President's Message

Special Feature

Something Concerns Course Grooming: The Pro’s Perspective
Wykagyl Pro Lloyd Monroe Offers His Philosophy on Grooming a Course fo r Fair Play
Me . . .
t’s the future of our golf courses. I
don’t have to tell you, with the
threat of more stringent pesticide
controls—or even their elimina­
tion—it looks pretty bleak. Biological
controls show promise, but there’s so
much more research that needs to be
done before these become viable
alternatives.
Fortunately, we have groups like the
Tri-State Turfgrass Research Founda­
tion, which since its inception in No­
vember 1990, has funded research tar­
geted toward resolving these and other
turfgrass-related problems specific to
Met area golf courses.
The first project the foundation
sponsored was Dr. Bruce Clarke’s nowinfamous summer patch research. This
two-year Rutgers study, as many of you
know first-hand, has produced effective
programs for controlling the deadly
disease. But these kinds of results don’t
come cheap. This study, alone, cost the
foundation more than $50,000.
Right now, the group is seeking
funds to support a four-year study being
conducted by Cornell University’s Dr.
Michael Villani. He will be exploring
the use of microbial control agents for
scarab grubs, such as Japanese beetles,
Oriental beetles, Asiatic Garden beetles,
and Black Turfgrass Ataenius beetles
found on golf courses in the Northeast.
This study has the dual benefit of
aiding US in OUr search (continued on page 2)

I

hen Wykagyl Superintendent
Steve Renzetti asked me for my
thoughts on how superinten­
dents affect the game of golf at
their clubs, my mind wandered. I pic­
tured myself as a superintendent, my
idol “Red” Wender at Plainfield New
Jersey. But that’s the devious side of me
who wants to take control of my course.
Actually, I believe it’s not solely up to
a club’s superintendent, golf profes­
sional, Golf Committee, or Greens
Committee to decide the way the course
is to be prepped. In a way, it’s up to the
players. Golf is a sport, and the course
is a testing ground. The golfers at your
course want to be tested fairly.
As a golf pro and coach to my mem­
bers, I can help the superintendent de­
fine what’s fair. But in general, I can say
it’s not how high or low you cut your
grass; how hard or soft you keep your
turf; how fast or slow you make your
greens; or how firm or soft the sand is in
your bunkers. None of that’s a problem
if your grooming strategy is consistent
and, perhaps more important, compat-

W

Wykagyl Pro Lloyd Monroe leading the
charge at a Member-Guest.

ible with the course’s design. Then the
test can’t help but be fair.
Settling on a Suitable Green Speed

Take green speed. I feel it’s critical that
you match the speed with the size and
contour of the green, (continued on peye 4)

Also in This Issue

( 2 ) Season’s First Meeting Site and Host
( 5 ) Sage Advice From Winter Seminar
Speakers

( 8 ) Tee to Green Recognized . . . plus
Member News
( D Ten Met Members Place in GCSAA Golf
Championship

( 6 ) Crew Motivators. . . Taking the Wind
Out of an Employee’s Objections
( ? ) May 16 Superintendent 2-Ball Qualifier

President's Message (cont.

1)

Som ething Concerns M e . . .
Board of Directors

for biological controls, while demon­
strating golf courses’s environmental
stewardship. But this, too, will require
significant funding— $37,500, when all
is said and done.
The foundation has been deriving
much o f its funding from its five mem­
ber associations. For the uninitiated, the
foundation is run by representatives from
the MetGCSA, LIGCSA , N JG CSA ,
CAGCS, and the MGA, and each o f
these associations contributes $2,500
annually to the Tri-State.
Unfortunately, these funds alone can’t
support the kind o f research we need to
protect the health and welfare o f our
golf courses. That’s why the foundation
has also sought support from MGAmember clubs—only $150 per year.
In the past, we’ve had a disappointing
response: Only 20 percent o f the 500
clubs we solicited contributed. I f every
club participated, we could raise
$75,000 above and beyond what the
member associations contribute. Im ag­
ine the valuable research we’d be able to

support with those kinds o f funds!
You’ll be receiving a contribution
form soon. And—you know what I ’m
going to say next—I urge all o f you to
support this worthwhile endeavor. It’s a
small price to pay for the benefits you’ll
receive in return: the knowledge to
perform your job more effectively and
the peace o f mind that you’ll be pre­
pared with viable alternatives when the
inevitable chemical controls hit our
industry.
There’s so much valuable research
being done—or waiting to be done—
out there, the foundation has to make
some tough choices. As a member o f
the foundation’s board, I hope you feel
we’ve made the right ones. Please don’t
hesitate to call me to discuss the TriState’s work or any ideas you have for
future projects we might fund. I ’ll look
forward to hearing from you. And on
behalf o f the foundation, let me thank
you all, now, for your support.
JO E A LO N ZI, CG CS
President

President
JOSEPH ALONZI, CGCS

Westchester Country Club
Vice President
JOHN O’KEEFE, CGCS

Preakness Hills Country Club
Secretary
JOHN CARL0NE, CGCS

Middle Bay Country Club
Treasurer
EARL MILLETT

Ridgeway Country Club
Past President
TIMOTHY O’NEILL, CGCS

Country Club of Darien
MATT CEPL0, CGCS

Westchester Hills Country Club
W ILU A M HEINTZ

Hampshire Country Club
PATRICK E. LUCAS

Winged Foot Golf Club
DAVID MAHONEY

Siwanoy Country Club
TIMOTHY MOORE

Knollwood Country Club

Spotlight

DENNIS PETRUZZELLI, CGCS

Sleepy H o llo w S u p erin ten d en t Joe
C am berato H o sts S eason ’s F irst M eetin g

