interest in the formation of a
golf course mechanics association,
•v "I was underwhelmed with responses,"
le head mechanic at the Weston Golf
Club joshed. "I received two inquiries.
Two! Two out of 270. That's worse than
my high school batting average."
Whatever, that weak reaction to an
idea Steve had rolled around in his head
for a long time only served to strengthen
his perseverance cells. Today, the pipe
dream has developed into reality. The
Golf Course Mechanics Association of
New England has 200 members, and
participation in effecting its goals is on
the upswing.
Lucas and Brian Alfond, who keeps the
motors humming at the Dedham Country
and Polo Club, are the group's founding

Ira this issue . „.
Calendar of Events
The Super Speaks Out
Evaluating Turf Products, Part II.
Bioject Field Trials, Part I
Remember When?
Divot Drift.

Page
2
3
. 4
5
6
6

es

Jmt m conditioning the
course has become a
science, so too, has the job
of upgrading and refining
equipment used to produce

a top-grade

maintenance

program."
Brian Alfond
Dedham Country
& Polo Club
fathers, if you will. Presently, Alfond is
the association president and Lucas is a
sort of chairman of the board who keeps
reaching out for professional respect and
recognition.
"It's very difficult to keep interest
rising and members coming to meetings,"
Lucas told. "We have to do everything on
our own. There's very little financial help
available. Most of our members have to
pay their own dues ($40 per year) and pay
their travel expenses to meetings. That's
why we don't schedule very many. We
try to spread those meetings around,
and meet at different clubs to ease the
financial strain. Not only that, we have
to convince superintendents that they
(meetings) are worth giving up work
time for."
Lucas is fortunate. He has Don Hearn,
Weston superintendent, in his corner.

Hearn is a former GCSANE president
who spread his wings and flew to the
top of the national mountain as GGSAA
president He knows what it means to
have to convince others of the importance
of a venture such as the mechanics
association. His own profession was
doing what the mechanics are doing today
in the long ago, or when golfers thought
courses transformed into top conditioned
layouts by themselves. That's when
superintendents were called greenkeepers,
and supposedly were wrestling with the
problem of determining which end of a
watering hose was up.
"I think one of the stumbling blocks
to our progress is that the golfing
community perceives us as a bunch of
workers getting together to force salary
and benefits demands on management,"
Alfond offered. "And Í suppose that would
be a natural reaction. Regardless, our
purpose is benefits all right, but educational benefits. We think an exchange of
ideas is probably the best solution to most
problems. We can facilitate that exchange
with a strong association membership."
Alfond has had two supportive
superintendents at Dedham: Bob
Mucciarone and Jim Reinertson. "They
realize that we're not trying to upstage
them or put the clubs in a position where
they have to negotiate with us." Brian
explained. "Our group is geared to jobsolving problems. We're still employees.
The superintendents are still our bosses."
continued

on page 2

Page

1

continued from page 1

PRESIDENT
K e v i n F. O s g o o d
14 I n m a n Lane, F o x b o r o u g h , M A 0 2 0 3 5
617-630-1950
Fax 6 1 7 - 9 6 9 - 8 7 5 6
N e w t o n C o m m o n w e a l t h Golf Course
VICE PRESIDENT
Robert Ruszala
6 9 Gellnas Drive, Chloopee, M A 0 1 0 2 0
413-256-8654
Fax 4 1 3 - 5 9 2 - 5 7 S 0
Hickory Ridge Country Club
SECRETARY
J a m e s Fitzroy, C G C S
3 5 7 W . S q u a n t u m Street, North Quincy, M A 02171
617-328-1776
Fax 6 1 7 - 3 2 8 - 9 4 7 9
Presidents Golf Course
TREASURER
M i c h a e l V. l a c o n o , C G C S
42 N e w t o n Street, Weston, M A 0 2 1 9 3
781 -899-7913
Fax 781 - 6 4 7 - 0 6 0 2
Pine Brook Country Ciub
TRUSTEE
A r t h u r Silva, C G C S
35 Pennacook Road, Tewksbury, M A 01876
781-484-5440
Fax 7 8 1 - 4 8 4 - 6 6 1 3
Belmont Country Ciub
TRUSTEE
David C o m e e
65 Marquette Road, Gardner, M A 01440
978-297-1223
Fax 9 7 8 - 2 9 7 - 0 9 1 1
The Winchendon School Country Club
TRUSTEE
Gregory Misodoulakis
44 Wilson Road
Londonderry, NH 03053
781-245-2114
Fax 7 8 1 - 2 4 6 - 3 9 2 0
B e a r Hili G o l f C l u b
FINANCE CHAIRMAN
Daniel Higgins, C G C S
68 Hutchinson Road, Winchester, M A 01890
781 -729-3809
Fax 781 - 7 2 1 - 1 5 6 1
Winchester Country Ciub
GOLF CHAIRMAN
M i c h a e l J. H e r m a n s o n
100 Eaton Street, Gardner, M A 01440
978-632-2713
Fax 9 7 8 - 6 3 2 - 2 0 2 9
G a r d n e r Municipal Golf C o u r s e
EDUCATION CHAIRMAN
R o n a l d P. D o b o s z , Jr.
1137 Park Street, Stoughton, M A 0 2 0 7 2
781-341-8564
Fax 7 8 1 - 3 4 4 - 5 0 4 8
C e d a r Hill G o l f C o u r s e
NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN
W a y n e F. L a C r o I x , C G C S
97 Gould Road, Andover, M A 01810
978-475-6638
Fax 9 7 8 - 4 7 5 - 9 4 8 8
Andover Country Club
PAST PRESIDENT
R o b e r t DIRioo, C G C S
3 2 6 Fuller Street, W e s t N e w t o n , M A 0 2 1 6 5
617-527-6968
Fax 6 1 7 - 5 2 7 - 0 0 6 9
Brae Bum Country Club

