February 2014 Superintendent Profile: Kris Armando Sassamon Trace Golf Course By Tom Albert, Newsletter Editor I first met Kristoffer Armando in November of 2012. Hopedale Country Club was hosting the GCSANE November meeting and I had gotten a call from his then boss Jeffrey Urquhart. Jeff had told me that his Assistant Kris was willing to help out getting our course ready for the tournament. Of course I was more than happy to have another set of hands. Kris showed up early that morning and we got right to work. The day went well and a good day was had by all. Sometime later I was excited to find out that Kris had landed a job as a Superintendent at Sassamon Trace Golf Course. Sassamon is a nine hole municipal golf course in Natick. Kris informed me that four holes are located on top of a former landfill and the other five holes are on town land with up to date drainage and irrigation. I have heard that Kris has been doing great things there since he got there. The conditions are great and it is fun to play. Kris is a local boy. He was born in Newton/ Wellesley Hospital and he grew up in Canton. He attended Canton High School and played basketball, baseball and hockey as a kid. Kris told me he had the typical jobs as a kid growing up. “I always had a job”, he said. He worked for the Canton Recreation Department, worked in retail and even worked in a doughnut shop at the young age of fifteen. The latter two were something he knew was temporary. Kris told me, “it was easy to end up working on a golf course since there were five golf courses nearby.” He started out working for Brian Linehan and Brookmeadow Golf Club. Kris told me that Brian gave him plenty of responsibility; even early on and that helped pave the way for his career. Kris worked there for five years at which time Brian encouraged him to attend the University of Massachusetts. Kris attended the University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant, Soil and Insect Science. While he was at the University he did an internship in Paramus, New Jersey at Ridgewood Country Club under Todd Raisch. It was there that he was exposed to high profile tournament golf with the Barclays Open. For his next internship he worked for Vin Iacono at Blue Hill Country Club. He got more experience here in Massachusetts and made some Kris Armando more contacts in the business. Once Kris graduated from UMass he went to work for Jeff Urquhart at The Milton Hoosic Club as Jeff’s assistant. He worked for Jeff for three years honing his skills and preparing for the next step. When Kris got the job at Sassamon Trace he was excited and hit the ground running. From what I have heard the people who are in charge at Sassamon, as well as its customers are thrilled with the results. Kris told me that it has its challenges. The local conservation commission pushes for the use of organics and Kris uses them when and where he can without sacrificing conditions, and trying to keep the customers and commission happy. Kris has told me that his biggest challenge going from Assistant to Superintendent was being solely responsible for budget preparation and follow through again keeping conditioning at optimum levels. Overall he loves his job and what he does. “I love getting to work early and being a part of something, being part of an organization” Kris said. “I like watching hard work show results”, he later added. continued on page 3 Affiliate Update GCSANE BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Mark Gagne 233 Baker Street, Walpole, MA 02081 508-668-3859 Fax: 508-668-9969 Email: Mgagne@walpolecc.org Walpole Country Club VICE PRESIDENT Scott Lagana, CGCS 840 Oak Hill Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420 978-342-6451 Fax 978-345-2044 Email: slagana@oakhillcc.org Oak Hill Country Club TREASURER Michael Luccini, CGCS 10 Griffin Road, Franklin, MA 02038 508-520-3615 Fax: 508-528-1885 Email: Mluccini@verizon.net Franklin Country Club SECRETARY David W. Johnson 399 Parker Road Osterville, MA 02655 508-428-6981 Djohnson.wgc@verizon.net Wianno Club Greetings Friends and Affiliates: Enough with shovels and snow throwers! Our Greens mowers, fertilizer spreaders and tractors may have a layer of dust and maybe a few cob-webs since October but they will wipe away in no time. We are excited thinking about and looking forward to the coming change of weather and start of a new season!! FIELD DAY FOR FRIENDS; The board is entertaining the idea of providing a field day for Friends of the Association to show your products, services and provide a day of hands on Demo’s. An email has been sent to all Friends and Affiliates seeking feedback to test the water on moving forward to formalize a FIELD DAY FOR FRIENDS at Blue Hill Country Club on June 9th. If you have not responded, please reach out to Mark Casey to express interest or share your thoughts; SHOULD WE DO IT ? mcasey@mte.us.com TRUSTEE (Membership) Jeffrey Urquhart 70 Green Lodge Street, Canton, MA 02021 781-828-2953 Fax 781-828-3220 Email: jmartin101@gmail.com Milton-Hoosic Club TRUSTEE (Government Relations) Peter J. Rappoccio 246 ORNAC, Concord, MA 01742 978-371-1089 Fax: 978-369-7231 Email: gcs@concordcc.org Concord Country Club TRUSTEE (Scholarship & Benevolence) David Stowe, CGCS 30 Western Avenue, Natick, MA 01760 617-789-4631 Fax 617-789-4631 Email: Newtonmaint@aol.com Newton Commonwealth Golf Club Partnership Promotion Program; Thank you to the 15 companies for participating in the inaugural program last season, and making it a success! Your participation is meaningful and appreciated, and recognizes you among a special group of committed suppliers to the golf industry and supporters of the GCSA of New England. Thank you to ………….. Platinum: Turf Products Corporation Gold: MTE- Turf Equipment Solutions Silver: Hillcrest Turf Services, Atlantic Golf & Turf, Allen’s Seed, Slater Farms, New England Specialty Soils, Patron: Country Club Enterprises, Tartan Farms-Dave Wallace, MATRIX, BISCO, John Deere, Syngenta, Bayer, LAZARO’s- Hammond Paint & Chemical AFFILIATE TRUSTEE Mark Casey 890 East Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876 617-990-2427 Fax: 978-409-0445 Email: mcasey@mte.us.com MTE - Turf Equipment Solutions FINANCE CHAIRMAN Donald D’Errico 25 Tiot Street, Sharon, MA 02067 508-530-2113 Email: donny@springvalleycountryclub.com Spring Valley Country Club GOLF CHAIRMAN Jason VanBuskirk 58 Randall Road, Stow, MA 01775 978-568-1100 ext. 121 Email: jvanbuskirk@stowacres.com Stow Acres Country Club EDUCATION CHAIRMAN Brian F. Skinner, CGCS 320 Porter Street, PO Box 760661 Melrose, MA 02176 781-665-3147 Email: brianskinner@bellevuegolfclub.com Bellevue Golf Club NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN Earl T. (Tom) Albert 104 North Street Douglas, MA 01516 508-990-6682 Email: black72nova@hotmail.com Hopedale Country Club PAST PRESIDENT Jason S. Adams 27 Cherry Street, Wrentham, MA 02093 781-828-6540 Fax: 781-326-3801 Email: jadams@bluehillcc.com Blue Hill Country Club ASSOCIATION MANAGER Donald E. Hearn, CGCS 300 Arnold Palmer Blvd., Norton, MA 02766 774-430-9040 Fax: 774-430-9101 Email: donhearn@gcsane.org NOW IS THE TIME FOR RENEWAL 2013 advertisements for newsletter and Website Logos and Ads will be shut down on March 10, without your re-commitment. A 2014 Thank you to those renewing Partnerships: PLATINUM PARTNERS: MTE~Turf Equipment Solutions, Turf Products Corporation SILVER PARTNER: New England Specialty Soils PATRON PARTNERS: Country Club Enterprises, Allen’s Seed Welcome and a warm Thank you to NEW FRIENDS joining the Partner Promotion Program; LARCHMONT Irrigation and Drainage, READ Sand & Gravel and NORTHEAST Golf & Turf Supply and the Chas HART Seed Co. who have each joined as new PATRON PARTNERS. If your company needs to renew your commitment, reach out to Don Hearn today. The Partnership Promotion Program packages are the best way for your company to register multiple staff members and realize the greatest value in packaged advertising on the Website, Directory and Newsletter, with the greatest discounts. If you are interested in becoming a Partner Sponsor, please contact Don Hearn. To streamline and simplify the process in the future, we will create an automatic renewal service for the Partnership Programs. Should you have questions, reach out to Mark Casey or Don Hearn today.  Many Thanks! Successfully, BUSINESS MANAGER, THE NEWSLETTER Julie Heston Phone: (401) 934-7660 Email: jheston@verizon.net GCSANE Headquarters 300 Arnold Palmer Blvd., Norton, MA 02766 Tel: (774) 430-9040 Fax: (774) 430-9101 Web Site: www.gcsane.org 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. Mark Casey, MTE, Inc. ~ Turf Equipment Solutions 2 Kris Armando - continued from page 1 When Kris is not at work he still likes to play Hockey in a local league. He called it “an old man’s league” but I don’t know if he could be considered old since he is only 30. He still lives in Canton with his relatively recent bride Victoria. They were married last October. He likes eating at Hibachi style restaurants and enjoys fishing with friends in the summer months to get his mind off of work. If he is able to get away for longer periods of time he likes to vacation in New Hampshire or Cape Cod. He continues to make improvements to their house when he has time. Kris told me that if he never went to work on golf courses he could see himself in construction. When asked what he would do if he won the lottery Kris promptly said “probably buy a golf course.” There’s a guy that loves his work!  Kris and Victoria Armando GCSAA ELECTION RESULTS 2014 ANNUAL MEETING Orlando, Florida President: Keith A. Ihms CGCS, St. Albans Country Club, St. Louis, Missouri Vice President: John J. O’Keefe CGCS, Preakness Hills Country Club, Wayne, New Jersey Secretary/Treasurer: Peter J. Grass CGCS, Hilands Golf Club, Billings, Montana Elected to two year terms on the board of directors were Bill A. Maynard CGCS from St. Albans Country Club in St. Louis, MO. and Rafael Barajas CGCS from Hacienda Golf Club in La Habra Heights, CA. Mark F. Jordan CGCS from Westfield Group Country Club in Westfield Center, OH was appointed by the board to fill the remaining year of Grass’ two year term. 3 Glo During a painful ordeal, one superintendent bares his soul on social media. I met Jason VanBuskirk a year ago at the GIS when Bill Brown introduced him to me as part of the fledgling Turf Republic team. Honestly, the only thing that struck me about him at the time was that he was another sharp young guy committed to using social media to communicate with his members at Stow Acres CC in Massachusetts and industry peers. I knew him more by his Twitter handle – @URITurf – than as a person. That’s a funny thing about social media. It’s sometimes awkward when you actually meet people with whom you’ve chatted endlessly with on Facebook or Twitter. There’s a disconnect for a minute. The virtual relationship gets lost in translation when you’re actually shaking someone’s hand. Flash forward to early December. I was talking with Bill and he mentioned Jason was dealing with something unexpected and terrifying: His wife Gloria was hospitalized after suffering a series of horrendous seizures. No history, no warning signs, no nothing. Her brain was short-circuiting badly. The doctors had no idea what to do and the picture was bleak. I looked at pictures of Gloria on Jason’s Facebook page. Young, healthy, fitness nut, pretty, always smiling...vivacious! Yup, that’s the word: vivacious. Full of life and madly in love with her husband and two toddlers. Then I imagined that same woman lying in an intensive care unit, wired up to a respirator to keep her alive and surrounded by physicians who apparently had no clue why this woman’s central nervous system was going completely haywire. Then I imagined Jason facing the reality that his wife Jason’s writing is magnificent because it’s coming from the very core of his soul and he’s doing it for the highest possible purpose. No matter what the future holds, Jason has given an amazing gift to his