O

n May 2, MetGCSA members
who attended the season’s first
golf meeting had the opportunity
to swing their clubs on one o f the
most picturesque—and historic—golf
courses in the Met area: Sleepy Hollow
Country Club in Scarborough, NY.
Well over a century ago, the 338
acres that make up Sleepy Hollow to­
day were part o f a grand estate known
as Woodlea. The magnificent club­
house, offering superb views o f the
Hudson River across to the Palisades,
was originally constructed as a mansion
for Colonel Elliott Fitch Shepard,
founder o f the New York State Bar
Association.
Built during the latter part o f the
19th century in the style o f a neoclassic
Renaissance palazzo, this home-turnedclubhouse was one o f the last great

works o f Architect Stanford White,
whose notable credits include Madison
Square Garden and Penn Station.
The estate was sold to William
Rockefeller and Frank Vanderlip in
1910, who, in turn, sold it to the or­
ganizers o f Sleepy Hollow. By 1914,
golf course architects Charles Blair
Macdonald and Seth Raynor had com­
pleted their work, and Sleepy Hollow
opened its doors to members, who,
today, enjoy much more than just golf
on these wonderful grounds.
There are eight tennis courts, a
swimming pool serviced by a snack bar
and locker rooms, a three-court squash
building, four paddle tennis courts, and
a skeet and trap facility. But setting
Sleepy Hollow apart from even the
most elaborate clubs in the area is its
riding facility. It includes both an in-

takeover National Golf Club
JEFFREY S C O n , CGCS

The Apawamis Club
JOSEPH STAHL

Metro Milorganite
Executive Secretary
INEKE PIERP0INT

Tee to Green Staff
Editors
TIM MOORE

DENNIS PETRUZZELLI

914 - 592-7829

914 - 242-0706

Managing Editor
PANDORA C .W 0JIC K

Editorial Committee
SCOTT APGAR
BOB NIELSEN

Advertising Manager
DENNIS PETRUZZELLI
914 - 242-0706

Photographer
DOMINIC RICHICHI
TEE TO GREEN « published eight tim es a year. C opyright ©
1994 the M etropolitan G olf Course Superintendents Association.
ADDRESS: P .0.

(2 )

Tee to Green

March/April 1994

LARRY PAKKALA
STEVE RENZETTI

B o* U
.693 tim ro n e ck , NY 10513.

door and outdoor ring and access to the
beautiful Rockefeller trails.
Overseeing every aspect o f this vast
but extraordinary piece o f land—no
doubt wearing a black Stetson and puff­
ing on a pipe—is our host superinten­
dent, Joe Camberato. He manages the
club’s two courses— one 18-holer and
another 9 -hole executive course—
which, together, total 44 acres o f
fairways and six acres o f greens and tees.
Adding to this already sizable re­
sponsibility is his obligation to main­
tain everything outside the buildings—
from trees, shrubs, and gardens to the
horse paddock areas and trails. “ It’s
not easy,” says Joe, “ but I live on the
course, so I ’m always available.”
Though you’d never get him to even
hint at it, Joe is one o f those superin­
tendents who gives the job his all—and
then some. One o f his former assis­
tants, Bill Perlee, now superintendent at
Burning Tree in Greenwich, CT, can
attest to Jo e’s dedication: “ I ’d be in at
5:15 a.m. during the season, and I ’d see
Joe’s cart tracks in the dew. H e would
already be out on the course.”
Further testimony to Jo e’s good
work: Five full-time and three seasonal
workers have stayed with him for more
than 20 years.
In his three-and-a-half decades at
Sleepy, Joe’s handled his fair share o f
special projects. One o f his most recent
—not to mention disruptive—was a
three-year bunker renovation program.
Completed in 1993, it involved com­
pletely revamping all o f the 18-hole
course’s more than 50 bunkers.
Another o f Jo e’s “ special projects”
has been preparing the course for the
Commemorative Seniors Tournament.
The club has hosted the tourney for the
past seven years, with Joe and his crew
working tirelessly to not only prep the
course beforehand, but also “pick up
the pieces” afterward.
Joe describes the 16th hole as the
Commemorative contestants’ toughest
challenge. Considered the “ signature
hole,” players on this 150-yard, par 3
may find themselves choosing an 8 -iron
one day and a 4-iron the next, depend­
ing on conditions. “Wind coming in

from the West drastically changes the
degree o f difficulty,” explains Joe.
Although he doesn’t have a chance
to play golf very often, Joe says he loves
the game—and apparendy always has.
He was 11 when he began caddying at
Siwanoy in Bronxville, NY. Then at
13, he took his caddying experience to
the course where his father, Sam, was
superintendent: Vernon Hills—now
called Lake Isle—in Eastchester, NY.
Not long after, he decided to give
golf course maintenance work a go
under his father’s watchful eye. Three
seasons later—in 1951—Joe joined
Pelham Country Club’s crew.
Knowing, by this time, that turfgrass
management would be his life-long
career, Joe enrolled in Stockbridge,
UM ass’s two-year turf management
program. He completed year one be­
fore embarking on a two-year tour o f
duty in the Army.
Once back in civilian clothes, he

spent a second year at Pelham and then
a final year at UMass, completing his
turf management degree in May 1957.
The rest, you might say, is history.
Within a month, Joe was offered his
current position as superintendent at
Sleepy Hollow. Hired by former
USGA President James Hand, Joe was
the youngest superintendent in the
Met area at the time.
Joe has lived on club grounds since
day one with his wife, Barbara. This
couple o f 36 years, raised two children:
a daughter, Lisa, and a son, Jim. Lisa,
who decided manicuring turf wasn’t for
her, manicures hair instead, at a nearby
salon. Jim, who Joe fondly calls
“ digger” because o f his childhood
affinity for playing in the dirt, is now,
appropriately, a soil chemist and
extension specialist at the PD Research
Center at Clemson University.
SC O TT C. APGAR
Metro Milorganite, Inc.

