March 2015

President’s Message
Dear fellow GCSANE members:
As we prepare to embark on the 2015 golf season, there
are many happenings within the organization I'd like to make
you aware of.
First off, I wanted to mention the passing of long time
GCSANE member and industry legend Joe Rybka. A fixture
at Thorny Lea Golf Club for over 40 years, Joe was a dear
friend, mentor, and colleague to many of us. His presence
will be sorely missed. Our sincere condolences go out to
Joe’s family and dear friends during this difficult time.
Winter has continued to keep its grip on the Northeast
and it appears things will be slow to change. Realizing this
late lingering winter may present challenges for many of us
coming into spring, we have some proactive folks in the association already attempting to get ahead of the curve. Mike
Fontaine has organized a one day winter injury symposium
to be held on March 11 at Dr. Deegan’s Restaurant in Chicopee. The event may already be passed by the time you read
this, but I wanted to recognize Mike for taking the lead on
this important and pending issue which may confront many
of us in the coming weeks and months.
This past week several GCSANE members ventured up
north to the Killington ski resort for the Vermont Nor’easter
Ski Day. With over 100 people in attendance, the event was
deemed a great success by all those who attended. For
those of you who have never attended before, it’s a great
day (and night) filled with plenty of thrills, spills, and camaraderie. Not surprisingly, the Vermont GCSA guys showed
everyone who’s boss and laid down the law on their home
turf.
We’ve also been working closely with our friends at the
Massachusetts Golf Association on the 2015 Green Section
golf course operations survey. You should have received an
email with a link to the survey a short while back. The survey
takes a mere 15 minutes or so to complete and will serve as
an important management and planning tool for your club
once the results are returned to you. Do note your club will
be recognized for their participation, but club specific data
will be kept private. Please make the effort to participate in
this survey as a higher participation rate provides a wider

and more representative snapshot of our member clubs and
their associated resources. Thus far I’m told the response
rate has been very good, and results will be sent to all participating clubs this spring free of charge. Non-participating
clubs who wish to access the data will incur a $50 fee.
On the golfing front, our annual Scholarship and Benevolence tournament will be held this year at the venerable Vesper Country Club in Tyngsboro, MA. Our host will be
GCSANE member Stephen Hicks. I'd like to thank Stephen
and Vesper Country Club for volunteering to host one of our
premier member events. It’s been many years since we’ve
visited VCC and for those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to play this New England gem, I’d highly recommend
you block out September 14th on your calendar as this promises to be a great event.
Also be sure to mark down April 16th for our first golf
event of 2015, The Bear Cup. The event will be held at Black
Rock Country Club in Hingham, MA with the GCSACC hosting this year. Superintendent Chuck Welch will be our host
for the day. I had the opportunity to play Black Rock briefly
last fall at the New England Pro Super event before we were
rained out after a few holes. I can tell you this is a first class
venue and we’re very fortunate to be able to play there. I
hope you’ll all take the opportunity to play despite a pending
busy spring schedule for all of us.
Finally, in addition to golf there is much else to look forward to this coming season despite the current snow tomb
we’re enveloped in. The Grateful Dead (sans Jerry Garcia)
will be celebrating their 50th anniversary over the 4th of July
weekend at Soldier Field in Chicago. Sadly, I missed out on
the ticket lottery but I’m told great seats are still available on
Stub hub for a mere $116,000. Get yours while they last. 
Best Regards,
Michael D. Luccini CGCS
GCSANE President

GCSANE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Moving On

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

By Greg Cormier, CGCS

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

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

TRUSTEE - Scholarship & Benevolence
David Stowe, CGCS
Newton Commonwealth Golf Club
212 Kenrick Street, Newton, MA 02458
617-789-4631
Email: Newtonmaint@aol.com

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

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

GOLF CHAIRMAN
John Ponti
Nehoiden Golf Club
106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481
781-283-3240
Email: jponti@wellesley.edu

