June 2015! President’s Message! Dear fellow GCSANE members:! ! We’re still on the front nine of the 2015 season and hopefully this message finds you all well. Needless to say it’s been an interesting season thus far given the heat, drought, and now more heat we’ve encountered following on the heels of an epic winter here in the northeast. ! ! Your board of directors met recently at Golf House in Norton, Mass to conduct association business and there are a couple takeaway items to communicate. First off, the bylaws committee presented their first draft of the proposed bylaw changes and I must say everything has been well thought out and executed thus far. The next step will include board review and comments, followed by review by counsel, and finally, review by GCSAA for conformance with their bylaws. Once these steps have taken place, the entire proposed bylaw package will be forwarded to you, the GCSANE membership, for final comment and review. If necessary, we will hold a formal review and comment session, perhaps at the December meeting. If everything remains intact on our timeline, we’ll ask for a vote to adopt the proposed changes at the next annual meeting. Right now we’ve identified Fenway Park, our 2015 annual meeting site, as a potential site for the 2016 annual meeting. It’s obviously quite a ways off yet and we’ll update you as the date gets closer.! ! On the regulatory front, some important fertilizer regulations have been enacted effective June 5, 2015. I’d suggest you become immediately familiar with the new regulations as they pertain to our businesses. Additionally, there are many friend and affiliate members of our association who have been on the forefront of these changes and can assist with compliance and implementation. You’ll be receiving a separate communication from our government relations chairman, Peter Rappoccio, regarding these changes. Thanks to Peter for staying on top of these changes and communicating them in a timely manner. ! We’ve been fortunate to have played some fantastic golf courses thus far in 2015. The May joint meeting with RIGCSA was hosted by John LeClair, CGCS at Warwick CC and fortunately for everyone there wasn’t a breath of wind for the most part. We enjoyed a fantastic day with approximately 70 attendees for the meeting. Congratulations to John LeClair and his staff for hosting the event on a premier golf course which was in top form for the event. ! ! The 2015 Bear Cup was hosted at the Black Rock Country Club in Hingham, MA with approximately 70 attendees. Superintendent Chuck Welch and his staff had the course in top shape for the event and I’d like to pass along a big high five to the folks at Black Rock for hosting us this year as it was a real treat to play there. ! ! Coming up this month is our next scheduled meeting at Cyprian Keyes on June 29th. Our hosts will be Jason Paradise and a long time GCSANE member Dick Zepp, who is past president of our association. Cyprian Keyes has long been considered one of the premier golf destinations in our area and we’re fortunate to have it on our list of venues for 2015. ! ! That’s it for this edition and I hope to see many of you at one (or all) of our upcoming events. ! ! Best Regards,! ! Michael D. Luccini, CGCS! GCSANE President! ! GCSANE BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Michael Luccini, CGCS Franklin Country Club 672 E. Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038 508-528-6110 Fax: 508-528-1885 Email: Mluccini@franklincc.com VICE PRESIDENT David W. Johnson Wianno Club 155 West Street, Osterville, MA 02655 508-428-6981 Email: Djohnson.wgc@gmail.com TREASURER Jason VanBuskirk Stow Acres Country Club 58 Randall Road, Stow, MA 01775 978-568-1100 ext. 121 Email: jvanbuskirk@stowacres.com We would like to offer sincere thanks to the companies and their Affiliate Members who have supported the GCSA of New England through their participation in the Partner Participation Program (PPP). Please consider these companies and their support when deciding your product selections this year. PLATINUM PARTNERS SECRETARY Jeffrey Urquhart Milton Hoosic Club 70 Green Lodge Street, Canton, MA 02021 781-828-2953 Fax 781-828-3220 Email: jmartin101@gmail.com TRUSTEE - Membership Kris Armando Sassamon Trace Golf Course 233 South Main Street, Natick, MA 01760 508-745-8555 Email: karmando8@gmail.com Hartney Greymont LaCorte Equipment/John Deere Golf MTE – Turf Equipment Solutions Turf Products Corp TRUSTEE - Scholarship & Benevolence David Stowe, CGCS Newton Commonwealth Golf Club 212 