To learn more contact:
• Putting Green
Quality
• For Use On
Greens, Tees or
Fairways
• A Rutgers
University Release

Lofts Seed Inc.
Chimney Rock Rd.
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
(908) 356-8700 • (800) 526-3890

Tee to Green

March/April 1994 ( 3)

Special Feature (cont.

1)

Course Groom ing: The P ro’s Perspective
• In the quest for championship condi­
tions, which the New York area desires,
I have seen many courses make greens
faster than they’re designed to be.
You know you’ve crossed the line
when you can’t use key pin placements,
or when a golfer’s ball rolls back on an
uphill putt or won’t stop when it’s close
to the hole on a downhill try. D on’t get
me wrong; I ’m fond o f fast greens, but
for most golfers, the ideal is between
8 l/2 to 9 l/2 on the stimpmeter.
The people cutting the holes have to
know more than how to execute the
procedure. They have to consider other
factors that might affect green speed,
such as double cutting, rolling, or even
that it’s an exceptionally dry, windy day.
Fairways That Play Fair

Hazard Areas That Won’t Hold Up Play

You have to take two things into con­
sideration when contour mowing and
grooming your fairways. First, the
terrain and hazards and, second, the
number or location o f tees you have to
accommodate the various skill levels.
If, for instance, you have a hole with
only one tee, then you don’t want to
narrow the fairways so much that most
o f your players’ shots end up in the
rough. That’s not a fair test. Your ob­
jective should be to give every golfer a
fair shot at playing the rhythm and
strategy o f a hole.

I f there’s one thing that can bog down
play it’s hazard areas that haven’t been
clearly defined. And by that I mean
keeping a clean area right up to your
hazards. That way, when golfers don’t
immediately spot their ball, they can as­
sume it’s been lost to a hazard and
won’t hold up play trying to hunt for it.
I also feel it helps play to either leave
wooded areas very woody so that, when
a ball enters the area, the player knows
“ No shot from there. I better hit a pro­
visional,” or clear the underbrush en­
tirely so that a ball can be found quickly.

Building a Better Bunker

The Making of a Memorable Course

The trend toward firming up the sand in
bunkers is great; although it makes the
test a little easier. The softer the sand
an d/or the deeper the rake furrows, the
tougher the test.
When I come across a course with the
latter type o f bunkers, I avoid them as
much as I would water hazards. I f that’s
the key strategy you want to give your
course, that’s fine, but you have to strive
for consistency. Try to avoid deep soft
sand on the faces or rock-hard areas in
the belly or downslopes. That’s tricky or
unfair grooming. Bunkers that I find
both fair and tough have deep furrows
across the line o f play.

In the end, I believe it’s the grooming,
not the design o f the course, that most
golfers remember after a round o f golf.
Pick a strategy or test that’s consistent
not only with the design but also from
tee to fairway to green, and you’ll create
a fair—and memorable—playing field.
Some courses I remember because
length made it a challenging test, others
because o f the severity o f the rough or
the greens, and still others because o f
how precise I had to be with my
shotmaking.
So when I go to Winged Foot, don’t
make me play the front tees. When I go
to Westchester, don’t mow the rough
down. And if I ever get a shot at
Augusta, I don’t want the greens
stimping at seven.

Uniformity From Fairway to Green

Matching grooming techniques from

(4 )

fairway to green is just as important as
achieving consistency from green to
green, fairway to fairway, and bunker to
bunker. For instance, if you’ve decided
that your greens should be firm, then
your fairways should follow suit. Lush,
long, wet fairways against dry firm
greens is a mismatch.
I f you want to get my dander up,
water an apron in front o f a firm front
pin placement. I swore this was a trick
the USGA used when setting up for all
its major championships.
I f you don’t want players bouncing
their balls onto the green, grow some
rough or put in a bunker, but don’t
make watering isolated areas a part o f
your strategy.

Tee to Green

March/Aprfl 1994

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Work Smarts

S7
H ow the W inter Seminar Can H elp/Y ou
W ith Your Spring Programs
/(£

T

he Winter Seminar may have been
a while ago, but the principles dis­
cussed still apply. In fact, now
that the season’s begun, we
thought it might be useful to offer a
quick review o f—and for those who
didn’t attend, a crash course in—some
o f the golf course management tips
offered by two o f the seminar’s speakers:
Dr. Martin Petrovic o f Cornell Univer­
sity (607-255-1796) and Gerald Smith
o f Aquatic Control Technology (508393-8846).
Dr. Petrovic on the Fate of Fertilizer and
Pesticides in the SoiJ7

