March 2007 Nothing ‘routine’ about the Roberston Era at Kernwood CC By GARY TRASK Dean Robertson likes to call it a “daily routine.” His superiors describe it as “dedication.” Either way you look at it, the work of Robertson at Kernwood Country Club during the last three decades as head superintendent has been nothing short of spectacular and for proof just ask anyone who has ever walked the revered Donald Ross layout in Salem, Mass. “Kernwood is a very special place, and a big part of it is the conditions that Dean and his crew have consistently kept the place over the years,” says Kernwood CC’s General Manager Tim Lynch. “Dean has never been one to work the normal 7 to 3 type of day. You can ride through the club after dark and he’ll still be out there doing something to get the course ready for the next day. People always tell us how great the course’s condition is and it’s not by accident. It’s because of Dean’s dedication that the course is the way it is.” Comments like those are the reason the entire Kernwood CC community will close the curtains on the 2007 season this fall with a pang of melancholy. Robertson announced earlier this year that he would retire after this season. It’s a move that he feels he and his wife, Judy, of 43 years are both ready for him to take. “I’m going to be 65 this fall and I just figured it was time,” Robertson says of his decision to step down. “I’m going to miss the daily routine of it all. It’s some- thing I’ve really enjoyed doing. It hasn’t always been easy, but the results have been rewarding and that makes all the work you put into worth every second.” Amazingly, Robertson is just the third head superintendent in the history of the club, which opened along the banks of the Danvers River way back in 1914. Robert Mitchell (1915 to 1938) Pictured above: Dean Robertson Photo credit: Rich Gagnon and Lester Allen (1938 to 1978) preceded Robertson, who takes great pride in the fact that you can count the number of superintendents that the club has had on just one hand. The Kernwood CC management must have known they were getting someone special to be superintendent No. 3 if you consider when he took over. Robertson’s first season on the job came directly after the ruthless Blizzard of ’78, something he has never forgotten. “The damage that was done at the course in ’78 and ’79 was the worst I can remember,” says the Stoneham, Mass. native. “Being right on the river, the tidal waters were unbelievable. But part of the beauty of the course is its setting right on the water. You just have to take the good with the bad.” Robertson graduated from UMassStockbridge in 1962. He started his career on the grounds crew at Belmont Country Club, where he worked for three months before accepting his first head super job at Bradford Country Club in Haverhill. Four years later he moved on to Ould Newbury, a nine-holer in Newbury, where he spent a little more than year. The next stop was Chestnut Hill Country Club, which is now Newton Commonwealth Golf Course, for 10 years before stepping in at Kernwood in 1978. Robertson has proven his dedication to his craft in more ways than simply showing up for work each day for the last four decades. He was also very active in the GCSANE, volunteering as newsletter editor, vice president, first vice president and president during the early days of his career. In addition, he has been a trustee for the Troll Continued on page 2 Dean Robertson continued from page 1 Affiliated Chapter 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 permission as long as the true context is maintained. We would appreciate a credit line. Page 2 Dickinson Fund since 1968, something he has found to be especially gratifying. “We’ve given out a lot scholarship money over the years and it always feels good to give back,” he says of the Troll Dickinson Fund, which awards scholarships to students heading to UMassStockbridge. “I’ve never been one to sit still. I like to stay active and those were just some things that I liked to do in order to stay involved.” Considering he’s not much of a player and never even stepped on a golf course until his senior year in high school, Robertson finds it ironic that he’s spent his entire adult life working in a field that is one of the most vital to the entire golf industry. “I’ve always loved the versatility of the job,” he says fondly. “Every day is different. And there’s always something you can do to make the course better. That’s always been something I’ve told my crew. We can always make the course better for the next day. All of the little things that you do to make the course look better really do add up.” As for his longevity, Robertson credits his ability to adapt to all the new technology and his knack for getting along with the members. “Things have changed a great deal since I started in the business,” says the father of three daughters and the grandfather of five. “You can’t fight change. You’ve got to change with the times if you expect to keep your head above water. “And you’ve always got to remember that this is the members’ course. The demands of the members have increased over the years because they all play more courses nowadays and they like their course to look like