Jan uà ry/Fr brini rv/VI ardi 2013
VOULUE; 43 \l MIÍER I

1'iiblishi‘il hy the Metropolitan boll Course Superintendents Association

n this Issue
Features
T he Ins and O uts o f G e ttin g C e r tifie d :...................................................2
It’s W ell W orth the E ffort
Superintendents Talk C ertifica tio n

......................................................... 6

Departments
U p c o m in g E v e n t s ............................................................................................... 8
C hapter N e w s .....................................................................................................10
M em b er N e w s .....................................................................................................14
S potlight ............................................................................................................. 16

Local
and
National
Notables

most superintendents will
| agree that one of the questions we hear most
| is, “What do you do in the winter?” In a
recent issue of The Met Golfer, that question
: was answered by our executive director, Ed
Brockner. Interviewing several Met superin{tendents, Ed outlined the three main areas
l we all focus on during the winter to ensure
were well prepared for the following season:
• Preparation: finishing up fall renovations,
I tree removal, stonework, drainage, irrigaI tion, and equipment repairs.
• Evaluation: reviewing budgets, staffing and
training, equipment fleet, and fertilizer and
I spray programs.
• Education: attending seminars and confer1ences to stay current on industry trends and
practices.
f I want to give a special thank you to Ed
and the MGA for working together to edu­
cate others about an important aspect of our
profession. I also want to say how proud I am
to be part of an industry in which allied
associations are so willing to work together
in promoting and sharing information about
each other.

Noteworthy Efforts and Events
Speaking of working together . . . in December, over the holiday break, our board
agreed to take a trip to Coney Island in
Brooklyn, NY, to bring food and supplies to
those still displaced by Superstorm Sandy.
. (See story, page 14.) I personally want to
I thank those who made this charitable trip. I
| know it was appreciated by those in Coney
Island, and I’m sure it was just as fulfilling
for those who participated.
In January, we had our Annual Winter
t Seminar at Westchester Country Club. I
j want to thank the nearly 300 people who
braved the snow (what else is new?) to join
{us. (See story, page 10.) Once again, it was
| well worth the effort. Rob Alonzi and his
f committee had a wonderful lineup of speak| ers, and the tradeshow vendors offered an
interesting array of products and services.
I Thank you to all the sponsors who joined us.
The other noteworthy event of the day:
| our two award presentations. Congratu\ lations, again, to Sherwood A. Moore Award
winner and Meadow Brook Superintendent
John Carlone and to John Reid Lifetime
| Achievement Award winner and Cornell
j Professor Marty Petrovic. The association is
honored to have these great gentlemen as
\ recipients of our most prestigious awards.
At the conclusion of the Winter Seminar,
| Cornells Dr. Frank Rossi, the lead author on

Blake Halderman, C G C S
M etGCSA President

the New York State BMPs, provided every­
one with a summary of the project and
stayed on to answer any questions. Our
thanks to Frank, first, for advocating for this
important effort and, then, for taking the
time to discuss with our group what he de­
scribes as the single most important project
he’s ever been involved with in New York
State.
The following week, the New York State
Turfgrass Association held its annual South­
east Conference where there was another
wonderful lineup of speakers, a DEC up­
date, and a Q&A session on the New York
State BMPs by our past president and gov­
ernment relations chair, Bob Nielsen. So
between all the associations in our area,
there is certainly ample opportunity to stay
current with the necessary government
relations concerns and keep your pesticide
and GCSAA credits up-to-date.

Education Conference & (.nil Industry
Show Delivers
Returning to its normal time of year, the
Education Conference & Golf Industry
Show was held February 3 - 8 in San Diego,
CA. For those of you who didn’t make the
West Coast trip, you missed out on some
wonderful learning opportunities, the trade
show, and a really great Opening Session. We
hope you can join us next year on the East
Coast when it returns to Orlando.
continuted on page 9

Tee to Green January /February /March 2013

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every tu rf professional knows, the Certified
Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS) desig­
nation is the highest level of recognition a
golf course superintendent can achieve. In
the job market, it is a professional designation
that sets you apart from others, especially
when pursuing a higher-level position. Once
hired, it shows your employer that you are
continually striving to enhance your skills
and remain on the pulse of the industry as
you pursue the continuing education needed
to maintain your certification.
Though earning this status has always
meant satisfying a series of criteria, in 2001,
GCSAA made the requirements for becom­
ing certified considerably more stringent.
About 25 percent of GCSAA Class A mem­
bers currently hold the CGCS status, but,
admittedly, the numbers pursuing certifica­
tion seem to have fallen off. The word on the
street is that many superintendents are dis­
couraged by what now appears to be an over­
bearing and time-consuming amount of
work.
Well, having recently gone through the
new certification process, I can assure you
that it’s not all that bad—and actually well
worth the effort. I feel that completing the
process has made me a better manager and
better superintendent, which in effect, has
made me more valuable to my club. I learned
more effective ways of managing my time
and my staff. I discovered things that I could
be doing better or that I should be doing but
wasn’t. And working through the program
gave me the tools I’ve needed to enhance any
areas of weakness and also capitalize on my
strengths.
What follows is a rundown on what it
takes to become a certified golf course super­
intendent— as well as a roundup of Met
member sentiments on what earning CGCS
status has meant to them. I hope that after
reading this article, you’ll be inspired to
carve out the time to pursue your certifica­
tion— and join the ranks of the 79 Met
members who are certified golf course
superintendents today.

