September/October 2003 VOLUME 33 NUMBER 5 Published by the Metropolitan bull bourse Superintendents Assoc¡.il ion Board of Directors President TIM OTHY M O O RE Knollwood Country Club Vice President DAVID M AHONEY Siwanoy Country Club Treasurer WILLIAM HEINTZ Centennial Golf Club Secretary MATTHEW CEPLO, CGCS Rockland Country Club Past President JO H N CARLONE, CGCS The Meadow Brook Club SCOTT APGAR Metro Turf Specialists SEAN CAIN Sunningdale Country Club AN TH ON Y GIRARDI, CGCS Cover: Greenwich Country Club. Photo by Tom Barry. Rockrimmon Country Club THOMAS LEAHY, CGCS Sleepy Hollow Country Club ROBERT NIELSEN JR. CGCS Bedford Golf & Tennis Club ERIC O ’NEILL Scarsdale Golf Club GLENN PERRY, CGCS Rolling Hills Country Club JEFFREY W ENTW ORTH, CGCS Pelham Country Club Executive Secretary INEKE PIERPOINT Tee to Green Staff Editors fJpLENN PERRY SEAN CAIN 203-762-9484 914-723-3238 I Managing Editor PANDORA C.WOJICK Editorial Committee PAUL BOYD GLEN DUBE ¡¡CHIP LAFFERTY SCOTT NIVEN | ERIC O’NEILL TIM O’NEILL BILL PERLEE GREGWOJICK Designer TERRIE DUNKELBERGER Photographer BILL PERLEE Advertising Manager SEAN CAIN, 914-723-3238 TEE TO GREEN is published bimonthly by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association ] 49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, NY 10523-2819 914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437, METGCSA.ORG Copyright ©2003 rn this Issue Feature Disappearing Pin Placements .................................................................... 2 On Picking a Fair Pin P lacem en t............................................................4 Com m ents From Other Greens M odifiers..........................................5 Departments U pcom ing Events ...............................................................................................6 Scorecard................................................................................................................ 7 Member News .....................................................................................................8 Spotlights ...........................................................................................................8-9 resident’s SERIALS MAS 1 ?■?nr' E UNIVERSITY BRARIES hese past two years as president have Ipassed so quickly that it’s hard to believe this | will be my final president’s message to you. II can’t say I’ll miss writing these messages, but I will miss working with all of you. One of the many pleasures of serving this ^association has been working with such a I talented and diverse group of board members over the years. Everyone’s been so willling to lend a helping hand. Whether it’s been in the form of thoughts and sugges­ tions or just hard, slogging work, you’ve all *been there at a moment’s notice to do | whatever needs to get done. I The MetGCSA is very fortunate to have t such a dedicated group, willing to offer their ¡services in running and continually searchling for ways to improve our association. I j can’t even begin to guess how many meetlings or hours we’ve spent together as a i group in my term on the board. Many • thanks to each and every one of you for lyour hard work and dedication. In thr Hark Office , Behind the scenes, there are two very taljented and dedicated individuals who also make this association work. One is our executive secretary, Ineke Pierpoint. Ineke has a hand in just about every aspect of our association business. Without her help, I’m not sure we’d be where we are today. She approaches every task and responsibility— no matter how tedious—with the same zest and enthusiasm. We are all fortunate to have such a professional on staff. The other professional is our managing editor, Pandora Wojick. I’ve lost count of how many awards the Tee to Green has won under her direction. Her dedication to out­ standing quality and attention to the small­ est detail has made the difference between our publication and any of the others out there. Pandora, thanks for putting up with me over the years. financially Speaking Our association, though not without its own limited problems, is in very sound fiscal shape. Tim Moore MetGCSA President We have had the funds to continue offer­ ing outstanding educational opportunities to our membership through our award­ winning publication, Tee to Green, and through our annual Winter Seminar. The past two years, we’ve even added a summer educational seminar, which we’ve held at our July meetings, to reach additional members. Our Scholarship and Research funds continue to grow at record levels. Each year, we make a substantial contribution from our operational funds to these restricted accounts. Our Research account, in fact, currently has enough of a reserve to put us in the position of supporting any local research that might be needed. This, combined with our association with the Tri-State Turf Research Foundation, offers us the oppor­ tunity to actually pick and choose our research topics. Our Scholarship fund is also in a healthy position, allowing us to award more than $10,000 in scholarships to