V*

— —

Board of Directors
President
ROBERT NIELSEN JR., CGCS
Bedford Golf & Tennis Club
Vice President
BLAKE HALDERMAN, CGCS
Brae Burn Country Club
Secretary
GLEN DUBE, CGCS
Centennial Golf Club
Treasurer
DAVID DUDONES
North Jersey Country Club
Past President
‘ ANTHONY M. GIRARDI, CGCS
Rockrimmon Country Club
Directors
ROBERT B. ALONZI, JR.
Fenway Golf Club
KENNETH BENOIT JR., CGCS
GlenArbor Club
SEAN CAIN, CGCS
Sunningdale Country Club
BRETT CHAPIN
Redding Country Club
PAUL GONZALEZ, CGCS
The Whippoorwill Club
VINCENT PAVONETTI, CGCS
Fairview Country Club
Class AF Rep
MICHAEL COOK
The Care of Trees
Class C Rep
DOUG VANDERLEE
Westchester Country Club
Executive Director
ED BROCKNER
Executive Secretary
INEKE PIERPOINT

j Tee to Green Staff

Editor
JIM PAVONETTI
203-531-8910
Managing Editor
PANDORA C.WOJICK
Editorial Committee
I MATT CEPLO
SCOTT NIVEN
DAVE DUDONES
ERIC O’NEILL
LARRY PAKKALA
¡CEVIN COLLINS
PAULGRABBE
BILL PERLEE
¡CHIP LAFFERTY
MIKE REEB
DAVE MOFFETT
GREG WOJICK
Designer
TERRIE YOUNG
Advertising Managers
BRETT CHAPIN, 203-938-9240
PAUL GONZALEZ, 914-273-3755
TEE TO GREEN is published bimonthly by the Metropolitan Golf
Course Superintendents Association
49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, NY 10523-2819
914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437, METGCSA. <ORG
Copyright ©2011

Cover: Sunningdale
Country Club

Feature
When the Ice Man C o m eth .......................................................
Cornell’s Dr. Frank Rossi and the USGA’s Jim Skorulski
offer new hope for helping your greens survive the winter freeze
Area Supers Share Their Tactics for Ensuring Greens
Survival Through W inter

Departments
U pcom ing E ven ts............................................................................................... 8
Member News .....................................................................................................8
Scorecard................................................................................................................ 9
Spotlights..............................................................................................................10
Book R eview .....................................................................................................12

S E R I A L S C u rrent Peri odie ais
NOV 1 1 2011

DO NOT CIRCULATE

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARES

swore to myself after my last mes­
sage that I was not going to discuss weather
in this one. But the better question is: How
can I not talk about the weather? The year is
currently the fourth wettest in history and
we still have more than two months to go.
Rounds are down just about everywhere,
and cart revenue has taken a huge hit. In my
30-plus years in this crazy business, I cannot
recall a time when the course has been
closed to carts this many times in a season.

Weather Report

Bob Nielsen, CGCS
MetGCSA President

Educational Opportunities Ahead

what the educational opportunities might be
in the area. The fall seminar is sure to be a
big hit at The Patterson Club on November
30. On December 6, the NJGCSA and NJTA
are once again united at the Turf Expo in
Atlantic City. Ushering in the new year is
our Winter Seminar, which will be held on
January 18. On the heels of that is the
NYSTA Southeast Regional Conference on
January 24, and don’t forget that the New
England Show has been moved to February
6. Finally, the GIS has moved this year from
its typical timing in February to the first
week in March, topping off an amazing
lineup of educational opportunities.
Not only do we have some wonderful
educational opportunities coming up, but we
have two great social events to look forward
to. Our Annual Meeting, held this year at
Rockrimmon, will mix business with pleas­
ure (see Spotlight, page 10), offering anyone
who attends the opportunity to join fellow
members on the course for a few laughs and
nine holes of golf after the meeting.
Last, but far from least, is our annual
Christmas Party on December 9. Hosted by
Sean Cain at Sunningdale Country Club (see
Spotlight, page 11), this event is sure to be a
huge success with great food and entertain­
ment in one of the most pristine settings the
Met has to offer. Make sure to get your raffle
tickets so we can support our scholarship re­
cipients. Hope to see you all at both of these
special events!

Not only is the weather affecting conditions
at our own clubs, but our association events
have been severely hampered by the
weather. We have had the last three Met
events shortened or canceled due to rain.
' Thankfully, our assistants had one of the best
days of the year to play their tournament.
Nice to see, since they needed the break as
much as any of us! Held at Redding Country
Club, one of the true sleepers in the area, the
event couldn’t have been better. From all
accounts, Brett Chapin and Steve Kubicki
and the rest of the staff had the course in
superb condition, making the event all the
more enjoyable (see Scorecard on page 9).
Hopefully, we will be able to book
another event in the near future at Mount
Kisco Country Club as I’m sure Greg Gutter
had a great day planned for us.
Speaking of weather-related problems, be
sure to read our Feature articles offering in­
sights from industry experts and area super­
intendents on what you might do to up your
chances of coming out clean in the spring.
Unfortunately, trying to guard against win­
ter injury can be like playing roulette. What
works on one green may have little effect on
another. Removing the snow on some of my
greens seemed to have dramatic positive re­
sults compared to years past, while others
seemed to show signs of damage from being
cleared too aggressively. Go figure.

