President's Message Building Goodwill at Work It Can Be Tour Key to Success tories about superintendents’ experiences with club relations run the gamut. Some good, some miserably bad. When I say club relations, I ’m talking about the relationship between the superinten­ dent and the manager, golf pro, comptroller, etc. As hard as it may be for superintendents to devote the time and effort necessary to developing healthy working relationships with golf and clubhouse staff, I can’t emphasize how well spent that time can be. Not only will it make your working environment more pleasant, but also benefit your entire operation— some­ times in ways you may not even recognize. Let’s face it, when you’re well liked, people are more apt to go to bat for you— whether it’s for a new piece o f equipment, a bigger operating budget, or a state-of-the-art maintenance facility. And just as important, they’ll tend to give you the benefit o f the doubt— and even behind-the-scenes support— during those times that the course looks less than perfect . . . and it happens to the best o f us. I ’ve tried to maintain what I ’ll call a working friendship with my coworkers, giving them the respect and consider­ ation they deserve. In return, I feel I ’ve earned the same. (continued on page 2) S Special Feature Read All About It! . . . GCSAA Chapter Relations Delegates Endorse Dues Increase . . . and More he Fourth Annual GCSAA Chap­ ter Relations Meeting presented a jam-packed agenda for the 88 chapter delegates who convened at GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, KS, on September 7 and 8. Discussions centered on everything from dues increases and new membership stan­ dards to disheartening Code o f Ethics violations. It also included an opportu­ nity to meet the candidates up for elec­ tion to the GCSAA board at the Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. What follows is MetGCSA Chapter Delegate Tim O ’Neill’s account o f each o f the major issues up for vote, debate— or just friendly discussion. T have held steady at $210 annually for the past six years. The result: As GCSAA has offered more services and programs, the bottom line has grown increasingly thinner. In 1997, for instance, expenditures are set at $ 1 4 ,8 3 4 ,0 0 0 , with excess revenues expected to be $ 3 0 0,000. Without a dues increase, excess rev­ enues for fiscal year 1998 are expected to plummet to $133,000. The proposed 2 0 -percent increase would bring the annual dues to about $250. With a continued 8 -percent growth rate, that would bring the bottom line toward a more reasonable $60 0 ,0 0 0 . Dues Due to Go Up The delegation overwhelmingly en­ dorsed a 20-percent dues increase, which will likely be brought before the membership at next year’s Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. Dues for Class A and B members New Membership Standards on the Horizon New members may soon be required to meet minimum skill and educational standards before being granted GCSAA membership. Not unlike the voluntary standards GCSAA has set for (continued on page 4) Also in This Issue (2 ) Upcoming Events ( 3) A Call for Nominations . . . to Green Wants You— and Your Brain Power (5) Benefits of Serving on a GCSAA Committee ® Gerry Kunkel Hosts Pine Hollow Meeting Inside Look at Old Westbury and (D Meeting Host Phil Anderson © Bill Caputi Scholarship Winners and Other Member Notables © Are Our Trees at Risk? President's Message (cont. from pg. 1) Building Goodwill at Work Admittedly, developing good working relationships isn’t always easy. Everyone’s work styles and tempera­ ments are rarely in sync. It takes hard work and sometimes lots o f compro­ mise to make things run smoothly. But I ’ve found if everyone does their part, offering help when they can— and only the most constructive o f criticism— most o f those troublesome interper­ sonal problems can be avoided. Two other tenets I live by: Think before you act or speak; then nothing has to be smoothed over. Never burn your bridges. I f you take the time to build a cadre o f strong allies— and avoid alienating anyone—you’re more likely to feel good about your job and club, and they’ll feel even better about you. Note About Nominations As you’ll see on page 3, we’re looking for nominations for the Sherwood A. Moore Award and the John Reid Lifetime Achievement Award. These