the ones on TV. But you’ve got to keep them happy. You’ve got to try and keep up with their demands, as hard as that may be. That’s your job whether you like it or not.” The fact that Kernwood CC is consistently kept in pristine conditions will aid Robertson and his staff this spring as they prepare for the playing of the 98th Massachusetts Open in June. This will be the event’s third appearance at Kernwood CC and the eighth state championship overall. continued on page 3 CALEND AR... CALENDAR... April 30 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Lexington C.C. Host: Bob Dembek 9-Hole Tournament May 29 GCSANE Monthly Meeting TPC of Boston S & B Tournament Host: Tom Brodeur June 6 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Pocasset G.C. Joint Meeting w/GCMACC Host: Stephen Carr 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 02881 Aug. 25 GCSANE Family Night Brockton Rox Baseball Campanelli Stadium Brockton, MA Sep. (TBA) GCSANE Monthly Meeting Ludlow C.C. Team of Two Tournament Host: Ronald Dobosz Oct. 1 Dr. Joseph Troll Turf Classic Fundraiser 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 Dean Robertson - continued from page 2 “We’re looking forward to it,” Robertson says. “But we like to keep the course in tournament condition every day so we really won’t have to do that much extra. It’s always fun to be able to show off your work. It’s something you take pride in. I think the MGA (Massachusetts Golf Association) likes coming here and we love hosting these types of events.” Next year at this time, Robertson, who has lived on the Kernwood CC property the last six years after calling Newbury home the previous 30 years, won’t have to worry about getting up at a donut-makers’ hour every morning or watering a fairway after dusk. Instead he’ll be living full time at his house in Freedom, N.H. enjoying life at his own pace. “It’ll be different, no doubt about it,” says Robertson, who isn’t ruling out doing some sort of consulting work after retirement. “But, like I said, I’m ready for it. I’m ready to do some different things with my life. But there will always be a little part of me at Kernwood. You can’t spend that long at a place without having it become something special in your life.” The IGCEMA Requests Your Support On September 1, 2006 Golf Course Equipment Managers and Technicians from around the world came together to form what is now the International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association (IGCEMA). The Association was developed to enhance the profession of the Golf Course Equipment Manager, Technician, Mechanic or any of the other names these professionals have been called over the years. The Association prides itself on providing education to the Equipment Managers and Technicians all over the world through various channels. Today’s rapidly changing technology and the shortage of qualified Managers and Technicians requires a far-reaching program to increase the educational opportunities and the career awareness of the Equipment Manager and Technician positions. We encourage every Superintendent, Greens Keeper, Equipment Manager and Technician to join our association and work towards finding new ways for us to help ourselves. The association is currently free to join and is certainly worth taking the time to check out. So please visit us today at www.igcema.org and help us chart the course for the professional Golf Course Equipment Manager and Technician. Cory Phillips Membership Committee Chairman cory.phillips@igcema.org 205-344-2267 Save the date.. Dr. Joseph Troll Turf Classic Fundraiser October 1, 2007 The International Honoring Geoffrey Cornish NEW DISARM®. BECAUSE SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE. DISARM provides fast leaf penetration, enhanced systemic activity, improved turf quality, and is rainfast in as little as 15 minutes. Finally, broad-spectrum disease control for fairways that’s equal to or better than the leading strobilurin. Always read and follow label directions. DISARM and the DISARM logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience North America Corporation. The Arysta LifeScience logo is a registered trademark of Arysta LifeScience Corporation. © 2007 Arysta LifeScience North America Corporation. DSM-008 Harmony In Growth Page 3 Assistants Corner An Interview with Tory Kovalesky of Salem Country Club By John Eggleston Editor’s Note: This month’s installmant of the Assistant’s Corner is written by John Eggleston, Assistant Superintendent at Kernwood Country Club. All assistant members of GCSANE are encouraged to submit articles for the Assistant’s Corner; it is a great opportunity to test your writing skills and to build on your professional portfolio. The article in this month assistant’s corner is an interview with Torrey Kovalesky, the first assistant at the prestigious Salem Country Club located in Peabody, MA. This Donald Ross designed classic was built in 1927 and has hosted many national championships, including the 2001 U.S. Senior Open, along with the 1954 and 1984 U.S. Women’s Open. Kip Taylor is the superintendent and has been since 1982. This article was written to find out more about what the first assistant at clubs are learning and how they are preparing to make the next step to become a head superintendent. What is your age? 32 What is your educational background? A.S. in Turf Management at University of Massachusetts/ Stockbridge. One year of Recreation Management at Lyndon state college, Vermont. One year of Business Management at Vermont Technical College. What is your handicap? 