children, his family and all of us by portraying the vivacious, funny, warm and wonderful woman he loves very, very deeply. I talked with Bill again and he confirmed the seizures were getting worse and the doctors were putting Gloria into a medically induced coma. Not good. Then he told me Jason was blogging about the experience. I gulped hard and clicked on the Wordpress link he sent and found... well, something completely unexpected. For two months, Jason has been sitting in her hospital room at night and writing about Gloria. To me, he seems to be trying to capture both the beautiful and mundane moments of their life together. Each entry is a warm memory... some little thing she’d done that exemplifies what kind of person she is, something funny she’d said. He’s painting a lush and gorgeous portrait of her with words and images. Promise me you’ll follow this link to go read Jason’s blog. You absolutely won’t regret it. http://bidmcgvb.wordpress.com/ Jason’s writing is magnificent because it’s coming from the very core of his soul and he’s doing it for the highest possible purpose. No matter what the future holds, Jason has given an amazing gift to his children, his family and all of us by portraying the vivacious, funny, warm and wonderful woman he loves very, very deeply. Each blog entry ends with an update on Glo’s condition. As I’m writing this on Jan. 31, she was out of her coma, breathing on her own and showing signs of recovery. She’s still trapped inside a dysfunctional body and unable to speak, but she smiles and giggles! And she gives kisses! She inspires everyone around her by fighting through this crazy awful thing to be a wife and mother again... to again be the vivacious Gloria that Jason has animated so beautifully with words. This is chancy business writing this now. Much is still unknown about Gloria’s condition and the road ahead is risky. But I have faith. And that faith is powered by the fact that many, many people are praying for Glo and thinking positive healing thoughts for her. I’d appreciate it if you’d join us. I’d also appreciate it if you’d consider doing something more to help. Jason, Gloria and their children are already facing enough without having to worry about stupid medical bills. Just pitch in and help with any gift big or small. If everyone reading this just gives $10, we can help the VanBuskirk family focus 100% on the important business of healing. Please help... it’s the right thing to do.  (You can help support Jason & Glo by going here and making any donation you can: http://www.gofundme.com/Medical-Bills-for-Gloria) Pat Jones Editorial Director and Publisher Golf Course Industry Source: Golf Course Industry www.golfcourseindustry.com GCSANE Editor’s Note: Glo has been moved to Spaulding Rehabilitation Center and is improving steadily. She is talking and just saw her children for the first time in nearly 75 days. Doctors and Nurses are thrilled with her progress! 4 Thoughts From Your Association Manager The Golf Industry Show, which took place in Orlando the first week in February, was a great success. The educational events, show floor space and registrations were up from last year. The weather was warm and a nice change of pace from what we in New England have been experiencing. This year’s event also had a special meaning for one of our members. Steve Cadenelli received the GCSAA’s Colonel John Morley Award for distinguished service to our profession. Steve has been an ardent supporter of our profession and the continuing education of superintendents. He has actively participated to make our industry better and has encouraged member participation. Steve has said to me, more than a few times, that those before us laid the groundwork for our success and if the next generation doesn’t carry the torch for succeeding generations of superintendents they will have a more difficult time being successful. Steve will soon be starting the next phase of his career in Palm Desert, California. He will be lending his expertise to the team at The Lakes Country Club, a 27-hole Ted Robinson design. Steve is looking forward to this stage of his life’s adventure. We wish him well and know his presence in the desert world of turfgrass management will be welcome. Some may be familiar with the Wee One Foundation. Some may have heard of it, but don’t know what the foundation does. It was started in honor of Wayne Otto the longtime superintendent of the Ozaukee Country Club in Mequon, Wisconsin. I knew Wayne very well and always looked forward to seeing him each year at the GIS. He was a very pleasant person, well respected for his turf management abilities, loved the business, was humble, and an enjoyable person to be with. Wayne died from cancer in 2004 and this foundation has become the vehicle to help others in Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO and Pat Finlen, GCSAA President (right) present the Colonel John Morley Distinguished Service Award to Steve Cadenelli. (Photo by Shaun Barry) continued on page 7 5 Kevin Doyle - GCSAA Updates As I sit and write, my colleague Brian Cloud, GCSAA’s South Central regional representative, is sending another storm our way with forecasts of a foot of snow or more, yet the calendar clearly shows golf season is on the way. Soon the phone will begin ringing with seasonal employees checking in to verify their positions for the upcoming season and ads will need to be placed for open spots on the crew. Before long the staff will descend on your maintenance facility and fill the winter void with life. Ponder for a moment, what will this year’s staff be like? I am sure your staff makes such an indelible mark on your season that you can rattle off the good and bad as easily as the end of the year results of your favorite sports teams. Championship year, high potential with disastrous results, good free agents (new hires) and bad deals, and the dreaded trip to the IR (injuries or accidents on the job are never a good thing, and rarely forgotten). That is what superintendents see and