July 2008

Matt Behl Enjoys the Best of Both Worlds
By: Dick Trust
He‘s up early enough on most
days to see the sun rise, and he‘s generally with his wife and 3-year-old twins
at home when the sun sets. It makes
for an ideal mix of work and play.
―In the good weather, I‘m usually
done by 3:30 in the afternoon,‖ said
Behl, in his eighth year as head superintendent at Haverhill (Mass.) Country
Club. ―I make sure that on the days I
do get out at 3:30, I‘ll bring a lot of
work home with me and once the kids
go to sleep, I‘ll spend about an hour
doing my office work, budgetary
stuff, getting ready for the next
day. I‘m able to spend the evenings with them.‖
Behl‘s twins – son Mason and
daughter Marissa – savor their
visits to dad at the golf course,
too.
―There‘s nothing more those
kids like than taking a ride around
or just hanging out in the maintenance shop,‖ said Behl
(pronounced BE-il). ―They absolutely love it there. If I go back for
an afternoon tour, they‘re right there.
My wife (Melissa) visits quite a bit,
too.‖
The demands of the job and the
joys of family life cut into the time that
Behl, 33, can play golf.
―I very rarely play nowadays,‖ he
said. ―By no means am I a good golfer,
but in college I played a decent
amount. Since I became an assistant
and then (head) superintendent, I
haven‘t had the time. And now, with
the kids, every free minute I have, I
devote to them.‖

From May 1 to, roughly, Oct. 1,
Behl arrives at the golf course by 5 in
the morning. If he and his staff of 15
can pack up and head home by 3:30
p.m., great. If issues arise, the workday is extended. It goes with the territory.
―Sometimes when we‘re short on
water, we‘ll stay to 5:30 or so,‖ he said.
―When we have water and the weather
is good, we try to take advantage of it.‖
Behl‘s twins try to take advantage
of the time they spend at the golf

Aerial View of Haverhill Country Club

course. It‘s hard to pry them away.
―Our practice green is next to the
maintenance shop,‖ Behl pointed out.
―I could probably leave them out there
for about two hours and they wouldn‘t
leave the practice green. They just
love it. They‘re not using a putter. All
they‘re doing is picking up balls and
trying to roll them into the practice
green cups. They‘ll do that for as long
as I allow them to.‖

―I think when they get a little bit
older; they‘ll definitely be inclined to
take up golf.‖
By then, their dad presumes, they
will have discovered putters.
Behl grew up in the tiny southwestern Massachusetts town of Granville,
an artsy-craftsy outpost in the foothills
of the Berkshires, near the Connecticut
border. Population these days is 1,521
– no more than about five times the
membership of 300 at Haverhill C.C.
As a kid, he played hockey and
baseball, but by the time he was
a sophomore at nearby Southwick High School (Granville has
no secondary school of its own;
Southwick also embraces students from Tolland), Behl had
turned to track and cross country.
A latecomer to running, he got
good in a hurry. And being in a
hurry was good: He won the Division 2 state cross country championship in his senior year, and
earned a track and cross country
scholarship at UMass Amherst.
After four years there he received a
bachelor‘s degree in turfgrass management and was on his way to a career as golf course superintendent.
Before entering that realm, Behl
considered the landscaping business,
in which he worked for 2½ years while
in high school. It wasn‘t a giant leap
from that to tending to golf courses, but
he made the jump. In the end, his
heart was in the right place.
―It wasn‘t until my freshman year in
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
28 Pecunit Street, Canton, MA 02021
781-828-6540
E-mail: jadams@bluehillcc.com
Blue Hill Country 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
Mark Gagne
233 Baker Street, Walpole, MA 02081
508-668-3859 Fax: 508-668-9969
E-mail:Mgagne@walpolecc.org
Walpole 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
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
EDUCATION CHAIRMAN
Timothy Hood
49 Green Street (Billing Box 214), Needham, MA 02492
781-444-5548 Fax 781-444-4258
E-mail: hood.timothyb@verizon.net
Needham Golf Club
NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN
Richard Gagnon
85 Gulliver Street
Taunton, MA 02780
508-823-0466 Fax 508-823-3915
E-mail: sccturf@hotmail.com
Segregansett 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
Rich Gagnon, Editor, Segregansett Country Club
Mike Cassidy, Ferncroft Country Club
Andrew Eick, The Kittansett Club
Ethan Tease, Woodland Golf Club
Julie Heston, Business Manager
Phone: (401) 934-3677 Email: jheston@verizon.net
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.