Met members’ children each year. If you’ve put a child through college, you know that every little bit helps. For some time, it’s been the association’s goal to have these funds get to a point where they can earn enough interest to become self-sufficient. If only the stock market would cooperate! Like most investors, we have experienced some set­ backs in the past few years, but we are well on our way to achieving our goal. continued on page 7 Tee to Green September/October 200 3 Disappearing Pin Placements It Takes More Than Magic to Make Them Reappear... A Success Story by Scott Niven, CGCS Nothing can supply a green with move character than bold undulations. The gentle slopes make putting a fine art, and as the cups are changed from day to day, variety is introduced and the rounds are never monotonous. Tee to Green September/October 2 00 3 hose were the words of legendary Golf Course Architect A.W. Tillinghast as he wrote, generations ago, about what he believed to be the components of a noteworthy green. Little did he know that many of those wonderfully undulating putting greens he designed would one day be rendered close to unplayable by changing turfgrass mainte­ nance standards. Back in Tillinghast s time, of course, main­ tenance standards—and corresponding green speeds—were such that even greens with slopes ranging from 3% to 8% offered multiple, fair pin placements and plenty of challenge. In the early part of the 20th Century, cups were routinely cut on slopes ranging from 4% to 7%, and it was still easy to achieve the recommended minimum of five distinct pin placements for each green. Today, however, with stimpmeter readings twice the speed intended for those wonder­ ful old greens, you have a recipe for three, four, and even five putting. As Dr. Michael J. Hurdzan, renowned course architect of today, notes, “When happens, putting becomes pure fair test of skill. The watchword on slopes is control. The overall speed green must be matched to the overall of the green so the golfer can control ball and exhibit his skill.” Our most recent survey on Met area green speeds showed a daily average of 10 feet with much higher readings achieved for special tournaments. It also revealed that it was typical for the area’s classic old courses to have at least four greens with limited cup­ ping areas. In some cases, greens of 5,000 square feet have less than 500 square feet of cupping area! What’s a Superintendent to Do? Though the obvious solution would be to slow down the greens, the universal desire of today’s golfers for smooth, true, slick putting surfaces won’t allow, us to even consider that option. p j fii * A grid system is established for and Instead, many are toughing out the trials of maintaining these greens, which are sub­ ject to excessive wear and golfer frustration. A fortunate few, however, have opted for the admittedly pricey solution of rebuilding their troublesome green complexes: making the greens larger, flattening out the con­ tours, and softening the slopes. Though this solution isn’t without fault, there are far more than a handful of success stories. Among them are Winged Foot, Augusta, Pine Valley, Seminole, Baltimore Country Club, The Chevy Chase Club, Southern Hills, and most recently, The Apawamis Club and Deepdale Golf Club. To give you a picture of what the process entails, we spoke to Deepdale Superin­ tendent Tom Fedora and Golf Course Architect Tripp Davis, who the club hired in 2002 to recontour two of the course’s more unpinnable greens. Here’s their step-by-step account of how two, old-style greens were brought into the 21 st century. , Recontouring, Step by Step On October 3, 2002, the work began. Tripp brought in the Hawk Shaw Construction Company to execute the design and was onsite every day to guide the subtleties of the process that were impossible to record on a topo map. Here’s how the project ran: Step 1. Existing sod was removed. The first step was to remove the existing poa/bentgrass sod and set it aside in close proximity to the green. When you plan to reuse the sod, it’s critical that you: • cut the sod small enough to assure uni­ form thickness and easy handling without rolling it up • establish a grid or numbering system for removing and replacing the turf so that each piece will return to the green in the exact spot it came from • place the sod in an area that is shaded most of the day, and keep it moist but not wet Step 2. Existing root zone soil was removed. “If you’re reusing the sod,” says Tripp, “it’s best to reuse the soil. But I would not reuse a poor root zone mix just to save the sod,” he advises. At Deepdale, they took out the existing soil in two, 4-inch lifts to insure that the best material—usually whatever is in the top 3 to 4 inches—was not co-mingled with other soils. cutting The Planning Process Step 3. A new subgrade was estab­ lished. With the soil removed, the next step was to establish a new subgrade, using grade stakes as a guide. These stakes were carefully marked with the depth of the root zone mix, which, at Deepdale, was 8 inches. After