J¡uiu m ly/Feli ni ¡ir y 20(19
VOLUME 39

M M IO I

hihlishml by the MH i ii|inlil¡iii liolf ( mu si’ Suiicrintenilents Assiti ¡alimi

Board of Directors

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

V ice President
R O B E R T NIELSEN JR ., CGCS
Bedford G olf & Tennis Club
Cover: Siwanoy

Treasurer
BLAKE HALDERM AN, CGCS

Country Club

Brae Burn Country Club

Secretary
GLEN DUBE, CGCS
Centennial G olf Club

Past President
M A TTH EW CEPLO, CGCS
Rockland Country Club

R O B E R T ALO N ZI JR .
Fenway G olf Club

K EN N E T H B EN O IT JR ., CGCS
GlenArbor G olf Club

M A RK C H A N T
Colonial Springs G olf Club

DAVID D U D O N ES
North Jersey Country Club

PAUL G O N ZA LEZ, CGCS
The Whippoorwill Club

M A RK MILLETT
Old Oaks Country Club

STEVEN R E N Z E T T I, CGCS
Pinnacle Turf, Inc.

SC O T T O LSO N
Scarsdale G olf Club

■ ¡¡B :

Executive Secretary
INEKE P IE R P O IN T

Tee to Green Staff
Editors
DAVE DUDONES
PAUL GONZALEZ
1 973-942-0566
914-273-3755
Managing Editor

PANDORA C.WOJICK

T he World Is C han ging . . . So Is G o l f ...................................................... 2
M anaging W ith Less: W hat Area Supers Are D o in g to ..................... 4
G et M ore B an g for T heir B uck

Editorial Com m ittee

¡KEVIN COLLINS
SCOTT NIVEN
TT GRABBE
™ addc
ERiC O ’NEILL
I■r,AT
PAUL
BILL PERLEE
DENNIS GRANAHAN
GLENN PERRY
t CHIP LAFFERTY
MIKE KEEB
|: NICK LERNER
MIKETOLLNER
f DAVE MOFFETT
GREGWOJICK
Designer

TERRIE DUNKELBERGER

Departments
U p c o m in g Events ............................................................................................... 5
C hapter N e w s ........................................................................................................6

Photographer

BILL PERLEE

M em ber N ew s ..................................................................................................... 8

Advertising Manager

MARK MILLETT, 914-949-4203
TEETOGREENis published bimonthly by the Metropolitan Golf
Course Superintendents Association
49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, NY 10523-2819
914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437, METGCSA.O
Copyright © 2009

S p o tlig h ts..............................................................................................................10

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Current Periodicals

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’2 0 2009

MICHIGAN STATEkítíñÍRSITY

whirlwind tour!
It’s been about three months since I officially
took over as the association’s president, and
I’ve appreciated everyone’s support and
words of encouragement. Though I’ve spent
12 years on the board, it still amazes me how
efficiently our association runs. We have a
tremendous membership who cares deeply
about our association and an outstanding
board of directors, whose commitment and
above-and-beyond contributions ensure our
association runs like a Swiss watch.

IJrinoing Valuó tu (lur Employers
Speaking of keeping things running smooth­
ly ... as we all attempt to adjust to this diffi­
cult economic climate, we can’t help but
wonder, “How can we do more—or even
just the same—with less?” The answer to this
question is far from clear at this point. But
what is clear is that we have to make sound
decisions about how we manage our mainte­
nance operations. As I stated in my last Presi­
dent’s Message, “Let’s be part of the solution,
rather than part of the problem.”
I Superintendents, as a whole, are very re­
sourceful people. We’ve had to be. It’s an
unwritten job requirement. It’s not unusual
for our clubs or employers to come to us
with special project requests that may require
more hours, money, and manpower than we
have. But somehow, someway we find a way
to get the job done.
Right now, in this financial climate,
we’re faced with a similar situation.
But now, instead of being asked to
accomplish a specific project or
assignment, many of us are being
asked to wrestle with the difficult
task of doing, at the very least, the
same for our courses with less ... now
with fewer employees and smaller budgets,
f We could despair about the season ahead,
being the resourceful people we are, we
decide to use this time to demonstrate
to our employers our value to the overall
on of our facility.
One approach, as Rich Spear of Piping
suggests in our feature article this issue,
is to help members and golfing patrons
| adjust—i.e., lower—their expectations about
■^various aspects of course conditions, from

Tony Girardi, C G C S
M etG C SA President

green speed to bunker maintenance. This is
certainly an approach worthy of serious con­
sideration for the long term. In the short
term, however, it would benefit us all to scru­
tinize each and every one of our operational
expenses—labor, fertilizers, plant protectants,
topdressing, fuel, and general supplies—and
develop a concrete plan of action for reducing
expenditures in each area. Documenting this
plan and our progress in a spreadsheet is a
great way to demonstrate to our employers
that we’re not only committed to the overall
success of our club or facility, but also that
we’re forward-thinking, proactive managers.

Quick Notes
Here are a couple of items that you should be
aware of in the coming months. In the Tee to
Green this issue, you’ll find a preliminary
schedule for our 2009 golf events and meet­
ings. Please watch for mailings and website
announcements updating our schedule of
events so you can be sure to attend.
Second, our Website Committee, chaired
by Ken Benoit and Paul Gonzalez, are in the
process of updating and incorporating new
features within the site. They have some great
things planned to give our site a new-andimproved look. Thank you Ken and Paul.
Finally, our Annual Spring Business Meet­
ing on March 25 is a great time to attend one
of our association’s most informative monthly
meetings and to meet new people and foster
relationships with current Met members. So
please make every effort to attend this impor­
tant meeting and catch up on upcoming 2009
association activities.
In closing, I hope everyone is enjoying
their winter season. I look forward to seeing
you all very soon.
Tony Girardi, CGCS
President
Tee to Green January /February 2 0 0 9

L > ^ e a t i i r e

The World Is
Changing...
So Is Golf
by Richard Spear
.itfiSfil

.Mm

^ 1

Editor’s Note: In this uncensored—
and unedited—article, veteran golf
course superintendent Richard Spear
points a finger at course conditioning
excesses and offers practical, if gutsy,
advice on how to go about adopting a
more realistic, cost-conscious approach
to conditioning your golf course. In this
precarious and uncertain economy, it
may well pay to heed his advice. The
world is definitely changing . . . and golf,
well, something ’s gotta give.

ing for years now on the escalation of golf
course budgets and the increasing expectation
for course perfection that accompanied this.
We have been concerned about this trend and
if—or when—it would ever end. It looks like
we now know when it will end. Here’s my
take.These thoughts are my opinions. I am not
speaking for any organization, and I am not
speaking for the club where I am employed.
As Dennis Miller always said at the end of his
rants, “This is just my opinion. I could be
wrong.
Several years ago, I began talking to friends
and colleagues about some aspects of the game
of golf that seemed misguided and were lead­
ing us down a destructive path. Charlie
Robson, of the Met PGA, and I started putting
some of our thoughts on paper this summer.
The focus was that for many of our players the
game of golf costs too much and takes too
long to play. In recent months, with the further
collapse of the financial markets, there is now
one obvious impact on golf and golf facilities.
Revenues will now be decreasing, at least in
the foreseeable future. Pressure will be put on
superintendents to cut costs, and it will come
from people who, though well intentioned,
may know little about the complicated
processes of budgeting for, and maintaining,
golf courses.
There is one historical reality about country
clubs in America that we should remember
when were discussing how to proportion
budget cuts at our clubs. Golf was the activity
that precipitated the birth of these facilities.
They didn’t come into being because a restau­
rant or a tennis and swimming club had an
extra 150 acres that they were not using. In
most all cases, golf is the primary activity and
everything else is peripheral. This fact should
be considered when deciding where to make
cuts.

