July/Aupst 2007 VOMME37 1! MOER Board of Directors President M A T T H E W CEPLO, CG C S Rockland Country Club V ic e President A N T H O N Y G IR A R D I, CG C S Rockrimmon Country Club Cover: The Tuxedo Club. T reasurer R O B E R T N IELSEN JR ., CG CS Bedford Golf & Tennis Club Secretary G L E N N PERRY, CG CS Rolling Hills Country Club Past P resident W ILLIAM H E IN T Z Pound Ridge G olf Club R O B E R T A L O N Z I JR . St. Andrew's Golf Club K E N N E T H B E N O IT JR ., CG CS GlenArbor Golf Club K EV IN C O LLINS Aquatrols, Inc. DAVID D U D O N E S North Jersey Country Club G LEN D U B E , CG C S Centennial Golf Club BLAKE H A L D E R M A N , CG C S Brae Burn Country Club T H O M A S LEAHY, CG C S Sleepy Hollow Country Club DAVID M O FFET T Round Hill Club Executive Secretary INEKE P IE R P O IN T Tee to Breen Staff ROB ALONZI 914-478-5713 E dito rs DAVE DUDONES j 973-942-0566 i Managing Editor PANDORA C.WOJICK Editorial Committee ERIC O ’NEILL EVIN COLLINS I CHIP LAFFERTY BILL PERLEE EIL LAUFENBERG GLENN PERRY DAVE MOFFETT MIKE REEB MIKETOLLNER SCOTT NIVEN GREGWOJICK Designer TERRIE DUNKELBERGER Photographer BILL PERLEE Advertising Manager ROB ALONZI, 914-478-5713 TEETOGREENis publishedbimonthly by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association 49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, NY 10523-2819 914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437, METGCSA.ORG Copyright © 2007 \ this Issue Feature The Highs and Lows o f Preparing for a PGA Tour Event ............. 2 Tee toGreen Gets the Inside Scoop From Veteran Tour Host JoeA lon zi Departments Spotlights .................................................................................................... 5, 6, 8 M ember News .....................................................................................................7 Scorecard..............................................................................................................10 U pcom ing Events ............................................................................................ 12 AMorning in the Life of a Superintendent It Isn’t f you’re like me, you start the day | off pretty early Generally I’m in the car and j on my way to work just as it’s getting light out—when you still need your headlights but can see a thing or two. I really enjoy the I morning commute. I stop, get my daily cup ; of coffee at Seven Eleven. (I told them I was president of the MetGCSA, and they still [ charge me $1.60.... The nerve.) It takes me only 15 minutes or so from there to get to the ¡!course. No puddles alongside the road, so I know it didn’t rain. The air is nice and cool, even | though it’s going to be in the 90s today. I have my radio tuned to 770 on the AM dial | to get the latest weather forecast. I remember the days of my youth when I would hop in ! my father’s car and he’d have the AM station : on___ I couldn’t stand it. Now when my daughter gets in the car, she instantly reaches for the dial. “No Rap,” I tell her. She then informs me that it’s Hip Hop. I guess I’m out ( of touch with today’s youth or really old—or both. Instead of pulling in to the shop, I detour and start to drive through the course. The road is wet behind eleven tee. (Good start.) I sneak along the cart path past ten green, I around the clubhouse, and down the first fair; way. It’s narrow; we keep it just wide enough for my jeep. Everything looks good. No stuck heads. Roads, bunkers, trees are all wet where they’re supposed to be. (An even better start.) A crisp dew has formed, em­ phasizing the difference between rough and fairways. No deer today. Sometimes I have to chase them out of the wildflower areas. But no sign of them now. Geese have been nonexistent. Maybe they’ve been driven away by the fam­ ily of coyotes that have a den to the left of the fourteenth fairway. The coyotes solve one problem and create another. It turned out those pesky animals were chewing our direc­ tional ropes. At first, we thought it was van­ dalism. Every rope was cut in several locations. Then we noticed teeth marks on the tops of the stakes. The only thing we could think of was that the cubs were teething. Hey, if they keep the geese away, I guess we’ll live with a few chewed stakes. Now, we just paint white lines across the fair­ H alfBad Matt Ceplo, CGCS MetGCSA President ways to let carts know when they’re getting too close to the greens. It’s easier than the ropes anyway. When I get to the shop, our mechanic and foreman are already pulling out equipment. I walk through the door and I’m greeted by JPat. He gives me his “Buenos dias” while he sips his coffee. J-Pat is our divot man. To be politically correct, he is developmentally im­ paired, but he’s one of our star employees. He works three hours a day, five days a week, and can tell you anything you want to know about the Yankees. He’s always early