m

..THE I

NEWSLETTER
G OSANE Headquarters
175 Highland Avenue, Needham, M A 02494-3034
(781 ) 4 5 3 - 8 6 6 8
Fax (617) 4 4 9 - 4 0 2 0
Newsletter Editor . . . W a y n e L a C r o t a , C G C S
Contributing Editor
Qerry Finn
Business Maneger
. . M t e h a e l V. l a c o n o , C G C S
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 b e
u s e d f r e e l y . In w h o l e o r i n p a r t , w i t h o u t s p e c i a l
p e r m i s s i o n a s 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 . W e w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e a c r e d i t line.

y

Such emphasis on continuing
education and using an association to
bring that education to golf course
mechanics throughout the region follows
the high technology road golf has
followed for the last 25 years.
"Just as conditioning the course has
become a science, so too, has the job of
upgrading and refining equipment used
to produce a top-grade maintenance
program," Alfond said. "When you look
at it in dollars and cents, it's staggering.
Whereas the total price tag on maintenance
equipment was around $100,000 25 years
ago, that tag has zoomed to over a million
dollars today. And keeping that equipment
in working order, that's our job."
Lucas notes that the role of the golf
course mechanic is changing, and the
change is at a rapid rate.
"When you consider that our duties
range from making signs to tuning the
motor on a $50,000 piece of equipment,
you can see the need for mechanics to
hone their skills," Steve reasoned. "We
know that many people in the business
fear that this is the start of another union.
But wages and benefits are the last intent
of our group. Most of all we need the
support of the superintendent and
consolidated support of the club
membership."
There is no national organization of
golf course mechanics. Lucas says he
heard of a mechanics group that had been
formed in Chicago. "I called the most
visible member, John McGuire, wondering
how I could join his association," Lucas
disclosed. "He kind of laughed when he
said it would be a long commute for me to
attend meetings. Then he suggested that I
try to form an association in our area. As
far as I know, all of the organizing is on a
regional level. Maybe it will go national
one day. I haven't even thought of it.
Even in its relative infancy, the New
England mechanics group has started
to emulate the image-improving history
of the golf course superintendents.
There is a continuing message to upgrade
educational goals, and a certification
program looms right around the corner.
Once that is established, recognition of
the mechanics' role in the maintenance
process is sure to follow.
"Right now we're trying to build on
our numbers and put a fire under our
idUiriLiùLi

§m@w that many
people in the business
fear that this is the start
©f another mien. But
wages and benefits are
the test intent @four
group. Most ©f all w e need
the support of the
superintendent and
consolidated support of
the efofe membership/'
Sieve Lucas
Weston Golf Club

members to participate in meetings and
seminars," Lucas explained. "We have two
meetings and four seminars a year. We've
also had a hand in the New England Turf
Conference. But, to tell the truth, what
we really are looking for is support from
our bosses, the superintendents. We'd
like them to gives us the time to make
meetings and participate in seminars. If
they support us, our clubs should support
us, too. That's what we're striving for."
Sounds like the golf course mechanics
are making a right move. But the next
move isn't up to them. They need a little
help from their friends . . . and their
bosses. That's their message in this missile.

GEMMY FINN

Calendar
December 11

GCSANE Christmas Party
Belmont Country Club
Belmont, Mass.

January 12

GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Franklin Country Club
Franklin, Mass.
S u p t - Gary Luccini

Feb. - TBA

GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Heritage Hill Country Club
Lakeville, Mass.
S u p t - Robert Garrity

March - TBA

GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Hickory Ridge Country Club
Amherst, Mass.
S u p t - Robert Ruszala

•HltilJJj.ili JjUli,iiJiiiilillidiLillli,ilJxliiii.Hli,ilJll.ili,ijdlLi

Page 1

i^iiLlMiikkUU^iLldkik^Lidkiii

The Super Speaks Out
This month's question: How do you run your chemical
application program, including who does the actual spraying
work, ond what kind of reaction comes from your members1
Bill Zuraw, Cmmpim Fox Golf Club:
"I'm pretty locked into my chemical
application action here because I probably
do 80 to 90 percent of the spraying myself.
That sounds like a large chunk of
responsibility for just one aspect of a
maintenance program. However, we are
supposed to be one of the highly-rated
courses as to design of the layout and so
on, so it's almost mandatory that the
condition of the course coincide with its
payability reputation.
"This means the onus is on me and I
have to respond the best way I know how.
One of ways has to do with the chemical
application part of the overall picture, and
""""m head-on into it.
"There is one other member of my
crew licensed to apply chemicals and
usually he does the heavy end of the
spraying on our fairways. Incidentally,
everything around here is bent. That picks
up the need for more chemicals and a
more extensive appiication of them.
Whatever, whenever my spray helper
is doing the job, I'm on the site.
"Because of the demands that the
course condition keep up with the course
reputation as one of the outstanding tests
of golf in the country, I make sure we stay
right on top of a prevention program for
our greens. With that in mind, chemicals
are applied to the greens at 10 to 14-day
intervals.
"This year was a tough weather year
for us, as it was for other parts of New
England between the early downpours
and then stretches of bone dry conditions.
Overall, we had a few grubs in early
summer and some dollar spots on the
fairways as the season progressed. I was
there most of the time to combat the
trouble. I knew where the chemicals had
be applied, and I was there to see that
ore job was done.
"I kept records of all the spraying, and
have them on file so that I can check the
results when the spring rolls around. I'd