Though the fall season means were drawing
closer to that now-dreaded winter period, Bob Nielsen, CGCS
it’s a time when I look forward to seeing President

Tee to Green September/October 20 t i

ive
Director

Taking a
Three Cs
Approach
to Planning
Met Events

/
^ L ^ B oBob
b mentioned in his
President’s Message, the weather this year
has been a huge challenge that has not only
created a lot of stress for all of you out there,
but has also resulted in the postponement or
cancellation of many of our association golf
events.
Speaking of association events, we are
working with our Tournament Committee,
headed by Sean Cain and Ken Benoit, to
explore event options that will better serve
our membership and offer more opportuni­
ties for all of you to participate. We plan to
have changes in place for our 2012 golf sea­
son. These improvements will be made pos­
sible largely through the continued adver­
tising revenue of our major sponsors (please
Brockner
see the back of this issue) and will be guided Ed
Executive
Director
by what were calling our “Three Cs”
approach:
our sponsors. Don’t forget to support those
who support our association!
I. Convenience

We know that it is hard to break away from
your course during the height of the season,
so our Invitational Tournament will be the
only 18-hole golf event held from Memorial
Day to Labor Day. We are also looking at
creating the same “9 and Dine” format that
our friends on Long Island have used with
great success. Members would have the op­
portunity to invite a guest—maybe one of
their assistants to get them more involved in
the association—play nine holes, and then
have a bite to eat. We might even combine
the golf with a bit of education. Whatever
format the event takes, it won’t eat up your
whole day.
2. C ost

Cam araderie

I’m sure you’ve all experienced the benefits
of joining fellow members for a little respite
from the inevitable stress of managing a
golf course. You also must know that the
more who attend these get-away-from-it-all
events, the merrier. That’s why we are com­
mitted to finding ways to make it possible
for the lion’s share of our membership to get
together throughout the season . . . even if
only for a few hours.

Thank You

Thank you to all of the host clubs who
opened their doors for us in 2011, as well as
those who will be doing the same in 2012.1
look forward to doing everything I can to
serve the needs of our membership and wel­
come all of your input on how we might
build on the success of the MetGCS A.

Realizing that budget cuts are forcing many
more of you to go into your own pockets to
attend our meetings and social gatherings,
we are going to make sure that none of our
events will see an increase in price next year;
in fact, some will be reduced—thanks, in Ed Brockner
large part, to the financial commitment of Executive Director

ornells
Dr.Frank R
nd
th e
USGAJim
rulski ojfer new hope for
helping your greens
survive the winter freeze
lii

ce damage on putting greens is nothing
new. What is new is that ice damage, once
a cyclical problem that struck northern
courses every five to ten years, is becoming
an annual event in some areas.
By spring, turf that has been covered by
ice for lengthy periods of time exhibits
what USG A Agronomist Jim Skorulski calls
the “smell of death.” The odor is a combina­
tion of a buildup of toxic gasses, such as eth­
ylene and cyanide, underneath the ice layer;

crown hydration; and a lack of oxygen.
Collecting reliable research data about
turf damage caused by ice cover or ice en­
casement (where ice saturates the soil) and
how to treat it has been spotty in the past.
That is because ice damage is influenced by
numerous variables, incluciing temperature,
moisture, and myriad in-season mainte­
nance procedures that can compromise turf
hardiness.
To help superintendents increase their
Tee to Green September/October 2011 ( 3

Shaded greens remain highly susceptible to
winter damage.

odds of surviving an icy winter, we turned
to industry experts Jim Skorulski and Dr.
Frank Rossi, associate professor of horticul­
ture, Cornell, for their prescriptions for suc­
cess. Each offers a unique perspective—Jim’s
culled from his extensive work in the field
and Franks from his expertise as a re­
searcher. Both Frank and Jim have been wit­
ness to a variety of maintenance do’s and
don’ts that shed light on not only the causes
of ice damage, but also what you can do to
increase the likelihood that your grass will
emerge healthier come spring.

The Truth About Ice

Frank Rossi Not all ice affects turf in the
same manner. How ice affects grass depends
on how it was formed. An icy cover over
grass plants formed when slushy snow melts
and slowly refreezes can temporarily insu­
late the plant from the cold. However, freez­
ing rain can saturate the soil, encasing the
turf with no insulation against the cold.
Studies also show that different varieties
of turfgrass respond to ice in different ways.
Creeping bentgrass and Kentucky bluegrass
are better able to withstand ice encasement
than are perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and
annual bluegrass. Simply put, superintend­
ents on courses with more susceptible vari­
eties of grass have more to worry about
during the winter.
Jim Skorulski There are certain weather
events that you just know spell trouble for
annual bluegrass. A warm weather period in
December, the January thaw, and the classic
Nor’easter often create a mixed bag of
weather that leads to problems. The transi­
tion period from late winter to spring is
probably the most dangerous period for the
turf.
I still believe that more turf is lost not
from duration of ice cover as much as from
a quick exposure to cold temperatures. I
would argue to say that most of the injury I
observe in the Northeast occurs as the ice
Tee to Green September/October 2011

forms on the surface. That is not to say that
grass lying under heavy covers of ice and
snow will not suffer from anoxia or suffoca­
tion. It does—especially farther to the north
where snow and ice cover can last well over
100 days. It is just that too much emphasis
can be placed on duration of ice cover and
that can lead to some questionable manage­
ment decisions regarding the removal of
snow and ice. Tactics like breaking up ice
through aeration or the use of heavy equip­
ment have sometimes proved more harmful
than good, especially when the ice was not
as thick as the superintendent had thought
or the green surface was not frozen under­
neath the ice cover.

Fending off Winterkill

Whether you’ve had grass die from direct
low-temperature kill (usually after a warm­
ing period in the late winter/early spring
when hardiness is reduced), winter diseases,
or suffocation under ice, there are short- and
long-term management options that can
help you guard against a repeat perform­
ance. Here are the top four:
1

Drainage

Frank Rossi The first and most important
solution to winterkill is proper surface
drainage. Simply, if the water moves freely
from the surface and does not settle in a low
area, more grass will survive. Comparatively,
when water settles in the low areas and
becomes ice, no management tack (includ­
ing grass type) will help it survive without
immediate removal of the ice.
The long-term solution to surface drain­
age problems is to regrade the putting sur­
face to insure proper surface drainage. A
short-term solution could include stripping
the turf from the low area, setting it aside,
and trenching to a low point off the green.
The trench would stay open for the winter
and then be refilled and regrassed again in
the spring. Deep-tine coring will not solve
problems with poor surface drainage.