and ready to work. When we hired J-Pat, we thought we were doing him a favor. It turns out that he has done more for us than we could ever do for him. If you have the opportunity to hire or work with someone like J-Pat, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Next stop, my computer. I fire it up first thing. The first page to come up is the Weather Channel. (The Met’s website is sec­ ond.) A quick look at the map tells me there’s no rain in sight. I make a recording of daily course conditions for the members. A few more minutes goes by and all the staff is here. They look at the daily worksheet, find out their respective assignments, and by 6:05, the shop is empty except for me and the mechanic. Looks like the start of a great day. I really do enjoy my a.m. commute and easing into my daily routine as the sun comes up. There’s nothing like sunrise on a golf course (except, maybe, sunset!). So when the going gets tough—and, of course, it often does this time of year—I just picture myself starting my day, as many other professionals do, getting suited up, hopping a crowded commuter train, and then switching on my computer in a windowless office, virtually sealed off from the outside. That makes even the most challenging day seem not half bad. Hope your season’s been filled with good starts. And let’s all hope for a strong finish. Matt Ceplo President Tee to Green July /August 2007 The Highs and Lows of Preparing for a PGA Tour Event Tee to Green Gets the Inside Scoop From Veteran Tour Host Joe Alonzi by David Dudones pip A - »f 1 1 it like to pre­ pare for a PG A Tour event? Who ter to ask than longtime Met member and Westchester Country Club Superintendent Joe Alonzi, CGCS. Joe is in the throes of prepar­ ing to host his 16th PGA Tour stop— an event now known as The Barclays, reflecting its change in sponsors over the years (see box on page 4). Scheduled for August 23 26, this year’s tournament— the first round of the inaugural PGA Tour playoffs for the FedEx Cup— will be hotly con­ tested on the club’s challenging West Course. Designed in 1929 by Walter Travis for championship play, the West Course has been host to PGA tournaments since 1963, beginning with a three-time event known as the Thunderbird Classic. — tiffpp \ ij I ; i f 't 1 4 i ,jp f -j * « < 1 ji In the coming years, The Darclay will be played at rotating sites in the New York Metropolitan Area. Westchester Country Club will con­ tinue to host the majority, but not all of the annual stops in the New York region. In the following Q&A, Joe gives us a before-and-after snapshot of what it takes to host a PGA Tour event . . . personally and professionally. II11 i Westchester Country Club Superintendent JoeAlonzi looking cool, calm, and collected before the serious PG A Tour prep begins. Tee to Green: Joe, this will be your i 6th PGA Tour event. In the past, you’ve hosted these events and always had a great field for the tournament. Now, you’re hosting thefirst round of the FedEx Cup. What changes will we see? Tee to Green: And the turf. . . mid to late August is a difficult time to grow grass in the Northeast. What steps are you taking to keep the turf alive and well— to meet the members’ and PGA Tour standards? Tee to Green: I know you rely on the help of volunteers during the tournament every year. Who, exactly, volunteers? Where do they come from? How many do you typically have on board, and what kinds of things do they do to help? Joe Alonzi: Anyone who’s been in the business a long time knows that Mother Nature dictates where we’ll be. We, of course, will put our best foot forward, do the best job we can, and hopefully be worthy of the tournament. Knowing that The Barclays was being shifted to August, we did improve our irriga­ tion system, adding two rows to water rough. That then meant we had to invest in four additional wells since we barely had enough water to sustain our old system. These new wells will deliver 300 gpm, which should eas­ ily offset the water requirements from the new sprinklers. We’ve also beefed up our spray budget so we have the ability to treat the rough—and still cover sprays for Pythium and dollar spot, which are prevalent on our mixture of Tee to Green: During your tenure, this PGA grasses this time of year. Tour event has always been held in June. How The other step we’ve taken is to increase our fertility to help keep the heavy rough a does the switch to August affect you? staple of the tournament. Joe Alonzi: One major challenge with hav­ ing the tournament late in the season will be Tee to Green: The West Course usually does keeping my staff motivated. We’ve been around 25,000 rounds a year. Have you limited working at almost PGA Tour prep now. It any member rounds or outings on the West Course might not be 16- to 18-hour days, but there this year to allow you to prepare? are many 12- to 14-hour days to keep the course in