LETTER

January 2006

of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England, Inc.
Sponsors and administrators of the Troll-Dickinson Scholarship Fund - Awarded yearly to deserving Turf Management Students.

í ^ b ü ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ h h b b b

Dick French enjoyed the serenity of early morning
on the course - and settled into a 42-year career
By G a r y Trask
It's the mornings that Dick French will
miss the most.
From the time he started in the golf
course superintendent business 42
years ago right up until his retirement in
December, French
always treasured
d r i v i n g into the
tranquil atmosphere
of a course at a the break of day and
witnessing the end result of his crew's
handiwork from the previous day.
"There's just something about that
time of day that kind of grabs me," says
French, who spent the last seven years
of his career at Bear Hill Golf Club in
Stoneham, Mass. "Hearing the sprinklers going, seeing the morning dew,
the green grass, the bunkers all raked
and clean. Those are the things that
gave me a lot of pleasure over the years
because you can see that all your hard
work was worth every second. It's a
great feeling."
It's also a feeling that the 60-year-old
has been yearning for ever since he
took a job as a laborer at Nashawtuc
Country Club in 1962.
"I always liked the idea of working
with my hands and working outside,"
French explains. "My grandfather had a
greenhouse, and as I was growing up I
liked working with him. I don't know
why, but I just loved that kind of work."
French, a Tewksbury native w h o
graduated from Essex Aggie-Technical
High School and Stockbridge School of
Agriculture, worked three summers on

the crew at Nashawtuc and then spent
two years at Vesper Country Club. In
1966 he got his first job as a head
superintendent at Merrimack Valley in
Methuen at the ripe age of 21.
"I was lucky to get a head job because
I was so young," he says. "There were
times during my first few years that I had
my doubts about whether or not I was
going to make it in this business. I
feared Mother Nature because you're
always at her mercy in this business."
After two years at Merrimack Valley,
French moved on to Fort Devens Golf
Club for six years. He then made a
move to a place where he would spend
the next 21 years of his career: Long
Meadow Golf Club.
"It was a great fit for me," he explains
about his extended stay at the Lowellbased course. "It was a 10-minute ride
from my home and I really liked the
people I worked with. I had some great
years there."
During French's tenure at Bear Hill he
has persevered through some events
much more serious than a clash with
Mother Nature. His wife of 31 years,
C a r o l , passed a w a y in 2 0 0 0 . He
survived a battle with lymphoma cancer
in 2001 and last November underwent
a quadruple bypass. Through it all he's
had the serenity of the golf course at the
crack of dawn to give him serenity when
it was most needed.
"I'm proud of the fact that I made it
through 42 years," says French, who
has relocated to San Diego with his new
wife, Sarah. "It's not an easy business.
You've got to satisfy an e n o r m o u s

amount of people who don't care how
tough the conditions are. This isn't a job
where you can have a lot of excuses."
Despite his retirement, French still
plans on continuing that morning drive
he has enjoyed so much. He hopes to
land a part-time job somewhere on a
golf course in San Diego.
"I love it too much to step away
totally," he says with a laugh. "I'll stay
involved, except this time Mother Nature
will be a lot easier to deal with. A lot
easier." uu

'I'm proud of the fact
that I made it through
42 years. It's not an easy
business. You've got to
satisfy an enormous
amount of people w h o
don't care how tough
the conditions are. This
isn't a job where you can
have a lot of excuses."
Dick French,
recently retired
superintendent
at Bear Hill G.C.

E

Red Tail Golf Club recognized for
'sustainable reuse' of military base
'¡al, CW>?
PRESIDENT
M i c h a e l J. H e r m a n s o n
140 Ryan Street, Gardner, M A 0 1 4 4 0 - 0 1 4 5
978-632-2713
Fax 9 7 8 - 6 3 2 - 2 7 1 3
E-mail; herm068@hotmall.com
G a r d n e r M u n i c i p a l Golf C o u r s e
VICE PRESIDENT
P a t r i c k S. K r i k s c e o n a i t i s
4 L a k e m a n s Lane, Ipswich, M A 0 1 9 3 8 - 2 5 0 5
978-526-4600
Fax 9 7 8 - 5 2 6 - 8 3 3 3
E-mail: Grounds@Essexcc.org
Essex C o u n t y Club
SECRETARY
R u s s e l l E. Heller, C G C S
41 Clifford Street, M e l r o s e , M A 0 2 1 7 6 - 0 1 4 0
617-983-2786
Fax 6 1 7 - 9 8 3 - 2 7 8 6
E-mail: Rheller@gcsane.org
Franklin Park Golf C o u r s e
TREASURER
R o n a l d P. D o b o s z , Jr.
1137 Park Street, S t o u g h t o n , M A 0 2 0 7 2 - 3 7 2 8
781 -341 - 8 5 6 4
Fax 781 - 3 4 1 - 8 5 6 4 , *51
E-mail: r d o b o s z l 11@aol.com
C e d a r Hill G o l f C o u r s e
TRUSTEE
P a t r i c k J. Daly, C G C S
P. O. B o x 2 2 8 4 , F r a m i n g h a m , M A 0 1 7 0 3 - 2 2 8 4
508-872-9790
Fax 5 0 8 - 8 7 2 - 5 3 9 3
E-mail: p a t @ f r a m i n g h a m c c . c o m
Framingham Country Club
TRUSTEE
J a s o n S. A d a m s
27 Cherry Street, W r e n t h a m , M A 02093
781 - 3 2 6 - 3 8 0 1
Fax 7 8 1 - 3 2 6 - 3 8 0 1
E-mail: Norfolksuper@hotmail.com
Norfolk Golf C l u b
TRUSTEE
D a v i d A. C o m e e
65 M a r q u e t t e Street, Gardner, M A 0 1 4 4 0
978-297-2339
Fax 9 7 8 - 2 9 7 - 0 9 1 1
E-mail: photoC@hotmail.com
W i n c h e n d o n School Golf C l u b
FINANCE CHAIRMAN
A r t h u r Silva, C G C S
35 Pennacook Road, Tewksbury, M A 01876
61 7 - 4 8 4 - 5 4 4 0
Fax 61 7 - 4 8 4 - 6 6 1 3
E-mail: Asiiva@belmontcc.org
Belmont Country Club
GOLF CHAIRMAN
J a m e s A . S m a l l III, C G C S
6 9 0 Pine Street, B r i d g e w a t e r , M A 0 2 3 2 4 - 2 1 1 6
508-697-4816
Fax 5 0 8 - 2 7 9 - 3 3 5 5
E-mail: jasilil 8 8 @ y a h o o . c o m
Olde S c o t l a n d Links Golf Club
EDUCATION CHAIRMAN
David Stowe, CGCS
30 Western Avenue, Natlck, M A 01760
617-789-4631
Fax 6 1 7 - 7 8 9 - 4 6 3 1
E-mail: Newtonmalnt@aol.com
N e w t o n C o m m o n w e a l t h Golf C l u b
NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN
M i c h a e l W. S t a c h o w l c z
68 Westfield Road, W e s t w o o d , M A 02090
781 - 3 2 6 - 7 8 6 0
Fax 7 8 1 - 3 2 6 - 0 6 6 4
E-mail: Mstach@dedhamclub.org
D e d h a m C o u n t r y a n d Polo C l u b
PAST P R E S I D E N T
J a m e s R. Fitzroy, C G C S
3 5 7 W . S q u a n t u m S t . , N. Q u i n c y , M A 0 2 1 7 1 - 2 7 5 8
617-328-1776
Fax 6 1 7 - 3 2 8 - 9 4 7 9
E-mail: Jfitzroy@presldentsgc.com
P r e s i d e n t s Golf C l u b
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
S h a r o n K. B r o w n e l l
P. O. B o x 5 6 6 , M a t t a p o i s e t t , M A 0 2 7 3 9 - 0 5 6 6
508-758-6474
Fax 5 0 8 - 7 5 8 - 3 6 8 8
E-mail: Sbrownell@gcsane.org

.tTHE

NEWSLETTER
GCSANE Headquarters
300 Arnold Palmer Blvd., Norton, M A 02766
Tel.: (800) 833-4451
Fax: (508) 758-6474
W e b Site: www.gcsane.org
Newsletter Editor
Michael Stachowicz
Business Manager
Julie H e s t o n
(401-934-3677; E-mail: jheston@verizon.net)
Any opinions expressed in this publication are those of
the author and/or person quoted, a n d m a y not represent
the position of GCSANE. Information contained in this
publication m a y b e u s e d freely, in whole o r in part,
without special permission as long as the true context is
maintained. W e would appreciate a credit line.