say we're very aware of the importance of
chemical application and doing it right to
comply with laws and restrictions. That's
why I'm on top of things at all times."
A r t h u r Miller, Nabnasset Lake Country
Club: "I've kept a close check on what
chemicals are sprayed here over the years
and have a ready reference to fall back on
when it comes time to spray again.
"Nabnasset Lake is a nine-hole course.
I have the application license and I do
all of the spraying.! feel comfortable
about that, because I'm the one who's
responsible for everything that goes into
the conditioning process here.
"My spraying schedule varies because
I spray only when it's needed. I apply
chemicals for seven or eight things, and
the weather always becomes a factor. This
was especially true this year, one where
the weather definitely wasn't on the side
of the superintendent.
"Another part of the spraying situation
concerns our golfers who have become
aware of the chemical application interest
along environmental and ecological lines.
"With this in mind, I try to schedule
spraying at times when the traffic on the
course is very light. That means early
morning starting time for me and an
attempt to be as inconspicuous as

"I have a very complicated;,
yet refined system ©f record
keeping (computer
mode),
and know everything. past,
present, and future, about
our chemical
application
approach

iiHilaL,ijtiiliiLiiiaL,ijtill.illi.l.iiJiiiil.i.litH.iiJiliili,liiilLi

Jamie Pavlas
The Ridge Club
IL L a l i i l a l i .iIimlL
m i ii llifirl ài

possible. You know, you put on a spray
suit and are walking around the course
and golfers might start scratching their
heads in some kind of questioning
fashion. I try to avoid that.
"Posting what, where, and when in
regard to spraying also is a must for
me. I post all that information in the
clubhouse before any work is done and
make sure our players are able to see i t
The only question I usually get is, 'what
are you spraying for?' That's okay by me
if that's as close to a complaint that I get."
J a m i e Pavlas, The Midge Club: "In the
beginning of my chemical application
program, I did most of the spraying
myself. That was my first year here, two
years ago. However, now my assistant
does most of the spraying. It's a sign of
the times and an upgrade in the overall
course maintenance picture. I have 21
people working here at the height of the
season, and the demands of supervising
them has to take priority.
"However, that doesn't mean that I've
divorced myself from the responsibility
that goes with the chemical application
procedure. In fact, I have a very
complicated, yet refined system of recordkeeping (computer mode) and know
everything past, present and future about
our chemical application approach.
"The process of keeping that file has
become so sophisticated that I can tell
you everything about a particular
chemical as to when I bought it, from
whom, and how much I paid for it. That's
in the records, along with how effective
or ineffective the chemical was. I'm a
stickler on this part of the program, and
it's paying off.
"I'm aiso a firm believer in educating
members about using chemicals on the
course. I'm always open to questions, and
I go out of my maintenance schedule's
way to keep the spraying process at a low
key level. I post the spraying times on
both the first and 10th tees, and make it a
rule to schedule spraying at the earliest
possible hour of the morning.
"Probably the most vital part of my
whole maintenance program is to have a
handle on every aspect of the grooming
process. I have that with emphasis on the
chemical application phase. You have
to know where it's been and where it's
coming from. That knowledge is golden."
GERRY FINN

Page 4
.iUiUli.Ulil.il

iLiiÁ.iLiii.ili.iidiiüii.iii,iiáii.inii.iii.liái¡

Turf Science

Evaluation
by

of new turf products,
plots, but can you also conclude that
Bio-Sure gives better control than EcoOK? A statistical analysis can answer
that question.

Gail
Schumann
Univesity of
Massachusetts
Monica L Elliott
University of Florida
Paul Vineeili
University of

Watch ©uf f@s°"testimonials'
md enerdse some healthy
skepticism„

Kentucky

(Part II of two parts; Part I appeared in
last month's Newsletter.)
Statistics; Statistical analysis can be
simple or complex, but it is an important
way to determine how sure you are that
an effect is due to a treatment. Here is
a simple example:
Imagine two different experiments
where you are testing two new products:
Bio-Sure and Eco-OK for dollar spot
control. In each experiment, there are
four replications of the three treatments:
1) the non-treated control, 2) Bio-Sure,
and 3) Eco-OK. The data numbers in the
table refer to the number of dollar spot
infection centers in each plot. Note that
both experiments have the same average
results: 103 dollar spots in the non-treated
control, 23 dollar spots in the Bio-Sure
plots, and 10 dollar spots in the Eco-OK
plots. The data look pretty convincing
that both products are giving significant
control compared to the non-treated

Even though the averages are the
same in both experiments, look at the
variation in the numbers in the four plots.
Which set of results is more convincing?
In Experiment A, the numbers are similar
in all replications of each treatment
This gives you more confidence that both
products gave disease control, and that
Eco-OK reduced disease better than
Bio-Sure. In Experiment B, there is
more variation and overlap between the
numbers in the various replications. It is
not so clear that Eco-OK worked better
than Bio-Sure even though the average
numbers are identical.
Statistical analysis tells you how to
interpret the average numbers because
most reports list only the average (or
mean) of the replications. If they are