Matt Behl - continued from page 1

college that I realized there was more
to it (caring for a course) than I
thought,‖ he said, ―and that‘s when I
really started getting into turf and concentrating on the golf course end of it.
I just liked it more than the landscaping
end of it, so I turned in that direction.‖
Behl came to Haverhill in 2001
after three years as assistant superintendent at Ferncroft Country Club in
Danvers, Mass. Before that he worked
on the grounds staff for three years at
Crestview C.C. in Agawam.
―When I took over at Haverhill, it
was after they had had a really bad
year,‖ Behl said. ―A couple of greens
and quite a few fairways were in really
rough shape. I basically worked hard
to restore turf conditions and bring the
playing conditions back to a level
where I feel they should be.
―I‘ve just done my job and keep
trying to produce the best turf conditions I can, the best playing conditions
that I can, and membership has been
nothing but supportive of everything
I‘ve done since I‘ve been here. Membership treats me well; they‘ve been a
pleasure to work with.‖
Opened in 1925, Haverhill is a par70, 18-hole private-equity course,
6,302 yards long from the back tees.
The course rating is 69.5 and has a
slope rating of 128.
―It‘s a short course, but it doesn‘t
play short,‖ Behl said. ―It‘s a very tough
course. We keep the rough very thick,
and on the longer side. There are
small, undulating greens, with a speed
of 10, 10½.
―There are a lot of holes where if
you do take driver out, you can end up
in some real trouble with the heavy
rough and bunkering we do have.‖
The ―major issue‖ that Behl said he
and his crew has been working on is
enlarging ―a couple of our irrigation
ponds. The water resources are a little
bit limited, but we‘re always trying to
budget and very carefully manage our
water. I‘ve had to in the past buy water
from the city, which basically entails
hooking up to a fire hydrant and running close to 1,500 feet of fire hose
down into our irrigation ponds. We had
to do that just once. Last year we were
about a week away from needing to
buy water, but we were able to make it
through without.
―Last year was dry, but it hasn‘t
been this year. Still, it‘s always something we have to be careful with, man2

“I’ve

just done my job and
keep trying to produce the
best turf conditions I can, the
best playing conditions that I
can, and membership has
been nothing but supportive
of everything I’ve done since
I’ve been here.”
Matt Behl
Superintendent,
Haverhill CC
aging our water. The course holds up,
but it requires a lot of extra man-hours
in periods of drought to always being
able to water the way you‘d like to water.
―We have dug three wells, which
produce about 100 gallons per minute,
which is good, but they drop off quickly
after running basically five to seven
days and start to wane. They replenish
themselves, but it‘s a long process. It‘s
not until next season that you can fully
use them again.‖
An issue that Behl and his staff
deal with annually is a touch of turf
disease.
―We haven‘t had too much trouble,‖ he said, although he does battle
summer patch and anthracnose.
―Anthracnose is the toughest I fight on
a daily basis. It never gets to the point
where it‘s noticeable to the membership – they never say, ‗What‘s wrong
with this green?‘ – but I have four
greens that no matter what I do, how
healthy they are, it seems that they get
anthracnose.
―It never gets that bad, never interrupts play. It‘s just something that‘s
always lurking, always on my mind,
and I‘m always trying to come up with
a new strategy to alleviate the problem. They‘re on a little bit heavier aerification schedule and the greens get a
little bit extra fertilization and the anthracnose still moves in on those
greens.
―It happens right around the last
week of June to mid-July. By the end
of July, it goes away and the greens
are fine the rest of the season. No matter what I do – trust me, my assistants
go crazy over all the work I‘ve done
trying to alleviate the problem – I just

Continued on page 3

Peer to Peer: Better Turf Though Networking
By: Rich Gagnon
In the spirit of networking and
sharing information, experiences and
ideas, several of our superintendent
members have offered their insights on
topics such as disease, heat, gas
prices, new ideas and old ones. I
asked a few questions on the website‘s
forum to see what‘s going on at other
golf courses. Thanks to all those who
replied. I encourage everyone to check
the website regularly as everyone else
would love to hear what you have to
say. The questions I posted are as
follows:
How are you holding up so far this
summer with the unusual weather
and one heat wave behind us already?
Have you had any disease issues, if
yes what have you done to battle it,
have you tried anything new, and
have you had any luck?
What cultural practices are you using to improve turf conditions this
summer?
What has been your biggest problem so far this summer?

Have you had to send any turf samples to be tested and where do you
send them to and what was the result?
What are you paying for gas these
days and where do you buy from?
Scott Lagana:
We (Oak Hill CC) are holding up well.
Our only problem is collars, they are a
heinze 57 mix and combined with
greens mower turning, even though we
use mats, has required a lot of hand
watering and we also aerated with 1/4"
tines on July 1.
No disease issues.
We do a lot of brushing, greens, approaches and fairways.
Again, our biggest issue are collars,
we have not hand watered greens at
all, just collars.
We sent out samples twice on our
problem greens for nematodes. First
round came back clear, second round
identified one green for treatment. We
use Umass.

