J A N U A R Y 1 9 8 4 A PATCH Official Publication of the Michigan & Border Cities Golf Course Superintendents Association MICHIGAN & BORDER CITIES GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT MICHAEL EDGERTON Meadowbrook Country Club 3066 Sesame Howell, Michigan 48843 Off. 349-3608 - Res. (517) 546-5927 VICE PRESIDENT KEVIN DUSHANE,CGCS Bloomfield H ills Country Club 159 Willards Way Union Lake, Michigan 48085 Off. 642-0707 - Res. 698-2924 SECRETARY-TREASURER THOMAS MASON, JR. Birmingham Country Club 3640 Oriole Rd. Troy, Michigan 48084 Off. 644-6320 - Res. 362-3201 BOARD OF DIRECTORS CLEM WOLFROM Detroit Golf Club 530 Kendry Bloomfield H ills, Michigan 48013 Off. 345-4589 - Res. 334-0140 KEN DEBUSSCHER Wabeek Country Club 33128 Richard 0. Drive Sterling Heights, Michigan 48077 Off. 851-1689 - Res. 268-4423 CHARLES GAIGE Lakelands Golf & Country Club 7390 Rickett Brighton, Michigan 48116 Off. 231-3003 - Res. 227-4617 CRAIG ROGGEMAN St. Clair Shores Country Club 22785 Masonic Blvd. St. Clair Shores, Michigan 48082 Off. 294-6170 - Res. 774-1394 DANIEL UZELAC Dominion Golf Club RR No. 1 Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada NOR 1LO Off. (519) 969-4350 - Res. (519) 969-4350 ED HEIN EM AN, C.G.C.S. Waters Edge Country Club 10531 Bellevue Grosse lie, Michigan 48138 Off. 675-0927 - Res. 753-4188 PRESIDENT EMERITUS BRUCE WOLFROM, CGCS Barton H ills Country Club 435 Stein Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 Off. 662-8359 - Res. 663-9213 "A PATCH OF GREEN” Pu b lis h e d m on th ly by the MICHIGAN AND BORDER CITIES GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION Circulation: 1,250 Ted Woehrle, CGCS, Oakland Hills C.C. EDITOR P r i n t e d A t BLAKEMAN PRINTING COMPANY 31823 Utica Road Fraser, Michigan 48026 Phone: (313) 293-3540 MONTHLY ADVERTISING RATES D o u b le P a g e S p r e a d .............................................$ 1 5 0 .0 0 B a c k O u t s i d e P a g e .....................................................7 5 . 0 0 F u l I P a g e .......................................................................... 6 5 . 0 0 H a l f P a g e ....................................................................... 4 0 . 0 0 Q u a r te r P a g e .................................................................. 3 0 . 0 0 E ig h th P a g e .................................................................. 1 5 . 0 0 S ix t e e n t h P a g e ................................................................1 0 . 0 0 7 . 5 0 C l a s s i f i e d A d (p e r c o l u m n i n c h ) ................... D I S C O U N T R A T E : One Y e a r 10% N o te : A d v e r t i s i n g f e e s m ay n o t be d e d u c te d fro m t h e a b o v e r a t e s . r td v e * tid v u - • Century R ain-A id D 8t C Sales Dupont Janson Soil Service Lakeshore Equipment Corporation Lawn Equipment Corporation Lebanon Chem ical Corporation W .F. M ille r Garden & Equipment Oxford P eat Company Rhone-Poulenc Wm. F. Sell 8. Son, Inc. T ire W holesalers, Inc. Turfgrass, Inc. T u rf Supplies, Inc. W ilkie T u rf Equipm ent D iv is io n , Inc. 2 % TE R SAN 1991 Put the proven performers control of brown patch, serious Daconil 2787 together for even better dollar spot and other diseases. Tersan® 1991 fungicide and Daconil 2787* fungicide are two of the most effec­ tive disease control products on the market. And now, these proven broad-spectrum fungicides are labeled for tank mixing. Together, they give you even better control of major turf diseases than either product used alone. You get improved control, yet without the problem of phytotoxicity com­ mon with some tank mixes. A Tersan 1991/Daconil 2787 tank mix will give you consistent performance against brown patch and dollar spot—the two most troublesome diseases on turf each summer. You’ll also get strong action on leaf spot and other important diseases. It’s the kind of performance superinten­ dents depend on when a quality course can’t be compromised. •Daconil 2787 is a registered trademark of Diamond Shamrock Corporation. Thnk mixing brings other advantages, too. With Tersan 1991 in your tank, you get systemic action for protection from within the turf plant. Disease control is longer- lasting and is less affected by rainfall or frequent irrigation. Tank mixing fungi­ cides with different modes of action also reduces chances of benzimidazole resis­ tance. You help insure the long-term effec­ tiveness of Tersan 1991 in your disease control program. This year, plan on using Tersan 1991 in combination with Daconil 2787. It’s the tank mix turf diseases can’t match. With any chemical, follow labeling instructions and warnings carefully. i 3 SAVE ON GUARANTEED REPLACEMENT PARTS LOW PRICES TORO RYAN MOTT EXCEL JACOBSEN ROSEMAN ROGERS OLATHE TO FIT HAHN-WESTPOINT PAR AIDE JOHN DEERE NATIONAL CUSHMAN RANSOMES FORD YAZOO NEW PARTS G O O D Y E A R * BELTS * TIRES * GREENSAIRE PARTS * REELS * BEARINGS * STEERING CABLES AMD MORE IN M ICHIGAN CALL TOLL FREE - 1-800 824-8769 YOUR DEALER IS: SALES 230*1 Charms Road Wixom Mi 48096 PHONE 3 I 3 6 84-0688 4 Minimizing W inter Damage of Turf to therefore, Winter damage is seldom caused only by an exposure of the turf to low temperatures. Commonly, the turf is weakened by one or more external events which lowers the tolerance of the grass to low temperature. With this lowered tolerance, injury can result from relatively short exposures to freezing temperatures. Anexplanationof these “external events” is necessary, totally understand winter damage. The most common problem is the dessiciation of plant tissue. When dry winds remove moisture from leaves and stems, minor damage occurs and recovery in spring is rapid. If the meristematic tissue of the crowns is dehydrated, the damage is much greater and a serious loss of turf results. The mechanisms of water loss are the same in both cases. Simple transpiration is one method of loss. Transpiration losses only occur when free water is available in the soil for uptake by the roots. When the moisture level in the turf tissue is low and the roots cannot absorb water from the soil, a more serious mechanism of water loss occurs. As the air temperature drops, ice crystals begin to form in the intercellular spaces but not within the living cells. This causes water to move from within cells across to cell membrane to the intercellular spaces. A water deficit can result within the cell. Hardened cool-season turfgrass can tolerate this phenomenon well. Damage occurs, however, during early spring when the hardening process reverses. The turf can no longer tolerate sharp drops in temperature and damage results. Insulation from an extreme temperature drop, therefore, is most critical in late winter. Snow is a good insulating material which does not require removal in the spring. Snow fences can be erected in the fall to help the accumulation of snow on crucial areas (perennial ryegrass turf, tall fescue turf, open areas, etc.). Where expected snowfall is minimal, other materials (leaves, straw, bark chips, etc.) can be used to provide insulation. Follow recommended procedures to prevent snow mold when using any cover material. Excessive water is another leading cause of winter damage to turf. In areas of poor drainage, or where underlying C O N T IN U E D PAGE 18 T ire W h o le sa le rs C om pany, Inc. 19240 Wtst Eight Mil* Southfisld. Mich. 4S07S _______________H)»IH «t»l 1 S«itWI«W *»«)_____________ Phone: (313) 354-5644 TRUCK-CAR TRAILER MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRIAL TIRES * WHOLESALE PRICES TO COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS FERTILIZER LIME GYPSUM PHONES: (216) 474-6000 (216) 466-3835 JANSON SOIL SERVICE Complete LIME Service f c t t n n r - JJ^ s BULK “Our business is spreading” The Midwests Leading Lime Service 1492 MECHANICSVILLE RD. ROCK CREEK, O H IO 44084 5 But if you treat your turf with Chipco* RONSTAR* G herbicide, it m akes no difference. RONSTAR gives excellent control of both, season-long... and it’s convenient to use, because there’s no leaching prob­ lem, no root pruning, and no problems with ornam ental plantings. So, for the best control of grassy weeds, use RONSTAR. Rhone- Poulenc Inc., Agrochemical Division, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852.(Jfc, r RHONE POULENC Please read label carefully, and use only as directed 6 THE FUTURE OF TURFGRASS J.R. Watson Vice President, Agronomist, The Toro Company, Minneapolis, MN 55420 In the future, near future, the pressure to produce more food and fiber will intensity much beyond that of recent years. As developing nations demand their fair allocation of the world’s food and fiber, those nations like the United States, Cananda, and Australia will be call upon to divert more and more of their resources to support research and development in that area. Never­ theless, I am optimistic with respect to the future of turgrass. For, turfgrass plays a very key role in our lives. It provides a site for healthy recreational activities; when incorporated into the landscape and properly maintained, it provides aesthetic appeal and contri­ butes to the economic well being of a community. Functionally, turfgrass areas control both wind and water erosion, minimize glare and help to abate the build up of heat, break the impact of wind and provide safe areas for our children to play. For these and other to the future of turfgrass; however, I see the future as a period of great challenge to all involved with turfgrass - the researcher, the extension agent, the manager and the suppliers of equipment and materials. We in the turfgrass field must learn to articulate our position; we must learn to speak out in support of our turfgrass areas; we must encourage