Experiment k
Treatement
Non-Treated
Control

Number of dollar spot
infection centers
In each of four plots

Average of
all four plots

Experiment S3
Number of dollar spot
infection centers
in each of four plots

Average of
all four plots

107
97
105
110

103 a

23 b

34
35
10
13

23 b

10c

10
7
5
18

10b

105
97
100
110

103 a

Bi©-Sur@

27
25
19
21

Eso-OK

11
9
12
8

LSD ( p = 0 . 0 5 ) for Experiment k - 7.5

LSD ( p = 0 . 0 5 ) for Experiment B - 1 6 . 0

Part II

"statistically significant" they are more
like the numbers in Experiment A and
you can have more confidence in them.
The two common ways to indicate
statistical significance are shown in the
table. The first is to report the Least
Significant Difference (LSD). If you
subtract two averages from each other
and the difference is greater than the
LSD, then the difference between the
treatment averages is probably real and
not an artifact of the experiment. For
example, the LSD in Experiment A is 7.5.
The difference between the averages of
Bio-Sure and Eco-Ok (13) is more- than
7.5, so you can be 95% sure that the
difference is real. In Experiment B, the
LSD is 16.0 and the difference between
the averages is still 13, so the difference is
not statistically significant You cannot be
confident that Bio-Sure works better than
Eco-OK from the data in Experiment B.
(Most LSDs are calculated at the 90% or
95% confidence level which is indicated by
p=0.1 or p=0.05, respectively.)
Another way to indicate differences
is by placing letters next to the average
numbers. If the two averages have no
letters in common, the differences are
statistically significant. In the table, you
can see that the letters are different for
the averages of the Bio-Sure and Eco-Ok
treatments in Experiment A but are not
different in Experiment B because there
was no statistically significant difference
between them. Next time you attend a
field day or read a research report, look
for the statistical analysis to help you
determine how confident you can be in
the results.
If the product Is for pest or disease
control, does it have an EPA
registration number?
This is important for several reasons,
not the least of which is your own
liability. There are many unanswered
questions about the efficacy and safety
of many of the new products, just as
there are with traditional chemical
controls. There is some concern about
potential allergy problems, especially
with fungal formulations. Some bacterial
continued on page

hiL.Uli

2

Page 1

jtoSaaal

A report on If f i Bioje ct System field
by John J. Bresnahan

and Andy

Drohen

Introduction
The BioJect System manufactured
by Ecosoil, Inc. and distributed by Turf
Partners in New England is an innovative
approach to produce and apply the
biological control organism, Pseudomonas aureofaceans Tx-1 to golf course
turfgrass. Laboratory studies presented
by Dr. Joseph Vargas of Michigan State
University suggest that the bacteria
P. aureofaceans Tx-1 can suppress
the growth of dollar spot (Sclerotinia
homoeocarpa) in controlled environments
on selective media. It is the purpose of
this study to evaluate the ability of the
BioJect System to suppress dollar spot
development during typical golf course
fairway maintenance.
The BioJect unit is a self-contained
apparatus which is located in the golf
^ ^ o u r s e irrigation pump house. The unit
ill ferment or grow P. aureofaceans at
nigh populations (1x10 s cfu/ml) throughout the "brew cycle" and then inject the
bacteria into the main irrigation lines to
be applied during the irrigation cycle.
Initial studies by Dr. Vargas suggest that
P. aureofaceans should be applied at
lxlO 5 cfu/ml to effectively suppress
disease. It is recommended by the
manufacturer that the BioJect solution
be applied nightly during the growing
season. During periods of wet. humid
weather, it is suggested that distribution
be accomplished by utilizing a syringe
cycle, or approximately three minutes of
irrigation.
The objectives of this experiment were
to: (1) Evaluate the ability of the BioJect
System to produce viable populations of
P. aureofaceans Tx-1 on a consistent
basis to suppress dollar spot on three golf
course fairways in western Massachusetts.
(2) Evaluate the ability a golf course
irrigation system to distribute P. aureofaceans Tx-1 throughout the property.
J ) o l I a r Spot Control
The main study of this experiment was
uesigned to evaluate the ability of the
BioJect System to consistently produce
high populations of P. aureofaceans and
.ilJiiilliiljUiiiilJil.lii.ljiiii.iiJi.l.iiJiiilii.ljiiiii

the ability of this bacteria to suppress
dollar spot development on three western
Massachusetts field sites: Hickory Ridge
County Club, Amherst; The Orchards
Golf Course, South Hadley; and Twin Hills
Country Club, Longmeadow. Six treatments were applied to plots 3' by 6' in a
complete randomized block design and
replicated four times. The study sites were
located at the beginning of fairways at
Hickory Ridge C.C. and The Orchards
G.C., and on the driving range at
Twin Hills C.C. Treatment areas were maintained under normal maintenance
schedules except that no fungicides were
applied by the superintendents.
The BioJect unit was programmed to
utilize a 12-hour "brew cycle" each day. At
the end of the brew cycle, the BioJect solution was downloaded into clean
five-gallon plastic containers and
transported to each study site. The
BioJect solution was then applied to the
appropriate plots using a watering can to
simulate an irrigation application. Each
BioJect treatment plot received one halfQ

gallon of solution containing 1x10
cfu/ml of P. aureofaceans. The treatments included: (1) Control, where no
BioJect or fungicide was applied;
(2) BioJect, where P. aureofaceans Tx-1
was applied nightly; (3) Daconil, applied
on a 14-day schedule at 1.5 oz./lOOO sq.
ft.; (4) Banner Maxx, applied on a 21-day
schedule at 1.25 oz./lOOO sq. ft.;
(5) Daconil Threshold, where P. aureo-

trials

faceans Tx-1 was applied nightly, and if
a threshold of five dollar spots per plot
was reached, Daconil was applied at 1.5
oz/1000 sq. ft.; and (6) Banner Maxx
Threshold, where P. aureofaceans Tx-1
was applied nightly, and if a threshold of
five dollar spots per plot was reached,
Banner Maxx was applied at 1.25
oz./lOOO sq. ft.
Results