Ron Dobosz:
Been a tough summer out here in
western Massachusetts much like all of
the state. Before the heat waves we
had several heavy and damaging thunderstorms that were on a nightly basis.
In a two week period in late June/early
July we got 9 inches of rain. Naturally
we had issues with water collecting
and some pythium in some poor drainage areas so fungicide sprays are
more frequent on fairways then last
year. Many of us out here are struggling with summer patch on fairways, I
have some tees and 3 fairways that
have a fair amount and we have
treated curatively three times in the
last week, seems to be checking up
but time will tell with another 3 days of
90 plus temps and humidity.
With all the storms and humidity we
have not had to syringe anything however we are losing lots of poa on collars and tee edges.
As far as cultural practices we are
spiking monthly, no grooming now, but
weekly light topdressing of greens with
straight sand.

Matt Behl - continued from page 2

can‘t seem to knock it out. Nothing
wholly works for us.
―Some way I‘ll find the underlying
cause of the problem. But until then,
it‘s almost uncanny. We just make sure
it doesn‘t get out of hand.‖
Haverhill C.C. typically opens
around the first of April each year and
closes around the first of December.
The off-season has Behl‘s staff at
about a half-dozen, who do a lot of tree
work in the winter.
―We‘ve done a lot in the past and
there‘s still a lot to do,‖ Behl said.
―There are some areas that are very
heavily shaded and we‘ve been working on taking those trees down. We do
about 50 to 75 trees a year in-house
ourselves and we‘ll contract out for

We just filled up today with 700 gal. of
gasoline at $4.01. Diesel was $4.66
last week. Fortunately we did a good
job forecasting/budgeting and should
be on budget come October.

another 25 or so trees that we can‘t do
ourselves.
‖Once April rolls around, Behl
works just about seven days a week
until the end of the season.
―I hardly ever take a day off,
maybe one or two days a year during
the course of the season,‖ he said.
―Sometimes the hours and stuff wear
on me a little, but when it‘s all said and
done, at the end of September you
take a ride around the golf course and
if it‘s what you want it to be, it‘s all
worthwhile.‖ 

It has in my opinion been one of the
most difficult summers I have seen
based on the excessive weather extremes. Labor Day is almost here!!
Also, I agree Oak Hill is great played
there last week!!
Patrick Daly:
We‘ve been holding up fine so far this
summer with no major issues. I give a
lot of credit to my Assistants for that.
For some reason this year we‘ve had
some turnover on our staff and they‘ve
dealt with that and everything else real
well so far.

Continued on page 5

3

Working in Hot Conditions
By: Ron Smith, MBA, CPSI
General Hazards
Your body is designed to operate
within a fairly narrow temperature
range. If your body temperature goes
too high, you get sick.
Heat exhaustion is a risk if you're
physically active when it's hot. You'll
probably get dizzy and sweaty, but it's
not likely to be life-threatening.
Heatstroke is much more serious. It is
also a hazard when you're physically
active in hot conditions. But heatstroke can send your body temperature so high that you become unconscious. Even worse, too much exposure to these conditions can put so
much strain on your heart and blood
vessels that you risk heart failure or
stroke. The risk is greatest for people
who have heart or circulatory problems. Their bodies are least able to
take the strain and may not perspire
and cool properly.

If you're working outside, you can also
be exposed to hazards from too much
sun exposure. One hazard is skin cancer—the result of too much sun. Another problem is sunburn or sunstroke
from getting too much sun when you're
not used to it.
Identifying Hazards
If you know the symptoms of heat
stress, you can keep those symptoms
from getting out of hand. The symptoms that indicate heat stress symptoms can also be symptoms of other
health problems. But if it's hot and
you're getting a workout, heat stress is
probably your prime hazard.
You usually start by feeling hot, uncomfortable, and just not ready to do
much. That's not serious, but it's
probably a sign you should get out of
the heat. Here are the symptoms that
could indicate a serious problem:

Excessive Sweating
Dizziness
Rapid heartbeat Chest Pain
Breathing problems
Nausea
Great weakness
Cramps
Diarrhea
Headache

Even worse are these signs of
heatstroke:
 High temperature
 Hot red, dry skin
 Rapid pulse
Assume that any of these symptoms
mean a serious problem.
You should also know the signs of
skin cancer. See a doctor if you notice a mole or skin spot with these
characteristics:
 One half is different from the other
 The border is irregular
 There are different colors
 It seems to be growing
Protection Against “Heat” Hazards


Top Dressing Sand / Blends

NEW ENGLAND
SPECIALT Y
SOILS



Pro Play Bunker Sand
Pro Play HD Bunker Sand



Tee Mixes
Divot Blends
Rootzone Mixes
Bagged Products

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Screened Soils / Compost
Aggregates



