Published by lie Metropolitan (¡«I! Orarse Superintendents Association President T IM O T H Y M O O R E Knollwood Country Club Vice President DAVID M A H O N E Y Siwanoy Country Club Treasurer W ILLIAM H E IN T Z Centennial Golf Club Cover: Westchester Country Club Secretary M A T T H E W CEPLO, C G C S Rockland Country Club Past President JO H N C A R L O N E , C G C S The Meadow Brook Club SEAN C A IN Sunningdale Country Club A N T H O N Y G IR A R D I, C G C S Rockrimmon Country Club T H O M A S LEAHY Sleepy Hollow Country Club E R IC O ’NEILL Scarsdale Golf Club G L EN N PERRY, C G C S Rolling Hills Country Club JEFFR EY W ELD Bayer Corporation JEFFR EY W E N T W O R T H Pelham Country Club G R E G O R Y W O JIC K , C G C S Greenwich Country Club Executive Secretary INEKE P IE R P O IN T Tee to Green M GLENN PERRY . 203-762-9484 Editors GREG WOJICK ! 203-869-1000, ext. 253 Managing Editor Getting a Bigger Piece o f the Budget P ie ...... Getting What You Budget For, by Glen Dube PANDORA C. WOJICK Editorial Committee PAUL BOYD GLEN DUBE CHIP LAFFERTY SCOTT NIVEN i ERIC O ’NEILL TIM O ’NEILL BILL PERLEE Designer Scorecard................ Photographer M ember News ...... TERRIE DUNKELBERGER BILL PERLEE Advertising Manager GREG WOJICK, 203-869-1000, ext. 253 Advisory Board I JOEALONZI JON JENNINGS I TIM M OORE ! PAT SISK STEVE CADENELLI PAT LUCAS DENNIS PETRUZELLI JOHN STREETER TEE TO GREEN is published bimonthly by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association 49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, NY 10523-2819 k 914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437, METGCSA.ORG | , Copyright © 2002 :M | Spotlights................ U pcom ing Events inally, some decent weather! Although this fall has been unusually warm with below-average rainfall, it’s pro­ vided both the turf and us with a muchneeded break and time to recover from the summer’s stress. This year, even our fall aerification practice proved to be a chal­ lenge. This is the first time I can remem­ ber aerifying after Labor Day in 90-plus degree temperatures with very low humidity. You talk about w ilt... let me tell you, I can remember asking myself, “Do you really think this is going to help?” I guess the person who said, “time heals all wounds” was actually a golf course super­ intendent who aerified under these condi­ tions. Enough is enough. Lessons Learned If there’s anything good to say about this season, it’s that it has provided us with some valuable—though tough—learning experiences. Many of us struggled with— and survived—a litany of diseases, insects, and water sup­ ply problems. I could see sharing our lessons learned—what went wrong and what went right—in a roundtable discussion at one of our upcoming meetings. I think this would be a great educational program, and in fact, I wouldn’t be sur­ prised if we saw this kind of topic covered this winter at other chap­ ters’ educational c o n fe re n c e s and seminars. A Special Thank You Speaking of our summer, I’d like to thank the numerous Affiliate members who so generously contributed to our Summer Social at Woodway Beach Club. Without their support, we could not have had such Tim Moore MetGCSA President a wonderful event. As a show of thanks, we’ve listed their names on page 9 of this issue. We encourage you to think of them when a need for their services arises. I would also like to personally thank our Affiliate representative on the board, Jeff Weld, for his fund-raising efforts. A job well done. 0 Come All Ye Faiihiul As we’ve moved through the season, it’s nice to see that the attendance at our meet­ ings is up. The Superintendent/Green Chairman tourney at Bedford Golf & Tennis, the assistant’s tourney at Greenwich Country Club, and our final golf meeting at Westchester were all exceptionally well attended. Let’s keep the trend going for our annual Christmas party, which has been booked for a repeat performance at Brae Burn County Club on Saturday, December 14. Join fel­ low supers for an evening of dinner, danc­ ing, and all the usual fun and games— as well as a few surprises that Jeff Wentworth and the Social Committee have cooked up. continued on page 13 Tee to Green September/October 2002 feature b image».. ’ ll1 A Formula for Success m *II : ver wonder why Mr. Extravagant down the road gets everything he asks for while even your m ost conservative budget proposals get m odified beyond recognition? The problem ’s usually not so m uch what you ask for but how you state your case. Here’s a step-by-step m ethod that’ll help you not only organ­ ize your facts and figures, but also present your budget in a way that’ll make it seem as though you’re doing your club a favor. Strategy for Success Tee to Green September/October 2002 A winning budget proposal contains five key elements: 1. A shared objective statement 2. A preview o f the proposal 3. A list o f key assumptions 4. The actual proposition 5. An alternative strategy R em em ber the acronym OPAPA, and you’ll have the steps m em orized. At-a-GIance Guide to Presenting Your Budget 1. Shared Objective Statement Begin your proposal by stating what you intend to accomplish and when. Equally, if not more, important: Be sure to link the objectives of your budget request to club goals rather than personal or departmental goals. Sample Shared Objective Statement. . . To provide the membership with fairway conditions that match the ex­ cellent conditions of our tees, we plan next year to begin intensively grooming our fairway turf.” 2. Preview You’ve told management what you’d like to accomplish; now’s the time to outline how you plan to go about it. Cover the costs and potential benefits of your plan, but don’t get bogged down with too many details at this point. For example . . . “Improving our fairway turf by purchasing new equipment and upping my payroll and seed, fertilizer, and pesticide budget assumes that the weather will cooperate in providing the conditions necessary for good germina­ tion and turf growth.” A statement of key assumptions helps both you and your green committee iden­ tify and calculate the risks associated with your strategy. 