A President's Message NMTMA The environment is certainly a key component in our daily jobs and needs to be protect­ EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ed and preserved for future generations. We are stewards of today and tomorrow, and in or­ der to do a good job protecting the environment, we need to be educated and also practice President doing the right thing. The future of our environment is only as good as each of us. Jeffrey Holmes To help provide a safe environment for the years to come, our Vice-President Northern Michigan Turf Managers Association helped to coordi- Michael Morris BHh nate a chemical disposal day last September. This program went Executive Secretary over very well and gave each of us an opportunity to rid our­ Thomas J. Reed selves of unwanted chemicals. 3733 Apollo Dr. This year our thrust is to get started in recycling plastic pesti­ Traverse City, Ml 49684 cide containers. There will be three different dates and locations Phone 616-943-8343 to 8et involved in the plastic container recycling. X flfcbh. Before we talk about the participation dates, there are a few Directors n • j x, rr ... preparation procedures that we need to follow. Kathy Antaya resi en Je rey o mes After emptyjng yOur container it needs to be triple rinsed, Jeff Dorrell punctured and made unusable. All foil at the top needs to be removed and and the caps Tom Heid Brian Holmes thrown away. Labels on the outside need to be removed as well as possible. All chemical Paul Holmes residue needs to be rinsed from the threaded cap area and the outside of the container. Kimberly Olson A key point to remember is that if your containers are not prepared properly for the re­ David Little, CGCS cycling machine, they will go back home with you. Jon Maddern, CGCS Michael Meindertsma The dates for the recycling days begin August 20th at the John Amos Farm on Monroe David Pretznow Road in Traverse City from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The next available recycling date is August 23 at the Northwest Research Past Presidents Ed Karcheski Inside This Issue: Station in Traverse City. Hours of opera­ Page tion are 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. C.E. "Tuck" Tate, CGCS David Longfield, CGCS Dowsing - An Ancient Art in Modern Use........... 2 The last day to recycle your contain­ Jonathon Scott, CGCS Mechanic's Corner.................................................3 ers is August 24 in Bear Lake at the Tom Brogger Cooperative Extension Office. Once GCSAA Poster Campaign.......................................4 again, hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. Minimizing Damage from Petroleum Spills.......... 6 to 12:00 p.m. MTF Liaison Anthracnose........................................................... 7 When these containers are recycled Jon Maddern Moss Control Guidelines.......................................8 they are used to make new pesticide Are You All Wet?....................................................9 containers and other types of plastic GCSAA Liaison Jon Maddern Minor Details....................................................... 10 products that do not contain any food July Plantings for the Fall Garden........................ 11 products for humans or animals. Let's make a good concerted effort to­ Newsletter Editor Winter Injury Update........................................... 12 Michael Morris ward the plastic container recycling pro­ Suggestions on Green Speed................................13 gram. It will be successful if we all par­ P.O. Box 1575 Frankfort, Ml 49635 Research Advisory Committee Convenes........... 14 ticipate. Should you have a small Ways to Improve GCSAA....................................15 quantity, work with a property or two Caloclor and Calogran To Be Discontinued....... 16 near you and join together to make the Job Description..................................................... 16 trip. Every little bit helps to make the © RECYCLED PAPER Classified Advertisements.................................... 16 Dealing with Difficult Situations......................... 17 Excerpt from "SUDDENLY, SUMMER!"............. 18 program a success. Don't forget we are running out of landfill space, plus you are reusing the plastic when you recycle. NMTMA Welcomes New Members....................18 Thanks for your efforts put forth in Calendar of Events................................................20 supporting this program. \_____________________________________ / Jeffrey Holmes, President _________________ _________________ y Yamahaulalotastuff. The only utility vehicle tough enough to carry the Yamaha name. If you’re looking for a utility vehicle you can truly utilize, look to us. The convertible bed gives you the flexibility you want, while the heavy duty construction and the O.H.V. four-stroke engine give you the dependability you need. Give us a call for more information. We’ll get you better acquainted with the utility vehicle whose name says it all. Boylan Sales, Inc. Burlington Golf Car Distributors P.O. Box 358 149 N. Perry Street Plainwell, MI 49080 Pontiac, MI 48058 (616) 685-6828 (313) 3384)425 Dowsing - An Ancient Art in Modern Use By Jeffrey T. Dorrell, Superintendent, Cadillac C.C. Dowse \ Zdauz \ verb - To dowse is to search with the aid of tury and continue today. Volumes have been written on the a hand-held instrument (such as a divining rod) for anything. subject and still no real explanation has been found. Theo­ ries of ESP, electro-magnetism and unconscious muscle When a superintendent first demonstrated the technique movement have been put forth but none fully explain this of dowsing to me, I had the typical knee-jerk reactions of phenomena. skepticism and disbelief. Yet it quickly proved its worth on Much of the problem with trying to scientifically explain the golf course for finding buried water pipes, drain lines, dowsing is its wide variety of equipment, techniques and re­ valves and electrical wires. Also, I found that with a little sults. The classic forked stick is only one of many types of practice I could perform