Volume 26, Number 6 • August/September 1996 beard CO! I rCTJON Published by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association President's Message Special People . . . Special Recognition ver the years in the golf course business, I ’ve been fortunate to come into contact with many special people—people who have helped make my professional and personal life better. Many of you out there, I hope, can say the same. For some of us, it’s a club member who respects us professionally—and if we’re lucky that member is our greens chairman. You know the type of person: the one who’s amazed at how things come together after a storm or before a big tournament—and never forgets to mention it to you. Mine even thanks me—and always has words of praise for my crew too. H e’s the kind of chairman who’s in the locker room even if there’s a two-hour delay because of frost or inclement weather—certainly not a “fair-weather friend.” I’ve been fortunate to have the experience of working with a few like that. A good greens chairman is your ally and greatest supporter, through job highs and lows. H e’s someone who’s there to divert a committee member who’s overstepping his bounds or deflect concerns over one of those inevitable turf problems—a hydraulic leak on one of your greens or a toughto-diagnose ailment on your fairways. Though your greens chairman clearly plays a critical role (continued on page 2) O Special Feature So You Want Bentgrass Greens Here’s a Look at the New Crop of Choices or most golf courses, bentgrass has become the seed of choice—particularly for greens. But with the many bentgrass selections available these days, settling on a variety that’s best suited for interseeding your greens can be bewildering at best. What follows are some insights hot off the internet from Kelly Seed Company Turf Consultant Frank Lopes. Integrated in his prose is sage advice from Dr. Richard Hurley, director of research for Lofts Seed Inc. and an adjunct professor in Rutgers University’s Plant Science Department, and Dr. James Murphy, extension specialist in turfgrass management in Rutgers’ Plant Science Depart­ ment. The lion’s share of their thoughts were drawn from the article “Creeping Bentgrass: The Legacy and the Promise,” which they coauthored for the July ’96 issue of Golf Course Management. (It’s well worth a gander for more in-depth coverage of creeping bentgrasses and their origin.) F The Evolution of Bentgrass Varieties Though Mother Nature has been growing bentgrass longer than any superintendent, what you’ll find on today’s golf courses is an entirely different “breed” of bentgrass. Transplanted out of its natural environs, mistreated, and overly groomed, these bentgrasses have been fine-tuned to withstand golfs new— and unnatural—demands. All have improved texture and narrow leaf blades that create a more dense stand and a nongrainy putting surface. We have gone from density counts of 900 to 1,000 plants per decimeter with Penncross and Pennlinks to 1,400 to 1,600 plants per decimeter in SR 1019 (Providence), Crenshaw, and Cato. Penn A-l, G-2, and G-6 density counts are even higher with 2,200 and 2,600 plants. In addition, we’ve improved heat tolerance, lowered (continued on page 4) Also in This Issue (2 ) Mark Your Calendar With These Upcoming Events (4 ) What Area Supers Have to Say About Bentgrasses on Their Course (3 ) Beware of Poa-Eating Bacteria! Cautionary Notes From URI’s Dr. Noel Jackson (9 ) An Informal Tuxedo Suits Met to a Tee President's Message (cont. 1) Special People . . . Special Recognition in your job satisfaction and success, there are others out there who can be a great source of support—and better— professional expertise and advice. And they’re usually just a phone call away: your fellow Met members—both superintendents and commercial people. It’s nice to have that magic directory of names by the phone. Make three or four calls and suddenly you have moral support, as well as some great advice. None of us will forget last year’s “Black Sunday,” that day in July when many of us suffered tremendous turf loss and trauma. We all thought we were alone until we compared notes with fellow superintendents and found many of us were in the same boat. Our commercial members can also be a great fund of information and knowledge—about equipment, chemi­ cals, seed, or fertilizer products, what’s working, what’s not. They see a lot, so they’re able to share the trials and successes of other superintendents; this helps us learn from one another. Our commercial members also offer us support by being available to loan us equipment—or just transport equip­ ment for us—when we’re in a tight spot. One company rep, who’s been a friend for years, has even gone so far as to deliver core samples to Rutgers for me for testing. Clearly, he’s gone above and beyond the call of duty. I appreciate that. Before closing