6 What are your hobbies? Hunting, Snowmobiling, Golf How long have you been first assistant at Salem? This will be my fourth season and I’m looking forward to the spring. Where were you before Salem? I did my college placement at Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey and worked at Myopia Hunt Club as an Page 4 assistant in Hamilton, MA, and Sun and Air Learning Facility managing the driving range and par 3 course. How large is your crew? In summer time, it tops off at 25, 7 full time and the rest of the crew is seasonal help. We hire a lot of retired workers that are willing to do the 6:30-12 shift and they are allowed to play golf on two afternoons which is a huge motivation and keeps them coming back every year. How many other assistants do you have under you? There is a second assistant and we have a spray technician and an irrigation technician. Do you have any interns? How do you recruit them? We usually have one or two a year and really do not recruit very hard. Most interns call us or are from word of mouth from other superintendents who tell us about a qualified candidate they do not have a spot for. We occasionally post job openings at North Shore Community College. What is your daily attire for you and the crew? I wear a golf shirt and khaki slacks or shorts. The crew is given t-shirts, windbreakers and hats to be worn daily. Fulltime employees are also given heavy sweatshirts and jackets. I like having a crew that looks professional and makes the employee feel part of a team. How does working at a “top 100” course in the country compare w/ other courses that you have worked at? I have been fortunate to work at three top 100 courses and it really comes down to details. Having large crews and working with large budgets is great and expectations are all part of the elite courses but paying close attention to the details is what separates the good from the great. You have a single digit handicap, how important do you think being a golfer helps with managing a golf course? It helps out a lot and you find yourself looking at different details and features that you seem not to notice when you’re working. Also being a low handicapper, I see how the greens are rolling and take note of items that have been neglected or missed. Many golf courses hire foreign help, do you and do you speak a foreign language? No, we do not have any non-English speaking workers but are open to having them apply. We are very fortunate to have a great bunch of guys right now that come back every year and they have friends if we need one or two more people. We seem to hire a good percentage of seasonal help from the airlines and post office. continued on page 5 Assistant’s Corner - continued from page 4 Do you attend GCSANE meetings? Yes, Kip encourages me to attend as many as possible. Usually it’s in the off season months that I attend. It is difficult to break away from the busy daily schedule of the growing season. Do you help with inventory, budgets, and reports? I do some of the inventory and have some input for the budget report but this is an area I need to work on more to feel comfortable in the future. Do you interact with the members frequently? How does this help your job? I speak with the members on a daily basis and it helps me in many ways. It makes me aware of any problems on the course which I attempt to fix immediately if possible and interact with guest from other clubs to get my name out there if someday their club is looking for a head superintendent. Is being a superintendent the next step in your career? Most definitely, I feel I am ready. Working here the past three years Kip has really helped me fine tune the skills I need to be a superintendent. I love the Northeast region for its four seasons. This gives us time to concentrate on areas we are not able to address during the mowing season such as drainage, bunker reconstruction, tree work, and equipment maintenance. Do you go to green committee meetings? No, but am anxious to attend some in the future. This is the part of the job I still have some learning to do and feel that it is valuable experience just to sit in on the meetings and learn what goes on. Kip goes over the topics covered in the meetings with me the next day but it is not the same as being at the meeting. Pictured to right: Salem Country Club - the 340 yard, par 4 13th a classic short par 4 Erosion Control Fabrics and Matting Landscape Rakes and Shovels Drainage Pipe and Materials Serving the Best Customers While Representing the Finest Vendors Since 1985 . . . PVC Pressure Pipe Hopkinton, MA • (508) 435-3090 “Where Service and Experience Matters.” www.putnampipe.com Erosion Control Fabrics “Call for your golf course maintenance material” PVC Drain Structures Drainage Pipe and Chambers Marking and Turf Paint Page 5 10th Anniversary Conference & Show another Landmark