Is Augusta to Maine?
Any comprehensive attempt to cut the
expense of golf has to include a look at the
presentation and maintenance of American
golf courses. We’ve been spending a lot of

money preparing courses for the sport, and
I f we do choose, with facility support, to
golf course conditioning has steadily im­ streamline the maintenance process, then
proved. Obviously, golf course budgets have what programs could potentially save
gone up also, and 18-hole facilities here in money?
the New York Metropolitan area that are
attempting to present high-standard playing Greens: For many golf clubs, the transition to
conditions are probably going to spend be­ much faster greens over the past 10 to 20
tween $1.25 and $2 million per year. One of years has added substantial expense to golf.
the main reasons for the escalation to this This is especially true on courses that have
level has been the attempt to provide very old pushup greens with less-than-perfect sun­
high-quality golf course conditions on a daily light and air circulation environments. Con­
basis. We’ve done a great job of raising the sistent high-ball-roll expectations come with
standards, but the sport may no longer be able risk as well as cost. Constant mowing, vertito afford them.
Those of us on the turf side of the golf
business have commented for years about the
Augusta Syndrome, and how those four days
every April have changed golf course mainte­
nance forever. Augusta showed us what the
best looked like, and a lot of people wanted
it. Golf course owners, club boards, and su­
perintendents saw what you could do with a
little imagination and a lot of money. For
many of us, the money part of the equation is
changing dramatically, so we need to identify
a new model.
Blaming Augusta is not our goal, as any
golf facility can determine how best to spend
their money and what their expectations
should be. If you can afford a Mercedes, you
have every right to own one. If you cannot
afford one, you would be foolish to embrace
the mentality that you need one. It may be
time to look for a Honda! We still need to
provide a good playing field for the sport, but
we may have to eliminate much of the detail
work that we’ve added to the maintenance of
our courses. They don’t need it to provide a
proper venue for the game. The Honda may
have as much quality as the Mercedes, just cutting, topdressing, hand watering, babysit­
ting, spoon feeding specific fertilizers and
fewer bells and whistles.
micro nutrients, careful-but-necessary use of
growth regulators, and lots and lots of spray­
Streamling the Maintenance Process
ing are all necessary to produce the greens
If we can come to the conclusion that an that many golfers have come to expect. We’re
important way to make golf less expensive is maintaining this turf in a weakened state, on
to redefine golf course conditioning criteria or near the edge of death in some cases, the
to a realistic and sustainable level, then we logic of which is questionable at best. If we
must determine how best to do this. We are can back off these expectations a little, we
going to ask golfers to make sacrifices, but we can take some stress off of the turfgrass, and
must find the most cost-effective changes that lower the input requirements.
have the least impact on the enjoyment of the
It’s easy to forget that at the 1973 U.S.
game. We will need to stop providing tourna­ Open at Oakmont Country Club, which is
ment conditions for everyday play and, revered for it’s lightening-fast greens, the
instead, maintain the course for healthy, sus­ speed was less than nine feet on the stimptainable, playable turf. One thing is clear.... meter. Possibly, instead of trying to have the
The time is here to begin streamlining fastest greens, we should attempt to find the
American golf course maintenance pro­ green speed that makes putting the easiest.
grams. However, club boards and course This target speed would vary depending on
owners need to understand and endorse this amount of slope but is probably somewhere
principle before golf course superintendents in the 9- to 10-foot range. This would make
can risk changing anything that may com­ the game less frustrating, increase pace of
promise the product.
play, and decrease cost by reducing chemical
and labor inputs. It may not be as sexy as
playing on greens that have been shaved and

starved to yield 12 or 13 feet, but it’s much
more logical. Greens are far and away the
most expensive components of a golf course,
on a cost-per-square-foot basis, and there is
opportunity for savings, but only if we can
throttle back our expectations.
Labor: Labor comprises approximately twothirds of golf course maintenance budgets. It
is clear, therefore, that any substantial reduc­
tion in cost has to include a reduction in
labor. We’ve got to reduce crew size and
reduce the total man-hours worked. Cutting
the hourly wage of existing employees is not
a good idea. We are going to require these
employees to be more efficient and more
flexible in completing their tasks, and possi­
bly work fewer hours. We need their attitude
to include some degree of optimism. An
increase in hourly wage, in the long run, may
save money. Having said this, reducing over­
time is a viable option that should be ex­
plored. Cutting greens with triplexes on
weekends and eliminating some weekend
and evening tasks may be a possibility. Off­
season labor may be another area where cuts
can be made without noticeable effect on the
product. We recognize that there are many
valuable employees on our golf courses, and
we have an obligation to provide them with a
reasonable opportunity to make a fair living.
In the future, when we have an opening on
golf course crews, we could choose not to fill
it with a new employee and see if the existing
staff can pick up the slack at a lower total cost
to the club.
Bunker Maintenance: These things are sup­
posed to be hazards. The word hazard, as it
relates to golf, gives the connotation that you
might get a bad lie. Maybe we could elimi­
nate the expectation that the sand surface in
all of the bunkers should be perfectly smooth
every day. We buy and place rakes by every
bunker in the expectation that the golfers
and caddies will rake them. Then we pay our
crew to rake them almost every day based on
the assumption that the golfers and caddies
did not. We could argue about the logic of
this practice, but it clearly is expensive.
Pine Valley, one of the world’s greatest
courses, doesn’t rake its sand. The imperfec­
tions are part of the hazard that the golfer is
expected to negotiate. Many courses, at­
tempting to present a great golf experience,
want the greens so fast that two-putting can
be difficult; yet they insist that the bunker
surfaces are so perfect that getting up and
down is easy.This, I do not understand.
Mowing Frequency: There are times we mow
areas on our courses when the turf growth
may not warrant it. Possibly with, or without,
slight increases in plant growth regulator
rates, we could decrease the frequency that
Tee to Green January /February 2 0 0 9

we mow tees, collars, fairways, and roughs.
The decrease in surface smoothness may be
slight, and we could pull significant man­
hours (and some fuel) out of the budget.
Turf Health Issues: Anything that can be
done to improve the environment, drain­
age, or general growing conditions of the
turf, should be done, even if it adds some
expense in the short run. The healthier we
can keep the turf, the less in chemicals and
labor we will have to throw at it. Trees that
compromise sunlight and air circulation
near greens should be removed. The time
has come to be totally logical and get the
emotion out of this issue. We re probably
going to be spraying a lot less in the future,
and we should remove every natural obsta­
cle to turf health.
Turf Species Selection: We might also con­
sider increasing the emphasis on transition­
ing from Poa annua to bentgrass, or any
other less chemical-dependent species,
whenever possible. If we can get clubs or
course decision-making bodies to endorse
this and accept the possible bare spots that
may accompany this transition, the long­
term health of the course—as well as it’s
budget—may benefit. This transition, espe­
cially to bentgrass, will be harder to do on
golf courses that hold on to their trees.

Planning for the Unknown
I am not suggesting that every superin­
tendent should immediately start cutting
their spending. There are clubs where the
future may well be “business as usual.” I am
suggesting that superintendents would be
wise to start thinking about forming a Plan
B. Club officials should appreciate the pro­
active, opened-minded approach that will
be necessary to navigate the unknown
challenges ahead.
The decision-making body at any facil­
ity has to be onboard and understand and
endorse this streamlining process and the
level of resources that will be saved. Hope­
fully, they will understand and appreciate
the importance of golf at their facility and
point the process in an appropriate direc­
tion. Obviously, the more you cut, the
more the product will change.
It looks like the future will be telling us
to spend less on golf, and we will be wise to
accept this probability, understand it, and
participate willingly in a transition. If we
are truly proactive and creative in address­
ing these issues, we have a better chance of
not needing a Plan C.
Richard Spear is superintendent at Piping Rock
Club in Locust Valley; NY.