public officials to support green belts; in short, we must promote and sell our commodity! And, we must do this within the constraints of the pressure for increased production of food and fiber. We must be practical in our requests; we must be firm in our position with respect to the value of landscaped sites; we must be realistic in our apporach to ensure our fair allocation of water and fertilizer, we must en­ courage conservation of water, of plant food; and also, encourage conservation lands - coping in all our endeavors. And, most importantly, we must support re­ search efforts whole goals and objectives lead to superior plants, better cultural practices and wide spread acceptance and use of the results developed. As we look ahead we must necessarily evaluate and build on the past, we must set objectives and goals for the near and long term, and we must develop the plans needed to implement and ensure accomplishment of these goals. And, we must devlop alternate plans and can be put into effect when the ifs become actualities. The turfgrass industry - all facets of turfgrass - has a proud record of complishment. The achievements of the past quarter century include new warm and cold season turfgrasses, new fertilizers, new pesticides (fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides), new equipment and 2new cultural techniques. These are some of the material accomplishments. What about the achievements of the individual? This well may be the area in which the gratest progress has been made. Great achievements, have been made in the role played by today’s prfessional the certified golf course superintendent and others who direct and guide the activities of the many and varied turf facilities that collectively represent the turfgrass industry today. Yet, the turfgrass manager well may face the greatest challenge in the near term. For, he must plan his operational prgrams, develop alternate plans in the event of budget curtailment, and im­ plement existing procedures. He, also, must keep abreast of and implement programs based on current and future research results. This may be his greatest challenge! In the future, as now, there area num­ ber of areas that represent major challenges for those of us in the turfgrass field. Among them are (1) the ability to disseminate the information developed from research programs and to have it C O N T IN U E D PAGE 15 tufrgrass manager, 7 Golf’s “Old Tom Morris Award” Goes to Bob Hope Bob Hope has been selected to receive the Old Tom Morris Award from the golf Course Superintendent Association of America. The award is one of the most exclusive major honors in the world of golf. Selection of award winners is made on an unscheduled periodic basis, and Hope will be only the second re­ cipient. The first was Arnold Palmer. In announcing the selection of Hope, GCSAA President Robert W. Osterman also outlined the back­ ground of “This Association established the Old Tom Morris Award to satisfy the need for a significant international honor that would help identity with the true traditional founding of the game. ‘Old Tom’ Morris - the first ‘superstar’ of golf heritage award: and the - was a greenkeeper, golf pro­ fessional, club and ball maker, golf course architect and accomplished player who won four British Open Championships between 1861 and 1867. In response to notification that he had been chosen to receive the award, Hope recalled that back in 1939 he had personally shot movies of Old Tom’s headstome at St. Andrew’s Cemetery (Scotland). “I’ve never seen a headstome with a fellow in a golf pose before.” Hope said, “but it sure pleases a lot of us.” If anyone has helped to immortalize the golf swing, it’s surely Bob Hope. He has swung a golf club on more stages than most poeple have on golf courses. His swing has taken ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JOINING THE MICHIGAN AND BORDER CITIES GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION? FILL IN THE QUESTIONAIRE BELOW AND MAIL TO: CLEM WOLFROM DETROIT GOLF CLUB 530 Kendry Bloomfield H ills , Ml 48013 Off. 345-4589, Res. 334-0140 D A T E ____________________ NAME ____________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ________________________________________________________________ C IT Y ___________________________ S T A T E ______________ Z IP ___________ O R Y O U M A Y C O N T A C T T H E N E X T G O L F C O U R S E S U P P L I E R W H O C A L L O N Y O U A N D G I V E H I M T H E I N F O R M A T I O N N E E D E D F O R A P P L I C A T I O N . 8 him literally around the world - many, many times. Selection of Hope as the second recipient of the Old Tom Morris Award was entirely in keeping with the intent of the award, according to GCSAA President Osterman: “Besides being a ‘superstar’ in his own time, much like ‘Old Tom,’ Bob Hope has displayed a continuing, selfless commitment to golf and further the welfare of the game in a manner similar to that of ‘Old Tom.’ Bob Hope’s promotion of the game around the world - and the continuing popularity of his own Bob Hope Desert Classic - provide highly visible evidence of his commitment to the game and its continued welfare.” More than a thousand highly prest­ igious awards and citations have been presented to Hope. The pres­ entation of the Old Tom Morris Award completes the “Grand Slam” of golf awards which includes his C O N T IN U E D PAGE 11 650 SERIES ROTARY SPRINKLER Checkomatic Normally Open Valve-ln-Head SPEC IA L FEATURES Positive Spring Retraction Minimizes tampering and accidents by pulling nozzle and cap down out of the way of people and mowers when watering is done. Strong spring discourages vandals. Rugged Cycolac® Case Almost indestructible engineering plastic has tre­ mendous impact resistance, won’t rust, corrode or dis­ integrate because of time or water-carried minerals. Long-Life Gear Drive Rotation drive gears are vacuum-packed with grease and isolated from water stream for long, trouble-free life. Valve-ln-Head Models All the advantages of head-by-head control at a much lower cost than valve-under-head installations. Cus­ tomize watering to fit turf use, topography and soil. Multi-cycle for wind or runoff problems, frost control, dew removal without low-head drainage. Available for hydraulic normally open, hydraulic normally closed or 24-volt electric systems. Valve accessible through top of head. WILKIE IRRIGATION DIVISION 24 V.A.C. Electric Valve-ln-Head Checkomatic Models Stops low head drainage in block systems with spring-loaded check valve in base of sprinkler. Manual Override Allows normally closed and electric valve-in-head models to be turned on manually or be cancelled out of automatic program. Pressure Regulation For more equal water distribution over large areas. Compensates for large pressure differentials. Regu­ lates pressure to nozzles on normally closed and elec­ tric valve-in-head models. 2-Speed, 60°-120° Models For more even precipitation over area covered by single-row fairway configuration. Runs at half speed in non-overlap areas. 2-Speed, 180° Models For more even precipitation where only a selected area is covered by an overlap, such as is often found on greens. Runs at half speed on the half circle where there is no overlap. Dtrf Equipment Division, tnc. P.O. Box 749 • 1 0 5 0 O pdyke R oad Pontiac • M ichigan • 4 8 0 5 6 • 3 1 3 /3 7 3 -8 8 0 0 9 TORO GROUNDSM ASTER 72’ worth more Durability, versatility and top performance features make the Groundsmaster 72® worth more. The optional Two-stage 48-inch Snowthrower with driftbreaker auger clears snow from sidewalks in a hurry. Oversized Second Stage prevents clogging, E lectric Chute Rotator puts snow where you want it. WILKIE Turj Equipment Division, Inc. 1050 OPDYKE ROAD PONTIAC, MICHIGAN 48057 (313) 373-8800 10 Bob Hope, cont. previously collected honors of the USGA’s Bobby Jones Award in 1978 (jointly with Bing Crosby), the Golf Writers Richardson Award in 1953 and his resent induction into the Golf Hall of Fame at Pinehurst. Hope is scheduled to receive the award during GCSAA’s International Turfgrass Conference and Show to be held in Las Vagas, Nev., Jan. 29-Feb. 4,1984. The presentation will be made at GCSAA’s annual banquet the evening of Feb. 3 at the MGM Grand Hotel. GCSAA is a professional association 5,500 strong, representing golf course superintendents in the United States, Canada and 25 other countries. The Association-sponsored annual con­ ference and Show is the premier inter­ national event in professional turfgrass management, and GCAA’s monthly magazine - Golf Course Management - is the leading publication in its field. Hospitals, schools, theatres, and even flowers are dedicated to him. He’s numbered amoung the top ten most admired men of the 20th Century by the adults and teenagers of four gen­ erations. He is called ‘Mr. Humanitarian’ and ‘America’s most prized ambassador of goodwill throughout the world;’ the ‘King of Comedy’ and the ‘Chairman of America Humor.’ But the monicker that encompasses the jvhole man is. ‘Mr. Entertainment.’ For indeed, he is total; the ultimate entertainer. He has triumphed in all five major show business media - vaudeville, stage, motion pictures, radio and television. Yet, he reminds people that he was once a song and dance man who was compelled to take second billing to Siamese twins and trained seals. In the entire history of show business, no individual has traveled so far - so often - to entertain so many. His name is Bob Hope. NEWS He has starred in 60 movies; been honored by the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences - but he has never won an Oscar. He has played scores of bumbling, cowardly fast talkers, yet he is the “hero” who brought laughter and cheers to the troops on the battle­ grounds of three wars. Although he is not particularly known as a singer, he has introcued more than thirty popular songs to the public and has made “Thanks For The Memory” and “Buttons And Bows” famous the world over. Through humor he has tempered with the country’s ’sacred cows.’ He’s hailed as America’s best loved comedian. He holds 45 honorary doctorates (at last count); has written and published eight books, but he never finished college. He has entertained and been honored by nine presidents; been courted by royalty and dined with international leaders; yet he speaks for and to the heart of a common man. He’s America’s most visible patriot and he wasn’t even born here. A golf tournament is named for him. BOB HOPE FACT SHEET - 1983 Born: R a ise d : E d u c a te d : M arried : C h ild ren : G ra n d c h ild ren : R e sid e n c e : E a rly C areer: S h o w B u s in e s s D e b u t: 11 E lth a m , E n g la n d - M ay 2 9 , 1 9 0 3 C lev e la n d , O hio - sin c e a g e 4. C le v e la n d P u b lic S c h o o ls D o lo r e s R e a d e - F e b . 19, 1 9 3 4 , in E r ie , P e n n sy lv a n ia (4) L in d a-b . Ju ly. 1939: A n th on y- b. Ju ly. 1940; K e lly -b . J u ly , 1 9 4 6 ; N o r a -b . A u g u st, 1 9 4 6 ! (4) Z ach ary- b. F e b ru a ry , 1 9 6 9 ; an d M ir a n d a - b. J u ly , 19 7 1 to A n th o n y a n d J u d y H o p e ; A n d r ew -b . A u g u st, 1 9 7 0 -t o N a th a n ie l an d L in d a H o p e L a n d e ; A licia - b. T h a n k sg iv in g D a y , 1 9 7 3 - t o N o r a a n d S a m M c C u lla g h , Jr. N o r th H o lly w o o d , California; Palm Springs, C aliforn ia D a n c e in str u c to r , clerk , a m a te u r b o x e r , n e w sp a p e r re p o r te r D a n c in g a c t w ith p a rtn er G eo r g e B y rn e, in a F a tty A r b u ck le R e v u e . r EVERGREEN NEEDLE LOSS HEAVY le lives. That of the bristlecone pine is eight or fifteen years. Normal needle drop occurs during late spring and summer and is usually not noticed because of the density of new growth hiding it. During the last few weeks, University of Illinois Extension offices throughout northern Illinois have received a tre­ mendous number of calls from distress­ ed plant owners reporting browning and dropping of needles from all types of evergreens. Inspection of these plants reveals no diseases or insects but early senescence of one and two year old needles. In some cases even current years’ growth is affected. Fizzell says the plants have been expos­ ed to tremendous stress since these needles were formed. The summer of 1981 was very wet C O N T IN U E D PAG E 14 Unusually heavy needle loss is being seen on narrow-leaf evergreens through­ out the midwest. Evergreens are so named because of their habit of keeping leaves (needles) through the winter. However, according to James A. Fizz ell, University of Illinois Horticulturist in Cook County, ever­ greens shed their needles on a regular schedule, sloughing off old ones as new ones sprout. Under normal conditions, the needles are produced in the spring and live two or three years. When sufficient new growth has taken place on the tips of the branches, these older needles in the center drop off, having served their purpose of photosynthesiz- ing carbohydrates for the trees. Arborvitae and white pine, for example, drop needles when the needles are two years old. They have a “needle life” of two years. Other trees have longer need­ With 27 field-proven formulas w e may have more solutions than you have problems. Distributed by: the professional’s partner Andersons Lawn Fertilizer Division P.O. Box 119 Maumee, Ohio 43537 Ohio: 800-472-3220 Outside Ohio: 800-537-3870 LAWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION 46845 W. 12 MILE ROAD NOVI, MICH. 48050 ;* P.0. BOX 500 SERVING ALL OF MICHIGAN! (313) 348-8110 12 After you attend Michigan Turfgrass Conference Visit Century Rain-Aid’s HOSPITALITY ROOM Ramada Inn Room 201 January 17th Beverages & snacks GAMES of SKILL and CHANCE C om e in for FREE H A TS - TEE S H IR T S and G R A N D PR IZE D R A W IN G Your hosts: Ben Taliaferro, Jim Vince, Mark Gunderson Dick Schaeffer Paul Bando Bruce Kobe Ra in ^ B ird„ " M 1 5 31691 Dequindre Madison Hts., MI 48071 313/588-2990 22159 Telegraph Southfield, MI 48034 313/358-2992 13 Needle Loss, cont. causing plant roots to suffer. The winter of’81-’82 was one of the most severe on record damaging exposed foliage. The winter of ’82-’83 was so mild some plants had difficulty going dormant. The cold wet spring of 83 and the hot dry summer will go down in the record books. It is no wonder the plants are unhappy, says Fizzell. Although the trees have a large amount of browning, where the new needles are unaffected there is no cause for alarm. The buds at shoot tips will grow next spring improving the looks of the somewhat sparse trees. Where