and Success! By Gary Sykes, Executive Director, NERTF Congratulations and thank you to everyone involved in the 2007 New England Regional Turfgrass Conference and Show just completed! Being the 10th show, the NERTF Board of Directors hoped to make 2007 a show to remember, and for at least one individual a show they will never forget. Mr. George Bell, equipment technician at Brown University, whose boss, Pat Vetere calls a “great guy”, should have no problem remembering as he toots around in his brand new 2007 Harley Davidson Fat Boy Motorcycle that he won in the 10th Anniversary Give-a-Way Raffle. Congratulations George, drive safe and we sure hope your wife likes it too! In an industry dealing with an ever changing work environment, the signs continue to point to education as the constant key to success. More than 275 attendees enjoyed the opportunity to attend seminars at this year’s conference and show, with a whopping 175 individuals in the Turfgrass Diseases of New England seminar alone! Other education sessions over the three days had strong attendance and support from an excellent line-up of speakers from across the states including Dr. Joe Vargas of Michigan State University along with many speakers from UConn, UMass, and URI. We thank all those who made presentations during the 4 intensive days of education opportunities. It was a tight room of 800 people as Rodney Harrison of the New England Patriots addressed the crowd as our highlighted keynote speaker sponsored by Bayer Environmental and LESCO. Rodney shared some personal thoughts and laughs, and then signed what seemed like a million autographs on the trade show floor during our opening trade show reception sponsored by TPC. When Y our Seeding Pr oject Ma tter s… Your Project Matter tters… We Can Help to Mak eY our Pr oject a Success! Make Your Project M & M HYDR OSEEDING, LLC HYDROSEEDING Your Hydroseeding and Erosion Control Specialist Mik e Moone y - Owner/Oper ator Owner/Opera Mike Mooney Over 20 Years in the Turf Industry Former Golf Course Superintendent 860-376-8155 or 860-608-7924 (cell) .MMseeding .com For more information visit: www www.MMseeding .MMseeding.com FREE ESTIMA TES ESTIMATES Page 6 Licensed & Fully Insur ed Insured This year’s trade show was larger than last year, thanks to vendors support and additionally for the donations of auction items, which were sold for a record $22,500! The annual auction has fast become a favorite event of many; as Auctioneer Danny Calise and emcee Manny Mihailides, with the help of Bobby “I’m working here!” Gebo, who entertain and convince the crowd to go to higher bids! Added to the end of the auction this year was the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful reception of food and hors d’oeuvres right on the show floor sponsored by Syngenta and Harrell’s Turf Specialty! These funds will all be applied to important Turfgrass Research being investigated here in the New England States. We wish to thank all our sponsors, presenters, vendors, donors, workers and attendees for all your generosity over the last 10 years. To quote the great Henry Ford: “Coming Together is a Beginning, Keeping Together is Progress, Working Together is Success!” With 10 years now behind us, so what’s next? This is a great question. The NERTF needs everyone’s help to insure that this great event continues to be on the right track. We are including a survey with this article and ask anyone who had the chance to come to this year’s show to help us to evaluate how we are doing with an incentive. Please take a few minutes and fill out the 2007 New England Regional Turfgrass Conference and Show Turf 2007 Evaluation sheet and send it into us. Just fill it out, fold it over, tape it, stamp it and send it! That is all we ask, and if you do it before June 1st, you will be entered into a drawing for a free 3-day Conference and Show pass w/ a 2-night stay in the Westin Hotel for 2008 ($450 value). So, please help us with good information. If you have any comments or questions concerning the foundation, don’t forget you can talk to your association delegates to the NERTF Board of Directors or call our office 401-8415490. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the Spring! CLUB NEWSLETTER SERIES Editors Note: In this edition, we have a new submission in the club newsletter article series. All members are encouraged to submit their club newsletter articles for publication in The Newsletter. A Note from Your Superintendent February 2007 Rich Gagnon, Segregansett Country Club Looks like February is behind us and the warm weather can’t be too far away. What a winter we have had so far! Members have been enjoying the mild winter and warm temperatures while playing the entire golf course, including the greens, almost into February. What a treat it has been. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end even if it’s only on a “temporary” basis. I would love to keep the regular greens open all winter and enjoy all the smiling faces as our playing membership hop, skip, and jump their way to the 1st tee every morning. Even though I am very lenient with the winter play, I have to draw the line every once in a while. Even though it may not be the most popular decision I will make the best decision for the well being of the golf course and it’s a decision that I take the time and effort to make correctly. The regular greens were open for a total of 309 consecutive days between March 24, 2005 and January 26, 2007 with the only exception being aerification week. It was 4 degrees on January 26. The popular question during those rare occasions when the greens are closed is “why?”. The quick and obvious answers would usually be: “It’s February”, “It’s 4 degrees out”, and “Your hurting the grass”. I will take the time now to explain a bit further why we can’t have the greens open all the time. • Reason #1: Direct wear injury. Unlike during the growing season, when turf is able to regenerate new leaves and stems to replace injured tissue daily, winter weather completely halts turf growth; the grass is continually thinned throughout the winter. This thinning of the turf will encourage weeds such as Poa annua, crabgrass, moss, algae, and other weeds during the spring and summer. • Reason #2: Soil compaction. Soil compaction is a more important consequence of winter traffic. Because of the cold winter temperatures and lack of active turf growth, the loss of excess soil moisture through evaporation and transpiration is greatly reduced. Water does not exit off the greens in the winter as easily as it does in the summer. As the soils are pushed closer and closer together, the pore space needed for good root growth and drainage during the summer is lost. Compacted soils means harder greens, more wilting, more disease, poor drainage, and weed potential. • Reason #3: Effects on playability. With the loss of turf density from winter play the greens with tend to be bumpy, hard, slow, and will be slower to develop during the spring, compared to greens that are not subject to winter play. • Reason #4: Poa Annua. The most susceptible grass to winter wear is the grass which makes up about 75% of our greens. Also called annual bluegrass, Poa which is played on during the winter will be the first to suffer and will be the first to be effected by weeds, disease, insects, and wilt come summertime. The best way to encourage more Poa is to weaken the grass which is already there. We want to maintain the small amounts of actual bentgrass we do have and keep the percentages of Poa down as much as possible. • Reason #5: Our trees. Greens close to large trees that suffer from shade (3, 5, 9), air circulation problems (2, 5, 16, 17), and tree root competition should not be subject to winter play. Play on these greens during the winter runs the risk of slow spring response and weakness during the summer. • Reason #6: The experts agree. I recently talked to members of the USGA, Rutgers University, and Ohio State University and it’s well documented by superintendents, turf scientists, and agronomists that it’s not worth the risk and they all agree that winter play on greens “can cause an inordinate amount of damage to the health and playability of the greens.” Taken directly from the Ohio State newsletter: “In general winter play is not good for turf, especially golf greens because turfgrass growth is nonexistent. The repercussion from no growth is little if any recovery from traffic or wear (especially on greens). Also, divots, ball marks and continued on page 9 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 Page 7 OSHA’s 2006 Golf Safety Results By Ron Smith, MBA, CPSI The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) strives to improve the overall safety conditions throughout the different workplaces in America. Included in their efforts to accomplish the goal of providing safer places of work is the sharing of their inspection and enforcement results via their official website; www.osha.gov. The data can be viewed in a variety of ways including; by industry (via Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes), by jurisdiction (Federal, State, or both), by location (state), and by dates. Traditionally, OSHA’s official year runs from October 1 to the following September 30. However, you can view the data by calendar year with the only caveat being you have to manually summarize the results (inspections, citations, monetary penalties). There are four (4) primary types of incidents that trigger an OSHA inspection. There are other triggers (such as Special Emphasis Program and SST), but these four initiate the bulk of inspections : 1. 2. 3. 4. Imminent danger situation Fatalities and catastrophes Complaints and referrals Programmed inspections Using the calendar year option the Golf industry (SIC codes 7992 & 7997) had the following OSHA (federal & state) results for 2006: • • • 67 clubs inspected (45 public & 22 private) o 30% of inspections due to employee complaints to OSHA o 12% of inspections due to reported accidents 224 citations issued (159 public & 65 private) Most often cited violations: Hazard Communication Occupational Noise Asbestos General Duty Clause Respiratory Protection Lock out / tag out First Aid Guarding of tools Signs & tags Walking surfaces As one can see from the Inspection numbers the Golf industry is not a high priority item for OSHA due primarily to the fact that overall the industry has few serious