remember, but what does your staff see? What do they remember? What would your staff say the culture is like at your facility? I get a chance to visit many facilities; what would I see when I enter your facility? What is the vibe like? Workplace culture can aide with staff motivation, level of engagement, productivity, and can help minimize employee conflicts. Simple physical cues can aid in a positive culture. Is your shop clean and organized? Is your equipment clean and maintained? Do you place a priority on care of equipment no mat- ter how old it is? If your employees respect the equipment and their environment, they will transfer that respect to their jobs. Is there an emphasis on being on time? When I was a superintendent, my motto was: “Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.” However, mottos are no good without accountability. Is there a policy for tardiness, and is it adhered to? A lack of accountability can undo every good effort to build a culture. Who do you want your staff to emulate? Would you be happy if your staff tried to be like you? Are you a “do what I say, not what I do” type, or are you a model for what you want your staff to achieve? Good leaders hold themselves to the highest standards. Your staff will notice any time you stray from that standard, and they will react accordingly. They will hold you accountable, maybe not in words, but in actions. There are many ways to adapt a culture for your specific needs, but your staff will dictate the success of that culture not you. A staff of Baby Boomers will not react positively to a loose culture with too much flexibility, while a military-style approach might not get the most out of a staff full of Gen X and Gen Y workers. Get to know your staff personally. Have fun when the time is right. Stress can take a toll on a staff. Keeping things light in those times can often have positive results. If you have built the respect within your staff, they will understand when the light and loose time is over and continued on page 8 Hillcrest Turf Services Providing quality service to golf courses  Dethatching  Root Pruning  Seeding Michael Parks 617-852-0479 michaelparks09@comcast.net 6 The Nor’easter reception, hosted by the Metropolitan GCSA (the Met) was a very successful gathering of those from the Northeast who were at the GIS in Orlando. It was a very well organized and well attended event. The members of the Met made it look easy and welcomed everyone with plenty of food, drink and warm hospitality. Having been involved with this event the past few years I know the effort made behind the scenes and the generosity of the sponsors and cosponsoring Associations that makes an event like this possible. Congratulations to the Met GCSA and the sponsors who made this a memorable event. The bar has been set high for next year in San Antonio.  Association Manager - continued from page 5 our industry throughout the country. I’ve included this link weeone.org to the foundation’s website and encourage you to donate. The directors of the Wee One Foundation recently made a substantial donation to one of our members and I believe donating to and becoming a member of the foundation is a wonderful way to help others in all parts of the country who might be dealing with financial struggles. By Don Hearn Luke Cella, CGCS ,Executive Director of the Wee One Foundation 7 Chapter Educational Funding Program: Kevin Doyle - continued from page 6 back to business must happen. Engage them, as they will almost tell you what type of culture will motivate them. Responding to their needs will develop a workplace culture that will maximize productivity. Consider the Red Sox 2012 epic collapse as fried chicken and beer stories raged in the media. In 2013, they were World Series Champions. Credit was heaped on the people, new system, and the change in culture. Be a leader and set a standard for excellence at your facility. Develop guidelines that will maintain structure and maximize productivity. Hold yourself and others accountable for all actions. Finally, during the golf season you’ll spend more time with your staff than with your friends and families, so keep it light. A good culture is self-perpetuating and contagious. You will not have to ask people to adhere to it; they will want to be a part of it. ArystaLifeScience has developed a pilot program, which they are rolling out to all of the Northeast local chapters of the GCSAA. ArystaLifeScience will be donating up to 2% of all gross sales of Arysta Early Order Program products back to the local associations for educational expenses. The current totals look like this: GCSAA Resources and Deadlines: As a benefit of membership, GCSAA members can enjoy complimentary admission to designated golf events. The tournament benefits listed below are to be used as a general guideline. Before attending any tournament event, you should contact the tournament office at the course where the event is to be held to verify the tournament’s admission policy. Does your turf equipment technician deserve a day in the sun, a tip-of-the-cap for all the hard work and the vital behind -the-scenes role they play in the success of your golf facility? If so, then nominate them for GCM’s Most Valuable Technician (MVT) awards program, presented in partnership with Foley United.It has never been won by a facility in the Northeast Region!Let’s change that! Nomination information can be found here. The deadline is March 30th. You Get Cool Stuff Already from your Association CC- $1,886.08 CT- $1,795.88 ME- $46.08 NE- $1,075.40 Contact EricGerhartz for more details on how you can add to those totals (Eric.GERHARTZ@arysta.com). GCM's 2014 Most Valuable Technician Award: Upcoming FREE webcasts: GCSAA members can enjoy free admission to some of the greatest events in golf. Some restrictions apply (full details here):       NH- $100.56 RI- $1,230.56 VT- $41.60 Mar. 6: Plan Now to Update Your Turf Care Center Mar. 12: Options for Your Weed Control Plan PGA TOUR The Masters (Augusta National) PGA of America (including PGA Championship and Senior PGA Championship) USGA (all USGA championships) LPGA Tour Again, if I can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me.  