Kenrick Street, Newton, MA 02458 617-789-4631 Email: Newtonmaint@aol.com GOLD PARTNER Northeast Golf & Turf Supply TRUSTEE - Government Relations Peter J. Rappoccio, CGCS Concord Country Club 246 ORNAC, Concord, MA 01742 978-371-1089 Fax: 978-369-7231 Email: gcs@concordcc.org SILVER PARTNERS Atlantic Golf & Turf Maltby and Company New England Specialty Soils TRUSTEE - Affiliate Ed Downing New England Specialty Soils 435 Lancaster Street, Leominster, MA 01453 978-230-2300 Email: eddowning@me.com FINANCE CHAIRMAN Donald D’Errico Spring Valley Country Club 25 Tiot Street, Sharon, MA 02067 508-530-2113 Email: donny@springvalleycountryclub.com PATRON PARTNERS Allen’s Seed Co. Bayer Cavicchio Greenhouses, Inc. Chas. C. Hart Seed Co. Colonial DryJect & Turf Services Country Club Enterprises Harrell’s Hillcrest Turf Services John Deere Landscapes Larchmont Engineering, Inc. Lazaro’s Golf Course Supplies Mayer Tree Service Read Custom Soils Syngenta Tartan Farms The Cardinals WinField GOLF CHAIRMAN John Ponti Nehoiden Golf Club 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481 781-283-3240 Email: jponti@wellesley.edu EDUCATION CHAIRMAN Brian F. Skinner, CGCS Bellevue Golf Club 320 Porter Street, PO Box 760661 Melrose, MA 02176 781-665-3147 Fax 781-665-1019 Email: brianskinner@bellevuegolfclub.com NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN Greg Cormier, CGCS Nashawtuc Country Club 1861 Sudbury Road, Concord, MA 01742 978-369-5704 Email: gcormier@nashawtuc.com PAST PRESIDENT Mark Gagne Walpole Country Club 233 Baker Street, Walpole, MA 02081 508-294-5326 Fax: 508-668-9969 Email: Mgagne@walpolecc.org ASSOCIATION MANAGER Donald E. Hearn, CGCS 300 Arnold Palmer Blvd., Norton, MA 02766 774-430-9040 Email: donhearn@gcsane.org 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. 2 "#$%&'(%')!*%+,)-#'.!/01,)%! ! Courtesy of the National Association of Landscape Contractors and Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals! ! EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers released the final Clean Water Act Rule: Waters of the United States. The rule is substantially similar to the proposed rule that NALP has been actively opposing since its release early last year. The rule redefines which waters are subject to federal CWA regulation. In the past, only navigable waters were subject to the CWA. Now, in addition to large water bodies, the CWA’s regulatory jurisdiction includes many irrigation ditches, man" made water bodies or areas that have flowing water during heavy storms. The rule defines many ditches as tributaries, which are now subject to regulation. It also subjects to CWA requirements any water body deemed to have a “significant nexus” to a larger body. Under the rule, regulators have a great deal of discretion to determine if a “significant nexus” exists.! ! The GIA asked for support of support H.R 1732 " an alternative to the controversial Waters of the US rule which would redefine navigable waterways throughout the country. !Enough House members supported H.R.1732 to pass it.! The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers issued a final rule that is very similar to the Waters of the US rule. !It is in contrast to the H.R. 1732.! Now the US Senate has it's opportunity to oppose this final EPA ruling and stand in alliance with the US House. !Passage of S. 1140 , the Senate version of HR 1732, was heard on May 19 and will be up for a vote in the near future. S.1140 " 114th Congress (2015"2016): Federal Water Quality Protection Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress!The best chance to defeat the Waters of the US ruling is to ask Senators Markey and Warren to vote in favor of S 1140. !Below are two links to the rule and an easy way for you to contact Senators Markey and Warren.! ! What Can I Do to Fight These New Requirements?! The rule will take effect in about 60 days. The only way to change the new requirements is through Congressional action. On May 12, the House passed legislation (H.R. 1732) to require the agencies to withdraw the rule and work with stakeholders to develop a new rule. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on similar legislation (S. 1140) on May 19. The committee is expected to address the legislation further this summer. NALP continues to advocate for these bills, but we need your help. Please do the following: ! Send a letter to your senators through our advocacy website asking them to support S. 1140.! Tweet your concerns about the new rule using #landscapeadvocacy, #4CWAclarity and #ditchtherule.! Tweet at your members of Congress and senators and @EPAWater. ! Find your senator and representative by going to the Legislative Action Center and using your address in the search bar to find your elected officials.! ! ! Some suggested tweets include:! 