awards will be presented at the Winter Seminar in January. Not mentioned anywhere, however, is that we’re also looking for people who might be interested in serving on the Met Board o f Directors. Please contact Nominating Committee Chairmen Peter Rappoccio or Mike Maffei if you’re interested. New ideas and faces are always welcome. JO H N J. O ’K EEFE President President JOHN O’KEEFE, CGCS Preakness Hills Country Club Vice President EARLM ILLETT 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 Upcoming Events W ILLIAM HEINTZ Hampshire Country Club DAVID MAHONEY Siwanoy Country Club DENNIS PETRUZZELLI, CGCS Meeting Reminder! Educational Events cont. Lakeover National Golf Club DAVID POLIDOR Annual Meeting Tuesday, November 19 Powelton Club, Newburgh, NY Host Superintendent: Bob DeMarco Developing Your Hazard Communication Program New Rochelle, NY Thursday, November 21 Co-hosted by the MetGCSA. St. Andrew’s Country Club RAY BEAUDRY Westchester Ford Tractor Executive Secretary INEKE PIERPOINT Educational Events Rhode Island Turfgrass Show and Conference NYSTA Turf and Grounds Exposition Tuesday - Friday, November 1 2 -1 5 Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, NY For further information, call 800-873-TURF. Tuesday - Thursday, December 3 - 5 Providence, Rl For further information, call 401-847-7666. NYSTA Service School TONY GRASSO 914-242-0706 914-949-0375 PANDORA C.W OJICK Editorial Committee MetGCSA Christmas Party Plant Nutrition and Fertilizers Monday-Tuesday, November 1 8 -1 9 Long Island, NY Co-hosted by the Long Island GCSA. Editors DENNIS PETRUZZELLI Managing Editor 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. Two GCSAA Educational Seminars Tee to Green Staff Saturday, December 7 Old Oaks Country Club Host Superintendent: Mark Millett Mark your calendar now for this festive holiday event! SCOTT APGAR MIKE COOK PAUL GONZALEZ PAT LUCAS TIM MOORE BOB NIELSEN TIM O’NEILL BILL PERLEE STEVE RENZETTI 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 (2 ) Tee to Green October 1996 Info Alert! We Need Your Nominations! LEGACY S E R I E S he Awards Committee is looking for nominations for two o f our most prestigious awards: The John Reid Lifetime Achievement Award and the Sherwood A. Moore Award. Initiated in 1986, the John Reid Life­ time Achievement Award is presented to a metropolitan area resident “who has demonstrated a knowledge o f—and commitment to— the game o f golf and the science o f golf course management.” Past Reid Award winners are Dr. Richard Skogley, Arthur Weber, Jim McLoughlin, Frank Hannigan, Geoffrey Cornish, Dr. Haruo Tashiro, Dr. Ralph Engel, Ken Venturi, Al Radico, and T Guido Cribari. The Sherwood A. Moore Award is reserved for a superintendent who has “advanced the professional image, status, and reputation o f the golf course superintendent.” On the growing list o f Moore Award recipients is Mike Maffei, Ted Jozwick, Bob Alonzi, James Fulwider, Bruno Vadala, Ed Horton, and Sherwood Moore, himself. T he Awards Com m ittee needs your nom inations by November 1! So hurry and contact Awards Committee Chair­ man Joe Alonzi or any o f the other Awards Committee members with your list o f candidates. IRRIGATION Q^/ood Things Start O ut Right! Legacy products are built to go the dis­ tance, especially the new Electric VIH Models of sprinklers for large turf areas; 70E , 7 5 E and 9 0 E /9 5 E . They come with a 5-year warranty and include the follow­ ing features: 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 “ 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 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 “ 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 Tee to Green Wants You! . . . ow that year-end is fast approaching, the Communications Committee is, once again, looking for able-bodied contributors to the Tee to Green. Join the com­ mittee— the more the merrier— or help us by simply penning an article or two. For your contributions and efforts, you— and hopefully your club manager or green chairman— will see your name in print, earning you career-enhancing recogni­ tion. Intrigued? Contact Committee Co-Chairmen Dennis Petruzzelli or Tony Grasso with article ideas or your interest in serving on the committee. N f Model 70E rModel 90E/95E #• Main Office: 243 Woodmont Road • P.O. Box 3049 Milford. CT 06460 • (203) 