Kevin Doyle GCSAA Field Staff, kdoyle@gcsaa.org Follow me on Twitter @GCSAA_NE Important Notice Federal Registration of Nemacur will expire on October 6th 2014. Existing inventory must be applied before the Federal registration expires. Inventories of Nemacur after Oct. 6 2014 should be disposed of through proper channels. Applications cannot be legally applied after Oct.6, 2014.Please see the link listed below for further details. http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2003-0200 8 9 Etiquette - How to use a Napkin Ever wonder what to do with your napkin? do so discreetly and understand that not all restaurants offer them. If you need to excuse yourself during the meal, the best thing to do with your napkin is to loosely fold it so no food stains show and place it to the left of your place setting. Some place it on their chair. The problem with this is food particles could get on the seat and then on your clothes when you sit down again. The left of the place setting is also the place you leave your napkin at the end of the meal. Finally, don’t use your napkin as a place to put food you have removed from your mouth. You wouldn’t want that food to fall into your lap the next time you use your napkin. If you have something in your mouth that is simply too gross to put on the edge of your plate, the better alternative is to excuse yourself from the table and go to the restroom where you can dispose of it in a trash can.  Do you put it in your lap right away? Where do you put it if you excuse yourself from the table during the meal? What about at the end of the meal? And what do you do with that gnarly piece of fat you have in your mouth — put it into the napkin? We’ll start at the beginning. You take your seat at the table. Do you wait for your host to pick up his napkin? No. You should place your napkin in your lap right after you sit down. Some restaurants like to place napkins in places like a glass. They will block the view of anyone who is seated. Putting the napkin in your lap gets it out of the way. At the start of the meal, your waiter may ask if you’d prefer a black napkin if you’re wearing black clothing. Some people worry a white napkin will leave white lint on black clothes. If it’s not offered and you want one, you can ask. But By Don Hearn Can you believe it? We are 5 weeks away from the opening of the GHIN handicap posting season which starts April 1. This is the longest winter season I can remember and hoping it will end quickly. We are also one month away from the 3rd Annual New England Green Section Seminar (NEGSS) which is being held at Andover Country Club on Tuesday, March 25. With the weather this winter, there are sure to be numerous agronomic issues at golf courses. This is the perfect forum to discuss individual concerns with USGA agronomists and fellow superintendents. Hopefully by the time of the seminar, snow will have melted and warmer temperatures along with longer days will have promoted some turf growth. If we remember last year it was 70 degrees on the day of the seminar. The purpose of the seminar is to inform golfers, club committee members and chairs as well as club personnel of the challenges facing the superintendent today. Member expectations are high, budgets are under constant pressure and the time pressure on golfers must be addressed to grow the game. All of these topics will be covered and more. Information about the seminar is available on the dedicated website at www.negreensection.org. You can view the schedule, topics and speakers, register up to 8 members at one time, and visit previous presentations. Education and information is important to increases golfer satisfaction which in turns will help grow the game. We look forward to seeing you at Andover. For the Committee, Peter Costello NEGSS Chairman May 12th, 2014 The Tenth Annual Joseph Troll Turf Classic Old Oaks Country Club, Purchase, NY Mark Millet Hosting Honoring Dr. Pat Vittum 10 11 The VTGCSA Wins Inaugural Nor’easter Cup at The 2nd Annual Nor’easter Ski Day at Killington Nine superintendent associations from as far away as Pennsylvania competed at the 2nd Annual Nor’easter Cup at Killington Ski Resort in Killington, VT on January 16th, 2014. Once again, golf course superintendents and industry representatives, along with their families came together for a day of camaraderie, great skiing and competition on the slopes of Vermont. Ironically enough in 2013, due to too much snow, the race had to be canceled for safety reasons. This year however, despite a little fog, conditions were great for the 2-run giant slalom race held at the top of Killington! Teams totaled their fastest four racers for both runs and by the slimmest of margins, just 0.65 seconds; the team from Vermont won this year’s Nor’easter Cup over the Northeastern Association of NY! Vermont also successfully defended their title over the Northeastern group in the VT Cup, a rivalry that dates back to 1993! The turnout was fantastic for the second annual event as over 100 members from the Northeast made the trek to Killington for the day’s festivities. Despite Mother Nature’s slow start to winter this year, Killington’s snowmaking provided world class skiing! Trophies and prizes were awarded to the “Kings and Queens” of the Mountain as follows: Fastest Male Skier: Eric McGuire from the NEGCSA Fastest Female Skier: Lea Cure from the NEGCSA Fastest Male Snowboarder: Jesse Shannon from the METGCSA Fastest Female Snowboarder: Nicole Krieger from the VTGCSA known as “Glo” was in an induced coma due to an unexplained illness which was causing seizures. Jason has been providing daily heart-felt blogs about Glo’s progress at http://bidmcgvb.wordpress.com/ if you’d like to read more. Glo is blessed to have a husband like Jason and we are all wishing her a speedy recovery. This year’s Nor’easter Ski Day