this issue’s message, I’d just like to thank the many people out there who have offered me their support. As members of the MetGCSA, we have a tremendous pool of resources literally at our fingertips. We should remember to take advantage of them— and always to reciprocate when we can. JOHN J. O ’KEEFE President Board of Directors President JOHN O’KEEFE, CGCS Preakness Hills Country Club Vice President EARL MILLETT Ridgeway Country Club Secretary JOHN CARLONE, CGCS Middle Bay Country Club Treasurer TIMOTHY MOORE Knollwood Country Club Past President JOSEPH ALONZI, CGCS Westchester Country Club MATTHEW CEPLO, CGCS Rockland Country Club ROBERT DEMARCO Powelton Club ANTHONY GRASSO Metropolis Country Club WILLIAM HEINTZ Hampshire Country Club DAVID MAHONEY Siwanoy Country Club Upcoming Events DENNIS PETRUZZELLI, CGCS takeover National Golf Club DAVID POLIDOR St. Andrew’s Country Club RAY BEAUDRY Educational Events Met Area Team Championship Qualifier, Final Round Monday, October 7 Pine Hollow CC, East Norwich, NY Host Superintendent: Gerry Kunkel Superintendent/Green Chairman Tournament Thursday, October 24 Old Westbury Golf & CC, Old Westbury, NY Host Superintendent: Phil Anderson Annual Meeting Tuesday, November 19 Powelton Club, Newburgh, NY Host Superintendent: Bob DeMarco Golf Event Met Area Team Championship Monday, October 28 Maryland Golf & CC, Belair, MD Host Superintendent: Donn Dietrich, CGCS (2 ) Tee to Green August/September1996 GCSA of New Jersey Turfgrass, Equipment, Irrigation, and Suppliers Field Day Tuesday, October 8 Rutgers University Golf Club/Stadium Complex Piscataway, NJ For further information, contact Judy Policastro at 201-379-1100. NYSTA Turf and Grounds Exposition Tuesday - Friday, November 1 2 -1 5 Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, NY For further information, call 800-873-TURF. NYSTA Service School Friday - Saturday, November 22 - 23 SUNY Cobleskill, Cobleskill, NY For further information about this equipment service course for golf course mechanics, call NYSTA at 800-873-TURF or Larry Van De Valk at 518-234-5572. Rhode Island Turfgrass Show and Conference Wednesday - Thursday, December 4 - 5 Providence, Rl For further information, call 401-847-7666. Westchester Ford Tractor Executive Secretary INEKE PIERPOINT Tee to Green Staff Editors DENNIS PETRUZZELLI TONY GRASSO 914-242-0706 914-949-0375 Managing Editor PANDORA C.WOJICK Editorial Committee SCOTT APGAR BOB NIELSEN MIKE COOK TIM O’NEILL PAUL GONZALEZ BILL PERLEE PAT LUCAS STEVE RENZETTI TIM MOORE PAT SISK AL TRETERA Advertising Manager TONY GRASSO, 914-949-0375 TEE TO GREEN is published eight times a year by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association 49 Knollwood Road, Etmsford, NY 10523-2819 914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437 Copyright© 1996 Info Alert! Beware o f Poa-Eating Bacteria University of Rhode Island’s Dr. Noel Jackson Warns of Threat to Annual Bluegrass T urf rom Pennsylvania on up through for Kocide are in the 1- to 4 -o z./l,0 0 0 Maine, there have been cases of a square feet range. Depending on the potentially devastating disease formulation used, applications should affecting annual bluegrass (Toa be repeated in 7 to 10 days. annua) this growing season. Apparently, no other products are Dubbed bacterial blight, this insidi­ registered for this type of turfgrass ous disease seems to be caused by a ailment, with the exception of species of Xanthomonas that can wreak Mycoshield (tetracycline). “But this havoc on annual bluegrass plants as they product has proved only moderately finish flowering. According to Univer­ effective, and it’s cosdy and tends to be sity of Rhode Island’s Dr. Noel Jackson, phytotoxic,” says Dr. Jackson. the prognosis is bleak, at best, if the Though bacterial disease in turfblight is not detected—and treated— grasses is not a common phenomenon, early. a major outbreak during the late ’7 0 s/ wWe’ve been recommending a fixed early ’80s wiped out all of the Toronto copper pesticide—Kocide,” says Dr. creeping bentgrass greens in the Jackson. “When applied early in the Chicago area. This disease on Poa symptom development, this fungicide/ annua has been seen intermittently bactericide offers good short-term over the past few years in the Atlantic control. But once the disease is in its and New England regions. A severe advanced stages, there’s little to do but outbreak killed a good amount of turf renovate,” he cautions. at the Congressional Club in Maryland Recommended rates of application two years ago. F The Cutting Edge “This poa-eating bacteria is often found in conjunction with other turfgrass ills, such as pythium basal stem rot and anthracnose,” notes Dr. Jackson. And as with many of the new and hard-to-remedy ailments striking our turf these days, Dr. Jackson suspects this one may also be the result of excessive wear-and-tear