First Things First: Becoming Eligible
Before you can begin the certification
process, you have to be sure you meet the
minimum requirements. These include
years of experience as a superintendent and
level of education. Your educational level
will dictate how many years of experience
as a superintendent you will need and how
many education points you will have to
complete before moving forward with the
certification process. The chart on page 4
specifies these requirements.
The eligibility requirements don’t stop
there. You also must:
• Be currently employed as a golf course
superintendent.
• Possess a pesticide applicators license or
pass the GCS AAs IPM exam if your state or
country does not have a pesticide license.
• Complete the online Self-Assessment
Tool, which can be found on the GCSAAs
website.
• Complete a certification portfolio.
About the Self-Assessment Tool
Working through the online self-assessment
helps you identify how you measure up to
the competencies needed to perform suc­
cessfully as a superintendent—and on the
exam. Under each competency, you’ll find
the education resources—seminars, books,
or articles— available to help you strengthen
any gaps you might uncover in your knowl­
edge and abilities in all areas. Another
bonus: You’ll receive .5 CEUs for completing
this assessment.
About the Portfolio
Here’s where things get a little more chal­
lenging. The certification portfolio is a col­
lection of 33 sections that have to be
completed before you can submit your
application for the program. These sections
are divided into three parts: Work Samples,
Skill Statements, and Case Studies. The
portfolio was created to evaluate your
understanding and application of the man­
agement and problem-solving skills needed

to run a successful golf course operation.
I know, right now you’re thinking, “You
have to be kidding me, right?” Admittedly,
the portfolio is one of the biggest stumbling
blocks in superintendents’ motivation to
become certified. I’m not going to say it’s
not a lot of work, but you can begin building
a portfolio at any point in your career, even
as an assistant, and if you’re a superintendent,
you’re probably already doing what’s re­
quired in some of the sections anyway. Take
the Work Samples section. Here, you have to
provide evidence of tools and documents
that you use to manage staff. This might
include employee reviews, employee train­
ing, job descriptions, or a meeting agenda ...
things you have pretty readily available.
One thing that you should be sure to
download from the GCSAAs website is the
Portfolio Scoring Rubric. This is a great
vehicle for helping you make sure that you
do not leave any part of an answer out. It is
what the judges use to grade your portfolio,
so reviewing it can prove to be a great timesaver, particularly since any errors or omis­
sions will require that your portfolio be
returned to you for revision. Ugh.
I have judged six portfolios in the past
three years, and the most common reason
any section is sent back for a redo—believe it
or not—is because of grammar, punctuation,
or spelling errors. I strongly suggest having
someone else proofread your work before
sending it in. It will save you a lot of time
and aggravation.
Right now, you have two options in put­
ting together your portfolio: You can create
an electronic portfolio, or you can submit a
paper-based version. Regardless of which
method you choose, GCSAA provides help­
ful templates on its website that are de­
signed to guide you in the creation of your
portfolio while ensuring that you include all
the necessary information.
If you choose the paper-based portfolio,
you have to download the templates onto
your computer, type in the answers, and
print three copies of everything. Then you
have to put them into separate binders and

Tee to Green January/February/M arch 2013

GCSAA Point Requirements
Level of Education

Superintendent Experience

Total Points

B a ch e lo r's d e g re e in tu rf o r p la n t scie n ce

3 years

3 (2 e d u )*

O th e r b a c h e lo r's d e g re e plus a sso cia te 's d e g re e in t u r f /
p la n t scie n ce , o r e q u iv a le n t tw o -y e a r tu rf c e rtific a te
(i.e ., M ic h ig a n S tate, Penn State)

3 years

3 (2 edu)

O th e r b a c h e lo r's d e g re e

4 years

5 (3 edu)

A sso c ia te 's d e g re e in t u r f/p la n t scie n ce , o r e q u iv a le n t
tw o -y e a r tu rf c e rtific a te (i.e ., M ic h ig a n State, Penn State)

4 years

5 (3 edu)

Turf c e rtific a te /s h o rt courses (4 0 0 -h o u r m in im u m )
(i.e ., Rutgers, Penn State W o r ld C a m p u s )

5 years

1 0 (6 edu)

O th e r a sso cia te 's d e g re e

6 years

1 0 (6 edu)

N o d e g re e o r re c o g n iz e d c e rtific a te

7 years

4 0 (3 2 edu)

*Points in parentheses represent the minimum education points required to reach total points.

mail two of the copies to GCSAA, where
they would then be sent to two different
judges to be graded.
The
new-and-improved
electronic
option allows you to enter your information
directly into your e-portfolio by copying
and pasting your information from the
templates or from something you might
have already saved on your computer. Your
portfolio will be accessible for five years
from the last time you opened it. Another
plus with this method is that you will
receive your results from the judges more
quickly because there is no time wasted
waiting for items to be mailed back and
forth.

Completing the Certification Eligibility
Worksheet
You’ll complete this worksheet, which you
can find on the GCSAA website, to establish
and document your eligibility require­
ments. Once you’ve met the requirements,
GCSAA will send you a certification appli­
cation form to complete and submit with an
application fee and your portfolio.

The Application
When your eligibility is approved and you
have your portfolio ready to go, you can
submit your application. Once the applica­

tion is received, you will have one year to
complete the remainder of the certification
process, which includes the w ritten exam,
the attesting of your golf facility, and the
evaluation of your portfolio. The exam and
attesting can be completed in any order
within the one-year period.
This means planning ahead is essential.
You have to keep in mind that:
• The attesting of your course must be con­
ducted during the growing season.
• A 60-day waiting period is required
between exam retakes. So if for some reason
you have to retake a section of the exam
(you’re allowed two retakes), you have to be
sure there’s ample time remaining in your
one-year applicant period for completion. It
really pays to wait until you’re well prepared
to take the exam before submitting your
application.
• If any additional information or materials
are needed for your portfolio, it must be
returned for réévaluation during your appli­
cant period.
I, personally, submitted my application in
the early fall, which gave me the off-season
to pass the exam and the whole summer to
get my attesting done.