Jim Skorulski Deep-tine aeration with
the Verti-Drain machine may not solve poor
surface drainage, but the open fractures do
provide some added pore space and an
opportunity for water to move through the
surface during periods of rain or thaw in
winter. In my opinion, it is a worthwhile
practice for soil-based greens in late fall.
I have also seen some positive results with
the use of dry wells in lower pockets on
greens. Using cup-cutters or augers, the dry
wells are installed in late fall to as deep a
depth possible (preferably to an underlying
drain line) to move water off the surface.
The dry wells are marked with wire or nails
in spring and reused each winter. It is not
ideal but a practical means to deal with low
pockets that would otherwise be too dis­
ruptive or costly to correct.
Another area to watch closely is green
perimeters where collar dams or “shoul­
ders” can form and restrict the flow of
water off the surface. The dams are a result
of topdressing being dragged into the collar
areas. These can be easily fixed without
having to disrupt the green’s surface. As
Frank said, any steps that can be taken to
insure the flow of water off the surfaces will
go a long way toward reducing the severity
of winter injury.
2

Turf Covers

Frank Rossi The most consistent manage­
ment practice for survival under ice is pro­
tective covers. Studies have shown that
covers that simulate the air insulation pro­
duced by snow significantly enhance sur­
vival. These covers include a system where a
permeable cover is laid on the turf surface,
straw is piled or stakes are used to create an
air layer, and then an impermeable cover is
pulled tightly over the air layer. There are
other systems where impermeable covers
with air bubbles are used to directly cover
the green.
Jim Skorulski I agree that the use of cover
systems probably offers the best protection

Expediting healing by using a temporary green
(background) and plugging out damaged areas on
putting surface.

for annual bluegrass putting greens on
northern golf courses. Impermeable covers
are placed over greens with poor surface
drainage in hope of preventing water from
accumulating around the grass plants. While
it’s common to use an insulating layer be­
neath impermeable covers to prevent wide
temperature fluctuations in northern parts
of the region, there are a number of golf
courses in central New England that have
had success using impermeable covers with
little or no insulation.
We have found that white-colored covers
are beneficial because they reflect the sun
and help keep the canopy temperatures
cooler when the covers are exposed.
Be aware, however, that covered greens are
not immune to winter damage! Managing
the installation and removal of cover systems
requires a significant investment in time
and labor and close monitoring of turf con­
ditions throughout the winter. I generally
recommend more extensive covering sys­
tems only on golf courses where the poten­
tial for winter injury is high, and that is on
golf courses usually located farther to the
north.
3 Sunlight
Frank Rossi Research shows that direct
low-temperature kill can be reduced
through proper management. Assuming
there is good surface drainage, the limiting
factor for winter hardiness could be lateseason light levels due to shade.
Light fuels photosynthesis that generates
the energy the plant needs for growth. Tem­
perature is the “throttle” that governs at
what level energy is produced. Simply, when
a turf plant produces more energy than it
needs for growth, the “excess” energy is
stored and can enhance winter hardiness. In
contrast, when the plant uses more energy
than it produces, there is a net depletion of
energy and the plant is weakened.
As the sun angle sharpens and direct light
levels are reduced, the turf plants no longer
have the light (fuel) to produce energy.
During these times, I feel it is critical to
reduce your management intensity: Cut
back on mowing frequency, preferably

mowing only two to three times per week;
reduce nitrogen fertility to avoid stimulat­
ing top growth that will further deplete
energy storage; maintain a dry, but not
drought-stressed, surface; and avoid severe
cultivation and topdressing practices that
cause the plant to expend energy to survive.
Jim Skorulski I absolutely agree with the
importance of sunlight in the winter sur­
vival of turfgrass. Grass that is shaded in fall
will not gain the same level of cold-temper­
ature hardiness as turf growing in full sun.
Shaded turf plants are also likely to be more
hydrated entering dormancy.
In looking back through my 20-plus years
ofTAS visits, winter-damaged greens more
often than not are shaded greens. This in­
cludes turf growing in areas of dense after­
noon shade. Often, the damage will match
the shade patterns.
The solution is obvious: Remove trees that
are shading the turf] The added sun will
keep more cold-tolerant bentgrass competi­
tive with annual bluegrass and will improve
the winter survival of all the grasses.
4 Disease Management
Frank Rossi Problematic winter diseases
caused by Fusarium spp. (.Microdochium spp.)
and possibly Typhula spp. can be reduced
through proper management. Our research
at Cornell University indicates that high
potassium rates during the season (greater
than 1 lb. K/1000 sq. ft. per year if using up
to 4 lbs. of N) increase winter disease, espe­
cially gray snow mold.
In addition, avoid high-rate, late-season

nitrogen applications that stimulate top
growth. The more lush the turf is, the more
susceptible it will be to infection. O f course
well-timed fungicide applications will re­
duce the incidence and severity of winter
disease.

Recovering From Winterkill

While there’s no surefire prescription for
preventing winterkill, there are some triedand-true steps you can take to speed your
greens’ recovery, should they succumb to
winter damage.
Frank Rossi In the event of severe win­
terkill, the success of your spring recovery is
dependent on your attention to detail. First
and foremost is understanding that you have
to sacrifice playing quality for seedling or
sod establishment. If you do not allow the
area to be nursed back to health, you will be
selecting for more annual types of annual
bluegrass or reduce the vigor of any creep­
ing bentgrass plants from seed or sod.
Research from Wisconsin demonstrated
the effectiveness of hollow-tine cultivation
with .5" to .75" tines on 2-inch spacing in
the spring. It’s been shown to increase soil
temperature by enhancing soil drying. In
addition, the aerated soil creates an ideal
seedbed for the already-present annual blue­
grass seed that the coring brings to the sur­
face. In severe, low areas where the surface is
blackened by lack of oxygen, it’s best to core
and leave the surface uncovered for several
days to allow for gas exchange and enhanced
drying, reducing the potential for algae
growth.
Tee to Green September/October 2 0 1 1

Sodding in progress.