the technique myself. As irrigation instruments used. Pendulum bobs, straight sticks, and coiled technician on a course with an aging irrigation system and springs, which could be made of metal, plastic, or wood, all frequent problems, my divining rod became a tool of daily seem to work. Some of the more unusual equipment used use. For anyone with underground irrigation, unless you includes household items such as scissors, rulers, utensils really enjoy digging keep an open mind and give this a try. and even German Sausages. The results include the well- It has been my experience that it takes no special clairvoy­ known reports of locating well water and metal ore of all ance or faith and with a little patience anyone can learn to types, lesser-known reports of finding missing persons and dowse. merchandise, and even solving crimes, diverting under­ ground water, and diagnosing car trouble. Some dowsers History have had successes using only a map of an area. During the The actual origins of dowsing are unknown. Historians Vietnam War, the U.S. Marines were trained in dowsing and point to some obscure references in Greek Mythology and used the techniques to locate enemy tunnels, booby traps, to Biblical passages of Moses smiting the rocks with his staff and ammunition caches. The reasons why it works may be and water gushing forth (Exodus XVII, 5-6). Written referenc­ unknown, but the results are well documented. es to dowsing began in the 14th century and an engraving of a dowser at work is dated 1550. Records of scientific investi­ Technique gation on the subject began to show soon after the 15th cen­ I have begun to notice tucked into the back of many turf Continued on page five 2 Mechanic's Corner Wien It Comes to Twf Management... By Dan Stratton, Head Mechanic, Crystal Downs C.C. Nobody Knows Hydraulic Hose Maintenance and Care Like Your I came across this useful tip in the spring edition of Toro's Turf Tips (Issue 5, 1993). Wilbur-Ellis Pro "Inspect hoses regularly. Replace hoses that have bulges in them. Bulges indicate damage to the internal metal braid of the hose, or delamination of the hose material from the braid. Both conditions indicate a serious leak may soon oc­ cur. Replace all hoses that show signs of leaking where they connect to the end fitting. Replace all hoses that show signs of heavy abrasion of the outside surface. Hose routing is important. Whenever replacing a hose, make sure that it does not bend excessively, contact moving parts, or stretch too tight. When tightening a hose connec­ tion, use two wrenches when tightening the fitting. If a hose is equipped with O-ring face seals, replace the O-rings whenever you disassemble the connection. Remem­ Your one-stop shop for all turf management needs. Ask about our ber that these O-rings are a special durometer, or hardness, complete line of chemicals, fertilizers and seed. and that use of "hardware store" O-rings will cause a leak. WARNING: Keep body and hands away from pinhole Wilbur-Ellis. . .dedicated to quality, customer service and leaks in hoses. Serious injury could result from improper environmental stewardship. ____________ handling. Refer to your Operator's Manual for instructions on checking for leaks." Brian Anderson (AS II (II« WITH® 1 (800) 873-5599 Another thing we do at Crystal Downs to prevent hydraul­ ic hose wear is to cover or wrap the hydraulic hose with I pieces of old watering hose in areas where the hydraulic hoses tend to rub. Simply cut the old water hose to the prop­ • FLORIDA • GEORGIA • ILLINOIS • INDIANA • KENTUCKY • MICHIGAN • WISCONSIN • FLORIDA er length, slit it lengthwise, slip it over the hydraulic hose, and then fasten it in place with cable ties or duct tape. Be careful not to cover so much that you are not able to visual­ O o œ OLF’S IRRIGATIO ly inspect the hydraulic hoses regularly. £ • GEORGIA Also, through distributors you can purchase hydraulic < How CRA Helps Superintendents: o hose sleeves which protect the operator from the spray of a i o lySomplete stock of irrigation supplies high pressure hydraulic hose break or leak. • ILLINOIS • INDIANA • KENTUCKY • MICHIGAN • WISCONSIN |y$ater conservation analysis & troubleshooting £ ^Assistance in pumping Improvement Letters to the Editor o Z) LlI and pumping cost efficiency ^Drainage solutions You can communicate directly with the < NMTMA and your fellow members z (^Fountains • Aerators • Pump Management < by writing to: o g,4RMSTROI\1 C4RLISL NEW! NEW! NEW! CADILLAC TROY DISTRIBUTION SOUTHFIELD WAREHOUSE CENTER WAREHOUSE 303 1/2 Hawthorne St. 1783 E 14 Mile Road 19240 West 8 Mile Road Cadillac, Ml 49601 Troy, Ml 48083 Southfield, Ml 48075 (616) 775-6666 (313) 589-9910 Phone: (313) 354-9910 Are You All Wet.... Continued from previous page 2. ORNAMENTALS using these good products and they'll be glad to tell you a. Prevents plant loss under dry or wet weather conditions. their product of choice and why they use it. b. Treated soils wet rapidly - less runoff. 5. When using soil wetting agents, they must be well c. Wets and drains the root zone uniformly. watered in (using a liquid type) or uniformly mixed with Lastly, we generally think of the major benefit of using a the soil (using a granular type). Left on the surface, they wetting agent as better use of available water. This does can be phytotoxic. happen. However, of equal or perhaps greater benefit is that other chemical soil additives are uniformly distributed for Here are some benefits to you for using a good maximum efficiency. Remember the opening paragraph soil-wetting agent: about the Mississippi River and the dry areas between the channels? Our wetting agent has done away with these dry 1. TURF areas in our soils, therefore, our fertilizer, soil fungicides, a. Dew elimination for several days following application soil insecticides, soil herbicides, etc., are spread out evenly, may aid in disease control. and the plant root system gets a uniform "dose" of not only b. Fewer dry spots, fewer wet spots. water but these expensive chemicals as well. c. Less hand watering to correct for dry spots, giving Wetting