Ed Downing
Phone: 978-466-1844 Cell: 978-230-2300
E-mail: downing_ed@hotmail.com

4

As with any hazards, the best way
to deal with heat hazards is to try
to prevent them.
Dress for conditions. Lightweight,
light-colored loose clothing is the
best. Wear a hat with a wide brim
if you're out in the sun. Put sunscreen on exposed body parts.
Eat a regular well-balanced diet,
but try to stay away from hot or
heavy food. Also watch your salt
consumption. Some people take
salt tablets to replace the salt lost
in perspiration when it's hot. But
too much salt can be bad for you,
so don't take salt tablets without a
doctor's recommendation.
Drink plenty of fluids. Don't wait
until you're thirsty. Your body is
sweating out a lot of fluid, and you
have to keep replacing it. The best
thing to drink is water. Avoid anything with caffeine or alcohol.
Use sunscreen outside and cover
as much of your body with clothing
as possible.
Build up your exposure to the sun
slowly. Try to stay in the shade or
Continued on page 7

Peer to Peer - continued from page 3

It‘s been difficult to schedule watering
with the uneven rain events but we‘ve
been lucky so far to receive smaller
amounts of rain than those even just a
few miles away. It‘s July and I am anticipating all hell to break loose anytime now.
We were hit with anthracnose in the
middle of June which was pretty aggressive. We‘d been stressing out the
greens with a MGA qualifier and a 2day Member-Guest on back to back
weeks. We tried the typical Daconil
application with no success (including
blanket applications and backpack applications). We then moved to applying
light applications of foliar fertilizers,
moving to smooth rollers and plugging
out infected areas. I am sure it will be
back and I will try Trinity when it reappears.
We have been topdressing our greens
weekly. It‘s a little different then what
we‘ve done in the past when we were
lucky to go monthly. We put out about
20-25 bags each week and water in at
night.

What‘s my biggest problem? The
things I mentioned already and dealing
with post emergent crabgrass applications. I‘m a pessimist so I‘m sure the
worst has yet to come. I have yet to
send a sample for testing and I have
been paying $4.89 per gallon on Diesel
from Holliston Oil and $3.62 per excluding taxes for gas from DK Burke.
Dave Comee
Pretty much the same issues here in
the hills as Dobz has. Too much water.
It seems every thunderstorm in the
state looks for me. Some Pythium and
Anthracnose issues but ZeroTol, 2
apps last week seems to have taken
care of that for now.
Spiking every 2 or 3 weeks. With my
tiny greens (60,000 ft), my cleanup
circles are usually looking a bit worn by
now. In late May, early June I aerated
the circles with 5/16 tines and topdressed with sawdust. It‘s a little
messy for a couple of days but all
looks good so far. I may have found a
solution:
2 more inches of rain last night.
Golf camp still going strong. Soccer &
Football camp coming up. 

5

6

Hot Conditions - continued from page 4



inside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
when the sun is strongest.
You can get sunburned in cloudy
weather. And sun is even more
potent when it's reflected off water,
concrete, or sand.

try to give fluids to an unconscious person. If you get sunburned, you should
rinse or soak with cool water or cold
compresses. If you're sunburned but
haven't blistered, you can use a mild
non-medicated cream. If you get blisters from your sunburn, you should see
a doctor. 

Safety Procedures
Take immediate action if it's hot and
you feel weak, dizzy, sweaty, or nauseous. Pay attention to cramps and to
anyone who tells you that you look
pale. In any and all of those circumstances, get to a cooler area—shade
or a cool building. Lie down, loosen
your clothing, and put some cool compresses on your skin. Drink fluids.
If you have, or see someone with,
heatstroke or sunstroke symptoms,
fast action is a must. Get medical
help. And get yourself—or any victim—to a cool spot and loosen clothing. It's important to cool the body
down quickly. Use cool compresses,
water, even a hose for the job. Don't

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7

New Turfgrass Disease: Yellow Spot
Source: UMass Press Release
Yellow spot appears in the form of
yellow, chlorotic, circular discrete
patches ranging from dime/quarter size
up to 2-3 inches diameter on bentgrass
putting greens, tees and approaches.
The disease does not destroy the plant
in any structural capacity; however
yellow spot does reduce the aesthetic
quality of turfgrass. The primary
causal agent of the disease is not fully
understood but has been suggested to
be cyanobacteria causing blue-green
algae. Do not confuse Yellow Spot
with Yellow Tuft which is caused by
Sclerophthora macrospora
(see picture).
Yellow Spot has been reported on
creeping bentgrass putting greens on
golf courses in the southeastern region
of United States. However, in 2007
yellow spot was reported on a few golf
courses in Eastern Massachusetts. As
early as last week the disease appeared on creeping bentgrass putting

greens and colonial bentgrass tees on
golf courses in the Boston area. High
humidity and temperatures (>90° F day
and >65° F night) are main triggers. It
is believed that many more golf
courses with sand-based greens in the
New England region may have experienced yellow spot. However, superintendents may be hesitant to report the
disease because it does not cause
rapid thinning or death of plants, but it
is detrimental to appearance.
If you see Yellow Spot this year,
then the disease is likely come back to
the same greens again next year
unless preventative applications with
contact fungicides such as
chlorothanonil (Daconil Ultrex™) or
mancozeb (Fore Rainshield™) are
made before symptoms appear. Once
the symptoms do appear, it is very difficult to manage the disease and adequate control my require several applications.