With all the controversy surrounding the
effects o f nitrogen (N ) and pesticide
applications on the environment, it’s
important that we do our best to pre­
vent them from leaching into the soil
and, ultimately, the groundwater.
When talking about nitrogen, it helps
to know the fate o f fertilizer once it’s
applied. Basically, it takes three courses:
I. IPs absorbed by the plant. Research
shows that plant uptake occurs within
the first three weeks after an application.
Generally, half the N is absorbed from
the soil, the other half directly from the
fertilizer.
2. It’s stored in the soil. Studies show
that two pounds o f N per year are “ tied”
up; 14 to 20 percent is stored in the soil
itself, while another 20 to 25 percent is
stored in thatch.
Note: “Young” soils need more N
than mature soils. Over time, more N
becomes available as the stored N is
released from decaying soil organic
matter.
3. IPs lost to the atmosphere. What isn’t
absorbed by the plant, soil, and thatch is
lost by volatilization as ammonia or
nitrous oxides.
Factors that increase volatilization:
humidity, temperature, and application
o f dry rather than liquid urea fertilizers.
Volatilization can be decreased by
watering in fertilizer applications.
Interestingly—and contrary to the
beliefs o f many overzealous environmen­
talists—very little N has been found to
leach into water tables. One study
showed, in fact, that half the N applied

1e as much
was found in clippings,
ippings,
taincd inttne j
40 percent remained
Other noteworthy reàeard^
When looking at the amount o f
clippings, researchers founds creeping
bentgrass clippings to have ¿^percen t N
and Kentucky bluegrass clippiri^to have
40 percent N during the first threeVeeks
after an application.
T o avoid leaching, Dr. Petrovic
recommends the following:
• Select your N source with care. Favor
slow-release over quick-release fertilizers.
• Time your N applications carefully.
Avoid heavy N applications between
November and May, when the plants are
basically dormant and the ground is
often hard or frozen. Under these
conditions, the N is less apt to be
absorbed by the soil or plant.
• Reduce N applications. This bit o f
advice is particularly critical during
dormant or slow-growth periods—i.e.,
late fall.
One o f the best times to apply
fertilizer: Summertime, as long as you
take care not to overwater.
• Irrigation practices. Be sure not to
overwater when applying fertilizers. Dr.
Petrovic suggests using a évapotranspira­
tion instrument to more accurately
determine your tu rfs water needs.
Note: Coastal areas, where soils are
generally sandier and the ground rarely
completely freezes, are more subject to
leaching than noncoastal areas.
• Soil texture. N is most apt to leach
through sandy soils and least apt to leach
through silt loam.
• Age o f the site. Reduce N applications
on older sites, because more N is stored
in the soil.
As with nitrogen, pesticide leaching
can be kept to a minimum—if not
prevented— by understanding the
parameters that affect whether or not a
pesticide will leach through the soil.
In general, 35 to 70 percent o f the
pesticides dry on the leaf o f the plant,
while 96 to 99 percent remains in the
thatch zone.
Environmental properties that can
affect leaching o f pesticides are:
1. Precipitation. Leaching increases
when a pesticide application is followed

So watch
ic applicatio:
mMrttìiéfc. T,

ecast to time
und wet spells,
•oler the
persistent the

pesticide.
3. Evapotranspiration. In warmer
weather, most rainfall and irrigation
water is lpsrfo the atmosphere. That
means pesticides are less apt to leach
into the soil.
Soil properties also play a major role
in pesticide leaching. Among them:
1. Organic m atter content. The more
organic matter, the less likely pesticides
are to find their way into the water
table.
2. PH. Some pesticides are less soluble
at higher pHs.
3. Soil structure. The tighter the soil—
clay being the tightest—the less leaching
you’ll have.
4. Level o f water table. Areas with high
water tables are, naturally, wetter and
less apt to absorb and carry pesticides
down to groundwater.
5. Moisture content. Dry soils act like
sponges and are more likely to encour­
age leaching.
Management practices that Dr.
Petrovic recommends to prevent
leaching:
• Select pesticides with short half-lives.
They’re more apt to be retained on
organic matter and are less water
soluble.
• Be cautious when applying pesticides
to sandy soils.
• Irrigate only to replace the amount of
water absorbed by the plant.
A final fact to figure in to your man­
agement practices: USGA study sug­
gests that root zones with added
organic matter slow down leaching.
Pond and Lake Management Made Easy

Gerald Smith o f Aquatic Control
Technology offered the following tips
and techniques for superintendents
battling weeds and algae in their ponds
and lakes.
• First and foremost, know the plant
you’re battling so you can initiate the
appropriate—and most effective—
treatment.
• Next, take action (continued on paje 6)

Tee to Green

March/April 1994 ( 5)

Work Smarts (cont. from pg. 5 )

H ow the W inter Seminar Can H elp You
W ith Your Spring Programs
before your weeds gain a strong foothold in your lake or pond. T o avoid infesta­
tion o f rooted plants, it helps to maintain an 8- to 10-inch water depth.
Smith found some o f the following chemicals effective in controlling aquatic
weeds and algae:
Herbicides

Algicides

• Diquat (Reward)
Note: When using Diquat on floating
weeds, use a surfactant. I f Diquat is
used in an irrigation pond, you should
wait 14 days before irrigating.
• Comine
Note: This chemical has no permit
restrictions!
• Aquathol-K
• 2, 4-D (Aquaclean)
• Rodeo (Round-up)
• Sonar

•
•
•
•

Copper-Sulfate
Cutrine
Aquazine
Hydrothal 191

Dyes

• Aquashade
• True Blue
One word of caution: Before using a
pond dye, be sure there is little to no
outlet so the dye won’t flow down­
stream.

