feciENC£ August 1983 Published monthly by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendent^4?$ociation * ** Vol. XIII, No. 7 'h 't i -J______________ Meeting Notice New Date: Location: Host Superintendent: Club Manager: Golf Profe ssional: Greens Chairman: President Telephones Superintendent: Clubhouse Golf: Lunch: Social hour: Dinner: Program: Directions: Thursday, September 22,1983 Old Oaks Country Club Purchase St., Purchase, NY Mark Millett Nick Mourkis Bob Heins Lowell Schulman Theodore Locker 949-4203 949-5100 Carts-$10.00 Buffet 6.00 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres. 7:00p.m. $32.00 including tax, tips To be announced Conn. Merrit exit 27, Purchase Street. Right off exit. Club 1/2 mile on left. Hutchinson River Parkway to Purchase St. Left off exit. Club V2 on left. Coming Events September 12 September 21 September 22 October 13 November 1-3 November December 10 February 2 8 ,2 9 March 1,1984 Poa Annua Golf Tournament Cortland C.C. Metropolitan Area Supt. Team Championship, Grossinger’s MGCS A Meeting - Old Oaks MGCSA Meeting, Sleepy Hollow New York State Turfgrass Association Conference & Trade Show, Rochester MGCSA Annual Meeting MGCSA Christmas Party, Ridgeway C.C. 53rd Mass Turfgrass Conf. & Industrial Show Springfield Civic Center, W. Springfield, MA WELFARE: Please contact Craig Wistrand, 203-869-6477 (office) or 203-625-0319 (home) regarding any hospitaliza­ tions, etc. of members of the MGCSA. President Chuck Martineau congratulating member Chuck Fatum for recently winning the prestigious Hochster Tournament at Quaker Ridge Country Club. President’s Message In March of this year the MGA invited chapter members of the Long Island, New Jersey, and Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Associations and Green Chairmen from the same areas to meet with them to establish a committee to act in an advisory capacity to the MGA on issues of mutual interest. Of primary focus and concern was, and is, to provide greater ex­ posure of the golf course superintendent at local clubs by educating the membership-at-large about golf course opera­ tions. By combining resources with the MGA, the MGCSA can increase its political potential while continuing to provide the practical and professional knowledge needed in turf manage­ ment. While the committee is still in the process of prioritizing its short and long range goals for the Spring of 1984, some basic ideas have been scheduled for discussion this Fall. These in­ clude: 1. Methods of increasing communication system within chapter clubs via the Green Chairman. 2. Contributing articles on related turf subjects to MGA magazine and newsletters. have upset the timing cycles of the adults and some got missed by the one spray at full Dogwood bloom. BUT, in thinking about the entire situation, all Dogwoods don’t bloom at one time. And I’m sure all Hyperode adults don’t all get up at once and begin a trek to the nearest Poa annua Together. Maybe the old idea of a split application in the spring is the way to go. Crabgrass and goosegrass certainly made its presence known everywhere in the area. I wonder if the heavy rains helped di­ minish the effectiveness of the preemergence? It looks as if the second half application in June is in order routinely. We had hopes of trying the wetting agents for Poa seedhead suppression this spring but the heavy rains prevented this. Has anyone tried it and how about a report for TEE TO GREEN? I’m sure with the stressful summer we had that many lessons were learned. Please take the time to share them with your fel­ low superintendents through an article in TEE TO GREEN. Make sure you read the article in the September issue of Golf Digest entitled “Dear Fellow Members” by Peter Andrews. An excellent article and everyone on the Board of Governors at Innis Arden has received a copy. — Pat Lucas EDITORIAL STAFF Pat Lucas, Co-Editor ............................Office 203-637-3210 Home 203-637-3939 Ted Horton, C o -E d ito r.........................Office 914-967-6000 Home 914-937-3613 Dennis P. Petruzzelli, Staff Writer . . . Office 914-946-1074 Home 914-835-2836 OFFICERS President ................ Charles Martineau, Whippoorwill Club Office 914-273-3755; Home 914-273-9112 Vice-President . Peter Rappoccio, Silver Spring Country Club Office 203-438-6720; Home 203-431-3990 Secretary............................ Scott Niven, The Stanwich Club Office 203-869-1812; Home 203-629-2594 T re a su re r........... Sherwood Moore, Winged Foot Golf Club Office 914-698-2827; Home 914-234-9469 Reprint permission is hereby authorized providing credit is given to Tee to Green . . . unless author states otherwise. * Publication deadline for Tee to Green is 21 days before the * regular meeting. 3. Suggesting guest speakers and topics for seminars and meetings. 4. Promoting turf research; raising funds for research; estab­ lishing a central clearinghouse where turf information and re­ search findings could be utilized. 