Since Yellow Spot may be associated with algae, any cultural practices
that increase air circulation and decrease shade around greens will be
helpful. Also, increasing surface drying by frequent topdressing in addition
to light spiking, and reducing compaction, should be helpful as well. If your
tolerance level to this aesthetic disease is high, then wait until Mother
Nature (cooler day and night temperatures) takes care of it, but the time
frame for symptoms may extend into
the fall.
This week a research plot will be
set up at a golf course in the Boston
area to begin testing products.
If you want an accurate diagnosis of
the disease, please send your samples
to the UMass Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab. Complete instructions for
submitting samples to the lab can be
found at:
http://www.umass.edu/agland/
diagnostics 

Turf Management Products

A trusted leader in the
golf course and
sports turf maintenance field
since 1960.

Teamwork, Knowledge and Dependability
is our company character
Paul Skafas………….603-490-7774
Rob Larson…………. 508-789-0059
Greg Misodoulakis… 508-243-6166
Jeff Houde ………….. 203-731-1776
11 A Street

Chris Petersen….508-277-3333
Mike DeForge….. 603-490-8013
Brian Luccini…… 781-799-9450
Fred Murray ……. 978-337-6280

Burlington, MA 01803

800-582-5959
8

Photo of Yellow Spot Disease
looks like on turf.

9

Is alcohol par for the course?
Push to lift ban on grounds at Mass. golf clubs is
welcomed on Beacon Hill
By: Richard Thompson, Globe Correspondent
The Juniper Hill Golf Course in
Northborough offers its players a little
bit of everything, including a fullservice pro shop, several function
rooms, and two courses, the River
Course and the Lakeside Course.
For Shaun Debold, a 46-year-old golfer
from Mansfield, there's something still
missing: a drink.
"I've definitely gone to courses and
paid more to go there because I could
have a cold beer on the course," Debold said on a recent morning round as
he started at the first hole.
Standing a few feet away in his
Panama-style hat and a red polo shirt,
Greg Donahue agreed. "It's a nobrainer," said Donahue, 50, who also
lives in Mansfield. "We play on enough
courses in New England to know the
ones that have beverage carts and the
ones that don't have them."
Massachusetts bans alcohol from
being served directly on the grounds of
golf courses, a restriction that has
been widely ignored by many courses
that offer beverage carts at various
holes. The state is one of two, along
with Alaska, that bans alcohol on the
grounds of golf courses, said Donna
Dunn, executive director of the New
England Golf Course Owners Association.
Now, state lawmakers want to relax the restriction. A bill pending on
Beacon Hill for the last 17 months
would give city and town officials authority to license the sale of beer or
wine on the grounds of golf courses in
their jurisdiction.
And so it would become legal to
provide what some golfers have come
to expect.
"This has become an important
part of the experience that golf courses
provide," state Representative James
Fagan, Democrat of Taunton and the
bill's sponsor, said in an interview earlier this month. "I think they're looking
to remain competitive and have the
opportunity to expand that aspect of
their business, as well as offer some-

thing that golfers are interested in having available."
"It would be very well received,"
said Renee Gray, clubhouse manager
at the Segregansett Country Club, an
18-hole private course in Taunton.
"We've heard about it, and everybody
has been discussing it."
The measure has been approved
by the House and Senate, but must
clear both chambers again before it
goes to Governor Deval Patrick. Proponents of the bill say it will level the
playing field between courses that already provide drinks and those that
don't.
But some golfers are concerned
that beverage carts could lead to too
much drinking.
"I don't think it has any place out
there, to tell you the truth," said Joseph
Proulx, 61, of Burlington, as he puffed
on a cigar near the Juniper Hill clubhouse. "Right now, you can go out with
family, you can go out with kids, you
can go out with a group of friends, and
you don't have to worry about anyone
being rowdy."
Extra revenue from alcohol sales
on the courses could provide some
relief for local courses that have seen
their business drop because of the
staggering economy, said Dudley Darling, Juniper Hill manager, and a board
member and former president of the
New England Golf Course Owners Association. "There are some people
coming into golf, but it's the same percentage of people leaving, so the number of rounds being played are either
flat or they've come down," said Darling, who plans to seek approval to sell
alcohol on his course if the measure
passes.
Gregory Cincotta - general manager of the Salem Country Club, a private 18-hole course in Peabody - said
he wouldn't be disappointed if the existing restriction remains in place.
"We use that to our advantage when
members come up to us and ask for
one," Cincotta said with a chuckle. "I
10