Smith also pointed to two nonchemical control options: aeration and mechani­
cal harvesting.
Fountain aeration discourages aquatic plant life by oxygenating the water and
bringing cold water from the pond’s bottom up to the top. In addition to increas­
ing oxygen levels, this process benefits ponds and lakes by decreasing C 0 2, reduc-

Creative Ways to Keep Your Crew Happy
• Tips From Superintendents F ar and Wide

H

ere are some simple measures
superintendents across the coun­
try have used with great success to
recognize—and reward—their
maintenance staffs for a job well done.
Most, you’ll see, go beyond mon­
etary fringe benefits and simple pats on
the back. They show forethought and
creativity that translate into a happier,
more productive crew.
Try incorporating one o f these prac­
tices into your maintenance operation,
or think up a few o f your own. A little
effort on your part can go a long way.
• Hold employee golf tournaments,
with an awards party afterward. Twoperson teams are popular, with a scram­
ble or alternate shot format. An added
morale booster: Take the winning
team’s picture, blow it up, frame it, and
put it on permanent display in the
crew’s lunchroom.
• Plan a fishing tournament, where
each employee catches as many fish as

(§ )

Tee to Green

March/April 1994

possible in a two-hour time frame; then
hold an awards party afterward. Again,
displaying the winner’s photo on a
lunchroom wall works well.
• Give each employee two movie ticket
certificates for use on a day o f their
choice.
• Have an employee luncheon in the
clubhouse, in addition to the usual
employee Christmas party.
• Give out gift certificates to a favorite
local restaurant chain for the employee
and spouse and maybe even the kids.
• Hold annual family picnics off course
property.
• Give employees their birthdays off
with pay.
• Hold a soda machine party, where all
profits from the lunchroom vending
machine go back to the employees
following some sort o f regularly sched­
uled event.
Adapted from G olf Course News, October 1993.

ing iron, and improving fish habitats.
Mechanical harvesting has the ad­
vantage o f allowing you to remove the
plant biomass, phosphorous, and N at 6
to 50 pounds per acre. The one draw­
back is that the cutting depth is shal­
low, so you’re getting at only the
rhizomes and tubers.
Several mechanical harvesting tech­
niques Smith mentioned:
• M echanical raking: This removes
weeds 12 feet deep but disrupts the
pond bottom.
• Dry dredging: This process is done by
the shore line and is costly.
• H ydraulic dredging: This is for larger
bodies o f water and is not terribly
efficient.
Other pond management techniques
worthy o f consideration include such
biological controls as fungal pathogens,
aquatic insects, and sterile grass carp.
KEVIN Q U IST
The Stanwich Club

M eeting O bjections
H ead-on
hen you have a suggestion you’re
certain won’t go over well, you’ll
meet less resistance if you pile on
all the supporting evidence you
can up front.
If, for instance, you were to suggest
—cold turkey—that your assistant drop a
project he’s almost completed and pick
up another more pressing assignment,
you’d probably get slapped with an ob ­
jection and then have to argue your case.
You can save that step by combining
your suggestion and supporting argu­
ment like this: aJim , P d like you to set
aside the tree planting project and get that
chemical application out. I know you’re
really close to finishing the other job, but it
looks like it’s going to rain and I want to
be sure we get the application out before it
does. A s you know, the chemical will be
significantly more effective i f the rain has
a chance to wash it in .”
With a presentation like that, how
could Jim object?

W

A

Sterilized
Top
Dressing

EGYPT
FARMS
WHITE MARSH, MD

(410) 335-3700
1-800-899-SOIL

(7 6 4 5 )

EGYPT FARMS EXCLUSIVE!
All top dressing ingredients are thorough­
ly mixed and sterilized by indirect heat in
our special process. The sand particles are
actually coated with a mixture of top soil
and peat humus for a completely homoge­
nous mixture that will not separate during
handling and spreading.
Egypt Farms top dressing is formulated
especially for your area to specifications
recommended by leading universities and
testing laboratories.
• Computerized blending of soil mix­
tures for a superior growing medium.
• Custom on-site soil blending and
testing with a portable computerized
blender to meet your specifications.
• Bunker Sands

»Mulch

• Canadian Sphagnum Peat
Distributed by:

Metro-Milorganite,

The Terre Co.

Maxwell Turf

( 201 ) 473-3393

(516 ) 681-3032

( 914 ) 666-3171

Inc.

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To
p s UNIVERSE!

Products you need,
people you can count on.

Gain central control of any
existing controllers, regardless
of make or manufacturer.

Whatever your
turf-management needs.

jB uckn er

• FERTILIZERS
• CHEMICALS

Each COPS-Universal radio field
unit has up to 42 stations per field
unit. Ideal for retro-fitting parks,
median strips, school grounds, and
golf courses. COPS-Universal lets
you change any field controller into
a field satellite and manage your
entire system from a central PC.

• TURF SEEDS
• NATURAL BASE
ORGANIC FERTILIZER
• HYDROSEEDING & EROSION
CONTROL PRODUCTS
• CUSTOM MIXING
• SUSTANEtm
• POLYON

For a personal demonstration, contact:

Steve Smith or J. Anderson

Pro-Lawn has a
turf-management
expert in your area.

Main Office: 243 Woodmont Road • P.O. Box 3049
Milford CT 06460 • (203) 878-0658

■
m
if f
m

Cross River, NY
Rich Cooke

P.I.E. SU P P L Y CO.