and stressful maintenance practices on our courses. “Inclement weather, low cutting heights, excessive grooming, and com­ paction from lots of play are probably the major contributing factors,” says Dr. Jackson. What to do? “Keep an eye out for the telltale small spots of mottled and yellowed blades on annual bluegrass plants,” recommends Dr. Jackson. “Have these symptoms diagnosed immediately to confirm the cause, and treat as soon as possible.” •JACOBSEN TEXTRON Jacobsen Division of Textron Inc. When You Need Cutting Power, High Productivity, and a Quality Cut, Choose Jacobsen's HR-5111 All-Hydraulic 4WD Rotary Mower. • Unsurpassed cutting pow er, each blade pow ered by a dedicated hydraulic m otor. N o belts, no pulleys, no headaches. • High productivity, 1 1-foot cutting w idth, m ow up to 65 acres per day. • O n -d e m a n d 4 W D standard for surefooted traction on hilly terrain or in w e t conditions. • Powerful fuel-efficient 5 1 -h p liquid-cooled diesel engine. • Year-round perform er, rotary brush and snow throw er attachm ents available. Ridethe cu ttin g edge o f highproduction m ow ing. See your Jacobsen d is trib u to r for an HR-5111 dem onstration today. 'TJtacDrHuild, 2 Terminal Road & Route 17, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 • Office 201-804-1000 • Fax 201-804-1001 Tee to Green August/September1996 (3 ) Special Feature (cont. 1) So You Want Bentgrass Greens fertility needs, increased tolerance for lower mowing heights, and ultimately, increased putting green speed. As bentgrass varieties evolve, so do our maintenance demands and practices. For instance, many of these newer bentgrass varieties will thrive at cutting heights of 5/ 32" or less—preferably V 8"—and will respond poorly to continual adjustments to those heights. Aerifying frequently with smaller tines of 3/l6 " and V 4" and topdressing more often and lightly have become necessary to combat the density-caused thatch. By grooming bentgrass for very specific growing conditions and cli­ mates, we’ve sacrificed some of Mother Nature’s diversity, which insures a species’ survival over larger climatic environs. For the superintendent that means bentgrass selection shouldn’t be taken lightly: Plant the wrong bentgrass, and you could jeopardize your greens’ survival. Bentgrasses North and South Before settling on a bentgrass for your greens, it helps to know that these grasses can be grouped into two general categories: • “Northern types” thriving in moder­ ately warm, humid summers and snowcovered winters with a short growing season • “Warm arid” types with climates of high, dry temperatures, excessive heat, and an extended growing season Though the Southeast doesn’t quite fit into either category, a subgroup of bentgrasses is forming within the “warm arid” varieties—as seen at Augusta National—that thrive in the humidity and open winters of this region. Among the Northern bentgrass varieties that have also shown promise in the Southeast are Southshore, SR 1019 (Providence), L-93, Cato, 18th Green, Cobra, Viper, Pennlinks, and others like Penncross. Generally, these varieties grow more aggressively in the spring and fall months, and the newer varieties in this group have improved heat and humidity tolerance. In addition, they offer some disease resistance and also consistently prefer lower mowing heights over the older types. The “warm arid” types, such as ■111 What Area Supers Have to Say About the Bentgrasses on Their Course Steve Cadenelli, CGCS, Metedeconk National Golf Club, Jackson, NJ “Our greens are relatively new: Half were seeded 9 years ago, the other half about 10 years ago—all with Penncross. Personally, I’m very pleased with this variety. It’s reliable. You screw up, and it holds in there. It takes wear, winter damage; it’s a great base grass, contrary to some who feel it doesn’t make for a great putting surface be­ cause the leaf blades tend to be wider and the stand less dense than some of the newer varieties. It does tend to spike up, and that’s a concern for clubs who aren’t spikeless, but here, the comments on our greens—which we maintain at 9/ 64", maybe a little closer to V 8"—have been superb. “Because Penncross is a hybrid with many different sets of parents, it does, over time, tend to segregate. Though we haven’t seen that yet, we’ve begun overseeding with some of the newer bentgrass varieties—to guard against segregation and gain a finer textured, denser stand of turf. We’ve been (? ) Tee to Green August/September1996 dormant seeding in early December. We do it then because, in spring and summer, we apply a pre-emergent herbicide, Betesan, to keep our greens free of poa. So far, so good.” “When overseeding, we first go in and use stubby, short tines that go down about V 2 ". We apply 1 lb ./ 1,000 square feet of seed—a combina­ tion of Crenshaw, Southshore, and SR 1020. Then we topdress