Board of Directors

uj Yp
President
DAVID M A H O N E Y
Siwanoy Country Club

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lt\c : ul

Vice President
W ILL IA M H E IN T Z
Centennial G olf Club

Treasurer

Cover: The Round H ill
Club. Photo by Round
H ill Superintendent
Bill Gaydosh.

M A T T H E W C E PL O , C G C S
Rockland Country Club

Secretary
A N T H O N Y G IR A R D I, C G C S
Rockrimmon Country Club

Past President
T IM O T H Y M O O R E
Knollwood Country Club
SC O TT A PGAR
Metro T u f Specialists
PAUL B O Y D
Greenwich Country Club
SE A N C A IN
Sunningdale Country Club
GLEN DU BE, CGCS
Oak Hills Park G olf Course
T H O M A S LEAHY, C G C S
Sleepy Hollow Country Club
R O B E R T N IE L SE N J R . C G C S
Bedford G olf & Tennis Club
G L E N N PERRY , C G C S
Rolling Hills Country Club
JE F F R E Y W E N T W O R T H , C G C S
Pelham Country Club

Executive Secretary
IN EK E P IE R P O IN T

Tee to Breen Staf
Editors
GLENN PERRY
Í 203-762-9484

SEAN CAIN
914-723-3238

S u p e r S u rv e y

Professional and Personal Formulas for Success

M anaging E ditor
PANDORA C.WOJICK
E ditorial C om m ittee
PAUL BOYD
GLEN DUBE
CHIP LAFFERTY
SCOTT NIVEN
\ ERIC O ’NEILL
TIM O ’NEILL
BILL PERLEE
GREGWOJICK
D esigner
TERRIE DUNKELBERGER

A s s o c ia tio n U p d a te
F r o m th e E d i to r ...

Photographer
BILL PERLEE
A dvertising M anager
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 © 2004

U p c o m in g E v e n ts ............................................................................................... 12
M e m b e r N e w s ................................................ . ......................................................12
S p o tlig h t

Association Update

From the Editor

rc'S

A Time of
Change

Tee to Greett^^*™
Wants YOU!

As m ost o f you know by now, Dave
Mahoney has officially resigned as pres­
ident o f our association. When he
called to tell m e about his resignation, I
was, as I am sure m ost o f you are, sur­
prised and shocked. But after speaking
with Dave, I understood his choice and
could see that he had his priorities in
the right place. He explained to me
that, with all the other things he had
going on in his life right now, he
couldn’t continue to fulfill his responsi­
bilities as our president.
We will miss Dave and his candor and
humor at our board meetings and at
our monthly meetings when he
addressed the membership. This is, by
no means, a eulogy. As Dave explained
to me, “I’ll still be attending the
monthly meetings.”
Dave, thank you for your many
years o f service and hard work. We
truly appreciate all you’ve done for the
association.
By the time you read this message,
the Annual Meeting will have taken
place, and all our voting members will
have had a chance to respond to our
new slate o f officers and directors.
I am looking forward to serving the
association as president. I feel it is truly
one o f life’s milestones. I have worked
very hard for many years to earn this
privilege. I plan to lead our members
and board o f directors to the best o f my
ability. Please understand that our asso­
ciation is here for all o f you. I will strive
to keep an open forum and welcome
your com m ents, suggestions, and even
your criticisms.
My very best to all o f you and your
families for Thanksgiving and the
upcoming holiday season.

ere we go again: Its our peri/odic appeal for committee
members and contributors
to our award-winning newsletter, Tee to
Green.
First and foremost, we are looking for
additional committee members. Our
philosophy: The more, the merrier—and
the lighter the workload.
For the past few years, we have had a
small, but dedicated committee. Each of
them worked hard—some above and
beyond the call of duty— to be sure we
had a newsletter each month that was
well worth reading.
If you’re at all interested in becoming
involved in the association, this commit­
tee is a good place to start. It doesn’t
require that you spend a lot of time away
from work. In fact, there are few meet­
ings throughout the year. As a committee
member, your primary function would be
to research and write an article or two
over the course of 12 months—and
attend a few meetings to brainstorm
timely article ideas.
Another committee function that
could use some assistance has to do with
selling our advertising space. If you don’t
mind picking up the phone and making
some “will you advertise in the Tee to
Green in 2005?” calls, then please let us
know. This is a worthy function: We rely
on advertising to keep our publication
afloat.
We also welcome contributions from
others in—and outside— our association.
In the spring, we received a great unso­
licited article from Michael McCall of
Casperkill Country Club, a member who
was not on our committee but had a
wonderful idea for an article on leader­
ship. Please be sure to contact us with
any thoughts you might have for an arti­
cle—whether or not you’re willing to
pen it.

Will Heintz
Acting President

M

M

A Worthy Pursuit
Sure, joining the Tee to Green committee
means some extra work. But consider what
your efforts will offer in return:
• When you contribute to the Tee to Green,
you contribute to the welfare of our associ­
ation by providing members with time­
ly—sometimes j ob-saving—information.
• You become familiar with fellow mem­
bers, as you contact them for article
information.
• You’ll build a portfolio of proof that you
have the writing and communication skills
increasingly important to our jobs as super­
intendents and assistants.
• You gain visibility, not just among our
membership, but among the many club
officials and managers who receive this
newsletter throughout the Met area— and
see your byline on the article you’ve
written. We could all use some good press.
If you’d like the challenge and rewards of
serving on the Tee to Green committee—in
either an editorial or advertising function—
please contact me as soon as possible at
203-762-9484. We are planning to sched­
ule a committee meeting in the next several
months.
Glenn Perry, CGCS
Co-Editor, Tee to Green

Super Survey
Professional and
Personal Formulas
by Scott Niven, CGCS

we surveyed a cross-section o f
M etG C SA su p e rin te n d e n ts to u n ­
cover th eir professional and p e r­
sonal fo rm u las fo r success— o r ju s t
plain survival— th ro u g h the rig o rs
o f the g o lf season. We called o n 62
su p e rin te n d e n ts.
A to ta l o f 39
resp o n d ed to o u r 3 5 -q u estio n su r­
vey, w hich asked resp o n d en ts to
reveal ev erything fro m th e ir m a n ­
agem en t practices and style to th eir
leisure-tim e activities.
O u r survey g ro u p averaged 19
years’ e x p erien ce as a s u p e rin te n d ­
ent, w ith som e clocking in as m an y
as 40 years an d , at the o th e r end o f
the sp e c tru m , as little as tw o.
E xactly tw o -th ird s are certified,
w h ich is a little low er th a n the 75p e rc e n t figure c o m p risin g all Class
A su p erintendents in the M etG C SA .
A n interesting m ix. O u r thanks to
all o f you fo r tak in g the tim e to
participate.
A side fro m b e in g an in trig u in g
read — le t’s face it, w h a t su p e rin ­
te n d e n t isn ’t c u rio u s a b o u t how
o th ers h andle th e ir o p e ra tio n s—
w e’re h o p in g th e survey results will
act as a sp rin g b o a rd fo r evaluating
y o u r ow n p ractices. By lo o k in g at
how o th ers “ get the jo b d one,” you
m ay discover ways to e ith e r
e n h an ce y o u r ow n o p e ra tio n or,
p erh ap s, b e tte r m an a g e the often
extrem e dem ands on your tim e.
D ivided in to categories, o u r ques­
tions, and the resp o n d en ts’ answ ers,
follow.