As many of my fellow superintendents know, one of the
most rewarding aspects of our job is mentoring. Even greater
than being a mentor, is seeing one of your assistants move on
to become a Golf Course Superintendent.
I recently was able to experience this when Andrew Lamy,
First Assistant, was hired at Sandy Burr Country Club as their
next Superintendent. Andrew has worked hard to reach this
point in his career. He is a member of both GCSANE and
GCSAA. In his school age days he started out golfing at
Groton Country Club in Groton, MA. After realizing that he was
more interested in what the grounds crew was doing on the
golf course, than his own golf game; he started work on the
grounds. After working at Groton CC, he decided to attend
Andrew Lamy
UMASS Stockbridge where he earned his Bachelor's Degree.
While at school he completed three internships. One at The Orchards Golf Club and
two at The Weston Golf Club. Upon graduating Andrew took a position as Assistant
Superintendent at Navesink Country Club in New Jersey. In an effort to return home,
Andrew moved back to work for The International in Bolton, MA as Assistant Superintendent. After working at the International, Andrew accepted the First Assistant Superintendent position at Nashawtuc Country Club.
Andrew worked extremely hard during his 5 years at Nashawtuc. He also purchased his first home, got married and had a son all within the past 2 years. Andrew
was fortunate to be able to keep his family and his new home in the same place while
transitioning to his first superintendent position. This is often a challenge in our industry with limited job opportunities. Most of the time, we are forced to move to the job.
For those of you who have had the opportunity to watch an Assistant grow and
move on to become a Golf Course Superintendent, you know the great feeling it
brings to you. If you haven’t helped mentor someone to move on and better themselves, I suggest you try it. Some may argue that it can be hard to invest your time into
someone, only to have them leave your club. I would argue that the feeling of seeing
someone who you helped to mentor move on to bigger and better things in their career, is worth much more than the convenience of not having to hire and train someone new. 

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

The Alumni Turf Group will hold the
11th Annual Joseph Troll Turf Classic

NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN
Greg Cormier, CGCS
Nashawtuc Country Club
1861 Sudbury Road, Concord, MA 01742
978-369-5704
Email: gcormier@nashawtuc.com

Date: April 20th, 2015

PAST PRESIDENT
Mark Gagne
Walpole Country Club
233 Baker Street, Walpole, MA 02081
508-294-5326 Fax: 508-668-9969
Email: Mgagne@walpolecc.org

Location:

TPC River Highlands Golf Club, Cromwell, CT
Tom DeGrandi Hosting

Honoring:

Dr. William Dest,
Professor Emeritus University of Connecticut

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.

For more information please see attached registration form and sponsorship
opportunities or visit: www.alumniturfgroup.com

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Critics
How to Deal with People Judging You and Your Work
It can take a lifetime to learn that just because people
criticize you doesn’t mean they really care about your choice
to do something different. Usually, these people simply criticize and move on. And that means that you can safely ignore them and continue doing your thing.
Of course that’s easier said than done because we all
like to be validated. Some people like it more than others, but
everyone wants to be respected and appreciated to some
degree. Yes, everyone appreciates being appreciated.
I know that whenever I write this column and choose to
share my thoughts, I wonder about what you’ll think. Will this
help my reputation? Will this hurt my reputation? Should I
even be worrying about my reputation? Will it reflect positively on the Association? This I’m very careful about and
always make sure it won’t be harmful or reflect poorly on us.
On one hand, I want to contribute something to the world
around me. Is this because of a strong ego? Is it because of
something else? I don’t really know. But on the other hand, I
was very nervous that people would criticize me when I started sharing my thoughts in this column. It’s been said, “You
can either be judged because you created something or ignored because you left your greatness inside of you.” It’s not
that I feel I have greatness inside of me. Rather I decided it
was more important to contribute something than it was to
protect myself from criticism. If I don’t use the correct word
or misspell a word, the context remains the same and I join
the ranks of everyone else who has done the same thing.
No big deal. Readers forget, don’t care, or don’t notice the