completing the subgrade, drainage lines were installed. The spacing interval of the drain lines is determined by the drain­ age characteristics of the existing soil. At Deepdale, because the soil was well drained, the drain lines where laid on 10-foot cen­ ters. The pipes were covered with pea gravel to the top of the trenches and then The greens Deepdale chose to modify had slopes, in many locations, in excess of 7%— unpinnable at today’s green speeds. Deepdale’s prime objective in revamping these 47-year-old greens was to recapture lost pin locations without compromising the general character of the design—the work of Golf Course Architect Dick Wilson. That meant bringing slopes down to no less than 3.5% to 5%. “We weren’t trying to establish a modern pin location slope,” says Tripp Davis, point­ ing out that today’s cupping areas are gener­ ally designed with slopes between 1.5% and 2.5%. “We would then have a green that isj out of character with the rest of the urse and, in our case, the rest of the green, | since we were planning to keep any areas that could be pinned—no matter how severe—intact.” Tripp created sketches to establish, what he referred to as a “mission statement.” From there, everything else was crafted in even with the subgrade. the field. Tee to Green September/October 2 00 3 Step 6. The soil was compacted. After the soil was replaced, it was water tamp and rolled with a light roller. Then, design intent was scrutinized. Slopes were amended where necessary, making sure to cut or fill more than 1/10 of a foot root zone. Prior to reinstalling the sod, grade was water tamped and rolled reduce settling—a critically important step in the recontouring process. to 4 inches above the subgrade. This was intended to help infiltration from the top 4 inches of soil and is generally advisable when reusing the existing root zone mix­ ture. “Topdressing, after all,” says Tripp, “gen­ erally amends only the top 4 inches or so, leaving the layer beneath somewhat poorly drained. It’s entirely possible, therefore, that your drainage won’t function if the drains are covered with the material from this lower layer rather than with a more porous material, like the 5-4-1 mix. Word to the Wise: Be sure to test the capability of the gravel to bridge a sand/soil mix­ ture that may be used over the drain lines or as a new root zone material. If a bridge is notformed, the drains may quickly become ineffective. Step 7. The sod was reinstalled. When relaying the sod, they used the 5-4-1 mix to fill very small depressions and to see that the sod was as level as possible. The same mix­ ture was also used—rather than sand—to fill in the seams. Then bentgrass seed was sprinkled along the seams to help them knit together and later hold some moisture. The Aftercare From start to finish, the work took a total of seven days. By October 10, they began rolling the areas with speed rollers and set the height of cut on the mowers just slightly higher than normal (.020), gradually bring­ ing the height back down. “We also topdressed heavily and used our hydroject machine after the sod was well rooted to help further smooth it out,” says Tom. The greens were open—and more than ready for play—for the club’s first tourna­ ment on May 2 of this year. Had the work been done during the growing season, recovery time would have been a month— maybe two. “The members are very happy with the results,” says Tom. “Unless you saw us doing the work, you would never even notice the changes.” Now, that’s a job well done. Scott Niven, a member of the Tee to Green Editorial Committee, is superintendent at The Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT. OnThoughts Picking a Fair Pin Placement for Keepers of Old-Style Greens Step 4. The root zone mix was replaced. Next, the original soil was put back into place, just as it was taken out. Grade stakes were used to assure consistent depth. Note, however, that the stakes used to establish the subgrade were not marked with a finish grade elevation. Not until everyone was happy with the subgrade was the area restaked. This allowed for any I l o how do keepers of those old, slick, undulating greens choose a fair pin adjustments to the subgrade, and it also enabled the builder to better do his job— location? In a word, very carefully! When the greens are very fast, it’s easy to without having to tiptoe around the stakes. spoil a tournament by putting a cup in a Step 5. The changes were disguised. location where golfers cannot stop the ball. With the root zone mix replaced, they The USGA recommends that the cup be a stripped another two or three widths—24 minimum of five paces—sometimes we to 36 inches—of sod beyond the excava­ have to use baby steps—from the edge of tion, scarifying the soil under the sod. They the green with a uniform slope for a 3-foot then floated the disturbed area with the radius around the hole. These parameters area just stripped to get as clean an edge as often eliminate a significant percentage of possible. This helps to eliminate mowing the putting surface. Given the