'¡ISlfe

Fifteen to twenty years ago, few if any
respondents would have had a staff larger
than 12 during the height of the season.
Today, with the trend toward more hand
work and greater attention to detail, the
average staff size for an 18-hole course in our
area has grown to 20, with some superin­
tendents managing staffs of up to 30.
As maintenance standards rise, so will the
numbers on our crews—particularly since
more than half the superintendents we
polled say they’re struggling to get the job
done, at the level expected, with their cur­
rent number of staff.
3.

Staffing Stats
1.

How many assistants do you have?
0 assistants - 1
1 assistant - 8
2 assistants - 28
3 assistants —2

Who on your staff has a supervi­
sor’s pesticide license?
You - 39
Assistant - 27

All the superintendents and about 70 percent
of assistants now have a supervisor’s pesticide
license, which allows them the flexibility to
prescribe and spray pesticides on their own.
For those assistants with an eye toward
upward mobility, a pesticide license is more
than just nice to have; it’s a competitive
necessity.

If you have more than one assistant,
why?
Avoid burnout —5
Too much work for one - 26
Nearly three quarters of the group have two
assistants. The increase from one assistant to
two is a fairly new phenomenon that’s
evolved over the past 10 years. According to
this survey, the reason for this trend—no sur­
prise— is the ever-increasing demand from
memberships for perfection on the golf
course.
O f the 39 surveyed, 26 felt more than one
assistant was necessary to manage the
Herculean workload. Another 16 percent,
wanted more than one assistant to allow each Managing—to Get the Job Done
of them a break from time to time to guard 1. When do you prepare the day’s
against burnout.
work schedule?
Morning - 17
2. What is the size o f your staff during
Previous day —29
the high season?
High season: High - 30
Most superintendents prepare their crew’s
Low —10
daily work schedule sometime before the
Average - 20
end of the previous day. Nearly 45 percent
Off-season: . Average - 7
work up their schedule every morning, while
some do a little bit of both: planning the
Is your staff allotment adequate for your evening before, tweaking the schedule in the
standards of maintenance?
a.m. when they see what the weather will
Yes- 1 8
bring. In the end, they all agreed the key to
N o -2 0
success is flexibility.

“It’s important to remember that Mother
Nature holds all the cards,” says Gregg
Stanley of The Bridge in Long Island.
“Despite the vast array of technology and
resources we have at our disposal today, we
can only slightly enhance or minimize what
Mother Nature has in store. Each day, the
weather usually provides an aspect that can
help a certain maintenance practice take
place more effectively or more efficiently.
We try to capitalize on each day’s weather
and go with it—not against it.”
2.

Who manages the staff each day?
Superintendent —25
Assistant —32
Foreman - 0

Two-thirds of the group manage their staff
on a daily basis, but more than 80 percent
rely on their assistants to keep tabs on crew
activities. Interestingly, no one in our sample
has a foreman in a management position. At
one time, the foreman functioned more as a
second assistant would today. Times have
changed. As superintendents’responsibilities
continue to expand, assistants’ functions will
become increasingly managerial.
3.

Who schedules daily irrigation?
Superintendent - 35
Assistant —11
Irrigation technician —2

Almost all superintendents schedule their
courses’irrigation application each day. And
though nearly a third will allow their assis­
tants some responsibility for irrigation setup,
it’s done with close supervision. All consider
this one of the essential aspects of course
maintenance.
“It may sound silly,” says Rob Alonzi of St.
Andrew’s Golf Club, “but irrigation—the
kind that creates good quality turf and play­
ing conditions—is an art, just as much as a
science. It’s learned over time, through trial
and error. That’s why I feel delegating this
responsibility requires fairly close scrutiny.”
4.

D o you pitch in to help get the
course ready for play?
Yes - 23
No- 10
Sometimes —6
What jobs do you do when you help pre­
pare the course?
Course setup - 27
Mowing —4
Spraying - 4
Miscellaneous - 9
None - 5

Challenged by too much work and not
enough staff, about 75 percent of the super­
intendents we surveyed find they have to
pitch in to prepare the course for weekend
play and special events. Most say they get
involved with course setup, while some—
though a small percentage— even mow or
spray.
5.

Who does clerical/m iscellaneous
office work?
Superintendent - 32
Assistant - 13
Administrative assistant —8

Most of the respondents said they do some, if
not all, of their clerical work themselves. A
portion of those also call on their assistants—
or an administrative assistant—to help tend
to office work. Ten years ago, administrative
assistants were almost nonexistent, but as our
managerial responsibilities evolve, superin­
tendents require greater behind-the-scenes
support, and some—though still a relatively
small share—have been successful in lobby­
ing for it.
Ken Benoit of GlenArbor Golf Club was
able to justify hiring an administrative assis­
tant by pointing out that the person with the
most agronomic experience was spending
the least amount of time on the course. “I
explained that having an administrative assis­
tant would allow me to spend more quality
time tending to the needs of the property
without sacrificing the level of recordkeep­
ing I had established,” says Ken. “The payoff
has been immeasurable. I can’t imagine try­
ing to keep this department organized with­
out the help of an administrative assistant.”

6.

D o you make use o f the USGA’s
Turf Advisory Service? D o you use
a turfgrass consultant?
USGA visit:
Yes - 28
N o -1 0
Turf consultant: Yes - 3
N o -3 5

The majority of superintendents— 75 per­
cent— see value in setting up annual visits
with a USGA agronomist. “I’ve used the
USGA Turf Advisory Service for 13 years
and have always found it beneficial,” says
Tim Garceau of The Tuxedo Club. “The
visit is an excellent opportunity to get all
committee members on the course to dis­
cuss issues, practices, and future projects. It
helps to be onsite, rather than in a room
somewhere, to actually view what we’re
talking about.
“Another added benefit is that the
USGA will frequently recommend the
same solutions I’ve proposed. When I was
trying to win approval on a tree removal
program, the USGA supported my recom­
mendations, and that went a long way
toward steadying the nerves of any skeptic
members.”
Most respondents also agreed on the
benefit of having USGA counsel and sup­
port when an unexplained turf problem
surfaces. It helps, everyone agreed, to have
an impartial authority who can back your
explanation of the problem.
Though seeking the counsel of an out­
side turf consultant has gained favor in
recent years, among our sample, the major­
ity— 90 percent—still shy away from that
practice.

Practices on the Job—and Off
1.

What time do you arrive at work
each day?
3 a.m. - 1
5 a.m. - 2
5:15 a.m .- 1
5:30 a .m .- 13
5:45 a.m. - 10
6 a.m. - 8
6:15 a.m .- 1
6:30 a.m. - 1
7 a.m. - 1

Although there’s a four-hour window of
arrival times, the majority of us show up at
the golf course between 5:30 and 6 a.m. No
bankers’ hours here.
2.