shoot tips have turned brown and lost needles, the buds are most likely dead too, but don’t prune out these limbs until next spring when you know for sure whether they will grow. If branches next to the dead limbs are healthy, they will grow into the voids left by pruning. Plants under severe stress need special attention. They should be watered well if fall continues dry. If they are in poorly drained soil, some means of draining off excess water needs to be devised. Make every attempt to avoid root injury. Trees in exposed locations may benefit from treatment with an antidesicant to reduce moisture loss from leaves. Or, construct some sort of screen to protect exposed plants from winter sun and wind. While plants under stress normally re­ cover when conditions improve, spruce and pine are susceptible to attack by disease organisms under such condi­ tions. Cytospora canker is the most damaging of these and can ultimately kill the trees. There is no cure for cytospora canker so it is important that the plants receive the necessary care to let them recover rapidly before the disease attacks. James A. Fizzell, Sr. Ext. Adviser Horticulture He who knows nothing else know enough if he knows when to be silent. -Japanese proverb 14 ’ V .'\V -- y \ Serving you better ' '■*' «< . i ; . . J W ith Q U A LITY ---- m allinckrodt LEWIS FORE PAR CLEARY COUNTRY CLUB CHICOPEE Upjohn FOX VALLEY Chipco diamond shamrock Yankee cyclone PBI Gordon Aquatrols Turf grass Products PanaSea Wm.F.seil & son,inc. SINCE 1923 RENTAL SALES - SERVICE Tractors Equipment ¥Complete line of Material Handling & Farm Equipment ★ SWEEPERS * LOADERS * TRENCHERS* MOWERS * ROTARY CUTTERS * BACK HOE DIGGERS * BACK FILL BLADES * POST HOLE DIGGERS JOB TAILORED EQUIPMENT 282-5100 16555 TELEGRAPH RD. - TAYLOR 1 MILE SOUTH OF EUREKA c d u iUNTRY CLUB TURF PRODUCTS —Homogenous Granulation —High UF (W.I.N.) —Balanced Feeding —Fits Your Budget Distributed by.^— n Lebanon Chemical Corporation P.O. Box 847, Danville, Illinois 61832 15 GCSCF PRAYER BREAKFAST GUEST SPEAKER — JIM OTTO Conference time is just around the corner and as you make plans for Las Vagas, we would like to remind you of a special event. On Monday, January 30, 1984 at 7:00 A.M. we will hold our 5th annual Golf Course Superin­ tends Christian Fellowship Prayer Breakfast. It will be held in the MGM Grand Hotel in the Metro Room #5. The room will be open at 6:30 for coffee and fellowship with your friends. It might take a little extra effort to rise and shine for a 7:00 A.M. event, but most of us are used to getting up a lot earlier than that. Besides, they say that Las Vagas never sleeps. We are happy to announce that our guest speaker will be JIM OTTO, formerly All Pro Center for the Oakland Raiders. Jim will have some powerful and interesting things to share with us. Although we call this event a “breakfast”, the hearty eaters should know that it will be continental menu; coffee, tea and rolls. Please remember that everyone is invited. We urge you to bring a friend, and especially families if they are along. This is a great way to start out the conference and we hope you will not miss it. We will have a GCSCF Prayer Breakfast Booth this year set up in a visible location. Watch for it, and stop by for additional information. Plan now to attend and meet Jim Otto. You will be blessed for the experience. GCSCF Prayer Breakfast Committee Future of Turfgrass, cont. accepted and applied by the end user and (2) obtaining support for the much needed basic research in the areas of grass breeding and cultural practices. Let me use these areas to illustrate two of the major challenges facing the future turfgrass industry. We have a great deal of research in­ formation “on the shelf’. Information that is either no communicated, or if disseminated, is not used effectively. An excellent example is water man­ agement. Let me quote from a PhD C O N T IN U E D NEXT PAGE Future of Turf grass, cont. dissertation with which I am quite familiar. 1. Moisture levies exert a greater compaction. 2. The moderate use of suppli- mental irrigation is necessary to product high quality playing turf that will remain green throughout the growing season. 3. Unwatered plots were brown and in poor condition for play over an extended period of time. 4. Moderate usage of supplemental irrigation on intensively managed turf will favor development of bentgrass at the expense of the slower growing species, so that, eventually the turf will consist largely of bentgrass. 5. Supplemental irrigation in quan­ tities great enough to maintain a soil at approximately field capacity is un­ necessary and encourages disease, and the subsequent invasion of crabgrass and clover. 