heavily. “On greens with a southern expo­ sure, we’ve seen germination as early as February. It’s a slow process, but that’s okay. We’re in it for the long term.” Scott Niven, CGCS, The Stanwich Club, Greenwich, CT “Our greens were originally seeded to Penncross, but over the years it’s segre­ gated out to various biotypes. We’ve been overseeding when we aerify in the spring and fall with Pennlinks, SR 1020, or Providence at 1 lb ./1 ,000 square feet each time. We’ve also been contemplating starting a program where we seed every time we topdress. “I’ve been working for years to keep the poa out of our greens, but I’ve just about thrown my hands up. It’s not realistic. The bentgrass just can’t make it when we’re often double cutting at Vg" to maintain the fast green speeds that our membership wants year-round. “We are, however, looking at some of the newer bentgrass varieties that are supposedly bred to withstand lower cutting heights. In fact, last fall and this spring, we established a nursery with 25 bentgrass varieties, each repli­ cated three times in 10-foot-square plots and maintained at green height, to see how they perform. We’ll know more next spring. “At the Rutgers Turfgrass Field Day, I did see some bentgrass varieties that looked really good: The new G and A varieties—particularly the A-4, G-6, and G-2—had a nice fine texture and upright growth. The G-2, however, seemed to have suffered more winter damage and was slow to recover. Here it was early August and the turf hadn’t filled in yet. It doesn’t have much of Crenshaw, Cato, SR 1020, L-93, and Putter, tend to excel when adequate heat is achieved. These varieties have an upright growth and, therefore, will not fill in as quickly as the semi-erect or prostrate varieties. They offer a nongrainy putting surface and are more thatch producing. They are also less tolerant of adjusted mowing heights, prefer tighter mowing conditions, and are more drought tolerant. Within this group is data suggesting a subgroup of more humidity-tolerant species, such as Penn A-l and G-6 Along with their increased density is their unique breeding history. They have been topcrossed with the base of only one clone. This speaks volumes for reduced segregation potential, but it is generally not accomplished because successes or improvement are rare. These bentgrass varieties, however, are proving to be strong performers across the Southern trial sites. Top Performers From Coast to Coast Results from a 1993 national bentgrass test sponsored by the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) indicates significant performance improvements in many of these newer bentgrasses. The findings, which were drawn from 26 university putting green sites across the U.S., show A-4 and L93 to be the top two performers, followed by Providence, A-1, Cren­ shaw, Cato, G-6, G-2, and Southshore, respectively. These varieties all produced higher quality ratings than Penncross, which, able to remove it by hand. “We overseeded this year on August 20 and will continue to do it annu­ ally—maybe a little earlier next year to be sure the greens recover from the process before poa germinates and gains a foothold. “This time around, we overseeded with only Pennlinks— 1 lb ./l,0 0 0 Gregg Stanley, CGCS, Hudson National Golf square feet—primarily because the Club, Croton-on-Hudson, NY Southshore wasn’t available. We “The course’s greens were seeded last summer and fall with a half-half mixture aerified with 4" quadra tines, drop spread the seed, broomed it in, and of Pennlinks and Southshore. Our blew off the organic debris. Because fairways were sodded with Crenshaw and Southshore. Honestly, I can’t really our greens are new and consistent, there’s really no need to change the tell the difference between the three structure with topdressing. We did, varieties. They all look quite good. however, add a little topdressing three “Because the course is so new—it opened to play this summer—we haven’t days later to smooth up the greens. “I’ve been surprised and encouraged had any problems with the turf. It by how much seed has come up. Five weathered this past winter well, and or six days later, the grass was coming makes for a nice playing surface. O f up in the holes like crazy. It probably course, it helps tremendously that our has a lot to do with the fact that we play is spikeless— what a difference it have sand greens. With the sand, we seems to make. We’re maintaining the can really water in the seed without greens at and have seen very little sacrificing the greens’ firmness.” poa—so little, in fact, that we’ve been the aggressive creeping kind of growth—like Penncross, for instance. “Depending on what we see with our experimental plots, we may, in the next four or five years regrass—strip and sod—all our greens with a newer, hardier bentgrass variety.” released in 1955, was the first improved