The Exam
The exam is a closed-book, multiple-choice
test consisting of three parts with a total of
211 questions. You must pass each section of
the exam with at least a 67 percent.
The Self-Assessment Tool mentioned ear­
lier will identify for you the materials or
seminars that will help you pass this exam, so
it’s important that you be honest with your-

, r t S A A S e m i .—
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re several resources
Here are
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What about the people who have been cer­
tified but are now on to other things like
sales or retirement? You may be eligible
to maintain a “CGCS Retired” status,
which means you no longer have to renew
with CEUs. You simply have to meet the
requirements for a retired membership
classification in GCSAA, such as Class AA
(Life Member), and you have to have main­
tained your certified status up to the point
of retirement.
To be eligible for Class AA (Life Mem­
bership), one has to have retired as a golf
course superintendent and been an assistant
superintendent or golf course superintend­
ent member of the GCSAA for 25 years, of
which a minimum of 20 years has been
spent as a golf course superintendent.

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self when you work through this online
assessment.
On the test, there are some things that
you’re expected to know from memory, such
as the volume of a cube, converting cubic
feet to cubic yards, calculating the percent
slope, USGA specifications for greens, the
GCSAAs Code of Ethics, general knowl­
edge about tu rf species from all geographi­
cal areas, and how to figure depreciation.
You are also expected to have some general
knowledge about the Audubon Sanctuary
Program for Golf Courses. Formulas for
other, more difficult math problems are
provided.
As I noted earlier, you have one year to
pass the exam, but there is a 60-day waiting
period between retakes, so plan ahead!

Maintaining CGCS Status
Once you become certified, you must main­
tain your CGCS status by obtaining 15
points every five years. (At least five of the
points have to be education points; the
remainder can be service points.) If 15 points
are too much, you can retake the exam and
obtain only 5 points. (At least two have to be
education points, in this case.)

Cs‘fc""ZS
G«tdtilni

The Attesting
Fufilling the attesting requirement may be
the easiest part of the program for some and
the most nerve-racking for others. This is
when your local chapter assigns two certi­
fied superintendents to come and evaluate
your golf course operation. This evaluation
is conducted during your course’s growing
season and covers four major areas: course
conditions (based on your budget), mainte­
nance facility, recordkeeping methods, and
communication skills.
You can prepare for this visit by down­
loading the grading form that the attestors
will use to evaluate your course. There is
also the “Attestor Guidelines” booklet avail­
able as a PDF, and an “Attestor Training
Video,” which also covers everything pie
attestors will be looking for.

For Questions About the Certification
Process

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If you have any questions or concerns about
the program, a great resource is Penny
Mitchell, the program’s Senior Manager
of Certification. She can be reached at
pmitchell@gcsaa.org or at 800-472-7878.
Good luck!
Jim Pavonetti, editor of Tee to Green, is super­
intendent at Fairview Country Club in Green­
wich, CT. Jim has served on the GCSAA’s
Certification Committeefor the past three years
ant also serves as a Portfoliojudge.

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Superintendents Talk
Certification
J Jm / f t / e surveyed local certified sui /
/ perintendents to get a sense of
how they feel about their certifi­
cation. Most couldn’t say enough about the
value they’ve derived from earning—and
maintaining—their CGCS status. Here are
their insights:

as a CGCS without becoming certified.
And there’s value to that too. I, personally,
am proud that I went through the process of
becoming certified—and that I’ve main­
tained that status for 30 years. I’m looking
forward to remaining a CGCS well into
retirement.”

Many enjoyed the “feel good” aspect
of adding C G C S to the end of their
names.. . .

For Bedford Golf & Tennis Club’s Bob
Nielsen, it’s what certification stands for
that’s important: “Certification is presently
the highest standard by which an individual
can be held in our organization. While I
don’t believe certification increases an indi­
vidual’s ability to become a better superin­
tendent, I do believe it demonstrates a com­
mitment to the profession. This is, and
always has been, important to me.”

“In my 25th year of certification,” notes
Preakness Hills’John O ’Keefe, “I am confi­
dent that career advancement is just one of
the benefits of certification. The CGCS des­
ignation is something that makes me feel
proud and also gives me a feeling of signifi­
cant accomplishment. I especially appreciate
the distinction my club has enjoyed by hav­
ing a certified superintendent. At the certifi­
cation luncheon in San Diego in February, it
was a great feeling to look around the room
and see that I am among some of the best in
our business.”

and our status within our clubs was nowhere
near what it is today. Many of us looked at
certification as a way to distinguish our­
selves within the industry and take our jobs
to the next level. Though the industry has
begun to change and the important role of
the superintendent has become clearer to
club members and others in the golf indus­
try, I still feel that certification is a distinc­
tion that all superintendents should try to
attain—and maintain. I have been certified
for 27 years, and I already have enough
points to be recertified in 2016!”

Others feel it has given them a leg
up in a competitive industry. . . .

Emphasizing the importance of CGCS sta­
tus, Scott Niven adds, “I have always been
the kind of person who wants to climb as
high in the industry as possible, so as soon as
I heard about the certification program back
in the early ’80s, I immediately went on a
search to find out what I had to do to obtain
that classification. Certification holds a cer­
tain amount of status in many industries, so
whenever you tell a club member, golfer,
etc., that you are a certified golf course
superintendent, it always indicates to them
that you are a professional in your field at
the highest level and your work will be rep­
resentative of what could be considered
state-of-the-art in golf course management.
I have never questioned my decision to be
certified and feel that it has only helped me
to achieve a fairly high level of success in
this great business.”

“Back in 1986,” says Silver Spring Country
Club’s Peter Rappoccio, “the role of supers

Like Scott, Brae Burn Country Club’s Blake
Halderman regarded earning CGCS status

The Stanwich Club’s Scott Niven notes a
similar sense of accomplishment: “I have
always felt proud to be able to tell members
of my club that I am certified as a relatively
small percentage of individuals in our busi­
ness can say that. The CGCS distinction is
also a very prominent and valuable item on
my resume and website.”
“For me,” says Country Club of New
Canaan’s Mike Reeb, “it has been a profes­
sional qualification of intrinsic or core value,
a goal that’s provided personal satisfaction
throughout my career.”
To Larry Pakkala, superintendent at Silvermine Golf Club and superintendent-atlarge for Plant Food Co., certification was a
means to an end: “I always have looked for
ways to improve my self-image, and certifi­
cation was a means to do that. I didn’t do it
for financial gain. It was a personal goal I set
for myself. In our industry, unlike many oth­
ers, certification isn’t required. It’s up to the
individual. Many superintendents take the
same number of GCSAA and other courses

The certification process
and requirements have
provided an incentive for
me to stay current with
education and new
when I might have been
inclined to settle into a
less aggressive approach
otherwise.”
- Mike Reeb, CGCS

Tee to Green January/February/M arch 2013

Although certification does not guarantee
statistics show that it can enhance our
career opportunities, job security, and lead to
better managed facilities.
- Tim O ’Neill, CGCS

as a solid car.eer move. “When I was a young
superintendent, my entire goal was to put
myself in the best possible position to get the
job I truly wanted. I felt if I wanted to be
viewed as one of the top 10 percent, then
becoming certified was necessary.”

nificant factor in my success as a golf course
superintendent.”