Tee to Green January /February 2 0 0 9

Managing With Less: What Area Supers
Are Doing to Get More Bang for Their Buck
by David Dudones

J

m / m / ith many clubs tightening and then opted to lay off another assistant from
W / W / their belts, superintendents are January to early May. To stretch the dollar fur­
finding creative ways to manage ther, we’re also making some adjustments to
their maintenance operations with less. our maintenance practices. We plan to:
Here’s a look at what several Met members 1. Cut our liquid fertilizer applications in half
are doing to make their budget dollars go by only spraying every 14 days.
2. Experiment with growth regulators on fair­
farther.
ways to reduce the number of times we mow.
3. Reduce bunker inputs by raking only greenGlenn Perry, CGCS
Rolling Hills Country Club, Wilton, C T
side bunkers during the week.
Going into this year, we needed to find a 10- 4. Attempt to reduce the overall number of
percent reduction in our operational ex­ sprays by introducing an early-season fairway
penses. We’re saving at least $40,000 with our spray program using Emerald.
clubhouse renovation since we don’t have to
purchase flowers, prune trees, or maintain the Scott Niven, CGCS
surrounding grounds. We’re also reducing The Stanwich Club, Greenwich, C T
labor costs by eliminating the second assistant Here are cost-saving measures we plan to put in
position and cutting seasonal labor from a 36- place this year:
to 33-week season. Overtime has also been 1. Wages: Keep overtime to a minimum, and
cut by delaying play off the back nine for one use more part-timers/inter ns and summer help.
hour. This allows for only one crew to stay 2. Supplies: Use bid sheets to secure the most
ahead of play. Last, we’re concentrating on competitive prices for all chemicals, fertilizers,
using existing inventory, making most pur­ sand, seed, etc.
chases on an as-needed basis and taking part 3. Spraying: Spot treat when possible and widen
intervals.
in only a few early-order programs.
4. Tree Work: Reduce to only safety pruning.
5. Flowers: Skip out-of-the-way beds, reduce
Joe Alonzi, CGCS
planting density, and plant more perennials.
Westchester Country Club, Rye, N Y
Even though we’re a union shop and employ­ 6. Bunkers: Reduce the number of complete
ees are entitled to raises each year, we’ve kept rakings, doing just necessary touchups.
our budget flat by reducing our rough mainte­
nance program by 90 percent. This year, we’ll Rob Alonzi
also be keeping fertilizer and pesticide applica­ Fenway Golf Club, Scarsdale, N Y
We’re waiting until March to replace an assis­
tions to an absolute minimum.
Though our entire clubhouse was ahead of tant that we lost in October. We’re also plan­
its time and converted to geothermal heating ning to limit overtime during the season and
and cooling almost 10 years ago, my depart­ forgo any tree work or capital projects.
ment will work to add to the club’s energy
savings by making a conscious effort to turn Jeff Wentworth, CGCS
off all nonessential lighting and all machines Pelham Country Club, Pelham Manor, N Y
when not in use. We’re also hoping to save fuel We’ve found that reducing striping in both fair­
by limiting wasteful movement of equipment. ways and rough areas has greatly reduced labor
requirements. The split fairway pattern allows
all units to work on the same fairway simultane­
Todd Raish, CGCS
ously, reducing the time needed to turn
Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, NJ
One thing we started for The Barclays Golf machines and the labor required to mow fair­
Tournament in 2008 was mowing our fair­ ways. With this practice, we’ve reduced labor
ways half and half. We have 27 holes and send by about 20 percent. Another way we’re saving
out six mowers at a time to stay ahead of play. labor dollars is by eliminating our intermediate
Each mower is saving 45 minutes for a total of cut and simply extending our fairways into that
4.5 man-hours per mow. Add in the fuel, and area. This has made no significant change to the
playability of the course, and it’s reduced the
we’re easily saving $10K per year.
time and number of machines needed to main­
tain that turf. By changing the mowing pat­
Dennis Granahan
tern, we’ve gained about 12 additional work
Navesink Country Club, Middletown, NJ
Not being a union shop, we have the flexibil­ hours a week.
ity of having our hourly crew work only 4
hours on Tuesday so we can maintain cover­ David Dudones, co-editor of the Tee to Green, is
age for the much-needed weekend work. We superintendent at North Jersey Country Club in
also changed an assistant from hourly to salary Wayne, NJ.

f

Upcoming Events

2009 Met Events Still Looking for Sites!
As you can see, our 2009 Meeting and Social
calendar is still a work in progress. If anyone
is able to host a meeting or social event that
does not have a site, please contact the appro­
priate committee chairmen. For professional
events, contact either of our Tournament
Committee co-chairs: Ken Benoit at 914241-0700 or Mark Chant at 631-643-0047.
Our Social & Welfare Committee co-chairs
are Mark Millett (914-949-4203) and Paul
Gonzalez (914-273-3755). Both are available
to discuss any upcoming social events.

Superintendent/Green Chairperson
Tournament

Monday, October 19
Sleepy Hollow Country Club
Scarborough, NY
Host:Tom Leahy, CGCS
Annual Assistants Championship

October
Date & Site OPEN
Met Area Team Championship

Business Meeting

October
Date & Site OPEN

Wednesday; March 25
Rye Golf Club
Rye, NY
Host: Chip Lafferty

Annual Meeting

Dave Mahoney Two-Ball Championship
Qualifier

MetGCSA Christmas Party

November
Date & Site OPEN

o

WESTWOOD
Organic Reccing

f h t W .vy

U t m 4 * 4 ft T o f t*

YOUR FIRST CHOICE FOR
GRINDING!
On Site Grinding/Screening
Tree Wood, Stumps, Wood Chips,
Brush, and Waste Removal
Additional Services Available
Excavation, Drainage, Stump Removal,
Site Work, Mobile Screening
Bulk Material Available
Mulch, Topsoil, and Compost

Westwood Organic Recycling
Monday, April 27
Siwanoy Country Club
Bronxville, NY
Host: Steve McGlone

December
Date Sc Site OPEN

1160 Manaroneck venue
White Plains, NY 10605
9 1 4 -4 9 0 -1 6 9 4

Educational Events

Superintendent/Manager or Guest
Tournament

The 12th Annual New England
Regional Turfgrass Conference & Show

MGA/USGA 2009 Green Chairman
Education Series

Wednesday,June 3
Brae Burn Country Club
Purchase, NY
Host: Blake Halderman, CGCS

Monday - Thursday, March 2 —5
Rhode Island Convention Center,
Providence, RI
This years annual conference and shows
educational sessions will bring you cuttingedge turfgrass management tactics and tech­
niques* as well as the opportunity to view
more than 350 exhibitor booths at the threeday trade show
For further information, call the NERTF
office at 401-848-0004 or visit their website
at www.nertf.org/show/.

Thursday, March 19
Hackensack Golf Club
Oradell, NJ
This education series is designed to help green
chairmen, course officials, and superintendents
make informed decisions on issues common
to many area golf courses.
For more information or to register, contact
the MGA office at 914-347-4653.

MetGCSA Invitational Tournament

Thursday,June 25
The Stanwich Club
Greenwich, CT
Host: Scott Niven, CGCS
Family Picnic

Date & Site OPEN
Education Meeting

Date & Site OPEN
Summer Social

Date & Site OPEN
Met Championship and Met Area Team
Championship Qualifier
PLUS the Poa Annual Tournament

Tuesday, September 29
The Meadow Brook Club
Jericho, NY
Host: John Carlone, CGCS

NYSTA's 2009 Turfgrass Advocacy Lobby Day

Wednesday, March 11
Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY
NYSTA extends this complimentary offer
to all green industry professionals. Lobby
day offers a priority issue briefing session
to inform you about current legislation
that could affect the turfgrass and green
industry, legislative appointments with your
local elected officials, and a luncheon.
Please contact Jill Cyr for more informa­
tion atjill@nysta.org or 518-783-1229.