seeded creeping bentgrass available to superintendents. Though Penncross recovers well after thinning from exces­ sive traffic, disease, and insect activity, it requires an aggressive maintenance program to minimize thatch buildup and control excessive grain. Other performance notes of interest drawn from Drs. Hurley and Murphy’s Golf Course Management article: • In trials established by University of Georgia turf extension specialist Dr. Gil Landry at Atlanta Athletic Club in Georgia, he found that some standard bentgrass varieties thinned excessively during hot July and August tempera­ tures. Performing consistently well during this period, however, were A -l, Crenshaw, G-2, G-6, L-93, SR 1020, and Southshore. • In breeding Crenshaw and Cato, Texas A&M turfgrass breeder Dr. Milt Engleke concentrated on developing varieties tolerant to extreme hightemperature stress. When put to the test on a 5-year-old green by University of Georgia’s Dr. Robert Carrow, Crenshaw and Cato had the least root-length density loss over the summer (within the 10- to 20-centimeter root zone when maintained at a high nitrogen level). Crenshaw also had a higher average root-length density in late summer than Penncross. Though developed for heat tolerance, says Dr. Engleke, “there is no reason why Crenshaw and Cato would not perform in transition and cool climates.” • In trials at Rutgers, L-93 produced high-quality, attractive summer turf without preventive fungicide applica­ tions. It also displayed good resistance to dollar spot, snow mold, and brown patch. Other characteristics of this variety: good winter color retention and a medium-dark-green color during the growing season; a desirable density level with an upright, almost grain-free growth pattern. Though L-93 will produce a finer, denser turf than most commercially available varieties, it’s not as dense as the A and G series varieties from Penn State. (continued on page 6) Special Feature (cont. 5) So You Want Bentgrass Greens • Shoot densities for Southshore, Pennlinks, Providence, and SR 1020 have been shown to be about 40 to 50 percent greater than Penncross. These increased densities produce a finer, denser turf with improved putting qualities and without excessive grain, thatch, and puffmess. • New Penn A and G series varieties produce an extremely fine, dense turf best adapted for putting green use. They are a very specialized group of creeping bentgrasses that require a very specific type of management. This includes close mowing, with a maxi­ mum height of cut of about 5/ 32" and preferably about ^ 8 " . Penn State turfgrass breeder Dr. Joe Duich further recommends more frequent and light aerification, using smaller tines—3/ 16" and 4"—to keep the greens from thatching up and getting puffy. More frequent top­ dressing and brushing and light grooming also help, he says. Dr. Duich’s only caveat: D on’t use these grasses on sites where you raise and lower mowing heights over the course of the growing season. The Penn A -l, G-2, and G-6 variet­ ies provide shoot densities about 50 to 70 percent denser than Southshore, SR 1020, Pennlinks, and Providence, and 100 to 150 percent denser than Penncross. i' ^ “Even if you interseed with the best of new varieties, if your greens have problems— poor soil composition, drainage, air circulation, excessive shade, etc.— you won't change them significantly . ” it* i w A high-density shoot growth enables the turf to more effectively fend off weed invasion, notes Dr. James Beard and colleagues in a recent research report. But these types of cultivars also tend to form a puffy surface over time if not mowed closely and frequently. What’s the Best Bentgrass for Your Course? Look— Carefully— Before You Leap Though published statistics and ratings about bentgrass performance and color may offer a partial guide in your selection process, it’s important that you note where and when the data was collected and perhaps even by whom. Top performers in Southern test sites, for instance, may be poor per­ formers for us in the North. And let’s face it, turfgrass breeders may be partial to their own varieties. Other points worthy of consideration: • Was the site on modified greens mix or native soils? • How was the green cared for? • How old was the plot? • How much recovery do you need from play? • Are you prepared and able to finetune your maintenance practices? • Could it help to have earlier spring growth, as well as summer heat toler 5 Tee & Green & In Between AA/hether your challenge is a dead­ available to the golf course industry— line, a tee, a green, a fairway, a rough, or a bunker surround, we have a blend even a four-foot wide washed roll! Give us a call for information about that fits your needs. We understand the variety of our selection of products, and our unique harvesting and washing techniques. •Bentgrass •Bluegrass •Washed sod •Bluegrass-Ryegrass •Bluegrass-Fine Fescue 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 be 0-INCORPORATED ! SEENSOI 401/789-8177 • 401/789-3895 (fax) • PO Box 418, Exeter, RI 02822 (? ) Tee to Green August/September1996 Sterilized EGYPT l Ai MK ance? Perhaps a blend of both modi­ fied (sand-based) or native (push-up) greens mix could expand your growing conditions and season. Another often overlooked consider­ ation when setting out to interseed, according to Dr. Richard Hurley is the basic condition of the green. “Even if you interseed with the best of new varieties,” he says, “if your greens have problems—poor soil composition, drainage, air circulation, excessive shade, etc.