accidents and even fewer fatalities. If you are contacted by OSHA about a pending inspection please keep in mind that their primary intent is to be supportive, not punitive. Provide honest answers to their questions and highlight the positive safety results you and your staff have had over the years. For more information regarding OSHA’s safety results for the golf industry please visit their website or contact Ron Smith at 877-5978 or ronsmith@sportsclubmanagement.com Plan ahead and reserve your space now for The Newsletter advertising opportunities Monthly Rate Member Rates: 4 Times Per Year (Save 5%) 6 Times Per Year (Save 10%) 8 Times Per Year (Save 10%) Annual Rate (Save 17%) 1/6 page (vertical; 2.375" wide x 4.5" deep) $125.00 $475.00 $675.00 $900.00 $1250.00 1/6 page (horizontal; 5.06" wide x 2.125" deep) $125.00 $475.00 $675.00 $900.00 $1250.00 1/3 page (horizontal; 5.06" wide x 4.5" deep) $200.00 $760.00 $1080.00 $1440.00 $2000.00 1/2 page (horizontal; 7.75" wide x 4.5" deep) $250.00 $950.00 $1350.00 $1800.00 $2500.00 Full page (vertical; 7.75" wide x 9.25" deep) $500.00 $1900.00 $2700.00 $3600.00 $5000.00 Non-Member Rates: *All payments must be received in full before the ad appears in The Newsletter. 1/6 page (vertical; 2.375" wide x 4.5" deep) $150.00 $570.00 $810.00 $1080.00 $1500.00 1/6 page (horizontal; 5.06" wide x 2.125" deep) $150.00 $570.00 $810.00 $1080.00 $1500.00 1/3 page (horizontal; 5.06" wide x 4.5" deep) $240.00 $912.00 $1296.00 $1728.00 $2400.00 1/2 page (horizontal; 7.75" wide x 4.5" deep) $300.00 $1140.00 $1620.00 $2160.00 $3000.00 Full page (vertical; 7.75" wide x 9.25" deep) $600.00 $2280.00 $3240.00 $4320.00 $6000.00 *DEADLINE for ads: The first of the month for that month’s issue. Send all Newsletter ads to: Julie Heston, 36 Elisha Mathewson Road, N. Scituate, RI 02857 Phone: 401-934-3677 Email: jheston@verizon.net Page 8 Club Newsletter - continued from page 7 generally tearing up the turf become potential “beachheads” for the development of winter weeds like annual bluegrass.” Taken right from the USGA Green Section Record: “It is safe to say that winter play can only harm the greens, and in many cases it has a significantly negative impact on the health and playability of the turf during the following golf season.” Karl Danneberger, Ph. D., Ohio State, came up with this handy chart for winter play scenarios: 2. Play on frozen soil. Most likely will result in wear injury to the turf but little soil compaction. 1. Play on dry unfrozen soil. Although wear injury is always a potential problem, this situation will result in the least damage. 3. Play on wet, unfrozen soil. The potential damage under this scenario is soil compaction, but less wear injury. At the moment, this has been the most common situation. Scenes fr om Se gregansett from Seg (photo credit: Rich Gagnon) 4. Play on a thawing soil (unfrozen — wet on the surface), that is frozen below. This is the worst situation to have play because both wear injury and soil compaction can occur. Winter golf is part of the fabric of Segregansett Country Club and no one knows this better than I do. I took the time to explain why winter golf can have a negative impact on the greens here at Seggy, I in no way would ever want to eliminate winter golf, I just want to step in when I think it may be harmful to play on our greens. I appreciate your confidence in me to make the call each and every day here at Seggy. You can always reach me for questions or comments at sccturf@hotmail.com. Have a great March. The 14th hole Rich Gagnon, Superintendent The 1st hole The 10th hole Page 9 DIVOT DRIFT ... announcements ... educational seminars ... job opportunities ...tournament results...and miscellaneous items of interest to the membership. MEMBERSHIP GCSAA NEWS Welcome New Members: • Paul West, Assistant, Bass Rocks GC • Nicole Ottani, Assistant, Fresh Pond GC • Patrick Folan, Assistant, Belmont CC • Luke White, Assistant, Wianno Club A reminder to complete the Golf Course Environmental Profile’s nutrient survey. It concludes on April 27, 2007. Superintendents can access the survey at http://survey.ngf.org/r27004/ facilitysearch.asp. Proposed for Membership: • Affiliate: Edward Ceasar, Gustavo Preston Service Company • Friend: Gustavo Preston Service Company • Assistant: Patrick MacDonald, Tedesco CC ANNOUNCEMENTS Congratulations to Bill and Jackie Sansone on the recent birth of their daughter, Ayla Morgan. Note: All members are encouraged to contact Julie Heston to announce new arrivals so that we may purchase a savings bond in recognition of their birth. Phone: (401) 934-3677 or jheston@verizon.net Well wishes go out to Jack O’Donnell who is recovering from surgery. Our condolences are extended to Brad MacDonald and family on the recent passing of Brad’s father. As in the past, The Newsletter continues to invite affiliate members to submit a press release about new personnel, new products, or a company bio. We will print such releases on a space available basis. Looking to “clean out the barn?” Superintendent members may advertise their used equipment free of charge in The Newsletter. Please send information to Julie Heston at jheston@verizon.net Page 10 Regardless of previous participation