President's Message j Special Feature Reminders You’d Do Practice Tee T u rf Savers Superintendents Talk About Their Synthetic T urf Solutions to Overused and Well to F o r g e t . . . Once in a While get into my truck and feel some­ thing beneath me . . . a tee. I saw one on the kitchen counter the other morning. Margaret is con­ stantly giving me freshly laundered ones. No matter where I go or what I do there are always reminders of work: Golf balls on my dresser as I get ready in the morning . . . a bucket of balls in the garage as I leave the house. I’ll never forget the one under my brake peddle, as my life flashed before my eyes one day in traffic. I think they breed as I sleep. There always seems to be more of them everywhere. Unfortunately, they’re never pure white Titleist; they’re always some lame looking range ball that’s taken a trip through the woods, not to mention a swim or two. But they are reminders. I see one and I think . . . Did I change the clocks on the irrigation system? . . . Complete my work schedule for tomorrow? . . . Get the time cards done? . . . Schedule in time to write that dreaded next President’s Message? As I ponder this subject further, I start to think about stress. Are we monitoring our stress levels, as well as the stress level of our turf? Let’s face it, physical and mental stress are great factors in our lives this time of year. I like to relieve the tension by getting out with friends and enjoying those warm summer nights, but (continued on page 2) I Undersized Practice Tees o longer are synthetic tee surfaces limited to public driving ranges. In a lastditch effort to keep their undersized and overused practice tees playable through the season, a growing number of private clubs are installing and using—if only on a limited basis—one of the many synthetic tee surfaces on the market today. To help you wade through the near-dizzying array of alternatives, we canvassed several area superintendents with synthetic tee surfaces in place. In addition to supplying us with essential facts and figures, these superintendents offer a frank assessment of their surface’s performance. N Jon Jennings, CGCS, The Patterson Club, Fairfield, CT Surface: Monster Mat, Site Preparation: Excavated area to a sixinch depth, backfilled with three inches of compacted stone dust, and set mats to grade. a synthetic turf with a three-inch foam backing. Company: SafePlay International, Inc., Cedar Hill, TX, 214-230-1493. Initial Cost: Approximately $4,400 with labor for thirteen 6 ’ x 6' mats ($285 per mat). Year Installed: Spring 1994 Maintenance Requirements: Rotate mats weekly to insure even wear. Annual Maintenance Costs: $150 for replacement of rubber tees. Comments: “The practice tee at Patterson is a little more than 12,300 square feet—not nearly large enough to accommodate the 650 families who have access to our range. So, by the end of June every year, we had very little grass left on the tee—even with a pretty rigorous maintenance program, which includes seeding and topdressing twice a week. (continued on page 4) Also in This Issue (2 ) Coming Attractions (3 ) Member Notables ( 8) MetGCSA Succumbs to LIGCSA in Softball Rematch (9 ) The Met: It’s a Family Affair (fii) Superintendents and Managers Enjoy Picture-Perfect Day at Silver Spring © Westchester Country Club and Wheatley Hills Golf Club Triumph at Winged Foot Invitational President's Message (cont. 1) Reminders You’d Do Well to F o r g e t. . . Board of Directors Once in a While then doesn’t that next morning come all too quickly? A good night’s sleep is the only practical escape, but I’m finding it more and more difficult to get to bed early. Sometimes I find myself thinking like my kids as that bedtime hour approaches: “Just 10 more minutes . . . please. ” Then there’s good ol’ Mother Nature: She’s out to get us one way or another. If she’s not making our job tougher by hitting us with a variety of weather extremes, then she’s sicking the sun’s damaging rays on our skin or making conditions just right for a variety of blood-sucking pests, like mosquitoes and deer ticks. Yes, it’s supposed to be a banner year for both. I guess my best advice—aside from wearing sunscreen or at least those freebie hats we all get and scanning yourself and your pets for ticks—is to put all those job reminders out of sight . . . so they’re out of mind too, even if it’s just for an hour a day. Sure, most of us in this business are conditioned to associate relaxation during the season with laziness and selfindulgence, but if we’re to keep ourselves from short-circuiting before the season’s out, we’ve really got to program ourselves to take a time-out each and every day. Maybe it’s a lunch break or leaving work at a reasonable hour. If you’re shy about treating yourself to a little well-deserved R & R, just remember: The golf course will still be there when you get back. The only difference: You’ll be in a better frame of mind to tackle those inevitable chal­ lenges that await you. JOHN J. O ’KEEFE, CGCS President 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 Upcoming Events DAVID MAHONEY Siwanoy Country Club DENNIS PETRUZZELLI, CGCS takeover National Golf Club DAVID POLIDOR St. Andrew’s Country Club RAY BEAUDRY Westchester Ford Tractor ^ -VJ Meeting Reminder! Met Area Team Championship Qualifier, Round 1 Monday, August 5 The Tuxedo Club, Tuxedo Park, NY Host Superintendent: Tim Garceau Monday, July 29 Woodway Beach Club, Stamford, CT Plan to come at 3 p.m. and enjoy the sun and sand at Woodway’s beautiful beach club. This year’s event will feature a special appearance from Clarence the Clown. From 5 to 6:30 p.m., Clarence will perform magic, sculpt balloon animals, guide children in musical games, and provide face painting and tattoos. (2 ) Tee to Green June 1996 Executive Secretary INEKE PIERPOINT A sand castle contest is one of the many other activities planned for the day. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity for family fun. It’s $30 per adult, which includes hors d’oeuvres, a mixed grill buffet cookout, and an Ice cream sundae bar. Children under 18 are free. It's Coming!. . . The MetGCSA Summer Social Sometime in August Fairview Country Club, Greenwich, CT Watch for an update— and mailing— on this ever-popular event. 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. Elmsford, NY 10523-2819 914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437 Copyright © 1996 Notable Notes C H E M IC A L S New Members Births Lance Authelet, Class C, Authelet, Congratulations to . . . Hayes Golf Course Design, PC, Ronkonkoma, NY Scott and Kathy Stark on the birth of their daughter, Emma, May 16. Scott is superintendent at Fenway Golf Club in Scarsdale, NY. Nicholas Lerner, Class B, Lakeover National Golf Club, Bedford Hills, NY Jennifer McMorrow, Class C, Turf Diagnostics, Inc., Briarcliff Manor, NY Andrew Moran, Class B, Pelham Country Club, Pelham Manor, NY Thomas Racioppo, Class A, Mohansic Golf Course, Yorktown Heights, NY Christopher Strehl, Class B, The Tuxedo Club, Tuxedo Park, NY Douglas A. Vogel, Class A, Packanack Golf Club, Wayne, NJ Steve and Annette Sweet on the birth of their daughter, Lindsay Marie, June 26. Steve is superintendent at Mill River Club in Oyster Bay, NY. SEED S U P P L IE S F E R T IL IZ E R W ESTCHESTER Greg and Pandora Wojick on the birth of their son, Christopher, May 27. Greg is superintendent at Green­ wich Country Club in Greenwich, CT, and Pandora is the Tee to Green’s managing editor. T U R F S U P P L Y . IN C . BOB LIPP M A N HO M E (914) 248-5790 B U S IN E S S P H O N E (914) 248-7476 Members on the Move Brett Armstrong is the new superinten­ dent at Green Gables Country Club in Denver, CO. Previous position: Assis­ tant superintendent, Greenwich Country Club, Greenwich, CT. Use Naim Grasses Gina Gatto is the new superintendent at Winding Hills Golf Club in M ont­ gomery, NY. Previous position: Assis­ tant superintendent, Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, NY. Special Recognition Joe Alonzi, the MetGCSA’s past president and Westchester Country Club superintendent, has recently been honored with the Environmental Leadership Award from the Town and Village of Harrison Environmental Advisory Committee. This annual award recognizes out­ standing efforts to protect and enhance the environment. Joe was recognized for his many efforts in safe chemical storage, water conservation, and his pursuit of certification in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. Congratulations, Joe! You and the environment will reap the benefits: • Less water use • Less pesticide use • Less maintenance • Establish habitats for small wildlife and birds • Meet the criteria for participation in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program • Add to the beauty and diversity of the golf course To learn all about the selection, establishment and maintenance of these “naturals,” talk to the long-time experts at Lofts. (800) 526-3890 Ext 207 for technical information Ext 250 for literature Lofts Seed Inc. Somerset, NJ 08873 Tee to Green June 1996 ( 3) Special Feature (coni, from pg. 1) Practice Tee T u rf Savers “To spare our tee, we decided at a Greens Committee meeting to install an alternative surface. After some investigation, we settled on the M on­ ster Mats. We bought 13 and laid them side-by-side across the back of our tee. We restrict play to the mats during rainy periods and outings. And when the practice tee begins to show signs of serious wear, we ask that members hit from the mats for about two weeks until the turf has time to recover. “O f course, there are always those members who refuse to hit from the mats; some place a tee directly in front of them, leaving us with a strip of dirt. But I’d have to say most members don’t mind the mats because they enable you to practice during inclement weather, and though not a true test of your swing, the mats do allow you to hit pretty much a perfect shot every time. “For me, one of the biggest selling points for the mats is that they’re basically maintenance free. We do nothing other than replace the rubber tees—maybe twice a m onth.” Peter Bly, Brooklawn Country Club, Fairfield, CT Surface: Nova Tee, a high-pile synthetic mat that is topdressed with a sand and crumb-rubber mixture. Company: NovaGrass International Inc., Chattanooga, TN, 800-835-0033. Initial Cost: $4,600 (approximately $8 per square foot). Year