good shape for the members. By Joe Alonzi: No ... and no. There’s only one the last week of August when the tourna­ Monday throughout the heart of the season ment begins, the guys will be tired and pretty without an outing, and member play will burned out. My challenge will be to keep finish the Sunday before, with the last round them going right through those four days and of the Club Championship. finish the season strong. This time of year, a The members felt they would have the staff barbecue at the shop or a local fishing best possible conditions the week before The trip can sometimes help refresh the spirits of Barclays. I just hope that with the rough being so high for their final rounds they’re the crew. not upset with their inflated scores. Joe Alonzi: We’ve had as many as 60 volun­ teers coming from as far north as Oak Hill in Rochester, and as far south as Augusta National. Typically, we rely on the local assis­ tants and some superintendents to help with things like filling divots, pruning trees along the rope lines, preparing bunkers, and con­ tinuing to maintain the South Course. Peter Rappoccio and my brother, Bob, have been doing setup on the South Course for the Wednesday Pro Am for as long as I can remember. I can’t thank enough all the superinten­ dents who donate time, equipment, and manpower to help us out every year. We’ve had many wet years where I think every squeegee in Westchester County was made available to get the job done. A lot of super­ intendents in the area have worked at Westchester at one time or another and know what a difficult operation this can be. Their help year to year is greatly appreciated. Joe Alonzi: First let me explain that the FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. It’s the first time that men’s pro­ fessional golf will have playoffs. Sponsored by Federal Express, it’s a pretty prestigious and lucrative individual points competi­ tion that began in January and is culmi­ nating in August and September with the first-ever playoff series comprised of four tournaments. Our tournament,The Barclays, will be the first of these four and will include the top 144 points leaders on tour. That means Phil Mickelson,Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, and Tiger Woods will all be here at Westchester Country Club vying for the $10 million prize awarded at the end of the four weeks. With this being the first week of the FedEx Cup, we’ll probably see the largest crowds we’ve ever seen. There will also be some major changes to the Corporate Village and grandstands to accommodate the anticipated larger crowds. Tee to Green: Can you share one story— humorous orjust notable— about your experience hosting the PGA Tour event over the years? Joe Alonzi: My favorite story was during my first year. It was during a practice round on Tuesday, I think. I was on the 12th green (3 West) with my assistants at the time, Steve Sweet and Jeff Wentworth, when we see this guy running toward us inside the ropes with ripped shorts and a T-shirt on. So I go over to the guy and tell him he’s not allowed to be here and to get outside the ropes. The guy looks at me and says, “But I’m a player.” I walk back to the boys and tell them that the Tee to Green July/August 2007 guy said he was a player. Jeff and Steve laugh. The major low is the letdown you feel “Yah, Joe, we know,” they say. “That’s Phil when the tournament is done. When the Mickelson, the new hot shot on tour. We adrenaline rush is over, it feels like you were just hit by an 18-wheeler. just wanted to see you kick him off.” Yah, it’s stressful. But really, the member­ Tee to Green: It was just announced that after ship demands quality all year long, so finding next year The Barclays will move to Liberty ways to relieve stress and reenergize myself National in New Jersey and return at least one and my staff is an ongoing battle. For me, more time to Westchester before 2011. Are you taking a long ride on my Harley usually does lookingforward to giving the course a restfor the the trick. It’s how I relieve stress throughout the year and finish the season strong. first time since 1967? Joe Alonzi: I’ll be interested to see what we can do here without the intrusion of bleach­ ers, tents, trucks, forklifts, etc. I think the members will be in for a treat to have a few years like that. At the same time, though, I’ll be sad to see the tournament leave because of the great things it does for charity and the businesses in the community. It affects all of Westchester County, really. Tee to Green: We’ve talked, here, about the planning and preparation involved in hosting an event of this magnitude. What we haven’t touched on is how this kind of Herculean effort affects you personally. What are the highs and lows? How do you weather the incredible stress? Joe Alonzi: The highs are obvious. If you put out a good product, the exposure on TV