agents don't cost you money! They make money conservation of water and manpower. for you. Your turf and plants have responded better to all d. Soils able to absorb moisture more rapidly during heavy soil additives; hence, they are healthier. You have done a precipitation. better job, in less time, and have saved money and e. Less severe on treated fairways, greens, etc. - wilting manpower in many ways. You are more secure as a less severe. professional. You find you are not "all wet", just "wet f. Encourages stronger, healthier turf by helping water soak enough". into and spread more evenly through the soil. Credit: Carolinas Newsletter, July-Aug. 1985 Minor Details Donald A. Cross, CGCS, Skokie Country Club There is probably little, if any, of the following that you trees are not used for securing ropes. This is certainly a mi­ haven't already heard, seen, or done. It concerns the topic nor detail but you can be sure players notice. of paying attention to minor details. This probably serves How do your trees and ornamental plant materials look? the purpose of reminding me about these things as much as Pruning of dead, damaged and low hanging branches and it does for any of you. removing suckers, broken stems, spent blooms, and the all Now that we are into the normally high plant stress peri­ too occasional wedged-in plastic cup or crushed beer can, od, the tendency to get psychologically and physically will show your concern for more than just turfgrass. drained is heightened. We all can begin to get a little tired How does your equipment measure up? Our members and occasionally lose sight of some of the things we often and boards spend significant sums of money on equipment routinely perform, the seemingly insignificant, but extreme­ and surely expect it to be maintained well and kept clean ly important, minor details. and orderly. We often have to use some rather antiquated One of the most noticeable minor details that comes to equipment but this is no excuse not to take care of it and be­ mind are tee and green supplies. Clean balls with soap and sides, it's easier to sell them on an additional piece if they water, and clean towels should be standard operating pro­ know it will be treated properly. cedure. Daily cleaning of the putting cups and painting of Finally, how do you and your employees look? Our em­ aluminum or replacing of plastic cups when necessary, and ployees' appearance, as well as our own, can have a major keeping flags and flagsticks in good condition, also go a impact on how we are perceived by the people we work for. long way towards projecting your concern for details. Stand back and take a look. Are their uniforms or clothes How about your tee surfaces? Are broken tees and debris neat and clean, is their personal hygiene appropriate? Re­ removed, divots replaced or removed and refilled with top­ member when you start to point your finger, look in the mir­ dressing and seed, and divot mix buckets kept filled? Have ror and try it first. the yardage markers and sprinkler heads been edged recent­ As I stated before, these items are not in any way pro­ ly? This can apply to fairways as well and include valve found or untrodden, but merely some thoughts to keep us boxes and drainage grates. Additional edging would obvi­ focused during perhaps the most difficult time of the year. ously include bunkers and flower beds. We could all add numerous items to this list. How about traffic control supplies? I dislike ropes and Just some minor details, but don't forget, several minor signs but sometimes there's no alternative. The least we can details can add up to major success. do is make sure the signs are neat, stakes are set straight and Credit: BullSheet Change of Address, Membership Application info available Any member with a change of address should immediately contact Thomas J. Reed at 3733 Apollo Drive, Traverse City, Ml 49684. He should also be contacted if any person would like to apply for membership in NMTMA. 10 July Plantings for the Fall Garden by James A. Fizzell, Sr. Ext. Advisor, Horticulture, U of I Are your needs as a Superintendent supported by your board/owner/manager? Many vegetables may be grown for the fall garden with great success. For those with limited space it is a must. Any time after July 1, sow carrots, radishes, turnips, Chi­ Do you have a clear financially-defined vision nese cabbage, and and kohlrabi seeds. Chinese cabbage of where you and your facility will be in five years? tends to grow better as a fall crop then as a spring crop. Har­ vest when it is three to four inches tall for salad greens or al­ low to form heads. Radishes are favorites of many gardeners, since they grow Financial analysis so quickly. Icicle, Champion and Red Prince varieties work operating budget quite well. These are ready to harvest in less than 30 days. 5 year capital improvement plan Turnips should have an equal part in the fall garden. Sow 10 year capital equipment plan seeds in rows for ease when weeding. Mix seeds with coffee environmental compliance grounds to help eliminate clusters of seeds when sowing. turfgrass management Carrots are the all time favorites of fall gardeners.Scarlet renovation Nantes, Royal Chantenay and Danvers Half Long are a few suggested varieties. Carrots are slow to germinate in hot weather, so mix carrot and radish seeds together. The rad­ ishes will germinate first, breaking the soil and showing the Advice that supports the long-term goals row. Remove the radishes as they mature, thereby leaving of the Golf Course Superintendent. room for the carrots to grow. Other crops that do well in fall gardens are spinach, beets, swiss chard, leaf lettuce, mustard, and beans. To have success with your garden, follow these easy steps. Sow seeds at 1 1/2 to 2 times the recommended depth. Cover with a light mulch to keep the soil cool and prevent crust­ Tom Mead Inc. ing. Keep adequate and constant moisture. Establish a regu­ Golf Course Consulting lar watering, feeding and spraying program. 