878-0658 ÏÏHIIIPI E. SUPPLY CO. I M PIPE & IRRIGATION feiffllll EQUIPMENT SUPPLY COMPANY 6 Buckner O 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, even a four-foot wide washed roll! or a bunker surround, we have a blend Give us a call for information about our selection of products, and our unique that fits your needs. We understand the variety of harvesting and washing techniques. problems you face because we have •Bentgrass spent a great deal of time listening to •Bluegrass golf course superintendents. As a •Washed sod result, Tee & Green Sod offers the •Bluegrass-Ryegrass most complete product line •Bluegrass-Fine Fescue -INCO RPO RATED 401/789-8177 • 401/789-3895 (fax) • PO Box 418, Exeter, RI 02822 Special Feature (cont. 1) GCSAA Chapter Relations Delegates Endorse Dues Increase . . . and More becoming certified, these new require­ ments will be designed to elevate the superintendents’ professionalism and, ultimately, their image— both at their club and in the community. Some o f the standards discussed involved formal and continuing educa­ tion, professional development, service on local chapters, community service, and publishing articles. A resource group will be formed to research and develop these standards, which could be on the drawing board for up to seven years before being ready for membership vote. Assistant Superintendent Classification Revisited A new bylaw passed last year cut dues in half for Class C assistant superinten­ dents but took away their right to vote. Some career assistants were so unhappy about losing their right to vote on association issues that the delegates recommended creating the following two assistant classes: • One class would be for assistants with less than three years’ experience; they would continue to pay half dues and not vote. • Another class would be for assistants with more than three years’ experience; this class would have their voting rights restored but pay the same dues as superintendents. Assistants with more than three years’ experience would have the right to choose which o f the two classes they want to join. The Standards and Bylaws Commit­ tee will determine whether a bylaw amendment adding a second assistant classification should be brought before the Annual Meeting. Chapter Affiliation Update In reviewing the chapters’ status in the affiliation process, it’s clear that the MetGCSA is farther along in meeting the requirements than many other chapters nationwide. W e’ve obtained adequate D & O (directors and officers) and liability insurance, attained tax- ( 4) Tee to Green October 1996 exempt status, become incorporated, and put an annual reporting system in place for outlining such things as association activities, current officers, and an up-to-date membership roster. The only requirement that hasn’t been met is to revise our bylaws so that they conform to GCSAA’s. Already near completion, these revisions will be presented for membership approval at our Annual Meeting in November. As the January 1, 1997 deadline approaches, GCSAA will be working closely with chapters that need assis­ tance in meeting any o f the affiliation agreement requirements. Surprising Code of Ethics Violations False claims o f membership and certifi­ cation status were among the Code o f Ethics violations reported to GCSAA this past year. As a result, GCSAA plans to use Newsline and other communica­ tions tools to increase awareness o f these types o f violations and discuss proper procedures for dealing with and reporting any unethical behavior. When developing membership standards, the resource committee may also build in a requirement for demon­ strating a thorough understanding o f proper conduct. Chapter Cooperative Research Program Criteria Reconsidered The Cooperative Research Program is designed to assist affiliated chapters in funding worthwhile local research projects. At present, however, only those chapters that are Golden Tee or Platinum Tee Club members are eligi­ ble to receive assistance, with Golden Tees eligible for $2 ,0 0 0 toward an approved project and Platinum Tee Club members eligible for $ 1 0,000. Both figures represent twice the cost o f the annual club membership. Though GCSAA acknowledges the importance o f supporting meaningful research, it will continue, for the time being, to restrict funding only to club