June 2007 Hancock towers over Eastward Ho! By Dick Trust Respect. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. No, we’re not talking Aretha Franklin’s signature song, although sing if you must. This is respect for Mother Nature, and Eastward Ho! Country Club is as much in her hands as it is in those of Head Superintendent Frank Hancock and his vigilant crew of 20. The supreme challenge is to provide the best playing conditions possible for its membership and to be ready when and if major storms threaten the 18-hole private golf course located in Chatham, Mass., on the elbow of Cape Cod. “The only challenge would be when we get these nor’easters, or possible hurricanes,” Hancock said. “Being as we are on the coast, we do have some considerations to evaluate before the storms come in, such as sandbagging and that type of thing.” “Other than that, we don’t really get any salt spray or anything of that nature that affects the turf or the dayto-day maintenance. Not since I’ve been here, but they’ve had a few storms where the water has come in on to the golf course on the sixth and seventh holes.” “We’ve had a few wind storms. We had one in December of ’05 that took down about 175 trees. That was our biggest catastrophe to date, which wasn’t really a catastrophe. The trees were going to be cut down anyway.” Eastward Ho! is located on Pleasant Bay, “and our seventh tee is on the beach,” Hancock, 36, said. “At high tide, we’re about 3 feet from the water. We’ve got 10 or 11 holes that are adjacent to the bay. And basically with the tree work we’ve done in the last three years or so, we have water views on every hole.” And often fog, which poses another set of problems on the par-71 course, which plays to 6,325 yards from the back tees. “That’s one of the differences being out on the Cape,” Hancock said. Frank Hancock “We do get a lot of fog, which affects our disease pressure. The grass kind of stays wet all day, which leads to disease-breeding conditions.” “But as far as stopping golf or stopping our work, the fog doesn’t affect us in that way. It may change the way we manage the golf course for a few weeks at a time, so we always have to be ready for that.” “Now, when we get on a boat, the fog will affect our fishing quite a bit. I’m from Indiana, so the conditions have to be about right for me to get out on a boat and tool around in this area.” ***** ***** Born with a solid New England surname, Hancock is native to Bloomington, Ind. He had worked on both coasts and in the midwest before landing at Eastward Ho! as superintendent in July 2004. The former Indiana University student – yes, he did run into Bob Knight – was lead assistant superintendent at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, Long Island, N.Y., where he worked from 2000 until heading for Cape Cod. Told he was one of about 200 applicants for the job at Eastward Ho!, he was offered the position on the Saturday of the ’04 U.S. Open, June 19, at Shinnecock Hills. Hancock was there for the tournament, won by Retief Goosen, “but I didn’t have to rake any hamburgers and hot dogs after the event because I was going on to Eastward Ho!” He put his “Frank Hancock” on a contract and started three weeks later, in mid-July. He stepped right in to a major, $1.3 million renovation of Eastward Ho! C.C., whose course was designed and built in the early 1920s by legendary British golf architect W. Herbert Fowler. “We restored 13 original bunkers that had been lost over time,” Hancock Continued on page 2 PRESIDENT Russell E. Heller, CGCS 41 Clifford Street, Melrose, MA. 02176-0140 617-983-2786 Fax: 617-983-2786 E-mail: Rheller@gcsane.org Franklin Park Golf Club VICE PRESIDENT Patrick J. Daly, CGCS P.O. Box 2284, Framingham, MA 01703-2284 508-872-9790 Fax: 508-872-5393 E-mail: Pat@framinghamcc.com Framingham Country Club SECRETARY Jason S. Adams 27 Cherry Street, Wrentham, MA 02093 781-326-3801 Fax: 781-326-3801 E-mail: Norfolksuper@hotmail.com Norfolk Golf Club TREASURER Michael W. Stachowicz 68 Westfield Road, Westwood, MA 02090 781-326-7860 Fax: 781-326-0664 E-mail: Mstach@dedhamclub.org Dedham Country & Polo Club TRUSTEE Scott Lagana, CGCS 22 Sherborne Circle, Ashland, MA 01721 978-342-6451 Fax: 978-342-0421 E-mail: Grounds@oakhillcc.org Oak Hill Country Club TRUSTEE Peter Hasak 154 Tedesco Street, Marblehead, MA 01945 781-592-5764 Fax: 781-631-6530 E-mail: PHasak@tedescocc.org Tedesco Country Club TRUSTEE Ronald P. Dobosz P.O. Box 541, Ludlow, MA 01056 413-589-9487 Fax: 413-583-4686 E-Mail: Rdobosz111@aol.com Ludlow Country Club FINANCE CHAIRMAN Michael Luccini, CGCS 10 Griffin Road, Franklin, MA 02038 508-520-3615 Fax: 508-528-1885 E-mail: Mluccini@verizon.net Franklin Country Club GOLF CHAIRMAN James A. Small, III, CGCS 690 Pine Street, Bridgewater, MA 02324-2116 508-697-4816 Fax: 508-279-3355 E-mail: jasiii188@yahoo.com Olde Scotland Links Golf Club EDUCATION CHAIRMAN David Stowe, CGCS 30 Western Avenue, Natick, MA 01760 617-789-4631 Fax 617-789-4631 E-mail:Newtonmaint@aol.com Newton Commonwealth Golf Club NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN Mark Gagne 233 Baker Street, Walpole, MA 02081 508-668-3859 Fax: 508-668-9969 E-mail:Mgagne@walpolecc.org Walpole Country Club PAST PRESIDENT Michael J. Hermanson 140 Ryan Street, Gardner, MA 01440-0145 978-632-2713 Fax: 978-632-2713 E-mail: herm068@hotmail.com Gardner Municipal Golf Course EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Sharon K. Brownell P.O. Box 566, Mattapoisett, MA 02739-0566 508-758-6474 Fax: 508-758-3688 E-mail: Sbrownell@verizon.net GCSANE Headquarters 300 Arnold Palmer Blvd., Norton, MA 02766 Tel: (800) 833-4451 Fax: (508) 758-6474 Web Site: www.gcsane.org Newsletter Committee Julie Heston, Business Manager Phone: (401) 934-3677 Email: jheston@verizon.net John Eggleston, Kernwood Country Club Andrew Eick, The Kittansett Club Rich Gagnon, Segregansett Country Club Ethan Tease, Woodland Golf Club Mark Gagne, Editor, Walpole Country Club Any opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and/or person quoted, and may not represent the position of GCSANE. Information contained in this publication may be used freely, in whole or in part, without