10783 S. Dalzell Road, Traverse City, Michigan 49684 616-929-1213 Credit: BullSheet V_____________________________________________ / r HUGGETT TEXTRON SOD FARM, INC. Jacobsen Division of Textron, inc • TOP QUALITY SOD • NUGGET + II (BLUEGRASS BLEND) Grade A or commercial on peat or top soil base SHADE MIX (BLUEGRASS, FESCUE MIX) Good on sandy soils or in shade. PENNCROSS BENT Grown on washed mason sand or loam soil. • DELIVERY • Michigan*Ohio* Indiana • SHADE & ORNAMENTAL TREES • • BULK SPAGNUM PEAT • Grandville n illlliiiiilllll Kalkaska (800)432-2763 VALLEY TURF INCORPORATED (517) 635-7482 Tel (616)532-2885 Fax (616)532-5553 4114 East Marlette Rd. • Marlette, Ml 48453 ________________________________________________________________ J 11 Winter Injury Update by Dr. John Roberts My past two winters spent exploring the causes of crown sium. The least tolerant samples were those fertilized with hydration have uncovered some interesting results. Here are nitrogen only (urea at 0.75 lbs.) during this critical harden­ a few of the key findings. ing period (30 to 40 days before dormancy. Avoiding prac­ tices that promote active growth during the hardening peri­ 1. TRANSITION PERIOD IS THE MOST CRITICAL: Dur­ od help prepare turf for the demanding winter months ing the 2 to 3 week snowmelt period in early spring, stand­ ahead. ing water and saturated crown tissues often exist on semi­ frozen soil surfaces. Wide and rapidly changing freezing 4. RAPID TEMPERATURE CHANGES ARE MORE DAM­ and thawing temperatures also occur during this period. In AGING: Warm days and quickly freezing temperature addition, the turf is physiologically in a weak condition and changes at night result in greater damage than gradual fluc­ the young new tissues being produced are extremely more tuating temperatures. When subjected to rapid reductions in vulnerable than tissues found in dormant turf during the temperatures under controlled freezer conditions 40 percent mid-winter. This is not to imply that turf cannot be killed more injury occurred than to samples under field condi­ during the months of December through February. It can. tions. A snow cover during the transition period serves as an However, the environmental conditions (temperature fluctu­ insulator and helps preserve the turf. ations) to damage turf need to be more severe. The critical days follow the melt period (with or without ear­ ly snow clearing) when the exposed and saturated soil sur­ 2. POA IS THE MOST SENSITIVE SPECIES: This should faces are at the mercy of Mother Nature. come as little surprise to many that have witnessed just the loss of Poa in greens equally mixed with bents. Between the 5. PREDICTING LETHAL TEMPERATURES DIFFICULT: various bentgrasses, the velvet and creeping types were the Due to its diversity and overall complexity, forecasting the most tolerant. The colonial bent was intermediate (yet con­ environmental conditions that result in damage will likely siderably more resistant than the Poa). never be an exact science. However, guidelines can be es­ tablished and improved as testing continue. In the trials at 3. FALL POTASSIUM IMPROVED TOLERANCE: During UNH, for example, the lethal soil temperatures to kill 50% the hardening period of late fall, samples fertilized with a or more of the Poa population in the transition period was high potassium diet (having a 1:2 nitrogen to potassium ra­ 20 degrees F. and 10 degrees for the bents. To obtain this tio) had 30% less damage than samples not receiving potas­ Continued on next page EVEN WHEN IT'S EMPTY, IT'S LOADED. Even in its most basic form Carryall by Club Car offers more standard features than the competi­ tion. Each model is strong and versatile, with plenty of performance options to choose from. There's no better way to load up on quality, dependability and lasting value. Call your nearby authorized Club Car Club Car representative for details on how DRIVE IT TO WORK. Carryall can do it all for you. CLUB CAR, INC. MICHIGAN BRANCH 33025 Industrial Road • Livonia, Michigan 48150 (800) 482-8830 Contact Dave Nelson, Northern Michigan Sales Manager 12 Winter Injury Update.... Continued from previous page 1. Maximizing the bentgrass populations. This is especially degree of damage the turf was subjected to 3 repeated critical in the low wet portions of the greens which are freeze-thaw cycles with rapidly changing temperatures. most likely to be damaged by crown hydration damage 2. Maintaining high potassium levels entering the winter. PREVENTION POSSIBLE? 3. Avoiding cultural practices which stimulate growth dur­ A better understanding, innovative ideas, new technology, ing the hardening period of late fall. genetic improvements and even small miracles might be 4. Designing new greens which allow for rapid surface necessary to help eliminate this problem. This project has run-off. moved us closer. However, the ultimate fate of the turf still 5. Constructing greens with permeable soils and installing appears largely dependent on Mother Nature. Today's best drain lines for rapid sub-surface drainage. management practices help provide protection during most winters. These practices should include: Credit: New Hampshire Turf Talk Suggestions on Green Speed by Jim Connolly, USGA Green Section One of the best statements on green speed can be found tions that have been sacrificed to the speed god. Get them in the 1973 Manual for Championship Preparation by the back. USGA: "The greens should not be cut or rolled to the point The Green Superintendent greatly influences the game as where a ball could gain speed in putting down all but the a direct result of maintenance. He/she is responsible for pre­ severest slopes." paring the course and making decisions that are best for the Furthermore, "A player should be able to stop the ball at game. the hole." The USGA Green Section Turf Advisory Service (TAS) is The ball should come to rest within 2 to 3 feet of the hole designed to assist golf courses in maintenance programs that when putting from above the hole. There may be rare occa­ bring out the best in a golf course. A visit to your course sions where this may not be the case, perhaps on a green opens a forum for discussion