The data presented was collected at
The Orchards G.C. Data was collected
weekly and analyzed when dollar spot
was present, using standard statistical
procedures. Means were analyzed using
analysis of variance (ANOVA). At all dates,
treatments were highly significant in their
differences, which allowed for a more
detailed analysis. Further separation using Duncans Multiple Range Test (P-.05)
was conducted. Table 1 presents the
overall Duncan Grouping for comparison.
Treatments with a different letter under
the "Duncan Grouping" heading are
significantly different from each other.
Graph 1 represents the data collected
at The Orchards G.C. illustrating the
significant differences between the
treatments. The control plots had
significantly more dollar spot than
the BioJect and all other treatments
throughout the growing season.
(Part II (discussion & distribution) will
appear in next month's Newsletter.)

Table 1: Overall analysis for dollar spot ratings
at The Orchards G.C.
Duncan
Grouping

Mean

N

A
B
B
B
B
B

17.4
1.6
1.1
0.8
0.5
0.4

20
20
20
20
20
20

Graph 1:
Recorded
dollar spot
ratings for the
Orchards G.C.

Treatments

Control
Daconil Threshold
Banner Threshold
BioJect
Banner
Daconil

•

Control
X BioJect
• BioJect/Daconil
* Banner
A BioJect/Banner
O Daconil

-15

e;
w

Page 6
tiUÚALÍMiLÍMúAi.lMÍkiMLL

GCSANE News

¡Rem&mbet when?: À monthly look at GCSñNE^s pmt
Wemember when? looks at significant
individuals and events of GCSANE's past.

25 years ago
News from our friends across the pond
tells of a movement by British greenkeepers
to influence golf shoe manufacturers to
take notice of the damage their products do
to greens and other finely manicured
areas around the golf course. The men, who
keep grass green on the other side of the
Atlantic, claim that damage to greens has
been on the upswing with introduction of
longer, sharper golf spikes. The area most
under the sword is the heavy-traffic route
around the cup. In some instances golf
shoes are stabbing it to death!
It looks as if our British brothers have
caught on to something with their charge
that golf shoe manufacturers better take a
second look at the length of their spikes,
or a banning process will be attempted.

DIVOI

DRIFT

...tournament

15 years ago
Kevin Lyons is doing all he can to
shake the snowman image. In our most
recent tournament at Tatnuck, Kevin
made a serious effort to get the 8s off his
card. But, come now, snowy 9s and 10s
are not the answer. Maybe the few months
layoff from making snowmen on the golf
course will rekindle Kevin's spirits and
make him ready to shake the image come
spring. Tatnuck, our windup tournament,
drew 37 golfers in a best ball of two
players per group format. The winning
team was Ron Kirkman, Dave Barber, Don
Levangie, Tom Schofield, and Steve
Butler. Thanks go to Steve Chiavaroli and
his staff for serving as top-notch hosts.

5 years ago
With the Christmas season upon us
and the 1993 meeting season marked
down as a definite success, the GCSANE

o.oanmuncemenis.ooedueathnal

results...and

EDUCATION
Mycorrhiza Symposium: Practical Applications
and Biology of Mycorrhizal Fungi in the Growth
and Maintenance of Woody Ornamental Plants;
Feb. 16, 1999; Stockbridge Hall, U. of Mass. Amherst. This symposium discusses the role of
mycorrhizal fungi in establishment and growth of
trees and shrubs. The symposium provides the
most current information about mycorrhizal fungi,
information that will inform decisions about when
and where these products should be used. You'll
learn what products are available and how to use
them. We'll discuss the role of mycorrhiza in
establishment and growth of trees and shrubs, plus
the biology of mycorrhizal fungi and their relationships with roots. Presenters will share results of
research on effectiveness of mycorrhizal amendments to nursery stock, to trees and shrubs at
transplant time, and to established plants to improve vitality. Company representatives will
discuss mycorrhizal products available. The symposium concludes with a question/answer period.
ISA, MCH, MCA, MCLP, and pesticide credits have
been requested. Cost is $95 per person; make
checks payable to U. of Mass. Send registrations
to: Symposium, UMass Extension, French Hall,
Box 32910, Amherst, MA 01003. For more information, call Kathleen Carroll at (413) 545-0895.