—you won’t change them significantly.” Assuming you have good greens, Dr. Hurley recommends first going in with a growth regulator—such as Primo or Scott’s TGR applied at the manufac­ turer’s recommended rates—about two to three days prior to seeding to slow the growth of competing grasses. In their Golf Course Management article, Drs. Hurley and Murphy offer the following basic recommendations for using commercially available creeping bentgrass varieties on putting greens: • For tournament sites with consistent low mowing heights of x/ s ", consider the following varieties: A -l, A-2, A-4, G-2, G-6, L-93, Providence, Southshore, and Cato and Crenshaw—the latter two being better adapted to hot climates with long, extended summers. These varieties will better tolerate a lower mowing height and will produce less grain compared with most other commercially available varieties. Remember, A -l, A-2, A-4, G-2, and G-6 require special care. They shouldn’t be cut too high—above 5/ 32"—and excess thatch, scalping, and puffiness may develop. • For courses with medium-to-heavy play, moderate budgets, and a moderate mowing height of about 5/ 32" to 3/ 16" or higher, the following are recom­ mended: L-93, Pennlinks, Providence, SR 1020, Southshore, and Cato and Crenshaw—the latter two, again, being better adapted to hot climates with long, extended summers. These varieties are proven performers. They have good putting qualities and produce less grain without excessive mainte­ nance. “Our general recommendations,” says Dr. Hurley, “include selecting any one of these varieties. Or blend two or more if they have compatible character­ istics that will enhance their perfor­ mance.” Topping Dr. Hurley’s list of recom­ mended new bentgrass varieties is, not surprisingly, Lofts’ and Rutgers’ L-93. He cautions that highly rated Penn A-1, G-2, and G-6 varieties have had prob­ lems with scalping and puffiness due to excessive density. Also, the varieties SR 1020 and G-2 have had problems with gray snow mold. But then, there are those who say that even bentgrass varieties that have shown im-proved resistance to snow mold, dollar spot, and brown patch on greens, tees, and fairways, still require fungicides. Also disease resistance at one location may not be the same at other locations because of a pathogen’s potential variability and differences in climate and soil conditions. Multilocation, multiyear trials will provide greater reliability in assessing disease resistance. t o p Dressing (410) 335-3700 1-800-899-SOIL(7645) 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. 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If you’ve already interseeded, start to tailor your maintenance practices to the newer species’ requirements by review­ ing your watering and mowing practices and your selection and application of fertilizers. If you haven’t yet interseeded but are considering it, survey university test plots, and perhaps more important, other courses’ greens. When you find a course with a variety you think might work at your facility, be sure to carefully question the superintendent on the turfgrasses’ performance throughout the entire year and over time. a A EGYPT FARM5 FARM ^ Em erald Isle. Ltd. Sentinel WMlTl H A M M . 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FESCUES » BENT GRASS “ P r e s s u r e P o r t” n o z z lin g , fo r e v e n d is trib u tio n o f w a te r Harmony Organic Fertilizers Expedite • Spyker T h r o u g h -th e -to p s e rv ic e a b ility , fo r e a s y a c c e s s to s c re e n a n d v a lv e a s s e m ­ b lie s TOPSOIL C o n ta c t D a v id G riffin P.O. B o x 719 H a rris o n , N .Y 1 0 5 2 8 Tel 9 1 4 .5 7 6 .7 6 9 3 Fax 91 4.576.4106 Y a r d a g e m a r k e r re c e s s , to p ro te c t y a rd a g e id e n tific a tio n 444 Elwood Road • East Northport, NY 11731 (516) 368-8022 • Fax: (516) 368-8032 1-800 244-7637 (BIG SODS) 1-800 344-7637 (DIG SODS) 696 Route 25A • Miller Place, NY 11764 (516) 821-1414 • Fax: (516) 821-1144 “ P u r e F lo w ’c o n ta m in a tio n re s is ta n t v a lv e s s y s te m , e n s u rin g p o s itiv e v a lv e s h u t-o ff A J l | Model II 9 0 E /9 5 E 243 Woodmont Road • P.O. Box 