and creates an atmosphere of where the obvious strategy would be to keep the ball below open communication. I encourage you to support the USGA the hole, and only a miss-hit shot would end up above the Green Section by subscribing to TAS this year. hole. These guidelines should be followed when setting cutting Credit: New Hampshire Turf Talk height and green speed. The speed should be set up to rep­ resent the average of all 18 holes. If there is only 1 severely sloped green, the speed should not be set to this green. However, 5 or more greens with slopes and undulations would have a definite impact on overall cutting height/green speed. C.J. COLEIN & I recently visited a golf course built in 1921 that has an average green size of less than 5000 sq. ft. and more than 9 ASSOCIATES, INC. of the greens could be considered "undulating". Many areas of the greens are not used for hole locations when cutting heights go below 5/32”. When greens are cut so short that flagstick locations are lost you are essentially robbing the IRRIGATION golfer of a good part of the game. This is a shame. "Large, flat expansive greens are most prone to lower DESIGN cutting heights because of their design. Many golfers that CONSULTANTS complain about slow greens, especially on large greens, lack a quality in their game called authority of stroke. John Jacobs, famous British instructor and former Walker Cup coach, describes this fault in golfers; "We tend to coax it, steer it, drag it, jab it, twitch it - anything but hit it!" John Ja­ cobs, Practical Golf. On this type of green, the emphasis should be upon 817 MAIN STREET smoothness because the distance of the ball travel may be ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN 48307 longer. Imperfections along the lines of the putt will make it (313) 656-6805 difficult to predict ball direction and roll. Enter this season with these thoughts in mind and begin to Tieasi caii or write for a free brochure manage the putting surfaces appropriately. Go out on the course with the green committee and go through the above steps. Examine each green and see if there are hole loca- 13 Research Advisory Committee Convenes at GCSAA HQ A panel of golf course superintendents, golf industry offi­ cials and university researchers met recently at the head­ quarters of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. PUMPING SYSTEMS The committee met April 28-29, 1993, to identify and pri­ oritize key research projects for GCSAA's Scholarship and Joining Together To Research (S&R) foundation to undertake over the next five Better Serve Our Customers to ten years. Some of the projects the committee listed as priorities for We Now Offer GCSAA S&R included: a national study of the economic im­ ■ Over 70 years of combined water industry experience pact of golf courses and golf course maintenance, bird and wildlife studies that would document the impact of golf ■ The largest selection of pump station models and options course maintenance practices on animals, risk assessment ■ Vertical Turbine - Centrifugal - Submersible studies that would document the actual pesticide exposure ■ Constant speed hydraulic or electronic butterfly workers and golfers could encounter on golf courses, and valve pressure regulation water usage studies that would document actual water us­ ■ Pump manager software age rates on golf courses around the country and compare ■ Smart pump controls them to other agricultural and industrial uses. ■ Variable speed VFD stations GCSAA Director Paul S. McGinnis, CGCS, chairman of ■ Combined national service organization GCSAA S&R, and GCSAA Director George E. Renault III, ■ Existing station retro-fit upgrades CGCS, vice chairman, represented the association's board ■ Deep well consulting services of directors on the committee. Other participants on the advisory committee included To find out more about how we can help solve Dr. John Cisar, James T. Snow, David Stone, Mike Waldron, your water pumping requirements. Call now! Dr. Dave Wehner, and Dr. Gail Schumann. Robert D. Watertronics Pumping Systems Commercial Pump Services, Inc. Ochs, GCSAA Senior Director of Communications chaired Hartland, Wisconsin Swanton, Ohio 800-356-3386 800-426-0370 the committee. Their Approach Our Approach To Boosting Potash. To Boosting Potash. 10*2*6 Improved disease tolerance. Enhanced drought resistance. And a complete, balanced feeding. In a homoge­ neous mixture to ensure uniform nutrient distribution. Country Club 8-4-24 simply outdistances the competition. Lush, beautiful greens and tee boxes are well-known to superintendents who use Ringer Greens Products. With five finely- granulated formulations available, you can match our fertilizer to your needs throughout the seasons. Each formulation releases the precise Country Club amount of nitrogen needed to eliminate burning and green-up greens evenly The remaining nitrogen is reserved for slower release 8-4-24 to encourage consistent growth. Try Ringer Greens Products. Your greens will Distributed By Product Sales Manager be in good company Tri-Turf Randy Rogers Contact your local distributor or Ringer’s Golf & Commercial Turf Division at Traverse City, MI Michigan 9959 Valley View Road, Minneapolis, MN 55344, (612) 941-4180. Ringer offers a complete line of fertilizers for greens, fairways and general turf applications. (616) 943-8343 (313)673-7146 14 Ways to Improve GCSAA Charles H. Cross, Jr., President, Long Island GCSA 1. Hire a new executive director who is well-versed in the grams recognized in Golf Course Management mag­ game of golf and knowledgeable about the science of azine and recognized at the annual conference and golf course management. show. 9. Improve Golf Course Management magazine. Encourage 2. Dismiss Robert Ochs. letters to the editor. Encourage people to express their views. Encourage golf course superintendents to write 3. Relocate our national headquarters to Florida. stories or articles to appear in Golf Course Management. As an incentive, have cash prizes ($5,000, $2,500, 4. Own one, two, or maybe three golf courses for $1,000) that could only