Once the coring is completed, it’s a good
idea to cover the green and allow the tem­
perature to increase. If you have dark sand or
can have your topdressing sand blackened,
this will further enhance soil warming.
Once the soil warms to 50 to 59 degrees, all
of the cool-season turfgrasses will germinate
and grow.
Many have opted for regrassing with sod.
It will provide a short-term solution to expe­
diting spring play, but it also comes with its
own set of challenges. As anyone who’s sod­
ded knows, it’s generally difficult to mesh
the appearance and performance of your
existing turf, and it will likely struggle
through the stressful summer months while
it adapts to your management.
Jim Skorulski Greens that are severely
damaged need to be closed to play if they are
expected to recover. Foot traffic is extremely
damaging to young seedling plants and will

Tee to Green September/October 20 / /

reduce the rate and success of recovery.
I see good results from combining several
seeding methods, including shallow dimple
seeding, traditional aeration, and slice-seed­
ing. A combination of both dimple seeding
and slice-seeding is preferred. Start the
process early, and be prepared for setbacks
along the way. As Frank mentions, it’s good
practice to use covers, black sand, and other
darkening agents to warm soil temperatures
and promote earlier seed germination. Keep
covers handy to protect seedling plants from
spring freezes and cold, desiccating winds.
Do not expect rapid fertilizer responses
with the cooler soil temperatures. Use
ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and
ammonium sulfate as soluble fertilizers,
along with a starter fertilizer (with seeding)
in cooler temperatures. Equip mowers with
smooth rollers, and keep the height of cut
above .150 during the early establishment
period.

Sod is another recovery option for winterdamaged greens. A nursery sod is ideal to
plug out areas that have been slow to recover
from seeding. Golf courses that deal with
frequent winter damage will develop larger
bentgrass nurseries grown on the same sand
that was used to topdress their greens. Com­
mercial bentgrass sod can also be used, but
there will likely be layering concerns that
can affect establishment and long-term per­
formance. The bentgrass sod will also re­
main very conspicuous on an annual bluegrass green, so usually it is the last resort
unless the entire surface is going to be
regrassed. Some golf courses will use sod
from a chipping green to repair damaged
greens and then purchase a commercial sod
to replace that turf.

The Harsh Ilea lily

In the end, there are political realities. Your
golfers will want to see you doing some­
thing, even if it’s a short-term fix. Some
could argue that allowing spring play is crit­
ical and not worth waiting for the surfaces to
recover.
The reality: No matter how you attempt
recovery, these areas often struggle the en­
tire season. Clearly communicating what
golfers can expect through the season will
assure them that you are fully aware of the
agronomic challenges and capable of restor­
ing your greens to good health.

Area Supers Share Their Tactics for Ensuring
Their Greens’ Survival Through Winter
by Jim Pavonettiy CGCS

iven that more than just a few
Met members were faced this
spring with bringing winter-dam­
aged greens back to life, the Tee to Green
Editorial staff felt it would be helpful to sur­
vey fellow superintendents about the meas­
ures they typically take to protect their
greens from the ill effects of icy tempera­
tures—both before and throughout the
winter.
After querying six supers (names listed at
end of article), what most of us already knew
became all the more evident: Sometimes,
despite our best efforts, greens succumb to a
harsh winter’s weather.
Here, you’ll find a summary of the super­
intendents’ responses— mine included—to
our line of questioning. What they have to
say may shed new light on how to best pro­
tect your greens through winter. At the very
least, it will help confirm that what you’re
already doing isn’t too far afield.

m

First Things First: Improving
Environmental Conditions

Shade Protection
All who responded to our survey said that
they’ve taken measures to remove trees that
were affecting green conditions due to
shade. For some, it was obvious which trees
were a problem. Other clubs, such as The
Stanwich Club and Fairview Country Club,
turned to firms like ArborCom, which use
computer modeling to identify any and all
trees that were affecting—or could poten­
tially affect—the health and welfare of their
greens.
Bob Nielsen of Bedford Golf Sc Tennis
Club echoes the benefits of tree removal,
particularly in areas where it improved
morning sun and facilitated afternoon sun
melting the snow on his greens. He was sur­
prised to find, however, that even his greens
with only an increase in morning sun have
become more prone to wilt.

or some of their greens, while others have
relied on aeration techniques, such as VertiDraining or Drill-and-Fill, to enhance
water infiltration.
Those who installed XGD drainage
couldn’t emphasize enough the long-term
benefits. All agreed the “wounds” from
installing internal drainage on their greens
were challenging to maintain for a year or
two. But despite the hand watering, precise
fertilization, topdressing, and rolling re­
quired during the healing process, everyone
we talked to felt the outcome made it all
worthwhile.
At Fairview, I’ve addressed pocketed areas
on greens where water collects by cutting
channels with a Miltona sod-cutter to allow
water to run off green surfaces. We preserve
the sod by placing it in a nearby bunker and
covering it with bunker sand. In the spring,
we simply dig the sod up and put it back in
place when the ground thaws. This has
worked well on areas that tend to puddle
and then refreeze during the end of winter
or early spring.

Preparations Before the Storm

Cultural Practices to Preparefor Winter
All respondents seem to agree that it’s best
to raise heights of cut and stop mowing at
some point in November to allow the great­
est amount of leaf tissue possible to help
protect the plants’ crowns.
One technique that I picked up from
some of the veteran superintendents in the
Saratoga/Adirondack region where I had
worked, is to Verti-Drain the greens and
leave the holes open through the winter.
These holes usually stay open even if an ice
layer develops, and during freeze/thaw
cycles, they allow any surface water to drain
away from the crowns. This worked well for
me up North, so I’ve continued this pro­
gram at Fairview with good success.

To Cover or Not to Cover?
In
our area, it seems that impermeable cov­
Managing Drainage Issues
ers
be overkill, but some superintend­
Joe Alonzi at Westchester Country Club, entsmay
did
report
semi-permeable covers
Mark Fuller at Connecticut Golf Club, and with success onusing
their
chronically challenged
Scott Niven at The Stanwich Club have greens. David Dudones
North Jersey
installed subsurface drainage (XGD) in all Country Club plans, in theat future,
to pro­

tect some of his more problematic greens
with covers. His approach will include plac­
ing a thin layer of straw between the cover
and the green to help with airflow
Most of the superintendents we surveyed
prefer to apply a heavy application of top­
dressing to the greens, instead of covers, just
as winter sets in.

Keeping Greens Alive and Well
Through Winter

Snow Removal Philosophies
All of those who responded said they remove
snow only if there is a layer of ice under­
neath for a substantial period of time.
Everything from skid-steers, front-end load­
ers, snow blowers, Ventracs (Steiners), and
hand shoveling were used, depending on the
location and the thickness of the ice layer
below.
Ice Removal: When and How?
All of the superintendents we talked to felt it
wasn’t necessary to remove ice until it has
been on their greens for 50 to 60 days or if
it’s still there around March 1.
Everyone who entered into breaking up
and removing ice seemed to start the process
by applying a dark material to make the ice
porous, such as black sand, Sustain, Milorganite, or sunflower seeds. Once the ice
becomes porous enough, they remove it by
hand.