UMass Snow Mold Research Field Days

Late winter —Early spring
Dates TBA
Ekwanok CC, Manchester,VT
Berkshire Hills CC, Pittsfield, MA
The Shattuck GC, Jaffrey, NH
Joseph Troll Turf Research Center,
South Deerfield, MA
These field days provide an opportunity to see
first-hand the results of the UMass Turf
Program snow mold field trials for turfgrasses
maintained at fairway height. For further
information on the snow mold research trials,
contact Dr. Geunhwa Jung at 413-545-2243,
jung@psis.umass.edu or the UMass Extension
Turf Program office at 508-892-0382
Tee to Green January/February 2 0 0 9

Chapter News

Hundreds Enjoy a Memorable Day at Winter Seminar
by Dave Moffett

(

J M t may have been an icy-cold day, but
M Winter Seminar attendees received a
warm reception at the always welcom­
ing Westchester Country Club. The site of
the MetGCSA’s annual Winter Seminar for
more than 25 consecutive years, Westchester
drew 285 met-area superintendents, assis­
tants, and affiliate members January 14 for a
day of educational sessions and a luncheon
made all-the-more memorable by its John
Reid and Sherwood A. Moore award cere­
monies. A special thank you to Joe Alonzi
and the staff at Westchester Country Club for
their amazing efforts in hosting our largest
annual event.
Also adding value to our Winter Seminar
were our 27 exhibitor booths. We’d like to
extend a special thank you to the commercial
members who participated. You’ll find their
Award presenters John Carlone (left) and Scott Niven (right) strike a pose with Sherwood
names and numbers listed on page 7.
We would also like to thank all of the day’s A. Moore Award winner Tim O'Neill and John Reid Lifetime Achievement Award winner
speakers. We are indebted, as an organization, Jim Nantz at the MetGCSA Awards Luncheon at Westchester Country Club.
to the time these individuals invest in provid­
ing us with such highly informative lectures.
Mark began by describing how the severe they will take it away from you,” he warned
Last, but certainly not least, we would like drought conditions in the Southeast are repeatedly, referring of course to our water
to thank Educational Chairman Glen Dube affecting the golf industry in the State of allocations.
for his efforts in, once again, making this Georgia. He talked about the many steps the
That’s advice well taken.
event a worthwhile educational experience golf industry there is taking to ensure their
You can reach Mark Esoda at 770-953for all. This was Glen’s last seminar as Educa­ rights to the water that brings life to their 2229 or mesoda@atlantacc.org.
tion Chairman. He will be assuming his new courses and ultimately benefits the state’s
role as MetGCSA Secretary, a responsibility economy.
Motivation Mado Simple
he will no doubt approach with the same
Mark stressed the importance of being
enthusiasm and effort he devoted to making involved in water issues at the government Next in the lineup was Nancy Patota, assis­
the Winter Seminar such a great event.
level, providing examples of their current tant vice president of advancement and
The speakers Glen chose for this year’s efforts to preserve the industry’s water supply. alumni at Iona College. Her talk on tech­
event spoke on topics ranging from tech­ By forming the Allied Golf Group (an organ­ niques for keeping staff motivated couldn’t
niques to keep your staff happy and moti­ ization composed of superintendents, own­ have come at a better time, given that, with a
vated to promising new controls for the ers, and teaching professionals) and creating a depressed economy, many of us are forced to
annual bluegrass weevil. Here are the high Water Task Force, they were able to negotiate expect more from fewer staff members.
points, along with each speaker’s contact revisions to the water code, write reuse water
The motivational techniques she dis­
information.
guidelines, and produce an economic survey cussed were based on those she teaches to
to show state legislators the financial impor­ businesses seeking to increase productivity
tance of the turf industry. The organization and profit. She began by describing the
Beyond Praying for Rain
also hired Georgia Links, a lobby group, to meaning of motivation in the workplace,
Our day at the Winter Seminar began with a fight at the state level on the turf industry’s noting how motivational techniques and
talk by Mark Esoda, CGCS, from the Atlanta behalf for water rights.
theories have changed over the years as the
Country Club in Marietta, GA. He offered a
workforce
has evolved to include more wo­
Mark cautions that these efforts aren’t
cautionary tale—and prescriptive advice—on enough. Preserving our industry’s water sup­ men and minorities.
how to best protect our golf course water ply, he says, is a never-ending battle. His rec­
Introducing new-and-improved theories,
supplies. (Hint: It requires more than just ommendation: Don’t wait for a water crisis she points out how today’s motivation­
praying for rain.)
to act. The sooner you put an action plan in al techniques are geared toward support­
place—and seek representation on the state ing employees’ individual needs, including
level—the better. “If you’re not at the table, changing an individual’s daily routine, allowTee to Green January/February 2 0 0 9

ing for flexible work hours, and rewarding
employees through recognition programs.
When asked how to best motivate golf
course employees, Nancy pointed to five fac­
tors that she claims are more important to
employees than pay: Recognition, respect,
flexible work hours, increased autonomy and
authority, and face time with management.
Food for thought. Seems to me that put­
ting these techniques into practice can only
help build goodwill among staff, and will,
no doubt, pay dividends with increased
productivity.
You can reach Nancy Patota at 914-6332413 or npatota@iona.edu.

New Insight Into AHW Control
Slated to speak in the difficult slot just before
lunch was Dr. Pat Vittum, professor of ento­
mology at the University of Massachusetts.
Pat is a veteran Winter Seminar speaker, who
is always ready to share new and interesting
findings. This time, feeling the pressure to
make our lunch appointment, she unloaded a
huge amount of information in little time.
Pat began by reviewing the importance of
identifying the lifecycle of any insect you’re
looking to control before selecting an insec­
ticide. She offered the latest findings on
pyrethroid resistance of the annual bluegrass
weevil, explaining why it occurs and how to
get around it by alternating not just chemi­
cals, but also products from different chemi­
cal classes.
Pat also covered the many chemical classes
of insecticides, noting their modes of action,
speed of efficacy, persistence, and toxicity. In
addition, she reviewed combination products
such as Allectus and Aloft, noting their use on
the golf course. She stated that she has had
success with these products when applied at
the appropriate stage of the pest’s lifecycle.
Pat was very excited to report the high rate
of control she had on ABW, white grubs,
chinch bugs, and cutworms using products
from two new classes of insecticides: Oxadiazines, such as Provaunt and Advion, and
Anthraciliac Diamides, such as Acelepryn.
Though Acelepryn is not available for use in
New York right now, many superintendents
from surrounding areas have reported good
results using Provaunt to control ABW
I am sure everyone in the room will rest
more easy knowing there are new weapons
available to aid in the fight against these difficult-to-control insects.
You can reach Dr.Vittum at 413-545-0268
or pvittum@ent.umass.edu.

At the Hall
It would be a mistake not to comment on
the excitement and emotion that surrounded
this year’s Awards Luncheon. After announc­
ing the winners of the 2008 MetGCS A TwoBall Championship, Tournament Committee

co-chairs Ken Benoit and Blake Halderman
announced that the tournament’s name
would be changed to the Dave Mahoney
Two-Ball Championship, after its late foun­
der and our dear friend, Dave Mahoney.
Receiving this year’s Sherwood A. Moore
Award was past president of both the
MetGCSA and GCSAA, Tim O ’Neill. A
deserving recipient, Tim offered a meaning­
ful and heartfelt acceptance speech.
The 2008 John Reid Lifetime Achieve­
ment Award was presented to Jim Nantz,
sportscaster and the voice of golf on CBS for
more than 20 years. Jim was gracious and
wowed the audience with his thoughtful
reflections on his career—and his proclaimed
commitment to recognizing the contribu­
tions of the host superintendents and their
staffs during his CBS broadcasts.
The Awards Luncheon was, again, “a tradi­
tion unlike any other.” Special thanks to Will
Heintz and the Awards Committee for put­
ting together such a memorable event.

Hark to the Future
After lunch, Met members returned to the
education hall for the first of two afternoon
speakers. John Moriarty of Brightleaf Green
Industry Consultants was on hand to raise
awareness of the role of natural and organic
fertilizers and their future in the turf indus­
try. John emphasized that the addition of
organic material was beneficial to overall turf
health—and the environment—by lowering
the need for inorganic, salt-based fertilizers.
John reviewed his research, stating that the
addition of 10 to 15 lbs. of an organic amend­
ment per year will reduce the amount of fer­
tilizer necessary by approximately 10 to 20
percent without affecting turf quality. He
advised that the addition of organic matter
should be varied according to soil microbial
activity. Since soil temperatures are directly
related to microbe activity, John recommends
that a high nitrogen fertilizer with a low car­
bon/nitrogen ratio be applied in the spring
and a low nitrogen product with a high C /N

Special Thanks to Our 2 0 0 9 W inter Seminar Exhibitors
We’d like to thank all the vendors who participated in this year’sWinter Seminar. As a show
of appreciation, we’re listing the exhibitors with their areas of specialty and phone numbers.
When the opportunity arises, we hope you’ll show these contractors and suppliers the
same support they’ve shown us during our Winter Seminar—and throughout the year.
A. G. Enterprises

Grass Roots, Inc.

Plant Food Company, Inc.