is very nice for both my staff and the mem­ bers at the club. Also the relationships and camaraderie I’ve developed over the years with the tour officials and staff always makes me look forward to this time of year. Tee to Green July/August 2007 A scene from the 2006 Barclays Classic: Superintendent JoeAlonzi and his staff muster the volunteer troops for a day of tournament prep. ** If interested in volunteering for this year’s tournament, please call Donna at 914-7985360** Dave Dudones, co-editor of the Tee to Green, is superintendent at North Jersey Country Club in Wayne, NJ. The Barclays: An Historic Perspective The Barclays is the golf tournament on the PGA Tour played at Westchester Country Club in Rye, NY. The tournament began in 1967 as the Westchester Classic. Starting in 1976, it underwent a series of name changes with a shift in sponsorship (detailed below). The name of the event has evolved to the point that, since 1990, it no longer contains the name of its host course or location. Like many events that have undergone a series of name changes over the years, among golfers on tour and many fans, it is still known by its traditional name, “The Westchester.” The tournament had its greatest atten­ dance in 2001 when Tiger Woods partici­ pated, despite the two days of heavy rain that disrupted play. It had one of its more exciting finishes in 2005, when Padraig Harrington eagled the par-5 18th hole with a 65-foot putt to win the title. The most frequent winner of the tournament is Vijay Singh, with three trophies. Always held during June of each year, this year’s tournament has shifted to August to lead off the PGA Tour’s new playoff system for the FedEx Cup. Name Changes Through the Years 1967-1975 —Westchester Classic 1976-1978 ~ American Express Westchester Classic 1979-1989 ~ Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic 1990-2004 ~ Buick Classic 2005-2006 ~ Barclays Classic 2007 - The Barclays Spotlight Mark Chant Gives Met Members a Chance to Play the Newly Renovated Colonial Springs by Glen Dube, CG CS Mark Chant Quite a Course Colonial Springs opened in 1995, originally as a high-end, daily-fee course. Designed by Arthur Hills, the 27-hole golf course was divided into three distinct nine-hole courses, each one named appropriately, Pine, Valley, and Lake. Within seven years, the management de­ cided to convert Colonial Springs to a private club. Knowing they would have to improve the course to compete with the many great golf courses on Long Island, they enlisted Robert Trent Jones II to develop a master plan. Now fully private, the club has 350 members who are very proud of the course. Mark arrived at Colonial Springs in January 2005, just in time to set the master plan into motion. To say that, in his brief tenure, he’s been “a little busy” is a gross understatement. Mark hit the ground run­ ning and hasn’t stopped. “In 2005 and 2006,” he explains,“we reno­ vated 15 of the 27 holes under Trent Jones. The work included 15 tee complexes, 65 bunkers, two USGA greens, seven acres of fairway renovation, and the addition of about 20 acres of fescue mounding.” In 2005, two holes on Lake and four holes on Valley were renovated. In 2006, the club closed all of Pine, leaving not one hole untouched. “The 6th and 7th holes were the most dramatically changed,” says Mark. “In fact, they were completely rebuilt, tee to green.” And as if that isn’t enough, Colonial Springs is currently in the midst of building a practice green and short game area! accepted his current position at Colonial graduated, he was well prepared for the next Springs on Long Island. step and accepted his first assistant’s position at Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, MA. “Nashawtuc was a great training ground,” When Mark isn’t busy rebuilding half his says Mark, who was the assistant there in ’97 course, he enjoys coming home to his wife of and ’98. “The club hosts a senior tour event seven years, Shannon, and their three young every year, so I learned a lot about prepping children: Jake 4, Guilia 3, and Elizabeth 1. for a major tournament.” Apparently, Paul Besides sporting a single-digit handicap, Mark Miller, the club’s superintendent, also taught enjoys spending time at the beach and hitting Mark a thing or two. “Paul has great people the slopes in the winter. skills, which I tried to pick up and apply,” says Before hitting the links on September 11,1 Mark. thought we could all use a pointer or two, so I From there, Mark moved back to his asked Mark to let us in on the secret to play­ Connecticut roots, accepting the assistant’s ing well at Colonial Springs. His advice: position at Aspetuck Valley Country Club in “Keep it in the fairway, and avoid the large Weston, CT. For two seasons, he worked bunkers and fescue.” under the guidance of Scott May, who is now Right. Well, I hope everyone is able to at Manufacturers Club, just