If They Had to Ho It Over Again...

After substantial research and many conver­
sations with fellow superintendents affected
by winter damage, North Jersey’s David
Dudones said it became all the more clear
that no one course of action is guaranteed to
prevent winter damage. People who covered
their greens had damage; people who aeri­
fied had damage; people who removed snow
had damage, particularly those with Poa/
bent greens.
If David had to do it over again: “I would
not bother trying to regrass the problem
areas on my greens from seed. This past year,
we waited to sod, hoping the seed would
germinate in a reasonable amount of time.

Tee to Green September/October 2011

But because of the cool, wet spring, recov­
ery was slow even with covers. You just
can’t count on spring weather to speed up
the recovery process. Once we sodded with
the thick sod from our nursery, the greens
were playable a week later, and the mem­
bers were thrilled.”
If Bob Nielsen had to do it over again:
“I’d remove more of the snow from the
higher green surrounds to prevent exces­
sive runoff from entering the greens. I’d
also be sure to keep damaged greens closed
until they’re fully recovered. Trying to
grow in damaged areas while the greens
are open for play is almost impossible.”

The Real Problem

Let’s face it. The reason that crown hydra­
tion is an issue is that most of us are grow­
ing Poa annua. Converting to bentgrass
would completely change the way most
of us prepare for and worry about winter
since bentgrass is so much less susceptible
to winter injury.
In the May/June 2011 issue of Tee to
Green, Scott Niven put together a compre­
hensive piece on what it takes to success­
fully convert to bentgrass greens. Not an
easy—or low-cost—proposition, which is
why a good number of us, I fear, will be
stuck growing Poa for a long time to come.
The good news is that there are some
practical steps and precautions you can
take (see also the main feature, page 3) to
guard against winter damage, no matter
what you’re growing on your greens. We
hope these articles provide some helpful
tips—or at the very least, some solace
knowing you’re not alone in the battle to
protect your greens.

Thank Yon to Our Survey
Respondents

We would like to thank the following
superintendents for taking the time to
respond to our survey:
• Joe Alonzi, CGCS, of Westchester
Country Club
• David Dudones of North Jersey Country
Club
• Mark Fuller, CGCS, of Connecticut Golf
Club
• Bob Nielsen, CGCS, Bedford Golf &
Tennis Club
• Scott Niven, CGCS of The Stanwich
Club
• Jim Pavonetti, CGCS, of Fairview
Country Club
Jim Pavonetti, chairman of the Tee to Green
Editorial Committee, is superintendent at
Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, CT.
Tee to Green September/October 2011

Year-End—and YearBeginning—Events
Annual Meeting

Wednesday, November 9
Rockrimmon Country Club
Stamford, CT
Host: Tony Girardi, CGCS
MetGCSA/CAGCS Education Meeting

Wednesday, November 30
The Patterson Club
Fairfield, CT

MetGCSA Christmas Party

Friday, December 9
Sunningdale Country Club
Scarsdale, NY
Host: Sean Cain, CGCS

Industry Events
36th Annual New Jersey Green Expo
Turf and landsceape Conference

Tuesday—Thursday, December 6-8
Trump Taj Mahal Resort & Casino
Atlantic City, NJ
MetGCSA Winter Seminar

Wednesday,January 18, 2011
Westchester Country Club, Rye, NY
Southeast Regional Conference

Tuesday—Wednesday,January 24—25, 2012
Ramada Conference Center
Fishkill, NY

Member News
Members on the Move

• Ryan Batz, previously with John
Deere Golf, is now working with Grass
Roots, Inc. in Randolph, NJ.
• Anthony Hooks is the new superin­
tendent at Richmond County Country
Club in Staten Island, NY Previous posi­
tion: Superintendent at the Pelham/Split
Rock Golf Club in Bronx, NY
• David Porter is a new assistant super­
intendent at Old Westbury Golf &
Country Club in Old Westbury, NY
Previous position: Assistant superintend­
ent at The Seawane Club in Hewlett
Harbor, NY
Births

Congratulations to:
• Brett Chapin, superintendent of
Redding Country Club in Redding, CT,
and his wife Grace-Marie, on the birth of
their son, Nathaniel Richard Chapin, on
September 3.
• Dave Moffett, assistant superintend­
ent at Ardsley Country Club in Ardsleyon-Hudson, NY, and his wife Valentina,
on the birth of their son, Jackson Renwick, on May 12.

Well Wishes

Wishing Ernie Steinhofer of Metro
Turf Specialists a speedy recovery after
his second hip replacement surgery on
September 6.

Annual Assistants Guess Who’s Made It to the Finals in the
Tournament
Mahoney Two-Ball Championship?
by Doug Vanderlee

by Larry Pakkala, CGCS

he Annual Assistants Tourna­
ment was held this year on October
6 at Redding Country Club in Red­
ding, CT. We couldn’t have picked a better
day—or venue—for our annual event. Many
thanks to Assistant Superintendent Steve
Kubicki and Golf Course Superintendent
Brett Chapin. They had the greens polling
perfectly and the entire course in top condi­
tion, which made playing this fine Rees Jones
course all the more pleasurable.
Scott Curry of Lake Success not only ran
away with the individual title, but also helped
his teammate, Scarsdale Assistant Scott Ol­
son, to capture the team title. Congratu­
lations to the winners, and many thanks to
the entire staff at Redding for putting on
such a wonderful event.
I would also like to thank the AF members
who donated their time and resources to
making our event possible: Our title sponsor
Westchester Turf Supply, and also Metro
Turf Specialists, Steven Willand, Morris
Golf, Turf Products, LaCorte Equipment,
Dryject N.E. / Turf Pounders, Tanto Irriga­
tion, Harrell’s, Plant Food Company, The
Care of Trees, and Growth Products.
If there is an assistant out there who would
like to host next year’s tournament, please
contact me or any board member. Hope to
see you all next year for this fun opportunity
to unwind with fellow assistants.

either rain . . . nor Hur­
ricane Irene could prevent
^our teams from completing their
Two-Ball rounds. Progressing to the finals
are the opposing First Flight teams of Blake
Halderman/Glen Dube and Matt Ceplo/
Jim Swiatlowski. In the Second Flight, Ken
Benoit/Greg Gutter will take on the team
of Chris Alonzi/Mike Cook for the champi­
onship trophy.