.ilJlihli.DiütHUlJaii.i^inULUJlLiLj^

miscellaneous

would like to pause for a moment and
extend thanks to our golf meeting hosts
for 1993: Charlie Dickow, Wayne LaCroix,
Gary Luccini, Dave Kahrman, Dick
Duggan, Joe Rybka, Rich Caughey, Bob
St. Thomas, Paul Johnson, Ron Kirkman,
and last if not least, Don Marrone.
Marrone, of course, hosted the
Memorial Tournament of the GCSANE
at the Wachusett Country Club, and has
graciously volunteered to be the host for
the 1994 version next August.
The tournament is conducted with the
hope of building on the association's
Benevolent* Scholarship Fund. Over $6,000
is earmarked for deposit from proceeds
generated at Wachusett in 1993. The fund
directly benefits members and their families.
Therefore, the support of all members,
friends, and others is deeply appreciated.
GEMKY FINN

seminars...job

items of interest

Nutrient Management Seminar for Landscapes
and Nurseries: More Bang For the Buck - Getting
the Most Out of Your Fertiliser Program; Feb.
17, 1999; concurrently in Amherst and Bridgewater, Mass. The U. of Mass. Extension Landscape,
Nursery and Urban Forestry Program presents a
seminar to help professionals hone nutrient management practices by making wise use of soil test
reports in developing fertilizer programs. Participants will learn how to use compost in a nutrient
management program, and how to reduce nitrogen applications by calculating nitrogen from
existing organic components. "Buy a bag of fertilizer, read the label, dump it on!" That's how we
used to fertilize. But that was not only wasteful
and costly, but also damaging to the environment
and often to the plant. Today, we manage nutrient
levels in soils to create the best possible growing
environment for woody ornamental plants. Buffer
pH, soil pH, Cation Exchange Capacity, Base Saturation? This seminar interprets items on soil test
reports and show how to use information to develop environmentally sound fertilizing practices.
ISA, MCH, MCA, and MCLP credits have been
requested. Cost is $50 per person; make checks
payable to U. of Mass. Space is limited; preregistration is suggested; send to: Symposium, UMass
Extension, French Hall, Box 32910, Amherst, MA
01003. For information, contact the UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry
program at (413) 545-0895.

opportunities

to the

membership.

1999 Winter Conference: Ecology and the Managed Landscape - W o r k i n g Toward Better
Solutions; Feb. 26, 1999; Holiday Inn, Boxborough, Mass. Sponsored by the UMass Extension,
the Ecological Landscaping Assn., and the New
England Wild Flower Society, this conference explores the relationship between created
landscapes and natural environment The conference offers specifics on microclimate analysis,
compost technology, wildlife garden design, IPM
in greenhouse management, and nine other workshops on managing landscapes ecologically.
Participants will gain greater awareness of impact
of landscape practices on local ecology. This year's
keynote speaker is Dr. Mark McClure, U. of Conn.
Extension, speaking on The Impact of Biological
Solutions:

Hemlock

Woolly

Adelgid

Case

Study.

The discussion investigates development of beneficial insects used to control the Hemlock Woolly
Adeigid. He will describe how landscape methods
may have created problems for helpful biologicals,
and how new beneficial insects are researched and
released. He will describe the lifecycle of the Wooly
Adelgid and the beneficial beetle he has introduced
to combat the pest To preregister, send $115.00
(includes lunch) payable to ELA by Feb. 19 to: ELA
Conference, c / o Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Rd., Framingham, MA 01701. Registration at
the door is $130.00. For information call Kathleen
Carroll (UMass Extension) at (413) 545-0895 or
Nancy Askin (ELA) at (978) 897-7490.

Page 7

i Please patronize these FRIENDS of the
Advanced Agronomic Services, Inc.
91 Day St., Leominster, MA 01453
Deep-tine aerification, core aerification,
overseeding, and irrigation services.
Jim Favreau - (978) 840-0432

A-OK Turf Equipment

Douglas Equipment Corp.

9 Leuba Road, Coventry, Ri 02816
New England Articulator dealer,
Greens Groomer Brush, & used equipment.
Mike Cornicelli- (401) 826-2584

90 Douglas Pike, Smithfleld, Rf 02917
John Deere golf & turf equipment dealer
Paul T. Surabian, Pres.; Allen Vadala, Sales Rep.
(401)232-3700

A.A. Will Materials Corporation

Michael Drake Constuction, Inc.

168 Washington St., Stoughton, MA 02072
Top dressing & bunker sand, loam, decorative
stone, & landscape materials. Est. 1888.
Frank Will, Charlie Downing, Denise M. Cogllano
f -800-4-AAWILL

Aor-Evo U.S.A. Co.

Wilmington, Delaware
David Sylvester - (203) 828-6905

Agrttarf, inc.

59 Dwlght St., Hatfield, MA 01038
Fertilizer, seed, and chemicals for turf.
1-800-346-5048

Aliens Seed Store, Inc.

Specializing in quality seed and related
golf course maintenance supplies.
Gregg Allen-(401) 294-2722
(car p h o n e - ( 5 0 8 ) 577-1001)

Baker Golf Cars

40 Walker St., Swansea, MA 02777
Steve Founler, Doug Hooper
(508) 379-0092

Bartiett Tree Experts

153 Rumford Ave., Newton, MA 02166
Consulting, planning, IPM MoniTor®, pruning,
fertilization, & plant appraisal
Jack Kelly-(617) 969-5990

Bay State Organic / MWRA

100 First Ave., Cnariestown Navy Yard
Boston, MA 02129
Manufacturer & supplier of dry organic fertilizers
Amy Barad-(617) 241-6261

Bayer Corporation

118 Ellery Ave., Mlddletown, RI 02842
Baylaton, Merit, Dylox, Tempo, Nemacur.
Brad Herman - (401) 846-3515;
FAX (401) 846-8012

The Borden Company

Maynard, MA
Bulk limestone dealer.
Jack Borden - (978) 897-2571

Boston Irrigation Company

240 Walnut Street, Framlngham, MA 01701
Golf course reconstruction; professional shaper.
Michael Drake - (508) 875-8247

Elanco Products Company

31 Old Town Trail, Narragansett, RI 02882
Bob S c o t t - ( 4 0 1 ) 376-7290

F.D.I., Inc.