Installed: 1995 Maintenance Requirements: Sand and rubber mixture must be raked smooth after each day of use. Annual Maintenance Costs: $2,200 in labor and $600 in materials. Site Preparation: Excavated area to a four-inch depth and backfilled with one-half inch of Item #4, four inch compacted. Next, topped area with stone dust, graded the surface to a onepercent pitch, rolled out material, and topdressed the Nova Tee with a 50:50 mix (by weight) of sand and crumb rubber. Comments: “My Greens Committee had asked me to investigate alternative surfaces that can be used during foul weather and during outings to help preserve the turfgrass on our practice tee. After some pretty thorough research, we settled on Nova Tee. “Fortunately, we decided to experi­ ment first with a smaller sized tee, because our membership basically refuses to use the surface; it’s out-andout rebellion. Even though this surface is closer than most to the look and feel of real grass, people felt being asked to use the tee was like being relegated to a public driving range. “One justified gripe with Nova Tee is that it’s tough on the elbows and shoulders if you use it for any length of time. And if you hit fat, the surface grabs the ball—kind of like Bermuda grass would down South. O f course, 0 5 Tee & Green & In Between W h e th e r 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. 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 • Bentgrass • Bluegrass • Washed sod • Bluegrass-Ryegrass • Bluegrass-Fine Fescue OREENSOD -INCORPORATED - 401/789-8177 • 401/789-3895 (fax) • PO Box 418, Exeter, RI 02822 (4) Tee to Green June 1996 resembles bentgrass fairway turf, it eliminates the shock and rebound of most mats, and it won’t leave marks on club heads. The other nice feature with Surface #3: Premium Range Mat, an Fairway Feel is that you can play Astro Turf. directly off the mat like a lie on a Company: Reliable Golf Course Supplies, fairway or use a regular tee for drives. Glen Falls, NY, 800-274-6815. “But regardless of the surface, these Initial Cost: $330 for a 5' x 5' mat. practice tee substitutes aren’t meant to Year Installed: Winter of ’9 5 / ’96 be used constantly. We’ve relied on Maintenance Requirements: Rotate mat as ours solely to protect our practice tee necessary. from excessive damage during the Annual Maintenance Costs: Next to winter, early spring, and for about two nothing. weeks in August when we renovate the Site Preparation: None because it was laid turf and want to allow the new seed to on top of a section of the Nova Tee. germinate. Normally would require the installation “I guess my final bit of advice to of an asphalt or a concrete pad. anyone considering an alternative practice surface at their club would be Larry Pakkala, CGCS, Woodway Comments: “When searching for an to make sure you have your members Country Club, Darien, CT alternative practice surface, my Greens select the surface. Search out several Surface #1: Nova Tee, Committee and I settled on the Nova suitable surfaces and then suggest that a high-pile synthetic mat Tee, primarily because when it’s installed they go to these clubs and try them that is topdressed with a sand and and maintained properly, it looks and out. In the end, you’ll be sure to get crumb-rubber mixture. plays more like real turf than most other what the majority of members like Company: NovaGrass International Inc., surfaces. You can even stick a tee into it. most—and it will spare you the blame Chattanooga, TN, 800-835-0033. “It’s hard and firm, though, so after for any dissatisfaction.” Initial Cost: $10,000 (approximately $8 two seasons of use, members began per square foot). complaining that hitting from the tee Year Installed: 1994 Bill Perlee, Burning Tree Country bothered their elbow joints. The other Maintenance Requirements: When tee is in Club, Greenwich, CT slight drawback is that the Nova Tee is use, it requires about one hour of labor Surface: Wittek Golf more costly and labor-intensive to each day to brush topdressing into Mat/Asphalt pad maintain than most of the other artificial divots. combination. tees. Annual Maintenance Costs: Under $500 in Company: Wittek Golf Supply Co., Inc., “This past winter, we decided to labor, under $500 in materials. experiment with two other surfaces. We Chicago, IL, 800-869-1800. Site Preparation: Excavated a 12' x 120' Initial Cost: $5,600 for 700 square feet laid a Premium Range Mat and a area at the back of the practice tee to a (approximately $8 per square foot for Fairway Feel Mat right on top of a four-inch depth, backfilled with four mats; $2 per square foot for asphalt section of the Nova Tee so members inches of Item #4, and watered and could hit from any of the three artificial pad). rolled to settle. Then pitched a one-inch Year Installed: 1993 tees. layer of stone dust from the center to the “O f the three surfaces, I’d have to say Maintenance Requirements: Replace front and back of the excavated area. rubber tees periodically throughout the members prefer hitting from the Astro Then watered and rolled again. season. Rotate mats every three or four Turf. It’s more forgiving on the joints weeks to insure even wear. Bring them Surface #2: Fairway Feel