potential areas you have to scars along the perimeter of the work, as work with, the traditional method for well as disguise the changes. Word to the Wise: “If you are changing choosing hole locations has been to just roll just a portion of a green, it’s very important to some golf balls around and see where they remove a i 0-foot width of sod beyond the work stop. Unfortunately, this method doesn’t site so that it can be blended in without a visible always work, leaving golfers with an almost seam,” cautions Tom Fedora. “We left only 3 impossible target. In comes the SmartTool. Recommend­ feet undisturbed, and the seam has been tough to ed by Thomas A. Marzolf, senior design get rid of. ” Tee to Green September/October 200 3 using associate for Fazio Golf Course Designs, Inc., this device actually allows you to choose pin placements based on green speeds and percentage of slope. Resembling a carpenter’s level (see page 5, top), the SmartTool is a battery-powered instrument that provides an LCD digital readout of slope percentage. All you have to do is lay the tool down on a green and, voila, it gives you a digital reading of the slope. Turn the tool 90 degrees to get the slope percentage in the other direction; then add them together to get the total amount of slope that will affect a putt. Finally, look at the charts (page 5) that Tom Marzolf has developed with years of data, and you can determine the maximum slope allowable for a cup placement at a spe­ cific stimpmeter reading. This is a great method to try on those greens where choosing fair pin placements is often tricky. Selling Your Club on a Change in Contour If you’re trying to convince your club to recontour or “modernize” those greens that have become controversial or unfair with increasingly faster green speeds, you know that it can be a losing proposition. Many clubs erroneously believe that these undu­ lating greens should remain as they were built—with slopes that provide interest and challenge—no matter how ridiculous. O f course, you could point to clubs—like Pine Valley, Augusta, and Winged Foot— who have dealt with this problem by estab­ lishing a systematic approach of reducing the percent of slope on their most strongly contoured greens to maintain old cupping areas that would be lost at today’s faster green speeds. You could also point to the fact that this process has proved to increase the variety of pin placements, reduce turfgrass wear, and may even increase the speed of play by reducing the time it takes to putt out. Another, perhaps more powerful, tack you could take in selling the need to improve your severely contoured greens is to call in a company like Golftech, Inc. (330-740-1242). Based in Canton, OH, this firm can generate detailed, contour analysis maps of your greens, displaying your prob­ lems in full, living color. Using the latest GPS and Robotic tech­ IgiP _ IHHOHEi nologies, Golftech creates maps that show the contour lines of a green at .1-foot intervals. The contour map is then shaded in a color-coded pattern of slope percentages that readily show available cupping areas. These maps are invaluable in demonstrating CHART 1 Examples of maximum cup area slope percentages at tournament green speeds of 11 feet and higher. 1999 U.S. OPEN AT PINEHURST NO. 2 Turfgrass LESCÛ PENN G-2™ Creeping Bentgrass Mowing Height .120-.125 double cut Stimpmeter Readings 112-11.6 Maximum Slope for Cup Placement 2.5% Stimpmeter Readings 12.5-13.5 Maximum Slope for Cup Placement 2.00% to 2.25% 1999 MASTERS AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL Turfgrass A-U-93 Mowing Height Lowest possible settings, double cut (.085-.110) CHART 2 Guidelines for easy, moderate, difficult cup placement on greens with double break, Stimpmeter Reading of <9.5 Stimpmeter Reading of 10.5 -12.5 Easy Cup Area «-++$ 5 2.0% (Example: 0.5% +1.0% =1.5%) Easy Cup Area +-+ + J <1.0% (Example: 0.25% + 075% = 1.0%) Moderate Cup Area «-*►+ J <3.5% (Example: 1.25% +2.0% =3.25%) Moderate Cup Area <+■ #►+ $ <3.0% (Example: 1.25% +1.75% = 3.0%) Difficult Cup Area + $ £ 5.5% (Example: 3.0% +2.5% =5.5%) Difficult Cup Area «-*>■+ ^ < 4,5% (Example: 2.25% + 2.25% =4.5%) Note: On a green with a single break—where one grid slope percentage reading is flat - the guideline for maximum percent of slope for fair cup placement is 3.5%, Flat + 3.5% =3.5% Comments From Other Greens Modifiers Bill Perlee The Apawamis Club Rye, NY “The decision to make the changes to recover old pin placements was actually member driven. I was reluctant to mess with these 100-year-old greens, but still, we ended up doing something to every green except one. “But I was impressed with the ability of our architect, Gil Hanse, to maintain the character of the greens— even with the softer contours. “If I had the chance to do it over, though, I would use a root zone mix with better drainage. We used the Norm Hummel soil lab to match the new top mix for the expansions with the existing greens mix. It turned out to be too wet. Now, we are deep-tine aerifying and filling the holes with sand to try to