Still others enjoy the educational
nudge the certification process
provides. . . .

Similarly, Meadow Brook Club’s John
As GlenArbor Golf Club’s Ken Benoit notes:
Carlone felt becoming certified would set
“I became certified in 2004, and my experi­
him apart from others in the industry.
ence has been 100 percent positive. In study­
“When I earned my certification in 1991,1
ing for the certification exam, I rediscovered
felt it would make a statement to my peers
the joy of learning and take great pleasure in
and potential employers that I desired to be
keeping up- to-date on turf-related science
the best I could be in my profession. I re­
and participating in the continuing edu­
member feeling, ‘All good superintendents
cation process. My involvement in the
are certified.’ O f course, I’ve long known
GCSAA certification program has been
that there are plenty of highly capable su­
nothing short of a wonderful experience.”
perintendents who are not certified. Yet I
still think that every young superintendent
John Carlone sings the praises of certifica­
should challenge themselves by pursuing
tion’s educational requirements: “After 22
their certification!”
years, I still appreciate how being certified
ensures that I stay current with every aspect
Rockland Country Club’s Matt Ceplo feels
of our changing profession through ongoing
certification is all the more essential in an
education.”
economy where job competition is fierce. “I
would urge every superintendent to be­
“Truth be told,” says Mike Reeb,“the certi­
come certified. Completing your certifica­
fication process and requirements have pro­
tion, in my opinion, demonstrates to current
vided an incentive for me to stay current
and prospective employers your commit­
with education and new trends, when I
ment to the industry and to the profession
might have been inclined to settle into a less
of golf course management. And because
aggressive approach otherwise. I’m proud to
you have to stay current with the latest
be certified and intend to remain a CGCS
developments and technology to maintain
for as long as I’m able to renew.”
your certified status, employers know that
they are hiring or employing someone who
“No doubt,” adds Blake Halderman, “the
is on their game.”
certification process forces you to stay cur­
rent in the industry, which is a positive for
Echoing M att’s sentiments, Country Club
both you and your club.”
of Darien’s Tim O ’Neill notes: “Although
certification does not guarantee success, sta­
Peter Rappoccio is one who feels the educa­
tistics show that it can enhance our career
tional benefits of the certification process
opportunities, job security, and lead to better
far outweigh any potential for financial
managed facilities. Moreover, in this highly
gain: “I didn’t pursue certification with the
competitive industry, certification is a de­
goal of getting more pay. I viewed it as a
monstration of a superintendent's passion for
means to take my status, through education,
the profession, and it allows a superintendent
to the next level. Those who say becoming
to be recognized for meeting established
certified is not worth the effort because
levels of competency. It goes beyond ‘grow­
financially it means nothing, have their pri­
ing grass’ by requiring knowledge in busi­
orities out of whack. It was, and still should
ness, communication, leadership, and the
be, a means to continue to improve our
environment. It was a personal goal of mine
knowledge of the business, which, in turn,
when I started my career as a superintend­
makes us better supers.”
ent in 1981, and I believe it has been a sig­

And some feel there’s ju st no good
reason N O T to become certified. . . .
“A superintendent may or may not feel
the need to become certified as it relates to
his ability to do his job on a daily basis,” says
Ken Benoit, “but in my opinion, there is
no good answer when asked by a current
or potential employer why you are not
certified.”
Bob Nielsen echoes Ken’s sentiments, say­
ing, “One question I always asked myself
when deciding whether or not to pursue
certification was how I would explain, if it
came down to me and another certified
superintendent for a position, why I wasn’t
certified. I have never been able to come up
with a good answer.”
To Blake Halderman, becoming certified is
one of those “why not?” things: “If all those
around you are certified and your club finds
out you’re not, I don’t think it will sit too
well. You will have to play defense. With the
ease of maintaining the certification these
days with online courses, I don’t see any rea­
son not to get certified and keep it.
While many superintendents were pleased
with the recognition and support they re­
ceived from their clubs for earning and
maintaining their CGCS status...

A number of respondents admitted
their clubs have little idea what
C G C S stands f o r . . . .
“I don’t believe my employer gives me any
more credit for being certified,” says Bob
Nielsen, “but that is as much my fault as
anyone else’s. I have not promoted it.”
And according to Blake Halderman,“I don’t
think 99 percent of my club knows what
CGCS stands for or what it takes to keep
that status. While being a CGCS may not
mean much on a daily basis, I still feel the
long-term benefits make it worthwhile.”
Larry Pakkala, on the other hand, felt more
clubs are aware of the benefits of certifica­
tion than most of us realize: “For many
years, I’ve noticed that some job notices state
that being a certified superintendent is a
plus. So there are clubs out there that do
know about it.”
In the end, few certified superintendents
would deny the many personal and profes­
sional rewards of earning—and maintain­
ing—their CGCS status . . . even if no one
knows it but themselves.
Tee to Green January/February/M arch 2013

lipcoming Events

Plan NOW for These Upcoming Events!
Dave Mahoney Two-Ball Championship
Qualifier
Monday, April 29
Rye Golf Club
Rye, NY
Host: Chip Lafferty