(Fairway Design Illustration)
55 Railroad Ave., Warren, RI 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, Mass. - (781) 861-1111
Canterbury, N.H, - (603) 783-4717

The Charles C. Hart Seed Co.

P. 0. Box 9169, Weatherefield, CT 061 OS
Roy Sibley, Dick Gurski
f -800-326-HART

Lvcoff Environmental Research, Inc.
600 Charlton St., Southbridge, MA 01550
Environmental consulting services: lake &
pond management, wetland studies, site
assessments, & laboratory analysis.
Lee Lyman, president -1-800-462-8211

D.l. M a t e C®.

Box 127, Concord St., N. Reading 01864
Water supply specialists; water wells &
pumping equipment.
(781)933-3210

McNutty Construction Corp.

19 Turner Rd., P.O. Box 3218
Framingham, MA 01701
Asphalt paving of cart paths, walkways,
and parking areas.
John McNutty - (508) 879-8875

Meco Environmental, inc.

1119 Washington St., Weymouth, MA 02189
Installation of UST/AST, pump/tank upgrades,
and oil/water separator installation.
Greg M u r p h y - ( 7 8 1 ) 331-6446

Modern Aeration Service, Inc.

212 Kenrick St., Newton, MA 02158
Featuring water injection aeration.
Kevin O s g o o d - ( 6 1 7 ) 630-1950

Modern Tractor & Track Service, Inc.

400 Pine St., Seekonk, MA 02771
Holliston sand/loam topdressing mixture,
1/2" or 1/8" screened loam, underground tank
removal, Convautt aboveground fuel tank.
Steven S. Howitt- (508) 761-5554

R.P. Morse S Sons, Inc.

Golf Course Architects
Fiddlers Green, Amherst, MA 01002

Country Ciub Enterprises, Inc.

P. 0. Box 820, Cataumet MA 02534
Club Car golf cars, Carryall utility vehicles.
Steve Butler, Dave Farina, Ed McGuire
(800)662-2585

P.O. Box 2, Slocum, RI 02877
Matt Faherty, Pat Hogan
Bluegrass/Fescue, Bluegrass/Rye,
Bluegrass/Fescue/Rye, Bentgrass
1-800-341-6900

Sports Club Management

104 Wyman Rd., Braintree, MA 02184
Hazcom and right-to-know compliance
implementation.
Ron S m i t h - ( 7 8 1 ) 848-5978

Dahn Tibbett
Professional Golf Services

d/b/a/ Weed & Feed, Inc.
20 Clark Lane, Marshfleld, MA 02050
Specialists in golf course construction and
irrigation installation. We also offer a wire
tracing service.
(781) 837-3503

Tee and Green Sod, Inc.

Exeter, RI 02822
Bentgrass, Bluegrass and Blue/Fescue sod.
Dave Wallace, Robin Hayes
(401) 789-8177

Nardone Sand & Gravel Co., Inc.

Turf Enhancement Enterprises

Irrigation Management & Services

394 Monson Tpk. Road, Ware, MA 01082
Banner MAXX, Sentinel, Barricade,
Subdue MAXX, & Primo
David Ravel-(413) 967-6745
www.cp.us.novartis.com

5 Purcell Rd., Arlington, MA 02174
Golf course construction.
Antonios Paganis
(617) 648-2351 or (508) 428-3022

21 LakeviewAve., Nabck, MA 01760-4252
Irrigation consultation, design & 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.

Kiarartis Specialty Products, Inc.

Parfac 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.

Complete deep-tine and hydro-injection services,
custom fertilizer and pesticide applications,
fairway aeration, and top dressing operations.
Scott McCoy - (978) 777-1663

Geoffrey S. Cornish & Brian Silva

Sodeo, Ins.

37 Power Rd., Westford, MA 01886
Topdressing sand & mixes, bunker sands, rootzone mixes, loam, cart path materials, drainage stone
Greg Frederick - (978) 692-8221, (781) 648-6222

Landmark Construction

Cedar Lawn Tree Service, Inc.

Mike Peterson, Regional Director
Randy Hamilton - (508) 528-4642
Richard Fomi- (413) 534-8896

International Golf Construction Co.

The Cardinals, Inc.

32 Nickerson Road, Ashland, MA 01721
Pruning, fertilization, removal,
& professional care.
William P. Maley - (508) 881-2622

Scotts Pro-Turf Div.

Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Ins.

433 Chestnut St., Needham, MA 02192
Tree care, landscape consruction, consulting.
Mark J. T o b i n - ( 7 8 1 ) 444-1227

For your irrigation needs; dedicated to sales
and service of quality irrigation equipment.
Greg Albanese - (617) 964-8533 (phone/fax)

110 CodjerLane, Sudbury, MA 01776
Grower of annuals, perennials,
garden mums, & ground covers
Darren Y o u n g - ( 9 7 8 ) 443-7177

65 Glenn St., Lawrence, MA 01843
Bob Brown, Larry Bunn, Mike Hannigan,
Frank Higgins, John Lenhart
(978) 682-9296

W. Wareham, MA 02576
Larry Anshewitz, Jack Cronin, Christopher Cowan
(508) 295-1553

Worcester, MA
Distributor of tires for lawn & garden, trucks,
cars, industrial equipment, and golf carts.
Gerry Jones - (508) 755-5255

Cavicchio Greenhouses, Inc.