4. Proposition Here’s where you give the step-by-step plan for achieving the objective you outlined in your preview statement. To make sure your proposition is as complete as possible, ask yourself these five “whats”: • What resources (people, equipment, sup­ plies, etc.) will I need to implement the plan? • What steps or sequence of events are nec­ essary to carry it out? • What is my timetable? • What are the costs involved? • What are the benejits to the club? Sample Proposition . . . “So to achieve our objective, we’ll purchase three new fairway mowers at a cost of $100,000, a new fairway aerator for $35,000, and we’ll intensify the actual grooming procedures, which will require an additional $25,000 for seed, fertilizer, and pesticides. “I could have the equipment by the spring, and we could begin renovating the fairways in the early part of the season. “The total cost, including additional labor, for carrying out this plan is roughly $200,000. And within two years, our fair­ These are the variables outside your control ways will look just as good—and play just as that can affect your ability to achieve your well—as our tees, if not better.” objectives, particularly at the cost you’ve estimated. Sample Preview . . . “Matching the maintenance intensity—and conditions— of our tees will require that I buy some new equipment. I’ll need a new fleet of fairway mowers, which will run about $100,000, and a new fairway aerator for $35,000. I’ve also calculated that I will need to increase my seed, fertilizer, and pes­ ticide budget by about 25 percent and my payroll by 15 percent to cover added labor costs.” 3. Key Assumptions Shared Objective Statem ent • links your objectives to club goals • states what you intend to accom­ plish and when Preview • proposed strategy • cost (an overview) • benefits to the club Key Assum ptions • variables outside your control that can affect your ability to achieve your objectives Proposition • resources • steps/sequences • timetable • costs (detailed breakdown) • benefits A lternative Strategies • other ways to accomplish the same goals 5. Alternative Strategies No need for much detail here. The main purpose in presenting alternatives is to show that you’ve been open-minded and thor­ ough in considering other ways to accom­ plish the same goals. Sample Alternative Strategy . . . “If money is an issue, one alternative would be to lease the equipment, rather than buy it outright. Though in the end the equipment would actually end up costing the club more money, leasing would soften the initial outlay of money. Iteyond the Battle of the Budget The OPAPA strategy works in letters, speeches, policy recommendations—virtu­ ally any situation that requires an ounce of persuasion. Its central tenet bears repeating: State clearly what you want and why every­ one will benefit from your actions, and chances are good you’ll get the backing you need. Tee to Green September/October 2 0 0 2 Getting What You Budget For Real-life Budgets From Five Real-life Superintendents by Glen Dube tter the words “My budget for last year was . . and you’ve got every golf course superintendent’s attention. There’s noth­ ing m ore intriguing to turf managers than knowing how m uch m oney their colleagues have to spend on equipm ent, m aintenance, and labor. The problem is that just knowing that figure w on’t get you a bigger budget. More helpful is knowing how these supers lobby for— and win— the funds they want and need. 4 ) Tee to Green September /October 2 0 0 2 We took it upon ourselves to speak to a handful of area superintend­ ents—from traditional private to daily-fee public—about how they not only secure a satisfac­ tory budget, but also how their budget process and implementa­ tion actually works. You might just find a few words of wisdom that you can apply to your quest for a bigger and better budget. Here’s what they had to say.... Arik Carlson, The Patterson Club Traditional Private Club Our calendar year begins when you might expect: January 1. But we begin our budget process in August, with the first draft due the day after Labor Day. In reality, I sell the budget all year long. We discuss future projects at our monthly meetings, and as the season goes on, the committee ranks them in order of priority. It’s my job to prepare a budget for the golf course and beautification, as well as capital equipment and proj­ ects. Also factored in are labor and operating expenses. Once drafted, the budget is sub­ jected to the scrutiny of our green committee. Then a presentation is made to the finance committee, and the finance committee makes recom­ mendations to the board. I’ve found that when you educate your membership and committee with as much information as humanly possible, they’re more willing to grant you additional funds. For example, if we have some problem areas on the golf course—poor drainage, for instance—we may discuss that at a meeting. If it’s determined to be a priority, I gather information, showing them the positives and/or negatives, and I determine the cost of the improvement. The toughest sell I had to make was our bunker renovation project. It took six years to finally get membership approval. I think what might have finally done