special Frank Hancock - Continued from page 1 said, “renovated all the tees and all of the other 46 existing bunkers, aligned the tees, basically bulldozed every tee complex, built two new practice greens, redid the driving range, moved numerous cart paths out of the view of the golfer, laid about 14 acres of sod, and installed about 20 acres of native links land grasses.” Further, 13 greens were restored to their original Fowler contours and Hancock and his crew are in the process of restoring the other five, The ’04 project began Sept. 13 and concluded Dec. 23. By the first of January 2005, Hancock took over full superintendent’s duties from Brian Cowan, who had occupied the office for 38 fruitful years. Noted golf course architect Keith Foster oversaw the renovation. “Unlike a lot of other architects, Foster’s focus was never to put his thumb print on Eastward Ho! Country Club,” Hancock said. “His focus was to maintain the design intent of Mr. Fowler and he did a fantastic job of accomplishing that.” Foster even went to England to get a glimpse at, and a feel first-hand for, what Fowler put into his golf courses. He lived and breathed the work of a master. And he drew master raves from Hancock. “Without a doubt,” said the superintendent, “Keith is one of the best in the world.” Autumn is a big time for golf on the Cape, so Eastward Ho! didn’t close during renovation. “We probably never closed more than a hole and a half or two holes at a time” during the overhaul, Hancock said. Like many Cape courses, Eastward Ho! is open year-round, weather permitting. “We do not close the greens more than three or four times a year and that’s just when they thaw out and they’re kind of mush,” Hancock said. “We have some hardy golfers on Cape Cod. We’ve probably got 10 or 15 people who like to play all winter as long as it’s not too crazy.” Hancock came to Shinnecock Hills after having worked long hours in California, at fabled Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. Continued on page 4 2 Eastward Ho! 3rd CALENDAR July 16 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Belmont C.C. Host: Arthur Silva, CGCS Aug. 21 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Marlborough C.C. Individual Championship Host: Kenneth Crimmings, CGCS Aug. 22 URI Turfgrass Field Day C.R. Skogley Turfgrass Research Facility Kingston, RI Aug. 25 GCSANE Family Night Brockton Rox Baseball Campanelli Stadium Brockton, MA Sep. 10 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Ludlow C.C. Team of Two Tournament Host: Ronald Dobosz Oct. 1 Dr. Joseph Troll Turf Classic The International Honoring Geoffrey Cornish Host: Brett Johnson, CGCS Oct. 22 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Pleasant Valley C.C. Member/ Guest Tournament Host: Donald D’Errico Nov. (TBA) GCSANE Monthly Meeting Brockton C.C. 9-Hole Tournament Host: Justin Bousquet Professional Development Suggestions for the Assistant Superintendent By: Andrew Eick As assistant superintendents, we are always preparing ourselves for a head superintendent position. Our brains should be a sponge, soaking up all the “what to do and what not to do”. Each superintendent’s management and maintenance plan are different. With every job you may have had on a golf course you should take away the things you like to do and things that you don’t think that will work for you. From these you should develop your own plan and the way you like to run things. Just remember, not everyone that works for you will like what you do and they will develop their own ideas as well. The industry has become so competitive. When interviewing for superintendent positions, you will need to show how you will set yourself apart from the other candidates. Clubs receive hundreds of applications for a position, which makes it difficult to obtain a job. Most assistant candidates are going to have about the same amount of experience, and this is where thinking outside of the traditional turf education comes in. Everyone attends seminars on diseases and the latest and greatest new pesticides that will save your soul. Becoming a superintendent is much more than just going to these seminars. Yes, they are important, but you need to broaden your horizons. One class or seminar I will be taking this upcoming winter is offered by the Dale Carnegie School of Management (www.DaleCarnegie.com). They have many classes available from public speaking and communication techniques to developing effective leadership. All of these are critical for your day to day operations as a superintendent, and may be overlooked at times. You need to have effective communication skills because you need to be able to tell your staff how you would like things done or learn how to handle situations with guests and members when they arise. Public speaking and presenting are essential for speaking easily to members and handling problems or presenting budgets in meetings. This is just one option, and such an experience would stand out on a resume when the search committee is reviewing all applicants. Carnegie offers everything from a two day seminar to a 12 week course that meets once a week. Another seminar worth attending is one related to OSHA laws and regulations. This will be important to know in the future because as superintendent you are managing everyone. You will need to be up to date on regulations and procedures, just in case something does happen. It is also important to be aware of OSHA regulations because being slapped with a fine is something no one wants to deal with. Attend a seminar, or take a class in finance or budgeting. This is a key component of being a superintendent that many assistants do not directly deal with. Members usually ask for a budget for the upcoming year, and barring a catastrophe, you should be at that number or just below it. A class would help you understand more of the ins and outs of budgeting, and how to come up with numbers to plan for a whole year. These are just a few ideas that would help you set yourself apart when applying for a superintendent position. Superintendents wear many different hats, and becoming will rounded in your education will help you obtain a job