How many hours do you work per
week?
High season: High —80
Low —50
Average —63
Off-season:
High - 50
Low - 30
Average —39

Our survey sample shows that superintend­
ents are logging in an average of 63 hours per
week during the high season— and about
2,600 hours per year.
According to a recent International Labor
Office survey, we’re logging in 45 percent—
or 17 hours per week—more than the aver­
age worker in the United States. U.S. workers
reportedly put in more than 1,800 hours on
the job each year, which, by the way, is 350
hours more than the Germans and even
slightly more than the Japanese. Somehow,
having access to modern-day technology and
larger staffs is not doing much to ease our
workload.
No surprise: Survey respondents will tell
you these kinds of hours make life stressful in
more ways than one.
“For me, the long hours are almost the easy
part,” says Mike Reeb of Country Club of
New Canaan. “What I find stressful is trying
to strike a healthy balance of roles and
responsibilities on the job and at home. With
the unpredictable nature of our work and the
potential for long workdays, I’m constantly
striving to make sure that no one— and no
one thing—suffers unfairly. Whether it’s my
assistant or my paperwork, my family or time
for rest, I try to achieve a balance that satisfies
everyone.”
The real answer to reducing the stress in
our lives? University researchers offer an all—
too-predictable answer: Reduce the number
of hours you’re putting in at work each week.
For many superintendents this is little more
than an impossible dream.

The one saving grace: the off-season.
During the winter months, superintendents
work a more tolerable 40-hour workweek.

“The job of today’s superintendent may
not be exactly what I imagined when I was
an assistant, but it is still a fantastic career.”

3.

5.

When do you tour the course?
A .M .- ll
P.M.-O
Both - 27

How many hours do you spend on
the computer each day?
High - 4 hours
Low - 15 minutes
Average - 1.8 hours

Everyone prefers to tour their golf course in
the morning before play, but most—70 per­
cent—also make another round of inspection
sometime in the afternoon.
“I believe touring the course is one of the
most important things we do at work,” says
Neil Laufenberg of Innis Arden Golf Club.
“This is the time when we put our years of
experience and education to use in scouting
for disease and pests and in noting all the
maintenance details that need to be tended
to during the day. It’s the time we make
some of the most critical observations and
maintenance decisions about the golf course.
“I tour the course twice a day—in the
morning and, again, in the afternoon,” Neil
continues. “I use the a.m. tour to decide
what needs to get done during the day and
the afternoon tour to review what my crew
accomplished and to make preliminary plans
for the next day.”

During the summer months, the over­
whelming majority—83 percent—work
both Saturday and Sunday, with only 15 per­
cent taking off one of the weekend days.

4.

7.

What percentage o f your time is
spent in the office and on the
course?
Office:
High - 95%
L o w - 15%
Average - 65%
Course: High - 85%
Low - 15%
Average - 35%

Survey participants admitted that it was diffi­
cult to track how long they spend on the
computer each day because they tend to use
it in short spurts rather than all at once.
Everyone seemed to agree, however, that the
average computer time of nearly two hours
per day would grow as our industry contin­
ues to add to the myriad functions already
being accomplished on computer.
6.

During the high season, do you
regularly work weekends?
Saturday - 5
Sunday —1
B oth-3 1

How often are you pressed for
time?
D a ily -11
W eek ly -11
Monthly - 3
Occasionally - 14

All superintendents experience some pres­
sure, whether it’s from too much to do in too
little time or conflicting demands. Have you
ever had a day where you’re sitting at your
computer checking e-mail, talking on your
office phone when your cell phone rings,
your fax starts printing, a salesman knocks on
your door, one of your staff also shows up
and wants to ask a question, and your assis­
tant is trying to reach you on the radio? It
happens. And as our use of technology ex­
pands and member expectations continue
to escalate, demands on our time will only
get greater. Good time management will be
an essential component of our managerial
repertoire.

The job of superintendent has evolved from
hands-on to managerial. Our survey results
show that superintendents are spending twothirds of their time in the office. That’s twice
as much time inside as on the golf course.
Though this elevates our status in many peo­
ple’s minds from laborer to manager, it’s an
unfortunate evolution for those who got into
the business because they enjoyed working
outdoors.
“It is unfortunate that we spend most of
our time doing office work,” laments
Anglebrook Golf Club’s Lou Quick. “But
these days, we control everything from a
computer: inventory, purchase orders, 8. How many rounds o f golf do you
budget, payroll, irrigation, e-mail, and on and
play per year?
on. So we’re forced to reduce our time out­
High —45
side.
Low —0
“When I get tired of office work,” he con­
Average - 17
tinues, “I get in my cart and look over the
great work of my assistant and crew. Many It’s a commonly held belief among golfers
times, I’ll even put the ear plugs in and go out that a superintendent who is an excellent
and mow something to reduce office fatigue. player would readily recognize excellent

playing conditions—and theoretically be able
to produce them on the course. Golfer belief
or not, most of the survey respondents would
agree that knowing the game of golf is essen­
tial to grooming the course from the golfer’s
perspective.
Unfortunately, with the busy schedule of
today’s superintendent, the number of rounds
they average per year has dropped. Assuming
an eight-month playing season, our survey
sample gets out to play, on average, only about
twice a month.
Superintendents will always play a certain
amount of golf. Whether this trends upward
or downward will depend on their ability to
free up more time to play.
9. Where do you eat lunch?
Clubhouse - 20
Office-1 3
Home —9
Club kitchen - 4
Off-property - 1
Nearly everyone we surveyed eats lunch on
club grounds, but most seek out a place
where they can eat in peace without being
subject to general inquiries or, worse, mem­
ber criticism. Only one respondent reported
braving the club grill room each day: Peter
Bly of Brooklawn Country Club.
“It’s true. My two assistants and I eat lunch
in the grill room every day,” says Peter.
“Many times, we’re joined by the pro—and
members. It’s been nothing short of positive.
It’s good public relations—and a good oppor­
tunity to communicate with members. I rec­
ommend more guys get out in front of the
firing line.”
10. What do you wear to work each
day?
Golf attire - 39
It’s unanimous: Everyone in our survey sam­
ple wears golf attire to work. Our daily attire,
like our image as professionals, has certainly
come a long way over the years. We can only
wonder if the two go hand-in-hand.
11. What do you do with time off on
the weekend?
Travel - 10
Spend time with family - 8
Catch up on some R & R - 7
Participate in a sport - 3
Work around the house - 4
Superintendents are like any other working
professional: On their weekends off, they
enjoy getting away from it all and catching up
on much-needed R & R and family time.

3.

How do you communicate with
your assistants?
Verbal - 37
Written - 22
Computer —3

Almost everyone communicates with their
assistants verbally each day, with more
than half also using some form of written
communication.

Who’s the Boss?
1.

12. D o you take a vacation in summer?
Yes-1 3
N o -2 6
Ten to fifteen years ago, summer vacations
were unheard of. Slowly but surely, however,
superintendents are daring to spend time
away with their families during the summer
months. In fact, one-third of our survey
sample said they take summer vacations that
average five days. We can expect this figure
to rise as assistants and support staff became
increasingly capable of taking the reigns for
brief periods during the high season.
As far as total vacation days go, survey
respondents average 23 days per year. This
wouldn’t be half bad if most superintendents
didn’t have to work for 7 months, 7 days a
week, 9 hours a day before they could make
use of it.

Modes of Communication
1.

Do you write an article for your
club’s newsletter? If yes, how
often?
Yes - 28
N o - 11
Times per year: High - 40
Low —1
Average —7

Almost three-quarters of superintendents
publish articles in their club’s newsletter,
writing an average of seven articles per year.
This is further proof that the role of the
superintendent is changing, with writing
skills more essential than ever.