Page

2L

By N a n c y Richardson
A l l members of A u d u b o n International's Silver Signature Program meet
the same criteria for environmentally
sensitive design and
construction and
f o l l o w the same
g u i d e l i n e s to
become certified. Yet each site is unique
with an interesting history, notable
natural elements, and a distinct
contribution to make to its natural
region. The recently certified Red Tail
G.C. (Drew Cummins, superintendent)
demonstrates the many benefits of this
design for environment approach.
Fort Devens Military Reservation in
Devens, Mass., served as the largest
active duty military installation in New
England for nearly a century, from 1917
to 1995. Since 1996, the 9280-acre
facility has been in the hands of the
C o m m o n w e a l t h of Massachusetts,
which created the Devens Reuse Plan, a
massive undertaking involving the clean
up of more than 300 Superfund sites on
the property, protection of significant
natural areas, and plans for economic
re-development. A major goal of the
Reuse Plan is sustainable development,
and today the property supports a
variety of uses. A planned residential
community and industrial park are
nestled amidst 2100 acres of protected
woods, wetlands, and recreational areas
along the Nashua River, while 4 8 8 0
acres of largely undeveloped land are
still used for military training.
Audubon International contributed its
expertise in sustainable golf course
development to the 194-acre Red Tail
G.C. at Devens, which became New
E n g l a n d ' s first c e r t i f i e d A u d u b o n
Signature Sanctuary in 2004. The course
takes its name from the many red-tailed
hawks that soar over the rolling wooded
hills and numerous streams and ponds
that lend natural beauty to the course.
The terrain varies from classic New
England landscapes of maples, birches,
oaks, and pines to tall grasses and
sands reminiscent of coastal courses.
The golf course was largely laid out
on lands formerly used for ammunition
supplies, thereby disturbing little of the

The course was largely
laid out on lands formerly
used for ammunition
supplies.
previously undeveloped deciduous
w o o d l a n d s t h a t m a k e up over 80
percent of the parcel. Several concrete
ammunition storage bunkers were even
incorporated into the design, as grassed
mounds that serve as backdrops to
several sand bunkers. A former security
tower remains on hole 18 and provides
the public with a fine overlook.
Virtually all low lying wetland areas
and surface waters were avoided in the
layout of the course, with holes generally following the ridge lines and upland
areas. Much of the golf course lies over
a high-yield aquifer and just off the
property is the Patten well, operated by
the Devens Water Authority. Both the
proximity to the well and the course's
s a n d y soils h e i g h t e n e d Red Tail's
c o m m i t m e n t to an i n t e g r a t e d pest
m a n a g e m e n t regime and required
water quality m o n i t o r i n g protocols
o u t l i n e d in the N a t u r a l Resource
Management Plan, written by Audubon
International for the golf course. The
course was singled out by Golf Digest
on its Top 10 New Courses list and by
GolfBoston
magazine as the number
one new course in Massachusetts, uu
Audubon International
Press Release

Feb. 6-11

Golf Industry Show
Atlanta, Ga.

March 1

G C S A N E Monthly Meeting
Framingham Country Club
Framingham, Mass.
Host: Patrick Daly, CGCS

March 6-9

9th A n n u a l N e w E n g l a n d
Regional Turfgrass
Conference & Show
Rhode Island Convention Center
Providence, R.I.

It's a frenzy of hat-tipping and heartfelt'thank yous'
as President Hermanson concludes his two-year term
I ' d like to begin my last President's
Message with a "thank you" and then
an apology. I'd like to thank Joe Rybka,
CGCS, for d o i n g a
wonderful
job
h o s t i n g his last
GCSANE meeting at
Thorny Lea Golf Club
in December. I'd then
like to apologize to
my good friend Dick
F r e n c h , w h o is
r e t i r i n g as t h e
superintendent at Bear Hill Golf Club
following a storied 42-year career in
this business. I would have mentioned
your pending retirement sooner, but I
just found out about it. Good luck, Dick!
A tip of the hat and a heartfelt "thank
y o u " goes to the t h r e e G C S A N E
members who are leaving the board of
directors. Dave Comee; Arthur Silva,
CGCS; and Jim Fitzroy, CGCS; will be
missed. I would also like to thank the
r e t u r n i n g b o a r d m e m b e r s : Pat
Kriksceonaitis; Russ Heller, CGCS; Ron
Dobosz; Pat Daly, CGCS; Jason Adams;

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Remember that the
GCSANE is y o u r
association, a n d it is
only as g o o d as you
m a k e it.

Jim Small, CGCS; Dave Stowe, CGCS;
and Mike Stachowicz for putting up with
me these last two years.
A special thanks goes to executive
secretary Sharon Brownell and Newsletter b u s i n e s s
manager Julie
H e s t o n .
Without their
iiiBtiiiiiiiiiwiimB
guidance and wisdom, I could never
have done this job.
I wish the best of luck to incoming
president Pat Kriksceonaitis, who I'm
sure will do a tremendous job guiding
our association for the next two years.
That is of course, if he can survive
rooming with me in Atlanta.
I would also like to thank the following
past presidents with whom I have served
on the b o a r d these past 13 years.
T h a n k s to Steve C h i a v a r o l i ; C h i p
Brearley; Bob DiRico, C G C S ; Kevin
Osgood; Bob Ruszala; and last but not
least Jim Fitzroy, CGCS. To all of them

PRESIDENT'S
2

and especially to Jim, I drew upon your
wisdom and experience every day.
I look forward to serving the next two
years as immediate past president and
working hard to help Jim Fitzroy to his
quest to eventually become President of
GCSAA.
To Tom Landry of the M G A and Bob
D o n o v a n of the Francis O u i m e t
Scholarship Fund, I would like to thank
both o r g a n i z a t i o n s for a l l o w i n g the
GCSANE president to be a member of
t h e i r b o a r d of d i r e c t o r s . It was a
pleasure w o r k i n g with all our allied
associations including the W G A M , the
Golf Course Owners Association, the
Club Managers Association, and the
New England PGA. I look forward to
working with the new members of our
board of directors, and I encourage
everyone to get involved in one way,
shape, or f o r m . Remember that the
GCSANE is your association and it is
only as good as you make it.
In closing, I would especially like to
thank my wife, Susan, and my sons,
Matthew and Scott, for putting up with a
hectic schedule which kept me away
f r o m home more often than I would
have liked. I would also like to thank the
Gardner Golf Commission for allowing
me to spend the time away from the
course necessary to do this job properly.
Best w i s h e s
a n d t h a n k s to everyone,
M i c h a e l J. H e r m a n s o n
P r e s i d e n t , GCSANE

More on L-93 from the GCSANE Forum
F r o m t i m e to t i m e The
Newsletter
reprints selected postings from
GCSANE's web site
f o r u m in o r d e r to
reach a wider
audience.

GCSiH 1
FOREC 1

Topic: P i p i n g i n o n L - 9 3
Scott R e y n o l d s
(Posted 1 2 / 0 9 / 2 0 0 5 )
Mike, I like the topic and the way it was
handled in the November Newsletter. I
feel there is a lot more information on
L93 that could be shared with supers
that now have that as their primary bent

(I like S. German tool). I felt superintendents could post their success/failure
here to help us all to better manage L93
this spring. A few things I have found
with L93 is: cut down every tree within
100 feet of the green, topdress light and
a lot, and spoon feed the greens except
for spring when you need anything you
have in your shed to wake them up
before June.
Responses:
• T h a n k s , Scott, I a p p r e c i a t e y o u r
feedback . . . believe me, it gave me a

continued on page 9
Page 3 L

This year's New England Regional Turf Conference
offers a packed schedule of educational sessions
By G a r y Sykes
Executive Director, NERTF
T h e New England Regional Turfgrass
Foundation announces more details
a b o u t this y e a r ' s
Conference & Show in
P r o v i d e n c e , R.I.,
March 6-9, 2006.
There will be five p r e - c o n f e r e n c e
seminars on Monday, March 6, 2006:

MlttM M
m:\mm
(1) Advanced

Weed

Management

(GCSAA Full-day S e m i n a r ; .7 EPs),
8 a . m . - 5 p . m . , Dr. Bert M c C a r t y ,
Clemson University, & Dr. Fred Yelverton,
North Carolina State University.

(2) Taking Control of Green

Speed

(GCSAA Half-day Seminar; .35 EPs),
8a.m. - 12 noon, Dr. Thomas Nikolai,
Michigan State University.

(3) PowerPoint 2003 Seminars (1/2
Day Seminars; .35 GCSAA EP's), 8 a.m.
- 12 noon & 1 p . m . - 5 p . m . , New
Horizons Computing Training Centers.

(4) Hazardous Duty . . . Basic Bunker
Maintenance
(GCSAA Half-day
Seminar; .35 EPs), Robert Randquist,
CGCS, Boca Rio Golf Club.