improve the drainage. “The other difficulty we ran into was get­ ting the seams from the old to the new to the lack of pin locations and are also used by architects in developing a plan for increasing usable areas on any green. Then, once the recontouring work is done, a new map can demonstrate the pro­ ject’s success by showing the size and shape of newly acquired hole locations. match perfectly, so we are doing extra aeri­ fying and topdressing to make those spots level. For the first few months, the new areas were too soft to drive on, so all work had to be done by hand (mowing, spraying, topdressing, etc.) until they firmed up.” Steve Finamore, CGCS Alpine Country Club Demarest, NJ “Due to a lack of pin placements, we modi­ fied four different greens. On two, we soft­ ened the slopes; one was rebuilt entirely; and one had an addition. The modifications were done by Golf Course Architects Brian Silva and Mark Mungeam, and I have to say, the new work has blended in perfectly with the existing greens’ surfaces. “The members have been very happy with the outcome. The shots into the greens are different, and we have more pin placements, which makes the holes more interesting. “The soil in the new areas was a little soft and wet for the first two years, but with deep-tine aerifying and topdressing, they eventually firmed up. Now, they perform like the rest of the green.” Don Szymkowicz, CGCS Engineers Country Club Roslyn, NY “We had three greens with very little area for pin placements, so we tried to fix them by adding small shelves to the borders of the greens where we could cut a cup. Big mis­ take: If your ball rolled off one of the shelves, it continued right off the green. So we called in a golf course architect, Tripp Davis, to fix those greens, and we ended up building completely new ones in the same locations. The members are very pleased with the improvements.” Tee to Green September/October 2 0 0 3 Upcoming Events Hope to See You at These End-ofSeason Events Met Area Team Championship Monday, November 3 Rolling Green Golf Club, West Chester, PA Host:Warren Savini Jr. Annual Business Meeting Thursday, November 13 Westchester Hills GC, White Plains, NY Host: Peter Waterous Educational Programs NYSTA Turf and Grounds Exposition Tuesday - Thursday, November 4 —6 Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, NY Cosponsored by Cornell University, the expo is in its 28th year, featuring more than 60 business and technical sessions and an expansive trade show with 350 exhibitor booths. For further information, call 800-873-8873 or 518-783-1229. GCSAA/MetGCSA Educational Seminar Management of Localized Dry Spots and Managing Turfgrass Root Systems Wednesday, November 19 Westchester Marriott,Tarrytown, NY University of Georgia Crop and Soil Sciences Professor Dr. Keith Karnok will discuss, from 8 a.m. to noon, the causes of—and cures for—localized dry spots. From 1 to 5 p.m., Dr. Karnok will offer insight into factors that affect turfgrass root growth and also discuss how these factors can be managed to promote healthy turfgrass root systems. For further information or to register, contact the GCSAA Service Center at 800-472-7878. New Jersey Turfgrass Expo 2003 Tuesday - Thursday, December 9 — it Trump Taj Mahal Resort and Casino, Atlantic City, NJ This three-day conference will feature more than 50 educational presentations and one of the top trade shows in the country. For further information or directions, call Bea Devine at 732-821-7134 or Dick Caton at 856-853-5973. University of Massachusetts Winter School for Turf Managers 2004 All Dressed Up and No Place to Go? IVIctGCSA Christmas Party Saturday, December 6 Woodway Country Club’s New Clubhouse Darien, C T Host: Larry Pakkala, CGCS Cocktail Hour with 3-Piece Jazz Band Sitdown Dinner with Dance Band Raffle Prizes Tee to Green September/October 2 00 3 January 5 - February 20, 2004 A leading educational program in turfgrass management, the Winter School offers golf course superintendents and others in the turfgrass industry, the technical, management, and communications skills required of all turfgrass professionals. Classes are taught by UMass faculty and staff, as well as renowned turf industry professionals. To receive an application or a brochure describing the UMass Winter School for Turf Managers, contact Winter School for Turf Managers, Division of Continuing Education, University of Massachusetts, Box 31650, Amherst, MA 01003-1650, 413-5452484, goodchild@continued.umass.edu. Workshop Series: The Realities of Organic Lawn and Landscape Care Green industry practitioners and their customers should know what to expect from an organic program: what works and what doesn’t; what information is based on research and what is anecdotal; and what the long- and short-term effects of an organic program may be. This eight-session series, sponsored by UMass Extension’s Landscape, Nursery, Urban Forestry, and Turf Programs, will provide turfgrass managers with this knowledge and the skill and expertise needed to provide healthy, functional, and environmentally