and become a well rounded superintendent “The industry has become so competitive. When interviewing for superintendent positions, you will need to show how you will set yourself apart from the other candidates.” Andrew Eick 3 Frank Hancock - Continued from page 2 “Pebble Beach was a 365-day a year job where you were constantly trying to make sure that that golf course was as perfect as it could be every day,” said Hancock, who worked at the seaside course in 1998 and part of ’99 as a greenkeeper. “Every one of those people who played out there paid quite a bit of money to play the one round, and it was expected to be perfect. All golf courses should be expected to be perfect every day, but it’s a little more intense out there.” “For the mere fact that golf started a half-hour after daylight, we started every day a half-hour before daylight.” In the 2½ to three years he was at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, Hancock worked an average of 75 hours a week. “We’re in the 60-hour range right now,” he said of the Eastward Ho! schedule. “You can have an actual life outside of 60 hours. “For the first nine months I was at Pebble Beach, I had three days off,” Hancock said. “I was still in my schooling for turf (at Rutgers University in New Jersey) and I just wanted to work, earn as much money and gain as much knowledge as I could from the fantastic staff and supervisors I was fortunate enough to work with out there.” In his second year on the Monterey Peninsula, Hancock caught a break: “I might have had five or six days off.” While Hancock was at Pebble Beach, the course was prepped for the 1999 U.S. Amateur and the 2000 U.S. Open. As a precursor to Eastward Ho! “we re-did all the bunkers at Pebble Beach, re-did the tees and approaches, rebuilt the new fifth hole. There was a lot of project work going on and I had extensive background from working in Indiana on projects, so I kind of took a lead on that stuff.” Before Shinnecock, Hancock was assistant superintendent for a year (1999-2000) at Spyglass Hill. Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill are under the same company umbrella. “Pebble Beach is a resort course,” Hancock said “When I was there, they were charging $325 a round. So it’s a lot of corporate people who come in and get to play their one round a year. Pebble Beach at that time was booked one year in advance for tee times.” “If you’re putting those kinds of dollars on the table, it’s a tough situation because you still have to do everything to make the course better. It’s a challenge at times to keep everybody happy.” Hancock worked three consecutive Christmas days back then, “and believe me, when you do that, you felt that you’ve kind of paid your dues and are ready to move on and move up in the world.” The hours aside, Hancock got to appreciate Pebble Beach as many envious outsiders do. “The experience out there was fantastic,” he said. “We had a great set of managers, Mark Michaud being the superintendent (Michaud is now the superintendent at Shinnecock Hills) and a wonderful leader and motivator Eastward Ho! 6th along with Jack Holt (field supervisor) and Chris Dalhamer (current superintendent at Pebble Beach). They taught me the ins and outs of turf management and the attitude it takes to work these 70-, 80- and 90-hour weeks and still get the job done at a high level.” “Everyone I worked with or for or come across in this business has been a great help to me.” Working at Pebble Beach affords one an opportunity to meet the top echelon from the world of professional golf and those high profilers from Hollywood. Hancock met his share. “I would say that Freddie Couples is one of the nicest human beings you’d ever meet,” he said of the longtime PGA Tour player. “Great sense of humor and just a fun guy to talk to.” “Being able to shake hands with Jack Nicklaus was a fantastic experience when I was at Spyglass Hill. We 4 had a rain delay while he was on the 12th hole, so he came in to the maintenance shop. He got to speak to quite a few of our guys. We were all kind of in awe of Mr. Nicklaus, that’s for sure.” There were also Arnold Palmer and Clint Eastwood sightings. “There were plenty of people who cause you to do a double take as you’re driving by in your golf cart,” Hancock said. Before the Pebble Beach experience, Hancock interned at Wolf Run Golf Club in Zionsville, Ind., 15 miles north of Indianapolis. On Golf Digest’s list of the nation’s 50 toughest courses, published Feb. 23, Wolf Run ranked 21st. By comparison, Spyglass Hill was 24th. The toughest to play? The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C., with the No. 2 spot going to The International in Bolton. Mass. During his college days, Hancock did maintenance at the Indiana University Golf Course and Athletic Field in Bloomington, about 50 miles south of Indianapolis. “I worked at the golf course as a summer job,” he said, “and that allowed me to play all the free golf I wanted while still being able to go to school in my hometown.” While at the university, Hancock would occasionally run into Bob Knight, the Hoosiers’ controversial basketball coach who is now at Texas Tech. “I never played golf with Bob Knight, but I talked to him on numerous occasions,” said Hancock. “He was one of the guys who’d be first off the first tee, usually played by himself, maybe with his son.” “He’s a very cordial, very respectful individual, not what you see on TV. Very respectful toward staff, a perfect gentleman, and he didn’t want to be in the way of anybody.” Hancock related a humorous incident involving Knight, a dog and a golf course: “I was driving up the first hole one morning and I had our shop dog in the cart with me, and I see a ball come over the hill and it’s bouncing down the fairway. The dog sees it, jumps out, runs over, grabs Coach’s ball, runs about 40 or 50 yards toward the green and drops it.” Continued on page 5 Frank Hancock - Continued from page 4 “I see Coach Knight coming over the hill and I’m thinking, ‘How’s this going to go? How is this going to work?” “So I said, ‘Sorry about that, Coach.’ He just looked up, he smiled and he said, ‘You know, I might have gotten on there if she would have run that ball 30 or 40 yards back toward the tee, but at least she took it toward the green so I’m gonna play it as it lies.’ ” When the arena at Indian U. opened, Hancock’s father had two tickets, front row, right across from the bench. He brought along little Frank, who was maybe 3 or 4 at the time. “I probably heard my first cuss words from Bob Knight,” Hancock reported. All honorable young men in Indiana play basketball, so honorable young Frank Hancock played all through high school. He ended up coaching four years of high school and junior high basketball while he was at the university. “That’s what I went to college for at Indiana: to be a teacher and a coach,” he said. Hancock majored in education in college, but he has never taught a day in a classroom. Interning at the golf course altered his path. “I said, You know what, I do something different every day, I like being outside, I like this job, I seem to understand what’s going on, I like being around the machines, and I just decided that I could probably make quite a bit more money being a golf course superintendent rather than being a teacher in the state of Indiana.” “I went to Wolf Run in 1997 to explore that option a little further. Indiana University’s course was public and, after six years, I wanted to see the private side of things.” The superintendent at Wolf Run, Joe Kosoglov, introduced Hancock to Rutgers’ turf management program, and he signed up for the intensive course which offered 10 weeks per year for two years. He was a student at Rutgers in ’97 and ’98 and graduated in 1999 with high honors and a certificate in turfgrass management. Hancock has no regrets about not using his education degree from Indiana. “Everybody would like to be younger when they finally figure out they want to do,” he said, “but it’s worked out for me so far. I have no complaints.” Since then, Hancock has covered a lot of ground, literally and figuratively. “The last 10 years have been a whirlwind, for sure,” he said. “Eastward Ho! is a great place to get settled in and know that I’m going to be here for a while,” said Hancock, who lives in Harwich, some 3½ miles from his workplace. “The club leadership here has been fantastic. They’re really behind what we’re trying to do. We have two goals at Eastward Ho! for the condition of the golf course. The first goal is to be the best conditioned golf course in the United States and the second is to be the best conditioned golf course in the world.” “The crew of 20 works as hard as they can and they work smart. We talk a lot about always working with intensity and intelligence. And so far so good on that front. The crew I have here has enabled us to take this course to the next level. I’m just so proud to work with the guys I get to work with every day.” “Mark Michaud has prepared me quite well for the jump from assistant to superintendent. The way he manages his golf course at Shinnecock is similar to the way I manage now, which is trust the guys you have, let them do the job and provide a bunch of feedback – whether it’s criticism or just a pat on the back.” “So I didn’t really feel a huge load laid upon me when I came here. I think I just slid right in and was comfortable from day one. It’s a great golf course.” “I was a little bit worried about where you go from Pebble Beach and Spyglass and Shinnecock and Wolf Run. ‘Am I going to end up in some little course tucked away in the woods in the midwest or end up at a good place?’ Eastward Ho! has exceeded all of my expectations as far as the competitiveness that’s in me and wants to make something as good as it can be.” Hancock, who has played golf since he was “9 or 10,” gets out about once a week these days. Most of the time he’s on the greenery, of course, is to groom it for others to play. He has help from a special person – his predecessor, Brian Cowan. “He did a fantastic job with the golf course,” Hancock said. “He’s on the staff, trying to reach retirement age, and he does whatever we ask him to do. I give him all the credit for this fan5 tastic staff I have . . . we retained every full-time staff member who was in place at the time I took over. It’s probably one of the things I’m most proud of.” “Brian was a great superintendent and, I’d have to say, is a better friend. He’s great to bounce things off and I lean on him in certain situations. And he’s embraced the changes we’ve made.” ******** ******** Hancock is an avid sports fan, following more than golf results in the newspapers. Coming from Indiana, he’s a Colts football fan but was a Dallas Cowboys fan before he was attracted to the once-Baltimore Colts. “I was a Staubach, Dorsett, Pearson, Randy White and Danny White fan before anybody else,” he said. “The Colts would be second and if the Patriots are not playing the Colts, then we could say the Patriots would be third.” He has not yet adopted the Red Sox, “but that may be coming. We’ll see. I’m a huge Roger Clemens fan, so I was a Red Sox fan when Clemens was with Boston. He’s my favorite baseball player of all time. He just happened to be pitching in New York when I was in New York, so I went to quite a few of the Yankees’ games. I’d have to say I’m a Yankees fan and, especially with Clemens coming back, I’m a Yankees fan.” Eastward Ho! 14th Wait, there may be hope for him yet among proper Bostonians. Is he related to American patriot John Hancock? “Maybe way deep in the bloodlines,” he said with a chuckle, “but I’ve never followed the tree back that far . . . Let’s just say not that I know of, and leave it at that.” GSCANE JULY MEETING - BELMONT COUNTRY CLUB JULY 16, 2007 HOSTS: ARTHUR SILVA, CGCS AND MIKE ROSE By: Mike Rose Belmont Country Club, the site of the July meeting has a history dating back almost 100 years. The original nine hole course was laid out by Donald Ross in 1908. In 1918, more land was purchased to expand the golf course to 18 holes. The layout remained untouched until the early 1960’s when the expansion of Route 2 through Lexington and Belmont forced the club to exchange some land along the back of the golf course for a piece of land along Concord Avenue in Belmont. Three holes were lost , three new ones