With our maintenance facilities so far
removed from other club operations and
functions, it’s not unusual for superintendents
to feel that they’re their own boss. But the
truth is we all have a superior to answer to—
and often more than one.
According to our survey sample, 80 percent
report to a green chairman— a longstanding
practice. A new line of reporting, however,
has emerged over the past several years, which
has 30 percent of our survey sample answer­
ing to their club’s general manager (also
sometimes known as the chief operating offi­
cer). While GMs have made a conscious effort
to broaden the scope of their responsibilities,
many superintendents are in favor of main­
taining their autonomy.
2.

2.

Do you provide input for your club
website? If yes, how often?
Yes- 1 5
N o -2 4
Daily - 1
Weekly- 4
Monthly —5
Yearly —1

Websites aren’t limited to businesses. This
new phenomenon is rapidly becoming com­
monplace among clubs, with nearly 40 per­
cent in our area having a website up and
running. More than a third of our survey
respondents already contribute to their club’s
website, many on a monthly or weekly basis.
As time goes on, this will become a
common—and expected—mode of com­
municating with the membership. Add
“computer savvy” to the list of required skills
for a golf course superintendent.

Who do you answer to?
Green chairman —31
Board of directors —4
Owner - 4
General manager - 12
Pro - 0
President —1

How many times per week do you
communicate with your boss?
Average —3 times per week

2.

What percentage o f your budget is
your salary plus bonus?
High - 21%
Low —8%
Average - 14%

The average percentage of golf course budg­
ets being allocated for superintendents’ salary
and bonus is 14 percent. During the past two
decades, salary increases seem to have kept
pace with budget increases at 6 percent per
year. At this rate of inflation, salaries will
basically double every 12 years!

1.

Most of the superintendents in our survey
said they communicate with their boss three
times a week, on average. Their methods
vary from phone— often cell phone, where
they’re most easily reached—to meeting
face-to-face on the course. Growing in
popularity is communicating by e-mail.

think more about the club as a whole, rather
than just the golf course. I believe this
approach has made me more valuable to my
employer, and it shows in the support I
receive.”

3.

1.

Who is your biggest supporter at
your golf course?
Green chairman —24
P ro-1 1
General manager —9
Golfers - 1 3
President/Owner - 3

As you might expect, most of our survey
sample— 62 percent—see their green chair­
man as their greatest ally. But many also find
great support from golfers, their pro, and to a
lesser degree, their general manager.
“It’s all about relationships and doing
what’s best for the facility,” says Country
Club of Darien’s Tim O ’Neill. “Every club
is a little different, but we all still have to
work with others as a team to ensure the
overall success of the facility. I communicate
regularly with my general manager; that’s
enabled us to do our jobs better. I try to

Money Matters
What is the amount o f your
operating budget?
$600k - $800k - 4
$800k - $lmil —17
$lmil - $1.2mil - 11
$1.2mil —$1.4mil —4
$1.4mil+ - 2
Average = $1 million

Using the median number of each range pre­
sented, this survey showed the average budget
for an 18-hole course, managed by a
MetGCSA member, to be just over $1 mil­
lion. We estimate that, during the past 20 to
25 years, golf course budgets in our area have
increased steadily by about 6 percent a year.
With that assumption, a budget of $250k in
1980 became $500k in 1992 and $1 million
in 2004. If budgets continue to follow this
course, we wouldn’t be far off irf saying that
the average golf course budget will be $2
million in 2016 (rule of 72).

On a scale o f 1 to 5, rate how
much you enjoy your job.
1 (hate it) - 0
2 (don’t like it) —0
3 (it’s ok) - 1
4 (like it) - 18
5 (love it) - 20

Despite having to endure the grueling sched­
ule and stress of the high season, the majority
of superintendents we polled seem to thor­
oughly enjoy their job. Having the off-sea­
son to look forward to, no doubt, helps these
ratings—and, perhaps, the prospect of having
a green chairman or other club official read
this article!
One superintendent who gave job satisfac­
tion an extra-high rating was Jon Jennings of
Chicago Golf Club. “I can’t imagine work­
ing in any other profession,” says Jon. “What
other job offers as much daily diversity? We
have the ability to work inside or outside,
with people or alone, using machinery or
hand labor. The physical work and the men­
tal challenges keep me stimulated. And the
people at the club—my staff, other managers,
the membership—they all are a pleasure to
work with and for.
“I enjoy, in particular,” continues Jon,
“tournament preparation for the club. We
maintain the golf course to a very high daily
standard, so it’s always fun to see how much
further we can raise the bar for tournaments
or special events. I also enjoy the feedback
that’s associated with the increased effort.”
2. What part o f your job do you enjoy
the most?
Preparing for tournaments - 2
Course conditioning - 14
Dealing with people - 5
Managing the environment - 11
Doing projects - 4
O ther- 3
The categories that received the highest satis-

Our “Super” Survey Participants

faction ratings were those that related to the
outdoors: course conditioning, first, and
managing the golf course environment, sec­
ond. Again, no surprises here. After all, who
gets into this business because they like the
office work?

Final Note
Again, many thanks to all those members of
the MetGCSA (see box, right, for list) who
took the time to fill out and return our sur­
vey. Thank you, too, for your patience in
trying to fax your responses to a machine
that was on the fritz. Even with that hiccup,
we had a 63-percent return rate (39 out of
62), which was pretty good in mid-season.
Scott Niven, a member of the Tee to Green
Editorial Committee, is property manager at The
Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT.