Uniforms and Work Apparel, Rick Gordon
201 -488-1276/Cell 201 -741 -4500

Golf Course Supplies, Ken Kubik
973-252-6634/Cell 973-418-7035

Liquid Fertilizers, Thomas Weinert
800-562-1291/Cell 914-262-0111

Al Preston's Garage

Growth Products

Steven Willand, Inc.

Golf Course Equipment, Gary Shashinka
203-924-1747

Liquid Fertilizers, Howie Gold
914-428-1316/Cell 917-559-4425

Golf Course Equipment, George Corgan
203-775-5757/Cell 914-213-3622

Aquatrols Corp. of America

Harrell's Turf Specialty

Storr Tractor Company

Innovative Products for Effective Resource
Management, Kevin Collins
800-257-7797/Cell 609-841-2077

Golf Course Supplies, Joe Stahl
203-426-7055/Cell 203-209-6951

Golf Course Equipment and Supplies
Rick Krok
908-722-9830/Cell 908-413-3403

Bayer Environmental Science
Plant Protectants, Dave Sylvester
860-828-8905/Cell 860-841-3173

Carmel W inwater Works Co.
Drainage Supplies, Ray Buzzetto
845-228-4086

Cleary Chemical
Plant Protectants, Bryan Bolehala
570-686-1845/Cell 201-874-8060

Communitool, LLC
Playbooks™ for Golf, Greg Wojick
203-210-5623/Cell 203-219-0254

DryJect NE/Turf Pounders
DryJect and Aeration Specialists,
Steve Jordan
914-602-2857

Executive Turf Products
Golf Course Supplies, Ken Gentile
203-496-0891

JM M Wetland Consulting
Wetland Consulting, Jim McManus
203-364-0345/Cell 203-994-3428

John Deere Golf
Golf Course Supplies, Charlie Siemers
914-232-5825/Cell 914-755-4202

M atrix Turf Solutions, LLC
Golf Course Supplies, Greg Moran
845-338-3650/Cell 845-849-8640

Metro Turf Specialists
Golf Course Supplies, Scott Apgar
203-748-G0LF/Cell 914-879-9357

On Course Construction
Golf Course Drainage and Renovation
Greg Moore
203-230-4825/Cell 203-980-1301

Phoenix Environmental Care
Plant Protectants, Michael Donahue
229-245-8845/Cell 860-490-1929

Syngenta Professional Products
Plant Protectants, Dennis DeSanctis
732-580-5514

The Care of Trees
Entire Tree Care Company, Mike Cook
914-345-TREE

The Terre Company of NJ, Inc.
Golf Course Supplies, Byron Johnson
973-473-3393

Turf Products Corporation
Golf Course Equipment and Irrigation
Patrick Cragin
860-874-2812

Westchester Turf Supply, Inc.
Golf Course Supplies, Bob Lippman
845-621-5067

Wilfred MacDonald, Inc.
Golf Course Equipment, Glenn Gallion
888-831-0891/Cell 201-954-5878

Tee to Green January/February 2009

ratio be applied in the summer when soil
temps and microbial activity are up.
John noted that there is much more re­
search that needs to be done on this subject
but that early results are promising. There’s
no doubt that the turf industry, as a whole, is
moving in the direction of a more organicbased approach.
For further information on organics, John
Moriarty can be reached at 757-573-8741 or
www.BrightLeafLLC.com.

Dave Doherty, president and founder of
International Sports Turf Research Center,
ended the day on a high note with a talk
about soil physical properties and the impor­
tance of aerification in maintaining adequate
soil pore space. According to Dave, healthy
greens maintain 40 percent pore space. He
cites excessive organic matter and irrigation
water high in salts as culprits in lost pore
space and unhealthy turf.
To combat these problems, Dave reinforces
the importance of maintaining a good aerifi­
cation program. He was able to shed some
light on the age-old questions of how much
to remove and how often. His recommenda­
tion is to start with a soil characteristics test to
help you determine the amount of organic
material that needs to be removed. Using this
number in combination with an aerification
displacement chart, it is possible, he says, to
choose a program that will best suit your
course’s needs.
Dave also recommends using smaller holes
with closer spacing to decrease healing time.
It was very interesting to see his slides on the
significant financial gains courses realize with
faster healing times. Dave was full of great
information, and his speech was a great way
to end the day.
For further information, you can reach
Dave Doherty at 913-706-6635 or daveistrc@hotmail.com.

Until Next Year
We continue to set attendance records at our
Winter Seminar, thanks to the superb plan­
ning and organization of this event and the
quality of our speakers. We thank one and all,
again, who were involved in making this
great event possible. We hope you will all
take these lessons learned and have a great
year. See you in 2010!
Dave Moffett, a member of the Tee to Green
Editorial Committee, is an assistant superintendent
atArdsley Country Club in Ardsley-on-Hudson,
NY.

Tee to Green January /February 2 0 0 9

Member News

Scholarship Rattle
Wins
The Annual Bill Caputi Scholarship
Raffle, held at the December 5 Met
Christmas Party at Metropolis Country
Club, raised an admirable sum for the
M et’s Scholarship Fund and awarded
$4,500 in cash prizes to 18 lucky ticket
holders.
The raffle is the prime source of the
scholarship awards we distribute to
deserving Met member dependents each
year.
Many thanks to all who contributed to
this worthwhile fundraiser, and congrat­
ulations—and special thanks— to our
$ 1,000-grand-prize winner, Paul Gon­
zalez, superintendent of The W hip­
poorwill Club. Paul generously donated
his $1,000 prize to the Dave Mahoney
Fund.
The other prize winners were:
$500 Winners

Bob Sessa, member of North Jersey
Country Club
Tom Weinert, Plant Food Company,
Inc.
Angela Renzetti, wife of Pinnacle
Turf’s Steve Renzetti
$250 Winners

Matt Burrows, Winged Foot Golf Club
Les Kennedy, Blind Brook Club
Dick LaFlamme, Essex Fells Country
Club
Pete Rappoccio, Westchester Country
Club
$100 Winners

Mike Cook, The Care ofTrees
Glenn Gallion, Wilfred MacDonald,
Inc.
Frank Cichocki, brother-in-law of
The Care of Trees’ Mike Cook
Carmine Vozza, Fenway Golf Club
Bill Martin, member of North Jersey
Country Club
Tony Grasso, Metropolis Country Club
Les Kennedy, Blind Brook Club
Tohn Carlone, The Meadow Brook
Club
Tim Benedict, Woodmere Club
Byron Johnson, The Terre Company of
NJ, Inc.

New Members
Please join us in welcoming the following
new MetGCSA members:
• Alex Brown, Class C, Country Club of
Darien, Darien, CT
• Keith A. Carper, Class C, Sterling
Farms Golf Course, Stamford, CT
• Andrew Dykstra, Class C, Scarsdale
Golf Club, Hartsdale, NY
• Gregory Eisner, Class SM, Trump
National Golf Club, Bedminster, NJ
• Sean Foley, Class SM, Round Hill
Club, Greenwich, CT
• Christopher Knapp, Class C,Tamarack
Country Club, Greenwich, CT
• Brent Koning, Class C, Silver Spring
Country Club, Ridgefield, CT
• Stephen Wickstrom, Class C, Quaker
Ridge Golf Club, Scarsdale, NY
• David R. Wiggins, Class C, Hollow
Brook Golf Club, Cortlandt Manor, NY
• Robert J. Wagner, Class C,Trump
National Golf Club, Bedminster, NJ

Well Wishes
We’d like to wish Dan Madar, superin­
tendent of Spook Rock Golf Club in
Suffern, NY, a speedy recovery from his
recent hip replacement surgery.

Members on the Move
• Jim Easton is the new superintendent at
Knollwood Country Club in Elmsford, NY.
Previous position: Assistant superintendent
at Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck,
NY.
• Steven McGlone is the new superin­
tendent at Siwanoy Golf Club in Bronxville, NY. Previous position: Assistant
superintendent at Quaker Ridge Golf Club,
Scarsdale, NY.

Birth
Congratulations to Ron Cutlip of Cutlip
Golf Design and his wife, Cheryl, on the
birth of their son, Evan, on December 19,
2008.