It doesn’t matter how you choose to live your life —
whether you build a business, work for a supplier to the industry, become a golf course superintendent, have children
or choose not to have children, go to the gym a few times a
week or sit on the couch every night — whatever you do,
someone will judge you for it.
For one reason or another, someone will find a reason to
project their insecurities, their negativity, their fears and their
unhappiness onto you and your life, and you’ll have to deal
with it. You’ll probably spend some time trying to figure out
what you did to become the target of someone’s displeasure.
Don’t spend much time trying to figure it out. You’ll waste a
lot of mental calories over something well beyond your control.
The Biggest Critic in Your Life
It’s easier to complain about the outside critics, but the
biggest critic in your life usually lives between your own two
ears. Working up the courage to move past your own vulnerability and uncertainty is often the greatest challenge you’ll
face on the way to achieving your goals. I know I put a lot of
pressure on myself, needlessly, when I was plying my trade
as a golf course superintendent. I constantly wondered if
what I was doing was “up to par.” I believed at one time that
it didn’t matter what I thought. What really mattered was
what the people who played the course thought.

continued on page 5

Jim Favreau
Massachusetts
(978) 815-9810
JLFavreau@landolakes.com

Chris Bengtson
SE Massachusetts & Rhode Island
(978) 360-0981
CRBengtson@landolakes.com

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Critics - continued from page 4

How to Respond to Haters
In some circumstances, you may want to respond to the
people who dish criticism your way. Be very careful with this
approach. We’ve all heard the story of a friend being fired
because the person responsible for the firing was exercising
the “pay back” rule. Yup, the member or golfer you had
words with is now in a position of power and will make certain you’ll pay for the error of your past indiscretion.

error. No one gets hurt. The story gets told. I suffer a bit of
embarrassment. Then I, too, forget about the mistake. The
point I’m making is don’t be afraid to do something if you
think it has value. The critics will always be there to let you
know the error of your way. But don’t let them stop you from
moving forward.

If you feel you must respond to your critics, be certain
not to beat them back with insults, win them back with sincerity. Most people don’t want to be convinced that your
work is wonderful, they just want to know that you care.
Keep in mind most people need love and acceptance a lot
more than they need advice.

The Truth About Criticism
The tendency to hold onto negative criticism is natural
for most people. According to researchers we remember
negative emotions much more strongly and in more vivid
detail than we do positive comments.
In a research paper titled, “Bad Is Stronger Than Good”,
Ray Baumeister summarizes academic studies that prove
that we are more likely to remember negative criticism than
praise. Baumeister found that even happy people tend to
remember more negative events than positive ones. In fact,
Baumeister and his team say that when it comes to your
brain, it takes about five positive events to make up for one
negative event.

Where to Go From Here
If you’re dealing with criticism, focus on the path ahead.
Ignore the boos. They usually come from the cheap seats.
Make the choices that are right for you. Keep smiling. People will criticize you either way. 
By Don Hearn

5

Thoughts From Your Association Manager
It was called the “shot heard ‘round
the world.” No, not the one at Concord’s
Old North Bridge that ignited the American
Revolutionary War and launched a new
country, nor was it Gene Sarazen’s double
eagle on the 15th hole at the Masters Tournament in 1935; it was the rare double
eagle scored by our own Steve Murphy,
superintendent at the Gannon Golf Club,
while playing with friends at his home
course in Florida.
Steve proudly sent me a photo of a
plaque memorializing the feat shortly before its installation on the 8th hole, a 480yard par 5, at the Club at Olde Cypress in Naples, Florida. It
was quite an honor to have the club place the plaque at the
exact location from where Steve hit his memorable shot.

There is no limit to the reach or geographic area the
fund covers. Last year the Wee One Foundation made an
extremely generous donation to one of our members
whose spouse was dealing with a very difficult medical
problem. It’s uplifting to know that people do care about
you when you’re coping with a stressful situation. I encourage you to view the foundation’s website at weeone.org and make a donation.
Longtime member Joe Rybka passed away suddenly
February 25. He was stricken by an aneurysm while
having dinner at home. Joe was a 48-year Member of
the Association and upon his retirement became a Life
Member. Joe was a consistent supporter of our profession, a friend to all and the kind of person who would give you a
straightforward opinion or comment based on his actual experience or belief. He was an easy person to get to know, loved to
play golf, and was well liked by all who enjoyed his friendship.