(5) Calibrate Your Business Management Skills (GCSAA Half-day Seminar;
.35 EPs), Mike Muetzel, Mx Marketing,
Management Solutions.
O n Tuesday, March 7, 2006 the New
England Regional Turfgrass Conference
will host "A Day with the USGA." The
object of this day is not only to inform
golf course management personnel, but
also to s p a r k the interests of c l u b
officials, club managers, greens
committee members, and pros. Session
topics have been scheduled by the
USGA Regional Affairs Office, USGA
Green Section Regional Office, and in
cooperation with the New England Golf
Association. We h o p e you will take
advantage of this opportunity to bring
representatives from your club. After the
U S G A s e s s i o n s w i l l be a k e y n o t e
presentation by former O a k l a n d A's,
Boston Red Sox, and Baseball Hall of
Fame m e m b e r Dennis Eckersley. A
sports turf seminar will also be offered
from 1 p.m. - 3 : 3 0 p.m. entitled,

Drainage
Sports

Problem

Fields.

Page 4 L

Diagnostics

officially open for business, along with a
floor reception, from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Come and enjoy good food, good
conversation, and good experiences on
the show floor. You may even bump into
Dennis Eck!
W e d n e s d a y will kick off with a
breakfast reception for UMass alumni
and friends in a new and easier to find
Exhibit Hall D. Wednesday's education
program is strong and wide ranging,
with three education tracks: Golf,
Sports/Grounds, and Equipment
Technicians going concurrently from 911 a.m. and again from 2-4 p.m. The
trade show will be open from 10 a.m. -

for

The t r a d e show w i l l

O n e last reminder to
all retired members:
If your name is listed
in any of the local
chapters of GCSAA,
MALCP, or NESTMA
membership directories
as a retired, life, or
honorary member,
then you are invited to
attend the turfgrass
conference and show
free of charge for one
or all three days!

5 p.m. The show's newest successful
addition (Live Auction) will be held again
on the exhibit f l o o r f r o m 4 - 5 p . m .
S p e a k e r s w i l l i n c l u d e Dr. Fred
Baxendale, Dr. Peter Dernoeden, and
Dr. M i t k o w s k i , as w e l l as o t h e r s .
Following the trade show closing, the
foundation and sponsors in the Westin
Hotel Ballroom from 5-7 p.m. will host a
" N o Stress Here" Conference Reception.
This wraps up a busy and exciting day!
Thursday's p r o g r a m begins with
education sessions for G o l f & Lawn
C a r e a n d Landscape M a n a g e m e n t
starting at 9-11 a.m. The trade show
will open its doors from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The Mass. Association of Lawn Care
Professionals will also host a seminar
f r o m 1 - 3 p . m . entitled Working
and

Communicating

Effectively

with the

Environmental Community. Jeff Carlson,
C G C S , a n d s u p e r i n t e n d e n t of The
Vineyard Club in Edgartown, Mass., will
present this seminar.
You can register for these seminars, or
for the conference and show, by calling
(401) 8 4 1 - 5 4 9 0 , or we can send you
more information. One last reminder to
all retired members: If your name is
listed in any of the local chapters of
GCSAA, MALCP or NESTMA membership directories as a retired, life, or
honorary member, then you are invited
to attend the turfgrass conference and
show free of charge for one or all three
days! We hope everyone in the turf
industry in the New England area past
and present has an opportunity to be a
part of the 9th Annual New England
Regional Turfgrass Conference & Show,
March 6-9, 2006! You gotta be there! m

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Office: (401) 647-0550

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Manny: (401) 524-8999
Dave: (401) 742-1177

At The Country Club, superintendent Bill Spence
takes on all the questions in his club newsletter
E d i t o r ' s N o t e : We all have to sit down
every month to write articles for our club
newsletters. We are looking to provide
examples of club newsletter articles for
our members. Our fifth article in this
series is by Bill Spence, superintendent
at The Country Club.

By Bill Spence,
Superintendent,
The Country Club
T h e following newsletter format has
received a positive reaction from the
membership in the past years. Hopefully, it will continue as a useful communication tool.
While we do not like to pass along sad
news in our newsletters, we do want you
to be aware that Emma, our border
c o l l i e , and an
l i l i l i l '1 T i l important member of
TCC
G r o u n d s
D e p a r t m e n t for the
past 13 years, passed away in early
October. Emma did a terrific job of
enthusiastically and humanely protecting our grounds from the nuisance of
resident geese. She also became a
member of the TCC family and will be
sorely missed.
The g r e e n s s e e m t o b e s m o o t h e r
a n d faster in the early spring a n d
f a l l . W h a t gives?
The Grounds Department would like
to take the credit, but in reality, Mother
Nature is almost always at the bottom of
this situation. The vertical growth of the
grass slows when light and temperature
are reduced in the early spring and late
fall, making even minimal mowing very
effective in trimming and evening-out
the putting surface. Thus, we experience
faster and smoother putting on our
small greens early and late in the
season.
Does t h e staff c o n t i n u e t o m o w
until the grass turns b r o w n in the
fall?
No. In fact, the fall is a very important
t i m e f o r the t u r f g r a s s to d e v e l o p
reserves for the winter. The more leaf
tissue present in the grass plant, the
b e t t e r - p r e p a r e d the turf is f o r the

ARTICLE

m a r a t h o n period of dormancy and
adverse c o n d i t i o n s b e t w e e n m i d December and early April. For the past
several years, the TCC protocol is to
cease mowing in mid-October to allow
plenty of time for the turf to be as
healthy as possible going into the winter
and hopefully in the spring.
W h a t is h a p p e n i n g w i t h h o l e
number two?
The board, the golf and grounds
committees, a l o n g with consulting
architects Ben C r e n s h a w a n d Bill
Coore, have been studying this situation
very carefully for two years. As most are
aware, the club is always diligent in
dealing with safety both on the property
and off and is concerned with the
possibility of errant shots finding their
way into the property of abutters. To
help this situation, the club has been in
close contact with the neighbors about
potential remedial action including a
shifting of the fairway and orientation of
the tee to the right.
In addition, as part of an ongoing
study of tree encroachment around the
property, number two has been cited as
critical due to the significant impact of
the pine trees to the rear of the green
and the negative impact of their canopy
and roots on the putting surface. The
Golf Committee, Grounds Committee
have approved, and Messrs. Coore and
Crenshaw support the removal of the
three pines behind the green and the
introduction of chocolate drops in their
place. In addition, the removal of the
road in front of the current seventh tee
location and modification of the tee to
provide a d d i t i o n a l tee locations a
greater distance from the second green
has been approved by the committees
and approved by the architects to give
us greater flexibility in the positioning of
players relative to two green.
In summary, the trees, chocolate
drops, and seventh tee modifications
will be undertaken this fall and should
be in place next spring. Any additional
modifications to the second hole with
the exception of the planting of a copper
beech in the left rough beyond the
f a i r w a y b u n k e r s , w i l l be d e l a y e d
pending further study.

Are there any other major
projects s c h e d u l e d f o r t h i s y e a r o r
next?
The G r o u n d s D e p a r t m e n t w i l l
c o n t i n u e an o n g o i n g p r o g r a m of
bunker sand replenishment along with
any necessary repairs. The program will
start on the primrose seventh bunkers in
early October and begin on the main
course after British Golf Day. The staff
hopes to address sand and bunker
problems on holes one, 1 1 , 1 3 , and 14.
While our goal is to complete bunker
work on all of these holes by the spring,
the schedule is weather dependent.
You may have noticed a "street plate"
on the cart path adjacent to the forward
tee on hole number 13. This is currently
covering a collapsed pipe that will be
repaired in October or early November.
The project will require the excavation of
the roadway and replacement on the
drainage pipe. Hopefully, vehicular
restriction will be minimal and shortlived.
The club's master plan completed
w i t h the a s s i s t a n c e of l a n d s c a p e
architect Tom Wirth, is being implemented as funds are made available. In
2 0 0 5 , the G r o u n d s D e p a r t m e n t
supervised an invasive plant eradication
p r o g r a m to reduce the a m o u n t of
poison ivy and Japanese knotweed on
the property. In addition, numerous
seedling trees were planted in the spring
and early fall which will be used in the
future for tree replacement or boundary
plantings as needed.
It w a s a d r y s u m m e r . Do w e still
have water supply problems?
The available supply of water has
been m o r e t h a n a d e q u a t e in dry
periods since the dredging and sealing
of the irrigation pond on primrose nine
in the fall of 2001. The irrigation pond
project, along with the re-design of the
supply system from our wells, (which
now deposits water directly into the
main irrigation pond) has allowed for
normal irrigation to take place throughout dry periods in the summer without
threatening our water reserves. What
used to be a three million gallon annual
deficit during dry weather has been
eliminated. uu
Page 5 L