outside Philadel­ come out and compete on what promises to phia. “He was a great guy. He prepared me be an interesting golf course and a fun day. to become a superintendent,” says Mark, who took over as Aspetuck’s superintendent when Glen Dube, a frequent contributor to the Tee to Scott left for the Philly area. Mark worked at Green, is superintendent at Centennial Golf Club the club through the end of 2004, when he in Carmel, NY. When He Takes Off His Hard Hat (914) 949-1152 FAX (914) 948-0255 SALES AND SERVICE www.argentoandsons.com ARGENTO & SONS, INC. LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT JOHN DEERE - BOBCAT - TORO HONDA - STIHL- SCAG REDMAX AL GONZABAY 1 PROSPECT AVENUE WHITE PLAINS, NY 10607 (GREENBURGH OFF 119) Tee to Green July /August 2007 1 Spotlight Tim Garceau Keeps a Close Eye on The Tuxedo Club by Greg Wojick, CGCS ver hear the golfing phrase, “Keep your eye on the ball”? Well, at The Tuxedo Club, the site of our October 9 Superintendent/Green Chair­ person Tournament, this expression has par­ ticular significance. In the club’s storied history, a past presi­ dent, Walker Breese Smith, had not only a fierce competitive streak, but also an unusual sense of humor. He decided, one day, to unnerve his opponent from the St. Andrew’s Golf Club by pulling out his glass eye, plac­ ing it on top of his golf ball, and smashing it down the fairway. The wealthy Smith apparently carried an arsenal of glass eyes with him, so he was able to repeat this odd ritual on every tee. Need­ less to say, his opponent from St. Andrew’s was shaken and soundly defeated that day. But this is just one of many points of interest about the 122-year-old Tuxedo Club. W AColorful Beginning The word Tuxedo is the anglicized Indian name for the lake “P-tuck Sepo.” It means “the home of the bear,” an appropriate description of what, at the turn of the cen­ tury, was called “the most difficult links to negotiate in the country.” The club began as the brainchild of Pierre Lorillard in 1885, when he amassed a work crew of 1,800 and, in eight months, built 30 miles of roads, a complete water and sewage system, 22 turreted cottages, two blocks of stores, and the clubhouse itself The total cost was $1.5 million, amazingly low by today’s standards. The price tag rose to $2 million as the club built a golf course, race track, and mile-long toboggan slide. The Tuxedo Club soon became a fashion­ able playground for New York’s upper social strata, most of whom also built homes there. The social highlight of the season was the Autumn Ball, which doubled as a season­ ending celebration and coming-out party for debutantes. The initial Autumn Ball, in 1886, also marked the first appearance in this coun­ try of the tail-less dinner jacket, destined to become known as... the tuxedo! Tee to Green July /August 2007 More Recent History As it stands today, the club is an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Sr. layout—one of the architect’s first designs, in fact—that measures 6,807 yards from the back tees (par 71). The first hole has been described as one of the most challenging and intimidating in the Met Area, displaying Jones’s signature blend of the penal, strategic, and heroic schools of architecture. Though founded in 1885, the club’s cur­ rent layout was constructed in 1956, after the New York Thru way cut a wide swath through the golf course, virtually swallowing all but four holes. But the Thruway and the Tappan Zee Bridge may actually have helped revive the club, making it more accessible to nearby counties. And Now, About Our Host Tim Garceau position with then Superintendent Ed Walsh at Ridgewood Country Club, just in time for the USGA Senior Open. “It was a great learning experience, not only working for Ed, but also prepping the course for the Open,” says Tim. After two years at Ridgewood, Tim earned his entrée into superintendentdom at the Orange County Golf Club. He stayed on for three years before accepting his current posi­ tion at Tuxedo. “Tim immediately had a big impact on the course and the club,” says MGA Executive Director Jay Mattola, who was a co-green chairman when Tim was hired. “Tim’s accomplished a constant stream of improve­ ment projects and has brought the conditions here from good to outstanding,” Jay adds, speaking from a place of experience. Jay, apparently, worked on the Tuxedo grounds crew, himself, when he was a kid. Tim Garceau, our meeting host, has been Tuxedo’s superintendent since 1995—mak­ ing him only the third person to manage the course since its inception. Tim succeeded Carney McGrady, whose tenure spanned an amazing 40 years! Originally from Wood Ridge, NJ, Tim began his career in the green industry—just on a different side of the business. He com­ pleted a B.S. in ornamental horticulture in 1981 at Colorado University, relocated to Denver, and then launched into a career with