1.! Let’s stop the overreach of the EPA. Support S. 1140. #landscapeadvocacy #4CWAClarity #ditchtherule! 2.! Protect landscape professionals from costly new regulation. Support S. 1140. #landscapeadvocacy #4CWAClarity #ditchtherule! 3.! Do I really need a CWA permit to plant a tree? #landscapeadvocacy #4CWAClarity #ditchtherule! ! If you have not already done so, please register for the National Association of Landscape Professionals Legislative Day on the Hill, July 20"21, and make your voice heard in Washington, DC.! !"##$%&'&##$()&*+,-./00&12%#3'2%#456&7/8/.9:& ;9(/.&<=9:>(?&@.+(/A(>+,&BA(&C&*+,-./00"-+D&C& E>F.9.?&+"""! !=GG9.?&+H&!"##$%&'&##$()&*+,-./00&12%#3'2%#456&7/8/.9:& ;9(/.&<=9:>(?&@.+(/A(>+,&BA(! ! View on www.congress.gov! !"#$%&'#$()*#'+$,-.$/#$+0&.1$-)2$$"))3244 55567#3-78094*()#*43%01&,)(0.4+('#*46:;<=:<4 10,&>#.)*4%&'#?3%#->/'#?5#/?9#%*(0.731+ ! 3! ! Thoughts From Your Association Manager How about a “Thank You” to the companies and their representatives who support you, our profession and our Association. I’m always trying to get a feel and a sense of what the Association can do to support the companies who support the Association. Usually, when I ask commercial representatives for their thoughts, I’m told they would like to have more support and understanding of their role. This is totally reasonable. These representatives should be treated as resources, not cretins try(left) Director of Golf Peter Doherty ing to hustle a sale. Yes, some may show up (center) Superintendent Eric Whitmore without advance notice because they just hapThe New England Golf Course Owners Association pened to be in the area – a weak excuse, but maybe, with an hosted their 14th Annual Golf Outing May 12, at the Atkinson explanation, it could be true. Some may just walk in beResort & Country Club in Atkinson, NH. The club is the recause they don’t have the good sense or courtesy to call cipient of the 2015 National Course of the Year honor and ahead. A soft and good-natured reminder of your protocol this created an additional incentive to view the facility. should end this behavior. And some, very few, might be inIn addition to golf, attendees were treated to a tour of terested solely in a sale. Regardless of motive, when you the club’s teaching facility, golf maintenance and clubhouse agree to meet with a representative, make sure you’re there operations. Golf Professional Peter Doherty lead a group at the agreed upon time. Everyone’s time is valuable and through the Willowcreek Golf Academy teaching facility and every minute lost is lost forever. Your time is no more valuadescribed the learning opportunities offered at Atkinson. ble or important than someone else’s. Superintendent Eric Whitmore explained the intricacies of We all like to think we get a deal when we make a purturf maintenance and the types of equipment needed to chase. How about the deal you got when you purchased maintain golf turf. Food and Beverage Manager, Walter your new car. What about the head of lettuce you saved a Heinrich led an informative tour of the clubhouse facilities. few pennies on. Or the great deal you were able to negotiate for the case of fungicide you were looking to purchase. Recently there was an article in the Boston Globe written by We can think of many deals we’ve gotten over the years and Michael Whitmer, the Globe’s golf writer. The article foin some cases the price may have been high to begin with. cused on the less than ideal growing and recovery condiIn others, we may have received a deal because someone tions many superintendents have faced this spring. I’ve inwanted to get their foot in the door. There’s nothing wrong cluded a link to the article and it can be viewed by clicking with an introductory offer. Keep in mind though that Boston Globe Article. continued on page 7 May 18, was the date of the joint meeting with the Rhode Island GCSA held at Warwick Country Club in Warwick, RI. It was a beautiful day on a beautiful golf course maintained by Superintendent John LeClair, CGCS and his hard working staff. This year’s event was hosted by the Rhode Island Association and they did all they could to make the members of our Association feel welcome. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed meeting with our friends from Rhode Island. A joint meeting is a nice way to stay in touch with others in our business, compare notes and talk about course conditions in the area and get to know more people. Our Host: John LeClair, CGCS Pete Jacobson—919-530-9062 peter.jacobson@basf.com www.betterturf.basf.us 4 5 Kevin Doyle - GCSAA Updates I always enjoy visiting members at their facilities. The passion they utilize on the job always shows through. While I think the members appreciate my taking the time to visit them, I really enjoy doing so. I always learn a lot and often get the opportunity to share that information with other members, in newsletters or on my blog. If you have any questions feel free to reach out. I can connect you with Prieur. If you have successful ideas or initiatives that others might enjoy, let me know that too and I will do my best to share. One such visit occurred recently and offered some insights into one member’s efforts to grow the game. 15 year GCSAA member Mark Prieur at Trafalgar Golf Club in Milton, Ontario has undertaken several initiatives. I learned quickly that my visit took place on Ladies Day. Flag sticks were wrapped in pink VinylGuard with correlating cup liners. This simple set-up is enjoyed by the members, and was inexpensive to accomplish. Another area of the course has seen quite the buzz lately too. Prieur has had past experience with bee keeping and has resurrected the practice at Trafalgar. While this is not unique to golf facilities, it was my first up-close experience with a hive. The hive will help pollinate the clubs small vegetable garden and is located next to an adjoining farm. Prieur explained that the hive should produce nearly 100 pounds of honey at some point in the fall. continued on page 9 Growing the game long term begins with engaging children. Prieur and the staff have developed a six-hole loop that is tailored perfectly for children. The loop includes a “road hole” finish, at a grueling twenty nine yards long! The loop utilizes unused space adjacent to the first tee. The pins are cut down to approximately 5 feet tall and sunk into cups into the middle of push mowed greens. Tees are marked using old rope-stakes with hole yardage stenciled on the side. Prieur stated the space is packed on weekends, with member’s children and grandchildren utilizing the course. The users need to be shorter than the flagsticks and often are slightly taller than the fescue areas that surround the fairways. Maintenance takes very little time and labor, and the returns have been great. 6 Association Manager - continued from page 4 Like much of New England, there is a colorful story to this site. The club opened in 1997, but recorded history of the property dates back to 1718 when an early settler, Thomas Keyes, bought several lots in what was then the north precinct of Shrewsbury. In 1734, his son, Cyprian, built his home here, a house that was called Spring Garden. Besides being one of the first settlers in what was to become the city of Boylston, Cyprian Keyes was also a deacon of the Congregational Church and an ardent patriot. someone has to pay for your good deal. An important part of the deal is service after the fact and the level of expertise and willingness of the company representative to stand behind the product you bought. Keep this in mind when thinking about the deal you got. Many companies that support our Association also directly support you by offering educational opportunities to let you know about the products they offer, how these products can help you and, just as important, how the representatives can help you make decisions and offer their expertise to make your job a bit easier. Sure, selling their product is a motivator, but so isn’t sharing knowledge. In my almost forty years as a practicing superintendent I shared many phone calls with sales representatives trying to gain insight on products and techniques I was considering. Some I implemented based on the input from those phone calls. So the next time you consider a purchase, consider the support you’ll receive from the company and consider the support the company provides to you, your course and your Association. And – how about a “thank you” once in a while. After Cyprian Keyes died in 1802 at age 95, the land went through many hands and was finally purchased by industrialist George Sumner Barton, and his wife, Elizabeth Trumbull Lincoln. They renamed the land Barlin Acres—“Bar” from Barton, and “lin” from Lincoln. The Bartons made many additions to Cyprian Keyes’ home, including adding a music room in 1939. This