the trick was three weeks before the project was up for vote, we began collecting—and displaying by the first tee—the rocks we raked from the bunkers each day. We’d update a sign daily explaining how many day’s worth of rocks we’d collected. By the end of the three weeks, we had piled up three cart loads of rocks. Lo and behold, the bunker renovation work passed with flying colors. We operate from a zero-based con­ dition, which means we assess existing line items and projects as if they were new ones. I have 35 line items for operating expenses and too many for labor—a total of seven: straight time, OT premium, pension, hospitalization/dental, payroll taxes, disability/life insurance, and workers compensation, none of which I can adjust. Zero-based budgeting is a lengthy process, but it has its advantages. If the committee wants to cut back in a certain area, for instance, you can put the ball in their court to determine what job or project they would like to sacrifice. I then, in turn, tell them what the decrease will do to the playability or condition of the course. But generally, as long as you explain what it is you need and how it will benefit the mem­ bership, they’re much less likely to decrease your budget. Another tool that I find rather useful is surveys. You just have to proceed with caution because when comparing another club’s budget to yours, it’s not always apples to apples. Some clubs don’t have as many line items, or taxes and benefits may not be included. I also try to point out that each club is different in its expectations, topogra­ phy, and areas maintained. Peter Rappoccio, CGCS Silver Spring Country Club Traditional Private Club I generally start putting together my budget on October 1, and have it up and running on January l.We have two separate budgets: a capital budget for equipment and improvements that is funded by initiation fees and an operat­ ing budget for the day-to-day mainte­ nance of our facility that is dues based. My first step is to secure all bids for capital items, such as equipment and property improvements. I put a total operating budget together based on the guidelines and percentage increase set by the finance committee. Working within those parameters, I propose staff wage and salary increases. I make sure I have complete justifica­ tion for all the numbers. I survey area clubs for salaries of key people and have those numbers ready when justifying increases I have suggested for our full­ time staff. The finance committee generally suggests a percentage increase for employees—usually not below 4 per­ cent. If an employee has done an exceptionally good job, I gener/ reward him a higher Christ­ mas bonus and a slightly higher percentage increase than sug­ gested. Not all employees will receive the suggested percentage increase; raises are based on merit. Surveys from area clubs provide a good baseline. You do, however, have to point out that no two clubs are the same. The makeup of the grounds, the conditions desired by the membership, living expenses for staff in your area can have a huge effect on the bottom line. In the end, you need to present and sell what’s right for your membership. After I’ve gathered all my numbers, 1 present them to my green chairman. I make any adjustments or additions he suggests and then present the capital and operating budgets to the GM, finance committee, and the executive committee—in that order. I have 25 line items in my budget. If a line item is heading over budget, I jus­ tify the added expense. As long as the bottom line is at budget, I have some flexibility. As far as making budget cuts during the season, I’ve never had to. When these talks have taken place, either dur­ ing the budget process or the growing season, I have numbers ready for all maintenance procedures. I track all labor hours for each procedure using Golf Course Maintenance software. I present all these figures to the club and ask them to tell me what maintenance procedures they would like to cut. Cuts are their decision and are on record. If there are certain items that will require major increases in the following year’s budget or if there is a new pro­ gram I’d like to try next year, I let the “important” people know before the Tee to Green September/October 2 0 0 2 budget goes to committee. If I can prove that a new program or piece of equipment will improve the facility or is cost effective, I usually get it. Its essential, I’ve found, to back up your numbers; numbers need to make business sense to business people. One of the most interesting equip­ ment purchases I had approved was for my greens rollers. I demo’ed a roller unit and rolled the practice green and number one green. Then I parked the roller by the practice green for a few hours. It was amazing how fast the greens were perceived to be that day. Word got around the club, and at budget time, the rollers were an easy sell. The most valuable lesson I learned? Be prepared with justification for everything, no matter how small the line item is. Remember that there is no such thing as a stupid question from a club committee. Don’t try to hide any­ thing. Let the numbers you present speak to the goals you have for the facility. Jason Ziesmer Minisceongo Golf Club Private Club, Single Owner who owns a golf management company that operates Minisceongo and otherfacilities My budget process begins in Septem­ ber. My first draft is due by the end of October. Using the format I’m given from upper management, I input my projections for the upcoming year. Our budget is all-inclusive: operat­ ing, equipment, and capital improve­ ments. I prepare the budget and review it with the general manager. Then I present it to the director of operations. From there, it goes to the company finance director for final approval. 