created and the current routing of the holes was established. In 2005, a major renovation project was begun with all new tees, greens, bunkering and new drainage and irrigation installed. The Vesper Velvet greens Belmont was so well known for were replaced with Greenwich Velvet during the renovation and are one of the most outstanding features of the course. Arthur Silva has been at Belmont Country Club for 37 years, rising from crew member to assistant to superintendent. Along the way his work has won consistent praise and in 1999 Massachusetts Golfer Magazine featured Arthur on the cover, naming his the “Best Greens in the State”. With Arthur having announced his retirement to follow the 2008 season, his longtime assistant Mike Rose was named superintendent in March 2007 with Arthur staying on as advisor and jack-of-all-trades. Mike’s 1st assistant is David Webster, who is in his 4th season at Belmont CC. 6 Meeting Details Reservations Required by Monday, July 9, 2007 at 5:00 pm Register By Email: Sbrownell@verizon.net or 1-800-833-4451 10:30 am: Registration 11:30 am: Box Lunches 12:45 pm: Announcements at Range 1:00 pm: Shotgun Format TBA Heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails to follow golf Team of Two Championship You must register as a twosome; Affiliates must play with Affiliates Cost: $90 per person - $55 Retirees Check payable to GCSANE We accept Vis, Mastercard and American Express New Pollution Liability Insurance Program For Golf Courses, "PAR" Environmental Risk Managers, Inc. (ERMI), is pleased to announce a new pollution liability insurance program, "PAR" (pollution and remediation). From the storage and use of petroleum products, fertilizers, pesticides, golf courses face a myriad of environmental exposures. The PAR program includes sudden and gradual coverage, on-site and off-site pollution clean up along with third party bodily injury, property damage and business interruption, underground/aboveground storage tanks and more. PAR offers a financial risk transfer alternative to the traditional self insurance practiced by most golf courses in addressing their environmental exposures. The insurance is offered by a leading A.M. Best rated A VIII company and is available in all 50 states. A benefit of PAR is that "most programs only offer herbicide and pesticide coverage on a sudden and accidental basis and the premium reflects this limited coverage," according to Mr. Chris Bunbury, President of ERMI. Every golf course is an environmentally sensitive business with significant environmental exposures that most golf courses can't afford to self insure. Bunbury stated, "We are offering the PAR program on a stand alone basis to complement existing property and casualty insurance programs for golf courses. With the PAR program we are giving insurance agents the ability to separate themselves from the competition" Bunbury said. The PAR program is available to retail insurance agents and wholesalers. "Most golf courses and their agents are not aware of the three main benefits they should look to the PAR program for. First, all policies come with defense coverage. Secondly, when an environmental problem does occur and you have the EPA, state and local government officials along with the press demanding action, you need experts to assist in handling the claim. Thirdly, the majority of the time, the cost to clean up an environmental problem, is often far less than the cost of third party claims for bodily injury, property damage and business interruption." "We developed the PAR program for agents interested in offering a better quality product to their clients while increasing their sales." A variety of options are available with premiums starting at $3,000. For more information, application, marketing material, contact Chris Bunbury, Environmental Risk Managers, Inc., PO Box 1127, Leland, Mi. 49654. Phone: 231-256-2122, fax: 231-256-2123 or Email: jcbunbury@aol.com. Source: copyright, Environmental Risk Managers, Inc. 2007 Plan ahead and reserve your space now for The Newsletter advertising opportunities Monthly Rate Member Rates: 4 Times Per Yr. (Save 5%) 6 Times Per Yr. (Save 10%) 8 Times Per Yr. 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Send all Newsletter ads to: Julie Heston, 36 Elisha Mathewson Road, N. Scituate, RI 02857 Phone: 401-934-3677 Email: jheston@verizon.net 7 UMass Extension Turf Program: Management Updates Date: June 8, 2007 Category: Insects Subject: Annual Bluegrass (Hyperodes) Weevil Well, the action has picked up considerably in just the past week! We are hearing of significant annual bluegrass weevil populations - and damage - on golf courses in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. In those areas, the worst should be over for now, as most individuals should have completed the larval stages and are now pupating. In Westchester County, New York, samples collected on Monday (4 June) were 75% large larvae, less than 5% pupae, and the rest were small or medium larvae. Samples pulled just south of Hartford on Wednesday (6 June) were 20% small larvae, 40% medium larvae, and 40% large larvae. Paul Heller (turf entomologist at Penn State) and I have seen the same phenomenon in several locations this year. Regular sampling in early spring did not uncover many adults, and we wondered whether the populations would be a little lower than "normal" this year. Even as recently as a week ago, sampling in some sites indicated that most populations were still small larvae, and yet when we collected samples this week, all of a sudden the populations had progressed to large larvae. Neither of us can remember such rapid "explosions" of activity in the past 10 to 15 years. And populations are higher in most locations than we have seen in several years. Each of us has visited at least one site where there are more than 220 larvae per square foot in untreated plots. Meanwhile annual bluegrass populations seem to be higher than "normal" in several locations, as well. At least there are more seedheads... For golf course superintendents who are wrestling with ABW damage, here is a quick reminder of your options. The first step is to collect several samples