room was originally built in 19th century England, disassembled, and reassembled as part of the Barlin Acres Mansion. Eventually, the land became the property of the Worcester diocese of the Catholic Church and then was sold to founders of our golf club. The first tree was cut down on November 1, 1995, and the first green was seeded during the week of Labor Day in 1996. Cyprian Keyes Golf Club was opened to the public on August 11, 1997. Our host for the Ninth Annual Bear Cup Tournament was the GCSA of Cape Cod. The event was played at Black Rock Country Club in Hingham. Black Rock is the site of this year’s Massachusetts Open Championship and Superintendent Chuck Welch and his staff had the course in wonderful condition for this year’s event. The Cape Association won the Bear Cup for the fourth consecutive year. While we would have liked to break the Cape’s winning streak, everyone was a winner. The course, the weather and the hospitality at Black Rock made for a beautiful day! The Bear Cup is played in memory of Gary Luccini, long time Superintendent at Franklin Country Club and the father of Mike and Brian Luccini. Mike succeeded his dad as Superintendent at Franklin and Brian is a sales representative for the Tom Irwin company. When the land for the golf club was purchased from the diocese, the Barlin Acres Mansion still existed. Unfortunately, the only portion of the original house that could be saved was the Music Room. However, the original flooring from Cyprian Keyes' home was used in the 1734 foyer of the new clubhouse, which connects the Spring Garden Ballroom and the Hall of Fame Room. Also, the front entry from the Barlin Acres Mansion now graces the entry between the Ballroom and the 1734 foyer. The design of the clubhouse for Cyprian Keyes Golf Club not only incorporates parts of the original structures, it also reflects the history, heritage and ambiance of colonial Boylston. The same approach was taken with the golf course. Every hole is unique and is carved out of beautiful woodlands. The wetland areas integrated into the course add a natural beauty to the design, and the rolling terrain provides for scenic panoramas. Mark Twain certainly would have loved to take a good walk around Cyprian Keyes. The logo of the course represents the marbled salamander, an endangered species for which there are 22 acres of wetlands set aside on the championship course. During colonial days, the salamander was also a sign of welcome and friendship. left to right: Paul Doherty, President of the GCSACC; Chuck Welch, Host Superintendent; Mike Luccini, President of the GCSA of New England By Don Hearn The next meeting of the Association will be the MemberGuest, which will be held at the Cyprian Keyes Golf Club in Boylston, MA, June 29. Cyprian was developed by the Frem family. David Frem is the General Manager and is currently the President of the New England Golf Course Owners Asociation (NEGCOA). How did Cyprian Keyes Golf Club come to be and how was the name determined? The following is a brief history of the evolution of the property: 7 8 Help recruit new members, get rewarded GCSAA's new Member-Get-A-Member program provides members with the opportunity to receive gift certificates for each new member that they recruit. Members will also receive one entry into the grand prize drawing for an allexpenses-paid trip to the 2016 Golf Industry Show in San Diego. Learn more about the program at www.gcsaa.org/ member-get-a-member. GCSAA Update - continued from page 6 GCSAA Resources and Deadlines you Get Cool Stuff from your Association Already: Help GCSAA educate you! You can help get the education tools you want! If you have a suggestion for a topic, or would like to present a webcast, please contact Lisa Wick, senior manager of e-learning programs. Upcoming FREE webcasts: July 22: 360 Degree Teamwork and Leadership Equipment Management Series WOTUS final rule reached; learn how it may impact your facility The final Clean Water Rule was announced May 27 by the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers and will be effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. GCSAA is currently reviewing the rule for its impact to golf courses. The Clean Water Rule significantly expands the definition of "waters of the U.S." under Clean Water Act jurisdiction and we believe the final rule will likely have a negative impact on golf courses due to increased permitting requirements. Aug. 5: Poa annua Control and Resistance Management in Warm-Season Turf Again, if I can be of any assistance, please feel free to tact me. Kevin Doyle GCSAA Field Staff kdoyle@gcsaa.org Follow me on Twitter @GCSAA_NE 9 con- 23%!A(,5%!