Understanding PVC pipe: Pi primer on materials,
design, installation, maintenance, and systems
Bob Healey, ASIC, CID
PVC piping systems have been used
successfully since the 1940s. The use of
PVC pipe has grown steadily, and it is
estimated that over 8 0 , 0 0 0 miles of
PVC pipe is installed yearly in the U.S.
Such usage, you would think, ensures
that the designer, installer and end-user
are properly designing, installing, and
maintaining the PVC pipe. However, the
amount of pipe failure that occurs each
year in irrigation systems indicates that
this is not always true.
Let's digress briefly and review some
of the basic design, installation, and
maintenance features we need to be
sure are understood and followed in
designing, installing, and maintaining
PVC piping systems.
Materials used for the manufacture of
thermoplastic pipe are coded by letters
representing the kind of material, plus
four digits. The first two digits represent
the type and grade of material; the last
two digits represent the hydrostatic
design stress (in units of 100 psi).
Example:
PVC
PVC
1
2
20

1220
= Polyvinyl Chloride
= Type 1
= Grade 2
= 2000 psi (hydrostatic

design stress)

Each kind, type and grade of plastic
pipes is assigned a standard hydrostatic
design stress (HSD) based on test
procedures developed by the PPI (Plastic
Pipe Institute, New York, N.Y.). These
standards are published and usually

Materials used for
the manufacture of
thermoplastic pipe
are coded by letters
representing the kind
of material, plus
four digits.
Page 6 L

listed in pipe literature for reference. The
hydrostatic design stress (HSD) is listed in
pounds per square inch and is defined as
"the estimated maximum tensile stress in
t h e w a l l of t h e
p i p e ,

d

u

e

t o

hydrostatic water
pressure, that can
be applied continuously with a high
degree of certainty the failure of pipe will
not occur."
Different from the HDS is the pressure
rating (PR) of the pipe. Pressure ratings of
plastic pipe are determined by a formula
which considers the HDS of the piping
material, size of the pipe, and wall
thickness. The formula (for PVC pipe):
2S/P = ( D o / t ) + 1
Where:
S = HDS, in psi
P = PR, in psi
Do = avg. outside diameter, in inches
t
= min. wall thickness, in inches
Thus if two pipes had the same
diameter and the same wall thickness,
but one was made of plastic material
with a HDS of 2000 psi and the other a
HDS of 1,000 psi, the second would
have a PR of one-half the first. Remember, PRs are for non-threaded pipe only;
when plastic pipe is threaded it reduces
the PR by approximately 50%.
Noticeably, unlike other pipe the PR of
plastic pipe is not the safe working
pressure that the pipe can be subjected
to over a long time. The designer,
installer, and m a i n t a i n e r of plastic
piping systems must make appropriate
allowances when selecting plastic pipe.
Due to the disparities of pressure
ratings for schedule wall plastic pipe, PPI
and the industry developed SDR-PR
(Standard Dimension Ratio - Pressure
Rated) for plastic pipe. These standards
have been used since the early 1960s.
Each series of wall thickness is based
on a "Standard Dimension Ratio" SDR
which is the ratio of pipe diameter to wall
thickness. Several SDR values have been
established for PVC pipe. Tables are
available by the manufacturers that show
the relationship of SDR to pressure rating
for various types and grades of PVC.

Standards used for plastic pipe are
very important because of all the many
kinds, types, and grades. Plastic pipe
standards developed by ASTM are now
generally being used. These "stand a r d s " r e q u i r e plastic p i p e to be
marked at five-foot intervals. A typical
marking for SDR-PR pipe would look
like this:
3" PVC 1120 SDR1 7 250 psi D2241
ABC pipe company NSF
The marking tells you the size, type of
plastic material, SDR code, pressure
rating, ASTM designation (D2241 is for
PVC SDR-PR plastic pipe), manufacturer,
and mark of the laboratory evaluating
the pipe.
To better understand the performance
of PVC pipe and fittings, it is helpful to
examine the types of failure that can
occur, why they occur, and how to
prevent these failures.
The types of failures fall into four main
categories: (1) Burst failure, (2) Long
term pressure failure, (3) Fatigue, and
(4) Mechanical failure due to external
forces. Each failure will be discussed
separately, but remember failure may
be caused by a combination of situations.
(1) Burst f a i l u r e in PVC pipe and
fittings is usually rather dramatic. This
type of failure begins at a point of stress
concentration or weakness and may
continue by splitting through fittings and
pipe for some distance. Sometimes
these failures will completely shatter a
fitting and the adjacent pipe.
Witnessing the results of a dramatic
burst, where a three-inch tee had burst
and the failure then ran through the
t h r e e - i n c h p i p e in a h e r r i n g b o n e
p a t t e r n f o r w e l l over 2 5 0 f e e t , is
memorable. Remarkably, although the
pipe failed over this distance, several
three-inch tees during this run escaped
without any noticeable damage. The
burst shattering the pipe did not appear
to harm the fittings.
Burst failures usually occur during
hydraulic conditions that create large
pressure variations in the system. These
include rapid valve closure, pumps
starting or stopping, rapidly escaping

continued on page 7

The types of failures fall
into four main categories:
(1) Burst failure, (2) Long
term pressure failure,
(3) Fatigue, and
(4) Mechanical failure
due to external forces.
continued from page 6
entrapped air, or an air pocket shifting
w i t h i n the p i p e l i n e . Burst f a i l u r e s
sometime occur in a pipe or fitting that
was damaged in installation, or repair,
or one that is subject to external loads.
These cases can result in failure at
pressures well below the expected burst
limit of the pipe or fitting.
In the a b o v e m e n t i o n e d case, a
broken sprinkler at a low point on the
lateral had allowed water and air to reenter the pipe after fall winterization.
When the system was re-activated in the
spring the operators heard a loud
"bang" and felt the ground vibrate and
"water was everywhere."
Methods to help prevent burst failures
include, check valves to prevent low
head d r a i n a g e , a i r / v a c u u m relief
valves, water hammer arrestors and
proper design techniques to control
water hammer.
(2) L o n g - t e r m p r e s s u r e f a i l u r e
occurs when a system operates at a
pressure continually that will eventually
cause failure. These types of failures can
occur within months or after many
years. This type of f a i l u r e usually
appears as a small crack or split in the
pipe or fitting along an area of stress
concentration or minimum wall thickness. Some y i e l d i n g of material is
evident.
These failures occur when a system is
subjected to relatively high operating
pressures and significant continual
changes in water velocities. Often these
types of failures begin as a pinhole, and
due to lack of detection, develop over
time into a large leak. Pinhole leaks will
often agitate surrounding soils, causing
the outside of the fitting or pipe to erode
and quickening the failure rate.
Methods to help prevent premature
f a i l u r e include p r o p e r i n s t a l l a t i o n

techniques, proper sizing of the pipe,
keeping the system pressure as low as
possible, gradual build-up/shut-down
of flow, and proper irrigation scheduling to minimize the cycles.
(3) F a t i g u e f a i l u r e s occur generally
in systems that are subject to frequent
changes in the pressure and flow.
Today's golf courses, with computer
controllers, are prime candidates for
this type of failure.
G o l f c o u r s e systems t o d a y m a y
experience between 4 0 , 0 0 0 and
80,000 cycles per year with pressure
changes between 10 and 80 psi per
cycle. It is not uncommon to see these
failures on golf courses after three to
seven years of operation.
This type of failure in fittings appears
to be the most critical in golf course
systems. Serious consequences will
result if this fact is not addressed in the
design stage. The use of ductile iron
fittings can eliminate the weak area in
these systems.
Gradual build-up and shut-down of
flow, maintaining consistent flow with
p r o p e r p r o g r a m m i n g , a n d use of
variable-frequency drive (VFD) motors,
greatly helps extend the life of piping.
With the advent of the new computercontrolled systems, the designer must
carefully consider all the available
operation options the irrigation manger
will have, and base design on all the
possible run sequences.
(4) M e c h a n i c a l f a i l u r e covers a
wide range of features unrelated to the
hydraulics, but will lead to failure. The
most common is the splitting of female
threads, largely due to over-tightening.
A second type of mechanical failure is
due to improper or inadequate thrust
blocking. This allows excessive pressure
to be placed on the fitting as the line
pressure tries to displace it while the
fitting is restrained by the pipe to which
it is attached. A third failure is due to
improper solvent welding or poor fitting
connections. Another type of failure can
occur due to temperature expansion. If
proper allowances are not made by
providing expansion loops, offsets, or
slip joints, severe stress can occur. A fifth
type of f a i l u r e is due to i m p r o p e r
winterization techniques. Often times
the compressed air is allowed to run at
high pressure and velocities, resulting in
extreme temperatures due to friction,
weakening pipe and leading to subsequent failure.