from the areas where the weevils are active, and determine whether most of the insects are larva (they look like grains of rice with brown heads, pupa (cream-colored and kind of diamond-shaped), or adults. If the insects are mostly larvae, you can get relief by applying trichlorfon (Dylox™). (We have also had good success several years with spinosad, Conserve™, but those trials have been directed against small and medium larvae in the spring, so we don't really know whether Conserve™ can be effective against full-grown larvae.) Dylox™ should provide about 50 to 75% control of the larvae that are present when you treat. Check the label, because while ABW larvae were added to the Dylox™ label a couple years ago, there may be a couple formulations that do not include ABW. If the insects are mostly adults™, you should consider using one of the pyrethroids. Bifenthrin (Talstar™), cyfluthrin (Tempo™), lambda-cyhalothrin (Battle™, Scimitar™), and deltamethrin (DeltaGard™) are among the more commonly used materials. Note that there are several additional products with the same active ingredient but different trade names. For those of you who are concerned about the possibility of the development of resistance, you can also get good control of adults with chlorpyrifos (Dursban), an organophosphate. If the insects are mostly pupae, you should wait a week or ten days and then apply a pyrethroid, targeting the newly emerging adults. In all cases, follow with a little water - one pass of the irrigation heads if you have good pressure, two passes if you have marginal pressure or it is a windy day (of course, if it is that windy, you probably shouldn't be spraying!). In the case of the pyrethroids, that is enough water to knock the material off the blades and into the thatch. Note that some of the manufacturers do not believe that post-application water on pyrethroids is necessary ... but personally, I prefer to see the applications watered in lightly. Submitted by: Dr. Pat Vittum DISCLAIMER - As always, it is the responsibility of the applicator to verify the registration status of any pesticide BEFORE applying it. Different states have different regulations as well. The author and the University of Massachusetts are not liable for any consequences of any pesticide "recommendations". Mention of any trade name is not to be considered endorsement of a product. Source: UMass Extension Service Web Site “Even as recently as a week ago, sampling in some sites indicated that most populations were still small larvae, and yet when we collected samples this week, all of a sudden the populations had progressed to large larvae. Neither of us can remember such rapid "explosions" of activity in the past 10 to 15 years. “ Dr. Pat Vittum Tuckahoe Turf Farms Richmond, RI West Suffield, CT Berwick, ME For home lawns. For gardens. For athletic fields. For parks & playgrounds. For golf course construction, renovation and repairs. Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, Fine Fescues, Bentgrass Pallets/Big Rolls. Sod handler Del. Roll Out Service. Over 35 years of turf production. Deliveries Monday through Saturday CALL TOLL FREE 1—800-556-6985 See our web site www.tuckahoeturf.com 8 Notice of Cancellation of Chlorpyrifos Uses Soon Dow AgroSciences will be notifying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of its intention to cancel certain uses and registrations for chlorpyrifos. Dow AgroSciences will no longer support nonagricultural and public health uses of chlorpyrifos. For the purposes of these use cancellations, non-agricultural use patterns are defined in 40CFR 170.103 and include pest control in such use sites as golf courses, road medians, industrial plant sites as well as indoor and outdoor residential and commercial pest control. The public health pests are discussed in detail in US EPA’s PR Notice 2002-1. Cancellation of non-agricultural and public health uses of chlorpyrifos will impact Dow AgroSciences products that you currently recommend. Labels for the following end-use products will be amended to remove nonagricultural and public health uses: • • Dursban™ 4E-N Dursban™ 50W in WSP Dow AgroSciences intends to submit amended labels for the end-use products listed above to EPA in March 2007. Once EPA accepts the amended labels, Dow AgroSciences will have twelve months from the date of acceptance to fully implement the amended label on product packaging. According to EPA, there will be no “stop use” date and existing stocks of the end-use products listed above can be used, consistent with their package labels, until stocks are depleted. Finally, labels for the following enduse products will be cancelled: • • • • • • • • • • • Dursban™ 1F Dursban™ 1G Dursban™ 2.5G Dursban™ 2E Dursban™ 4E Dursban™ ME-02 Dursban™ ME-04 Dursban™ Pro Dursban™ TC (and alternate brand name Tenure™) Lentrek™ 6WT Dursban™ WT (and alternate brand name Lentrek WT) Existing stocks of these products in Dow AgroSciences warehouses may be sold by Dow AgroSciences until inventory is depleted or for twelve months, whichever occurs first. Inventory of the products listed above in the hands of distributors, retailers, and end users may be sold and used as labeled until stocks are depleted. Dow AgroSciences will maintain current state registrations through 2009. After state registrations expire, existing inventory in the channel of trade may not be sold; however, product may continue to be used according to package labels. This information is provided in good faith based on discussion with the Agency and on similar past experiences. EPA may actually impose timelines that are longer or shorter than what we anticipate. Of course, Dow AgroSciences will work with EPA to attempt to make this transition for our customers as efficient as reasonably possible. Sincerely, Dan Loughner Product Technology Specialist dloughner@dow.com 215-947-0721 DIVOT DRIFT... announcements ... educational seminars ... job opportunities ...tournament results...and miscellaneous items of interest to the membership. MEMBERSHIP • • Welcome New Members: • Chris Morris, Superintendent Vesper CC., Tyngsboro MA • Brad Morrissey, Assistant, Andover C.C., Andover, MA • Adam