Mat, an all­ —and on bad swings. In other words, inside during the winter when the natural fiber in a thick, deep weave. the ball will go a good distance, no range in closed. Company: Reliable Golf Course Supplies, matter how bad a shot you take. Glen Falls, NY, 800-274-6815. “Personally, I still like the Nova Tee, Annual Maintenance Costs: Minimal. Site Preparation: Excavated area to a sixInitial Cost: $210 for a 39" x 51" mat. but the Fairway Feel is also a great inch depth, backfilled with Item #4, Year Installed: Winter o f ’9 5 / ’96 product. In fact, I’d recommend this Maintenance Requirements: Rotate mat as mat to anyone who has to rely heavily an three inches compacted, paved area to grade, and placed mats down. necessary. alternative practice surface because it Annual Maintenance Costs: Next to nothing. requires little maintenance, and it’s right (continued on page 6) Site Preparation: None because it was laid up there in looks to the Nova Tee. It that problem could be solved by putting a tee in the ground, which is an option with the Nova Tee. “I guess I ’d have to say this is a great surface to warm up on but not good as a practice medium. And at our course, the driving range gets a lot of use. People will come after work, hit at the range for an hour-and-a-half, and then leave— rather than play a round of golf. “It’s a good thing that our practice tee is a decent size; it’s 22,000 square feet. With intensive maintenance—last year, for instance, we applied 40 tons of topdressing and more than 1,000 lbs. of seed—we can generally keep grass on it throughout the season.” on top of a section of the Nova Tee. Normally would require the installation of an asphalt or a concrete pad. Tee to Green June 1996 ( 5) Special Feature (cont. 5) Practice Tee T u rf Savers Comments: “Because our practice tee is undersized and our membership very active, I suggested to our Greens Com­ mittee that we install an alternative surface that would spare our tee from excessive wear—particularly during golf outings—and allow a practice tee to remain open during inclement weather. “After considering eight or nine different materials, we settled on the Wittek Golf Mat—primarily because it seemed to be the sturdiest. To achieve a level surface and provide a truer feel, we installed an asphalt pad under the matting. “We try to restrict play to mats during the week—unless there’s a ladies’ event—and reserve the regular tee for weekend play. “What we’ve found after three years of use is that the mats are beginning to show signs of wear—to the point where we’re considering replacing them. The other disappointment has been that the mats tend to curl in the heat. “Members, as you can imagine, aren’t crazy about the mats. In fact, some will ignore posted signs request­ ing that they hit from them. Despite that, we’ve still found that using the mats periodically has helped preserve our practice tee.” John Carlone, CGCS, Middle Bay Country Club, Oceanside, NY Surface: Astro Turf Mats. Company: Wittek Golf Supply Co., Inc., Chicago, IL, 800-869-1800. Initial Cost: $245 per 5' x 5' mat when you purchase 25 or m ore/$265 per mat for quantities under 25. Year Installed: Fall 1993 Maintenance Requirements: We blow off the mats daily and rotate them twice a year to insure even wear. We replace the rubber tees (two per mat) first thing in the spring and one more time during the year. Annual Maintenance Costs: About $200 a year. Site Preparation: Paved back of tee with a 6' x 100' strip of asphalt. Excavated to a six-inch depth, backfilled with four (? ) Tee to Green June 1996 inches of crushed stone, four inches of asphalt, compacted to six inches final thickness. Comments: “During the course of the year, we would move golfers from back to front of our practice tee five or six times a year, aerifying, overseeding, and fertilizing each hitting zone immedi­ ately after we moved players up on the tee. “We had worked hard at avoiding installing synthetic turf, but it really became a losing battle. At 9,000 square feet, our practice tee just wasn’t large enough to make it through the season with grass on it. By August, players were hitting off dirt. “Despite some initial resistance from the membership, we installed Astro Turf—eleven 5' x 5' mats. After laying the asphalt pad, we covered it with charcoal-colored indoor-outdoor carpeting, which we nailed to the 1" x 2" form surrounding the asphalt pad. Then we laid the mats on top of the carpeting, spacing them three feet apart and anchoring them to the same 1" x 2" form. “We allow play on the practice tee Friday through Sunday, and then the rest of the week—Monday through Thursday—we restrict play to the mats. We also require that members hit off the mats during inclement weather. “Aside from allowing the grass time to recover on the practice tee, the mats extend the time members can hit balls. Before, the range wouldn’t open before April 1 and would close November 1. Now, with the mats, members can use the range from early March till it snows—usually at least until early December. “With this schedule, our mats have held up pretty well: We’ve gotten two seasons out of the first set of mats. To save money up front, we purchased 25 