I n s t a l l a t i o n c o n s i d e r a t i o n s that
need to be considered are handling,
storage, trenching, laying pipe,
backfilling, pipe pulling, thrust blocking,
and solvent welding.
H a n d l i n g of PVC pipe, due to its
light weight is often rough. Any pipe that
is dropped or banged can develop
undetected cracks or fractures that will
lead to future problems. Any part of a
pipe that is dented, scratched, grooved,
or damaged in any way must be cut out
and removed prior to installation.
Special care needs to be taken in cold
weather, since the PVC can become very
brittle.
S t o r a g e of PVC pipe requires that
when stored for extended periods of
time, the pipe be shielded from direct
sunlight. However, good air circulation
must be a l l o w e d to p r e v e n t over
heating.
T r e n c h i n g should be continuous,
relatively smooth, and free of rocks or
debris. When encountering ledge, hard
pan, or boney soil, a layer of sand
should be placed in the trench that
allows the pipe to lie on the clean bed.
Minor scratches in pipe due to soil
conditions will lead to future problems,
and care at this stage of the installation
will save future repairs. Wedging or
blocking of pipe should not be permitted.
L a y i n g PVC pipe requires special
techniques. Plastic pipe is subject to
considerable expansion and contraction with temperature changes. PVC
pipe needs to be "snaked" from side to
side in the trench. Often installers, to cut
l a b o r / t i m e costs, trench only wide
enough to "fit" the pipe into the trench,
not trenching wide enough to properly
" s n a k e " the PVC pipe. Also, in hot
weather backfilling should be done

continued on page 9

Installation considerations
that need to be considered
are handling, storage,
trenching, laying pipe,
backfilling, pipe pulling,
thrust blocking, and
solvent welding.

Page 7 L

As'South German bent' heads for 'extinction'
here's the story of its many years on our greens
By Bob L a b b a n c e
I've been writing about turfgrass for
nearly 20 years now, and it's amazing
how things have
changed in that short
period of time. One
t e r m that I used to
hear with regularity - and that has now
practically disappeared from the lexicon
- is South G e r m a n b e n t g r a s s . As
recently as the 1980s greenkeepers still
talked about "converting from the South
German bents," or that the greens "used
to be South German bent," or that "the
course was originally planted in South
G e r m a n b e n t . " I d o n ' t k n o w how
widespread the turf was outside the
northeastern United States, but here it
was pervasive.
As greens featuring South German
bent become extinct, I wanted to educate
myself on exactly what comprised these
surfaces. Perhaps some of this will be
new information to a few of you, or
maybe I was the only one who flung the
term around without knowing its origin.
W i t h little i n f o r m a t i o n in m o d e r n
turfgrass texts, I found many answers in
the 1925-1926 Fraser's International
Golf Yearbook containing an article by
A.N. Peckham of Kingston, R.I.
This mixture of ancient turfgrass seeds
actually originated in Europe, though
not exclusively in Germany. Seed was
harvested commercially in Holland,
Belgium, and England as well, and then
exported to the United States, New
Zealand, and parts of South America. At
the start of the 20th century, South
German bent was just about the only
seeded bentgrass available, and many
of the individual bents that followed it
were selected and developed from this
mixture.
There were three varieties that would
flourish in the Northeast: Colonial bent
comprised nearly 75 percent of the mix,
velvet bent (or dog brown bent) accounted for 15 percent, and creeping
bent (Agrosfis stolonifera)
was the
remainder. They were adapted to a
variety of soils, resistant to cold, tolerant
of hot weather, and produced good turf
in just one season.
Page 8 L

The grasses c o m p l e m e n t e d each
other in a way that protected greenkeepers from losing their entire putting
surface to one catastrophe. They also
gave greens a multicolored and textural
surface that not only looked great, but
provided points of reference for putting.
(As in, "Aim it toward that purple patch
left of the hole, and it'll break toward
that light green area before the cup.")
Colonial was the anchor of the mixture,
a grass that was native to Europe but
became k n o w n as b r o w n t o p , New
Zealand, Northwest, Prince Edward
Island, and Rhode Island bentgrasses in
new environments. Although known for
the locale in which they proliferated,
these g r a s s e s d e m o n s t r a t e d f e w
botanical differences from each other.
The turf had poor tolerance for wear,
h e a t , a n d excessive w a t e r , but it
e s t a b l i s h e d q u i c k l y a n d c o u l d be
mowed lower than any other variety,
important characteristics in the early
years of American golf.
The velvet was never as wear-resistant
as c o l o n i a l , nor did it establish as
quickly, or grow or spread as rapidly.
However, it provided a gorgeous color
and an excellent putting surface once
established, and naturally resisted
disease better than the others.
South German also included approximately two percent Agrosfis
stolonifera

At the start of the 20th
century, South German
bent was just about the
only seeded bentgrass
available, and many of
the individual bents
that followed it were
selected and developed
from this mixture.

or creeping bentgrass, and as turfgrass
research developed at universities and
extension services, this was the grass
scientists felt could revolutionize golf.
Peckham wrote, "True creeping bent is a
t u r f g r a s s t h a t s p r e a d s by j o i n t e d
creeping stems or stolons, as they are
called. These runners or stolons have
the ability to take root at the joints or
nodes and these form a new plant. This
method of p r o p a g a t i n g itself gives
creeping bent a wonderful advantage in
turf forming qualities, as any divots or
other injuries to the turf are quickly
healed by the creeping runners."
Right from the start, scientists and turf
care professionals realized that creeping bent was the turf of the future, and
years of university research and field
trials would eventually result in the
introduction of Penncross, the most
widely planted turfgrass in history.
C o m m e r c i a l l y a v a i l a b l e by 1 9 5 4 ,
Penncross initiated the era of monostands, and spelled the end of South
German bents.
In recent years, Penncross has been
replaced by the new generation of
boutique bents that provide uniform
surfaces that look like concrete painted
light green - and have just about as
much character. Today, a few turf
managers have seen the wisdom of
planting several bentgrass varieties on
their greens, m i m i c k i n g the lovely
patchwork of the early South German
greens. Those are the greens I ' m
attracted t o , especially late on an
autumn afternoon when the subtle color
hues are evident. They almost look like
the old South German greens I remember putting on when I was a kid. No
matter how much things change, in
some ways they stay exactly the same, till

Reprinted with permission f r o m
Turf m a g a z i n e , N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 5 .
Bob Labbance is Golf Editor and a
longtime contributor for Turf. He resides
in Montpelier, Vt. He is always looking
for good turf articles in the northeast
and welcomes member calls or e-mails:
(802) 223-7372;
blabbance@aol.com.

Understanding PVC: Material, design, installation, & maintenance
continued from page 7
during the cool parts of the day. If not
possible, the pipe should be cooled
down with water prior to backfilling. As
a general guide, PVC pipe will expand
or contract about 3 / 8 inches for every
TOO feet for each 10-degree temperature change. As an e x a m p l e , pipe
installed at 85 degrees in the summer
cools to 35 degrees in the w i n t e r
months. A run of over 2,000 feet of pipe
would expand and contract 35 inches.
This change must be considered and
allowed for, or severe damage to pipe
or fittings will occur.
B a c k f i l l i n g should not allow any
rocky soil to come in contact with the
pipe. Often sand is used to cover the
pipe to a depth of 2 - t o - 4 inches to
protect the pipe from native soils.
Pipe p u l l i n g should be allowed only
in those soils that will not score, scrape,
or groove the pipe. When pulling pipe
over long runs, special consideration
must be given to the expansion and
contraction conditions by the designer
and installer.
Thrust blocks are required because
water, under pressure, exerts thrust
forces in piping systems at changes of
pipe size, direction, dead ends, valves,
and other points. Charts are available

Plastic pipe is subject to
considerable expansion
and contraction with
temperature changes.
PVC pipe needs to be
"snaked" f r o m side to
side in the trench. Often
installers, to cut l a b o r /
time costs, trench only
wide enough to " f i t " the
pipe into the trench, not
trenching wide e n o u g h
to properly "snake" the
PVC pipe.

to help the installer and maintainer
determine the proper size of thrust block
to use, based on soil profile and pipe
size.
Certain practices should be followed
when installing thrust blocks. The thrust
block must: (1) be placed against
undisturbed and fully compacted soil;
(2) contact the fitting over a large area
so not to create a stress point; and (3)
have enough area on the soil side to
restrain the thrust block without exceeding the bearing load of the soil.
S o l v e n t w e l d joints require care.
Manufacturer's recommendations need
to be followed. Typical problems caused
by improper use of solvent weld are: (1)
poor priming, failure to provide proper
glaze leading to breaking and softening; (2) improper application of cement,
not providing uniform coverage, dry
spots or puddles; (3) cement becomes
to dry prior to use and thus results in
poor bonding; (4) improper insertion of
fitting into socket area reducing area of
solvent weld and resulting in weakened
fitting; (5) in hot or cold weather, special
solvent welds need to be used that are
designed for these hot or cold extremes.
Wh en done properly a solvent weld
fitting is as strong as or stronger than
the pipe, but when not done properly a
weak link in the system is created.
PVC piping systems, when properly
designed, installed and maintained, will
give years of service. However, if poorly

designed, installed, maintained, or
operated, significant problems will
arise, if not now, then in the future. The
small extra cost to insure a proper
design, installation, and maintenance
of your system is well worth the cost
compared to a system failure, m
References:
• Plastic Pipe Institute, 250 Park Ave.,
New York, N.Y.
• R. D. Bliesner. Designing,
Operating,

and Maintaining Piping Systems Using
PVC Fittings; Keller-Bliesner Engineering, Logan, Utah.