J. Kushmerek, Assistant, Walpole C.C., Walpole MA • Mary M. Moffett, Affiliate, SV Moffett Co. Inc, Henrietta, NY • Ernie Ketchum, Affiliate, Tee & Green Sod, W. Kingston, RI • David Putnam, Putnam Pipe Co, Hopkinton, MA • Eli Potty, Affiliate, Putnam Pipe, Co., Hopkinton, MA • GCSANE welcomes MGA Executive Director Joe Sprague, Jr. as an Honorary Member Proposed fro Membership: • Cory Bledsoe, Superintendent, Leicester C.C., Leicester, MA Richard Gillis, Assistant, Bear Hill G.C., Stoneham MA. Chris Leonard, Affiliate, Lesco Co. ANNOUNCEMENTS Our condolences are extended to Pat Hogan and family on the passing of Pat’s step-father, Albert Drapeau, in late April. Our condolences are extended to Matt McDonald (Country Club Enterprises) and family on the recent passing of Matt’s mother. Congratulations to James B. Conant, CGCS who has completed the renewal process for maintaining his status as a Certified Golf Course Superintendent with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Jim Conant has been at the Country Club of Pittsfield since 1997. A 23-year old GCSAA member, he initially achieved his certification in 1992. 9 Condolences to the Mineck and Boston Golf families on the passing of John Mineck who died suddenly in a construction accident on May 24th. He was 54. Among John’s many accomplishments, he was most recently the inspirational co-founder and co-owner of Boston Golf Club. He was dedicated to making it the most extraordinary golf club anywhere. Creating Boston Golf Club was John’s passion, and he deserves all the credit for the masterpiece that will be a significant part of his broad legacy. A former MGA Executive Committee member, he was also instrumental in the early growth of the MGA junior golf program. Through his many varied talents and interests, John touched numerous lives inside and outside the golf world. POSITION OPENINGS Please visit our web site www.gcsane.org for all the details on any current job openings. Photos of the TPC of Boston (We apologize for the less than high quality photos in the last month’s edition and have reprinted them so that the reader may fully appreciate the fine work of Tom Brodeur and his crew.) Photo credit: Christopher Split To the left: The Par 3, 16th hole before renovation Pictured above: 16th hole after renovation Pictured Below: The new Par 4, 4th hole from the tee Pictured above: the new 6th green complex Pictured to the left: New cross bunker in the 7th fairway 10 Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION A.A. Will Materials Corp. DAF Services, Inc. Ken Jones Tire, Inc. Sports Club Management, Inc. 198 Washington St., Stoughton, MA 02072-1748 20 Lawnacre Rd., Windsor Locks, CT 06096 Irrigation pumps - sales & service; northeast warehouse/distributor for ISCO HDPE pipe & fittings. Richard Young - (860) 623-5207 71-73 Chandler St., Worcester, MA 01613 Distributor of tires for lawn & garden, trucks, cars, industrial equipment, and golf cars. Gerry Jones - (508) 755-5255 104 Wyman Rd., Braintree, MA 02184 OSHA and EPA compliance services & training. Ron Smith - (781) 848-5978 Root zone mixes, divot mixes, topdressing blends, bunker sands, cart path mixes, bridging stone, & hardscape supplies. Charlie Downing, Ed Downing (800) 4-AA-WILL A.D. Makepeace Co. 158 Tihonet Road, Wareham, MA 02571 (508) 322-4092 Agresource, Inc. 100 Main St., Amesbury, MA 01913 Tim Gould, Guy Travers (800) 313-3320, (978) 388-5110 Stumps Are Us Larchmont Engineering & Irrigation DGM Systems 11 Larchmont Lane, Lexington, MA 02420-4483 Kevin Rudat - (781) 862-2550 1 Snagwood Rd., Foster, RI 02825 Your New England specialty products distributor: Reelcraft, POK, Allen, Kenyon, Echo, Carhartt Office - (401) 647-0550 Manny Mihailides - (401) 524-8999 David Mihailides - (401) 742-1177 Lazaro’s Golf Course Supplies & Accessories dba Hammond Paint and Chemical Co., Inc. 738 Main St., Suite 223, Waltham, MA 02154 Complete line of golf course accessories; Standard, Par Aide, Eagle One. Joe Lazaro - (781) 647-3361 DHT Golf Services 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 - (401) 835-0287 dba Weed & Feed, Inc. 8 Meadow Park Road, Plymouth, MA 02360 Golf course renovation & construction in all areas: bunkers, tees, greens, drainage, irrigation, & cart paths. Dahn Tibbett, Chip Brearley - (508) 746-3222 The Andersons Technologies, Inc. D.L. Maher Co. 26 Waite Ave., S. Hadley, MA 01075 Manufacturer of fertilizer & control products. Rick Forni - (413) 534-8896 71 Concord St., P. O. Box 127, N. Reading, MA 01864 Atlantic Silica, Inc. P.O. Box 10, Enfield N.S. B2T 1C6 Canada (902) 883-3020 A-OK Turf Equipment Inc. 1357 Main St., Coventry, RI 02816-8435 Articulator, Terra Topper, Greens Groomer brush, & used equipment. Mike Cornicelli - (401) 826-2584 Barenbrug USA Lesco, Inc. 1301 E. 9th St., Ste. 1300, Cleveland, OH 44114 Ron Tumiski - (800) 321-5325 McNulty Construction Corp. P. O. Box 3218, Framingham, MA 01705 Asphalt paving of cart paths, walkways, parking areas; imprinted asphalt. John McNulty - (508) 879-8875 Water supply specialists; wells & pumping equipment. (781) 933-3210 Miller Golf Construction P.O. Box 1008, Essex, MA 01929 Golf course construction & renovation. Jonathon Miller - (978) 768-6600 Michael Drake Construction, Inc. 240 Walnut St., Framingham, MA 01702 Golf course reconstruction; professional shaper. Michael Drake - (508) 875-8247 NMP Golf Construction Corp. EZGO golf and utility vehicles. Doug Hopper - (800) 234-0474 25 Bishop Ave., Ste. A-2, Williston, VT 05495 Golf course construction. Mario Poirier - (888) 707-0787 G. Fialkosky Lawn Sprinklers Norfolk Power Equipment, Inc. E-Z-GO/Textron 5 Cushing Dr., Wrentham, MA 02093 Sales, service, rentals, leasing, Kubota tractors (508) 384-0011 Great in Grass 166 Juniper Drive, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Bruce Chapman, Territory Manager (401) 578-2300 91 Freeman St., Newton, MA 02466 Irrigation services to golf courses throughout New England. Gary Fialkosky - (617) 293-8632 BASF Turf & Ornamental 250 West Rd., Canterbury, NH 03224-2127 Growers of turfgrass and ornamentals. Malcolm McPhail - (800) 648-8873; Canterbury Office - (603) 783-4717 Golf Course