mats. That’s basically given us a fouryear supply, since we’ve had to change them only once in two years. With the additional three mats, we created a teaching tee. We located it at the rear of our range—325 yards away from the regular tee—so that our pros could give lessons free of distractions. “Even though the mats provide some relief for the practice tee turf, on week­ ends we still restrict golfers to certain hitting zones, using 2" x4"s and ropes to control their position on the grass. Still, by the end of a busy weekend, our range is total dirt. The only saving grace is that now we can give the turf four days to recover.” “We probably use the mats more than other clubs who have installed alterna­ tive surfaces. And though members were resistant at first, most have actually come to prefer the Astro Turf because it’s easier to get the ball airborne. I’m very happy with the mats because they’re basically maintenance free, and they’ve reduced the maintenance requirements on the grass tee.” PAT SISK Country Club of Fairfield D O W N T O la n d s c a p in g & golf course co n stru ctio n G reens, tees a n d b u n k e r s E xcavation o f all ty pe s P o n d s / lakes D rainag e S to n e w a lls / M a s o n r y A sphalt /C ar paths , e t c . Contact David Griffin P.O. Box 719 Harrison, N.Y 10528 Tel 914.576.7693 Fax 914.576.4106 The Golf Course Superintendent's Choice. BUNION 22" and 26" (¡REENSMOWERS 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. When it comes to greens mainte­ nance, the Bunton 22" and 26" walkbehind greensmowers are rapidly becoming the industry standard. BUNTON TRIPLEX GREENSMOWER BUNTON EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY Westchester Ford Tractor, Inc. M eadow St. G oldens Bridge, NY 10526 Phone #: 914-232-7746 Your Players Deserve the Best! 7 ^ S tormy M J ACRESiwr S uperior B entgrass Sod for G olf C ourses i n o , players deserve the best bentgrass grown. Superintendents also deserve the finest bentgrass sod available! Stormy Acres offers the highest quality bentgrass sod, washed or with soil. All of our sod is 100% guaranteed! • Lowest height of cut 1/8”- 5/32” for putting greens. • Brushed-verticut-topdressed. • Tee height of 1/4” or less, Fairway height 1/2” or less. • Poa annua free • Available: Penncross, Pennlinks, Providence, Dominant, Southshore, Crenshaw, L-93, A-4 and A-l. • Contract growing. • Expert installation available. 37 F o r r e st La n e C arneys P o in t , 609 299 5109 NJ 08069 Fa x ; 609 299 7146 Tee to Green June 1996 ) Long Island Triumphs Over the M et in Softball Rem atch he Jericho Firehouse in Jericho, NY, was the site of the 1996 softball rematch between the MetGCSA and LIGCSA. Trying to avenge last year’s 26-10 loss, the Met fell short again, but this time, by a much more respectable score of 21-16. Falling behind 8-0 after one inning, the Met—sparked by Dave Polidor’s (St. Andrews GC) three-run homer in the second—started their tremendous climb back. A five-run fifth inning actually put the Met in the lead, 11-10. “U n­ fortunately, everything we did right after our first-inning disaster was forgotten in the sixth, as our short-lived lead was lost,” recalls first baseman Tom Leahy (Sleepy Hollow CC). Long Island scored 10 runs in this deciding inning and never looked back. Scott Apgar (Metro Milorganite) led the Met with four hits in five times at bat, scoring four runs and driving in another. Phil Anderson (Old Westbury Golf & CC) and Lynn O ’Neil (Glen Head CC) also helped pace the Met, driving in nine of the 16 runs. The two players were gracious enough to play for the Met when another poor turnout left the team shorthanded. Harry Bahrenburg (Huntington Crescent L f \ \ Club) and Allan Barry J J V i (Hampton Hills & Golf & CC) led Long Island’s attack, combining for six hits, seven RBIs, and five runs scored. Stellar defense between Polidor and Apgar helped keep the game close. A delectable feast, put on by Doug Heron of Maxwell Turf in conjunction with Mike MetGCSA Spring '9 6 Softball Team Lineup Oleykowski of CIBA, fol­ Phil Anderson, Old Westbury SS lowed the game. Scott Apgar, Metro Milorganite, Inc. LF In the fall, the two associa­ Bryan Bolehala, W.A. Cleary C/RF tions will play again on Long Island, if and only if the Met Tim Joyce, The Scotts Company 3B can round up a few more Tom Leahy, Sleepy Hollow CC 1B participants. Says Dave Mike Oleykowski, CIBA 2B Polidor: “If the guys would Lynn O ’Neil, Glen Head CC P just come one time, they Dave Polidor, St. Andrews GC LCF would see how much fun this Joe Stahl, Metro Milorganite, Inc. RF/C is and would play again and again.” Everyone agreed. Jeff Weld, Bayer Corporation RCF SCOTT C. APGAR Metro Milorganite, Inc. The Cutting Edge JACO B SEN 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 power, 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 em an d 4 W D standard for surefooted traction on hilly terrain or in w e t conditions. • Powerful fuel-efficient 5 1 -hp liquid-cooled diesel engine. • Year-round perform er, rotary brush and snow throw er attachm ents available. Ridethe cu tting edge o f highproduction m ow ing. See your Jacobsen d istrib utor fo r an HR -5111 dem onstration today. ‘ZOiifriect ‘Tttac&rM oicl, *)nc. 2 Terminal Road & Route 17, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 • Office 201-804-1000 • Fax 201-804-1001 (T ) Tee to Green June 1996 Clippings The M etG CSA: I t ’s a Family Affair A “Grand List* of the Metfs Many Family Connections Pierpoint III works side-by-side with his he Met is a complex network of son and assistant George IV. friends—and lots of family. In­ • Heritage Hills Superintendent Todd spired by the Golf Course Manage­ Polidor has an assistant superintendent ment article on the father-son duo son, David, at St. Andrews. GCSAA President Bob Williams and his • Winged Foot Superintendent Bob dad, the senior Bob Williams—who Alonzi has a Class B son, Rob, at preceded his son as superintendent of Wykagyl. Bob O ’Link Golf Club in Highland • Westchester Country Club Superin­ Park, IL—we decided to take a look at tendent Joe Alonzi has a Class B son, the many family connections in our own Chris, at Brae Burn. association. Some of them are so well • Mt. Kisco Superintendent Fred known they need no introduction. Scheyhing has an assistant superinten­ Others are well-kept secrets. dent son, Mike, in Spring Hill, FL, at Here’s a look at the many surpris­ the Timber Pines Country Club. ing—and not-so-surprising—family • Stanwich Club Superintendent Scott alliances. How many do you know Niven grew up in the business—at The about? Angus Lea Club in New Hampshire, which Scott’s father, Russ, owned and Father-and-Son Duos— Near and Far operated. • Sleepy Hollow Superintendent Joe • Retired Canoe Brook Superintendent Camberato’s father, the late Sam Skip Cameron has a son, Gary, who is Camberato, was superintendent at the superintendent at Gamblers Ridge in Vernon Hills Country Club—now New Jersey. known as Lake Isle. • Mel Lucas Jr. followed in the footsteps • Brae Burn Superintendent Dennis of his father, Mel Lucas Sr., as the super Flynn’s dad, the late Joe Flynn, was a at Piping Rock Club on Long Island. long-tenured super at Metropolis Currently running his own turf consult­ Country Club. ing firm, Links Counsellor, on the Cape, • Bruno Vadala, the now-retired Mel Jr. is a former GCSAA president. superintendent who assumed Joe Mel Sr. had the pleasure of working Flynn’s position at Metropolis, has a son under Robert Trent Jones and attending who followed in his footsteps: Greg UMass with Sherwood Moore and Bob Vadala is superintendent at Montclair Williams Sr., father of GCSAA’s current Golf Club in New Jersey. president. • Yardley Golf Club Superintendent A1 Caravella’s son, Mike, was the superin­ Brothers in the Business tendent at Apawamis Club and is now • Bob and Joe Alonzi are two brothers the super at Broad Acres Golf Club in in the business who need little introduc­ Hudson Valley. tion. • Jim Fulwider and son J.C. Fulwider are the past and present superintendents • Another infamous pair: Old Oaks Superintendent Mark Millett and of Century Country Club. Ridgeway Superintendent and current • Quaker Ridge Superintendent Tony MetGCSA VP Earl Millett. Savone had a dad in the business, the • Then there’s the Grasso duo: Tony, late Tom Savone a former superinten­ who’s at Metropolis, and his younger dent of Fenway Golf Club. brother, Larry, at Lake Isle. • Scarsdale Superintendent Herb Wa• A brother trio—the only we know terous has a son, Pete, who is superin­ of—is Metedeconk National Superinten­ tendent at Westchester Hills. dent Steve Cadenelli and former Met • Innis Arden Superintendent Pat Lucas members Bruce, who is now superinten­ has a superintendent son, Patrick, at dent at Caves Valley in Maryland, and Woodcrest Country Club in New Eric, superintendent at Galloway Jersey. National Golf Club in New Jersey. • Ardsley Superintendent George T • Scott Niven has not only a father in the business, but also a brother. Curt Niven is both the superintendent and golf pro at The Angus Lea Club in New Hampshire. • Woodway Country Club Superinten­ dent Larry Pakkala has an older brother, D.J., in California who moved from director of golf course operations for the Pebble Beach Company to director for Club Corp. of Asia. A-C/C-C Alliances • A well-known A-C pair are the now retired superintendent legend and former GCSAA president, Sherwood Moore, and his son Glen Moore of Glenmore Landscape Service. • Then there’s A1 Tretera of Turf Pro­ ducts Corp. and his superintendent son, Scott Tretera, of Elmwood Country Club. Little-known fact: A1 was a super­ intendent for many years at Fenway Golf Club. (continued on page 10) L E G A C Y S E R I E S IRRIGATION (^£/ood Things Start Out Right! Legacy products are built to go the dis­ tance, especially the new Electric VIH Models of sprinklers for large turf areas; 70E, 75E and 90E/95E. They come with a 5-year warranty and include the follow­ ing features: • Y ardage m arker recess, to protect yardage id e n tific a tio n . “ P re s s u re P o rt” nozzling, fo r even d is trib u tio n of w ater . T h ro u g h -th e -to p service ability , fo r easy a c cess to screen and valve a s s em ­ blies . “ P u re F lo w ”conta m in a tio n resistan t valves system , ensuring p o sitive valve sh u t-o ff Main Office: 243 W oodmont Road • P.O. Box 3049 M ilford, CT 06460 • (203) 