One of the benefits of being a member of the GCSA of New
England is the ability to acquire a GHIN handicap. The cost of
this is included in your dues. Once you have a GHIN card you’ll
automatically have your handicap updated every two weeks
during the golf season. You’ll also have the ability to use the
Massachusetts Golf Association’s mobile app to stay abreast of
golf happenings within the state. Additionally you’ll have updates, if you wish, sent to your inbox. If you would like to have a
GHIN card please contact me at donhearn@gcsane.org.
Invoices have been sent to all Superintendents, Assistants,
Affiliates, Friends and past participants in the Partner Participation Program (PPP). Most of the invoices were sent electronically and, to my knowledge, there have been very few problems
with the delivery. So, by now you should have received an invoice. If you haven’t, please contact me at
donhearn@gcsane.org. We accept credit cards (Amex, Visa,
MasterCard, Discover) but do not have payment directly linked
to make a payment online. Next year you will be able to make
payment online. If you wish to pay using a credit card please
contact me at 617-930-0729 or at
donhearn@gcsane.org.

Mel Lucas, a resident of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts,
was the recipient of the GCSAA’s Colonel John Morley Distinguished Service Award. This award is named in honor of the
first president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association
of America and was presented February 24th, at the Golf Industry Show (GIS) in San Antonio, Texas. The award is presented to
an individual who has made an outstanding, substantive and
enduring contribution to the advancement of the golf course superintendent profession. Mel began his career as an assistant
superintendent at Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y., in
1961. He continued to be associated with Piping Rock and nearby Garden City Golf Club in Garden City, N.Y., for most of his
career, until 1985, when he took on the role of golf architect and
superintendent at Round Hill Community Golf Club in South
Dartmouth, Mass. Mel currently serves as a consultant both
domestically and abroad. Mel and his good friend Bert Frederick, retired member of the GCSA of New England, designed and
worked closely with members of the construction battalion at Fort
Devens to construct the original course at what was known at
that time as Fort Devens in Ayer, Massachusetts.

Many of you are familiar with or have heard of the Wee One
Foundation. How did the Wee One Foundation get its name?
In 1985, four friends traveled to Scotland on a golf trip. The caddies were making wagers as these golfers stood on the tee.
One caddie declared, "My money's on the wee one!" The "wee
one", Wayne Otto, CGCS, our dear friend and colleague,
passed away October 21, 2004 losing his battle to cancer.
Wayne dedicated his life to the betterment of the golf maintenance profession he loved and the individuals who shared his
passion. He was a leader in our industry and a wonderful person.
I knew Wayne very well and looked forward to seeing him at
the GIS each year. Usually if you met up with Wayne you would
meet up with his close friend and one of the founders of the
Wee One Foundation, Rod Johnson. These two were inseparable. They were closest of friends, colleagues, and fellow superintendents. When Wayne died, Rod and a group of Wayne’s
friends decided to establish a fund that would help others in our
profession, and their dependents, who were dealing with catastrophic and expensive health problems.

Peter Rappoccio was recognized at the GIS is San Antonio
for his accomplishment of becoming a Certified Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS). Peter was one of the class of 2014 who
reached this milestone. As Peter stated, “This program has
helped me reinforce certain proficiencies while strengthening
others.” Peter is the superintendent at the Concord Country
Club in Concord, Massachusetts and serves on the
continued on page 7

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Association Manager - continued from page 6

Association’s board
of directors as chairman of the Government Relations Committee. Peter’s father, also named
Peter, is a Certified
Golf Course Superintendent and has been
the long-time superintendent at the Silver
Spring Country Club
in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Jim McCabe, an Honorary Member of our Association, was recently awarded the top honor for Daily Columns from the Golf Writers Association of America.
His article was about a veteran and how Billy Casper
helped him deal with adversity. Jim is a writer for Golfweek magazine and lives in Milton. This is the link to
the story: http://golfweek.com/news/2014/apr/08/masters
-2014-augusta-billy-casper-clebe-mcclary/ . 
By Don Hearn