be used for investment in a a. a source of revenue. scholarship fund for their children. b. a place for vacationing or retired GCSAA members The way the recent Dinah Shore article was interrupted to play golf. with ads (I know, ads pay the bills) was disgraceful. She c. a place to conduct turf research that would enable is the recipient of our top award. Don't compromise the us to become better golf course superintendents. article with ads! d. a place to host our annual golf tournament. Look at what a good headquarters the golf professionals 10. For our Class A members who come from remote areas have in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Why not us? with small budgets, I feel that they should be given a break in dues and educational materials. Let them decide 5. While in Florida develop a four year Bachelor of Science what they can honestly afford. It's worth a try. Chapters program in Golf Course Management with a nearby uni­ could be a big asset in reaching out to this section of versity. members. 6. Develop a "Human Resource Center" within GCSAA (Is­ These are some thoughts of mine and of some other people. sues and a thought II, Hole Nine Yards, Vol. 6, No. 3, I believe they deserve consideration. GCSAA should be an written by Jim Gilligan, CGCS). The Human Resource organization geared towards the golf course superintendent Center could: and the superintendent only! a. communicate between golf course superintendents and their employers. Credit: Hole Nine Yards, April 1993 b. mediate differences between golf course superinten­ dents and their employers. c. support golf course superintendents who may be in hazardous situations. d. educate golf course superintendents how to keep their competitive edge as they grow older. e. educate golf course superintendents on how to inter­ view for jobs, write resumes and obtain employment contracts that work for them. 7. Don't expand the membership classes. Our GCSAA should be focused on the golf course superintendents and their needs. Having a class for assistant superinten­ dents is fine. Having a class for commercial people is necessary. The majority of them are an extremely impor­ tant facet of our business and should not be forgotten or abused. Remember, it's the Golf Course Superintendent's Association of America. All of the efforts of the GCSAA should be geared towards the golf course superintendent and nowhere else. GCSAA should never become a golf course employee's association. 8. Improve and strengthen the relationship between GCSAA and its affiliated chapters. Some ideas are: a. Urge all chapters to fund local and regional scholar­ ship and research ventures. Everyone gains from this approach. b. Have chapter liaisons communicate on a regular ba­ sis and have an annual forum at our national confer­ ence to discuss important happenings from across the country. c. Have chapters that excel with their educational pro­ 15 Caloclor and Calogran to be discontinued It's 87° out and I'm thinking about snow mold. Every year 1. The products will stop being produced in the U.S. rumors spread and we are warned that caloclor and calo- immediately. gran are going to be taken off the market and we will have 2. Materials can be purchased through December 31, to find a substitute. It has been brought to my attention that 1995. this is now true. The manufacturer is voluntarily withdraw­ 3. Golf Course Superintendents will be allowed to use ing their mercury products with the EPA as of July 1, 1993. their inventories of caloclor and calogran until their Due to increased pressure on the only mercury com­ inventories are depleted. pound remaining in use in the U.S., the manufacturer can The manufacturer is waiting to hear back from the EPA no longer support the registration process of a mercury com­ and will inform the industry as soon as they know anything. pound. So with that, I'm going to pour myself a lemonade and How does this affect our industry? The manufacturer re­ turn on the fan. quested the following withdrawal procedures with the EPA: Kimberly Olson Job Description The Assistant Golf Course Superintendent is a position on the golf course than the Superintendent. that is crucial to any well-managed golf course. The Assist­ Here is a list of my responsibilities at Crystal Downs: ant is the main link between the Superintendent and the golf monitoring all daily course operations; assist in managing a course. The responsibilities of a Superintendent seem to staff of 14; monitor course playability; monitoring consisten­ grow every year due to an increase in new employee labor cy and green speed; check daily irrigation needs; set up and safety laws, new pesticide regulations, dealing with reg­ schedules and programming; perform irrigation repair and ulatory agencies, larger budgets, etc. With these increasing pump maintenance; locate and identify any diseases, insects administrative duties, this leaves your Assistant with more and turf related problems; assist spray technician during pes­ responsibility to monitor daily course conditions and the ticide applications; monitor daily equipment performance; communication of on course crew supervising. oversee course set up; monitor and order irrigation parts, As a Superintendent, do you have a written job descrip­ employee supplies, golf course supplies; perform record tion with the responsibilities outlined for your assistant? This keeping; organize employee work schedules; and most of is the person you need to take on a few more of your past all, communicate all of my work and observations to Mike. responsibilities. All of my responsibilities are under the direction of the Su­ Mike (Morris, Golf Course Superintendent, Crystal Downs perintendent. Country Club) and I both feel that the main responsibility of My responsibilities do not include hiring, firing, reporting an Assistant is to monitor all aspects of course condition dai­ to committees and members, implementing policies and ly. This does not mean that they must water every dry spot, practices. trim every tree and fill every ball washer, etc. as they make In closing, I hope