was able to raise $2,500 to support Jason and Glo’s medical bills that have been quickly piling up. In an incredibly kind-hearted gesture, last’s year’s recipient, Matt Dutremble of Ardsley C.C., who was seriously injured in a tree accident after Hurricane Sandy hit, called the committee and donated $500 to Jason in a “pay it forward” gesture. We are all fortunate to be associated with such great folks and we encourage all of you to join us next year as we continue to use the event as a means to help our own. Thanks to all that donated so generously and special thanks to Augie Young of Sipcam who generously donated skis and apparel to the raffle! Photos of the race day can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/115122615@N07/ . The Nor’easter Ski Day was made great because of the overwhelming support of its sponsors! We would like to thank the following companies for their help in making this event a huge success; Gold Sponsors: Sipcam Advan, Syngenta, Silver Sponsors: MTE Turf Equipment, Jacobsen, Winfield, Bisco, Harrell’s, Agrium Advanced Technologies, Valent, Toro, Grassland Equipment, NE Specialty Soils, Helena, Bronze Sponsors: Atlantic Golf & Turf, Bayer, Putnam Pipe, Andre & Son, John Deere, Westchester Turf and The Northeastern GCSAA. Team breakdown went as follows: Team Scores (Fastest 4 individual times totaled) Hope to see you next winter on the slopes!!!  Winner of Nor’easter Cup and VT Cup 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th Time Vermont GCSA Northeastern GCSA GCSA New England MET GCSA Rhode Island GCSA GCSA Cape Cod Connecticut AGCS Philadelphia AGCA Long Island GCSA 77.55 78.20 84.14 84.18 85.70 95.35 106.86 112.86 DSQ – only 3 times Generous support from sponsors made possible the Après Ski party at the Wobbly Barn on the Killington access road. Great food and drinks along with a DJ provided entertainment for a few hours after skiing, and Killington provided highly discounted ski passes for the long Martin Luther King weekend and affordable pricing on lodging! This is fast becoming a “can’t miss” event, so be sure to watch for dates for 2015 and bring the family!! Continuing in the tradition of supporting our own, this year’s Nor’easter Ski Day also served as a fundraising event for fellow superintendent Jason Van Buskirk at Stow Acres Country Club in Stow, MA. Jason’s wife Gloria, affectionately 12 13 14 15 Arysta Life Science Earn Educational Dollars for Your GCSAA Chapter Arysta LifeScience donating to Northeastern Chapters through August 2014 Arysta LifeScience is offering superintendents the opportunity to generate funding for their local Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) chapters by purchasing Arysta LifeScience products. Funds then will be used throughout the Northeastern United States to support ongoing education. Arysta LifeScience will make financial contributions to local GCSAA chapters based on a percentage of proceeds from superintendents’ purchases of DISARM® Fungicide, XONERATE® Herbicide and ALOFT® Insecticide through August 2014. Superintendents may make qualifying purchases during two select time periods: a fall purchase period, Sept. 2-Dec. 7, 2013; and an in-season purchase period, Dec. 8, 2013-Aug. 31, 2014. Purchases through Dec. 7, 2013, will generate a 2% rebate to the GCSAA chapter of your choice (Premium Value); purchases from Dec. 8, 2013-Aug. 31, 2014, will generate a 1% rebate to your chapter (Base Value). Additionally, superintendents participating in this program must be GCSAA members in good standing from one of the following chapters: Connecticut, New England, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine. To learn more on required purchases and to receive program enrollment forms, visit your local authorized Arysta LifeScience distributor. For additional information, contact your local Northeast GCSAA Chapter or Arysta LifeScience Northeast Territory Sales Manager Eric Gerhartz, phone 570/269-6061 or email eric.gerhartz@arysta.com. 16 DIVOT DRIFT... announcements ... educational seminars ... job opportunities ...tournament results...and miscellaneous items of interest to the membership. ANNOUNCEMENTS Congratulations to Jesse and Stephanie Menachem on the birth of their baby boy Jordan. Our condolences are extended to Chuck Bramhall and family on the passing of Chuck’s mother, Virginia Bramhall, who passed away on February 18, 2014. Chuck is a sales representative for Harrell’s. Congratulations to Mike Hughes who is the new Superintendent at Whitinsville Golf Club. SUNY at Cobleskill in Providence At the NERTF Annual Turf Show in Providence, SUNY Cobleskill will host a complimentary lunch reception for its alumni, professors, current and prospective students on Wednesday, March 5, 2014, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm in Room 557 of the Convention Center. Registration is required by Friday, February 28. To register, please call Kate Weaver at 518-255-5524 or click on this link: http://cobyconnection.cobleskill.edu/events/ event_details.asp?id=395147&group It is with a heavy heart that I notify you about the death of Leon V. St. Pierre. Leon was one of the stalwarts of our profession and a Past President of the GCSA of New England. I knew Leon well and attended many meetings where he was actively involved. He served after his presidency as a very dynamic member of our Association and as an integral part of the NEWSLETTER assisting long-time editor Dean Robertson. He was responsible for hiring the first professional writer, Gerry Finn, to produce articles for the NEWSLETTER. Gerry stimulated a lot of interest with his columns about our profession. 