Friend of the Association Profile
HAMMOND PAINT & CHEMICAL COMPANY /
LAZARO’S GOLF COURSE SUPPLIES & ACCESSORIES
Hammond Paint & Chemical Co., Inc. was originally established in 1875 and has had several owners over many years and in 1988 Hammond Paint & Chemical was purchased by Joseph Lazaro aka “The Lizard”, who is the CEO and President. Due to the growth of the company there was an immediate need for a larger location and the warehouse was moved to a more central location right off Route 128/95 in
Dedham, MA.
“With the passion that I have for golf and the knowledge of the Golf Course Superintendents who manages the courses, Lazaro’s Golf
Course Supplies & Accessories was established in 1990 to meet the diverse needs of the golf course industries.”
The new expansion has allowed us to work diligently, “Lazaro’s Golf Course Supplies & Accessories” has the capability of supplying golf
courses with the highest product lines available in the golf course industries including complete lines of Turf Chemical; Turf Marking Paint,
Safety Items, Degreaser, Lubricant and Cleaning Supplies, along with our golf course accessories which will enhance your golf course and
provide that finishing touch everyone desires.
We use Precision Laboratories as our manufacturer for our Turf products, Adjuvant, Aquatics and Wetting Agents product lines. Our golf
course accessories suppliers are Par Aide, Standard Golf, Bayco and Eagleone.
Joe has continued to make this a number one priority, the success and growth of Hammond Paint & Chemical / Lazaro’s Golf Course Supplies & Accessories is attributed to his accessibility, his sincere personal approach along with his respected business image.
Since 1990 I have been an established member of the New England Golf Course Superintendents Association, Cape Cod Golf Course Superintendents Association, Rhode Island Golf Course Superintendents Association and New Hampshire Golf Course Superintendents Associations.
For more information on Hammond Paint & Chemical products or Lazaro’s Golf Course Supplies & Accessories please call Joe Lazaro directly at 617-285-8670 or via email jlazaro698@aol.com. 

Representing the Finest Lines in the Turf Industry
7

Tech Tip
By Jason VanBuskirk
The story below documents a situation that happened to me
while traveling.
I reach for my iPhone 5s on my belt clip to take a panoramic
picture. Belt clip empty. Hang on, the clip is empty?!?! Minor
panic sets in. I immediately search all pockets in my pants
knowing full well that the phone isn’t there. I run back over to
my bag and grab my iPad. I open up the app that I never
thought I would have to use for myself, “Find My iPhone“!
Below you will see a few pictures of what the app looks like
when it is launched.
First, let’s make sure you have “Find my iPhone” turned on in

your settings. Go to Settings: iCloud: Find My iPhone or iPad
and make sure this button is green or selected on.Once this
button is on, you can now use the app to locate one device from
another or locate all of your devices that are online.

Locate all of your Apple devices…
Now that you have located your devices, we can continue
the story of tracking my iPhone 5s. I decided to put my
phone into “Lost” mode. This mode will give me a variety of
options. Once entering this mode, I can lock the phone (even
though I have the finger print lock turned on), send a message to the phone with a number to reach me, and in the
worst case scenario, erase the phone’s contents. I could
even turn on email updates so I would receive an email
every time my iPhone changed locations.

Text the recipient of your “lost” iPhone
To continue, I immediately use my friend’s phone to contact
the Super Shuttle I had been riding earlier in the day. After a
short conversation and a $40 return fee, Super Shuttle had
my phone back to me by 3pm that afternoon.
“Find My iPhone” saved the day! 

Locate one device…
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Kevin Doyle - GCSAA Updates
GIS 2015 Recap with a Northeast Region Bias
Below are several clips from GCSAA press
releases that have been compiled to highlight the
recognitions of members in our region, as well as
a look at the Golf Industry Show (GIS) by the
numbers. My hope was also to include Turf Bowl
results for our regional teams, but that information has yet to be unpacked. I did write a
short paragraph below on the success of one regional student
chapter.
I hope those of you that attended had a successful GIS.
Whether education, trade show, networking, or all three were
your goals, I hope GCSAA provided the tools you needed to get
the most out of your show. If you have any suggestions, questions, or concerns please feel free to reach out. GCSAA is always looking to make improvements for you the members at
future shows.