responsible lawns and landscapes. Sessions are held at UMass Amherst unless otherwise noted. Cost for the entire series is $500, $90 for individual workshops. For additional information, call 413-545-0895 or go to www. umassgreeninfo. org. The following workshops will be offered: • October 27: Soil Basics and the Components of Composting • November 12: Selecting Woody Ornamental Plants and Tufgrasses for Ecological Landscapes (Bridgewater, MA) • December 1: Using Organic and Other Fertilizers Effectively • January 21, 2004: Current Trends in Insect, Disease, and Weed Management in Woody Ornamentals • March 10,2004: Current Trends in Turf Insect and Disease Management • March 26, 2004: Renovation and Establishment of Lawns and Other Turf Areas and Weed Management in Turf • May 7,2004: On-Site Planting and Pruning Demonstration (Hopkinton, MA) • May 25,2004: Scoutingfor Turf Insects and Weed Identification (Waltham, MA) • June 3, 10, 24, 2004: Scouting for Pests and Problems of Turf and Woody Ornamentals (Bridgewater, Hawthorne, or South Hadley, MA) John Cartone Takes Met Championship at Hampshire The Met Championship’s final round was hotly contested during the September meeting at Hampshire Country Club in Mamaroneck, NY. Host Superintendent Tony Campanella had the golf course in wonderful condition despite the challenging weather. Though forever battling drainage issues, Hampshire seems to have “weathered the storms” in fine shape. Thank you, Tony, for a great day of golf and a wonderful reception. Met Championship Results After battling out the first round at Rockland Country Club and the second at Hampshire, here’s who came out on top: Championship Flight First Low Gross Second Low Gross John Carlone, The Meadow Brook Club Earl Millett, Ridgeway Country Club First Low Net Second Low Net Tony Grasso, Metropolis Country Club Dave Mahoney, Siwanoy Country Club Second Flight First Low Net Second Low Net Tim Moore, Knollwood Country Club Ken Benoit, GlenArbor Golf Club Event-of-the-Day Results Here’s how the event of the day played out: First Low Gross Second Low Gross Matt Ceplo, Rockland Country Club John Carlone, The Meadow Brook Club First Low Net Second Low Net Tony Grasso, Metropolis Country Club Ken Benoit, GlenArbor Golf Club Class AF Winners Low Gross Low Net Ernie Steinhofer, Metro Turf Specialists Mike Cook, The Care of Trees Closest to the Pin #2 #11 Matt Ceplo, Rockland Country Club Tim O ’Neill, Country Club of Darien Longest Drive #1 Glenn Perry, Rolling Hills Country Club President's Message continuedfrom page t In my term on the Met board, I’ve seen a change that makes few board officials happy: a drop in our monthly meeting attendance. Aside from signaling a more apathetic mem­ bership, drop in attendance numbers may mean a change in the character of our future association meetings. Typically, we try to book meetings on Mondays so we can have the golf course to ourselves. And clubs have generally been kind enough to give us a bit of a break. Now, how­ ever, to keep up with the ever-increasing costs of running our clubs, many have instituted minimum attendance numbers for Monday outings. It only makes sense: To open a club up on a Monday with regular operational and overtime costs, you need a certain number of attendees to make the day profitable. Although our schedule for next year’s meetings is almost set, if our attendance num­ bers don’t come up, the day might come that we would have to have a meeting on a Tuesday or a Thursday, with a limited number of members from our association allowed to play golf. Is this a change we welcome? No, but it’s a change we might have to accept if we can’t rally more of the troops. This brings me to something I’ve preached about throughout my term as president, and that’s member involvement. Our association is what it is today because of its members. We’ve relied on your support and active par­ ticipation to help it thrive as one of the pre­ mier superintendent associations in the country. In my 15 years of service on the board, I have grown very fond of our group—and of all the people I’ve come to know as a result of my involvement. Don’t deprive yourself of this wonderful experience. Get involved: Serve on a committee; write an article for this publication, but at the very least, attend the meetings! The rewards, I assure you, will be well worth it. Once again, I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to serve this wonderful asso­ ciation. I look forward to continuing to serve you these next two years as past president. Tim Moore President Tee to Green September/October 2 00 3 Siwanoy Makes 2003 Assistants Championship a Day to Remember by Eric O ’Neill ) J he 2003 MetGCSA Assistants ^^^^C ham pionship was held October 14 _^^^at the pristine Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, NY. Though Siwanoy has hosted at least four MetGCSA meetings over the past 15 years, this was the first held exclusively for assistants, so naturally, host Assistant Superintendent Scott Zalinsky was eager to show off his 110-acre office. The course