#B!#4&!A'14.)&=! ! C=!"&%5!?#&(-%&D!?"?@! ! Many of you know that the image of golf is not always positive in many people’s eyes. Our industry is often viewed as a luxurious activity for the rich and famous, and a detriment to the environment. Our industry associations have been working hard to change that image and tell the story of what benefits golf brings to the environment, the economy, charities and the general well"being of people. Initiatives such as “We Are Golf” have been very successful at communicating our story to government officials in Washington D.C. and to the general public. GCSAA has an ambassador program that connects a golf course superintendent to each legislator in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The superintendent reaches out to their assigned legislator and just simply starts a relationship, educates the legislator and becomes a resource. For those of you who are familiar with the term “Grassroots effort” this is a prime example. To change the image of an entire industry across the world takes a strong effort on many levels. ! ! You are hopefully thinking right now; “What can I do to help this effort”. If you feel compelled to help, here is one way you can start.! 1.! Find out who your state representative or senator is and contact their office. (Make sure this person is in the district of where you live and vote, not where you work)! 2.! You will likely hear back from an aide or an intern, and it may be an automated reply at first. Express your desire to meet the legislator. ! 3.! Arrange a meeting at your golf course. ! 4.! Develop a list of 5 things you want to show the legislator on the tour that will either be examples of how you help the environment or the community. Examples would be; water management and the use of rain sensors and moisture meters, soil testing and applying fertilizers without phosphorous, charity golf events and hiring students during the summer. ! 5.! Set a date and time and meet the legislator at the club. Hand them your list / agenda and tour the course for 45 minutes to an hour. Chances are they are busy so keep it short and meaningful. If they play golf, you could offer to play a round with them in advance. If free lunch in the clubhouse is an option, you may add this in as well.! ! ! I recently reached out to Representative Cory Atkins and followed this exact procedure. We spent about an hour together and she left the course completely amazed at what we do for the environment and the community. It was very simple, I just showed her a few things that we do every day, and she was amazed at the science and art behind turf management. She had originally thought that golf courses pollute the environment, now she knows we help the environment and the community. I made a point to say that I am not trying to get her to vote for or against any bills, I am just simply here to act as a resource. She was very appreciative of this gesture because she said that it was a rare occurrence.! ! I would encourage all of our members, including associates and industry partners to initiate this process. Maybe you could wait until September when things calm down. You can even get a couple superintendents and a company representative to gather at a course and work together to give a tour. A little effort goes a long way. Completing an online form email in 5 seconds and sending it off with several thousand others may help a little, but hosting someone at the facility you manage will have a much larger impact. If we can all make an effort it will positively impact our careers for the foreseeable future. ! GCSANE Upcoming Events! ! July 15, 2015! UMass Field Day! South Deerfield, MA! ! August 10, 2015! Individual Championship and Qualifier for New England Supt. Championship! Wayland Country Club! Wayland, MA! ! September 14, 2015! Scholarship and Benevolence Tournament! Vesper Country Club! Tyngsborough, MA! ! October 5, 2015! Member"Member! Tedesco Country Club! Marblehead, MA! ! November 2, 2015! Nine"Hole Meeting! Long Meadow Golf Club! Lowell, MA! ! Please visit www.gcsane.org for complete list.! 10! 