Chemlawn, as an assistant branch manager of their lawn care division. When it became obvious that Colorado’s Among the more impressive improvement economy was flagging, Tim opted to return projects Tim’s managed in his tenure was the to New Jersey. He accepted an assistant’s recent construction of an all-new mainte- Change, Change, Orange John Deere Jim Calladlo, CGCS Sales Representative E/T Equipment Company, Inc. “Z><4tni6«tvi4, 425 South Riverside Avenue, Croton-On-Hudson, NY 10520 www.etequipment.com Cell: 914-629-8667 Phone:914-271-6126 jcalladio@etequipment.com Fax: 914-271-6163 Member News nance facility complex, complete with a golf administration building. Over the years,Tim has also installed more than five miles of drainage pipe and drained a good number of the greens in the XGD fashion. “We’ve also renovated just about every length of cart path, rebuilt 20 of our 43 tees, and, five years ago, rebuilt all the bunkers, complete with new drainage,” explains Tim. Being on the cutting edge of golf course maintenance practices, Tim has also initiated a topdressing program on eight of his fairways. Tim’s quick to acknowledge the fine work of his two assistants—Matt Bollato, who he convinced eight seasons ago to give up teaching to work full-time at Tuxedo, and Rob Lehman, who signed on in March. “I don’t know what I’d do without them,” says Tim, noting also that his son, Austin, has been a valued crew member for the past three summers. Tim Behind the Scenes Tim fives with his wife of 21 years, Mariane, and his two children—Austin, 17, and Sarah, 15. Oh, and we can’t forget their dirt bikes. In years past, the family would ride together, but now, Tim and his son are the most avid bikers, getting “airborne” together as often as possible. When he’s not motocrossing through the wild on his Honda 250,Tim might be pur­ suing one of his other passions—playing hoops in an outdoor summer league two to three times a week, smacking the hockey puck around the rink (he’s an avid hockey player and fan), or teeing it up with a Met member or two on an area course. Speaking of golf... the course at Tuxedo has five lakes and a stream, and water is a fac­ tor on 12 of the holes. So it only seems pru­ dent that everyone keep their eye on the ball when playing the course. Tim Garceau, we trust, will be keeping his eye on getting the course in tip-top shape for our October 9 meeting. Greg Wojick, a member of the Tee to Green Editorial Committee, is superintendent at Greenwich Country Club in Greenwich, CT. 'e d like to recognize and thank two of our affiliate members who have made thoughtful—and much appreciated—contributions to our association. First, we’d like to thank Ron Cutlip of Cutlip Golf Design, who donated $2,500 to our association in appreciation for the help he received from Met members in maintaining the “Greens at Rockefeller Center” from May 1-12. Second, we’d like to recognize Scott Apgar of Metro Turf Specialists who, for a second consecutive year, donated a portion of Metro’s sales of Quali-Pro products to our associa­ tion. Both Metro’s check of $790.50 and Ron Cutlip s donation have been allocated to the Mets Scholarship Fund. Many, many thanks, again, Ron and Scott. Your support means so much to us. state area superintendents remember well from his 20-year tenure at Rockrimmon Dennis Petruzzelli is the new superin­ Country Club in Stamford, CT. Bob was a tendent at Putnam National Golf Club in member of the Connecticut AGCS, receiving Mahopac, NY. Previous position: Sales their Superintendent of the Year Award in rep, Metro Turf Specialists, Danbury, CT. 1988, and an active and well-respected mem­ ber of the Met and New Jersey associations. Bob’s career as superintendent has taken Please join us in welcoming the following him to clubs as far away as the West Indies and as near as Connecticut, New Jersey, Massa­ new members: Ryan Batz, Class A, Trump National chusetts, and New Hampshire, the state where he and his wife, Helen, lived happily Golf Club, Briarcfiff Manor, NY. Andrew Herold, Class C, Centennial for many years in Sunapee. Bob passed away June 29 at the age of Golf Club, Carmel, NY. 72 after a courageous battle with cancer. Our sincere condolences to Bob’s wife, Helen, and their family. Donations can be made in his Congratulations to Chuck Martineau, name to either of the following organizations: who has recently become a Life A mem­ • Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, ber. Chuck, a MetGCSA member since Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD), 1968 and a past president of our associa­ Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, tion, retired after 38 years as golf course CHaD/DHMC Development Office, One superintendent at The Whippoorwill Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756 Club in Armonk, NY. (Please make your check payable to CHaD) • Norris Cotton