3049 Milford, CT 06460 • (203) 878-0658 M a in O ffic e : KilimP I E. SUPPLY CO. • J PIPE & IRRIGATION liffllll EQUIPMENT SUPPLY COMPANY ( Buckner SAVA T E E Our trained crews are careful on a golf course. We treat tees like greens and greens like gold. That is one reason five of this areas most prestigious clubs are already our clients. The other reasons? We prune judiciously using state-of-the-art techniques. We deep-root feed with our own organic blend. We cable and brace with future growth in mind. And, we will work with your crews to be most cost effective. If you want a tree company that consistently beats par, call us. New England's Finest Sod Green & Tee Construction Bunker Construction & Renovation Asphalt Paving: Cart Paths, Service Roads, Parking Lots Earth Moving & Rock Excavation Pond/Lake Excavation Drainage Underground Utilities Bridge Construction For a contractor who stresses professionalism and quality, call us for your construction and renovation needs. P.O. Box 484 Old Greenwich, CT 06870-0484 COM PLETE TREE AND SHRUB CARE, NATURALLY 360 Adams Street, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 (914)666-8202 • (203)661-6755 (8 ) Tee to Green August/September1996 203 - 869-8808 914- 234-0092 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Eligh Fine Fescue Mix Blend Quality Bluegrass Sod Bluegrass/Fescue Blends Bluegrass/Rye Blends Penncross Bent Penncross Providence Providence/Putter/SR 1020 Sod FHandler Delivery Washing Services Available Installation Available Unrolling Service Competitive Prices 500 sq. ft. pallets or Big Rolls Farm Visits Encouraged Site Review/Samples 1 800 341-6900 - - Scorecard A n Informal Tuxedo Suits the Met to a Tee cross the Hudson and nestled in the valley, rests The Tuxedo Club. The course is a nice test of golf and was in great condition thanks to host Super­ intendent Tim Garceau. The manicured course coupled with numerous wildflower and native areas creates a beautiful setting. And the greens were about as good as you’ll see, particularly in August. Our competition for the day was an individual gross and net tourney. It was also the first round of the MetGCSA Class A Championship. We had great play, particularly in the gross division. Here are the results: A Low Gross Winners Low Net Winners 76 Mark Millett, Old Oaks CC 77 Ken Clear, Alpine, the Care of Trees 77 Ron Shapiro, Bruedan Corp. 78 Matt Ceplo, Rockland CC 78 John Carlone, Middle Bay CC 78 Mike Medonis, Bonnie Briar CC Longest Drive 66 68 69 69 70 70 Gary Arlio, North Jersey CC Joe Kennedy, Irra-Tech, Inc. Tim O ’Neill, CC of Darien A1 Tretera, T urf Products Corp. John Gaspar, Ridgewood CC Joe Alonzi, Westchester CC Closest to the Pin #7 Mike Medonis, Bonnie Briar CC #17 Frank Savakis, Bruedan Corp. WemiTSUf (800) 243-7582^ C H O IC E O F B EN TG R A SSES - M aintained at 5 /3 2 " and 1 /4 " Penncross • Providence • Pennlinks 3 -Way Fairway blend Pallets or Big Rolls Washing Service Available H igh Fence Fescue Mix Versatile Blue-Fescue-Rye Mix Low -C ut Blue-Rye Available Farm Inspection W elcomed DAVE MAHONEY Siwanoy Country Club The Golf Course Superintendent's Choice. The Bunton Triplex G reen sm ow er 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 m aintenance professionals want in a riding greensm ow er and more. BUNION 22" and 26" (JREENSMOWERS W hen it comes to greens mainte­ nance, the Bunton 22" and 26" walkbehind greensm ow ers are rapidly becoming the industry standard. BUNTON TRIPLEX GREENSMOWER BUNTON! EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY Westchester Ford Tractor, Inc. Meadow St. Goldens Bridge, NY 10526 Phone #: 914-232-7746 Tee to Green August/September 1996 ( ? ) PATRON DI RECTORY Patrons listed on this page are supporting our association. You are encouraged to support them. AgrEvo USA Company David J. Sylvester 311 Carriage Dr., Kensington, CT 06037 860-828-8905 f t Emerald Isle, Ltd. Almstead Tree Co. Inc. Kevin Wyatt 58 Beechwood Ave., New Rochelle, NY 10801 800-427-1900/914-576-0193 f t E /T Equipment Co. f t ALPINE, the CARE o f TREES Excellence in Tree Care NY: 914-948-0101 NJ: 201-445-4949 CT: 203-847-1855 f t Grass Roots Inc. P.O. Box 99 150 Main St., Ogdensburg, NJ 07439 John Farrell: 201-209-0088 f t Blue Ridge Peat Farms Inc. Topdressing, Peat, Humus, & Potting Soil Gene Evans 717-443-9596 f t Bruedan Corp. f t DAF Services Inc. David A. Frechette Flowtronics PSI Pumping Stations 203-528-7362 f t Dar Par Sales ft D& S Floratine Products, Nova Tee, Flymo, Douglas Rollers, Trion Lifts Dave Basconi: 203-250-TURF DeBuck’s Sod Farm Premium Quality Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue Blends Leonard/Valeri: 914-258-4131 DeLea Sod Farms Bluegrass, Fescues, Rye, Bentgrass Long Island Grown, Vacuum Cooled 800-244-7637/516-368-8022 f t Down To Earth Sullivan’s Construction Service Inc. Golf Course Construction and Renovation