2015 Golf Industry Show numbers
Education proved a top priority for superintendents this
week in San Antonio. While overall attendance for the Golf Industry Show was slightly down from the 2014 event in Orlando
– at approximately 12,400 – the final number of seminar seats
sold, as well as exhibit space, was up.
The GCSAA Education Conference, held in conjunction
with the Golf Industry Show, is the largest educational conference in the turfgrass management industry. A total of 5,385
seminar seats were filled, 12 percent higher than expected and
3 percent higher than Orlando. In addition, thousands attended
complimentary forums, sessions and panel discussions
throughout the week. Subject matter included agronomics, business, environmental management, communications, leadership, technology, and personnel management.
A total of 5,600 qualified buyers attended the two-day trade
show, which included 551 exhibitors (a 2 percent increase over
projections) covering 182,000 square feet of exhibit space at
the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

GCSAA 2015 President
John J. O’Keefe, director of golf course management at
Preakness Hill Country Club in Wayne, N.J., has been elected
to a one-year term as president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) for 2015. O’Keefe, a
certified golf course superintendent (CGCS), served as vice
president of the association in 2014 and has been a member of
the association’s board of directors since 2008. A 35-year member of GCSAA, O’Keefe also is a member and past president of
both the GCSA of New Jersey and the Metropolitan GCSA. A
native of Lenox, Mass., the 58-year-old O’Keefe earned an associate’s degree from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at
the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

GCSAA Resources and Deadlines
you Get Cool Stuff from your Association Already:
Outreach Hits the Airwaves
“Katrek and Maginnes On Tap,” one of the most popular
programs on the PGA Tour Satellite Radio Network, did a
continued on page 13

2015 Col. John Morley Distinguished Service Award
Melvin B Lucas Jr., retired CGCS, has been an association
member for 52 years, serving on the board of directors from
1974-81 and holding the title of GCSAA president in 1980. In
addition, the 72-year-old Lucas has served as agronomy consultant for more than 60 golf course projects. A graduate of
Penn State University where he earned his degree in turfgrass
management, Lucas began his career as an assistant superintendent at Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y., in 1961. He
continued to be associated with Piping Rock and nearby Garden City Golf Club in Garden City, N.Y., for most of his career,
until 1985, when he took on the role of golf architect and superintendent at Round Hill Community Golf Club in South Dartmouth, Mass. He also served the Long Island Golf Course Superintendents Association as an executive committee member
for seven years and was that association’s president from 197375. Since his retirement in 1991, he has continued to serve the
golf course management profession as a consultant both domestically and abroad.

For golf course
construction, renovation and repairs.
Bluegrass, Ryegrass, Fine Fescue Blends avail.
Bentgrass & Bentgrass Blends____________
A1 & A4 Sand Base
Penncross
Penntrio
3 way blend
Pallets/Big Rolls.
Sod handler Del.
Roll Out Service.
Over 35 years of
turf production.

Tweet Bowl Rally sponsored by John Deere
While no Northeast region school managed to crack the top
10 in the Turf Bowl, one unlikely participant managed to grab
some cash anyway. The University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
Canada, captured the Tweet Bowl Rally by flooding Twitter and
engaging followers to utilize #Guelph_TurfBowl and #GIS2015.
Well the efforts landed the group a check for $500 (or just over
$600 Canadian). As one student mentioned, “that’s like coming
in 6th place”. Doesn’t take long in this business to learn that
trophies are nice, but it is all about the cash!

Deliveries Monday through Saturday
CALL TOLL FREE

1—800-556-6985

See our web site: www.tuckahoeturf.com
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Kevin Doyle - continued from page 11

GIS Silent Auction now open for bids
Save on items for your course with the online GIS Silent Auction. More than 100 items are available for you and your golf
facility, all donated by our generous industry partners to benefit
the EIFG. Bidding closes on March 9. You can also stop by the
Silent Auction display in the Association Clubhouse at the Golf
Industry Show.

broadcast live from the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio. The
association also will continue as a yearlong advertiser with the
show to promote the superintendent profession. You can find
the show on Sirius channel 208 and XM channel 93. In addition, GCSAA will begin an exciting new television commercial
campaign. This was previewed to a select group at GIS with
rave reviews! Look for it later in 2015.