11 How to Make Introductions Tips for Making a Great Introduction Look at the person you are speaking to first, then turn to the other person as you complete the introduction. Speak clearly. Mumbling defeats the purpose of the introduction. Use courteous language. “I’d like to introduce…,” “May I introduce…,” “I’d like you to meet…” are all good options. Use preferred names and titles. In more formal situations, or when there’s an obvious age Difference it’s best to use courtesy titles and last names: “Mrs. Stimpson, I’d like you to meet Mr. Jacobs.” This lets Mrs. Stimpson invite Mr. Jacobs to use her first name, or not. Even in informal situations or with contemporaries, it’s Helpful to use first and last names: “Judy, this is Sam Jacobs. Sam, this is Judy Stimpson.” You can use a nickname if you know the person prefers it. Teach children to use adults’ titles, unless an adult Specifically requests using his or her first name: “Mrs. Fredericks, this is my nephew, Benji Rose. Benji, this is Mrs. Fredericks.” It’s fine to skip last names when introducing your spouse and children, unless they have a different last name than yours. Introduce other family members by their full names, unless they request otherwise. It’s also a good idea to mention the family relationship: “Uncle Arthur, may I introduce Mark Weston. Mark, this is my great-uncle, Arthur Pearson.” When introducing someone to a small group, it’s practical to name the group members first, primarily to get their attention: “Sara, Kathy, Dan, I’d like to introduce Curtis Tyler. Curtis, I’d like you to meet Sara Rocher, Kathy Henley, and Dan Quinn.” Start a conversation. Try to find some topic the two people have in common: “Jeff, I think you and Eric share a passion for California wine. Eric might enjoy hearing about your wine tour in California.” “May I introduce. . .” Many people think that introducing themselves or introducing others is so complicated that they tend to avoid doing it altogether. While that might have been the case years ago, today the process is much simpler. It all boils down to speaking to the person you wish to honor first. For example, you’d like to introduce your college roommate to your grandmother. Turn to her and say, “Grandmother, I’d like you to meet my roommate, Stan Foster.” Then turn to Stan and say, “Stan, this is my grandmother, Mrs. Duran.” Here’s a handy chart of who might come first: Speak to this person FIRST… Social Situations Your grandparents, parents, or anyone older than you Your friend An adult A woman Someone with a title: Senator, Mayor, Judge, Colonel, nobility, Bishop, Reverend, Professor, Doctor; anyone senior in rank to you (boss, CEO) Your guest of honor Business Situations A client Your boss, or a higher-up …and this person SECOND Your contemporary (or younger) Another family member A child A man Your contemporary (or younger) Others attending the event Anyone in your company, including your CEO A person of lower rank in the company By Don Hearn Friend of the Association Profile- LaCorte Equipment Together with John Deere Golf, LaCorte Equipment is proud to be a good standing member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England. It is a great honor to serve the many excellent courses in one of the best superintendent's associations in America. We have learned much from the great courses and fine people we work with and our goal is to be the first people that you think of as friends in the equipment business. Our goals for the future are to provide you with the best parts, service, sales, and equipment in the industry. We have come a long way and we are not through making progress. We have been a full service John Deere dealer since 1999, originally serving Long Island exclusively. We have since become a John Deere Golf dealership for parts of NY and NJ, CT, MA, VT, NH, ME, and RI. Nothing runs like a Deere and nobody knows that better than the good folks at LaCorte Equipment. Please visit our website, www.lacorteequipment.com, to see all we have to offer. 12 13 continued on page 15 14 continued on page 16 15 continued on page 17 16 continued on page 18 17 18 Dr. Joseph Troll Dr. Joe Troll passed away June 16, 2015. He was a mentor, friend, teacher, advisor, researcher, husband, father, grandfather and many other titles to those who knew him. Joe and his wonderful wife, Lonnie, were married for 71 years. They married when Joe was in the U.S. Navy where he enlisted when he was 17 years old. He was stationed in the North Atlantic and rose to the rank of Chief Petty Officer. He was a fifty-year member of the GCSA of New England and the recipient of the Association’s Distinguished Service Award. The Canadian Golf Course Superintendents Association also awarded him their Distinguished Service Award. His importance to the industry was further acknowledged by the United States Golf Association when