the examples I gave you from my job their way across the golf course each day. They should description at Crystal Downs will help your management make note of their daily observations and report their obser­ team's communication and make your golf course even vations or a plan of action to the superintendent. more successful. Like any manager's position, communication is the key to Steve Hammon, Assistant Superintendent, being successful. Most days the Assistant spends more time Crystal Downs Country Club Classified Advertisements For Sale: Seven used 6-blade reels for Jacobsen F-10. Wanted: Head Golf Course Mechanic for 1994 Season. Call Tom Van Sipe at Interlochen Golf Course (616) 275- Salary negotiable. Contact Jeff Dorrell, Cadillac Country 6401 or (616) 275-7311. Club, P.O. Box 367, Cadillac, Ml 49601. (616) 775- 6021. For Sale: 7 gang Jacobsen fairway mower with 17" and 20" semi-pneumatic tires. $5,500 obo. Hustler 60" with Notice: Detroit Ball Bearing Maintenance Seminar Sept. high lift dump $3,900 or best offer. Call Jim Granfield at 30 in Traverse City. Call 1-800-598-7075 for information Winter Creek G.C. (616) 796-0288 or (616) 592-9828. and registration. 16 Dealing with Difficult Situations Michael Morris, Superintendent, Crystal Downs C.C. Precision The situation is this: the golf course has suffered severe winter damage with acres of dead Poa annua on the fair­ ways, and damage severe enough on the greens that resod­ Laser Measurement ding or rebuilding are the only real options for play in the upcoming season. Increases Play On top of this situation, "help" starts pouring in from club patrons and peers. Things like. . . "It's never been this bad before on our course;" "It must have been something he Laser your course properly with the sprayed;" "He must not have sprayed for it;" "Mike sure lost complete laser measurement fairway a lot of grass;" and "We've never had this problem before.. ." Then to top it off the "expert help" starts coming in from oth­ marking system from er turf professionals: "I sprayed so I don't have that prob­ lem;" "I'll bet his job in on the line;" and the clincher, "His maintenance practices have changed the percolation rate of the soil." What is the percolation rate of frozen ground? FAST PLA Y TECHNOLOGY Huh? This scenario is played out regularly in our profession whether the problem is winter damage, summer disease, Fairway Management at its’ finest mechanical problems, or even policy problems within the administration or management. The nature of our business is to deal with the contingencies that occur regularly in the en­ vironment, in business, and with people. A big part of our • Incremental 25 yard markers job is dealing with difficult situations, and if the situations aren't enough of a challenge, there is always a group on the • Color-coded posts every 50 yards sidelines ready to share their opinions or make the problems more complex. The first step in dealing with a problem like this is to as­ • Par 3 tee boxes sess the situation objectively. What have I done to head this off, what may I have done to bring this on, and what might I do to correct this situation in the future? Once you have ful­ • 100 - 150 - 200 yard markers ly assessed the situation objectively and honestly, be pre­ pared to offer your honest assessment to your superiors • Sprinkler heads along with a plan for correcting the problem. At this point you have done all you can do, except for implementing the plan of action you feel is necessary. Your superiors will de­ • Cart paths labeled cide whether or not to believe you or follow your recom­ mendations: then you move ahead accordingly. Remember also that there are people out there who will • No maintenance interference offer you real help. Oddly, these are not the people offering the suggestions and comments I outlined above. Rather there are researchers and support teams from our industry • Professionally installed and other associations like the USGA who will have infor­ mation you can use as you communicate with your superi­ • Endorsed by Michigan PGA ors and prepare your plan of action. This step takes some ef­ fort on your part, but the feedback and information you will Professional Rodger Jabara get is well worth the asking. Lastly, don't waste time and energy trying to clear the smoke screen of rumors and idle talk coming from the side­ Stop complaints about slow play lines. This will only add to the frustration of an existing problem and take energy away from your efforts to improve Call or write today for more info: the situation. I wish I had a dollar for each time I explained crown hy­ dration winter kill to members of our club and people in our community. That would be quite a bonus for dealing with FAST PLA Y TECHNOLOGY hat particular challenging problem, and putting up with all ( he headaches of a challenging spring. But after all, I have to 32102 Howard ph: (313) 583-4851 say that dealing with problems is a big part of the job I'm al­ Madison Heights, Ml 48071 fax:(313)583-3179 ready being paid to do. 17 Excerpt from "SUDDENL Y, SUMMER!" By Monroe S. Miller, The Grass Roots We have five 68“ Nationals in our equipment know these manufacturers are capable of giving us such a inventory that we use to mow green and tee surrounds product. Why don't we see it? three times a week. That is all background information that helps explain These low technology machines haven't changed why I am so revved up about a new $1 million substantially in 25 years. No reason to, really. They are engineering effort at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. durable, easy to repair on those rare occasions when The program is aimed at helping small engine makers they need fixing,, and can climb the old and steep meet tougher federal pollution laws while protecting surrounds of a golf course built many years ago. 90,000 jobs statewide. Except for one thing. They are now powered by The research effort is called "The Wisconsin small Japanese engines. engine consortium" and is being supported by Briggs & I almost didn't accept delivery of the first two I'd