find that it slows down play, because
people are always stopping in the middle of their round to get something,
and the cart has to stop all the time to
go get them drinks."
But some managers support legalization of alcohol sales on the golf
course.
Kevin Osgood, a former president
of the Golf Course Superintendents
Association of New England, said that
selling alcohol on the grounds "allows
courses to control consumption so
much better than what it is right now."
"Without being licensed on the course
to sell, you can't monitor and you can't
control it if someone stuffs some beers
in their golf bag," said Osgood, president of Sterling Golf Management,
which operates multiple golf courses in
the region. "Unless you see someone
sneaking it out, you don't know what
they're consuming."
Several golfers seemed confused
to learn about the current restrictions
for selling alcohol on the course
grounds as they stood near the first
hole at Juniper Hill last week, including
brothers Al and Fred Cole, who both
said they could recall recently buying
beer from beverage carts on Massachusetts courses.
"When you're out here for a day off
and you're relaxing, I think they ought
to sell it out here," said Al Cole, 64, of
Marlborough. "After you play a few
holes, it's nice to get some cold refreshment. You can bring water with
you, but by the time you get to the
eighth hole, it's warm." 
Source: www.boston.com

Alumni Turf Group Makes Donation to the
University of Massachusetts
On June 19, the Alumni Turf Group
made a donation to the University of
Massachusetts‘ Turf Program in the
amount of $20,000. The presentation
was made at the University Turf Program‘s annual field day in South Deerfield, MA. The donation was from the
proceeds from the Alumni Turf Group‘s
annual fundraiser, The Joseph Troll
Turf Classic.
Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, Connecticut is to host the 5th annual Joseph Troll Turf Classic, sponsored by
the Alumni Turf Group. The event will
take place on September 29th,
2008. This year‘s tournament honoree
is George Thompson, CGCS.
"Each year we gain momentum as
does the program and research at the
Joseph Troll Turf Research and Education Center. The golf event has

proven to be a continued success and
enabled us to support the Center,‖
stated Steve Curry, President of the
Alumni Turf Group.
The fundraiser was initiated in 2004 as
a means to raise money for the new
Dr. Joseph Troll Turf Research Center
at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With the building completed, the
Alumni Turf Group has continued the
fundraising efforts to support the turf
program at the University.
The Alumni Turf Group (ATG), formed
in 2005, is a 501c3 organization made
up of turf professionals who are graduates of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the University of Massachusetts. Through fundraising, ATG
hopes to further research and education, promote UMass alumni in the turf
management profession, and in-

11

still pride and commitment in the turf
programs at the University of Massachusetts.
Entry forms, additional information for
this event, membership applications,
and ATG information are available
online at www.alumniturfgroup.com.

Source: Alumni Turf Group Press
Release

DIVOT DRIFT... announcements ... educational seminars ... job opportunities
...tournament results...and miscellaneous items of interest to the membership.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our condolences are extended to the
family of Garrett Whitney on the recent
passing of Garrett‘s father in Ireland.
Best wishes to Brian Cowan of Eastward Ho! CC on a speedy recovery
from his recent surgery.
Golf Channel’s FREE Junior Golf
Event: Mutual of Omaha Drive, Chip
& Putt, Presented by Golf Channel
on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 4:00
PM at the Atlantic Country Club, 450
Little Sandy Pond Rd.,
Plymouth, MA 02360 508-759-5556
Go to www.golfchannel.com/kids to
register online & tell a friend!
The 16th Annual Ouimet Golf
Marathon is approaching and Carl
Miner will be representing the Golf
Course Superintendents Association of
New England on August 6th! Join
many of us who will be supporting Carl
as he plays at least 100 holes of golf
throughout the day! We as an association are fully behind this challenge
and ask you to support him in this
effort.
Our goal for pledges in support of Carl
is $3000. Pledges can be made on a
per-hole or a flat amount basis. Average pledges range from $50-$200 or
$.50-$2 per hole. To make a pledge,
please contact me at 508/872-9790
ext. 19, e-mail me at
pat@framinghamcc.com, or fill in the
pledge sheets located at the monthly
meetings. All gifts are 100% taxdeductible and the Ouimet Fund is a
501 (c) (3) organization. If your company has a matching gift program,
please contact me for the required paperwork.
Join me as we show our support for
Carl Miner and GCSANE as he prepares for this tremendous challenge. Let‘s make this an historic year!