Cancer Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, New It is with deep regret that we announce Hampshire 03756 the death of Bob Tosh, who many tri­ Members on the Move New Members Retired In Sympathy Soil Solutions LLC Aerification Professional 7 Whittemore Place Rye Brook, NY 10573 (914) 393-0659/Fax: (914) 939-5010 Anthony Decicco & John Declcco Tee to Green July /August 2007 Brian Chapin to Host 2007 MetGCSA Assistants Championship by Dave Moffett fter a successful event last year, it’s time once again for the annual MetGCSA 4 Assistants Championship. On Thursday, Oc­ tober 11, Brian Chapin and Dellwood Country Club will be the proud hosts of this year’s tournament. The Club Dellwood Country Club is nestled in the heart of the Hudson Valley in the town of New City just minutes off the Palisades Parkway It’s here that the Paramount Pictures founder Adolph Zukor purchased 800 acres of land from the State of New York. Zukor—despite his obvious success—was a simple man who envisioned a place for him and his friends to play. In 1923, he hired famed Golf Course Architect A.W. Tillinghast to design an 18hole championship course and invested in a night house (Zukor’s term for guest quar­ ters), movie theater, and clubhouse. It’s on this same property that the original Tarzan movie was filmed. Today, most of the original stone buildings remain and are still in use. Brian boasts that Dellwood is “a fun course with fast, sloped greens that put an emphasis on quality shot making to keep the ball below the hole.” Says Brian, “There’s no par­ ticular signature hole, but what makes this course unique are the par 3s at the end of both nines. Number 9,” he continues,“is 170 yards over water from the blue tees. The green is protected on all sides by four, deep greenside bunkers. Number 18,” he goes on action Depend On Us For Four Season Solutions Joe Stahl (203)209-6951 Scott Tretera (914) 262-8638 Our Dellwood Country Club hosts (left to right): Superintendent Joe Gardner with assistants Brian Chapin and Jake Parchen. to explain, “is 190 yards uphill from the blue tees to a tricky, sloped green that’s protected by four deep greenside bunkers.” Well, it sounds like the Met area assistants are going to be in for a challenging day. The Man Brian grew up in the small town of Cum­ berland, ME, where he spent his summers working at The Woodlands Club, an 18-hole Fazio design, in Falmouth, ME. “I enjoyed working outdoors,” he says, “and helping to create an experience that others could enjoy and be proud of.” While at The Woodlands, Brian was prodded by others in the business to pursue a career in golf course management and found his way to an internship at The Ridgewood Country We have fully stocked warehouses with ALL major brands for quick delivery throughout Metro NY, CT, and Long Island. HH T S H&rreitaTurfSpecialty 64 Barnabas Rd, Unit 5 Newtown, C T 06470 www.theturfconnect.com Tee to Green July/August 2007 Club in Paramus, NJ. He began the job in the spring of 2001, working for Superintendent Todd Raisch to help prep the course for the 2001 Senior PGA Championship. During the winter of that year, Brian pur­ sued formal training at UMass Amherst. He transferred in the fall of 2002 to the Rutgers Professional GolfTurf Management Program. While completing his certificate, he accepted an internship at Areola Country Club, work­ ing side-by-side with Superintendent Barney Misiura and later Joe Kirilin. Having proved his mettle, Brian was hired at the season’s end as the club’s full-time sec­ ond assistant. He stayed on at Areola for two years before accepting his current position as first assistant at Dellwood in 2005, working under Superintendent Joe Gardner (profile, right). Your aerification and drainage solution! Serving the Greater M etro NY area • • • • Dryject Aeration Deep Tine Aeration Core Aeration FloWick Drainage Systems 37 Oneonta Road • Carmel, NY 10 5 12 • (914) 672-6029 Joe Gardner Is Psyched’ for Assistants Championship by Dave Moffett “Dellwood is a great place to work,” says Brian. “I’ve been able to learn a lot from Joe, and we have a great staff and fun membership.” In 2006, Brian expanded his horizons a lit­ tle bit further by offering up his services at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. His charge: “Professional Bunker Raker.” “It was an inspiring experience,” Brian says. “It definitely taught me a thing or two about the pursuit of perfection in conditioning and professionalism.” Æ f J tendent since 2003, is more than pleased to have this year’s Annual Assistants Championship come to the club. Joe, after all, has nothing but high praise for his two assistants, who technically, will be hosting the October 11 event. “It is fantastic working with Brian and Jake,” says Joe. “They’re two enthusiastic guys, passionate about creating good condi­ tions. They understand what goes into it and what it takes