878-0658 UUP.I.E. SUPPLY CO. I ■ J PIPE & IRRIGATION , Rffflll EQUIPMENT SUPPLY COMPANY iP U C K n e r Tee to Green June 1996 ( 9) Scorecard Clippings Superintendents and Managers Treated to a Picture-Perfect Day at Silver Spring fter a tough winter and hectic May, our day at Silver Spring couldn’t have been better. The serene setting and beautifully conditioned golf course offered the kind of picture-perfect day we’d all been hoping for. We had 35 superintendent/manager teams competing as Best-Ball Teams. Special thanks to Silver Spring Superintendent Peter Rappoccio and Manager Bob Sommer for their extraordinary efforts. The lucky winners were: A Superintendent/Manager Best Ball Low Gross Winners Low Net Winners 70 57 Rich Marcks/Drew Campbell Fairview Country Club 62 Bob Nielsen/Bill Burke Bedford Golf & Tennis Club 71 Earl M illett/Dan Vasquez Ridgeway Country Club John Carlone/Nick Batos Middle Bay Country Club Open Best Ball Low Net Winners 63 Joe Stahl, Metro Milorganite, Inc. Bill Middleton, Emerald Isle>Ltd. 63 Herb Waterous, Scarsdale GC Jim Fulwider Sr., Life member Closest to the Pin Longest Drive Gary DeVaux, Superintendent Connecticut Golf Club Scott Burne, Manager, Old Oaks CC SOD • SEED • FE R TILIZER PAVERS • W ALLS Matt Ceplo, Superintendent Rockland Country Club Dan Vasquez, Manager, Ridgeway CC (cont. 9) I t ’s a Family Affair • An A-A-C combo is Tony Grasso, brother Larry, and their now retired father Tony Sr., who founded Metro Milorganite nearly 30 years ago. • Another Metro retiree, John Wistrand, had a son in the business: the late Craig Wistrand, who was a longtenured superintendent of the Round Hill Club. Craig’s son, Jason, a Met scholarship recipient, is now in the landscape business—a close cousin to the golf course turf management industry. • Several father-son C-C alliances: The Mullanes, Bob and his dad, Neal, of Alpine, the Care of Trees; the Lippmans, Bob Sr. and Bob Jr., of Westchester Turf Supply; the Callahans, the late John Sr. and John Jr. of The Cardinals; the Richichis, Dom and John of Dar Par Sales; the Rizzios, Ernie and Buddy of Turf Products C orp./N J. • Then there’s the C-C brother-in-law duo: Joe Stahl and Scott Apgar of Metro Milorganite. Other Family Connections METRO MIL0RGANITE, INC. For a HEALTHY ADVANTAGE over SEASONAL PROBLEMS WE OFFER a WINNING LINE-UP Emerald Isle. Ltd. D eL ea S od Farms A EGYPT FARMS Serving the New York area with the finest Sod and service for over 60 years WHITE MARCH. MD FORKLIFT SERVICE • The Millett brothers are cousins to Whippoorwill Superintendent Chuck Martineau. • Bill Gaydosh, superintendent of Round Hill, is uncle to Paul Gonzalez, superintendent of the Canyon Club. • Bruno Vadala, formerly of M etropo­ lis, is father-in-law to current M etropo­ lis Superintendent Tony Grasso. • Dom Richichi of Dar Par Sales is father-in-law to Ridgeway Superinten­ dent Earl Millett. VACUUM COOLED SOD • BIG ROLLS Final Note GROWERS OF IMPROVED BLUEGRASS BLENDS Andersons MIXTURES FESCUES A BENT GRASS Harmony Organic Fertilizers Expedite • Spyker TOPSOIL 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 @ Tee to Green June 1996 * * * * * FERTILIZERS TOP DRESSINGS BIOSTIMULANTS SEED PESTICIDES GOLF COURSE ACCESSORIES Rick Apgar Scott Apgar Joe Stahl Metro Milorganite Inc. DEPEND ON US FOR FOUR SEASON SOLUTIONS (914) 666-3171 Fax (914) 666-9183 365 Adams Street, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 Though we worked long and hard to compile a complete list of family rela­ tions, we no doubt missed a few. If your name didn’t make the “grand list,” please accept our apologies—and feel free to jot us a line with the history on your family relation. TONY GRASSO Metropolis Country Club Scorecard SAVA T E E Winged F o o t Shines for Invitational inged Foot was at its finest as 60, four-man teams competed over both the East and West Courses for the 1996 Invitational. Having two championship courses in impeccable condition allowed for a larger field and a day that won’t soon be forgotten. After a round on the course, we were treated to a terrific buffet and the wonderful golf stories of Sports Journalist Dave Anderson. With the two courses, we ran two separate Best Ball of Four tournaments. Congratulations to the two teams who earned the Invitational Trophy: Westchester Country Club, scoring a 56 on the West Course, and Wheatley Hills Golf Club, scoring a 57 on the East Course. Here are the day’s other sharp shooters: 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. East Course Low Gross Winners Low Net Winners 65 Scott Stark’s team, Fenway GC 68 Larry Dodge’s team, Oak Lane CC 69 Earl Millett’s team, Ridgeway CC 57 Vin Sharkey’s team, Wheatley Hills 59 Mike Medonis’s team, Ronnie Briar 59 Bill Perlee’s team, Burning Tree CC Longest Drive Closest to the Pin Shawn Burke, Golf Professional Round H ill Club Mark Millett, Amateur Old Oaks Country Club R. Lubas, Golf Pro, Bonnie Briar CC M. Medonis, Supt., Bonnie Briar CC D. Cole, Club Official, Patterson Club S. Frankel, Club Official, Fenway GC SAV/fi^E COMPLETE TREE AND SHRUB CARE, NATURALLY 360 Adams Street, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 (914)666-8202 • (203) 661-6755 West Course Low Gross Winners 