Upcoming FREE webcasts:

New Equipment Manager membership classification approved

Mar. 25: Triple Trouble Series - Part Two: Drainage

GCSAA members voted to introduce an equipment manager
classification for association membership. The vote took place
as part of the Annual Meeting. Equipment managers will be welcomed with a complimentary introductory membership through
2015 and can register online at www.gcsaa.org. GCSAA has
compiled a collection of tools and resources specifically for
equipment managers.

Mar. 26: Water Quality of Virginia Golf Course Streams –
A case study
Apr. 1: Triple Trouble Series - Part Three: Air Movement
Apr. 9: Phosphite: Fertilizer or Fungicide? (or Both)

2015 MVT nominations open
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-thescenes role they play in the success of your golf facility? If so,
then nominate them for GCM's Most Valuable Technician (MVT)
award program, presented in partnership with Foley United.
Submit your nomination by March 27. Click on the headline
above to try and bring the MVT to the Northeast region for the
first time!

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

13

14

DIVOT DRIFT... announcements ... educational seminars ... job opportunities
...tournament results...and miscellaneous items of interest to the membership.
ANNOUNCEMENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

Welcome New Members:





April 16, 2015
The Bear Cup - Joint Meeting with our host, the
GCSA of Cape Cod
Black Rock Country Club
Hingham, MA

Asphalt Services, Inc - Friend of the Association
Alexander Daly, Nashawtuc CC, Assistant Superintendent
Luke White, Wianno Club, Assistant Superintendent
Richard Gagnon, Framingham CC, Assistant Superintendent

April 20, 2015
Alumni Turf Group 11th Annual Dr. Joseph Troll
Classic
TPC River Highlands
Cromwell, CT
Dr. Bill Dest - Honoree

Our condolences go out to the Rybka family on the unexpected passing of Joe Rybka on February 25, 2015. Joe
had an easygoing, mild mannered, quick with a smile and a
friendly personality. He retired after forty years as superintendent of Thorny Lea Golf Club and joined the ranks as a
retired member of the GCSA of New England. Joe loved to
play golf and upon his retirement was a regular at Thorny
Lea. He will be greatly missed by many.

May 20, 2015
Joint Meeting with Rhode Island GCSA
Metacomet Country Club
East Providence, RI

Our condolences are extended to Kevin White and family on
the passing of Kevin’s father, Lewis White, who passed away
on March 14, 2015. Kevin White is the Superintendent at
Holden Hills Country Club. Lewis worked with Kevin as a
member of the grounds maintenance staff.

July 15, 2015
UMass Field Day
South Deerfield, MA

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.

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 Kris Armando
at 508-745-8555 or karmando8@gmail.com
15

Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION
Page 1

Agresource, Inc.
100 Main St., Amesbury, MA 01913
Quality Compost, Soil & Mulch.
Dave Harding office: (978) 388-5110 cell: (978) 904-1203
www.agresourceinc.com

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

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

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
Crop Protection Services
Suppliers of Chemicals, Fertilizer, and Grass Seed
Jim Pritchard (401) 258-5472 james.pritchard@cpsagu.com
Glenn Larrabee (401) 258-3762 glenn.larrabee@cpsagu.com
www.cpsagu.com

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, Scott Mackintosh CPAg
(774) 551-6083, Michelle Maltais (401) 835-0287

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

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

DGM Systems
153A Foster Center Road, Foster, RI 02825
Golf and Sports Turf Specialty Products and Services
Visit www.dgmsystems.com
Office (401) 647-0550
Manny Mihailides (401) 524-8999
David Mihailides (401) 742-1177

Arysta Life Science
15401 Weston Parkway Suite 150, Cary, NC 27513
Products for the industry.
Jeff Tweedy jeff.tweedy@arysta.com
Asphalt Services, Inc
210 New Boston Street, Woburn, MA 01801
(781) 938-6800
www.pavewithasi.com
Providing asphalt paving for golf car paths, walkways and parking
lots. We also specialize in drainage, seal coating, crack sealing
and line painting.