3 Tee to Green September/October 2 0 0 2 to the same policies as all the other clubs. So if the company decides to make they’re made across the The mostvaluable lessonboard. I cutbacks, Because every golf course is dif­ ferent and has, sometimes, distinctly learned? Be prepared with different agronomic needs, these blan­ justification for everything, ket decisions can prove challenging. One of the unique needs we have at no matter how small our club is the pH of our irrigation the line item is. water. It’s 8.2. With a pH that high, our water reduces the efficacy of pesti­ - Peter Rappoccio cides and fertilizers, which means we have to apply more materials, more I have 32 line items in my budget. I often. I’ve suggested to management that can always adjust any line item, keeping we purchase The Aqua S02 Sulfur in mind that the bottom line is the most Burner. In addition to explaining how important number to consider. One of the burner would benefit course con­ my line items is my labor budget. ditions, I detailed how much we would Across-the-board payroll increases are save in fertilizer and pesticide costs and justified by a cost-of-living increase of 2 when the burner would actually pay for to 3 percent. Individual raises are based itself. I’m hoping to get the go-ahead on performance and reliability. on the burner this year. The main part of my budget is pretty In the end, I’ve found it pays to do cut and dry. I begin to “sell” desired your homework and to have clear evi­ budget items when deviations are made dence of your needs. Running demo from the previous year’s budget. The days or presenting maintenance reports best way I have found to “show and are also practices I’ve found helpful in sell” my budget is to gather all the nec­ budget negotiations. essary facts and figures to support my proposal and secure the general man­ ager’s backing. When I’m asked to cut back on Blake Halderman selected budget items, I list a typical Trump National Golf Club month and all the jobs that need to be Private Club, Single Owner completed, including labor hours. I then compare the list with budgeted My budget period is the calendar year. hours and work with the GM to make a I start working on the budget for the next year sometime in October. I do decision on what to cut back on. The biggest challenge I’ve had the maintenance budget exclusively. I relates to the fact that we’re a single have 34 line items, including four from owner club that is run by a golf man­ the payroll section. The line items are flexible. I adjust agement company which operates them according to what makes sense numerous other clubs. for the bottom line. I’m not sure how Not only does this mean we’re fre­ we are going to incorporate the budg­ quently compared to other clubs in the ets for the pool, tennis, and housing owner’s portfolio, but we’re also subject The key tosuccess in every budget request is quite simple, really. Provide strong evidence of the need for what you want, and your request will, more likely than not, be tough to refuse. - Glen Dube areas, since they’re not completed yet. Because we are a single-owner club, I don’t have to make presentations to a board or to committee members. I dis­ cuss any issues with the general man­ ager. If I need to “sell” the owner or the GM on a particular idea or product, I do a couple of things. One tack is to physically take the owner or GM onto the golf course. If I’m walking the course with the owner, I’ll bring up the idea I am trying to sell and explain its financial and/or aes­ thetic benefit. Sometimes I’ll get a yes, sometimes a no, and other times the owner will like the idea but will want to wait until the next year. I also rely on showcasing other area courses’ successes to justify an expense. For example, take topdressing fairways. This is a costly process, so it’s worth everyone’s while—my GM and the owner—to come with me to a course that does this on a consistent basis. That way, they can see firsthand the benefits of this procedure, and they’re more likely to approve the expense, if for no other reason than to keep pace with the “competition.” In all this, too, I find it’s important to point out how an added expense can benefit them personally. In this case, more topdressing may result in less aeri­ fication. That means fewer interrup­ tions in play and fewer complaints by the members to the GM about course conditions. And as an added bonus, the club will be able to dramatically reduce the cost of aerification. Another technique I use: informal surveys of area clubs. This works for some things and not so well for others. When I’m trying to determine payroll increases, I simply survey other courses in my area to make sure we’re competi­ tive. In my sample, I try to include only those that represent the kind of club we are. Just like comparing real estate prices, the comparisons need to be as similar as possible, taking into consideration such things as the focus of the club, number of rounds, type of turfgrass, acreage of highly maintained vs. natural turf. . . . the list goes on. The problem I have with comparing budgets is that no two clubs have them set up exactly the same. Someone with an impressive-sounding budget may actually have the same cash available as you do for course maintenance. It’s just that their budget may also include such items as irrigation water, electricity, equipment leases, building repairs, and housing costs. I told my GM that I don’t care if my budget is $800,000 or $2 mil­ lion. The only thing that matters to me is the amount of money that goes directly