they awarded him their Green Section Award, one of the most prestigious awards in golf. He was inducted into the Western Massachusetts Golf Hall of fame in 2013. He had many accomplishments as a professor of Agronomy at the University of Massachusetts, but his biggest thrill and proudest moments came from teaching students. He was so proud of the students that went on to careers in the green industry. And in conversation would remark how someone who had just received some notoriety was one of his students at UMass. As former student Al Wilson said, “No matter who you were, he was the teacher that could find something good in what you were doing.” Dr. Joe Troll 1920 - 2015 Joe was a prime mover for turf research at UMass and was the driving force behind the research facility established in South Deerfield, MA. The facility was named in his honor and Joe was very proud of what his untiring efforts had accomplished. Joe influenced how golf courses were maintained and he had an effect on the world of golf course maintenance. As Tom Alex, a former student, now a superintendent in Florida, said about Dr. Troll, “He was one of those pioneers that created the conditions of the way we do business today.” I first met Joe when I was a student at the UMass Winter School in 1968. I had heard about Joe and his influence in the world of golf course maintenance and was excited to meet him. He was every bit all I had heard about him, and then some. He was an inspiring individual, a wonderful person - a giant! Someone I’ll never forget. from left: Cleve Willis, UMass Dean; Joe Troll; Steve Russ Held, sports writer for the Springfield Republican and long-time reporter Goodwin, Dean of the College of Natural Sciences of the western Massachusetts golf scene wrote a nice article about Dr. Troll and there are quotes from those who knew him well that added to the level of affection and esteem at which Joe was held. To read this article, Click here to view article. In lieu of flowers Dr. Troll’s family has asked that memorial donations in Dr. Troll’s name be made to the Troll Turfgrass Fund. Checks should be made out to the University of Massachusetts and sent to: UMass Amherst Records & Gift Processing Memorial Hall 134 Hicks Way Amherst, MA 01003-9270 Mass will be July 7th at St Marks the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 7081 SE Hwy 42, Summerfield, Florida. There will be a repass after the service in a separate building behind the church. By Don Hearn 19 DIVOT DRIFT... announcements ... educational seminars ... job opportunities ...tournament results...and miscellaneous items of interest to the membership.! !""#$"%&'&"()* Support the UMass Turf Program with your presence at Field Day 2015!! For more general information, including photos and video, visit our Field Day page.! ! Registration! Attendees: Registration for up to 2 attendees from a particular company is $55 each. Additional attendees from the same company are $45 each. $15 additional charge for on" site registration July 15.! Continental breakfast & full lunch are included with registration.! ! Exhibitors: $200 registration fee covers 2 individuals (includes 2 breakfast/lunch, table, and 2 chairs).! Additional staff are $35 each.!! ! Pesticide & Professional Certification Credits! 2 Massachusetts pesticide re"certification contact hours have been approved for this program for categories 32, 37, 49 and 00 (Applicator's License). These contact hours are valid for equvalent categories in all New England states.! 2 New York pesticide credits have been approved for categories 3a and 3b.! 1 MNLA MCH credit has been approved.! 2 MLP MCLP education credits have been approved.! 4 NOFA AOLCP credits have been approved.! 0.25 GCSAA CGCS education points have been approved.! ! STMA CSFM CEUs have been requested.! Contact! ! For more information, contact Jason Lanier at 413"545" 2965, Mary Owen at 508"892"0382 or e"mail fieldday@umassturf.org.! Sponsorship opportunities are available, please inquire.! ! Welcome New Member ! Connor Kuehl, Second Assistant, Kernwood Country Club ! ! Meeting location change " August 10 meeting will be at Wayland Country Club, not Stow Acres.! ! As in the past, The Newsletter continues to invite Affiliate members to submit a press release about new personnel, new products or a company bio. We will print each and every release free of charge. This is a great way to advertise for free. !Who said nothing in this world is free? !Free advertising to better your company, wow what an offer. !! +,-.*$'/00*(123*4505/267** 895:;*