64 66 67 Low Net Winners 56 Joe Alonzi’s team, Westchester CC Les Kennedy’s team, CC of 57 Bert Dickinson’s team, Willow Waterbury Ridge CC Jim McNally’s team, Pocantieo Hills Dennis Flynn’s team, Brae Burn CC 60 Fred Scheyhing’s team, Mt. Kisco Longest Drive Closest to the Pin Tom Gleeton, Golf Professional Country Club of Waterbury Les Kennedy, Amateur Country Club of Waterbury B. Zabriski, Golf Pro, Westchester CC F. Scheyhing, Supt., Mt. Kisco CC M. Fand, Club Official, Preakness Hills T. Crolius, Club Official, Woodway CC Special thanks to Winged Foot Superintendent Bob Alonzi, Manager Colin Burns, and the entire club for their graciousness. DAVE MAHONEY Siwanoy Country Club Quotable Quote “Golf is a compromise between what your ego wants you to do, what experience tells you to do, and what your nerves let you do. Bruce Crampton Professional Golfer P.O. B ox484 Old Greenwich, CT 06870-0484 203-869-8808 914-234-0092 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 John Ferrucio 425 S. Riverside Ave., Croton-on-Hudson, NY 914-271-6126, FAX 914-271-6146 f t Fleet Pump & Service Group f t Glenmore Landscape Service Argento & Son Inc. T urf Equipment: Parts and Service Louis Argento: 914-949-1152 1 Prospect Ave., White Plains, NY 10607 f t Grass Roots Inc. Tim M arcoux/Ed Santalone 620 Commerce St., Thornwood, NY 10594 800-878-8873 f t Barenburg/Garfield Williamson Division 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. Mike Gesm undo/Ron Shapiro Chester, NY 800-535-1500 f t DAF Services Inc. David A. Frechette Flowtronics PSI Pumping Stations 203-528-7362 f t Dar Par Sales Dominic A. Richichi/John Richichi Golf Course & Tennis Supplies, Outdoor Furniture 914-946-1743, FAX 914-946-0796 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 All Phases of Golf Course Construction David Griffin 914-576-7693 f t Earth Works, Inc. 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. f t Shemin Nurseries Inc. ) Stephen Kay/Ron Turek/D oug Smith 495 New Rochelle Rd., Bronxville, NY 10708 914-699-4437 f t Steven Willand, Inc. Bruce Pye 23 Route 206, Augusta, NJ 07822 201-579-5656 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 TBS Maintenance and Improvement Tony Bettino: 914-949-3362 Black Top, Stone Work, Landscaping, Excavation 102 Fulton St., White Plains, NY 10606 f t Greenacres Company 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 James Carriere & Sons, Inc. f t Tee and Green Sod Owen Regan/David Wallace P.O. Box 418, Exeter, RI 02822 401-789-8177 f t The Cardinals, Inc. John E. Callahan 166 River Rd., Unionville, CT 06085 860-673-3699 Bill and Joe Carriere 7 Cottage St., Port Chester, NY 10573 914-937-2136 f t LESCO, Inc. f t The Scotts Company Tom Marmelstein Fertilizer, Fungicide, Growth Regulators 516-679-1961 Seed, Fertilizer, Control Products, Equipment Greg Moran: 914-331-4869 800-321-5325 Long Island Compost Corp. Jeff Frank Screened Compost, Blackgold Divot Mix, Topsoil 516-878-0652 f t Metro Milorganite Inc. f t The Terre Company o f New Jersey, Inc. Byron Johnson Jr. 206 Delawanna Ave., Clifton, NJ 07014 Office: 201-473-3393 Home: 203-748-5069 f t TurfNet Associates, Inc. Peter L. McCormick 21 Brandywine Rd., Skillman, NJ 08558 800-314-7929, FAX 908-359-3389 Rick Apgar/Scott Apgar/Joe Stahl 365 Adams St., Bedford Hills, NY 10507 914-666-3171, FAX 914-666-9183 M ontco/Surf-Side/Zap! Defoamer Bob Oechsle/Tom Hunter Box 404, Ambler, PA 19002 800-401-0411 f t Partac G olf Course Top-Dressing 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 Turf Products Corporation Ernie Rizzio/Buddy Rizzio 47 Howell Rd., Box 296, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 201-263-1234, FAX 201-335-2491 Kelsey Park, Great Meadows, NJ 07838 Jim Kelsey: 800-247-2326/908-637-4191 Bill and Joe Carriere: 914-937-2136 P.I.E. Supply Company Chris Weimann 243 W oodmont Rd., Milford, CT 06460 203-878-0658 f t Pro-Lawn Products, Inc. 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. John Apple/Ray Beaudry Meadow St., Goldens Bridge, NY 10526 914-232-7746 Turf & Ornamental Products Richard Cooke, 914-883-5881 Mike Dukette, 203-684-6242 f t Rhone-Poulenc C o./C H IPC O f t Westchester Turf Supply, Inc. Bob Lippman Sr./Bob Lippman Jr. P.O. Box 198, Lincolndale, NY 10540 Office: 914-248-7476 Mobile: 914-649-0303 Greg Hutch 877 Yellowbank Rd., Toms River, NJ 08753 908-929-4657 f t Robert Baker Company/Winfield Nursery, Inc. 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 Horticultural-Irrigation Supplies Jim Hespe: 203-531-7352 1081 King St., Greenwich, CT 06831 f t Stephen Kay, G olf Course Architects Glenn S. Moore 98 Hackgreen Rd., Pound Ridge, NY 10576 914-764-4348 Bruce T. Moore Sr., CCLP 246 Selleck St., Stamford, CT 06902 203-316-5433 Tee to Green June 1i 65 Glenn St., Lawrence, MA 01843 21 E. Dudley Town Rd., Bloomfield, CT 06662 800-999-TURF Donald Tiedemann 100 Calvert St., Harrison, NY 10528 914-835-3801 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 'fr White Contractors Golf Course Construction & Ren; P.O. Box 484, Old Greenwich, C James E. Morris Jr.: 203-869-8801 * Wilfred MacDonald, Inc. Chris Santopietro 2 Terminal Rd., Lyndhurst, NJ 0' 201-804-1000 BEARD COLLECTIF f t Denotes M etGCS.A membe ;