toward golf course conditioning. Glen Dube Oak Hills Park Golf Course Public, Daily Fee Course, governed by the Oak Hills Park Authority, which leases the property from the City of Norwalk I start my budget process around April 1. We operate around the City of Nor­ walk’s fiscal year, which begins on Jufy 1. Initially, the operations manager sets the budget for the year, which includes 25 line items. Unlike many clubs, pay­ roll, insurance, and workers comp are not part of my line item budget. The operations manager deals with that. I’m allocated X amount of dollars per year, and as long as I don’t exceed the bottom line, I have some latitude to juggle the line items a bit. If I think my budget is too low, I flash all the neces­ sary data in front of the operations man­ ager to justify why I need additional funds. From there, the budget goes to the city finance director for a quick check and then to the Authority for final approval. A few months before the new budget period is the time I try to discuss any equipment replacement or capital project. I speak to a few Authority members and confer with the opera­ tions manager to try to “sell” the idea to them. I find it helpful to bring Authority members to the maintenance facility and show them the piece of equipment that needs to be replaced. I might also have on hand a demo piece of equip­ ment to show them precisely how it could improve conditions. By far the hardest sell I had to make to the Authority was our new irrigation system. The system was literally rotting in the ground. I pleaded for two years to get a new one, explaining just how important it was to course conditions. But it wasn’t until I brought the cor­ roded galvanized pipefittings to a meet­ ing one night that I got their attention. One year later, we installed a new system, and after the summer we had, there’s no question in the Authority’s mind that they made a good investment. The key to success in every budget request is quite simple, really. Provide strong evidence of the need for what you want, and your request will, more likely than not, be tough to refuse. Besides being the superintendent at Oak Hills Park Golf Course in Norwalk, CT, Glen Dube is a member of the Tee to Green editorial committee. Tee to Green September/October 2 0 0 2 Assistant supers were treated to a perfect day of golf, dinner, and prizes while competing in the Assistants Championship at Greenwich Country Club on October 3. The exceptionally conditioned course seemed easy on the card but yielded no low scores. The winning team of Chris Donato and Pat Knelly of Silver Spring carded a respectful 78 to take low team gross. Bryan Jansen ofAnglebrook was low man by three, edging the field for low gross with an 82. Special thanks to host Assistant Superintendents Paul Boyd and Josh Satin and Superintendent Greg Wojick for another great event. Many thanks, also, to Outing Director John Stanley and Director of GolfJerry Coats and their staffs for producing a ter­ rific day. An extra-special thanks to the Affiliate members who contributed to the success of this event with their tremendously generous contributions: $3,400 in all. They are: Alpine, The Care of Trees; Metro Turf Specialists/Griffin LLC/Emerald Isle, Ltd.; Westchester Turf Supply; Glenmore Landscape Services; E/T Equipment Company; Wilfred MacDonald, Inc.; Plant Food Company, Inc., Steven Willand, Inc.;The Cardinals, Inc.; Bayer Corporation; Turf Products Corp./Toro; Simplot Partners; Westchester Tractor; Turf Products Corporation/Buddy Rizzio. Here are the day’s results: Individual Stroke Play Low Gross Winners 82 Bryan Jansen, Anglebrook GC 85 David Ryan, Sunningdale CC 85 MattTopazio, The Tuxedo Club Meadow Brook Takes Superintendent/Green Chairman Tourney Was anyone else impressed with the condi­ tions at Bedford Golf & Tennis? Host Super Bob Nielsen and his staff obviously labored long and hard to keep the course in such fine condition through a difficult summer. Held September 17, the Super/Green Chairman Tourney drew a field of 100 golfers. They enjoyed perfect weather and magnificent hospitality from the Bedford staff. Here are the winning outcomes—of a winning day. (Congratulations to tourney champs from The Meadow Brook Club!) Superintendent/Green Chairman Tourney Results Low Gross Winners 73 John Carlone/Ed Westfall The Meadow Brook Club Low Net Winners Low Net Winners 69 Anthony Stalter, St. Andrew's GC 70 John Majchrzak, Pine Hollow CC 71 Brent Borelli, Brooklake CC 61 Bill Perlee/Dave McCutcheon The Apawamis Club 64 Kevin Quist/Nick Saviano, Lake Isle CC Two-Man Best Ball Two-Man Better Ball Low Gross Winners 78 Chris Donato, Silver Spring CC Pat Knelly, Silver Spring CC 80 Scott Zalinsky, Siwanoy CC Nick Learner, Canyon Club 80 John Majchrzak, Pine Hollow CC Tim Benedict, The Meadow Brook Club Low Net Winners 66 Jeremy Lee, Trump National GC Brian Kishpaugh, Minisceongo GC 60 Jim McNally, Rock Spring Club John O ’Keefe, Preakness Hills CC Longest Drive Closest to the Pin 4 Hermen Van Dunk, Manhattan Woods CC Chairman: Joe Solimire, Pelham CC 15T" Superintendent: Larry Pakkala 17 David Dudones, Westchester CC Woodway CC 20M Closest to the Pin Low Net Winners 64 Joe DeLauter, Woodway CC Jim Schell, Woodway CC 65 Brent Borelli, Brooklake CC Jennifer Mongeluzo, Sunningdale CC 2 Frank Buschini, Knollwood CC 12 David Ryan, Sunningdale CC 15 David Dudones, Westchester CC Longest Drive Chairman: Nick Saviano, Lake Isle CC Superintendent: Blake Halderman Trump National GC - Eric O'Neill - Tom Leahy Two-Ball Tourney’s IJp-to-the-Minute Results Round Two . . . Steve Rabideau and Matt Lapinski’s com­ bined experience at The Apawamis Club did not factor in their match