Met(*CSA Annual Christmas Party, 200$
Carolyn & Bob
Neilsen

Erica & Glen
Dube

Mike &Anne
Maffei

Carole & Larry
Pakkala

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Christine &
Tony Girardi

Birdie & Peter
Rappoccio

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Kristen & Blake
Haldennan

Dana & Scott
Niven

Dennis &
Cindy Flynn

Helping to make our 2008 Christmas Party
at Metropolis Country Club all the more
memorable were the generous contributions of some of our valued vendors. We’d
like to extend a very special thank you to:
Bryan Bolehala of Cleary Chemical
John Bresnahan of BASF Chemical Co.
Mike Cook of The Care ofTrees

George Corgan of Steven Willand Inc.
Michael Donahue of Phoenix Environmental
Care
David Frechette of DAF Services, Inc.
Rick Gordon ofA.G. Enterprises
David Griffin of Down to Earth
Joe Kennedy of Irra-Tech, Inc.
Mark Loper of Turf Products Corporation
Doug Middleton of Emerald Isle, Ltd.

Ken Benoit on electric
guitar, jammin ’ with Greg
Wojick on air guitar.

Phil O'Brien of Quali-Pro
Larry Pakkala of Plant Food Company, Inc.
Ernie Rizzio Jr. of Turf Products
Corporation/NJ
Jeff Stahl of The Pond Connection
David Sylvester of Bayer Environmental
Science
Greg Wojick of Playbooks™ for Golf

2 0 O Z . 5TA B IL-PA K

COMING SOON!

Agri Meta I
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Phone: 914-271-6126
Fax: 914-271-6146

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Tee to Green January /February 2 0 0 9

(9

Spotlight

Chip Lafferty Welcomes 2009 Met
Business Meeting
by Greg Wojick, CGCS

cy y

^ hip Lafferty. . . to know him is to
love him. He’s a happy-go-lucky,
what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind
of guy who’s always willing to extend himself
to others. Case in point: the upcoming
Business Meeting. A last-minute change in
plans left the meeting without a site, until Chip
stepped forward to volunteer his facility—the
Rye Golf Club—for the event, now scheduled
for March 25.
W /O

Alaqua Country Club that his eyes finally
opened to the value of formal training. “I
worked there as an irrigation tech and spray
tech and eventually second assistant before
recognizing that a degree from Lake City was
the only way I’d ever be the ‘big boss’ one
day.”

An Eye-Opening Experience

Three years later, Chip had earned his A.S. in
Golf Course Operations, interning at a course
For the Love of Golf
in Vierumaki, Finland, and then at Wykagyl
Superintendent at Rye for the past seven years, Country Club, where, after graduating, he was
Chip’s not only an enthusiastic turfgrass man­ hired by then Superintendent Steve Renzetti
ager, he’s a great golfer, having played many a as the assistant superintendent.
round as a youngster with his father and
“I worked with Steve six seasons,” says
friends. Born in Buffalo, NY, Chip’s family Chip. “When he left for Quaker Ridge, he
moved to Orlando, FL, when he was 12. “I was good enough to recommend me for his
took advantage of the sunny conditions and position, which I eagerly accepted. I learned a
played golfjust about every day at Sweetwater lot at Wykagyl,” Chip adds. “It was my first
Country Club near where I lived,” says Chip, time sitting in the super’s seat, hosting an
recalling, “One night when I was out on the LPGA event, and managing a very trying
course with friends— I was about 14—we maintenance schedule at a club with lots of
crashed a couple of carts. This turned out to outings and club functions. Probably the
be a fortuitous mistake. The price I paid actu­ hardest lesson I learned was about people.
ally jump-started my career,” he adds, explain­
“No matter how well a club treats you in
ing that his penalty was to rebuild, by hand, the good times,” says Chip, “when some turf goes
chipping green bunkers with the help of his bad, you can expect the exact opposite. It
“partners in crime.”
hurts to think someone was a true friend for
“The work my friends and I did impressed years and then suddenly all that changes. And
the superintendent enough to land us a job on over what? Grass? That’sjust silly.”
the maintenance crew. I worked there pretty
From Wykagyl, Chip move into his current
much whenever I wanted until graduating position at Rye Golf Club.
high school,” says Chip, fondly recalling the
experience.
Progress at Rye
From high school, Chip enrolled in Georgia
Southern College in Statesboro, GA. “It didn’t Though the Business Meeting won’t give you
take me long to understand what the Allman the opportunity to view the course at Rye
Brothers were singing about in their song Golf Club, we’re allowing Chip some brag­
‘Statesboro Blues,’ ” says Chip of his less-than- ging rights—given the sizable amount of
productive time spent at the Podunk town work he and his staff have done to update
the 88-year-old course’s original Devereux
school.
After leaving Georgia Southern, Chip re­ Emmet design.
Over the past six seasons, they’ve rebuilt 52
turned to what he knew best: golf course
work, accepting a position at Sabal Point of the 68 bunkers; extended, realigned, and
Country Club in Longwood, FL, where he leveled 17 sets of tees; recontoured all fair­
received advice that eventually solidified his ways; installed more than 90,000 linear feet of
career path. “The superintendent there told drainage; and are in the final stages of
me to go to Lake City Community College installing a continuous cart path system
and get a degree in Golf Course Operations,” throughout the entire property.
“We did all of the work in-house,” says
says Chip. But it wasn’t until he took a posi­
tion at a new grow-in outside Orlando called Chip, “with the exception of the sod installa­
tion, which was far too extensive.”

3

Tee to Green January /February 2 0 0 9

Chip Lafferty

Most interesting about the project is that the
club didn’t seek the counsel of an architect. “It
was like an archeological dig,” explains Chip.
“Everything was right there beneath the sur­
face. For instance, we found old bunkers that
had been sodded over at some point.”
Using old aerial shots, Chip and his crew
were able to recapture some of the course’s
better older features, while updating aspects of
design to accommodate Rye’s more than
30,000 rounds per year. “This is something
Devereux Emmet clearly hadn’t planned for,”
adds Chip.
Currently in the works: Chip and his crew
are retrofitting the irrigation system to utilize
the water from a small pond on the property,
which is fed by storm water and other drains.
“That way,” says Chip, “we won’t have to rely
100 percent on City water.”
Chip’s hoping, in fact, to cut potable water
use in half with the new system. “With its 85foot change in elevation, Rye suffers from low
water volume and pressure,” says Chip to
explain the club’s dire need for the new-andimproved system.

Chipping Away at Fun
You can often find Chip on property walking
his two dogs, Clue and Kruger. He claims it’s
not unusual for him to round the course at
least four times a day with his dogs in tow—all
in the name of keeping in top physical shape.
Chip also enjoys golfing with friends and
playing classic courses around the country.
But these days, he’s staying a little closer to
home, with Clare, his wife of six years, and him
expecting their first child in August.
So keep your fingers crossed, everyone, for a
good season ahead, because this new fatherto-be will definitely have more than green
grass on his mind this summer!
Greg Wojick, a member of the Tee to Green
Editorial Committee, is the principal in CommunitoolyLLC, andfounder of Playbooks™for Golf

Siwanoy’s Steven Mellone Hosts
Season s Opening Golf Event
by Paul Gonzalez, CGCS
teven McGlone has some
big shoes to fill, following the
highly regarded and capable Dave
Mahoney as Siwanoy Country Club’s golf
course superintendent.
But the former Quaker Ridge assistant
superintendent is well prepared and eager for
the challenge— and equally pleased to wel­
come Met members on April 27 for the asso­
ciation’s annual Two-Ball Qualifier. Now
dubbed the Dave Mahoney Two-Ball Cham­
pionship Qualifier, the long-running event
was renamed in Dave’s honor. All the more
fitting since Dave was one of this popular
event’s founders.
“Assuming the reins from a superintendent
like Dave is a humbling experience,” says
Steven, who plans to continue the projects
Dave had initiated, putting—as any new
superintendent would— a bit of his own spin
on them.