CALENDAR
July 28:
GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Walpole Country Club
Host: Mark Gagne
August 19:
GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Individual Championship
Marlborough Country Club
Host: Ken Crimmings, CGCS
August 20, 2008:
The University of Rhode Island Field
Day
Pre-registration is now open. For more
information, please contact
Dr. Rebecca Brown (401) 874-2791.
September 15:
GCSANE Monthly
Meeting
Twin Hills Country Club
Team of Two Championship
Host: Matt Kowal
September 29, 2008:
The 2008 Joseph Troll Classic at
Lyman Orchards Golf Club, honoring
George B. Thompson.
October 29:
GCSANE Monthly Meeting
Country Club of Halifax
Member/Guest Tournament
Host: Edward Gianni, CGCS
November 13: GCSANE Monthly
Meeting
Bellevue Golf Club
9-Hole Tournament
Host: Brian Skinner

Sincerely,
Patrick J. Daly, CGCS

12

UMass Extension
UMass Extension Turf Program
Upcoming Events
July 31 - UMass Turf Open House
UMass Joseph Troll Turf Research Ctr.
S. Deerfield, MA
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
August 6 - Dollar Spot Resistance
Field Trials and Oriental Beetle
Discussion
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Wianno Club, Osterville, MA
This program will provide an opportunity to see first-hand the results of the
UMass Turf Program dollar spot resistance trials underway at the Wianno
Club Golf Course in Osterville, MA.
This research is supported by the Golf
Course Managers Association of Cape
Cod. In addition, there will be discussion on the management of oriental
beetles led by Dr. Pat Vittum.
For further information on the dollar
spot resistance research trials, contact
Dr. Geunhwa Jung at (413) 545-2243,
jung@psis.umass.edu.
Two pesticide recertification contact
hours will be available for all New England states in category 37, Turf and
category 00, Licensed Applicator.
http://www.umassturf.org/education/
conferences_workshops.html
For more information, contact Mary
Owen at (508) 892-0382,
mowen@umext.umass.edu or Jason
Lanier at (413) 545-2965;
jdlanier@umext.umass.edu

77th Rhode Island
Turfgrass Field Day
August 20, 2008
The University of Rhode Island’s C.R. Skogley Turfgrass Research Facility, Kingston, RI 02881
Tentative Event Schedule
7:30 – 9:00 AM:

Registration and Check-in.

9:00 AM– 1:00 PM:

Visit with commercial exhibitors.
(Visit with regional turf products and equipment distributors. The URI turf field day
hosts the largest gathering of regional product distributors outside the New England
Regional Turfgrass Conference and Show)
A light buffet breakfast will be served until 10:30 am.

10:30 AM– 1:00 PM:

Tour of the turf plots and research demonstrations.
(Variety trials, fertilizer trials, insecticide, fungicide and herbicide trials)

1:30 PM:

Please join the Rhode Island Turfgrass Foundation for good fun, good cheer
and good chow at Laurel Lane Country Club in West Kingston immediately
after the URI Field Day. The menu includes chowder, clam cakes, steamers and
more. Cost is $45.00 per person

Pre-Register NOW!
Registration and payment must be received by August 8th for vendors. Pre-registration by August 8th is suggested for everyone. Admittance fee increases to $40 after August 8th. Vendor booth fee includes one registration. Registration includes the
cost of breakfast and a URI Field Day Book. Charges for the post-Field Day event at Laurel Lane are separate.
Make checks payable to: URI Turfgrass Foundation, and send to Dr. Rebecca Brown – URI Turfgrass Field Day, University
of Rhode Island, Dept. of Plant Sciences, 210 Woodward Hall, Kingston, RI 02881 (send payment along with the completed
form below). Please call 401-874-2791 for additional information.

Company:
Contact Person (s):
Address:
 Registration _____ people at $30.00 each = $

($40 after August 10th)

 Booth fee _____ booths at $75.00 each =

(includes 1 registration)

$

Total Due $

13

Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION
A.A. Will Materials Corp.

DGM Systems

Maher Services

Sports Club Management, Inc.

198 Washington St., Stoughton, MA 02072-1748

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

30 Rear Pine Street, PO Box 80061, Stoneham, MA
02180

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,
Rob Fitzpatrick - (800) 4-AA-WILL

Specializing in pump sales, pump repair, well
redevelopment and preventative maintenance
(781) 279-0328

Mayer Tree Service

A.D. Makepeace Co.
158 Tihonet Road, Wareham, MA 02571
(508) 322-4092

100 Main St., Amesbury, MA 01913
Tim Gould, Guy Travers
(800) 313-3320, (978) 388-5110

8 Meadow Park Road, Plymouth, MA 02360
Serving the GCSANE for over 20 years.
Planning to proposal to completion. Golf construction and irrigation consulting. Emergency
irrigation repairs. 508-746-3222
Dahn Tibbett (20 year member), Jaime Tibbett

Allen’s Seed Store, Inc.

Michael Drake Construction, 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

240 Walnut St., Framingham, MA 01702
Golf course reconstruction; professional shaper.
Michael Drake - (508) 875-8247

Agresource, Inc.

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

9 Scots Way, Essex, MA 01929
Your one source tree care company. Our certified arborists specialize in plant health care as
well as tree pruning and technical removals.
Jeff Thomas (978) 768-7232

DHT Golf Services

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

A-OK Turf Equipment Inc.