with Blake Halderman and Glen Dube. They were beat 4 & 3 by the big horses at Apawamis. Rumor has it that Lapinski, who back in the early ’90s had honorary membership status at Apawamis, blew up and shot 90, leaving his partner high and dry. Bill Perlee and Bob Nielsen have found Tee to Green September/October 2 0 0 2 the right stuff together and are one win away from going to the big dance by beat­ ing Tony Girardi and Jim Calladio one up. The main event match of the second round had Earl Millett and John O ’Keefe paired up with Matt Severino and Bob Zaletski. Earl and John squeezed out a one up decision at Ridgeway. The surprise match was Bob “Woody” DeMarco and Gary Arlio defeating the perennial powerhouse of John Carlone and Les Kennedy one up at Brae Burn. Semi-Final Matches . . . In the semi-fmals, Bill Perlee and Bobby Nielsen’s Cinderella story came to an end at Hudson National, where they lost to Woody DeMarco and Gary Arlio two up. Earl Millett and John O ’Keefe beat Blake Halderman and Glen Dube on the 17th hole 2 up. Watch next issue for the results of the final round, which is setting up to be a David-and-Goliath match between the two semi-finalist teams: Earl Millett and John O ’Keefe vs. Bob DeMarco and Gary Arlio. — Sean C ain New Jersey Repeats at Met Area Team Championship Celebrating its 23rd year, the annual Met Area Team Championship was held October 7 at Montammy Golf Club in Alpine, NJ. Special thanks to host Super­ intendent Mike Miner and Assistant Super Jim Swaitlowski for a successful tourney— despite some minor adversity. The club was without power all day, and they were still able to give us a great day of golf and dining. A total of six associations partici­ pated, with the New Jersey team coming in on top, once again, with a combined score of 442. Low gross honors, like last year, went to a contestant from New Jersey, John Farrell, with a 72. Coming in second low gross with a 76 was Les Kennedy, playing this year on the Con­ necticut team. Here’s the complete rundown on the results: New Jersey GCSA Connecticut AGCS Philadelphia GCSA Northeastern GCSA MetGCSA Hudson Valley GCSA 442 460 473 476 493 496 Closest to the Pin Doug Larson, New Jersey GCSA Longest Drive Bill Murray, New Jersey GCSA Representing the Met were the follow­ ing team members: Gross Team Mark Millett, Old Oaks Country Club Sean Cain, Sunningdale Country Club Matt Ceplo, Rockland Country Club Scott Curry, Scarsdale Golf Club Net Team Dave Mahoney, Siwanoy Country Club Chuck Denny, Salem Golf Club Matt Severino, Scarsdale Golf Club Bob DeMarco, Powelton Club —Sean Cain Thumbs Cp to Onr Sponsors any, many thanks to the following Affiliate members who gener­ ously agreed to sponsor our Summer Social. We encourage you support them when the need arises—-just as they’ve sup­ ported us in making our Summer Social an event to remember. • Frank Amodio of Valley View Greenhouses • Scott Apgar of Metro Tuf Specialists • John Apple of Westchester Tractor, Inc. • Lance Authelet of D.P. GolfAssociates, Inc. • Ray Beaudry of Atlantic Irrigation • Bryan Bolehala of Cleary Chemical • John Callahan of The Cardinals, Inc. • Ken Clear of Alpine, The Care ofTrees • Kevin Collins of E /T Equipment Company • Gerald Fountain of United Horticultural Supply • Glenn Gallion of Wilfred MacDonald, Inc. • Dave Griffin of Down to Earth • Byron Johnson Jr. of The Terre Company • Lee Kozsey of Syngenta Professional Products • Jules Leibman of G.A. Fleet Associates • Bob Lippman of Westchester Turf Supply, Inc. • Jeffrey Mazzarelli of Golftec Int’l, LLC • Bill Middleton of Emerald Isle, Ltd. • Glenn Moore of Glenmore Landscape Services • Greg Moran of Lesco, Inc. • Michael Nissman of PDG Enterprises, Inc. • Owen Regan of A T Sales Associates • John Richichi of Dar Par Sales • Joe Stahl III of Simplot Partners • A1 Tretera of Turf Products Corporation • Tom Weinert Jr. of Plant Food Company, Inc. • JeffWeld of Bayer Environmental Science • John Wickes of Ira Wickes/Arborists • Scott Willand of Steven Willand, Inc. New Member Please join us in welcoming new Class C member Anthony Stalter of St. Andrew’s Golf Club in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. Members on the Move • Stephen Rabideau is the new superin­ tendent at Wheatley Hills Golf Club in East Williston, NY. Former Position: Super­ intendent at the Hamlet Golf & Country Club in Commack, NY. • Ed Walsh is the new superintendent at Shelter Harbor Golf Club in Westerly, RI. Former position: Superintendent at The Golf Club at Wending Creek Farms in Coudersport, PA. Births Congratulations to: • Charlie Siemers of Lesco, Inc. and his wife, Joyce, on the birth of their daughter, Sarah Jean, on August 12. • Orange County Golf Club Superinten­ dent George Pierpoint IV and his wife, Jennifer, on the birth of their son, Ryan Tyler, on September 7. (Congratulations also to the proud grandparents, Met Executive Secretary Ineke Pierpoint and Ardsley Country Club Super George Pierpoint III!) • Lake Isle Country Club Superintendent Kevin Quist and his wife, Lisa, on the birth of their daughter, Gabriela, on September 27. Well Wishes Continued well wishes to MetGCSA friend Gerald Mahoney, MGA Director of Golf Programs. Our deepest sympathy to John Streeter, who recently lost his mother. John is super­ intendent at North Shore Country Club in Glen Head, NY. Tee to Green September/October 2 0 0 2 Spotlight Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun Greenwich Country Club Assistants Paul Boyd and Josh Satin Team Up to Make Assistants Championship a Success by Greg Wojick, CGCS , and Eric O ’Neill "Xm etGCSA Class C board / f member Eric O ’Neill ^ v _ ^ ^ w a s busy tending to all