6. Excessive watering creates a soggy soil condition, promotes shallow rooting of the turf, encourages disease and the invasion of crabgrass and clover - and, if Poa annua had been present or the height of cut lower, I am confident it too would have increased. That information was published in 1950 -32 years ago. It was from my thesis at Penn State University, which as many of you know, was sponsored by the United State Golf Association, Green Section. Since that time others have investigated other aspects of water, its application and use on golf course turfgrass. Have we made progress? Yes — we’ve made a great deal of progress in all phases of turfgrass management these past 30- 35 years.One of the reasons is that aside from agriculture, nothing that grows has received as much attention as turfgrass, especially golf course turf­ grass. Research -private, industrial, and university - and extention activity have helped the industry make enor­ mous strides. Knowledge, technology, and management techniques relating to turfgrass have all advanced dramati­ cally. But despite those gains, water and water related problems are still with us. As an example, let me quote from an article by Dr. Jack Hall of V.P.I., pub­ lished in the 1978 proceedings of the Rocky Mountain Turfgrass Conference. “We killed more golf greens in Virginia in 1977 with improper irrigation than any other management factor.” Jack went on to say that too often greens were irrigated when the intent was to syringe and when this happens at 90 degrees F temperatures, damage is likely to occur. Automatic irrigation systems offer many advantages, but too few have the capability to “mist” water. Only a limited number of man­ ufacturers have equipment capable of properly syringing (misting) and too few systems designs incorporate this feature -- it does cost extra but there are costs involved in replacing greens! (For each gm of water vaporized, 540 calories of heat are dissipated.) Dr. Ralph Engle at Rutgers has shown the beneficial effects of misting as opposed to drenching on bentgrass root growth - - both in the greenhouse and in the field. A slide will show these results. There obviously is a gap between what we know and what we practice. Sometimes I think it’s a chasm. To date, we seem to have been incapable - at least unsuccessful - in bridging that gap. Why? Perhaps it’s an economic factor, perhaps improper dissemination of information, perhaps resistance to change, and probably some of all these reasons plus others. Certainly, I don’t have an answer. But I firmly believe that one of the major challenges facing our industry in the next few years is to find a way to narrow this gap — we simply must find a solution to this problem. We need to learn more about such things as drought tolerance and rooting char­ acteristics of grasses, water require­ ments, water techniques — water appli­ cation and efficiency — water conserva­ tion, soil-air-water relationships, leach­ ing and weeds and their ecological relationship in the turfgrass environ­ ment. And, then, we must communicate the information, accept it and imple­ ment programs based upon it. Also, we must find ways to avoid pollu­ tion and to use recycled water. We have not learned to use water with the kind of efficiency that we must if we are going to play a significant role to help keep this planet from running out of 16 water. And, we must do so! This brings me to my second point. Support of Research. In addition to recommending that we find a solution to the information gap, I should like also to suggest that we - you, me, all of us here — do everything we can to generate more knowledge -- more new information, better technology, better products, better equipment - so that turfgrass management will continue to advance. The future of turfgrass may be at stake. Certainly, advancement is dependent upon the quality and the amount of research we will support in the near term. We have a great resource in the workers at our experiment stations and in our industry. But, they, especially the University personnel, must be fund­ ed. And that funding well may have to come from the private sector. Public funding of research will, in all likelihood, be diverted to production of food and fiber, not turfgrass. With appropriate support (lobbying) we may be able to retain our research peronnel at our local grant colleges; but, we, the private sector, may have to generate the funds to support future turfgrass research. SUMMARY The future of turfgrass is one of chal­ lenge. to meet and to accept the changes that are occuring and that will occur. We must welcome changes as a poten­ tial for progress, not fear it as a threat to our stability. Our world is changing - - are we changing with it? That is the real challenge we must meet. We must learn new techniques, new rpocedures; we must probe for the truth — for the facts — for the basic principle. We must broaden our horizons to meet and to accept the challenges that new life styles, or shortages, or new modes