Satsrtelte Bros.

Hartmey Greymoni

Dedham, MA
Distributor, irrigation supplies & accessories.
John Ramey, Paul Kenyon, Robert Barbati
(781) 461-1560
166 River Rd„ P. O. Box 520
ünionville, CT 06085
Golf course & landscape supplies.
John Callahan - (203) 673-3699

i

Country Golf, inc.

4852 Westchester Dr., Traverse City, Ml 49684
Golf course construction & reconstruction;
specialists in Donald Ross courses.
Jerry Deemer - (616) 947-5751

ASSOCIATION

P. 0. Box 662, Winchester, MA 01890
Tee/bunker shaping & remodeling,
cart path work, drainage, tree planting,
6 landscape construction our specialty.
Daniel Champion - (781) 595-1079

Larchmont Eng. & Irrig. Co.

Larchmont Lane, Lexington, MA 02173
Keith Savage-(781) 862-2550

Lazaro's Golf Course Accessories

dba Hammond Paint 8. Chem. Co., Inc.
738 Main St., Suite 223, Waltham, MA 02154
Joseph Lazaro - (781) 647-3361

IISCO, Inc.

20005 Lake Rd., Rocky River, OH 44116
Ron Tumiski, Mike Donohue
1-800-321-5325

Loft's Seed

22 Lantern Lane, Exeter, RI 02822
Victoria Wallace - 1-800-648-7333

Prescription Turf Services, Inc.

Pro-Lawn Products, inc.

24 Johnathan Rd., W. Greenwich, RI 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 8, diagnostic equipment.
Barbara Piantedosi - (508) 456-6886

Sani-Mate Supply, inc.

88 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, MA
Distributor, Karcher hot high pressure equipment
& bulk detergents, sales, service, rentals
Barry Hackett- (508) 752-8888

Richmond, RI
Chris Beasley - 1-800-556-6985

Featuring Floratine Products, Precision Small
Engine Co. & Trion Lifts.
Tom F o x - ( 5 0 8 ) 865-9150

TurSNet Associates, Inc.

21 Brandywine Road, Skillman, NJ 08558
Communication, information, market intelligence.
Peter L. McCormick -1-800-314-7929

Turf Products Corp.

157 Moody Road, Enfield, CT 06082
Distributors of Tore irrigation and maintenance
equipment, lightning detection systems, and
other golf-related products.
Irrigation products: Tim Berge & Palmer Whitney;
Commercial products: Ed Fallow, Rick Moulton,
Mike Turner, & John Winskowicz; (860) 763-3581

Turf Specialty, Inc.

15 Londonderry Rd., Londonderry, NH 03053
Turf & ornamental supplies.
Scott Mackintosh, 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
Bruce Chapman - (401) 885-5245

Varney Bros. Sand, Gravai & Concrete
Bellingham, MA
Concrete golf cart paths.
Kenneth Mooradian - 1-800-441-7373

Winfield Nursery

1320 Mountain Rd., Suffield, CT 06109
Wholesale nursery trees & shrubs.
Stan Hi Id reth

Philip Wogan & George F. Sargent, Jr.
Golf Course Architects
17 Walker Rd., Topsfield, MA 01983
(978) 887-3672

Zip Type Service

50 Kent St., Newburyport, MA 01950
Design, printing, mailing, advertising specialties.
Sheila Johnson - (978) 462-9358

Page

6

Evaluating new turf products
continued

from page 4

biocontrol agents, such as Burkholderia
(Pseudomonas) cepacia, are secondary
human pathogens that could be a serious
health threat to people with compromised
immune systems.Be aware that some
well known biological products are being
sold without EPA registration. Some
companies are avoiding EPA registration
by claiming that disease a n d / o r pest
control is due to an improved microbial
environment of the turfgrass that reduces
the chances of disease or pest problems.
The safety questions listed above apply to
any microbial application.
Conclusions
By this time, you might be feeling that
this is a lot of detail that may not be
worth your time or concern. The purpose
of this article is to demonstrate what
it takes to determine if a new product
really works as it claims, and why it is

not easy to conduct such tests on a
working golf course or on a customer's
lawn. Non-treated areas, replications and
statistical analysis are time-consuming
and best left to people whose job it
is to evaluate such things. That is the
philosophy that led to the founding
of the land-grant universities and the
Cooperative Extension Service. Unfortunately, year by year, support for this
unbiased source of research results has
been whittled away to a fraction of its
former level.
What if you can't find any reliable
research and you want to try a new
product?
Try new products on a small area first.
Try them where they are least likely to
cause serious problems if they injure the
turf or don't do what they claim. For
example, try new products on fairways
rather than greens, on nursery turf areas,
or on one green rather than all of them
at once.

Find a way to leave a non-treated test
area for comparison so you can better
judge the results you obtain. Buy a piece
of plywood and place it in the center of
an area to be treated before you spray.
Remove the plywood and you have a
non-treated test area. If you treat a lawn
or golf course wall-to-wall and then
proclaim that "it worked great," you will
never really know what would have
happened had you done nothing at all.
Network with your colleagues. Ask
those who have evaluated new products
if they followed the guidelines outlined
above: replications, non-treated controls,
etc. The more of this that they have done,
the more confident you can be in their
comments. Watch out for "testimonials,"
and exercise some healthy skepticism.
Reprinted from TurfNotes,
July/August 1998

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