What to Expect When You Tee It lip
Over the years, Siwanoy’s course has had a
number of new spins put on it. Founded in
1901 and taking its name from a Mohican
tribe that lived in the area, Siwanoy was origi­
nally a nine-hole course along White Plains
Road. In 1913, under the guidance of Donald
Ross, the club built an 18-hole course at its
current site.
Typical of most Donald Ross layouts in the
Northeast, this Bronxville, NY, course features
a well-routed layout on a minimum of land—
110 acres, in this case. The greens, though on
the small side, are full of character and well
protected.
In the late ’90s, under the direction of Golf
Course Architect Arthur Hills, the club
worked to restore many of the age-old
course’s original Donald Ross design fea­
tures—particularly around the greens and
bunkers. At the same time, all the tees—which
were shaded, undersized, and difficult to man­
age—were entirely rebuilt along with the
course’s irrigation and pond systems.
The work hasn’t stopped there. The club is
currently consulting with Mike DeVries of

DeVries Design to expand the course’s
greens to their original footprint and to
restore the green complexes. A challenging
start for Siwanoy’s new superintendent.

Go West, Young Hun
Steven is clearly well equipped for the rigors
of the club’s new renovation work. Like
Dave, Steven attended Penn State. A scholar­
ship winner, he completed the turf pro­
gram in 2004, graduating with “Highest
Distinction.”
Interestingly, this turf program superstar
didn’t begin his higher education with a turfgrass management career in mind. In fact, he
completed a B.S. in Geography from Ohio
University with his sights set on becoming an
Urban Planner. His plans were diverted,
however, by Jim Noel, superintendent of
Lakewood Country Club in Westlake, OH,
where Steven had worked summers through
high school and then college. Seeing his
potential, Jim encouraged Steven to pursue a
degree and career in turfgrass management.
After completing his turf education and a
highly sought-after internship with Super
Mark McCarrel at The Country Club in
Pepper Pike, OH, Steven left his Ohio
hometown for an opportunity to intern at
the Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, CA.
Working under Jeff Markow, who Steven
describes as “second to none in his ability to
delegate and manage a golf course,” Steven
catapulted from intern to second assistant to
first assistant, all within 12 months.
He called Northern California home until
March 2007. Then he accepted the assistant’s
position with Quaker Ridge Golf Club Su­
per Tom Ashfield. Steven credits Tom for the
guidance and impeccable training he pro­
vided. Bob Musich, Quaker Ridge’s general
manager, also had a significant impact on
Steven. “Bob was an overall industry mentor
to me,” says Steven, adding,“He was a straight
shooter who I admired for not only the way
he managed the club, but also for how he
presented himself.”
This past September, Steven left Quaker to
help Siwanoy after the tragic passing of Dave

Steven McGlone

Mahoney. “The greens chairman at Siwanoy
contacted Quaker Ridge and asked if anyone
could help the club in the interim,” says
Steven, who was more than happy to oblige.
His goodwill paid off. After conducting an
extensive search for a new superintendent, the
club selected Steven for the position, which
he assumed—officially—in mid-December.

Happily Ever After
In the midst of his interim assignment at
Siwanoy, on October 19 to be exact, Steven
squeezed in the time to get married to his
wife, Margie Freeswick. So thoroughly com­
mitted to helping Siwanoy in a time of need,
Steven and Margie postponed their honey­
moon to St. Thomas until the end of January.
The two met while attending Ohio Uni­
versity and eventually got engaged while liv­
ing in California. When Margie got her cur­
rent position working with the Disney
Company on Broadway, they both moved
back to the East Coast. As Steven puts it,“She
came west for me I went east for her.” They
currently live inTarrytown, NY.

Forewarned Is Forearmed
Steven may not be a Siwanoy veteran, but he’s
still got a tip or two up his sleeve on navigat­
ing this Donald Ross layout. “First, stay below
the hole,” advises Steven. “Second, fix your
hallmark. And third, appreciate the course for
its magnificent routing and intriguing shot
value.”
Be sure to join fellow Met members on
April 27 for the season’s first golf event.
Paul Gonzalez, co-editor of the Tee to Green, is
superintendent at The Whippoorwill Club in
Armonk, NY.

Tee to Green January/February 2 0 0 9

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turf products
corporation

H
inew«onand W E S T C H E S T E R T R A C T O R , IN C .
6 0 IN T E R N A T IO N A L B L V D .
B R E W S T E R , N .Y . 1 0 5 0 9
8 4 5 -2 7 8 -7 7 6 6
www.wtractor.com

Proud Supporters of Metropolitan GCSA

Jon Barlok

Pat Cragin

Commercial Equipment

Golf Irrigation

(860) 729-2237

(860)874-2812

SPECIALISTS IN CONSTRUCTION AND GROUNDS
MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT

SALES • RENTALS • PARTS • SERVICE

157 M o o d y Road • RO. Box 1200 • Enfield, CT 06083
Office: 860-763-3581 • Fax: 860-763-5550

Tim M arcoux
Golf Sales
111 Lafayette Avenue
N orth W hite Plains, NY 10603
Phone: 1.800.878.TURF
Fax: 914.949.4901
Mobile: 914,261.3943
Tmarcoux@atlanticirrigation.com
www.atlanticirrigation.com

ATLANTIC
IRRIGATION
SPECIALTIES IN C .

Residential * Commercial • Golf • Sales * Design

Tanta

IRRIGATIOIM, l l c
William Bartels
President

Office (914) 347-5151 ext.15
Fax (914) 347-6323
Cell (914) 447-8872
Dir. Connect 172*55071*52
Email: wbartels@tantoirrigation.com

Corporate Office
5 North Payne Street
Elmsford, NY 10523
www.tantoirrigation.com

Your aerification and
drainage solution!

Jm

The Liquid Solutions Company
Professional Liquid Fertilizers
Micronutrients & Natural Organics

Serving the Greoter Metro NY area
• D ry je c t A era tio n

Howie Gold

• D e e p T in e A era tio n

Nutrition Specialist

• C o re A era tio n
• F lo W ick D rainage Systems
37 Oneonta Road

•

Carmel, NY 105 12

•

( 9 14) 672-6029

Tom Weinert Vice President, Sales
Ph: 9 14 -2 6 2 -0 111

D & D T u r fw o r x s , I n c .
28 Moseman Ave Katonah, N Y 10536

Ph: 973-945 -6318
Email: birdie2acel@yahoo.com

Larry Pakkala Territory Manager

PLANT
FO
OD
COMPANY, INC.

Cell: (917) 559-4425
hgold@growthproducts.com I
Corporate Office: (800) 648-7626
www. growthproducts. com 11

Email: toml8ski@ ptd.net

Dick Neufeld Territory Manager

Ph: 203-505-3750
Email: lpakkafa@optonIine.net

38 Hightstown-Cranbury St. Rd.
Cranbury, NJ 08512
The Liquid Fertilizer Experts
www.plantfoodco.com

.

•
•
•
•

GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION
DRAINAGE
FIELDSTONE WALLS
TURF RENOVATION
ATHLETIC FIELD MAINTENANCE

Dennis Flynn
Phone: 914-962-1871 Eax 914-962-1871
DNDTiirfworks^ptonline.net

MJATROLS

Bringing Water and Resource
Saving Technologies To The
Golf Industry for More
Than 50 Years

|

s te v e n

iiiiy M S S

Quality Turf Equipment

Kevin P. Collins
Northeast Territory Manager

203-775-5757
Fax: 203-775-6435
Cell: 914-213-3622
Parts: 866-435-1380

GEORGE CORGAN
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

37 Oneonta Road • Carmel, NY 10512

gcorgan@stevenwHlandinc. com

4 Production Drive
800 Central Street
Brookfield, CT 06804________________ N, Smithfield, Rl 02896

845-225-1761 Tel
845-228-1728 Fax
609-841-2077 Mobile
kevln.collins@aquatrols.com

Jacobsen ♦ Cushman ♦ Ryan * Club Car ♦ Steiner

800/257-7797
www.aquatrols.com

Soil Solutions LLC
Aerification Professional

David Griffin
Cell 914.413.3173

7 Whittemore Place
Rye Brook, NY 10573
(914) 393-0659/Fax: (914) 939-5010
Anthony Decicco & John Decicco

golf course construction
P.0. Box 719 Harrison, N.Y. 10528
Tel 914.576.7693 Fax 914.241.6986
d a vid @ d te g o lf.c o m