PIPE & IRRIGATION
EQUIPMENT SUPPLY COMPANY

914- 883-5881

The future o f tu rf m a nage m en t

I

METRO MILORGANITE, INC.
For a HEALTHY ADVANTAGE over SEASONAL
PROBLEMS WE OFFER a WINNING LINE UP:

W MMtW fíf

Milorganité
Emerald
Isle, Ltd.

f i

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CountryClub
• FERTILIZERS
• TOP DRESSINGS
• BIOSTIMULANTS
•SEED
• PESTICIDES
• GOLF COURSE ACCESSORIES
Scott Apgar

The free Guide is a quick, easy reference
arranged by geographical areas.
It suggests turfgrass species, and lists
the varieties and seeding rates best suited
to your locale. A separate section on
southern winter overseedlng details new trends,
listing the advantages and drawbacks of various
Get your free copy by contacting Lofts Seed Inc., Research Dept ,
Chimney Rock Road, Bound Brook, NJ 08805 (908) 560-1590

Metro Milorganite Inc.

243-7582
.........

1

CHOICE OF BENTGRASSES
Penncross »Providence »Pennlinks
3-Way Fairway Blend
Pallets or Big Rolls
Washing Service Available
High Fine Fescue Mix
Versatile Blue-Fescue-Rye Mix

Joe Stahl

DEPEND ON US FOR FOUR SEASON SOLUTIONS
(914) 666-3171 Fax (914) 666-9183
365 Adams Street, Bedford Hills, NY 10507

( 800 )

- Maintained at 5/32" and 1/4" What turfgrasses would work best on your
golf course? The right choice now can make
a big difference later. The Golf Course
Professional's Guide to Turfgress Selection
will help you decide.

-ti* * '

* i c « l W a ter f t ®

Rick Apgar

Specifically for
Golf Courses

Lofts Seed Inc.

Low-Cut Blue-Rye Available
Farm Inspection Welcomed

Tee to Green

March/April 1994

)

Notable Notes

Tee

toG reen Receives H onorable M ention

T

ee to Green received honorable
mention in the GCSAA 1992-93
Chapter Publications Contest.
Competing in Category 3—publi­
cations produced by professional editors/
publishers— the Tee to Green was up
against such tough-to-beat publications
as the California G CSA ’s C alifornia
Fairways, which won Best Overall for the
second year in a row in this category, and
Florida GCSA’s Florida Green, which was
this year’s runner-up.
Winners in Category 1 for volunteer
New Members

editors were Wisconsin’s GCSA, The
Grass Roots, which earned best overall
and Georgia GCSA’s Through the
Green, which was runner-up. In
Category 2 for paid editors, New
Jersey’s The Greenerside won Best
Overall and Northern Ohio GCSA’s
Northern Ohio T u rf was selected
runner-up.
Judging this year’s contest were par­
ticipants in the Chapter Editors Forum
held February 3 at GCSAA’s Dallas
Conference and Show.
Recently Certified

John Alexander, Class B, Wykagyl
Country Club, New Rochelle, NY
G reg Kolodinsky, Class AS, Woodcrest
Country Club, Syosset, NY
Kevin Q uist, Class B, The Stanwich
Club, Greenwich, CT
Bruce Rickert, Class AS, Medford
Village Country Club, Medford, N J

Two M etGCSA members have recently
been designated Certified G olf Course
Superintendents by the GCSAA:
M att Ceplo, superintendent, West­
chester Hills GC, White Plains, NY
G regg Stanley, superintendent, Rockrimmon CC , Stamford, CT
Congratulations!

The Golf Course
Superintendent's Choice.
The Bunton Triplex Greensmower is no ordinary reel mower. You'll
know that the instant you see the clean, consistent cut it delivers on
your course greens, tees, collars, and approaches. It's equipped
with all the features that golf course maintenance professionals want
in a riding greensmower and more.

In Memoriam

It is with deep regret that we announce
the death o f two M etGCSA members:
C lifford L arson , January 9, while
vacationing in Florida.
Cliff was the superintendent/manager
o f Beekman Country Club in Hopewell
Junction, NY, for 27 years.
H e is survived by his wife, Mary, two
daughters, Corrine and Kristen, and two
grandchildren.
Vince Pentenero, February, at his win­
ter home in Sarasota, FL.
Vince was one o f the founding fathers
o f the Met, serving as president in 1967.
Though he retired several years ago from
Siwanoy C C — his last post as superinten­
dent— he remained active in both the
association and the business. He worked
as a starter at Westchester and Lake Isle
and attended Met meetings regularly.
Vince is survived by his wife, Mary,
and a son, John.

BUNTON 22" and 26"
GREENSMOWERS

When it comes to greens mainte­
nance, the Bunton 22" and 26" walkbehind greensmowers are rapidly
becoming the industry standard.

BUNTON
TRIPLEX
GREENSMOWER

BUNTON 1

EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY

Westchester Ford Tractor, Inc.
Meadow St.
Goldens Bridge, NY 10526
Phone #: 914-232-7746
(8 )

Tee to Green

March/April 1994

Upcoming Events

W inners in the 1 9 9 4 GCSAA G o lf
C ham pionship

T

en M etGCSAm em bers refused to
let a little snow—Austin’s first in
nine years!—stop them from
posting winning scores at in the
1994 GCSAA G olf Championship in
Austin, TX.
Placing third in the Frank Lamphier
Team Competition were M etGCSA
Team #2 members:
Bob Alonzi o f Winged Foot G olf Club,
Mamaroneck, NY
Joe Alonzi o f Westchester Country
Club, Rye, NY
Dennis Flynn o f Brae Burn Country
Club, Purchase, NY
Tim Powers o f Pound Ridge G olf
Club, Pound Ridge, NY
In the First Flight (7-11) category:
John G allagher o f Racebrook Country
Club, Orange, C T , won second place
gross
Scott Niven o f The Stanwich Club,
Greenwich, C T, won sixth place
gross