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 each and every release free of charge. This is a great way to advertise for free. Who said nothing in this world is free? Free advertising to better your company, wow what an offer. Leon was always looking for ways to better the superintendent's position in the golf world and was a truly remarkable person. He is a recipient of our Distinguished Service Award, a past honoree of the Alumni Turf Group (ATG) and an inductee of the Western Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame. Leon was a decorated veteran of World War II and spent much of his time in the snowy parts of Europe. Don Hearn GCSANE Offers Website Banner advertising at www.gcsane.org The price is $500 for one year which will be re-occurring annually from your first billing unless otherwise specified. For more information, please contact Jeff Urquhart at 781-828-2953 or jmartin101@gmail.com 17 Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION Page 1 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. Rob Fitzpatrick - (800) 4-AA-WILL www.aawillmaterials.com 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 Brothers foliar fertilizers, and Aquatrols. Specializing in custom seed blends. Robin Hayes 508-237-2642 Dick Gurski 413-531-2906 Mike Carignan 603-540-2562 Agresource, Inc. 100 Main St., Amesbury, MA 01913 Tim Gould, Guy Travers (800) 313-3320, (978) 388-5110 Agrium Advanced Technologies Direct Solutions Suppliers of Chemicals, Fertilizer, and Grass Seed Jim Pritchard 401-259-8-5472 jpritchard@agriumat.com Glenn Larrabee 401-258-3762 glarrabee@agriumat.com Country Club Enterprises PO Box 670, 29 Tobey Rd., W.Wareham, MA 02676 Club Car golf cars, Carryall utility vehicles. Dave Farina, Keith Tortorella, Mike Turner (800) 662-2585 Allen’s Seed 693 S. County Trail, Exeter, RI 02822 Specializing in quality seed, fertilizer, chemicals, and related golf course maintenance supplies. Peter Lund (401) 474-8171 www.allensseed.com DAF Services, Inc. 20 Lawnacre Rd., Windsor Locks, CT 06096 Custom pumping solutions. Custom pump controls. Complete pump service. Serving all of New England. Dick Young 860-623-5207. Atlantic Golf and Turf 9 Industrial Boulevard, Turners Falls, MA 01376 Specializing in agronomy through the distribution of fertilizer, seed and chemicals throughout New England. Chris Cowan (413) 530-5040, Gregg Mackintosh (508) 525-5142, Scott Mackintosh CPAg (774) 551-6083 DGM Systems 153A Foster Center Road, 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 A-OK Turf Equipment Inc. 1357 Main St., Coventry, RI 02816-8435 Lastec, Tycrop, Blec, Wiedenmann, Therrien, Graden, Sweep & Fill, Baroness, and used equipment. Mike Cornicelli - (401) 826-2584 DHT Golf Services 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. Dahn Tibbett (20 year member), Jaime Tibbett 508-746-3222 DHTGOLF.COM Barenbrug USA Great in Grass 10549 Hammond Hill Road, East Otto, NY 14729 Bruce Chapman, Territory Manager (401) 578-2300 G. Fialkosky Lawn Sprinklers PO Box 600645., Newton, MA 02460 Irrigation services to golf courses throughout New England. Gary Fialkosky - (617) 293-8632 www.garyfialkoskylawnsprinklers.com BASF Turf & Ornamental 47 Falmouth Rd., Longmeadow, MA 01106 “We don’t make the turf. We make it better.” Harrell’s LLC 19 Technology Drive, Auburn, MA 01501 Turf & Ornamental supplies. Chuck Bramhall, Mike Kroian, Mike Nagle - (800) 228-6656 BACKED by BAYER Building on an already solid foundation of proven products to help you succeed. Brian Giblin 508-439-9809 brian@bayer.com www.backedbybayer.com Hartney Greymont 433 Chestnut Street, Needham, MA 02492 www.hartney.com Hartney Greymont is a company that specializes in tree care, landscape services, strategic woodland management and plant healthcare. Michael Colman (781) 727-7025 Boston Irrigation Supply Co. (BISCO) 60 Stergis Way, Dedham, MA 02026 New England's single source for a complete line of irrigation and pumping equipment featuring Rain Bird, plus landscape lighting, drainage, tools and all related accessories. www.gobisco.com Andrew Langlois, Jay Anderson III, Dan Fuller, Jeff Brown, Greg Hennessy, Chris Russo (800) 225-8006 Helena Chemical Company 101 Elm Street, Hatfield, MA 01038 www.helenachemical.com National distributors of all your turf chemicals and fertilizers. Extensive line of Helena Branded wetting agents, foliars, micronutrients and adjuvants. Louis Bettencourt, CGCS (978) 580-8166 Chris Leonard (339) 793-3705 The Cardinals, Inc. 166 River Rd., PO Box 520, Unionville, CT 06085 Golf course and landscape supplies. John Callahan, Dennis Friel - (800) 861-6256 continued on next page 18 Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION Hillcrest Turf Services P.O. Box 767, Medfield, MA 02052 Mike Parks 617-852-0479 Providing specialty cultural services to golf courses and sports turf. Mayer Tree Service 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 International Golf Construction Co. 5 Purcell Rd., Arlington, MA 02474 Golf course construction. Antonios Paganis - (781) 648-2351; (508) 428-3022 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 Irrigation Management & Services 21 Lakeview Ave., Natick, MA 01760 Irrigation consultation, design, and system evaluation. Bob Healey, ASIC, CID - (508) 653-0625 MTE, Inc. – Turf Equipment Solutions 118 Lumber Lane, Tewksbury, MA 01864 New England’s source for equipment sales, service and parts. New and pre-owned mowers, tractors, attachments and much more from: Jacobsen, Turfco, Smithco, Ventrac, Redexim, Neary Grinders, Ryan, Buffalo Turbine, Mahindra, Husqvarna, Gravely, Standard, Par-Aide and others. Office: 978-654-4240. Mark Casey: 617-990-2427. Matt Lapinski: 978-551-0093 John Deere Golf Offering our customers the most complete line of products, service and expertise in the industry. John Winskowicz - (978) 471-8351 Ron Tumiski 1-800-321-5325 x6219 Mungeam Cornish Golf Design, Inc. 195 SW Main Street, Douglas, MA 01516 Golf course architects Office: 508-476-5630 Cell: 508-873-0103 Email: info@mcgolfdesign.com Contact: Mark A. Mungeam, ASGCA www.mcgolfdesign.com 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 Offering a full range of inventory for irrigation drainage, pumps, fountains and landscape lighting products and services for all of your residential and commercial needs. (781) 862-2550 Susan Tropeano, Tim Fitzgerald tim@larchmont-eng.com New