members. Chapter Seminar Rebate Program Still Stands As part o f its commitment to support­ ing the continued education o f its members, GCSAA offers chapters a financial reward for running a wellattended regional seminar. For GCSAA, that means breaking even, at best, on its regional seminars. Despite the financial loss, the consensus at the meeting was that GCSAA should continue to “invest” in its members’ education. One-Stop Shopping for Information GCSAA is striving to gain recognition as the sole source o f information for superintendents and clubs alike throughout the nation. It is working to help employers better understand the challenges and various roles o f the superintendent and to provide superin­ tendents with the tools necessary to communicate effectively with their employers. Among the image-enhancing communications already in place is GCSAA’s “Par for the Course,” television show, which will continue in 1997. It is scheduled to air next spring on Sundays at 7:30 a.m. on ESPN. Another new resource is GCSAA’s Flome Page— http://www.gcsaa.org/ gcsaa— on the worldwide web. The information found here is designed to not only keep us better informed as superintendents, but also offer quickand-easy access to the tools we need to communicate to our clubs exactly what we do— and why we do it. D on’t forget, too, that we have a Chapter Relations Department that is basically at our beck and call, working with each chapter to provide research, scholarship, education, and informa­ tional services. GCSAA is a tremendous resource for superintendents— and is always ex­ tremely responsive to any queries or requests. I challenge anyone to call GCSAA and not be satisfied with the service they receive. candidates running for office in 1997. On the docket: • President Paul McGinnis, CGCS, Moon Valley CC in Pheonix, AZ • Vice President George Renault, CGCS, Burning Tree Club in Bethesda, MD • Secretary/Treasurer David Fearis, CGCS, Blue Hills Country Club in Kansas City, MS • Secretary/Treasurer Scott Woodhead, CGCS, Valley View G olf Club in Bozeman, M T • Director Jon Maddern, CGCS, Elk Ridge G olf Course, Atlanta, M I • Director Samuel Snyder, CGCS, Meet the Candidates Meeting The delegates’ meeting culminated in an Hercules CC, Wilmington, DE • Director Mike Wallace, CGCS, Hop opportunity to listen to each o f the Silent Auction: New Conference Highlight Nearly 700 companies have donated a wide variety o f products and services for the GCSAA’s first-ever Silent Auction to be held at this year’s national confer­ ence. Designed to benefit the Robert Trent Jones Endowment Fund— which funds scholarships and scientific research in the golf course management indus­ try— this event will be open to GCSAA members and conference registrants. Watch for a description o f each o f the product offerings early in 1997— and plan to attend for some great buys. Meadow Country Club, Simsbury, C T As always, these candidates will be up for election at the Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, which will be held on Tuesday, February 11 at 8 a.m. Only two o f the three directors will be voted to the board. Aside from offering the opportunity to meet the candidates who guide our national association, attending the Annual Meeting offers an excellent chance to catch up on association business and issues. D on’t wait to read about Annual Meeting events in one o f our industry journals. Be there, and see the news in the making. T IM O ’N EILL, CGCS Country Club o f Darien Beyond Belonging: The Benefits of Serving on a GCSAA Committee raveling to Lawrence, KS, for the October 4 and 5 GCSAA Public Relations Committee meeting, I was reminded o f the many benefits o f not only belonging to our national association, but also helping to shape its future by serving on a committee. As a Public Relations Committee member, now for three years, I have had a part in the national’s attempt to elevate the professionalism and impor­ tance o f the golf course superintendent, working to promote such image­ enhancing programs as the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for both golf courses and schools and the “Par for the Course” T V segment on ESPN. Many other MetGCSA members have taken the initiative to get involved nationally. Among those currently serving on committees are: • Bob Alonzi, Election • John