Gross Team Winners

79 Scott Curry, Lake Success GC/Scott
Olson, Scarsdale GC
83 Doug Vanderlee/Eric Yount, Westchester
CC
Net Team Winners

61 Marc DuBour, CC of New Canaan/A.].
Lewis, Fenway GC
69 Justin Adams/Mike Aube, Sunningdale
CC
Individual Gross Winner

82 Scott Curry, Lake Success
Individual Net Winner

69 Steve Toro, Pleasantville CC
Doug Vanderlee, a Class C rep on the MetGCSA
board, is an assistant superintendent at Westches­
ter Country Club.

Leading up to the finals in the Second
Flight...

• The team of Nick Lerner and Kevin
Collins vowed revenge in a rematch of last
year’s championship match against Ken
Benoit and Greg Gutter. Unfortunately, fate
wouldn’t have it. The team of Benoit and
Gutter got off to a quick start, then after an
hour rain delay, ham-and-egged it around
the course, soundly defeating the gritty team
of Lerner and Collins 4 and 3. Afterward,
Leading up to the finals in the First while enjoying a fine dinner sponsored by
Flight.. .
the match losers, Gutter was overheard
• The team of David Dudones and Grover gloating about the Victory and, apparently,
Alexander was defeated by Matt Ceplo and had even predicted a back-to-back champi­
Jim Swiatlowski at Alpine Country Club. onship was inevitable.
The match was pretty close heading into
the back nine. A birdie on the difficult 10th • Chris Alonzi and Mike Cook beat Greg
helped Ceplo and Swiatlowski take the lead, Wojick and Brett Chapin at Mount Kisco
and they never looked back. The highlight Country Club back in August on the 14th
of the day was joining host Superintendent hole. Cook, apparently, started out on fire
Steve Finamore in the clubhouse for a little with birdies on the first two holes and then
shoptalk—and camaraderie!
never looked back. Alonzi/Cook went on to
take the next match by default. Mike Reeb
• Ceplo and Swiatlowski went on to defeat and his partner, Jake Green, were tied to the
Sean Cain and Steve Rabideau in the Semi’s course after Hurricane Irene threatened
at the challenging Quaker Ridge. The their maintenance schedule.
lead went back and forth for the first few
holes. A par on the sixth hole gave Ceplo So stay tuned for the Finals. They look to be
and Swiatlowski the lead that would never very challenging with former champs from
be relinquished. Host Super Tom Ashfield both flights assuming the inside track for
joined the teams at the turn and treated both matches. Good luck gentlemen!!
them to one of those world-famous Halfway
House hotdogs (say that three times fast).
Jim was afraid that the break would squash
the teams’ momentum, but the 10th was Here’s a full account of the Second- and
parred and then the 11th and 12th. Ceplo Semi-Final-round results:
and Swiatlowski were able to keep the pres­
sure on till it was finally decided on the First Flight Winners
16th.
Elite 8: Round Two
• The former champions, Blake Halderman • Sean Cain/Stephen Rabideau (Sunning­
and Glen Dube, played Tony Hooks and Jeff dale CC/Wheatley Hills GC) defeated Bert
Wentworth at Century Country Club. It Dickinson/Chip Lafferty (Willow Ridge
was a neck-and-neck match. On 17, with CC/Rye GC) 4 & 3 at Willow Ridge
Halderman and Dube 1 up, Hooks made an
resome up-and-down 3 from the bunker • Matt Ceplo/Jim Swiatlowski (Rockland
go even into 18. What a nail biter!! Then CC/Montammy GC) defeated Grover Alexalderman made the only par on 18, win- ander/David Dudones (Hudson Hills GC/
North Jersey CC) 2 & 1 at Alpine
g the match one up.
continued on page 12

The Results in Full

Tee to Green September/October 2011

Spotlight

Annual Meeting Plans to Mix Business
With Pleasure
J M / M / hen the Annual Meeting
W / W / rolls around, that’s a sure sign
the season’s truly coming to a
close. But this year, the course at Rockrimmon Country Club will remain open for
play to all who attend one of the association’s
most informative meetings of the year.
At the MetGCSA Annual Meeting on
November 9, members will not only discuss
association business, they’ll also have the op­
portunity to join meeting host and Past
President Tony Girardi on the links for a
friendly nine-hole event. “We are excited to
host this year’s Annual Business Meeting. We
encourage everyone to attend and enjoy a
good round of golf following the meeting,”
says Tony, Rockrimmon’s superintendent.
A Narragansett, RI, native, Tony started in
the business with a B.S. in turfgrass manage­
ment from the University of Rhode Island.
No stranger to the turf industry, Tony and
his brother, Michael, had run a successful
landscape and nursery business through their
high school years. Once in college, however,
Tony chose business over turf—before hap­
pening upon a summer job in the golf course
business. “A friend in URI’s turf school con­
vinced me to work with him one summer on
a golf course,” remembers Tony. “We signed
on with Tim O ’Neill at Country Club of
Darien, and I guess you could say, I caught
the bug. It was an awesome experience.”
Tony transferred into URI’s turf school,
interned another season with Tim, and then,
after completing his degree in 1992, moved
across town to Woodway Country Club. He
spent the next three years, as Tony puts it,
“working for and learning from one of the
best,” the club’s then superintendent, Larry
Pakkala.
In April 1995, Tony succeeded Gregg
Stanley as superintendent of Rockrimmon.
In his nearly 17-year tenure, Tony has led the
charge on numerous improvement projects.

Tee to Green September/October 20 i t

Adhering closely to a long-range master
plan developed by golf course architect
Roger Rulwich and The Golf Group, Tony
has directed the rebuilding of three green
complexes, the reconstruction or renovation
of every tee complex, the installation of all
new cart paths, the complete renovation of
every bunker on the course, and the installa­
tion of a state-of-the-art RainBird irriga­
tion system.
Clearly proud of all he’s accomplished,
Tony credits the club’s membership for
making it all possible. “The members here at
Rockrimmon have a true passion for their
course, and they put a premium on main­
taining the highest quality conditions,” says
Tony, grateful for the opportunity to make a
mark on the course.