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

ezLocator
115 Lordvale Boulevard, North Grafton, MA 01536
A New Course Everyday!
Steve Boucini, Representative 508-561-4079
sboucini@gmail.com www.ezlocator.com

BASF Turf & Ornamental
PO Box 111, West Dennis, MA 02670
“We don’t make the turf. We make it better.”
Pete Jacobson (919) 530-9062 peter.jacobson@basf.com

Five Star Golf Cars & Utility Vehicles
724 MacArthur Boulevard, Pocasset, MA 02559
E-Z GO Golf Cars, Cushman Utility Vehicles
Doug Hopper (401) 787-0514

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

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

The Cardinals, Inc.
166 River Rd., PO Box 520, Unionville, CT 06085
Golf course and landscape supplies.
John Callahan (860) 916-3947, Dennis Friel (617) 755-6558

Harrell’s LLC
19 Technology Drive, Auburn, MA 01501
Turf & Ornamental supplies. John Bresnahan (413) 374-4102,
Chuck Bramhall (508) 400-0600, Jim Cohen (978) 337-0222.
Mike Kroian (401) 265-5353, Mike Nagle (508) 380-1668

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

continued on next page

16

Please Patronize these FRIENDS of the ASSOCIATION
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

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

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

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
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

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.
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 Landscapes
Offering our customers the most complete
line of products, service and expertise in the
industry. Ron Tumiski (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

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

LaCorte Equipment
LaCorte Equipment is your premier John Deere Golf Distributor in
the Northeast.
John Winskowicz (978) 471-8351
Bill Rockwell (508) 789-5293
Dan Paradise (978) 853-2916
Call or visit our website at www.lacorteequipment.com

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

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 Turf
P.O. Box 777, West Kingston, RI 02892
Phone: (800) 451-2900 or Ernie Ketchum (508) 364-4428;
Mike Brown (508) 272-1827 www.newenglandturf.com

Lazaro’s Golf Course Supplies & Accessories
dba Hammond Paint and Chemical Co., Inc.
738 Main St., Suite 223, Waltham, MA 02154
Complete line for all your of golf course supplies. Par Aide,
Standard, Eagle One, turf and ornamentals, aquatics, turf marking
paint, safety items, adjuvants Joe Lazaro - cell: (617) 285-8670;
Fax: (781) 647-0787 Email: jlazaro698@aol.com

NMP Golf Construction Corp.
25 Bishop Ave., Ste. A-2, Williston, VT 05495
Golf course construction. Mario Poirier (888) 707-0787
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
Bill Stinson (413) 668-7943
continued on next page

17

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

Tom Irwin Inc.
11 A St., Burlington, MA 01803
Turf management products. Paul Skafas, Rob Larson,
Chris Petersen, Greg Misodoulakis, Fred Murray (800) 582-5959

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

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.

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 (508) 435-3090

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. Nat Binns (332) 351-5189,
Tim Berge (860) 490-2787, Andy Melone (508) 561-0364

Read Custom Soils
5 Pond Park Road, Suite 1, Hingham, MA 02043
Custom soil blending, top dressing sands, Root zone blends,
“early green” black sand, divot & cart path mixes.
Terry Driscoll, Garrett Whitney (888) 475-5526

Valley Green
14 Copper Beech Drive, Kingston, MA 02364
Phone: (413) 533-0726 Fax: (413) 533-0792
"Wholesale distributor of turf products"
Doug Dondero (508) 944-3262, Jon Targett (978) 855-0932,
Joe Trosky (860) 508-9875

Saturated Solutions
18 Evergreen Road, Northford, CT 06472
Greg Moore (203) 980-1301
Saturated Solutions is the sole distributor of the Air2G2 Machine for
sales and contracted services. Replenish your soils with oxygen
when it needs it most in any conditions with no disruption.
saturatedsolutionsllc.com

Winding Brook Turf Farm
Wethersfield, CT 06109
Scott Wheeler, Sam Morgan (800) 243-0232

Select Source
3208 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16508
National, full line manufacturer and wholesaler of turf,
ornamental and specialty chemical products.
Mike Blatt, Northeast Territory Manager (814) 440-7658

WinField
29 Gilmore Drive - Unit C, Sutton, MA 01590
Using industry-leading insights to provide you with the products that
help you win.
Jim Favreau (978) 815-9810

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. 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

18

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