Architectural/Consultation Services 118 Beauchamp Drive, Saunderstown, RI 02874 Robert McNeil (401) 667-4994 Golf Cart Services, Inc. 20 Wenham St., Danvers, MA 01923 Hydroseeding, erosion control, & tree services. Brian King - (978) 762-8737 47 Falmouth Rd., Longmeadow, MA 01106 Emerald, Insignia, Pendulum AquaCap, Curalan, Drive, Basagran, Iprodione Pro, Propiconazole Pro, Bifenthrin Pro, Plateau, Sahara. John Bresnahan - (413) 374-4102 The Borden Company 114 Summer St., Maynard, MA 01754 Bulk limestone dealer. Jack Borden - (978) 897-2571 Boston Irrigation Supply Co. (BISCO) 60 Stergis Way, Dedham, MA 02026 Distributor, irrigation supplies & accessories, featuring Rain Bird. Andrew Langlois, Jay Anderson III, Dan Fuller, Jeff Brown, Greg Hennessy, Chris Russo (800) 225-8006 The Cardinals, Inc. Cornish, Silva, & Mungeum, Inc. 207 N. Main St., Uxbridge, MA 01569 Golf course architects. (508) 278-3407 Country Club Enterprises Partac Peat Corporation Gustavo Preston Service Company Kelsey Park, Great Meadows, NJ 07838 Heat treated topdressing, golf hole targets, turf blankets, other specialty golf supplies. Jim Kelsey - (800) 247-2326 10 Kidder Road, Unit 8, Chelmsford, MA 01824 MFG Rep and Service House. Ed Ceaser (978) 250-3333 Golf course and landscape supplies. John Callahan, Dennis Friel - (800) 861-6256 304 Main St., Wethersfield, CT 06109 Authorized distributor for Bayer, Syngenta, Grigg Bros., Foliar Fertilizer, & Aquatrols. Roy Sibley, Dick Gurski, Robin Hayes (800) 326-HART 16 Maple Street, Acton, MA 01720 We serve all your remodeling and renovation needs. You can trust your project with us! We make you look good! Sean Hanley (978) 337-6661 39 Cedar St., Cohasset, MA 02025 Precise irrigation & drainage as-builts; wire tracking & electrical repairs. Greg Albanese - (781) 789-1166 15 Londonderry Rd., Londonderry, NH 03053 Turf & ornamental supplies. Chuck Bramhall, Mike Kroian, Mike Nagle, Jim Wierzbicki - (800) 228-6656 Charles C. Hart Seed Co., Inc. On-Course Golf Inc., Design/Build GPS New England Mapping Harrell’s Turf Specialty LLC 110 Codjer Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776 Annuals, perennials, garden mums, ground covers, loam, & mulch. Darren Young - (978) 443-7177 North Shore Hydroseeding 275 Wells St., Greenfield, MA 01301 Club Car golf, turf, transportation, & utility cars. James Bernier - (800) 287-0955 166 River Rd., PO Box 520, Unionville, CT 06085 Cavicchio Landscape Supply, Inc. Northeast Golf Company Gold Star Tree & Turf Farm, LLC Putnam Pipe Corp. 90 Elm St., Hopkinton, MA 01748 Underground water, sewer, & drain pipe and fittings-Erosion and sediment control material. 24-hour service. David Putnam, Eli Potty - (508) 435-3090 Hartney Greymont 433 Chestnut St., Needham, MA 02492 Tree care, landscape construction, consulting. Mark Tobin - (781) 444-1227 Read Custom Soils 125 Turnpike St., Canton, MA 02021 Custom soil blending, top dressing sands, root zone blends, divot & cart path mixes. Terry Driscoll, Garrett Whitney - (888) 475-5526 Holliston Sand Co., Inc. P. O. Box 1168, Tifft Rd., Slatersville, RI 02876 USGA-recommended sands, root-zone mixes, bunker & topdressing, agresoil compost, stonedust, & pea-stone Bob Chalifour, CGCS (ret.) - (401) 766-5010 R.F. Morse & Son, Inc. 22 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham, MA 02576 Professional goods, services, & John Deere equipment for the golf course industry. Larry Anshewitz, Mike Hannigan, Tom Rowell, Ren Wilkes, John Winskowicz - (508) 295-1553 International Golf Construction Co. 5 Purcell Rd., Arlington, MA 02474 Golf course construction. Antonios Paganis - (781) 648-2351; (508) 428-3022 Sodco Inc. P. O. Box 2, Slocum, Rl 02877 Bluegrass/Fescue, Bluegrass/Rye, Bluegrass/ Fescue/Rye, Bentgrass. Sean Moran, Pat Hogan - (800) 341-6900 PO Box 670, 29 Tobey Rd.,W.Wareham, MA 02676 Club Car golf cars, Carryall utility vehicles. Dave Farina, Darin Eddy, Keith Tortorella (800) 662-2585 Irrigation Management & Services 21 Lakeview Ave., Natick, MA 01760 Irrigation consultation, design, and system evaluation. Bob Healey, ASIC, CID (508) 653-0625 Southwest Putting Greens of Boston P.O. Box 827, Westford, MA 01886 Synthetic turf, tee lines, practice greens, outdoor and indoor practice facilities. Douglas Preston - (978) 250-5996 11 5 Timberwood Rd., #108, Goffstown, NH 03045 Professional stump chipping service. Brendan McQuade - (603) 625-4165 S.V. Moffett Co., Inc. 87 Concord Street, North Reading, MA 01864 Rain Bird Golf irrigation distributor. Mark Casey (617) 990-2427 (Eastern MA & Boston); Bob Hobbs (603) 833-0309 (NH & ME); Chris Francis (413) 519-8585 (Western MA and VT) Syngenta Professional Products 1131-0 Tolland Turnpike, Suite 261, Manchester, CT 06040 Bob Goglia (860) 716-0315 Tee & Green Sod A Division of New England Turf P. O. Box 777, West Kingston, RI 02892 Bentgrass, Blue/Fescue mixes, Bluegrass, Low Cut Bluegrass and complete installation services Dave Wallace, Scott McLeod - (888) 638-4657 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 Foxboro, Wellesley, Fall River Andy Felix - (508) 543-5644 Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Inc. P. O. Box 167, Wood River Junction, Rl 02894 Chris Beasley - (800) 556-6985 Turf Enhancement Enterprises 6 Jessica J Dr., Millbury, MA 01527 Floratine products, Precision Small Engine Co., Douglas Rollers, Trion Lifts. Tom Fox - (508) 865-9150 TurfLinks, Inc. 16 Kane Industrial Dr., Hudson, MA 01749 Distributor of quality fertilzer, grass seed, & control products for the golf course industry. Kevin Lyons, Scott Mackintosh, Jim Favreau (866) 567-9221 TurfNet Associates, lnc. 21 Brandywine Rd., Skillman, NJ 08558 Cutting edge communication for the golf course industry. Peter McCormick - (800) 314-7929 Turf Products Corp. 157 Moody Rd., Enfield, CT 06082 Distributors of Toro irrigation & maintenance equipment and other golf-related products. Tim Berge, Rick Moulton, Jeff Stouffer, Mike Turner (800) 243-4355 UAP Professional Products 18 Legate Hill Rd., Sterling, MA 01564 Fertilizer, seed, chemicals, & IPM. Glenn Larabee, 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, CT 06109 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