England Lawn & Golf 15 Del Prete Drive, Hingham, MA 02043 Distributor of Express Dual and Anglemaster Speed Roller and Converted Organics a liquid compost & fertilizer from food waste John Lenhart - (781) 561-5687 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 New England Specialty Soils 435 Lancaster, Street, Leominster, MA 01453 1mm. Top Dressing Sand, High Density Bunker Sand, Rootzone Mixes, Tee Blends, Divot Mixes, Bridging Stone, Cart Path Mix, Infield Mixes, Inorganic Amendments, SLOPE LOCK Soil. Ed Downing - 978-230-2300 www.nesoils.com Maher Services 71 Concord Street, N. Reading, MA 01864 Well drilling, pump service and well maintenance Peter Maher cell: (781) 953-8167 or (978) 664-WELL (9355) Fax (978) 664-9356 www.maherserv.com New England Turf P.O. Box 777, West Kingston, RI 02892 Phone: 800-451-2900 or Ernie Ketchum 508-364-4428; Mike Brown (508) 272-1827 Website: www.newenglandturf.com MAS Golf Course Construction LLC 60 Hope Ave., Ste. 107, Waltham, MA 02453 Fulfilling all your renovation and construction needs. www.masgolfconstruction.com Matthew Staffieri (508) 243-2443 NMP Golf Construction Corp. 25 Bishop Ave., Ste. A-2, Williston, VT 05495 Golf course construction. Mario Poirier - (888) 707-0787 Maltby & Company 30 Old Page Street, P.O. Box 364, Stoughton, MA 02072 Provides expert tree pruning, tree removal and tree planting services. Our two other divisions include Natural Tree & Lawn Care, which treats for winter moth caterpillars, ticks and mosquitoes etc. Forest Floor recycling manufactures color enhanced mulch and natural composted leaf mulch. For more information or to speak with one of our arborists please call Bill Maltby at 781-344-3900 Northeast Golf Company Golf Course Architectural/Consultation Services 118 Beauchamp Drive, Saunderstown, RI 02874 Robert McNeil (401) 667-4994 Northeast Golf & Turf Supply 6 Dearborn Road, Peabody, MA 01960 Complete line of Golf Course, Landscape & Lawn Care Construction and Maintenance Supplies Tom Rowell (978) 317-0673 Matrix Turf Solutions 29 Gilmore Drive - Unit C, Sutton, MA 01590 Providing the finest turf care products and accessories. Jim Favreau - (978) 815-9810 www.matrixturf.com continued on next page 19 Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION North Shore Hydroseeding 20 Wenham St., Danvers, MA 01923 Hydroseeding and erosion control services. Brian King - (978) 762-8737 www.nshydro.com Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Inc. P. O. Box 167, Wood River Junction, Rl 02894 Joe Farina (774) 260-0093 Turf Products Corp. 157 Moody Rd., Enfield, CT 06082 Distributors of Toro irrigation & maintenance equipment and other golf-related products. Tim Berge, Dave Beauvais, Nat Binns, Andy Melone - (800) 243-4355 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 www.on-coursegolf.com Valley Green 14 Copper Beech Drive, Kingston, MA 02364 Phone: 413-533-0726 Fax: 413-533-0792 "Wholesale distributor of turf products" 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 Winding Brook Turf Farm Wethersfield, CT 06109 Scott Wheeler, Mike Krudwig, Sam Morgan - (800) 243-0232 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 Slater Farms (Holliston Sand Products) P. O. Box 1168, Tifft Rd., Slatersville, RI 02876 USGA recommended topdressing, root-zone mixes, compost, pea stone, angular & traditional bunker sand. Bob Chalifour, CGCS (Ret.) - (401) 766-5010 Cell: 860-908-7414 Sodco Inc. P. O. Box 2, Slocum, Rl 02877 Bluegrass/Fescue, Bluegrass/Rye, Bluegrass/Fescue/Rye, Bentgrass. Sean Moran, Pat Hogan - (800) 341-6900 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 Stumps Are Us Inc. Manchester, NH Professional stump chipping service. Brendan McQuade - (603) 625-4165 Syngenta Professional Products 111 Craigemore Circle, Avon, CT 06001 Melissa Gugliotti (860) 221-5712 Tartan Farms, LLC P.O. Box 983, West Kingston, RI 02892 Dave Wallace (401) 641-0306 Tom Irwin Inc. 11 A St., Burlington, MA 01803 Turf management products. Paul Skafas, Rob Larson, Chris Petersen, Greg Misodoulakis, Mike DeForge, Brian Luccini, Jeff Houde, Fred Murray (800) 582-5959 Tree Tech, Inc. 6 Springbrook Rd., Foxboro, MA 02035 Foxboro, Wellesley, Fall River Andy Felix - (508) 543-5644 Full service tree service specializing in zero impact tree removal, stump grinding, tree pruning and tree risk assessments by our team of Certified Arborists. 20 NEW Lower Rates to Help Make Advertising in The Newsletter More Budget Conscious THE NEWSLETTER 2014 DISPLAY ADVERTISING ORDER FORM Company Name: Address: Contact Name: Phone # Issues (List month and total number): Amount of Check: (Made payable to “GCSANE”) Member Rates: Monthly Rate 4 Times Per Yr. (Save 5%) 1/4 page (vertical; 3.75" wide x 5" deep) $ 90.00 $ 342.00 1/2 page (horizontal; 7.5" wide x 5" deep) $150.00 Full Page (vertical; 7.5" wide x 10" deep) $200.00 Non-Member Rates: 6 Times Per Yr. (Save 10%) 8 Times Per Yr. (Save 10%) Annual Rate (Save 15%) $ 486.00 $ 648.00 $ 918.00 $ 570.00 $ 810.00 $1080.00 $1530.00 $ 760.00 $1080.00 $1440.00 $2040.00 *All payments must be received in full before the ad appears in The Newsletter. 1/4 page (vertical; 3.75" wide x 5" deep) $120.00 $456.00 $648.00 $ 864.00 $1224.00 1/2 page (horizontal; 7.5" wide x 5" deep) $180.00 $684.00 $972.00 $1296.00 $1836.00 Full Page (vertical; 7.5" wide x 10" deep) $240.00 $912.00 $1296.00 $1728.00 $2448.00 *DEADLINE for ads: The first of the month for that month’s issue. Ad Preparation Specifications: File Specifications for Ads Supplied in Digital Format: Ads may be sent either by email or by mailing a CD to the address below. Formats preferred are .GIF; .JPG and .PDF. Ads can also be accepted in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher files. Full color is available with all ads. Advertising Design Services: Design services are available by request and consultation and will be billed separately. Send all Newsletter ads to: Julie Heston 36 Elisha Mathewson Road, N. Scituate, RI 02857 Phone: 401-934-7660 / Fax: 401-934-9901 jheston@verizon.net 21