Joseph Alonzi, CGCS
Westchester Country Club

Michael Maffei, CGCS
Back O'Beyond

Robert Alonzi, CGCS
Fenway Golf Club

David Mahoney
Siwanoy Country Club

Robert Alonzi Jr.
St. Andrew's Golf Club

Charles Martineau
Whippoorwill Club

Kenneth Benoit Jr.
GlenArbor Golf Club

James Medeiros, CGCS
Wannamoisett Country Club

Peter Bly
Brooklawn Country Club

Timothy Moore
Knollwood Country Club

Sean Cain
Sunningdale Country Club

Philip Neaton
Black Hall Club

James Calladio, CGCS
Milbrook Club

Scott Niven, CGCS
The Stanwich Club

John Carlone, CGCS
The Meadow Book Club

John O ’Keefe, CGCS
Preakness Hills Country Club

Matthew Ceplo, CGCS
Rockland Country Club

Timothy O ’Neill, CGCS
Country Club of Darien

Glen Dube, CGCS
Oak Hills Park Golf Course

Lawrence Pakkala, CGCS
Woodway Country Club

Mark Fuller, CGCS
Connecticut Golf Club

Bill Perlee
The Apawamis Club

Tim Garceau
The Tuxedo Club

Glenn Perry, CGCS
Rolling Hills Country Club

William Gaydosh
Round Hill Club

Louis Quick, CGCS
Anglebrook Golf Club

Tony Girardi, CGCS
Rockrimmon Country Club

Peter Rappoccio, CGCS
Silver Spring Country Club

Blake Halderman, CGCS
Trump National Golf Club

Michael Reeb, CGCS
Country Club of New Canaan

William Heintz
Centennial Golf Club

Patrick Sisk, CGCS
Milwaukee Country Club

Jonathan Jennings, CGCS
Chicago Golf Club

Gregg Stanley, CGCS
The Bridge

Lester Kennedy Jr., CGCS
Blind Brook Club

Don Szymkowicz, CGCS
Engineers Country Club

David Kerr, CGCS
Ridgewood Country Club

JeffWentworth, CGCS
Pelham Country Club

Neil Laufenberg
Innis Arden Golf Club

Dual Event Is
Double the Fun

MetGCSA Annual Two-Ball Tourney
Has Grand Finale

by Bob Nielsen, CGCS
Bedford Golf & Tennis Club

by Blake Halderman, CGCS
Trump National Golf Club

ugust 23 turned out to be a pic­
ture-perfect day for the Poa
Annual Tournament/Met Cham­
pionship. Held at Connecticut Golf Club,
our host Mark Fuller and his crew had the
golf course in impeccable shape (and I
thought my bunkers were difficult to main­
tain!), and the post-golf food and libations
were a great final touch to an extraordinary
day.
Little did we know just how meaningful
this fine day of golf would be to Met mem­
bers since the past two association golf
events— our last of the season, in fact—
were canceled due to bad weather and
schedule conflicts. Hats off to Mark and his
manager for providing such a great venue
for the Poa Annual Tournament.

Golf Highlights
Terry Crimmons from the Pine Orchard
Golf & Yacht Club shot a 78 for first
low gross, while Mark Millett beat out
Matt Ceplo on a match of cards for second
low gross and winner of the Met
Championship.
Rick Palmerton from the Country Club
at Lake MacGregor shot a net 67 to take
the low net prize, and Tom Weinert from
Plant Food shot a net 69 for the second low
net prize.
Pete Waterous from Westchester Hills
shot a net 72 to become the net winner in
the Met Championship. Scott Ferguson,
Tony Grasso, and Blake Halderman tied for
second with a net 75.
Hopefully, next year, the weather will
cooperate with the Met meeting calendar,
since we already have a great lineup of
courses for 2005. Anyone interested in
booking their club for 2006 should contact
me at 914-234-3779 or Tom Leahy at 914941-8281.

■

J M ’m sure everyone remembers the
M Winter Olympics qualifier when
skater Tonya Harding took out Nancy
Kerigan’s knee to achieve success. Now it
seems, history may have repeated itself in
our very own competition. I said in the last
Tee to Green that the #5 seeds wouldn’t go
down without a fight, but frankly, I didn’t
think that comment would be taken so
literally.
Both #5 seeds played against singles
from the #1 seeded teams in semi-fmal
play. First,Tim Garceau was injured playing
hockey with Earl Millet two nights before
the match against Dube/Halderman, and
then Gary Arlio mysteriously missed his tee
time against Reeb/Wojick. Can you say
HIT MAN?!
As a result, the final scores ended up in a
little bit of a landslide as Reeb/Wojick won
9 and 8 against Bob DeMarco, and
Dube/Halderman defeated Ernie Steinhofer 4 and 3. But Ernie didn’t go down
without a fight (unlike his opponents, he
opted not to hire a hit man); he played well
early in the match, holding Dube/Halder­
man down 1 after seven holes. Unfortu­
nately for Ernie, Sleepy Hollow’s fairways
really start to tighten on the 8th hole.
In other semi-fmal play, Cain/Denny
took on Ceplo/Swiatlowski for the final
spot in the First Flight Championship. Cain
drained a long putt on the 5th hole to keep

.

The Semi-Finals
First Flight
#5 Dube/H alderm an defeated
#1 Garceau/Steinhofer 4 and 3
#6 Cain/Denny defeated
#15 Ceplo/Swiatlowski 3 and i
Second Flight
#5 Reeb/W ojick defeated
#1 Arlio/DeMarco 9 and 8
#14 Johnston/Severino defeated
#2 Girardi/Moran 1 up

from going 4 down. By the 12th hole, they
fought back to all square and closed the
match at 3 and 1. The Second Flight final
spot went to Severino/Johnston as they
defeated Girardi/Moran 1 up in a dog fight.

Last hut not Least
The final match of the First Flight was con­
tested at GlenArbor Golf Club with
Cain/Denny duking it out against Dube/
Halderman. Although there were no major
heroics, Dube/Halderman managed to
ham-and-egg their way around the course
to defeat Cain/Denny 2 and 1.
The Second Flight finals paired R eeb/
Wojick against the ever-so-dangerous
Severino/Johnston team at Trump National
Golf Club. The high slope rating got the
best of the Reeb/Wojick team as they fell
to Severino/Johnston 4 and 3.
I would like to thank everyone, again, for
a successful Two-Ball Championship year.
This event is all about getting out on the
course with fellow colleagues to network,
discuss current issues, and, most impor­
tantly, have a great time. And most every­
one did just that: Out of 30 matches, there
was only one that was decided by a coin
toss.
We look forward to seeing you next year
at the 2005 Two-Ball Qualifier, taking place
April 25 at Trump National Golf Club.

The Finals
First Flight
#5 Dube/Halderm an defeated
#6 Cain/Denny 2 and l
Second Flight
#14 Johnston/Severino defeated
#5 Reeb/Wojick 4 and 3

Looking Into the Future

s 2004—and my role as
GCSAA vice president—
comes to a close, I look for­
ward to the year ahead as president of
GCSAA. This past year, I’ve had a full sched­
ule—much of my time devoted to represent­
ing GCSAA at various major tournaments
as well as at a number of committee and
industry meetings and events. Aside from
getting to visit some great golf courses like
Augusta, Whistling Straits, Shinnecock, and
Oakland Hills, I had the opportunity to
interact with—and gain new insights from—
other industry representatives.
From my perspective, 2005 will be one of
the most exciting ... but challenging ... years
in the long and successful history of our
organization. As I prepare for my role as
president, I thought I would share some
of the challenges we will be addressing—

and the new paths we’re taking to ensure
the continued success of GCSAA and the
programs and services we offer to our
members.

Strategically Thinking
First, GCSAA finances. Throughout my time
on the board, I’ve learned that finances will
always be a challenge for GCSAA. With
diminishing revenues and harder-to-comeby sponsorships, GCSAA must— as any suc­
cessful operation must— carefully scrutinize
how it conducts business. By continually
evaluating our services and benefits, GCSAA
will always be positioned to support our
members with the programs and services
they need.
Another lesson learned that I’d like to share
is the importance of strategic thinking. A

dynamic organization like ours cannot con­
tinue to grow unless we’re willing to face the
future—and all its challenges and opportuni­
ties—by continually challenging our own
assumptions and inviting fresh perspectives
and approaches.
Our own history underscores the impor­
tance of strategic thinking. Our association
has a long history of evolution and advance­
ments. Who would have thought—back in
1926, when 60 “green keepers” formed the
National Association of Green Keepers of
America—that GCSAA would someday
evolve into the dynamic, worldwide organiza­
tion it is today, providing services and
resources to more than 21,000 members in 65
countries around the world.
Thankfully, the association has had many
effective leaders who have made many
tough—and worthwhile— decisions. Certi­
fication, chapter affiliation, PDI, and business
partnerships are all examples of strategic
thinking.
Recently, the board has incorporated a
higher level of strategic discussions into each
of our regular board meetings. These new dis­
cussions—which include our executive man­
agement, industry experts, and other decision
makers in golf—are a shift from operational
issues to more strategic discussions in an
attempt to establish, for GCSAA staff, the
vision the board—and the entire member­
ship—holds for our association.
Also along the lines of strategic thinking, at
last year’s Chapter Delegate’s Meeting, after a
year of work with the board and executive
management, a prioritized list of “strategic
indicator targets” was introduced.
These important measuring gauges were
created as a way to better align our resources
with our organizational goals and accurately
measure the long-term success of the organi­
zation in such areas as revenues, member
growth and retention, career success of mem­
bers, facility representation, chapter effective­
ness, and partnerships, among others.
While these measurements will help us de­
termine the effectiveness of the organization
in the areas that matter most to members, they
will also provide the accountability needed to
ensure we are meeting our organizational
goals.