MetGCSA Invitational Tournament
Monday,June 17
Wee Burn Country Club
Darien, CT
Host: Doug Drugo

Nine and Dine: Superintendent/Guest
Tournament
Tuesday,July 16
Pelham Country Club
Pelham Manor, NY
Host: Jeff Wentworth, CGCS

Educational Events
2013 MGA/USGA Green Chairman
Education Series & Arthur P. Weber
MGA Club Environmental Leaders in
Golf Award
Wednesday, March 27
Willow Ridge Country Club
Harrison, NY
The Metropolitan Golf Association Founda­
tion, in conjunction with the United States
Golf Association Green Section, has put
together another informative program in its
ongoing Green Chairman Education Series.
An impressive roster of presenters from the
USGAs Green Section and the golf industry
will address a variety of turfgrass-related
issues. Each of the presentations will be fol­
lowed by a question-and-answer session.
Special Note!
Cornell’s Dr. Frank Rossi will offer an
informative lecture on the New York State
Best Management Practices (BMP) project.
Please make every attempt to attend this
event with your green chairman as this will
be an important opportunity to not only
learn more about the BMP project, but also
market it to the “influential golfer” segment
of our industry.
The day will conclude with the seventh
annual Arthur P. Weber MGA Club En­
vironmental Leaders in Golf Award
Luncheon.
For further information, see our website,
www.metgcsa.org, or contact Kevin Kline
(kkline@mgagolf.org) at 914-347-4653.

Tee to Green January/February/M arch 2013

18th Annual Rutgers Turfgrass
Research Golf Classic
Monday, May 6
Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club
Far Hills, NJ
Join fellow industry professionals for this
annual fundraiser and a day of golf, educa­
tion, and fun. Your participation helps con­
tinue turfgrass research and breeding pro­
grams at the Rutgers University Center for
Turfgrass Science.
For further information, call 973-8126467 or log on to www.njturfgrass.org.
Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Day
(Golf & Fine Turf)
Tuesday,July 30
Horticultural Farm II
New Brunswick, NJ
Save the date, and watch for details. Visit
www.njturfgrass.org or call 973-812-6467
for further information.

UMass Turf Research Field Day
Thursday, August 1 (8:00 a.m. — lp.m.)
UMass Joseph Troll Turf Research Center
South Deerfield, MA
The field day will focus on the wide range
of research projects that university faculty,
staff, and graduate students currently have
underway at the research center and at
other locations. Among the studies you’ll
see: the biology and integrated manage­
ment of turf-damaging insects, short- and
long-term weed management, pesticide
exposure, fertility, drought management, as
well as a range of National Turfgrass
Evaluation Program fine tu rf trials. The
field day will also feature displays and
demonstrations from tu rf industry ven­
dors. A barbecue lunch is included with
registration.
For further information, contact the
UMass Extension T urf Program office
at 508-892-0382 or by email at
fieldday@umasstur f. org.

President's Message continuedfrom page i

The Many Facets of Golf 20/20

Matt Ceplo Shines at Opening Session

It was also great to hear from Steve Mona,
former GCSAA CEO and present CEO of
the World Golf Foundation. He reviewed
the Golf 20/20 initiative and discussed the
goal of having 30 million golfers in the year
2017, which would be up 2.5 million from
today. Under that umbrella is also:
• Get Ready Golf This is a program de­
signed to bring new golfers—and former
golfers—into the game by providing rea­
sonable education and instruction at golf
facilities throughout the U.S. that have been
certified to participate in the program.
• We Are Golf This is a coalition formed by
the Club Managers Association of America,
the GCSAA, the National Golf Course
Owners Association, The PGA of America,
and the World Golf Foundation. Their mis­
sion is to showcase the economic impact of
golf: the tax revenues it creates, the tourism
it spawns, the charity it generates, and the
environmental benefits it provides. At latest
count, the industry generated $70 billion in
annual revenues, created 2 million jobs, and
generated 4 billion in charitable contribu­
tions. That’s more than all of the other four
major sports combined!
• Image of Golf This is a program designed
to change public perception of golf from an
elitist sport to one everyone can enjoy. The
World Golf Foundation is taking a lead role
on behalf of the U.S. golf industry to better
communicate golf’s many positive contri­
butions to society.
I am proud to report that the MetGCSA
has supported many of these endeavors in
the past and will continue to do so in the
future.

During the Opening Session, our very own
Matt Ceplo, superintendent at Rockland
Country Club, was awarded the President’s
Award for Environmental Leadership. (See
write-up, page 15.) Maybe I just paid more
attention because it was Matt, but I thought
he gave one of the best speeches I’ve ever
heard at the conference. His supposed threeminute speech turned into a good 10 to 15
minutes and was a perfect combination of
storytelling, emotion, and environmental
advocacy. It should make us all proud that
Matt is one of us and he is telling the great
story of how our profession works to protect
the green spaces in the world, while provid­
ing a benefit to the environment. We need
to all follow his lead in promoting our pro­
fession and working to keep this great game
of golf strong for many generations to come.
Congratulations, Matt!
I also attended many meetings and the
Chapter Presidents Breakfast and would
like to share with you some of the great
ideas the MetGCSA will be able to take ad­
vantage of to help us stay current and share
that message of environmental advocacy.
Fundraising Through Rounds 4 Research
One of the most important programs you
may have heard talk of is called Rounds 4
Research. This is an innovative program
administered by GCSAAs Environmental
Institute for Golf that’s aimed at helping
affiliated chapters, as well as local turfgrass
foundations and other industry partners, to
generate funds for research. The way it
works: Golf facilities donate rounds of golf
for foursomes, “stay and play” packages, or
other items that can be auctioned off online
to generate funds for turfgrass research. The
EIFG will then distribute monies back to
the participating organizations to fund re­
search in their local areas.
So if a MetGCSA club were to donate a
round of golf for a foursome to be auctioned
off, we would receive 80 percent of the
money raised in that auction to put toward
research. The remaining 20 percent would
go to the EIFG, whose primary function is
to support research revolving around envi­
ronmental concerns. The Rounds 4 Re­
search program will be particularly helpful
to us in providing funds for the New York
State BMP project, but I am also pleased to
announce that we have gained support from
several local associations in funding this
important statewide project. Everyone real­
izes that it is time to come together for the
good of the game.