to be successful. Coming from Maine and Montana (respectively),”Joe con­ tinues, “they are two great individuals who bring a lot of experience with them. I believe we’ve meshed very well over the years.” Personals Snapshot of the Super Brian lives on-property in the club’s original night house. “It was the place where old-time celebrities like Charlie Chaplin would stay,” he says of the historic site. Like most turf professionals, Brian’s spare time is generally limited to one time of year: the winter, of course. That’s when, in addition to spending time with his longtime girlfriend, Zoya, he enjoys all the “ings” of life: fishing, golfing, skiing, and rocking out on the guitar, an instrument he learned to play in high school. Come October, the assistant Met members will look forward to rocking out on the finely groomed links at Dellwood—thanks to Brian and Second Assistant Jake Parchen, who’s been at Dellwood since 2005. The course is in great shape and will, no doubt, provide for a challenging, fun day of golf. See you all there! that Joe had the good fortune of meeting— and becoming best of friends with—Brian Benedict, assistant, then, at the nearby Cen­ tury Country Club. “When Brian moved on to Seawane as superintendent and told me he had a construction opportunity there, it was an easy move,” says Joe. “I spent three years at Seawane helping Brian in the transformation of all but the last five holes. It was great working with him,” adds Joe. Joe’s time at Seawane was cut short by the opportunity to accept his first—and cur­ rent—superintendent’s position at Dellwood Country Club, a move he’s more than happy to have made. “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Dellwood,” says Joe. “I like the peacefulness of riding around in the morning before golfers arrive and being the last person on the golf course at night.” Joe’s philosophy is simple: “Hard work and solid cultural practices will always pay off in the end.” And it clearly has paid off at Dellwood. It’s going to take more than a psychology degree for Met area assistants to read this course’s severly sloping, fast greens! Beyond being a superintendent, Joe’s a husband and father, who enjoys spending his downtime with his wife, Margaret, and 31/2 year-old daughter, Emma. Joe also enjoys hunting deer, small game, and pheasant. “I like the peace and quiet of it,” explains Joe. “Being out there by myself reminds me of mornings on the golf course.” MetGCSA assistants are all looking for­ ward to seeing Joe, Brian, and Jake in the morning on October 11. Joe grew up in Danville, OH, working on golf courses through his high school years. He didn’t, however, pursue the educational track typical of most superintendents—at first. Joe received a B.S. in psychology from Otterbein College in Ohio. Then, after graduating, he put his degree aside (though he’s, no doubt, put it to good use over the years) to accept a position on the crew at The Country Club at Muirfield Village in Dublin, OH. Three years later, Joe was elevated to assistant. It was at that point, in 2001, that he decided to pursue formal training in turfgrass management and com­ pleted his certificate at Rutgers. Joe spent the next two years applying his training at the Lake Success Village Golf Dave Moffett, a member of the Tee to Green Course in Great Neck, NY, and then at Old Editorial Committee, is assistant superintendent at Oaks, where he worked side-by-side with Superintendent Mark Millett. It was then the Round Hill Club in Greenwich, CT. V a lley V iew G reen h o u ses Frank/Debbie Mums. Cabbage. K a le . P a n sie s W holesale 229 Sm ith Ridge Road South Salem , NY 10590 T el 914.533.2526 Fa x 914.533.3059 Tanta IRRIGATION,l l c . W illiam Bartels President C orporate O ffice 5 North Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 www.tantoirrigation.com Office (914) 347-5151 ext.15 Fax (914) 347-6323 Cell (914) 447-8872 Dir. Conned 172*55071’ 52 Email: wbartels@tantoirrigation.com Tee to Green July/August 2007 Scorecard Poa Annual’s Going Head to Head in Hound One of Winning Results the 2007 Two-Hall Championship ontestants at the July 9 Poa Annual were treated to a fun—though hot r and humid—day of golf, capped off by a superb steak dinner at The Powelton Club in Newburgh, NY. Host Superinten­ dent Bob DeMarco and his staff did a great job preparing the course. Many, many thanks to the entire Powelton Club staff for putting together such an enjoyable— and worthwhile—event. Proceeds from this annual tournament are donated to NYSTA in support of turfgrass research. This makes the donations from our tournament and tee sponsors all the more meaningful. We thank you for your support. This years format was Two Best Balls, gross and net of the four, which made for great camaraderie and teamwork within the four­ somes. Congratulations to the winners, one and all. Here’s how they fared: First Pla