Stratton, Kohler, Tecumseh, OMC, Mercury Marine, purchased that came with the foreign engines - no one Nelson Industries and Harley-Davidson. had told me they were standard. Had I known, I likely Concern about meeting air quality standards that are to would have specified a Briggs and Stratton engine, just be phased in by the year 2000 stimulated formation of like those that the other three had. the group. Good thing I didn't know. It is very difficult for me to Small engines are currently unregulated for their confess that these small Japanese engines put any emissions, and there is a big question as to how the similarly-sized American engines to shame. They made manufacturers will meet the new standards. Of equal these little National triplexes seem as though they had concern are the potential increased costs. undergone a complete redesign. The research will focus on the unburned hydrocarbons Sad to say, the foreign engines are quiet, smooth given off by the small engines we use on so much of our (absolutely no vibrations), fuel-efficient and trouble-free. golf course equipment. Obviously, that implies a lot of They always start. I was amazed and impressed. carburetor research. And depressed. "Why can't we make products like that The 90,000 jobs number should be clarified. Something anymore?" I wondered to myself more than a few times. over 17,000 people are employed by the consortium Wisconsin was the home for the world's small engines directly; 72,000 state residents work for companies that for decades - Briggs & Stratton, Kohler and Tecumseh. I supply the consortium with parts, materials and services. Big bucks are involved here. The engine makers generate annual sales of more than $4 billion.! Of the $1 million to be spent, the state will provide $470,000 and the balance will come from the companies. The money will be used for materials and equipment to be used in the research. As with our turf research, grad students will help also. Five or six will be working on the project at any one time. The UW-Madison College of Engineering has been ROADBUILDINGPLUS doing engine research for nearly 50 years at its Engine Research Laboratory, another example of one of the CONSTRUCTION SERVICES: things that makes it a world class institution. CLEARING, GRADING, SHAPING, BUNKERS, CART By the way, American-made small engines, just like PATHS American cars, have improved drastically in recent times so that they are among the world's best. CREATING SPECIALTY SANDS: TOP DRESSING & BUNKER SAND Golf Course Construction Since 1977 Turf Times Request for References Encouraged Welcomes New Members Name Club/Vendor Bus. Phone ROADBUILDINGPLUS Asphalt Paving • Concrete Mark Tedford Cräpo Hills Golf Course (517) 345-2971 Paving • Excavation • Airports • Golf Courses • Site Devel­ Gary Tedford Cräpo Hills Golf Course (517) 345-2971 opment • Tennis Courts • Sand & Gravels • Underground Donald A Tuthill Fairview Hills Golf Club (517) 848-5810 Utilities • Plus, Plus, John T. Roddy E-Z-GO Golf Cars (800) 336-1016 Cameron Kern Sylvan Resort (517) 732-6711 H&D INC., 2081 W. CHARLEVOIX AVE., PETOSKEY, Ml 49770 E. Ray Hollloway Valley Turf, Inc. (616) 532-2885 (616) 347-2547 Please add these new members to your Membership Directory in the place provided. 18 Our Family is Growing No one can accuse John Deere Zb-inch cutting units. Deere of standing still. Since The Gators are stable, quiet, January of 1992, we’ve carry large payloads, and added six totally new feature wet-disk brakes. machines to our Golf & Turf Talk with your John Deere Equipment family. All The 1800 Utility Vehicle brings benefits of hy­ Golf & Turf Equipment drostatic drive to spraying & spreading jobs. designed and manufactured distributor today for more by John Deere. information on our growing First to arrive were the lineup of machines. 1800 utility vehicle and 3365 Professional Turf Mower. The 1800 brought the NOTHING precision of hydrostatic drive to your work, while the 3365 New 6x4 and 4x2 Gator Utility Vehicles are stable, quiet, and carry large payloads. RUNS LIKE was the first machine to carry A DEER John Deere designed and manufactured cutting units. New machines for 1993 The 3365 Professional Turf Mower features include the 2653 Professional John Deere designed and manufactured cutting units. Utility Mower (pictured above) and 6x4 and 4x2 KLOOSTER EQUIPMENT, INC. Gator Utility Vehicles. WORK ‘N PLAY SHOP The 2653 features the 9821 U.S. 31 unique combination of ELLSWORTH, Ml 49729 hydraulic reel drive and John (616) 599-2822 19 r A 1993-94 Calendar of Events Dates Subject to Change ( * NMTMA Dates to note) DATE EVENT LOCATION AUGUST 5-8 BUICK OPEN Warwick Hills C.C. 12-15 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Inverness Club 17 WISCONSIN TURFGRASS FIELD DAY R&E Facility, Madison, Wl 19 M.T.F. TURFGRASS FIELD DAY Hancock Center, MSU 26 *N.M.T.M.A. Meeting Gaylord C.C. 22-25 MICHIGAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Garland 28-29 MICHIGAN PGA SHOW-DOWN Garland 28-1 UPS GREAT LAKES OPEN Boyne Highlands SEPTEMBER 13 W.M.G.C.S.A./MTF FUNDRAISER Egypt Valley C.C. 16 MICHIGAN SUPERINTENDENT'S CHAMPIONSHIP The Fortress 20 *N.M.T.M.A. FUNDRAISER Little Traverse Bay 28 W.M.G.C.S.A. ANNUAL MEETING Thornapple Creek OCTOBER 4 •N.M.T.M.A. ANNUAL MEETING / Tuck Tate Classic Walloon Lake C.C. 4 M.B.C.G.C.S.A./MTF FUNDRAISER Franklin Hills C.C. Katke-Cousins C.C. Grosse Isle C.C. Oakland Hills C.C. 14 G.C.S.A.A. seminar "Micro-Biology of Turfgrass Soils" Holiday Inn - East Lansing NOVEMBER 6 W.M.G.C.S.A. FALL DINNER PARTY C.C. of Jackson 16-18 G.C.S.A.A. Executive Training Seminar - Developing and Maintaining Effective Employee/Management Holiday Inn - East Lansing DECEMBER 4 »N.M.T.M.A. / M.M.T.M.A. CHRISTMAS PARTY Garland JANUARY 1994 3-5 WISCONSIN TURFGRASS & GREEN INDUSTRY EXPO Holiday Inn W., Madison, Wl 18-20 MTF 64th ANNUAL TURFGRASS CONFERENCE Holiday Inn South FEBRUARY 1994 1-2 G.C.S.A.A. GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP Austin Texas 3-7 G.C.S.A.A. ANNUAL CONFERENCE Dallas Texas 23-24 G.C.S.A.A. SEMINAR Treetops y 20 COLLECTION