New Goal Brings New Focus
Since March, the association leadership has
added a new goal to its list: to provide
resources that benefit not just the superin­
tendent, but the overall club or golf facility.
The premise: Superintendents’ success hinges
on the overall success of their club—or facil­
ity. One thought to promote club success
was to provide club owners or employers
with a new category of GCSAA member­
ship. Called a Facility Membership, it would
be designed to provide benefits and programs
that help build the success of the overall
facility.
Among the proposed program topics:
maximizing financial goals, fostering loyal
customers, managing a high-level team, oper­
ating under legislation and regulation, ensur­
ing the ongoing growth and vitality of the
game, and managing risk. Various commit­
tees are expected to review this new concept
for potential implementation some time in
2005.

The Bight Thing fur the Industry and
the Environment

Slate o f C andidates fo r the 2005
G CSA A B oard o f D irecto rs
The 2004 Nominating Committee, chaired by past president Michael Wallace, CGCS,
ratified the following official slate of candidates for the 2005 GCSAA Board of
Directors. The voting members of GCSAA will elect three officers and three directors
during the 2005 Annual Meeting on Friday, February 11, in Orlando, FL.
For president: Timothy T. O ’Neill,
CGCS, at the Country Club of Darien
in Darien, CT.
For vice president: Sean A. Hoolehan,
CGCS, at Wildhorse Resort and Casino
in Pendleton, OR.
For secretary/treasurer: David S.
Downing II, CGCS, director of golf
operations at The Pearl Golf Links and
Ocean Isle Beach Golf Course in Sunset
Beach, NC.
For secretary/treasurer: Ricky D.
Heine, CGCS, general manager at The
Golf Club Star Ranch in Austin, TX.

GCSAA s other key involvement now, and in
the future, is with the Environmental Insti­
tute for Golf.
In recent years, golf has been enjoying a
more positive image in the environmental
community. The institute will ensure that the
momentum and strides made by GCSAA
and other organizations, such as the USGA,
will not be lost.
As planned, environmental task groups—
which include superintendents, environmen­
talists, educators, and regulators, as well as
numerous industry representatives—have
been working long and hard to develop a
user-friendly, web-based resource covering
nearly any type of golf course-related envi­
ronmental concern or project you can think
of. This is designed to help superintendents
ensure their courses remain environmentally
friendly.
This environmental focus marks a new
chapter in the history of GCSAA. It assumes
that GCSAA accepts a high level of environ­
mental accountability for the entire golf in­
dustry. Although that can be a daunting
responsibility, it is not only the appropriate
thing for GCSAA to do; it’s the right thing
to do.

for—and commitment to—providing our
members with the knowledge and skills we’ll
all need as our profession enters a new phase
of growth. Much of that growth, for exam­
ple, will be fueled by the tremendous educa­
tional opportunities made available through
the Internet.
This year, GCSAA has successfully
launched numerous web-cast training ses­
sions for our members. These interactive and
user-friendly “seminars” provide meaningful
education that is both affordable and easily
accessible to our members.

Ongoing Development

The Power «I Partnership

I am equally pleased with the continued
progress and implementation of the PD I.
This initiative ushered in a new era for mem­
ber superintendents. Most important, PDI
demonstrates our association’s preparation

To help us continue our educational mis­
sion, we’ve agreed to join forces with other
golf industry organizations in sponsoring
our conference and show. Accommodating
the new additions, meant, as most of you

For director: Gregg A. Blew, CGCS, at
the Wellshire Golf Club in Denver, CO.
For director: James R. Fitzroy, CGCS,

director/superintendent at the Wollas­
ton Recreational Facility/Presidents Golf
Course in North Quincy, MA.
For director: Mark D. Kuhns, CGCS,
director of grounds at Baltusrol Golf
Club in Springfield, NJ.
For director: Robert M. Randquist,
CGCS, director of golf course and
grounds at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca
Raton, FL.
Jon D. Maddern, CGCS, immediate past
president, and Robert J. Maibusch,
CGCS, MG, director, are both retiring
from the board of directors. Mark J.
Woodward, CGCS, will serve on the
board for one year as immediate past
president. Gary K. Carls, CGCS, has one
year remaining on his two-year term as a
director.

know by now, changing the conference’s
name to the Golf Industry Show (GIS). Our
first joint event is scheduled for 2005 in
Orlando and will include the National Golf
Course Owners Association, the Golf Course
Builders Association of America, and the
American Society of Golf Course Architects.
The other big news on this front is that, in
2007, we will add yet another group to the
Golf Industry Show: the Club Manager’s
Association.
The strategy behind these alliances is to
present an industry show that represents the
full spectrum of golf—up to the playing of the
game. This new format will also expand offer­
ings to members and, at the same time, solidify
the financial viability of this important
event—an event that ultimately funds many of
our member programs and services.
The conference will be careful to retain
each organization’s identity and traditions.
For instance, GCSAA members will still
have a golf tournament and the same
educational events and sessions they’ve always
enjoyed. The trade show will be slightly larger
in 2005 and then 20 percent larger when the
club managers join the conference.
In the spirit of enhancing the trade show,
the floor will be segmented into areas called

solution centers. Each center will focus
on a particular aspect of each profession.
For instance, there will be:
• Equipment and Maintenance Solutions:
This center will highlight building design
and layout as well as tips on working
effectively with equipment technicians.
• Agronomic Solutions: Presented by the
Environmental Institute of Golf, this cen­
ter will offer practical solutions and
BMPs related to IPM and Wildlife and
Habitat Management.
• Water Solutions: In this center, you will
find information on products and serv­
ices related to water—directly from the
irrigation industry.
In addition, there will be several areas
where you can actually “test drive” the
product, including:
• An electric vehicle test center, offering
electric vehicles available for test drive
• A driving range, complete with 14 hit­
ting stations and a large putting green
where you can explore the latest in ball
and club technology
• An actual green, built in partnership
with the Builders Association and the
Architects during the trade show
Additional highlights on the trade show
floor include networking parks, mer­
chandise and bookstores, a media center,
a silent auction, and career development
resources.
Also new-and-improved is the format
for the traditional banquet. Renamed
the Presidents Celebration, this special
event will be less formal and will offer
more networking opportunities in a fes­
tive setting. Food, entertainment, and
dancing are also included, as well as a
brief program honoring the outgoing
president while welcoming the new
president and the 2005 board.
Speaking of welcoming the new
board, please be sure to attend the Annual
Meeting on Friday, February 11, from 2 —
4 p.m., for the board elections. (See
box on page 11 for a preview of the slate
of candidates.) I will look forward to
seeing you all there—and to having your
show of support.
Tim O ’Neill, our GCSAA vice president, is
superintendent at the Country Club of
Darien in Darien, CT.