Carlone, Education • Les Kennedy, Tournament • Patty Knaggs, Career Development T • Mel Lucas, Historical Preservation • Sherwood Moore, Historical Preservation • Scott Niven, Membership • Karl Olson, Certification • John Streeter, Scholarship • Ed Walsh, Publications and ccPar for the Course” Resource Committee Any GCSAA member is eligible to serve on a committee, though, admit­ tedly, it may take some doing. You can start by completing and sending in the GCSAA Volunteer Interest Form found on page 29B o f the 1996 GCSAA Membership Directory and Source Book or in the October issue o f GCSAA’s membership newsletter, Newsline. (The deadline is December 31.) It’s a good idea to follow that up by writing or calling the GCSAA president, who is responsible for making commit­ tee appointments— or perhaps a board member you’ve met or know well. It helps to make yourself—and your serious interest in serving— known. I f you sit and wait to hear about your committee appointment, chances are your phone will never ring. Right now, GCSAA gets more than 300 members applying for the 200 or so available committee positions, so the competi­ tion can be stiff. I f all this seems like more trouble than it’s worth, keep in mind that committee work can be tremendously rewarding, both personally and profes­ sionally. In addition to the personal satisfaction that comes from doing something positive, volunteering offers a rare opportunity to share experiences and perspectives with superintendents from around the country, gain new skills and sometimes even career­ enhancing public recognition. But don’t take it from me. Talk to the many other GCSAA committee members among our ranks. Feel free, too, to contact any one o f us with comments, suggestions, or concerns about anything regarding our committees. T IM O ’N EILL, CGCS Country Club o f Darien Tee to Green October 1996 ( 5 ) Spotlight Met and LI GCSAs Tee It Up Together at Pine Hollow fter a two-month hiatus, area golf course superintendents got back into full swing October 7 for the final round o f the Met Area Team Championship Qualifier at Pine Hollow Country Club in Long Island. Superintendent Gerry Kunkel took great pleasure in hosting this joint meeting o f the Met and Long Island association members. “In my 13 years as superintendent, dual meetings between associations have been few and far between,” says Gerry. “I believe at least one united meeting per year would be nice to give superintendents who would normally not converse with one another, due to geographic location, the chance to do so.” Gerry is a member o f both associa­ tions and has ties to the Met dating back to his years as assistant superinten­ dent at Westchester Country Club and Metropolis. He is in his fourth year as A head superintendent at Pine Hollow, after being top dog at Deepdale Golf Club from 1987 to 1992 and at Nassau Country Club for three years prior. A graduate o f UMass, Stockbridge, Winter School in 1981, Gerry also holds a Bachelors in Fine Arts (Cinema studies) from New York University and spent two years at the New York Botanical Gardens studying Arborculture. A Head for Golf Course History Born and raised in Trumbull, CT, home o f the Litde League World Series famed pitcher Ted Drury, Gerry has a spot in his heart for the New England area. He and his wife o f 23 years, Eileen, along with their children Will, 9, and Laura, 11, get away to the ski slopes o f Vermont every winter. “There are still many parts o f New England virtually untouched by big The Golf Course Superintendent's Choice. T h e Bunion Triplex G ree n sm o w e r is no ordinary reel m ower. 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 g reen sm ow er and m ore. business,” says Gerry, who adds, “After a long, tiring season o f maintaining the golf course, it’s the place to be.” Gerry is also a big hockey fan; his hockey puck paperweight and hockey drawings on his office wall by son Will are a dead giveaway. As a season ticket holder o f the New York Islanders the past few years, Gerry has seen the team in good times and, more recently, bad but vows to Rangers fans that the Islanders will soon be back in force. “Like skiing, I ’ve developed a love for the game o f hockey because it’s a winter sport— the time o f year I get to relax,” he says. “And I love to watch it snow.” Another o f Gerry’s favorite pastimes