PVC piping systems,
when properly designed,
installed and maintained,
will give years of service.
However, if poorly
designed, installed,
maintained, or operated,
significant problems will
arise, if not now, then
in the future.

GCSANE Forum:
Additional comment
on L-93 bentgrass

to get speeds now with less effort and
they look prettier. (Michael Stachowicz)

continued from page 3

• Stach, Great article, I would love to
read more responses from the guys who
have L93. (Ron Dobosz)

certain amount of stress as I put it all
together. Like you, I found that you
cannot take down enough trees, aerate,
or topdress enough! I felt I could get the
L93 going earlier in the spring by using
high rates of iron (turned them purple
one year!). I never had any success with
ammonium nitrate (a page from the
velvet playbook), but that could just be
me. In the end, I am very happy to be
caring for old push up greens with a mix
of bents and poas. I find it much easier

• Excellent article on L 93. Most lead
articles are interesting but this one stood
out. Good job to all involved. (Dave
Comee)

• I feel one of the best things I did for my
L93 in 2005 was to start early with liquid
applications of potassium nitrate and
calcium nitrate and stayed with ,1# to
.25# N on at least a bi-weekly basis.
They were slow to get going in the
spring but the nitrate seemed to kick
them in quicker then anything else I've
tried. We'll see if it works again in 2006.
(Drew Cummins) Uli

DIVOT DRIFT...

announcements... educational seminars... job opportunities
...tournament results...and
miscellaneous items of interest to the membership.
C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s go to John Coffey, who
was recognized in a recent ceremony at
Wollaston G.C. for his 42 years of service.

G C S A N E is represented by two d o g s in
the Superintendent's Best Friend Calendar.
Mark Gagne's dog, Chancer, was selected
and Karl Heintzelman's dog, Luke, is also in
the calendar. Both are now candidates for the
dog of the year contest, which will be voted
on in Atlanta. The winner will receive $2,000
for their local association (a donation to S&B
or similar) and $500 to the dog.

Please visit the Nor'easter Hospitality
R o o m at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. Room
location: Centennial 2, Ballroom Level. Time:
Thursday, February 9, 2006, 6-10 p.m.
C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s to Patrick J. Daly, CGCS,
golf course superintendent at Framingham
C.C., who has completed the renewal
process for maintaining his status as a
Certified Golf Course Superintendent
(CGCS) with the GCSAA.

GCSANE NEWS
Request for Club Newsletter Articles:
We all have to sit down every month to write
articles for our club's newsletter, and it gets
harder and harder to get inventive. If anyone
is interested in e-mailing copies of their best
articles for printing in GCSANE's Newsletter,
please send to Michael Stachowicz, Editor, at
mstach@dedhamclub.org,
or Julie Heston,
Business Manager, at
jheston@verizon.net.
This will be helpful to other superintendents
as they search for ideas for their own club
newsletters.

If you a r e a superintendent of an 18hole golf course, and you are interested in
participating in the Caranci Budget Survey,
please contact Julie Heston (401) 934-7660.
If a n y o n e is i n t e r e s t e d in receiving a free
subscription to the new
Superintendent
magazine, visit www.mrpllc.com. Superintendent is published monthly and is available at
no charge to qualified subscribers.
E q u i p m e n t W a n t e d . I'm in the market for
used carts or utility carts that are getting rusty
out back, or no one will take in trade. I'll
come and look. Will pay cash or check or
whatever? Currently out of work with time to
kill and enjoy bringing these carts back from
the dead. Thanks - Chris Tufts. Contact me at
774-238-0194; e-mail: ctufts@aol.com.

page

i0

L e b a n o n Turf is still conducting w e b
s e m i n a r s and will donate $25 to your local
GCSA chapter for every superintendent
and/or assistant who attends. They will also
earn 0.15 EPs from GCSAA. Seats are
limited, so sign up as soon as possible at
www.LebanonTurf.com.
A web seminar on
potash and its role in turfgrass physiology will
be presented by Dr. Karl Danneberger (Ohio
State) and Dr. Byron Vaughan (Harris
Laboratories) January 31, 10 a.m. Eastern;
and February 2, 2 p.m. Eastern. Other dates
will be offered based on demand. A future
web seminar on foliar nutrition featuring Dr.
Beth Guertal (Auburn University) and Dr.
David Gardner (Ohio State) will be offered
soon. Find out what we know and what we
don't know about this extremely interesting
topic. Watch for a schedule on our web site or
contact Cynthia Andrews by e-mail at
candrews@lebanonturf.com
for information.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
1 9 9 7 T y C r o p M H - 4 0 0 . Excellent condition,
with cross conveyor, electric brakes, and
weight kit. Asking $10,000 or will consider
trade for DMI Speed roller, Toro Hydroject, or
a sweeper/vac. Contact: Mark Gagne,
Walpole C.C., mgagne@walpolecc.com
or
(508)668-3859.

2002

Toro

Groundsmaster

3500D

Sidewinder in excellent shape, 1121 hours.
Asking $12,000 firm. 2000 Cushman TD1500 Topdresser for Cushman mount in mint
c o n d i t i o n , not used. $ 1 5 0 0 .
1988
Toro/Hahn MultiPro Fertilizer Spreader, runs,
OK shape, $ 3 0 0 OBO. 1985 Toro
Greensmaster , 3137 hours, $750 OBO.
1977 Toro Greensmaster, runs, OK, $250
OBO. Contact Denzil Rice, Bear Hill G.C., at
(781)245-2114.
M a n c h e s t e r C o u n t r y C l u b equipment for
sale. 1999 Smithco Sweep Star 60, 18.8 hp
Kubota diesel, hydraulic lift & dump, 665
hours, excellent condition, $6000. 1997 VertiSeeder, tractor mount, PTO 0-540 rpm,
working width 48", slice & seed at same time,
no mess, excellent condition, $2500. 1989
Toro Sand Pro 14, 14 hp Kohler engine, new
design Toro rake kit, spring rake kit also
available, good condition, $ 1300. 1992 Club
Car Carryall II, 8 hp Kawasaki engine, good
condition, $1800. 1995 Toro Reel Master
5300D, 32 hp Mitsubishi diesel engine, 4wheel drive, 8 blade cutting units, all
reconditioned, excellent condition, $5000.
1999 Toro Reel Master 3100D Sidewinder,
21.5 hp Kubota diesel engine, 3-wheel drive,

MÜANMLLLMIXANMLLLMLLMÜAUU^IÜA^^

72" Cut, 5 blade cutting units, all reconditioned, excellent condition, $4000. 2001 Toro
Greens Aerator, 16 hp Briggs & Stratton
Vanguard, 27" coring width, 3.5" coring
depth, excellent condition, low hours, $45005000. 1989 Toro Greens Aerator, 16 hp
Kohler engine, 27" coring width, 3.5" coring
depth, excellent condition, $2500-3000.
Contact Gary McNicholas at (603) 669-6360.

POSITION OPENING
S a l e s R e p r e s e n t a t i v e , T o m Irwin Co., 13 A
Street, Burlington, Mass. Contact: Harvard
Golf Partners, Bob Piantedosi, P O. Box 455,
Harvard, MA 01451; phone/fax: (978) 369
5904; e-mail: bphvd@juno.com.
Educational
requirements include A.S./B.S. in turf
management or related field. Candidate
must have three-to-five years of experience in
green industry sales and/or turf management. Knowledge of plant protection products
and plant nutrition is highly desirable.
Candidate must be a team player, selfmotivated, and committed to customer
satisfaction. The ability to be a consultative
resource to customer base is critical. Salary is
very competitive and commensurate with
experience. Benefits include health, 401k,
vehicle, laptop, expense account, and
vacation. The Tom Irwin Co. is a leading
supplier of plant protection products and
fertilizers for the golf and green industry. Our
client is seeking a sales representative for the
Connecticut market area. Experience in the
golf and green industry is required. Note: All
inquiries are strictly confidential and are to be
sent to Harvard Golf Partners as listed above.
G e n e r a l M a n a g e r , Scottish Meadow
G.C., Warren, Mass. Tired of course
maintenance? Looking for a new challenge?
Scottish Meadow is a new 9-hole public
course 15 minutes from the intersection of
the Mass. Pike and 1-84. It seeks an energetic
individual to oversee the operation and
growth of the course and clubhouse facility.
Education required depends on experience.
We prefer individuals to have a Mass.
Pesticide Applicator's license. Duties include
hiring and oversight of maintenance, proshop, & restaurant staff; purchase of
materials & services; budgeting & operations
oversight; development of public relations &
advertising strategies; employee customer
service & safety training, and other management requirements as required. Individuals
will work with board of directors of privatelyowned club. Salary and incentives are to be
determined. Benefits include paid health
insurance and winters off. Deadline is Feb.
22, 2006. Send resume to Scottish Meadow
G.C., R O. Box 1 507, Warren, MA01083.

Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION
A-OK Turf Equipment Inc.
1357 Main St., Coventry, Rl 02816-8435
Articulator. Terra Topper, Greens Groomer
brush, 8 used equipment.
Mike Cornicelli - (401) 826-2584
A.A. Will Materials Corp.
198 Washington St., Stoughton, MA 02072-1748
Root zone mixes, divot mixes, topdressing blends, bunker sonds,
cart path mixes, bridging stone, 8 hardscope supplies.
Charlie Downing, Ed Downing, Joe Torino - (800) 4-AA-WILl
Accusoils
Outdoor World of New England
P.O. Box 16477, Hooksett, NH 03106
Topdressing sond 8 mixes, divot mix, greens 8 tees,
root zone mix, bunker sand, cart path mix, stoblizer,
8 greens care analysis.
(866)222-6644
Allen's Seed Store Inc.
693 S. County Trail, Exeter, Rl 02822
Specializing in quality seed and related
golf course maintenance supplies.
Gregg Allen-(800) 527-3898
Michelle Maltais - ( 4 0 1 ) 835-0287
Agresource, Inc.
100 Main St., Amesbury, AAA 01913
Tim Gould, Guy Trovers
(800) 313-3320,(978) 388-5110
The Andersons Technologies, Inc.
26 Waite Ave., S. Hadley, MA 01075
Manufacturer of fertilizer 8 control products.
Rick Fotni-(413) 534-8896
Armstrong Golf Architects, LLC
76 S. New Boston Rd., francestown, NH 02043
Golf course design 8 renovation. (603) 547-3132
BASF Turf & Ornamental
47 Falmouth Rd., Eongmeadow, MA 01106
Emerald, insignia. Pendulum AquuCop, Curolon, Drive,
Basogran, Iprodlone Pro, Propiconozole Pro,
Bifenthrin Pro, Plateau, Sahara.
John Bresnahan-(413) 374-4102
Bay State Fertiiizer/MWRA
100 First Ave., Boston, MA 02129
Manufacturer 8 supplier of dry organic fertilizers.
Kristen Potneoude - (617) 788-4437
The Borden Company
114 Summer St., Moynord, MA 01754
Bulk limestone dealer.
Jock Borden - (978) 897-2571
Boston Irrigation Supply Company
60 Stergis Way, Dedhom, AAA 02026
Distributor, irrigation supplies 8 accessories, featuring Rain Bird.
Andrew Longlois, Jay Anderson III, Don Fuller, Jeff Brown,
Greg Hennessy, Chris Russo
(800)225-8006
Bourke & tannery Turf Care dba "DryJect"
48 Hardwick Terrace, Brighton, MA 02135
Aerification 8 filling of holes with dry material in one pass
on greens, tees, or problem spots on fairways.
Rory Bourke-(617) 779-8873

Cornish, Silva, & Mungeum, Inc.
207 N. Main St., Uxbridge, MÍF01569
Golf course architects.
(508) 278-3407
Country Club Enterprises
P.O. Box 820, Cataumet, MA 02534
Club Car golf cars, Carryall utility vehicles.
Dave Farina, Darin Eddy, Darren Orr - (800) 662-2585
DGM Systems
1 Snagwood Rd., Foster, Rl 02825
Your New England specialty products distributor:
Reelcraft, P0K, Allen, Kenyon, Echo, Carhartt
Office-(401) 647-0550
Manny Mihailides-(401) 524-8999
David Mihailides - (401) 742-1177
DHT Golf Services
dba Weed 8 Feed, Inc.
20 Clark fane, Marshfleld, MA 02050
Golf course renovation 8 construction in all areas:
bunkers, tees, greens, drainage, irrigation, 8 cart paths.
Dahn Tibbett, Chip Brearley - (508) 746-3222
Michael Drake Construction, Inc.
240 Walnut St., Framingham, MA 01702
Golf course reconstruction; professional shaper.
Michael Drake - (508) 875-8247
E-Z-GO/Textron
EZGO golf and utility vehicles.
Doug Hopper - (800) 234-0474
G. Fialkosky Lawn Sprinklers
91 Freeman St, Newton, MA 02466
Irrigation services to golf courses throughout New England.
Gary Fiolkosky-(617) 293-8632
Gold Star Nursery & Sod Farm
250 West Rd, Canterbury, NH 03224-2127
Growers of turfgrass and ornamentals.
Molcolm McPhail; Lexington, Mass. - (781) 861 -1111;
Canterbury, N . H . - ( 6 0 3 ) 783-4717
Golf Cart Services, Inc.
275 Wells St, Greenfield, MA 01301
Club Car golf, turf, transportation, 8 utility cars.
James Bernier-(800) 287-0955

Larchmont Engineering & Irrigation
11 Larchmont Lane, Lexington, MA 02420-4483
Marc Utera- (781) 862-2550

Shawnmark Industries, Inc.
P.O. Box8966, Warwick, Rl02999
Matt Howland-(401) 295-1673

Landmark Construction
P.O. Box 662, Winchester, MA 01890
Te^bunker shaping 8 remodeling, cart paths,
Drainage, tree planting, landscape construction.
Daniel Champion-(781) 729-3250

Sodco Inc.
P. 0. Box 2, Slocum, Rl 02877
Bluegrass/Fescue, Bluegross/Rye,
BluegrasVFescue/Rye, Bentgrass
Sean Moran, Pat Hogan-(800) 341-6900

Lazaro's Golf Course Supplies & Accessories
dba Hammond Paint and Chemical Co, Inc.
738 Main St, Suite 223, Woltham, MA 02154
Complete line of golf course accessories;
Standard, Par Aide, Eagle One.
Joe Lazoro-(781) 647-3361

Sports Club Management
104 Wyman Rd, Braintree, MA 02184
0SHA and EPA compliance services 8 training.
Ron Smith-(781) 848-5978

Lesco,lnc.
1301E. 9th St, Ste. 1300, Cleveland, OH 44114
Ron Tumiski-(800) 321-5325
D.L. Maher Co.
71 Concord St, P. 0. Box 127, N. Reading, MA 01864
Water supply specialists; wells 8 pumping equipment.
(781) 933-3210
McNulty Construction Corp.
P.O. Box3218, Framingham,MA01705
Aspholt paving of cart paths, walkways,
parking areas; imprinted asphalt.
John McNulty-(508) 879-8875
Miller Golf Construction
P.O. Box 1008, Essex, MA 01929
Golf course construction 8 renovation.
Jonathon Miller-(978) 768-6600
S.V. Moffett Co., Inc.
33 Thruwny Park Dr., W. Henrietta, NY 14586
Rain Bird Golf irrigation distributor.
Nathan Clark, Bill Stinson - (888) 708-5296

Stumps Are Us
5 Timberwood Rd, # 1 0 8 , Goffstown, NH 03045
Professional stump chipping service.
Brendan McQuade-(603) 625-4165
Tee & Green Sod, Inc.
P. 0. Box 418, Exeter, Rl 02822
Bentgrass, Bluegrass 8 Blue/Fescue sod.
Dove Wallace-(401) 789-8177;
Scott McLeod- (401) 641-3814
Tom Irwin Inc.
11 A St, Burlington, MA 01803
Turf management products.
Jack Petersen, Paul Skafas, Rob Larson, Chris Petersen,
Greg Misodoulakis, Mike DeForge
(800)582-5959
Tree Tech, Inc.
6 Springbrook Rd, Foxbvoro, MA 02035
FOXDOIO, Wellesley, Fall River
Andy Felix-(508) 543-5644
Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Inc.
P. 0. Box 167, Wood River Junction, Rl 02894
Chris Beasley- (800) 556-6985
TurfLinks, Inc.
16 Kane Industrial Dr., Hudson, MA 01749
Distributor of quality fertilzer, grass seed,
8 control products for the golf course industry.
Kevin Lyons, Scott Mackintosh, Jim Cohen,
Jim Favreau - (866) 567-9221

Greeno, Inc.
2352 Main St, Concord, MA 01742
Tree transplanting, landscape construction, 8 masonry.
Kevin Mulcahy-(800) 439-7244

Nardone Sand and Gravel, Inc.
37 Power Rd, Westford, MA 01886
Topdressing sond 8 mixes, bunker sonds, root-zone
mixes, loam, cart path materials, drainage stone.
Greg Frederick-(978) 692-8221