In the Second Flight (12-16)
category:
Jo e Alonzi won third place net
Phil Anderson o f Old Westbury G olf
& Country Club, Old Westbury, NY,
won fourth place gross
Wayne Rem o o f the Rock Spring Club,
West Orange, N J, won ninth place net
Rick Schock o f Wee Bum Country
Club, Darien, CT, won sixth place
gross
In the Third Flight (17-22)
category:
Bob Alonzi won first place gross (The
legend shot, a 79 on the second day,
won by a 12-shot margin. All those
who golf with Bob should take note
and check his handicap postings.)
In the Senior II (57-64 years)
category:
Frank Lam phier o f Aspectuck Valley
Country Club, Weston, CT, won first
place gross
Congratualtions to one and all!

Meeting Reminder
Golf/Meeting
Monday, May 16
Westchester Hills Golf Club, White Plains, NY
Host Superintendent: Matt Ceplo, CGCS
Those interested in participating in the
Superintendent Two-Ball Tournament will play
their qualifying round at this meeting.
For the uninitiated, this tourney is a two-man
best ball net, match play, played at 100 percent
handicap. To enter, you and your partner will
play a round at the May 16 meeting, posting a
best ball net score. This score will be used to
determine the low 16 qualifying teams for match
play. Participants will then select a site and time
to play their matches. The tournament lasts
throughout the summer, with the winning team
being awarded The MetGCSA Superintendent
Two-Ball Championship traveling trophy.
Educational Event
UMass Turf Research Field Day
Thursday, June 23 (rain or shine!)
South Deerfield, MA
There will be research updates and vendor
displays. For more info, call 413-545-2353.

1--------------------------------- ^
1fee & Green & In Between
w„,

whether your challenge is a dead­
line, a tee, a green, a fairway, a rough,
or a bunker surround, we have a blend
that fits your needs.
We understand the variety of
problems you face because we have
spent a great deal of time listening to
golf course superintendents. As a
result, Tee & Green Sod offers the
most complete product line

available to the golf course industry—
even a four-foot wide washed roll!
Give us a call for information about
our selection of products, and our unique
harvesting and washing techniques.
•Bentgrass
•Bluegrass
•Washed sod
• Bluegrass-Ryegrass
•Bluegrass-Fine Fescue

-INCORPORATED 401/789-8177 • 401/789-3895 (fax) • PO Box 418, Exeter. RI 02822
Tee to Green

March/April 1994

Patrons listed on this page are supporting our association. You are encouraged to support them.
f t Feldman Brothers Inc.
David Feldman/Joe Schneider
Turf Maintenance Equipment
800-527-3898,203-443-3530

f t Rhonc-Poulcnc C o ./C H IP C O
Greg Hutch
877 Yellowbank Rd., Toms River, N J 08753
908-929-4657

f t Fleet Pump & Service Group
Donald Tiedemann
100 Calvert S l , Harrison, NY 10528
914-835-3801

f t SAV-A-TREE
Complete Tree & Shrub Care, Naturally
Westchester: 914-666-8202
NJ: 201-891-5379 CT: 203-661-6755

A1 Preston’s Garage
Gary Shashinka: 203-924-1747
Massey Ferguson, Sales & Service
Shelton, CT 06484

f t Glenmore Landscape Service
Glenn S. Moore
98 Hackgreen Rd., Pound Ridge, NY 10576
914-764-4348

f t Sawtelle Brothers Inc.
Jim Rock
21 E. Dudleytown Rd., Bloomfield, CT 06002
800-999-TURF

Argento & Son Inc.
Turf Equipment: Parts and Service
Louis Argento: 914-949-1152
1 Prospect Avc., White Plains, NY 10607

f t Grass Roots T u rf Products Inc.
Ken Kubik
P.O. Box 336, Mt. Freedom, N J 07970
201-361-5943

f t Shemin Nurseries Inc.
Horticultural-Irrigation Supplies
Jim Hcspe: 203-531-7352
1081 King St., Greenwich, CT 06831

Almstead Tree Co. Inc.
Kevin Wyatt: 914-576-0193
58 Beechwood Avc.
New Rochelle, NY 10801
f t ALPIN E, the CARE o f T R E E S
Excellence in Tree Care
NY: 914-948-0101
NJ: 201-445-4949 CT: 203-847-1855

f t Atlantic Irrigation Specialists Inc.
Tim Pogue/Ed Santalone
620 Commerce St., Thom wood, NY 10594
800-878-8873

Greenacres Company
Golf Course Irrigation & Landscaping
266 Newtown Tpke., Redding, CT 06896
Dave Pijnenburg: 203-938-8618

f t Stephen Kay, G o lf Course Architects
Renovation, Master Hanning, New Golf Courses
495 New Rochelle Rd., Office 2B
Bronxville, NY 10708,914-699-4437

f t Blue Ridge Peat Farms Inc.
Topdressing, Peat, Humus, & Potting Soil
Gene Evans
717-443-9596

f t Growth Products, Ltd.
Clare Reinbergcn
P.O. Box 1259, White Plains, NY 10602
914-428-1316

f t Steven Willand, Inc.
Bruce Pye
23 Route 206, Augusta, NJ 07822
201-579-5656

f t Bruedan Corp.
Mike Gesmundo/Ron Shapiro
Ez-Go & Yamaha Vehicles
800-535-1500

f t Hawthorne Bros. Tree Service Inc.
John Hawthomc/Charlcs Siemers
5 Center S l , Bedford Hills, NY 10507
800-235-7035