5. Possibility of using the MG A office as the headquarters for the MGCSA. I am personally very pleased that the MGA has expressed its concern and recognition for the importance of our contribution in golf course management by initiating this collaborative ef­ fort. I look forward to a continuing relationship with the MGA and would welcome any suggestions you might have for future agenda. — Charles A. Martineau, President Tamarack C.C. was well represented at MGCSA July meeting, (l-r) Arthur Marciano, Green Committee; Frank Zegarelli, Board of Governors; Gene Grady, Superin­ tendent; Dan Bianca, Green Chairman; Greg Fricke, President. Job Offering Assistant Superintendent Position Montammy Golf Club, Alpine, New Jersey Responsibilities: All maintenance to golf course, irrigation work, spraying of chemicals, budget record keeping. Qualifications: Minimum 5 years on a golf course and success­ fully completed a turf grass short course. Salary: Negotiable Fringe Benefits: Paid Health Insurance, 2 week vacation, meals, room. Contact: Mike Leary Montammy Golf Club Route 9W, Alpine, New Jersey 07620 201-768-5594 (home phone) MGCSA News As this is being written at the end of August, it seems as 1983 has not been a kind year for turf managers. First we had the RE­ CORD SETTING rains of March and April. On top of that, we had a very wet and cloudy May. And then came the June which was like a sauna. Along with turf conditions and irrigation sys­ tems not fully geared up or adequately prepared for the wilt. Then July, like a steam room manufacturing pythium like a fac­ tory. And now August, does the sun seem brighter? To date we have had close to 30 days of over 90 degree temperatures. Now, everyone (most) is in a holding pattern, waiting for some sign of cool weather to get in there and rip it up to make it better. And the winter to study the weak links in the chain and to refine and update. We had a few Hyperodes around the beginning of June after spraying wall to wall. I think the strange weather we had may For Sale Giant Vac Tow-type, double head, leaf blower, 18 horsepower. $600. Call Richard DePencier, Candlewood Lake Club 203-438-8890 (evenings) 203-355-0893 (days) 2 Dr. Turgeon Speaks at MGCSA Meeting by Dennis Petruzzelli Assistant Superintendent Brae Burn C.C. Purchase, New York Dr. A1 Turgeon, Turfgrass Reasearch Specialist of the Truegreen Company, was the guest speakers at a recent MGCSA meeting held at Tamarack Country Club in Green­ wich, Connecticut. The basis of Dr. Turgeon’s speech dealt with the reasons for poor turf stands in relations to growth media and thatch. The fol­ lowing is a summary of his talk. In maintaining fine turf, the turf manager has expectations and/or desires of his growth media. He hopes that there is a reasonable amount of moisture retention enabling the turf to withstand droughty conditions. Equally as important is the nu­ trient retention of that medium. Leaching of essential nutrients past plant roots results in a thinned, sickly population of turf. Also, a medium of adequate oxygen content is required by the root system. A low level of oxygen is commonly blamed on poor moisture and nutrient retention. Thatch, when managed properly in accordance to intended use, can yield numerous advantages. For an athletic field man­ ager, a reasonable layer (V2 to 3A") is desired to add cushion or resiliency to his playing surface. The same holds true for the Golf Course Superintendent. Although golf course conditions rarely encounter blitzing linebackers, some resiliency is des­ ired. An ideal depth on greens is Vs to Va and V2 on tees and fairways. This minimal amount of debris aids greens, for exam­ ple, against serious injury of golfer’s ball marks. Another ad- Program Chairman Peter Rappoccio presents speaker plaque to Dr. Al Turgeon. vantage is insulation of the soil surface. This “blanket effect” is especially important in the wintery cold months since soil is kept warmer as well as plant roots. Also, wear tolerance is in­ creased from thatch but only with debris accumulation to a criti­ cal point. However, excessive amounts of thatch can cause seri­ ous problems; not only will it harbor insects and diseases, but makes for a terrible growth medium. Thatch possesses macro­ pores, is high in aeration and resistant to compaction. It behaves as a temporary reservoir in high moisture conditions and, in * conserse, evaporates it quickly. The drying out phenomenom is often the culprit of extensive wilt in highly thatchy areas during ♦ high temperature stress periods. Fertilization of an excessive We’ll Transplant Your Large Trees & Save You Money! Get the most out of the trees you already have. Increase the look and effect of your golf course by using trees that are overcrowded or are needed in another location. With our Big John Tree Transplanter we can plant trees up to 12" in diameter for less than you think. Now is an Excellent Time to Transplant Large Trees Hawthorne Brothers Tree Service, Incorporated 388 Adams Street Bedford Hills, N ew York 105072024 914 6 6 6 - 7 0 3 5 3 0 N tor stay L THW «* o «4 Ul piU , o