with the environmental surveys, both GCSAA member and non-member superintendents may participate. As a thank you for participation and full-completion of the survey, participants will automatically be entered into a random drawing for a $250 gift card, one of which will be awarded for each of the seven agronomic regions. GCSAA members who complete and return the survey will receive 0.25 service points. For more information on the project, please visit: http:/ /www.eifg.org/programs/baselinesurvey.asp A paper version of the survey is available, upon request. For more information, please contact Dr. Clark Throssell, GCSAA’s Director of Research, at (800) 472-7878, ext. 4429 or mailto:cthrossell@gcsaa.org; Greg Lyman, GCSAA’s Director, Environmental Programs, at (800) 472-7878, ext. 3625 or mailto:glyman@gcsaa.org; or Mark Johnson, GCSAA’s senior manager, environmental programs, at (800) 472-7878, ext. 5161 or mailto:mjohnson@gcsaa.org Birdies and bees: How superintendents can help native pollinators Pollinators are in decline across North America and golf courses can play a role in their conservation. These are two of the findings of the recently released National Academy of Sciences report Status of Pollinators in North America. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, based in Portland, Ore., can offer information and practical advice about pollinator conservation on golf courses. To learn more about the NAS report and download detailed guidelines on creating habitat on golf courses, visit the Society’s web site, http://www.xerces.org/ Pollinator_Insect_Conservation. Or contact Matthew Shepherd, pollinator program director, at mdshepherd@xerces.org or 503323-6639. Source: GCSAA press release MEMBERS ON THE THE MO VE MOVE MEMBER ON MO MOVE VE Congratulations to Justin Santos as he leaves Canoe Brook Country Club, Summit, NJ to accept the Superintendent position at Manchester Country Club in New Hampshire. Congratulations to former member Eric Newell as he recently accepted the Superintendent position at Waverly Oaks Golf Club. Scholarship & Benevolence Committee Needs Your Help The S&B Committee is seeking donations for rounds of golf from all member clubs to be raffled off at the S&B Tournament on May 29th. The proceeds of the raffle will go towards the S&B fund, which benefits all members of GCSANE. Please forward your donations to Sharon Brownell. POSITION OPENINGS Please visit our web site www.gcsane.org for all the details on any current job openings. Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION A.A. Will Materials Corp. 198 Washington St., Stoughton, MA 02072-1748 Root zone mixes, divot mixes, topdressing blends, bunker sands, cart path mixes, bridging stone, & hardscape supplies. Charlie Downing, Ed Downing (800) 4-AA-WILL Accusoils Outdoor World of New England P.O. Box 16477, Hooksett, NH 03106 Topdressing sand & mixes, divot mix, greens & tees, root zone mix, bunker sand, cart path mix, stablizer, & greens care analysis. (866) 222-6644 Cornish, Silva, & Mungeum, Inc. Irrigation Management & Services Southwest Putting Greens of Boston 207 N. Main St., Uxbridge, MA 01569 Golf course architects. (508) 278-3407 21 Lakeview Ave., Natick, MA 01760 Irrigation consultation, design, and system evaluation. Bob Healey, ASIC, CID - (508) 653-0625 Westford, MA Synthetic greens and practice facilities Country Club Enterprises PO Box 670, 29 Tobey Rd.,W.Wareham, MA 02676 Ken Jones Tire, Inc. Club Car golf cars, Carryall utility vehicles. Dave Farina, Darin Eddy, Keith Tortorella (800) 662-2585 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 A.D. Makepeace Co. 158 Tihonet Road, Wareham, MA 02571 (508) 322-4092 DGM Systems Agresource, Inc. 100 Main St., Amesbury, MA 01913 Tim Gould, Guy Travers (800) 313-3320, (978) 388-5110 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 The Andersons Technologies, Inc. 26 Waite Ave., S. Hadley, MA 01075 Manufacturer of fertilizer & control products. Rick Forni - (413) 534-8896 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 Great in Grass 166 Juniper Drive, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Bruce Chapman, Territory Manager (401) 578-2300 BASF Turf & Ornamental 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. 166 River Rd., PO Box 520, Unionville, CT 06085 Golf course and landscape supplies. John Callahan, Dennis Friel - (800) 861-6256 Cavicchio Landscape Supply, Inc. 110 Codjer Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776 Annuals, perennials, garden mums, ground covers, loam, & mulch. Darren Young - (978) 443-7177 Charles C. Hart Seed Co., Inc. 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 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 DHT Golf Services 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 104 Wyman Rd., Braintree, MA 02184 OSHA and EPA compliance services & training. Ron Smith - (781) 848-5978 Stumps Are Us Larchmont Engineering & Irrigation 5 Timberwood Rd., #108, Goffstown, NH 03045 Professional stump chipping service. Brendan McQuade - (603) 625-4165 11 Larchmont Lane, Lexington, MA 02420-4483 Kevin Rudat - (781) 862-2550 S.V. Moffett Co., Inc. DAF Services, Inc. 20 Lawnacre Rd., Windsor Locks, CT 06096 Irrigation pumps - sales & service; northeast warehouse/distributor for ISCO HDPE pipe & fittings. Richard Young - (860) 623-5207 Sports Club Management, Inc. 