Annual Meeting Outcomes
I also had the opportunity to attend the
Annual Meeting, which was particularly
exciting since our very own John O ’Keefe
of Preakness Hills was running for secretary/treasurer. I am happy to report that
John did, in fact, secure the position, so we
can look forward to his presidency in two
more years. I hope you all get the chance to
congratulate John. He’s worked very hard to
get where he is, and it is wonderful for us to
have such a great friend and ally in this im­
portant leadership position.
On a less popular note, I do have to report
that GCSAA members voted in favor of a
dues increase from $340 to $365 for Class
A/SM. We can’t really complain, however,
since this is the first increase in three years.
We closed the Annual Meeting on
Thursday, and then the reality of getting
home started to set in as we were being
bombarded with blizzard warnings on our

phones and TVs. As the blizzard approached
the Northeast, flights were coming off the
board at an astonishing rate. Many members
were stranded a day or two, and it was a reallife Planes, Trains, and Automobiles for those
trying to get back home. I truly appreciate
everyone taking the trip to San Diego, and I
trust everyone made it home safely.

Educational Opportunities at Home
For those of you who didn’t make it to the
West Coast, there were a number of local
educational opportunities I hope you took
advantage of. We just had the New England
Regional Turfgrass Show in Providence and
the Turfgrass Advocacy Day in Albany,
where we worked hard to show our state
legislators that the golf industry is, indeed,
an important asset to their state.
Still to come is the MGA Green Chair­
man Series on March 27 at Willow Ridge.
This is always a great kickoff to the season
and a chance to spend the day with your
chairman (or come alone) before spring
officially roles in. If you missed the USGA
Green Section Series at the conference, this
is a great opportunity to hear Dave Oatis,
director of the Northeast Region of the
USGA Green Section, and Adam Moeller,
USGA Northeast Region agronomist, pro­
vide information directly related to our
area. Dr. Frank Rossi will also be there to
talk about our BMP project.

Final Notes
If there is one message I want to emphasize
in all this, it’s the importance of working
closely with our allied industry partners and
GCSAA in promoting the many benefits
of our industry. Being proactive with the
BMPs, meeting with the DEC and New
York State Department of Agriculture and
Markets, and working with GCSAA to
communicate to local and national media
the many health, economic, and environ­
mental benefits our industry has to offer are
just some of the ways we can elevate our
profession and the game of golf.
I hope you all find time to prepare, edu­
cate, learn, and recharge your batteries this
off-season, but just as important, let’s all
reflect on our facilities and see if we can
take a page out of Matt’s book and find even
just a small way to make a positive change. If
we can all do that, those small changes, col­
lectively, will make a huge difference in the
world of golf.
Blake Halderman, CGCS
MetGCSA President

Tee to Green January /February /March 2 0 i 3

Chapter Sews

2013 Winter Seminar
he wintery mix of sleet and
snow couldn’t keep the nearly
300 W inter Seminar-goers away
from Westchester Country Club on Jan­
uary 16. And no wonder: Rob Alonzi and
his Education Committee put together
another outstanding lineup of speakers
who offered many innovative approaches
to managing long-standing tu rf challenges
and woes. There was something for
I everyone.
What follows is a quick take on the talks,
; along with the speakers’ contact informa­
tion so you could easily pursue any of the
topics that interest you.

by Jim Pavonetti,

Topics for Discussion
0 The day began with Rick Fletcher of
Cleary Chemical Company speaking about
tank-mixing techniques and how to avoid
¡ mishaps when combining different prod­
ucts. He stressed the importance of under| standing your water quality and pH before
| mixing and suggested jar-testing mixtures
before filling an entire spray tank with
them. For more information, Rick can be
reached at 800-524-1662, ext. 1029, or at
rick.fletcher@clearychemical.com.

Past Sherwood A. Moore recipients. Left to
right: Scott Niven, CGCS, superintendent of
The Stanwich Cluh;fohn O'Keefe, CGCS, — —
superintendent of Preakness H ills Country
Club; Larry Pakkala, CGCS, superintendent of
Silvermine G olf Club and superintendent-atlargefor Plant Food Co.; Mike Maffei, CGCS,
superintendent of Back O' Beyond G olf Club;
the 2013 Sherwood A. Moore Award recipient,
John Carlone, CGCS, superintendent of The
Meadow Brook Club;Tim O'Neill, CGCS,
superintendent of Country Club of Darien;
and Joe Alonzi, CGCS, superintendent of
Westchester Country Club.

10

Tee to Green January /February /March 2013

1*5»

•¥
#■ *

I

Special Thanks to Our 2012 Winter Seminar Exhibitors
We’d like to thank all the vendors who participated in this year’s Winter Seminar. As a
show of appreciation, were listing the exhibitors here, along with their areas of specialty
and contact information.
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.

Next, we had Dr. Lane Treadway of
Sygenta Crop Protection discuss the
complexities of managing pythium.
Pythium blight, he noted, has dozens of
strains, making it unlikely that any one
fungicide can control all of them. To en­
sure better results, Dr. Treadway recom­
mended rotating the different fungicides
available. He also spoke about the two
types of hard-to-detect root pythium
diseases: pythium root rot and pythium
root dysfunction, giving us pointers
on when and where these diseases occur
and how to diagnose them. If you
have any questions on pythium manage­
ment, Dr. Treadway can be reached at
lanetreadway@me.com.
It wouldn’t be a Met Winter Seminar if
one of our speakers didn’t discuss hyperodes. Dr. Harry Niemczyk of Ohio State
University gave us new insight into man­
aging these insects, which may actually
change some of our current practices. He
has been working at several area clubs,
including Burning Tree in Greenwich,
CT, and Metropolis in W hite Plains, NY,
on methods for more effectively manag­
ing these pests by applying a granular
insecticide along the rough and wood
lines where the adults are believed to
overwinter. His intent is to create a bar­
rier around the fine tu rf in order to inter­
cept the adults when they are on their
way to the fairways, tees, and collars.
Dursban, in the granular form, seemed to
show the most promise. For more infor­
mation, Dr. Niemczyk can be reached at
niemczyk. 1@osu.edu.
^ After lunch, Dr. James Kerns, formerly
of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
and now from North Carolina State, dis­
cussed ways to get the best value from our
fungicide programs. The main thrust of
his talk was to stress the importance of
getting at the root cause of a tu rf prob­
lem before treating it with chemicals.
Your problem may stem not from a fun­
gus, he noted, but rather from poor

A. G. Enterprises

Grass Roots, Inc.