is reading— particularly about golf course history and architects. “I don’t necessarily go to association meetings just to play golf. I ’m also interested in seeing the design and strategy o f a BUNTON 22" and 26" (i REENSMOWERS W hen It com es to greens m ainte­ nance, th e Bunton 22" and 26" w alkbehind g reen sm ow ers are rapidly becom ing the industry standard. BUNTON TRIPLEX GREENSMOWER BUNTON EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY Westchester Ford Tractor, Inc. M eadow St. G old en s Bridge, NY 10526 P h o n e #: 9 1 4 -2 3 2 -7 7 4 6 (? ) Tee to Green October 1996 ill course. This year, my target was Tuxedo.” This fetish for golf course history has turned into a full-scale hobby for Gerry, who has collected an impressive library o f golf books. Topping his list o f musthaves is Mackenzie’s Spirit of Saint Andrews. But don’t expect to borrow this or any other book from Gerry’s library— unless you hand over your Visa Gold Card first. “I won’t loan them out anymore,” explains Gerry, ‘‘because they never seem to make it back.” It’s truly amazing how Gerry recites golf courses and their architects— original and restoration designers alike. “There is no other place in the world that can tout the number o f premier golf course innovators as we can here in Westchester, Fairfield, Nassau, and Suffolk counties,” he says. “From Dick Wilson to the Joneses and Travis to Emmett to Strong, it seems like every great architect has touched our area. Even Nicklaus and Arthur Hills,” he adds. “My favorite architect o f all time is Seth Raynor,” he says. “Fishers Island G olf Club is the masterpiece for which I most admire him. And please don’t leave out Tom Fazio, my favorite contemporary architect,” he adds. “Fazio has a knack for adapting golf course design to the land available to him without being overly stylized. The finished product never overtakes the quality o f the terrain by calling too much attention to itself.” A Well-Balanced Test to All Calibers of Players As for Pine Hollow, Gerry has overseen the complete renovation o f the Bill Mitchell-designed tees and bunkers his first two years on the job. “The bunkering is neat,” says Gerry, who describes them as traditional “flashed-type” bunkers with sand placed PARTAG GOLF COURSE TOP-DRESSING WmmTÊf on an inside bank o f the trap, facing the golfer, so it can be seen from a distance. Gerry feels Pine Hollow is a very fair, well-balanced test to all calibers o f players. “When Bill Mitchell designed and built the course in 1 9 5 4 ,” says Gerry, “there was no one signature hole to boast about. Today, I feel the same way. I have 18 excellent holes. No one hole is greater than another.” I f meeting goers took nothing else away from their day at Pine Hollow, Gerry hopes it might have been a new acquaintance— if not friend— or two. “I ’ve made some long-term friends on Long Island, as well as up in Westchester at past meetings,” he says. “Perhaps, new superintendents will be as fortunate. It would be great if we could make this an annual event.” SC O TT C. APGAR Metro Milorganite, Inc. 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B ox 719 H a rriso n, N.Y 1 0 5 2 8 Tel 914.576.7693 Fax 914.576.4106 Tee io Green October 1996 ( j ) Spotlight Old Westbury Golf & Country Club: A Fine Finish to the Season n October 2 4 , the MetGCSA made a return trip to Long Island — this time to the prestigious Old Westbury G olf & Country Club. Hosting the event was Superintendent Phil Anderson, who is in his sixth year at Old Westbury. I f you ask Phil how he got started in the turf business, he’ll probably tell you he’s got the “Green Industry” in his blood. “My grandfather had a horticul­ tural background,” says Phil, crediting him, in part, with his interest in “grow­ ing grass.” But equally key to his entree into the turfgrass management business was his love o f the game o f golf. “I started playing when I was 1 0 ,” he remembers, “after seeing all these kids on the high school golf team swinging their clubs in our neighborhood park.” Phil began laying the groundwork for his future in the turf business in 1976 when he entered SUNY-Farmingdale as a turfgrass management student. While pursuing his degree at Farmingdale, Phil worked at The Woodcrest Country Club in Muttontown, NY— first on the maintenance staff, then as the assistant