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 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 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) 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. D.L. Maher Co. Miller Golf Construction 71 Concord St., P. O. Box 127, N. Reading, MA 01864 Water supply specialists; wells & pumping equipment. (781) 933-3210 P.O. Box 1008, Essex, MA 01929 Golf course construction & renovation. Jonathon Miller - (978) 768-6600 Michael Drake Construction, Inc. NMP Golf Construction Corp. 240 Walnut St., Framingham, MA 01702 Golf course reconstruction; professional shaper. Michael Drake - (508) 875-8247 25 Bishop Ave., Ste. A-2, Williston, VT 05495 Golf course construction. Mario Poirier - (888) 707-0787 E-Z-GO/Textron Norfolk Power Equipment, Inc. EZGO golf and utility vehicles. Doug Hopper - (800) 234-0474 5 Cushing Dr., Wrentham, MA 02093 Sales, service, rentals, leasing, Kubota tractors (508) 384-0011 Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Inc. North Shore Hydroseeding Turf Enhancement Enterprises 20 Wenham St., Danvers, MA 01923 Hydroseeding, erosion control, & tree services. Brian King - (978) 762-8737 6 Jessica J Dr., Millbury, MA 01527 Floratine products, Precision Small Engine Co., Douglas Rollers, Trion Lifts. Tom Fox - (508) 865-9150 G. Fialkosky Lawn Sprinklers 91 Freeman St., Newton, MA 02466 Irrigation services to golf courses throughout New England. Gary Fialkosky - (617) 293-8632 Gold Star Tree & Turf Farm, LLC 250 West Rd., Canterbury, NH 03224-2127 Growers of turfgrass and ornamentals. Malcolm McPhail - (800) 648-8873; Canterbury Office - (603) 783-4717 Golf Cart Services, Inc. 275 Wells St., Greenfield, MA 01301 Club Car golf, turf, transportation, & utility cars. James Bernier - (800) 287-0955 GPS New England Mapping 39 Cedar St., Cohasset, MA 02025 Precise irrigation & drainage as-builts; wire tracking & electrical repairs. Greg Albanese - (781) 789-1166 Harrell’s Turf Specialty LLC 15 Londonderry Rd., Londonderry, NH 03053 Turf & ornamental supplies. Chuck Bramhall, Mike Kroian, Mike Nagle, Jim Wierzbicki - (800) 228-6656 Hartney Greymont 433 Chestnut St., Needham, MA 02492 Tree care, landscape construction, consulting. Mark Tobin - (781) 444-1227 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 International Golf Construction Co. 5 Purcell Rd., Arlington, MA 02474 Golf course construction. Antonios Paganis - (781) 648-2351; (508) 428-3022 On-Course Golf Inc., Design/Build 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 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 Putnam Pipe Corp. 90 Elm St., Hopkinton, MA 01748 Underground water, sewer, & drain piping sales & distribution. 24-hour service. David Putnam, Eli Potty - (508) 435-3090 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 R.F. Morse & Sons, 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 Sodco Inc. P. O. Box 2, Slocum, Rl 02877 Bluegrass/Fescue, Bluegrass/Rye, Bluegrass/ Fescue/Rye, Bentgrass. Sean Moran, Pat Hogan - (800) 341-6900 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 P. O. 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, & control products for the golf course industry. Kevin Lyons, Scott Mackintosh, Jim Cohen, 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 Page 11 New England Regional Turfgrass Conference and Show Turf 2007 Evaluation Please join with us in evaluating this year’s conference and show by answering the following questions. (1-poor; 3-avg; 5-great!) 1. How many years have you attended the NERTC&S? 2. Do you manage: 3. Did you attend a Seminar in 2007 on Monday, March 5th? Sports Turf Golf Grounds/Schools Landscapes Yes Other (circle) No Comments: 4. How would rate the USGA education day in meeting your needs? 1(Poor) 2 3 4 5(Great) 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: 5. How would you rate the Keynote Speaker? Comments/Suggestions: 6. How would you rate Tuesday’s Opening Reception & Food? Comments: 7. How would you rate the Trade Show in meeting your needs? Comments: 8. Did the Education Program on Wednesday meet your needs? Comments: 9. How would you rate the Wed. Reception on the Show Floor? Comments: 10. Did the Education Program on Thursday meet your needs? Comments: 11. Did you participate in either the Silent or Live Auctions? Yes No Comments: 12. How would you rate your hotel experience in Providence? 1 2 3 4 5 13. How would you rate the restaurants in Providence? 1 2 3 4 5 14. How would you rate the Rhode Island Convention Center? 1 2 3 4 5 15. Please rate your overall N. E. Regional Turfgrass Conference & Show experience in 2007. 1 (Poor) Additional Comments/Suggestions: 2 3 4 5 (Great!) Name: Company: Address: Phone: (Fill out the reverse side and information above and send back by June 1st to be eligible for 3-day 2008 Conference and Show Registration and Two-night stay at the Westin Hotel drawing.) Only one entrant per person. (Fold) STAMP New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation, Inc. c/o Gary Sykes 1272 West Main Road, Green #3 Middletown, RI 02842 (Fold)