Steven Willand Inc.

Rick Gordon
Staff Uniforms
201-488-1276
merrickl60@aol.com

Ryan Batz
Golf Course Supplies
973-252-6634
ryan.batz@GRIturf.com

George Corgan
A Jacobsen Golf & Turf Equipment
Dealer
203-775-5757
georgecorgan@charter.net

Aquatrols, Inc.

Harrell's LLC

Kevin Collins
Soil & Water Quality Management
Solutions
609-841-2077
kpcl0512@yahoo.com

Scott Tretera
Golf Course Supplies
203-426-7055
stretera@harrells.com

Bayer Environmental Science

Jim Calladio
John Deere Golf
631-891-2425
marketing@lacorteequipment.com

Storr Tractor Company

Rick Krok
Golf Course Equipment & Supplies
908-722-9830
rckrok@storrtractor.com

LaCorte Equipment

Dave Sylvester
Plant Protectants
860-841-3173
david.sylvester@bayer.com

Tanto Irrigation, LLC

Bill Bartels
Irrigation Installation Services
914-347-5151
wbartels@tantoirrigation.com

Matrix Turf Solutions, LLC
Cleary Chemicals

Bryan Bolehala
Turf & Ornamental Products
201-874-8060
Bryan.Bolehala@ClearyChemical.net

Greg Moran
Golf Course Supplies
845-849-8640
gmoran@matrixturf.com

The Care of Trees

Michael Cook
Entire Tree Care Company
914-345-8733
mcook@thecareoftrees.com

Metro Turf Specialists
Davisson Golf Inc.

Thomas Tuttle
Golf Course Supplies
215-431-0393
tatatdgi@gmail.com

Turf Products LLC
Scott Apgar
Pat Cragin
Golf Course Supplies
Toro Irrigation & Equipment
203-748-4653
scott.apgar@metroturfspecialists.com 800-305-2525
pcragin@turfproductscorp.com
Plant Food Company, Inc.

DeLea Sod Farms

Mike Hollander
High-Quality Sod & Root Zone Mixes
for Golf Courses
631-484-1211
mhollander@deleasod.com

Dick Neufeld
The Liquid Fertilizer Experts
973-945-6318
dneufeld@plantfoodco.com

Dave Lippman
Golf Course Supplies
914-447-5192
westturf@comcast.net

Playbooks for Golf

Kevin Collins
DryJect & Aeration Specialists
914-672-6029
kpcl0512@yahoo.com

Golf Course Field Guides, Aerials,
Consulting, Career Development
Greg Wojick: 203-219-0254
gwojick@goplaybooks.com
Matt Leverich: 913-221 -8052
mleverich@goplaybooks.com

Executive Turf Products

Power Performance Ind.

Ken Gentile
Golf Course Supplies
203-496-0891
executiveturf@aol.com

Michael Liebler
Power Generation System Design,
Sales, Service, & Rental
914-966-3200
mliebler@ttipower.com

DryJect NE/TurfPounders

Westchester Turf Supply, Inc.

Wilfred MacDonald, Inc.

Glenn Gallion
Golf Course Equipment
888-831-0891
ggwilmac@aol.com
William A. Kelly & Company

XGD Systems

ezLocator

Jon Schultz
Greens Pin Location System
214-995-3150
¡on@goezlocator.com

Eric Kelly
Conventional & Pre-Engineered
Construction Management
914-232-3191
eric@wakellyco.com

Seeton Turf Warehouse

Brian Bontemps
Golf Course Supplies
856-273-5939
brianbontems@seetonturf.com

Mark Luckhardt
Golf Course Drainage Specializing
in Greens & Fairways
772-286-3419
admin@greensdrainage.com

Tee to Green January /February /March 2013

2013 Sherwood A . Moore Award presentation.
Left to right: Les Kennedy, CGCS, superintend­
ent of the Blind Brook Club; fohn Carlone,
CGCS, the 2013 Sherwood A. Moore Award
recipient and superintendent of the The Meadow
Brook Club; and Tim O'Neill, CGCS, superin­
tendent of the Country Club of Darien and past
SA M Award recipient.

drainage, insufficient air circulation, or
another agronomic condition. His word
to the wise: Correct things that affect
tu rf health first; your fungicide applica­
tions will invariably become more effec­
tive. For more information, Dr. Kerns
can be reached at 608-516-8917 or at
jkernsO@gmail.com.
$ The last talk of the day, given by Dr. John
Inguagiato from the University of Con­
necticut, was on cutting-edge chemical
programs to control annual bluegrass on
greens and fairways. Dr. Inguagiato has
been conducting trials on a chipping green
at The Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT,
using a new chemical from Korea that will
come to the United States as Poa Cure. A
likely game-changer in the industry, this
chemical slowly controls annual bluegrass
without harming surrounding Kentucky
bluegrass, creeping bentgrass, or perennial
ryegrass. Trials will continue. The product
is expected to receive EPA registration in
the spring of 2014, so stay tuned! For more
information on Poa Cure, Dr. Inguagiato
can be reached at 860-486-0682 or at
john.inguagiato@uconn.edu.