P.O. Box 854, Suffield, CT 06078 Kevin Sullivan: 860-528-7344 Ken Kubik Jay McKenna 201-361-5943 f t Greenacres Company TBS Maintenance and Improvement Tony Bettino: 914-949-3362 Black Top, Stone Work, Landscaping, Excavation 102 Fulton St., White Plains, NY 10606 Dave Pijnenburg Irrigation Contractor 203-748-0558 James Barrett Associates, Inc. Jim Barrett P.O. Box 853, Montclair, NJ 07042 201-744-8237 f t Tee and Green Sod Owen Regan/David Wallace P.O. Box 418, Exeter, RI 02822 401-789-8177 f t James Carriere & Sons, Inc. f t The Cardinals, Inc. Bill and Joe Carriere 7 Cottage St., Port Chester, NY 10573 914-937-2136 John E. Callahan 166 River Rd., Unionville, CT 06085 860-673-3699 f t The Scotts Company Seed, Fertilizer, Control Products, Equipment Greg Moran: 914-331-4869 800-321-5325 Tom Marmelstein Fertilizer, Fungicide, Growth Regulators 516-679-1961 Long Island Compost Corp. Jeff Frank Screened Compost, Blackgold Divot Mix, Topsoil 516-878-0652 The Soil Aerification Specialists Patrick Lucas/Eric Zars, Old Greenwich, CT 06870 800-815-1113, FAX 203-698-1920 f t Eastern Land Management Inc. M ontco/Surf-Side/Zap! Defoamer Bob Oechsle/Tom Hunter Box 404, Ambler, PA 19002 800-401-0411 f t Turf Products Corp./TORO George Gorton, Irrigation/Al Tretera, Equipment P.O. Box 1200, Enfield, CT 06083 800-243-4355/203-763-3581 f t Partac G olf Course Top-Dressing f t Turf Products Corporation Kelsey Park, Great Meadows, NJ 07838 Jim Kelsey: 800-247-2326/908-637-4191 Bill and Joe Carriere: 914-937-2136 Ernie Rizzio/Buddy Rizzio 47 Howell Rd., Box 296, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 201-263-1234, FAX 201-335-2491 P.I.E. Supply Company Chris Weimann 243 Woodmont Rd., Milford, CT 06460 203-878-0658 f t Valley View Wholesale Greenhouses Frank Amodio 229 Smithridge Rd., So. Salem, NY 10590 914-533-2526, FAX 914-533-2050 f t Westchester Ford Tractor Inc. Turf & Ornamental Products Richard Cooke, 914-883-5881 Mike Dukette, 203-684-6242 John Apple/Ray Beaudry Meadow St., Goldens Bridge, NY 10526 914-232-7746 f t Westchester Turf Supply, Inc. Greg Hutch 877 Yellowbank Rd., Toms River, NJ 08753 908-929-4657 Jeff Rogers 1320 Mountain Rd., West Suffield, CT 06093 860-668-5225, FAX 860-668-5714 Egypt Farms, Inc. Ray Bowman, President White Marsh, MD 21162 800-899-7645 (SOIL) SAV-A-TREE Thomas Marino 360 Adams St., Bedford Hills, NY 10507 914-666-8202 August/September1996 Bob Lippman Sr./Bob Lippman Jr. P.O. Box 198, Lincolndale, NY 10540 Office: 914-248-7476 Mobile: 914-649-0303 f t Robert Baker Company/Winfield Nursery, Inc. Bruce T. Moore Sr., CCLP 246 Selleck St., Stamford, CT 06902 203-316-5433 Byron Johnson Jr. 206 Delawanna Ave., Clifton, NJ 07014 Office: 201-473-3393 Home: 203-748-5069 Peter L. McCormick 21 Brandywine Rd., Skillman, NJ 08558 800-314-7929, FAX 908-359-3389 f t Rhone-Poulenc C o./C H IPC O f t Earth Works, Inc. f t The Terre Company o f New Jersey, Inc. f t TurfNet Associates, Inc. Rick A pgar/Scott Apgar/Joe Stahl 365 Adams St., Bedford Hills, NY 10507 914-666-3171, FAX 914-666-9183 f t Pro-Lawn Products, Inc. All Phases of Golf Course Construction David Griffin 914-576-7693 Tee to Green Bruce Pye 23 Route 206, Augusta, NJ 07822 201-579-5656 f t Metro Milorganite Inc. Dominic A. Richichi/John Richichi Golf Course & Tennis Supplies, Outdoor Furniture 914-946-1743, FAX 914-946-0796 ® f t Steven Willand, Inc. Glenn S. Moore 98 Hackgreen Rd., Pound Ridge, NY 10576 914-764-4348 f t LESCO, Inc. Mike Gesm undo/Ron Shapiro Chester, NY 800-535-1500 Horticultural-Irrigation Supplies Jim Hespe: 203-531-7352 1081 King St., Greenwich, CT 06831 lf t Stephen Kay, G olf Course Architects Stephen Kay/Ron Turek/D oug Smith 495 New Rochelle Rd., Bronxville, NY 10708 914-699-4437 Donald Tiedemann 100 Calvert St., Harrison, NY 10528 914-835-3801 Argento & Son Inc. T urf Equipment: Parts and Service Louis Argento: 914-949-1152 1 Prospect Ave., White Plains, NY 10607 f t Barenburg/Garfield Williamson Division f t Shemin Nurseries Inc. f t Fleet Pump & Service Group f t Glenmore Landscape Service Tim M arcoux/Ed Santalone 620 Commerce St., Thornwood, NY 10594 800-878-8873 65 Glenn St., Lawrence, MA 01843 21 E. Dudley Town Rd., Bloomfield, CT 06662 800-999-TURF John Ferrucio 425 S. Riverside Ave., Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 914-271-6126, FAX 914-271-6146 A1 Preston’s Garage Gary Shashinka Massey Ferguson Tractors 203-924-1747 f t Atlantic Irrigation Specialists Inc. f t Sawtelle Brothers Inc. William Middleton Safe, Natural, Effective Soil & Turf Products 800-628-4769 f t White Contractors Golf Course Construction & Renovation P.O. Box 484, Old Greenwich, CT 06870-0484 James E. Morris Jr.: 203-869-8808/914-234-0092 ^ W ilfr e d MacDonald, Inc. Chris Santopietro 2 Terminal Rd., Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 201-804-1000 BEARD C0LLKTU>- f t Denotes MetGCSA member