Turf Enhancement Enterprises
6 Jessica J Dr, Millbury, MA 01527
Floratine products, Precision Small Engine Co,
Douglas Rollers, Trion Lifts.
Tom f o x - ( 5 0 8 ) 865-9150

Harrell's Turf Specialty LLC
15 Londonderry Rd, Londonderry, NH 03053
Turf 8 ornamental supplies.
Chuck Bromhall, Mike Kroian, Mike Nagle,
Jim Wierzbicki - (800) 228-6656

Norfolk Power Equipment, Inc.
5 Cushing Dr., Wrentham, MA 02093
Sales, service, rentals, leasing, Kubota tractors
(508) 384-0011

TurfNet Associates, Inc.
21 Brandywine Rd, Skillman, NJ 08558
Cutting edge communication for the golf course industry.
Peter McCormick - (800) 314-7929

North Shore Hydroseeding
20 Wenham St, Danvers, MA 01923
Hydroseeding, erosion control, 8 tree services.
Brian King - (978) 762-8737

Turf Products Corp.
157 Moody Rd, Enfield, CT 06082
Distributors of Toro irrigation 8 maintenance equipment
and other golf-related products. Tim Berge, Rick Moulton,
Jeff Stouffer, Mike Turner - (800) 243-4355

Charles C. Hart Seed Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 9169, Wethersfield, CT 06109
Roy Sibley, Dick Gurski, Robin Hayes
(800) 326-HART
Hartney Greymont
433 Chestnut St, Needham, MA 02492
Tree care, landscape construction, consulting.
Mark Tobin-(781) 444-1227

Cavicchio Landscape Supply, Inc.
110 Codjer Lone, Sudbury, MA 01776
Annuals, perennials, garden mums, ground covers,
loom, 8 mulch.
Darren Young-(978) 443-7177

Holliston Sand Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 1 1 6 8 , T i f f t R d , S l a t e r s * , Rl02876
USGA-recommended sands, root-zone mixes, bunker 8
topdressing, ogresoil compost, stone-dust, 8 pea-stone
Bob Cbalifour, CGCS (ret.) - ( 4 0 1 ) 766-5010

Cedar Lawn Tree Service, Inc.
32 Nickerson Rd., Ashland, MA 01721
Pruning, fertilization, removal, 8 professional care.
Williom P. M a l e y - ( 5 0 8 ) 881-2622

International Golf Construction Co.
5 Puree» Rd, Arlington, MA 02474
Golf course construction.
Antonios Paganis-(781 > 648-2351;
(508) 428-3022

Clean Quest
P.O. Box 1102, Southbury, 0 06488
Distributors of the Landa Water system for treating
wosh water, Safety Storoge chemical buildings,
8 Octaflex portable wosh pads.
Steven Burnett, Michael Wende - (800) 521 -5585

Rotondo Precast
151 Old Farms Road, Avon, 0 06001
Precast concrete buildings for chemical 8 equipment storoge.
Fully-equipped restroom buildings also available.
Bob Anania-(860) 673-3291

R.F. Morse & Sons, Inc.
22 Cranberry Hwy, Wareham, MA 02576
Professional goods, services, 8 John Deere
equipment for the golf course industry.
Larry Anshewitz, Mike Hannigon, Kevin McDonough,
Tom Rowell, Ren Wilkes, John Winskowicz - (508) 295-1553

GPS New England Mapping
39 Cedar St, Cohasset, MA 02025
Precise irrigation 8 drainage as-builts;
wire tracking 8 electrical repairs.
Greg Albanese-(781) 789-1166

The Cardinals, Inc.
166 River Rd., P.O. Box 520, Unionville, CT 06085
Golf course and landscape supplies.
John Callahan, Dennis Friel - (800) 861 -6256

Ciccarelli Landscaping
Woburn, MA01801
Reverse «Milling, cultivating.
(781) 938-5055

Ken Jones Tire, Inc.
71-73 Chandler St, Worcester, MA 01613
Distributor of tires for lawn 8 garden, trucks,
cars, industrial equipment, and golf cars.
Gerry Jones-(508) 755-5255

Irrigation Management & Services
21 Laxeview Ave, Natick, MA 01760
Irrigation consultation, design, and system evaluation.
Bob Healey, ASIC, CID-(508) 653-0625

Partac Peat Corporation
Kelsey Park, Great Meadows, NJ 07838
Heat treated topdressing, golf hole targets,
turf blankets, other specialty golf supplies.
Jim Kelsey-(800) 247-2326
Prescription Turf Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 39, Middleton, MA 01949
Deep-tine and hydro-injection services, custom
fertilizer 8 pesticide applications, fairway aeration,
topdressing operations. (978) 777-1663
Putnam Pipe Corp.
90 Elm St, Hopkinton, MA 01748
Underground water, sewer, 8 drain piping sales
8 distribution. 24-hour service. Elliot Putnam,
David Putnam, Eli Potty - (508) 435-3090
R.A.D. Corp.
269 Hanover St, Hanover, MA 02339
Golf course construction, greens, tees, bunkers,
drainage, earth-moving, ponds, 8 water featuies.
Robert M.Delmonico-(781) 826-2800

UAP Professional Products
18 Legate Hill Rd, Sterling, MA 01564
Fertilizer, seed, chemicals, 8 I P M .
Glenn Larabee, Bruce Chapman, Mark Miller - (800) 224-4440
Varney Bros. Sand & Gravel
79 Hartford Ave, Bellingham, MA 02019
Concrete golf cart paths.
Kenneth Mooradian - (800) 441-7373
Winding Brook Turf Farm
Wethersfield,CT06109
Scott Wheeler, Mike Krudwig, Sam Morgan - (800) 243-0232
Philip Wogan & George F. Sargent, Jr.
17 Walker Rd, Topsfield, MA 01983
Golf course architects.
(978)887-3672
Zip Type Printing Services, Inc.
50 Kent Street, Newburyport, MA 01950
Design, printing, mailing, advertising specialties.
Sheila Johnson-(978) 462-9358

7th Annual

N e w England
Regional
Turfgrass
Conference
& S how
March 6-9y 2006
R.l. Convention Center
Providence/

R.l.

Show & Conference P a s s Includes
• Opening Reception • Admission to Trade Show • Keynote Speaker
• Educational Sessions • Show Reception
• Luncheon Voucher
O v e r 4 0 0 Turf R e l a t e d B o o t h s A w a i t You...
Meet professionals on the cutting edge of turf management. See the
latest in equipment, products and supplies. Join fellow lawn, golf,
sports, landscape, municipal and other turf industry professionals.
Informative P r e s e n t a t i o n s
• Golf Course Management • Lawncare & Landscape Mgt.
• Sports Turf & Grounds Mgt. • Equipment Technicians
Certification Credits
Pesticide Applicators Recertification Credits will be offered.
S p o r t s Turf S e m i n a r
T u e s d a y , M a r c h 7 • l p m - 3 : 3 0 p m Drainage Problem Diagnostics for Sports Fields

Pre Conference

Trade Show

Page

Dennis

Hours:

Tuesday, March 7 • 4:30pm-7:30pm with reception
Wednesday, March 8 • 10am-5pm
Don't Miss This Year's Live Auction!
Wed. - 4pm -on the Trade Show Floor
Thursday, March 9 • 9am-lpm

Educational

TURF 2 0 0 6

Seminars:

Monday, March 6 • 8am-5pm Call (401) 841-5490
Weed Management - 8am-12pm
Taking Control of Green Speed - 8am-3pm
Power Point (16) A&E ~8am-12pm & lpm-5pm
Hazardous Duty... Basic Bunker Maintenance - lpm-5pm
Calibrate Your Business Management Skills - lpm-5pm

Session

Hours:

Tuesday, March 7 • 9am - 4:30pm
USGA Session & Keynote Speaker Dennis Eckersley
Wednesday, March 8 • 9am- 11am I 2pm-4pm
Thursday, March 9 • 9am-11am

Eckersley

Keynote Speaker - March 7 • 3:45pm
Major League Baseball Pitcher for the
Boston Red Sox, and the Oaklatid Athletics
Baseball Hall of Fame Class of2004.

Watch your mail for your
registration form or call
(401)848-0004 or visit us online
at www.TurfShow.com

12

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U.S. Postage

NEWSLETTER

FIRST CLASS

Return to:
300 Arnold Palmer Boulevard
Norton, MA 02766

INSIDE...
• Feature:
•

Dick

French

Calendar

• From the

President

• GCSANE

Forum

• Audubon

News

• NERTF

Preview

• Member

Article:

• Materials:
• Turf Science:
• Divot

Drift

Q&A with Bill

Understanding
South German

P A I D

Newburyport, MA
Permit No. 61

Spence

PVC
Bentgrass