boasts elevated tees with pan­ oramic vistas, trickling brooks, and small, well-bunkered, contoured greens. No Turning Back Scott came to Siwanoy in 1992 as an intern. Though he’d barely gotten his feet wet in the industry, he knew then and there that turfgrass management would be his lifelong career. In 1993, Scott completed an associate’s degree at UMass’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture and then decided to further his training, earning a bachelor’s in plant pathology with a minor in business at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. After four years of schooling, Scott knew it was time to hit the grindstone. “I accept­ ed a position on the crew at Hickory Ridge Golf Club in Amherst and then jumped at the opportunity to return to Siwanoy a year later as the second assistant,” he says. By 1997, just a year later, Scott was elevated to first assistant. The Experience of a Lifetime “In the seven seasons I’ve been at Siwanoy,” says Scott, I’ve gained a lifetime of experi­ ence—working with Dave Mahoney and through the club’s two-year renovation project.” From 1996 to 1998, the club worked with Golf Course Architect Arthur Hills to restore many of the course’s original Donald Ross design features. Built in 1914, the course now sports newly reno­ vated green surrounds and bunkers and completely reconstructed tees—as well as new irrigation and pond systems. Also making the task of golf course man­ agement more pleasurable is the all-new maintenance facility, which was completed in 2000. Working together through the stresses and strains of a very intensive renovation project could make or break a working relationship. Apparently, in Scott and Dave’s case, it made it. “Over the years,” says Scott, “Dave and I have developed a great working relationship. Scott Zalinsky Dave has given me a tremendous amount of support and confidence,” continues Scott. “Thanks to Dave, I couldn’t be better pre­ pared for the next step.” Life Beyond the Golf Course When Scott is not at work on the course, he enjoys a good round of golf at Siwanoy and other courses. “Though it’s always valuable to view your own course from the player’s perspective, I do try to play away as much as possible to see how other people groom and manage their courses,” says Scott. More than just a golf addict, Scott has fun skiing during the off-season. He frequently heads north to Ludlow,VT, where he owns a ski house one mile from Okemo Mountain. Scott’s advice to fellow assistants who came to tame Siwanoy on October 14 was to bring their “A” Game. Some did, some came close, but one thing was for sure. . . they all had A good time. Watch for the results in the next issue of Tee to Green. Eric O’Neill, a member of the Tee to Green Editorial Committee, is an assistant superintend­ ent at Scarsdale Golf Club in Hartsdale, NY. Member News Members on the Move • Kelly Thomas Burke, Class C, Elmwood Club,White Plains, NY Nick Lerner is the new superintendent at • DavidCountry Conquergood, Class C, Bonnie Briar Country Club in Larchmont, Country Club of Fairfield, Fairfield, CT NY. Previous position: Assistant superin­ • Rick Palmerton, Class C, Country tendent, The Canyon Club, Armonk, NY. Club at Lake MacGregor, Mahopac, NY • David A. Roule, Class A, Elmwood Country Club,White Plains, NY Please join us in welcoming the following • Geoffrey S. Simril, Class AF, Milliken & Company, Richmond,VA new members: • Andrew Agnew, Class C, Sleepy Hollow • David Sylvester, Class AF, Bayer Environmental Science, Montville, NJ Country Club, Scarborough, NY New Members Tee to Green September/October 2 003 Newly Certified Congratulations to Michael Candeloro of Skyview Golf Club in Sparta, NJ, for com­ pleting the coursework required to become a certified golf course superintendent (CGCS) with GCSAA. Greenwich Country Club Hosts Superintendent/Green Chairman Tourney by B ill Perlee / / i W A W hen the annual Superintendent/ }/ m / Green Chairman Tournament ar^ riv e d at the Greenwich Country Club October 20, host Superintendent Greg Wojick and his staff proudly displayed one of the oldest golf courses in the country Opened in 1892, the club credits its beginnings to Julian Curtis, who was not only the club’s first president, but also presi­ dent of the Connecticut Golf Association and, more significant, the A.G. Spaulding Company Curtis became a multimillionaire be­ cause of his efforts not only in promoting golf in this country, but also by encouraging the Spaulding Company to begin manufac­ turing golf equipment here. Greenwich Country Club has honored Curtis’s contributions by initiating, at the club’s 100th anniversary, a tournament in his name: the Julian Curtis Cup. This tourney is now an annual event that travels to clubs whose history spans 100 years or more. A Course of Steady Improvement A recent visit from the Tee to Green staff to this prestigious Greenwich property in­ cluded a firsthand look at some of the accomplishments of Greg’s department dur­ ing his 16-year tenure as golf course super­ intendent. We began our visit in the