Met Events to Remember
Met Area Team Championship
Monday, November 15
French Creek GC, Elverson, PA
Host: Doug Rae

MetGCSA Christmas Party
Saturday, December 4
The Canyon Club, Armonk, NY
Host: Paul Gonzalez, CGCS

Educational Events
NYSTA Turf and Grounds Exposition
Tuesday - Thursday, November 16—18
Rochester Riverside Convention Center
Rochester, NY
NYSTA, in partnership with Cornell Uni­
versity, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and
the New York Golf Course Owners
Association, welcomes you to participate in
its 29th Turf and Grounds Exposition.
This year, you will find more opportuni­
ties than ever before to expand your
knowledge, find solutions to your turf and
grounds maintenance problems, and gain
new insights from concepts and theories
tested by others in a series of educational
sessions and an expansive trade show.
For further information, call NYSTA at
800-873-8873 or 518-783-1229.

bids, project management, and managing
member expectations.
Another special part of the program is a
panel discussion with superintendents who
have completed renovation or construction
projects of their own. On the panel: Dave
Mahoney of Siwanoy Country Club in
Bronxville, NY; Ed Walsh, CGCS, of Shelter
Harbor Golf Club, which is currently under
construction in Rhode Island; and Rodney
Hine, superintendent of the Boston Golf
Club; Rodney has served in various capaci­
ties in the golf course design and construc­
tion industry.
This seminar allows you to earn GCSAA
recertification points. The cost for the day
is $75. Contact Ineke Pierpoint, 914-3473437, or JefFWentworth, 914-738-3970, for
further information.

Seminar
Golf Course Renovation: A
Superintendent's Survival Guide
Thursday, November 18
Pelham CC, Pelham Manor, NY
Host: JefFWentworth, CGCS
Intended for superintendents, assistant
superintendents, and club officials, this pro­
gram will feature golf course architect
Bobby Weed’s thoughts on navigating the
various challenges of a golf course renova­
tion project. He will cover such important
topics as the politics of approvals, securing

NJTA Expo 2004
Tuesday —Thursday, December 1 —9
Trump Taj Mahal Casino/Resort
Atlantic City, NJ
Join fellow turfgrass professionals at this
year’s NJTA educational conference and
trade show sponsored by the New Jersey
Turfgrass Association in conjunction with
Rutgers Cooperative Extension and Cook
College-Rutgers University.
For further information, call 856-8535973 or 732-821-7134.

Member News
New Members
Please join us in welcoming the following
new MetGCSA members:
Byran Diggle, Class AF, Turf Products
Corp., Enfield, C T
Kenneth Frank, Class C,The Meadow
Brook Club, Jericho, NY.

Dennis Granahan, Class C, Westchester
Country Club, Rye, NY.
Ian Larson, Class C,Willow Ridge
Country Club, Harrison, NY.
Brett Richards, Class C, Sleepy Hollow
Country Club, Scarborough, NY.
Zachary Schnip, Class C, Oak Hills Park
Golf Course, Norwalk, CT.

The Tournament That Almost Happened and
The Host Who Almost Hosted
by Bill Perlee
eeting host Bill Gaydosh and
1his crew worked up-to-theminute preparing for the
M et’s 2004 Superintendent/Green Chair­
man Tournament, which was scheduled for
a rare and privileged visit to The Round
Hill Club in Greenwich, CT, on October
19. Unfortunately, the persistent rains that
began the night before robbed Met mem­
bers of the opportunity to play this timetested gem. Despite the fact that members
won’t be setting foot on R ound Hill soil
anytime soon— the event couldn’t be
rescheduled—we’re still honoring our host
for his efforts in preparing for this tourney
that almost happened. Here’s a look at
Bill— and the Round Hill you almost saw.

The Artist Behind the
Superintendent
Bill Gaydosh, has been the dignified, driv­
ing force at Round Hill for the past 11
years— and a member of the MetGCSA
since 1963.
Bill’s career began in 1958 at Fairview
Country Club at its original site in
Elmsford, NY, which is now an industrial
park. “My father was friends with the late
Ted Jozwick, the superintendent at the
time,” explains Bill, “and he lined me up as a
grass cutter when I was in high school.
“I had no intention of building a career
in this field,” he continues. “It was just a
summer job.”
Bill pursued an art degree from NYC
Community College, but not long after
graduating, he found himself back on the
golf course. “I hadn’t realized before just
how much I enjoyed working outside and
with nature.”
The next year, Bill decided to make his
career move formal, and he attended the
Rutgers turf program.
Though superintendentdom seems like a
great departure from his intended career
path, according to Bill it’s not such a stretch.
“Grooming and enhancing a course re­
quires some degree of design sense,” says
Bill. And after looking at the course

conditioning and improvements he’s initi­
ated in his tenure, few could deny that Bill’s
got what it takes.

Number Four on the List
Bill is only the fourth superintendent of the
historic club, following the late Craig
Wistrand in 1994. The first, Emilio
“Molly” Strazza, was a talented artist him­
self, having had a hand in carving the stone
lions that still grace the entrance to the
New York Public Library. One of Molly
Strazza’s paintings hangs on the wall behind
Bill’s desk along with several fine examples
of Bill’s photography.
The R ound Hill Club is Bill’s fifth stop.
Formally beginning his career as assistant
superintendent at Fairview, Bill moved,
next to New Jersey. He spent about 10
years each at Fairmont Country Club, Edgewood Country Club, and then finally
Hackensack Country Club, before circling
back to Greenwich and his current post.
Sitting on 211 acres of prime Greenwich
backcountry terrain, The Round Hill Club
features small greens, ridges through land­
ing areas, and slopes for fairways that were
sculpted by Walter Travis in 1926. The
yardage could be considered short by
today’s standards at less than 6,700 yards, but
don’t tell that to the players of the recent
U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.

Thu Big Change
In his more than 45 years in the turfgrass
management industry, Bill’s seen a good
deal of change—the most significant, in his
mind, being the amount of money available
for superintendents to do their jobs. “We
used to have to scrape and beg for any
money at all for supplies or equipment,” he
remembers. “Now, we deal with milliondollar budgets.”
And Bill’s put his impressive funds to
good use on numerous enhancements to
his operation, not the least of which is a
state-of-the-art maintenance facility, which
boasts plenty of open space, vaulted ceil-

Bill Gaydosh
ings, material storage bins, and ample space
for support staff.
In addition to erecting a new mainte­
nance facility, Bill has spearheaded a bunker
renovation program, the installation of a
new irrigation system and pumphouse,
extensive drainage improvements, clubhouse
landscaping, a new driving range, natural
area enhancements, and, yes, he also went
through all the steps required in qualifying
the course as a certified Audubon Inter­
national cooperative sanctuary. If all that’s
not enough, Bill’s just launched into year
one of a two-year tee expansion project.