superintendent. While at Woodcrest, Phil decided to further his education and, in 1979, enrolled in the UMass Winter Turf School. Phil’s schooling and work experience landed him his first superintendent’s job in 1985 at the Huntington Country Club, where he stayed until securing his current position at Old Westbury in the fall o f 1990. O With an Eye Toward the Environment In his tenure at Old Westbury, Phil has proved himself a true steward o f the environment, his efforts earning him the GCSAA Merit Stewardship Award last winter and his course the status o f Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctu­ ary in June o f ’95. Trending toward a naturalist, Phil has been experimenting with organic products to help improve the quality o f the turf and soils and aid in pest and disease control. “When I started at the club, it was apparent that the turf throughout the entire course was suffering from poorly developed root (D Tee to Green October 1996 systems,” he says. “It took a few years, but I finally figured out that soil toxicity was the culprit. We applied Micatrol, a special microbial material, to help break down and neutralize harmful heavy metals in the soil. It took about 60 days before we could see any improvement.” But just as important to the turn­ around o f the turf on his greens was that Phil also implemented an aggressive aerification program. He explains, “In the spring, we deep aerify with solid tines, filling the holes with organic matter so that it can filter down to the lower soil levels. Then we follow that up with two HydroJect treatments— one in July and one in August. Together, these things have really helped to strengthen the greens’ root systems.” An avid spiker, Phil also spikes and seeds his greens every two weeks during the growing season to continually enhance the turf. Also laudable is Phil’s unique com ­ posting program that includes not only the club’s usable wastes, but also the Village o f Old Westbury’s. And there’s more. . . . Phil’s imple­ mented a successful bentgrass conver­ sion program: “I ’d say we’re about 70 percent bentgrass on greens and tees and 40 percent on fairways after five years.” And he’s rebuilt—with in-house labor— 12 tees and the driving range and reconstructed a pond at the club­ house, adding a liner. Personally Speaking Phil and his wife, Karen, o f 17 years have four children: Douglas, 12; Johnathan, 10; Kevin, 7; and Sarah, 5. A sports enthusiast, Phil enjoys a good round o f golf (when he can find it); he coaches youth soccer and is a selfprofessed softball fanatic. He played on three teams this year and has been more than happy to watch his boys play ball— on their traveling baseball teams. When he’s not wielding a club or bat, Phil is likely to be swinging a hammer. Known to close friends as “The Tool Man” or “McGyver,” he takes great pleasure in “tearing down and repairing things”— often just to see how they work. A Master Plan for the Future What’s down the pike at Old Westbury? “An aggressive master plan is on the table for membership vote soon,” says Phil. Drawn up by G olf Course Archi­ tect Gil Hanse, the five-year plan in­ cludes rebuilding and improving all 27 greens to increase vigor, playability, and cupping area; renovating the remaining tees and all the bunkers; and recontour­ ing several o f the fairways. A drainage plan is proposed to eliminate trouble­ some wet areas, and with the help o f irrigation consultant Jim Barrett, they’ve also mapped out improvements to their current system, which will include individual sprinkler head control to maximize water efficiency and flexibility. From the sounds o f it, if the plan goes through, Phil will be one busy man. But then, knowing Phil, he probably wouldn’t have it any other way. D EN N IS P E T R U Z Z E L L I, CGCS Lakeover National G olf Club SAVA TEE 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. C O M PLETE TREE A ND SHRUB CARE, NATURALLY 360 Adams Street, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 (914) 666-8202 • (203) 66 1 -6 7 5 5 SOD SEED FERTILIZER PAVERS WALLS METRO MILORGANITE, INC. Metro Milorganite Inc. DEPEND ON US FOR FOUR S EA SO N S O L U T IO N S (9 1 4 ) 6 6 6 -3 1 7 1 Fax (9 1 4 ) 6 6 6 -9 1 8 3 3 6 5 A dam s S tre e t, Bedford H ills, NY 1 0 5 0 7 For a HEALTHY ADVANTAGE over SEASONAL PROBLEMS WE OFFER a WINNING LINE-UP e