of communication, or dwindling natural resources have brought. Our turfgrass facilities are an integral part of our present and of our future life style and future needs. They are a vital and a necessary part of our way of life. They must be preserved; they must be main­ tained properly; they demand a con- certed research effort, funded by the private sector; and they cry out for an even greater effort to communicate and utilize results of research. The future of turfgrass — it’s in your hands. le n t Let’s Talk Fungicides! We stock the Proven Best. Tersan 1991, 2#-Ptoven systemic action. Tersan LSR, 3#-Leaf spot & rust control. Tersan S.P., 3#-Snow mold & Pythium. Daconil 2787, 2#-Very broad spectrum. Daconil 2787 2 Gal.Flowable, liquid. Benomyl Gran,24#-Dry, spreadable. Chipco .26019, 2#- Broad spec, systemic. Fore (Dithane), 50#-Leaf spot & Rust cntl. Acti-Dione Thiram, 10#-Brown & Dollar Acti-Dione R.Z., 10#-Anti-biotic Fungicide Acti-Dione TFG, 1#-Water-Sol, Anti-biotic Bayleton 25W, 2#-Fusarium prevent & cure Dyrene Gran., 10#-Snow mold cntl. & cure KEIM, DAVE, GEOFF & CINDY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE YOUR ORDER 6900 Pardee Rd. Taylor, Ml 48180 (313) 291-1200 17 to sensitive sudden drop Minimizing Winter Damage, cont. soil is frozen, w ater can accum ulate during thawing periods. Thaw ing can occur in some locations under intense sunlight while air tem peratures rem ain below freezing. If these areas rem ain under w ater for an extended am ount of tim e, the grass crown tissue takes up water. Grass tissue in this hydrated is m ore state low tem perature. A in tem perature below 20 degrees F can cause serious losses, com pacted areas (green fringes, tees, etc.) are quite prone to this type of dam age. W hat can be done to prevent these catastrophies? First, don’t panic! M any dam aged areas will recover slowly if m anaged properly. Find the extent of dam aged area, or b etter yet, determ ine first if there is any w inter dam age. If you have had dam age in an area before of if you suspect a likelihood of trouble, rem ove several plugs of tu rf as soon as the soil allows. Place the plugs in a greenhouse or in you shop, allowing them to warm up slowly and w atch for new growth. After several weeks, you will know if there is nothing to worry about, you m issed the dam aged areas, or you can begin to plan for renovation. D espite the results, it is nice to know before the growing season. It is not too late to prevent some potentila w inter damage. R em em ber, m ost dam age occurs during late w inter ly spring during periods of thawing w eather. D on’t try to save everthing; concentrate your efforts on the critical areas where you suspect problem s. W here standing w ater is a problem , try to rem ove it slowly. Snow and ice preventing natural runoff should be removed or grooved to release the water. One alternative to physical m ethods is to apply a coating of dark material (activated charcoal, milorganite, etc.) to the ice or snow and let the sun do the rest. Ice cover over bentgrass or K entucky bluegrass is generally not a serious problem . O ther cool season turfs, especially perennial tyegrass can be seriously dam aged by an ice cover of m oderate duration. Large continuous sheets of ice cover perennial ryegrass tu rf should be rem oved m echanically or as previously outlined. If too little w ater is the problem , be cautions in applying m ore. W here snow cover is lacking, straw , leaves, or other m ulching m aterials can be used to buffer the tu rf from a sudden drop in tem perature and minimize further water loss. U se only m ulching m aterials th at are w eed seed free. W eeds will ten d to be a problem in dam aged areas, th e re ­ fore, in conjuction with seeding K entucky bluegrass. Broxomynil can be used to control im m ature broadleaf weeds after germ ination. Plan ahead for next w inter. C orrect drainage problem s this season for areas receiving w inter dam age. Be certain the soil m oisture levels are adequate next fall, before draining the irrigation system . D on’t aerify critical areas late in the year and consider using a m ulch where snow cover is m inimal. M ulches also prom ote early green-up in spring. Utilizing th ese few procedures, w inter dam age to tu rf should be a problem of the past. Thomas W. Fermanian Extension Turfgrass Specialist, U. of I. tu p ersan should be used "F o r Land's Sake- 'Use Peat" A oxfobd rm c o . 1430 E. Drahner Rd. Oxford, Michigan 48051 P R O C E S S E D P E A T T op D ressing B lends C ustom B lending FREDLATTA 313/628-5991 18 The best in T u rf S up plies- LESCO 100% Sulfur-Coated F e rtiliz e rs , Golf Course A ccessories, Chem icals including LESCOSAN* A Highly E ffe ctive Pre-Em ergence Crabgrass and Poa Annua Control * L e s c o s a n ( B e t a s a n - R e g . 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