Family History
Despite all he has going on at the job, Bill
does have a life outside of work. He has four
daughters—-Jill, Erin, Tara, and Meredith—
and he and his wife of 12 years, Carol, live
on club grounds in Greenwich.
He’s also proud to point out that he has a
nephew in the business—a Met member
many of us know well: Paul Gonzalez.
Currently superintendent at The Canyon
Club, Paul worked with his Uncle Bill at
Edgewood and Hackensack—an experience
both Bill and Paul remember fondly.
Says Bill of his nephew’s years in training
with him, “H e’s very smart and caught on
quickly.”
Away from the property, Bill occasionally
spends a rare summer day boating out on
the Sound. In the winter, you’ll catch him
in Vermont, where his joy of the off-season
is downhill skiing at Stratton.
Bill Perlee, a member of the Tee to Green
Editorial Committee, is superintendent at The
Apawamis Club in Rye, NY.

airón Directory
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A1 Preston’s
Gary Shashinka
Massey Ferguson Tractors
203-924-1747
All Pro Horticulture
John Seib/Rick Wilhelm
721 Main Street
Farmingdale, NY 11735
516-777-8668
© Atlantic Irrigation Specialties, Inc.
Ray Beaudry
111 Lafayette Avenue
N W hite Plains, NY 10603
914-686-0008
© Blue Ridge Peat Farms
Gene Evans
133 Peat Moss Road
White Haven, PA 18661
570-443-9596

© E /T Equipment Co.
Bruce Pye/John Rizza
425 South Riverside Avenue
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
914-271-6126
© Glenmore Landscape Service
Glenn S. Moore
98 Hack Green Road
Pound Ridge, NY 10576
914-764-4348, FAX 914-764-0519
© Greenacres Company
Dave Pijnenburg
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
914-666-7035

© Cardinals Inc.
John Callahan
Complete Distributor of Golf Course
Accessories & Turf Maintenance
Supplies
860-673-3699

© Ira Wickes Arborists
JohnWWickes
11 McNamara Road
Spring Valley, NY 10977
845-354-3400

© Central Irrigation Supply, Inc.
Bernardo Luciano
914-347-5656, FAX 914-347-9174
6 Locations to Serve You in the
Tri-State Area

© Irra-Tech, Inc.
Joseph D. Kennedy
18 Merritt Street
Port Chester, NY 10573
914-937-7273

© DAR PAR Sales
John and Dominic Richichi
www. darpargolf. com
914-946-1743, FAX 914-946-0796

©

DeBuck’s Sod Farm of NY, Inc.
Leonard M. DeBuck
120 DeBuck s Drive
Pine Island, NY 10969
845-258-4131
© Down To Earth
David Griffin
©
All Phases of Golf Course Construction
914-576-7693, CELL 914-413-3173
Egypt Farms, Inc.
Dean Snyder
P.O.Box 223
White Marsh, MD 21162
800-899-7645
© Emerald Isle, Ltd.
Douglas Middleton
2153 Newport Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
800-628-4769

©

©

Michael Serio, Inc.
Michael Serio
“Complete Tree Care”
914-771-8733

The LeveLift Company
“Tools for levelheaded people”
Offering Irrigation Maintenance Tool
that lifts sprinkler heads to level position

60B Skyline Drive
Uncasville, CT 06382
Steven Glidewell: 860-271-3006
EMAIL glidesrz8@yahoo.com

© Partac Golf Course Top-Dressing
“America s Premium Top-Dressings”
800-247-2326/908-637-4191
Bill and Joe Carriere: 914-937-2136
© Plant Food Company, Inc.
“The Liquid Fertilizer Experts”
TomWeinert
914-262-0111/800-562-1291
R. Argento & Sons, Inc.
Louis Argento
1 Prospect Avenue
White Plains, NY 10607
914-949-1152
© Simplot Partners
Joe Stahl
795 Rt. #148
Killingworth, CT 06419
203-209-6951
Soil Solutions LLC
Anthony Decicco/John Decicco
7 Whittemore Place
Ryebrook, NY 10573
914-393-0659, FAX 914-939-5010

© Stahl Holdings, LLC
Wash Water Recycling
Bulk Chemical Mix and Load
Koonz Sprinkler Supply Company, Inc.
Jeff Stahl, N Y /N J/C T: 203-858-4136
William F. Koonz
Joe Stahl: 203-209-6951
39 Waverly Avenue, PO. Box 55
Springfield, NJ 07081
© Steven Willand, Inc.
Gary Mathis
973-379-9314
4 Production Drive
L. DeLea & Sons, Inc.
Brookfield, CT 06804
Vincent Sasso
203-775-5757
444 Elwood Road
Storr Tractor Company - Flowtronex
E.Northport, NY 11731
631-368-8022
Rick Krok/Gary Lynott/Fred Rapp
3191 US.Hwy.22
Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc.
Somerville, NJ 08876
908-722-9830/800-526-3802
Rob Good
GroundWater and Environmental
Consulting
Surfside Wetting Agents
Liquid ~ Granular ~ Pellets
203-452-3100
ZAP! Defoamer
EMAIL rgood@lbghq.com
Robert Oechsle: 800-401-0411
LESCO, Inc.
© Syngenta
Greg M oran: 914-755-4798
Lee A. Kozsey
CELL 914-755-4798
Banner Maxx, Daconil, Heritage,
Charlie Siemers: 914-672-2087
CELL 914-755-4202
Medallion, Primo, Subdue
610-861-8174, CELL 215-796-0409
Metro Turf Specialists
© The Care ofTrees
“Customers, Our Top Priority”
Mike Cook, NY: 914-345-8733
203-748-GOLF, FAX 203-743-0458
Brian Nadriczny, NJ: 201-445-4949
EMAIL mail@metroturfspeciaHsts.com
Ken Clear, CT: 203-847-1855

© The Roger Rulewich Group
David Fleury/MarshallVictor
Golf Course Design, Renovation, &
Construction
800-465-3668, FAX 413-648-0211
© The Terre Company of
New Jersey, Inc.
Byron Johnson
P.O. Box 1000,206 Delawanna Avenue
Clifton, NJ 07014
973-473-3393
© Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Inc.
Skip Deubel
800-243-7582, CELL 860-306-8883
www.tuckahoeturf.com
© Turf Products Corp./TORO
Bryan Diggle, Irrigation: 888-440-7404
AlTretera, Equipment: 866-266-6215
The Sprinkler House at Amodio’s
White Plains, NY: 914-328-0190
George Corgan,Yamaha Golf Cars &
Utility Vehicles: 800-521-3703
United Horticultural
Supply/VERDICON
Gerald B. Fountain
1470 Jersey Avenue
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
732-296-8448, CELL 877-697-1199
© Valley View Wholesale Greenhouses
Frank Amodio
229 Smith Ridge Road
S. Salem, NY 10590
914-533-2526, FAX 914-533-2050
© Westchester Tractor Inc.
John Apple, President
14 Meadow Street
Goldens Bridge, NY 10526
914-232-7746
www.wtractor.com
© Westchester Turf Supply, Inc.
Bob Lippman Sr./Bob Lippman Jr./
Dave Lippman
“Serving the Golf Turf Profession”
845-621-5067, FAX 845-621-7180
© Wilfred MacDonald, Inc.
Glenn Gallion
19 Central Boulevard
So. Hackensack, NJ 07606
888-831-0891

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