the details that go into organizing and run­ ning the Annual Assistant’s Championship. Held this year on October 3 at the Greenwich Country Club in Greenwich, CT, the event proved to be an overwhelm­ ing success thanks to the efforts of Eric and the Greenwich Country Club staff. Host assistants Paul Boyd and Josh Satin worked behind the scenes to ensure that participants enjoyed the best possible con­ ditions for the event. (Quick Q uiz: Can you guess what Paul Boyd and Josh Satin have in common? Read on for the answer.) “We scheduled the championship for the Thursday before our annual Autumn Cup weekend, partly because we try to take the course up a notch for this special event,” explains Paul Boyd, Greenwich’s veteran assistant. “But then everyday seems to take on a special importance at Greenwich,” contin­ ues Paul. “We have nearly 106 days of tour­ nament play each year, so preparing specially for almost anything is considered just part of the job.” Josh Satin, Greenwich’s second-year assistant and a University of Connecticut graduate, adds,“There’s seldom a downtime here; each committee’s tournament is con­ sidered very important. It’s not hard to get up for each day because you know we’re subject to the comments of the contest­ ants—whether they’re members or guests.” 9 Tee to Green September/October 2 0 0 2 Heavy Hitters Josh Satin comes from an emerging University of Connecticut turf program as one of its early leaders. “I was the Turf Club’s first president, and I’ve been proudly watching its progress since I’ve graduated,” says Josh. Paul Boyd’s resume boasts internships at the Broadmoor in Colorado, as well as The Country Club in Brookline, MA. Paul arrived at Greenwich six years ago and holds a B.S. in plant and soil science from the University of Rhode Island. Both Paul and Josh admit that working at Greenwich is a labor of love. “I’m closely involved in every aspect of the operation, including large capital projects, budgeting, crew management, and green committee interaction,” says Paul, adding, “I attend all the green committee meetings and hear, firsthand, all the concerns of our pretty dis­ cerning membership.” “I feel like an integral part of everything that goes into our operation,” chimes in do,” says Josh. “The work is important but Josh. “I feel like I’m growing not only grass, the socializing is what can make it really fun.” but myself as a professional. I’m very quickly getting the picture of all that a superintendent has to deal with.” And now .. .What do Paul and Josh have in common? Lots of stuff, but the biggest is that they both hold a B.S. degree, and they Both Paul and Josh are becoming increas­ both can frequently be seen BSing with ingly bilingual and enjoy the camaraderie of their boss, Greg Wojick. “Beats the heck out of working,” boasts Greenwich Country Club’s predominantly the gruesome twosome. Spanish crew. “We try to make work important, but just as important, we try to make it fun for the Greg Wojick, co-editor of the Tee to Green, is guys,” notes Paul. “It can get a bit monoto­ superintendent at Greenwich Country Club in nous here at times, but I think we’ve mas­ Greenwich, CT. tered morale boosting here at Greenwich.” Most of the Greenwich crew are long­ Eric O ’Neill, a member of the Tee to Green time veterans, with more than 15 years on Editorial Committee, is an assistant superintend­ the job. “It’s like a family who has chores to ent at Scarsdale Golf Club in Hartsdale, NY. Question Answered Greenwich Country Club Assistants Josh Satin (left) and Paul Boyd and Superintendent Greg Wbjick (right) yuk it up with Bill Murray\ actor/comedian o f(r details. Board Bound? I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who support our associa­ tion and attend our meetings, social func­ tions, and educational programs. There are other ways you can help as well: Get involved. Volunteer your club for a meeting. Volunteer yourself to serve on a committee. And then there’s the ultimate sacrifice: Volunteer yourself to serve on the Board. Joe Alonzi is the Nomination Commit­ tee chairman again this year. Give him a call if you are interested, and get involved. I’m sure you will find it very rewarding. Our elections will be held soon at our Annual Meeting on November 19 at Silver Spring Country Club. So don’t delay in sending Joe your nominations. Note the numerous other educational events listed (left). They’re coming fast, so be sure to mark your calendars. Watch the upcoming issue of Tee to Green for articles announcing the winners of the John Reid Lifetime Achievement Award and the Sherwood A. Moore Award, both to be given out at the Winter Seminar in January. As always, if you have any comments, suggestions, or concerns, please feel free to give me a call. Tim Moore MetGCSA President Calling All Board Nominations ft’» that time of year again when the MetGCSA Nominating Committee look­ ing for new blood on the board. Anyone interested in serving on the boar or nominating a fellow professional fora boardposition, should contact chaJr Joe Aleo* no M * «-*» *. Mm ,* * Tee to Green September/October 2002 airón Directory Action Environmental Group Jack Paz/Frank DeGrazia Pesticides/Herbicides/Waste Oil Disposal 516-781-3000 WEBSITE www.actionhazmat.com © DAR PAR Sales John and Dominic Richichi 914-946-1743, FAX 914-946-0796 WEBSITE www.darpargolf.com DeBuck’s Sod Farm o f NY, Inc. A1 Preston’s Garage Leonard/George/Valor ie 120 DeBuck’s Drive Pine Island, NY 10969 845-258-4131 Almstead Tree & Shrub Care Company Vincent Sasso 444 Elwood Road, E. Northport, NY 11731 800-244-7637/631-368-8022 Gary Shashinka Massey Ferguson Tractors 203-924-1747, FAX 203-924-4594 Ken Almstead,VP & ISA Certified Arborist “Changing the Nature of Tree & Shrub Care” 1-800-427-1900 WEBSITE www.almstead.com © Alpine, the Care o f Trees Ken Clear, CT: 203-847-1855 Brian Nadriczny, NJ: 201-445-4949 Peter McFarland, NY: 914-345-8733 Andersons G olf Products Steve Hyde: 315-568-6177 Rick Form: 413-534-8896 Argento & Sons, Inc. Louis Argento 1 Prospect Avenue White Plains, NY 10607 914-949-1152, FAX 914-948-0255 © AT Sales Associates, LTD OwenJ. Regan 1787 Louisquisset Pike Lincoln, RI 02865 401-465-8066 © Atlantic Irrigation Specialties, Inc. Tim Marcoux/Ed Santalone 111 Lafayette Avenue N. White Plains, NY 10603 800-878-8873 © Aventis Environmental Science Dave Sylvester 311 Carriage Drive Kensington, CT 06037 860-828-8905, FAX 860-829-0761 © Bayer Corporation JeffWeld 91 Schofield Road W. Milford, NJ 07480 973-208-2418 EMAILjeff.weld.b@bayer.com © Blue Ridge Peat Farms Gene Evans 133 Peat Moss Road White Haven, PA 18661 570-443-9596 © Central Irrigation Supply, Inc. Bernardo Luciano: 914-347-5656 Gordon Holmes: 860-296-4804 EMAIL CentralHartford@aol.com “5 Locations to Serve You in the Tri-State Area” DAF Services, Inc. Wes Hall/DickYoung/ Scott Christensen Flowtronix PSI Sales & Service Center 860-528-7362, FAX 860-528-0051 DeLea & Sons Sod Farms © Down To Earth David Griffin “All Phases of Golf Course Construction” 914-576-7693 Egypt Farms, Inc. Dean Snyder P.O. Box 223,White Marsh, MD 21162 800-899-7645/410-335-3700 © Emerald Isle, Ltd./Milliken Turf Products Doug Middleton 2153 Newport Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 800-628-4769 © E/T Equipment Co. Kevin Collins/Bruce Pye/Dick Neufeld 425 S. Riverside Avenue, Croton, NY 10520 914-271-6126, FAX 914-271-6146 WEBSITE www.etsales@bestweb.net © Fleet Pump & Service Group, Inc. Don Tiedemann 914-835-3801 FAX 914-835-2946 Forte Landscaping & Tree Service Michael Forte/Ralph P. Cosentino 11 East Parkway, Scarsdale, NY 10583 914-723-6632 © Glenmore Landscape Service Glenn S. Moore 98 Hack Green Road Pound Ridge, NY 10576 914-764-4348 © Golftec Int’l, LLC JefFMazzarelli Golf Course Construction 1058 Route 146A Ballston Lake, NY 12019 518-399-7388 © Greenacres Company Dave Pijnenburg Irrigation Contractor 75 Codfish Hill Road, Bethel, CT 06801 203-748-0558 © Hawthorne Bros. Tree Service, Inc. John R. Hawthorne 5 Center Street, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 800-235-7035 © Ira Wickes Arborists JohnW.Wickes 11 McNamara Road Spring Valley, NY 10977 “Tree & Lawn Care Since 1929” 845-354-3400, FAX 845-354-3475 Patrons listed on this page are supporting our association. You are encouraged to support them © Irra-Tech, Inc. Joseph D. Kennedy 18 Merritt Street Port Chester, NY 10573 914-937-7273, FAX 914-937-8995 © James Carriere & Sons Bill Carriere Trap Sands Partac Top Dressing 914-937-2136 © Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc. Rob Good 126 Monroe Turnpike Trumbull, CT 06611 203-452-3100, FAX 203-452-3111 EMAIL info@lbgweb.com © LESCO, Inc. Greg Moran: 845-331-4869 PAGER 914-449-6925 MOBILE 914-391-2216 Charlie Siemers: 914-232-5825 MOBILE 914-672-2087 © Metro Turf Specialists Scott A./Ernie/ScottT./Dennis/Gary “Customers, Our Top Priority” 203-748-4653, FAX 203-743-0458 © Partac Golf Course Top-Dressing Kelsey Park, Great Meadows, NJ 07838 800-247-2326/908-637-4191 Bill and Joe Carriere: 914-937-2136 © Sawtelle Brothers, Inc. George Gorton/Mark Grenert 68 So. Turnpike Road Wallingford, CT 06492 800-999-8873 © Second Nature Tree and Lawn Care Jeff Thrasher 54 Sunnyside Avenue Stamford, CT 06902 203-327-9456/914-273-1040 © Simplot Partners Joe Stahl 795 Route 148, Killingworth, CT 06419 203-209-6951 © Sound Beach Services, Inc. White Contractors P.O. Box 484, Old Greenwich, CT 06870 James E. Morris Jr.: 203-869-8808 © Steven Willand, Inc. Gary Mathis 4 Production Drive Brookfield, CT 06804 203-775-5757 Surfside Wetting Agents Liquid ~ Granular ~ Pellets ZAP! Defoamer Robert Oechsle: 800-401-0411 FAX 215-836-2418 © Syngenta Professional Products Lee Kozsey Daconil, Banner, Heritage, Subdue, Primo, & Trimmit 610-861-8174, FAX 610-882-9358 © Terre Company o f New Jersey Byron Johnson Jr. 206 Delawanna Avenue Clifton, NJ 07014 973-473-3393, FAX 973-473-4402 HOME 203-748-5069 © The Cardinals, Inc. John Callahan Complete Distributor of Course Accessories & Maintenance Supplies 860-673-3699, FAX 860-673-8443 © Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Inc. Skip Deubel 800-243-7582 WEBSITE www.tuckahoeturf.com © TurfNet Peter L. McCormick 21 Brandywine Road Skillman,NJ 08558 800-314-7929 © Turf Products Corp./TORO Paul Mazzola, Irrigation A1 Tretera, Equipment 800-243-4355/860-763-3581 The Sprinkler House/Amodios: 914-328-0190 © Turf Products Corporation Buddy Rizzio 3379 Route 46,16-K Parsippany, NJ 07054 973-263-1234, FAX 973-335-2491 © Valley View Wholesale Greenhouses Frank Amodio 229 Smithridge Road So. Salem, NY 10590 914-533-2526, FAX 914-533-2050 Venture Vehicles, a division o f Turf Products Corp. Roger Cohen 205 Pine Street Contoocook, NH 03229 800-521-3703, CELL 914-805-3751 © Westchester Tractor Inc. John Apple Meadow Street Goldens Bridge, NY 10526 914-232-7746, FAX 914-232-4129 WEBSITE www.wtractor.com © Westchester Turf Supply, Inc. Bob Lippman Sr./Bob Lippman Jr./ Dave Lippman “Serving the Fine Turf Profession” 845-621-5067, FAX 845-621-7180 © Wilfred MacDonald, Inc. Glenn Gallion 19 Central Boulevard S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 888-831-0891 Winding Brook Turf Farm, Inc. Bill Seccareccia 240 Grigwold Road Wethersfield, CT 06109 800-243-0232 © Tee and Green Sod, Inc. Dave Wallace Premium Quality Sod for Golf Course Use, Installation 401-789-8177 © Denotes M etGCSA member