grill room, where Greg believes that being accessible to members is one of the best strategies for keeping the lines of communication open. “If golfers have concerns or feedback, I like to hear about them. If there’s something we can change or improve on, we try to act quickly so that members know they can rely on us to be responsive,” says Greg. After a fine lunch, we headed for the patio, which features sweeping vistas of the Long Island Sound, nice stone work, and a busy lunch crowd. After chatting with sev­ eral members and clubhouse staff, we headed for the golf course. The first thing that stands out, besides the fine condition of the turf, is a 100-foot-high ridge that cuts through the course, adding unusual character to the property. Dramatic elevation changes, blind shots, and several water features were challenges for contestants in this year’s annual event. Among the more obvious course im­ provements are the stone walking bridges, extensive landscape plantings and gardens, and a renovation project that involved rebuilding many of the bunkers and tees and expanding several greens. “We reluctantly added some asphalt cart paths,” says Greg. “They were controversial but necessary.” Less obvious are the projects Greg has undertaken to resolve water-related issues: the installation of a new dam, a new irriga­ tion system and pumphouse, lots of drainage work, and a project to redirect a stream on Hole #9 that threatened to erode parts of the golf course. Most recently, Greenwich beefed up its entrance, with stone pillars, new signage, and attractive landscaping. Onward and Upward Though seemingly few stones—and little turf—have been left unturned, Greenwich still has several more plans for improvement up its sleeve. Says Greg, “A new paddle tennis facility will be built this winter, and a brand-new multimillion-dollar squash house with a modern fitness center is slated for construction this coming year. “On the course,” continues Greg, “we’re mulling over ways to strengthen our weaker holes, eliminate one of the more disconcert­ ing holes that forces players to hit right over the entrance road, and then free up the con­ gestion around the Pro Shop by creating more room for staging activities.” Whew! Back at the Shop Greg Wojick, CGCS bership directly,” Greg relates. They appreci­ ate the responsibilities that Greg empowers them with, and they play a key role in deliver­ ing the conditions the membership expects. Life Before Greenwich Before coming to Greenwich, Greg was the superintendent for six years at Sterling Farms GC in Stamford. He’s also held the super’s position at the Willimantic CC, the assistant’s position at Shennecossett GC in Groton, CT, and he got his feet wet in the business work­ ing at the Skungamaug GC in Coventry, CT, and Balcones CC, in Austin,Texas. Greg has a B.S. in agronomy from UConn, and he received a certificate in landscape design from the New York Botanical Garden, where he’s also been an instructor. He’s been an active member of the Met for 21 years, serving two terms on the board and as co-editor of Tee to Green. He’s remained a valuable contributor on the Communications Committee. Also a member of the Connecticut Asso­ ciation of Golf Course Superintendents since 1979, Greg served six years as the group’s newsletter editor and two years, in the mid’80s, as the CAGCS’s president. When he’s not tending turf or team building with his staff, Greg likes to retreat to his fam­ ily and home in Wilton, CT. “I can always rely on having a good time hanging out with Pandora and the kids,” says Greg. Pandora, Greg’s wife of 23 years, has been the managing editor of Tee to Green since 1989.Their children—Kara, 11, and Christo­ pher, 7—keep both parents busy with their extracurricular activities. “I’ve coached both the kids’ soccer teams,” says Greg, who was, himself, a high school soccer team co-captain. “Now, I enjoy watching their sports from the sidelines.” After a good look at the property, we headed to the maintenance facility. Greenwich was one of the first clubs in the area to erect a state-of-the-art maintenance facility. The 1992 renovation—which included a dormi­ tory for staff—began the wave of milliondollar facilities to replace “barns.” We spent some time talking turf with Greg’s two assistants, Paul Boyd and Josh Bill Perlee, a member of the Tee to Green Satin. Greg takes his role as mentor seriously Editorial Committee, is superintendent at The and includes his two assistants in the plan­ Apawamis Club in Rye, NY. ning and implementation of the programs at Greenwich. “I insist that they accompany me to our Green Committee meetings so Tee to Green September/October 2003 that they understand the desires of the mem- Patrons listed on this page are supporting our association. You are encouraged to support them. Action Environmental Group Jack Paz/Frank DeGrazia 3010 Burns Ave.,Wantagh, NY 11793 516-781-3000 WEBSITE www.actionhazmat.com A1 Preston’s Gary Shashinka Massey Ferguson Tractors 203-924-1747 Argento & Sons, Inc. 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