THE ROGER R U LEW ICH G R O U P
S

i

Phoenix

Golf Course Design & Construction

E N V IR O N M E N T A L CARE

D a v id F l e u r y
p a r tn e r

1 6 0 Purple M e a d o w Road, B ernardston, M A 0 1 3 3 7
413.648.9303 Phone
413.648.0211 Fax

Mike Donahue
1512 River Blvd. Ext.
Suffield, CT 06078
860-490-1929
Mike.Donahue@PhoenixEnvCare.com

Northeast Area Sales Manager

413.537.6967 Mobile
Dave@rrulewich.com E-mail

Ernie Steinhofer, CGCS - 914-760-6112
Tim Joyce

M

etro

-516-369-6747 |

Robert Steinman, CGCS -914-588-6593
Dave Conrad

I

[Harrells

-914-490-3698 |
P rofessional F ertilizer S olutions

Turf Specialists

J o e S ta h l
Turf Sales M anager

Customers, Our Top Priority

Danbury Office : Gary and Tom
203 - 748-4653

Scott Apgar, President
914 - 879-9357

www.metroturfspecialists.com

860-663-8048
mobile: 203-209-6951
fax: 860-663-3564
jstahl@harrells.com
www.harrells.com

*00»

Growing a Better
I Bayer - Quali Pro - Aquatrols - Cleary - BASF - Lebanon - Emerald Isle - Egypt Farms

795 Route #148
Killingworth, CT 06419

"

Patrons listed on this page are supporting our association.
You are encouraged to support them.
© A.G. Enterprises
Rick Gordon
Staff Uniforms
201-488-1276 / Fax: 201-489-5830
M errickl60@ aol.com
www AGEnter pr isesonline. com

© Dryject N.E. /Turf Pounders

East Coast Sod & Seed
A1 Prestonk
Gary Shashinka
Massey FergusonTfactors ~Takeuchi
Excavators
203-924-1747

©

Kevin P Collins
“Innovative Products for Effective
Resource Management”
Cell: 609-841-2077
Fax:845-228-1728
kevin. collins@aquatrols.com

Argento & Sons, Inc.
Louis Argento
1 Prospect Avenue
White Plains, NY 10607
914-949-1152 '
louis@argentoandsons.com

© Atlantic Irrigation Specialties, Inc.
Ray Beaudry /T im Marcoux
111 Lafayette Avenue
N. White Plains, NY 10603
914-686-0008

© BASF
John Bresnahan
wwwBetterTurf.com
John.Bresnahan@basf.com

“America’s PremiumTbp-Dressings”
800-247-2326 / wwwPARTAC.com
Bill & Joe Carriere: 914-937-2136

Dave Sylvester
“Backed by Bayer”
860-841-3173

© Blue Ridge Peat Moss
Gene Evans / Chuck Evans
133 Peat Moss Road
White Haven, PA 18661
570-443-9596

© D & DTurfworks, Inc.
Dennis Flynn
“WirkThatYiu Can Be Proud O f ”
914-962-1871
dndturfworks@optonline.net

© Dar Par Sales
Dom & John Richichi
914-946-1743 / Fax: 914-946-0796

© Down To Earth Golf Course
Construction, Inc.
David Griffin
PO.Box 719
Harrison, NY 10528
914-576-7693 / Cell: 914-413-3173

John Callahan
Complete Distributor of Golf Course
Accessories &Tiirf Maintenance
Supplies
800-861-6256 / Fax:860-673-8443
© The Care o f Trees
Mike Cook, NY: 914-345-8733
Ken Clear, CT: 203-847-1855
wwwthecareoftrees .com

© Plant Food Company, Inc.
“The Liquid Fertilizer Experts”
wwwplantfoodco.com
Dick Neufeld: 973-945-6318
Larry Pakkala, CGCS: 203-505-3750
To mWbinert: 914-262-0111
Office: 800-562-1291

Tom Fallacaro / Gerry Grant
Turf Equipment
914-271-6126
wwwetequipment.com

Dave Pijnenburg
75 Codfish Hill Road
Bethel, CT 06801
203-748-0558 / Cell: 203-948-5103
greenacrescompany@comcast.net

© Growth Products, LTD

©

©

Pond Connection

The Tierre Company o f
New Jersey, Inc.
Byron Johnson
Seed, Pesticides, Nursery Stock, &
Fertilizer
973-473-3393

© Tom Irwin, Inc.

Jeff J. Stahl
wwwthepondconnection.com
203-858-4136

Jeff Houde
11A Street, Burlington, MA 01803
203-731-1776
j eff@tomirwin. com

Soil Solutions, LLC
Aerification Professionals
Anthony Decicco / John Decicco
7Whittemore Place
Ryebrook, NY 10573
914-393-0659 / Fax: 914-939-5010

© Harrell k
Joe Stahl
“Growing a BetterWirld”
203-209-6951
jstahl@harrells.com / wwwharrells.com

© Turf Products Corp. /TORO
Pat Cragin, Irrigation: 860-874-2812
Jon Barlok, Equipment: 860-729-2237
Main Office: 800-243-4355

©
©

StevenWilland, Inc.

©

StorrTractor Company

© WestchesterTurf Supply, Inc.

ITT / Flowtronex
Rick Krok / Gary Lynott
Pump Sales & Service
908-413-3403 / 516-523-2012

Joseph D. Kennedy
18 M erritt Street
Port Chester, NY 10573
914-937-7273

SurfsideString Agents

Bob & Dave Lippman
“Serving the FineTurf Profession”
845-621-5067 / Fax: 845-621-7180
westturf@comcast.net

© Wilfred MacDonald, Inc.

Liquid ~ Granular ~ Pellets
ZAP! Defoamer
R obert Oechsle: 800-401-0411

© Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc.

©

Westchester Tractor, Inc.
John Apple / George Risley /
Jeff Underhill
60 International Boulevard
Brewster, NY 10509
845-298-7766
www wtractor. com

Quality Turf Equipment
GeorgeW Corgan
4 Production Drive
Brookfield, CT 06804
203-775-5757 / Cell: 914-213-3622

© Irra-Tech, Inc.

Rob Good
Professional Ground-Witer and
Environmental Engineering Services
860-678-0404 / 203-929-8555
Fax:860-678-0606
rgood@lbgct.com

Phoenix EnvironmentalCare
Mike Donahue: 860-490-1929
mike.donahue@phoenixenvcare.com
Rick Grant: 317-501-2395
rick.grant@phoenixenvcare.com

Howie Gold
PO. Box 1252
White Plains, NY 10602
914-428-1316 / Fax:914-428-2780
hgold@growthproducts.com

JohnWWickes
“Tree & Lawn Care Since 1929”
11 McNamara Road
Spring Wiley NY 10977
845-354-3400 / Fax:845-354-3475
j ohn@irawickes .com

© The Roger Rulewich Group
David Fleury / MarshallVictor
Golf Course Design, Renovation, &
Construction
800-465-3668 / Fax:413-648-0211

©

© Greenacres Company

© IraWickes / Arborists
© Bayer Environmental Science

© The Cardinals, Inc.

© Partac Golf Course Top-Dressing

Kevin Driscoll
Sod ~ Bentgrass, Fescues, Shortcut Blue
Cell: 609-760-4099
Office: 856-769-9555

© E /T Equipment Co., Inc.
© Aquatrols Corp. ofAmerica

Metro Turf Specialists
Scott / Ernie / R ob / Gary
“Customers, O urTO P P riority”
203-748-4653 / Fax:203-743-0458
wwwmetroturfspecialists.com

Kevin Collins / Steve Jordan
“YiurAerification and Drainage Solution’
914-672-6029 / Fax:845-228-1728
mcc 10512@yahoo.com

Glenn Gallion
19 Central Boulevard
S. Hackensack, NJ 07606
888-831-0891 / Fax:201-931-1730

Syngenta
Plant Protectants
Dennis DeSanctis Jr.
732-580-5514 / Fax:609-918-1696
Dennis.DeSanctis@syngenta.com

© Matrix Turf Solutions, LLC
Greg Moran
Products ~ Knowledge ~ Service
845-849-8640
Office & Fax: 845-338-3650

©

Tanto Irrigation
William Bartels
914-347-5151 / 914-347-6323
wbar tels@tantoir r igation.com

©

Denotes M e tG C S A member