Professional Involvement

Two years after signing on at Rockrimmon,
Tony was tapped for the Met Board of
Directors. Rising through the chairs over
the past 15 years, Tony is entering his final
year as the association’s past president.
“Being elected a board member many years
ago and then becoming president of our
association is one of the highlights of my
career. It was extremely rewarding, and I
am very proud of our association and its
members.”
In his lengthy tenure on the board, Tony
has chaired numerous committees, includ­
ing the Tournament, Government Rela­
tions, Club Relations, Website, Membership,
and Scholarship & Research committees.
Though he’s enjoyed every committee as­
signment, he’s most proud of his role in ini­
tiating—and developing—the Mets firstever website. “The website is something we
started from scratch,” says Tony, noting just
how satisfying it was to get the site up and
running.
In addition to his commitments to the
MetGCSA, Tony serves on the boards of the
Water Wise Council of Connecticut and the
Tri-State Turf Research Foundation.

Tony Girardi, CGCS

Still Time for Fun

Though you’d think Tony’s schedule would
leave little time for R&R, he manages to
enjoy his life outside of work. Besides play­
ing golf to a 14 handicap and spending time
on the links with friends, Tony enjoys
maintaining several saltwater reef aquari­
ums—his true hobby away from the course.
The other highlight of his life is his fam­
ily. Married to his wife, Christine (also a
Rhode Island native), for 15 years, Tony has
three children: Nicholas, 13; Matthew, 12;
and Rebecca, 10. Together, they enjoy at­
tending many school social and sporting
events, vacationing in Rhode Island, or just
hanging out at home over a board game or
the billiard table.
Plan to join Tony November 9 for the
Annual Meeting—a great way to keep
in step with the future direction of our
association.

Spotlight

Cain Welcomes Met Members to Ring
in the Holiday Season at Sunningdale
by Chip Lafferty

( i ^ F his year on December 9, Christ^ F mas comes to Sunningdale Country Club in Scarsdale, NY. Playing
host to his fourth Met function over the
years, Superintendent Sean Cain is looking
forward to ringing in the holidays with fel­
low Met members at the associations An­
nual Christmas Party
Though Met members will miss the op­
portunity to see the course’s many enhance­
ments, they’ll be treated to fine dining
and dancing in the club’s nicely appointed
clubhouse.

brilliance to the green and tee complex,”
adds Sean.
So far, the club has renovated six holes—
numbers five, six, seven, eleven, twelve, and
the fourteenth green complex—with more
planned when the economy recovers.
“Listening to Michael Devries’ plans for
the course,” says Sean,“it’s easy to get excited
about the kind of product we can provide
the members looking forward into the Sean Cain, CGCS
future.”

Sunningdale’s Evolution

Sean began his career in turfgrass manage­
ment when he was a young lad working for
Fred Montgomery, then superintendent of
Mohawk Golf Club near Sean’s home turf in
Schenectady, NY
Passionate about the work and the game of
golf, Sean completed a B.S. in turfgrass man­
agement at the University of Rhode Island,
where he also had the opportunity to play
Division I baseball.
While pursuing his degree, Sean had the
good fortune of interning with The Stanwich Club’s Scott Niven. This not only rein­
forced Sean’s passion for the game and golf
course management, it also confirmed his
desire to pursue work in the greater New
York Metropolitan area.
After graduating from URI in the 1991,
Sean accepted an assistant’s position at The
Apawamis Club in Rye, NY, under then
superintendent Jeff Scott. Here, Sean learned
the ins-and-outs of crew management and
acquired an ever-important eye for detail.
“Jeff was tough, but I learned a lot from
him,” says Sean explaining, “Jeff expected a
lot and got a lot out of his guys. If there’s one
thing I learned from him, it was how to be
tough but fair.”
After four years at Apawamis, Sean knew
it was time to move on. “You just know
when it’s time to get your own gig,” says
Sean. “I learned a tremendous amount from
Fred, Scott, and Jeff. They gave me not only
the training and experience, but also the
confidence I needed to take the next step. I Chip Lafferty, a member of the Tee to Green
was ready when Sunningdale opened up,” Editorial Committee, is superintendent at Rye
Golf Club in Rye, NY.
Sean says.

Sean’s been at the helm of Sunningdale’s
maintenance operation for the past 13 years
and is continuing the program of improve­
ments he began when he accepted the posi­
tion in 1997. Sean’s first order of business
was to bring Sunningdale into the 21st cen­
tury. Sean’s predecessor, Dominick DiMarzo, made the transition very easy.
“When Dom handed over the keys to me,
he left me with a great stand of turf and a
brand-new irrigation system,” says Sean.
“We had all the resources in hand, and we
ran with it, concentrating on attention to
detail.”
In 2006, Sean began working with Archi­
tect Mike DeVries to recapture the original
1917 Seth Raynor design.
“My green chairman at the time, Mike
Moss, found newspaper articles on micro­
film dating back to the club’s beginning.
Not only was he able to confirm that
Raynor did route and build the course, he
also discovered that two years later, in 1919,
club members, dissatisfied with some of the
tougher holes, made a change to the ‘alps’
design on number six. This was the begin­
ning of the long chain of changes that took
place over the next 80 years to Raynor’s
original design,” Sean explains.
“Fortunately, Mike DeVries understands
how the great architects from the early
1900s worked with the land and its topogra­
phy. He was able, for instance, to recapture
the sixth hole by reestablishing the strategy
of the alps hole and adding some of his own

The Making of a Superintendent

Beyond Sunningdale

Taking a break after four years of service on
the MetGCSA board, Sean returned to the
board last year, keeping more than busy
with his duties as co-chair of the Tourna­
ment Committee and chair of the Mem­
bership Committee. “It was important to
get back to service and hopefully help our
chapter recapture some of the same cama­
raderie and enthusiasm for the association
and its mission that so many have enjoyed
over the years,” says Sean.
When Sean can break free from industry
obligations, he enjoys playing golf at the
Met area’s many fíne golf courses, and with
a single-digit handicap, Sean’s a stiff com­
petitor in Met golf events.
But as soon as the leaves are cleared from
the course, that’s Sean’s signal to give his
clubs a rest and head north. An avid skier, he
spends most weekends in the off-season at
his “fortress of solitude,” a home he owns
near the slopes in Stowe, VT.
“I love it up in Stowe,” Sean says. “I’ve
had the house a while now, and it gives me
something to look forward to when the
heat of summer kicks in. I just think about
the mountains and skiing, and before you
know it, another season is behind us.”
And before you know it, December 9 will
be here. So pull out your party duds and get
ready to kick up your heels at Sunningdale
and the association’s premier social event of
the season. And don’t worry, Sean promises
to stick around that weekend!