38 Village Road, Unit 210, Middleton, MA 01949
Mega Green is a protein rich organic fertilizer
processed from farm raised catfish in Mississippi.
It is a foliar feed applied through a sprayer mixed
30 gal. water to one gal. Mega Green on Greens,
Fairways and Tees. John Flynn - (978) 979-2471

91 Freeman St., Newton, MA 02466
Irrigation services to golf courses throughout
New England. Gary Fialkosky - (617) 293-8632

Golf Cart Services, Inc.
275 Wells St., Greenfield, MA 01301
Club Car golf, turf, transportation, & utility cars.
James Bernier - (800) 287-0955

P.O. Box 1008, Essex, MA 01929
Golf course construction & renovation.
Jonathon Miller - (978) 768-6600

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

Great in Grass
166 Juniper Drive, North Kingstown, RI 02852
Bruce Chapman, Territory Manager
(401) 578-2300

10 Kidder Road, Unit 8, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Flowtronex irrigation pumps - sales and service.
Spring start ups, winterization and 24 hour
emergency service for all irrigation pumps.
Ed Ceaser (978) 250-3333 or

BASF Turf & Ornamental

Harrell’s Turf Specialty LLC

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

15 Londonderry Rd., Londonderry, NH 03053
Turf & ornamental supplies.
Chuck Bramhall, Mike Kroian, Mike Nagle,
Jim Wierzbicki - (800) 228-6656

NMP Golf Construction Corp.
25 Bishop Ave., Ste. A-2, Williston, VT 05495
Golf course construction.
Mario Poirier - (888) 707-0787

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

Northeast Golf Company
Golf Course Architectural/Consultation Services
118 Beauchamp Drive, Saunderstown, RI 02874
Robert McNeil (401) 667-4994

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

Hartney Greymont
The Borden Company
114 Summer St., Maynard, MA 01754
Bulk limestone dealer.
Jack Borden - (978) 897-2571

433 Chestnut St., Needham, MA 02492
Tree care, landscape construction, consulting.
Mark Tobin - (781) 444-1227

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

Holliston Sand Co., Inc.
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

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

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

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

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

Irrigation Management & Services
Cavicchio Landscape Supply, Inc.
110 Codjer Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776
Annuals, perennials, garden mums, ground
covers, loam, & mulch.
Darren Young - (978) 443-7177

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

Read Custom Soils
125 Turnpike St., Canton, MA 02021
Custom soil blending, top dressing sands,
Root zone blends, “early green” black sand,
divot & cart path mixes.
Terry Driscoll, Garrett Whitney – (888) 475-5526

John Deere Golf
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

Mungeam Cornish Golf Design, Inc.
207 N. Main St., Uxbridge, MA 01569
Golf course architects. (508) 278-3407

Country Club Enterprises
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

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

S.V. Moffett Co., Inc.
87 Concord Street, North Reading, MA 01864
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
111 Craigemore Circle
Avon, CT 06001
Melissa Gugliotti (860) 221-5712

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, Ernie Ketchum (888) 638-4657

Miller Golf Construction

Gustavo Preston Service Company
Barenbrug USA

Manchester, NH
Professional stump chipping service.
Brendan McQuade - (603) 625-4165

Mega Green
G. Fialkosky Lawn Sprinklers

GPS New England Mapping
1357 Main St., Coventry, RI 02816-8435
Articulator, Terra Topper, Greens Groomer brush,
& used equipment.
Mike Cornicelli - (401) 826-2584

Stumps Are Us Inc.

Offering our customers the most complete
line of products, service and expertise in the
industry. Ron Tumiski 1-800-321-5325 x6219

Ken Jones Tire, Inc.
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

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

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.
29 Gilmore Drive, Sutton, MA 01590
Distributor of quality fertilzer, grass seed, &
control products for the golf course industry.
Kevin Lyons, Scott Mackintosh, Jim Favreau,
Chris Cowan - (888) 398-TURF (8873)

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

Valley Green
14 Copper Beech Drive, Kingston, MA 02364
Phone: 413-533-0726 Fax: 413-533-0792
"Wholesale distributor of turf products"

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

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

14

Tree Tech, 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

P. O. Box 2, Slocum, Rl 02877
Bluegrass/Fescue, Bluegrass/Rye, Bluegrass/
Fescue/Rye, Bentgrass.
Sean Moran, Pat Hogan - (800) 341-6900

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

11 A St., Burlington, MA 01803
Turf management products.
Jack Petersen, Paul Skafas, Rob Larson, Chris
Petersen, Greg Misodoulakis, Mike DeForge
(800) 582-5959

R.F. Morse & Son, Inc.

Sodco Inc.

Lazaro’s Golf Course Supplies &
Accessories

Tom Irwin Inc.

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