f t Tee and Green Sod, Inc.
Bentgrass, Fescue, Rye, Sod Blends, Washed Sod
P.O. Box 418, Exeter, RI 02822
David Wallace: 401-789-8177

f t Ciba T u rf & Ornamental Products
Randy Moser N Y/N J: 215-343-5654
Steve Sears CT: 413-283-7877
f t DAF Services
David A. Frechette
Irrigation Specialists
203-528-7362, FAX 203-528-0051
f t Dar Par Sales
Golf Course & Tennis Supplies
Outdoor Furniture Dominic A. Richichi
914-946-1743, FAX 914-946-0796
ft D & S
Floradne Products, Nova Tee, Flymo,
Douglas Rollers, Trion Lifts
Dave Basconi: 203-250-TURF
DeLca Sod Farms
Joel Millcr/Vinnie Sasso
444 Elwood Rd., East Northport, NY 11731
800-244-SODS/516-368-8022
Double Eagle Equipment Co., Inc.
Carl Wallace, Vice President
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-265-6006
f t Down To Earth
All Phases of Golf Course Construction
David Griffin
914-576-7693
f t Eastern Land Management Inc.
Bruce Moore
Golf Course Renovation & Construction
203-924-7272

James Barrett Associates, Inc.
Golf Course Irrigation Design & Consulting
Jim Barrett: 201-744-8237
Montclair, NJ
f t James Carriere & Sons, Inc.
Bill Carriere
7 Cottage St., Port Chester, NY 10573
914-937-2136

f t The Terre Company o f N J, Inc.
Byron Johnson Jr.
206 Delawanna Avc., Clifton, N J 07014
Office: 201-473-3393 Home: 203-748-5069

f t LESC O , Inc.
Seed, Fertilizer, Control Products, Equipment
Greg Moran: 914-331-4869
800-321-5325

f t Tuckahoc T u rf Farms, Inc.
Bentgrass for Greens, Tecs, & Fairways
Fine Fescue, Rye, Blucgrass, Washed Sod
Skip Deubel: 800-243-7582

f t L oft’s Seed, Inc.
John Farrell
P.O. Box 146, Bound Brook, NJ 08805
908-356-8700

f t T u rf Products C o rp ./T O R O
George Gorton, Irrigation/Al Tretera, Equipment
P.O. Box 1200, Enfield, CT 06083
800-243-4355/203-763-3581

f t Metro Milorganite Inc.
Rick Apgar/Scott Apgar/Joc Stahl
365 Adams St., Bedford Hills, NY 10507
914-666-3171, FAX 914-666-9183

f t T u rf Products Corporation
Ernie Rizzio
47 Howell Rd., P.O. Box 296
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046, 201-263-1234

M ontco/Surf-Side/Z ap!
Surfactants & Defoamers
Box 404, Ambler, PA 19002
Bob Occhsle: 215-836-4992, FAX 215-836-2418
& Nassau Suffolk T u rf Services, Inc.
Frank Marra
Turf Supplies & Equipment Rentals
516-286-1052, PAGER 516-278-4766

Egypt Farms, Inc.
Topdressing, Construction Mixes, Bunker Sand,
Computerized Soil Blending
White Marsh, MD 21162, 800-899-7645 (SOIL)
f t Emerald Isle, Ltd.
Bill Middleton
2153 Newport Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103
800-628-GROW
f t E / T Equipment Co.
John Fcrrucio/Bcmie White
425 S. Riverside Avc., Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
914-271-6126, FAX 914-271-6146

(Hi) Tee to Green

March/April 1994

The Scotts Company
Steve DiVito: 203-723-5190
111 Mallanc Lane, Unit #D, P.O. Box 286
Naugatuck, CT 06770

f t Valley View Greenhouse
Frank Amodio
RT 123, RR 2, Box 27, So. Salem, NY 10590
914-533-2504/914-533-2526
f t W.A. Cleary Chemical Co.
Robert Leslie: 201-746-6734
1049 Somerset S l , Somerset, N J 08873
908-247-8000/800-524-1662

Nor-Am Chemical Com pany/A gr Evo
David J. Sylvester
311 Carriage Dr., Kensington, CT 06037
203-828-8905

f t Westchester Ford Tractor Inc.
John Apple/Ray Beaudry
Meadow S l , Goldens Bridge, NY 10526
914-232-7746

Partac G olf Course Top-Dressing
Kelsey Park, Great Meadows, N J 07838
Jim Kelsey: 800-247-2326/908-637-4191
Bill & Joe Carriere: 914-937-2136

f t Westchester T u rf Supply, Inc.
Bob Lippman Sr./B ob Lippman Jr.
P.O. Box 198, Lincolndalc, NY 10540
Office: 914-248-7476 Mobile: 914-649-0303

P.I.E. Supply Company
Artie deAtienza/Steve Smith
243 Woodmont Rd., Milford, CT 06460
203-878-0658

f t White Contractors
Golf Course Construction & Renovation
P.O. Box 484, Old Greenwich, CT 06870
James E. Morris Jr.: 203-869-8808/914-234-0092

Pro-Lawn Products, Inc.
Richard Cooke
Turf & Ornamental Products
914-883-5881, FAX 914-883-5943

f t Wilfred MacDonald, Inc.
Dennis DcSanctis/ Chris Santopictro
340 Main Ave., Clifton, N J 07014
201-365-6801
f t D enotes M etG C SA member