Tee to Green September/October 2 0 Í Í

Scorecard continuedfrom page 9
• Tony Hooks/Jeff Wentworth (Pelham/
Split Rock GC/Pelham CC) defeated Guy
Gurney/Ernie Steinhofer (Orange CC/
Metro Turf Specialists) 6 & 4 at Hudson
Hills
• Glen Dube/Blake Halderman (Cen­
tennial GC/Brae Burn CC) defeated Dave
Lippman/Matt Topazio (Westchester Turf
Supply/New York CC) 1 up at Bedford Golf
& Tennis
Final Four: Semi-Final Round

• Matt Ceplo/Jim Swiatlowski (Rockland
CC/Montammy GC) defeated Sean Cain/
Stephen Rabideau (Sunningdale CC/
Wheatley Hills GC) 3 & 2 at Quaker Ridge
• Glen Dube/Blake Halderman (Cen­
tennial GC/Brae Burn CC) defeated Tony
Hooks/Jeff Wentworth (Pelham/Split
Rock GC/Pelham CC) 1 up at Century
Second Flight Winners
Elite 8: Round Two

• Ken Benoit/Greg Gutter (GlenArbor
GC/Mount Kisco CC) defeated Eddie
Binsse/Dan Cancelled (Life A/Life AF) 6
& 5 at Round Hill
• Kevin Collins/Nick Lerner (Aquatrols,
Inc./Bonnie Briar CC) defeated Paul
Boyd/Matt Leverich (Greenwich CC/
Playbooks for Golf) by default
• Mike Cook/Chris Alonzi (The Care of
Trees/Elmwood CC) defeated Brett
Chapin/Greg Wojick (Redding CC/
Playbooks for Golf) 4 & 3 at Mount Kisco
• Jake Green/Mike Reeb (CC of New
Canaan) defeated Kevin Seibel/Bob Wolverton (Century CC/Edgewood CC) with
a coin toss
Final Four: Semi-Final Round

• Ken Benoit/Greg Gutter (GlenArbor
GC/Mount Kisco CC) defeated Kevin
Collins/Nick Lerner (Aquatrols, Inc./
Bonnie Briar CC) 5 & 4 at Century
• Mike Cook/Chris Alonzi (The Care of
Trees/Elmwood CC) defeated Jake Green/
Mike Reeb (CC of New Canaan) byforfeit
Larry Pakkala, a member of the Tee to Green
Editorial Committee, is territory manager with
Plant Food Company in Cranbury, NJ.

Tee to Green September/October 2011

Brassies,
Mashies,
&
Bootleg
Scotch
Growing Up on America’s First Heroic Golf Course
Reviewedfor Tee to Green by Mel Lucas Jr., Links Counsellor, S. Dartmouth, MA
f J f n only 162 pages, author Bill KilW patrick offers an up-close-andpersonal look at golf before computer­
ized irrigation systems, chemicals, and mo­
torized maintenance equipment. The son of
a greenkeeper who, for years, was at the
National Golf Links of America in Long
Island, Kilpatrick has tales to tell about his
experiences living and working on the
course that famed golf writer Herbert
Warren Wind dubbed the “First Heroic
Course.”
He relates the challenge of growing up on
a course with almost no neighbors or chil­
dren to play with; attempting to live up to
the expectations of a father whose standards
were exceedingly high; sanding and paint­
ing every one of the course’s 123 croquet
ball-sized tee markers; hauling fire-hose
sized hoses to huge sprinklers on the fair- Golf Links. Post World War II, he restored
Silver Spring in Ridgefield, which had been
allowed
to return to seed during the war.
He offers amusing stories From there,
he went on to become the
at Garden City Golf Club, and
about his stints as a caddy greenkeeper
Glen Head Country Club.
where 25 cents was the Finally,
When my dad, the senior Mel Lucas, went
in 1960 and I became greenkeeper
typical tip for hauling a toof Piping
Garden City in 1966, the senior Kil­
was spoken of often at LIGCSA
golfer’s bags 18 holes. The patrick
meetings and among those who had worked
cheap ones, he reminisces, for him at Garden City.
Those of us who followed in our father’s
offered a stick of gum— or footsteps
know this life, and for the many
who
live
on a course, this book aptly de­
nothing at all.
scribes what your families are faced with.
Filled with many names of Met area
ways; and standing by as a favorite mower­
golfers and golf courses, this book is a won­
pulling horse was euthanized.
He offers amusing stories about his stints derful history of our past. Interestingly,
as a caddy where 25 cents was the typical tip more than 10 thousand books have been
for hauling a golfers bags 18 holes. The written on golf, but Brassies, Mashies, &
cheap ones, he reminisces, offered a stick of Bootleg Scotch is only the fifth book written
about a greenkeeper. It’s a great one. . . . A
gum—or nothing at all.
Kilpatricks father was born in St. An­ must for any golf course superintendent’s
drews, Scotland, and emigrated to the U.S. library, especially a MetGCSA library.
as a young man, taking a job on the mainte­
nance crew at Siwanoy and then on the con­ Bill Kilpatrick is a retired golf writerfor the Fort
struction crew at Century. He was so Myers News-Press and has done numerous
hardworking that he was singled out by articlesfor Popular Mechanics, Better Homes
architect A.W. Tillinghast when both were and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Esquire,
building the Sunningdale golf course in Fly Fishing, and True. FYI: Brassies,
Scarsdale. He was greenkeeper there before Mashies, & Bootleg Scotch is available on
moving on to Maidstone and then National Amazon.

0

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856-252-4725
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7 Whittemore Place
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