2013 fohn Reid Lifetime Achievement Award
presentation. Left to right: Bob Nielsen, CGCS,
superintendent of Bedford G olf & Tennis Club;
the 2013 fohn Reid Lifetime Achievement Award
recipient and professorfrom Cornell University,
Dr. M arty Petrovic; and Cornell professor Dr.
Frank Rossi.
Tee to Green January/February/M arch 2013

Mid-Seminar Awards Luncheon
As always, seminar-goers and vendors were
treated to an extra-special Westchester
Country Club lunch during our Awards
Ceremony, which this year, included the
presentation of our Sherwood A. Moore
Award to Meadow Brook Club’s John
Carlone and our John Reid Lifetime
Achievement Award to Cornell’s Dr. Marty
Petrovic.
First at the podium were two of John
Carlone’s longtime friends, Tim O ’Neill
and Les Kennedy. Along with some great
stories, they gave everyone insight into the

professionalism and dedication that John
has demonstrated through his many years
of industry service. A truly admirable per­
son—both personally and professionally—
John serves as an outstanding example of
excellence in our industry and of what our
Sherwood A. Moore Award stands for.
Cornell’s Dr. Frank Rossi did the honors
in presenting the John Reid Lifetime
Achievement Award to colleague Dr.
Marty Petrovic. Dr. Rossi highlighted Dr.
Petrovic’s many award-worthy accomplish­
ments, noting that he was among the first
to focus on environmental issues, writing
in particular about best practices for pro­
tecting water quality on our golf courses.
Much of his early work is still referenced
today. Dr. Petrovic is now assisting golf
course superintendent chapters in New
York in writing a comprehensive Best
Management Practices manual for golf
courses. Throughout his career, Dr. Petrovic
has always been an advocate of the golf
course superintendent and the golf indus­
try. He rightly joins our growing list of
Reid Award recipients.
When all was said and done, attendees

MetGCSA Board
Member Attends
2012 GCSAA
Leadership Academy
meandered through the vendor booths
where company reps were on hand to
answer questions and discuss the latest
products and services available to our area.

Special Thanks
We would like to offer a special thank you
to all of the vendors who sponsored the
event, especially our title sponsor Metro
T urf Specialists, and to those who had
tables for the trade show portion of the day

Finally, we would like to extend a sin­
cere thank you to host Superintendent Joe
Alonzi and the entire Westchester
Country Club staff for doing such a won­
derful job— once again—in making this a
thoroughly enjoyable experience for all
who attended.
See you all next year!
Jim Pavonetti, editor of Tee to Green, is super­
intendent at Fairview Country Club in Green­
wich, CT.

Scholarship Raffio: A
Gamble Worth Taking'
he Annual Bill Caputi Scholar­
ship R
Raffle, held at the January 16
Met W
Wiiinter Seminar at the Westchester Country Club, raised an admirable
sum for the M et’s Scholarship Fund and
awarded $4,500 in cash prizes to 18
ticket holders.
The raffle is the prime source of
scholarship awards we distribute
serving Met members and dependents
each year.
Many thanks to all who contributed and
also to those who sold tickets for this
worthwhile fundraiser. Congratulations
to our $ 1,000-grand-prize winner, Mike
Cook, from The Care of Trees.
The other prize winners were:
$500 Winners
Todd Apgar, Metro T urf Specialists
Kevin Collins, Aquatrols, Inc.
Jim Pavonetti, Fairview Country Club
$250 Winners
Frank Amodio, Valley View
Greenhouses
Kevin Collins, Aquatrols, Inc.
Kevin Collins, Aquatrols, Inc.
Tony Decicco, Soil Solutions, LLC

$100 Winners
Megan Baggott, guest of Edgwood’s
Bob Wolverton
Bill Bartels, Tanto Irrigation
Danny Carlone, son of Meadow Brook’s
John Carlone
Les Kennedy, The Blind Brook Club
Bob Miller, Golf Club of Purchase
Tim O ’Neill, Country Club of Darien
Brian Rusnak, sold by Metro Turf
Specialists’ Scott Apgar
John Ruzsbatzky, Country Club of
Farmington
Paul Samanchik, member at North
Jersey Country Club
Kevin Seibel, Century Country Club

edding Country Club’s
►
Brett Chapin was one of
20 individuals from around
the nation to participate in the GCSAA’s
Leadership Academy, held in partnership
with The Toro Co., at association head­
quarters in Lawrence, KS. Brett was
selected to represent the MetGCSA at this
annual event. The chosen superintendents
were expected to take the knowledge they
gained back to not only their facilities, but
also their local associations.
Participants heard speakers and shared
best practices that helped them learn prac­
tical leadership skills. The program also
addressed current issues and future trends
affecting the golf course superintendent
profession and association management
and helped attendees begin building a pro­
fessional network of peers with whom to
share best practices and innovative ideas.
A leadership panel consisting of represen­
tatives of allied associations discussed
trends affecting the golf industry and why
it is critical for superintendents to take a
leadership role at their facilities, in their
chapters, and in their communities.
“I spent two days in Kansas discussing
leadership, the future of golf, and compar­
ing notes on what does and doesn’t work
across the country,” says Brett of his expe­
rience at GCSAA headquarters. “It was
clear the GCSAA staff is dedicated to sup­
porting our success as superintendents.
Understanding the tremendous resources
chapters have available to them through
the GCSAA has helped open my eyes to
the support system we have created in the
golf industry,” Brett adds.
GCSAA President Sandy Queen could
not be more pleased with the ongoing suc­
cess of this member program. “We contin­
ually hear how the two days have helped to
advance careers and make our members
better leaders,” says Queen. “Those se­
lected to attend this event should be con­
gratulated because they’ve been recog­
nized by their peers as having the talent to
be a leader.”

Tee to Green January /February /March 2013

Member News

Met and MGA Volunteers Aid
Superstorm Sandy Victims
by Brett Chapin
Front (L to R): Pam
Harris of Coney
Island, Brett Chapin of
Redding CC, Glen
Dube, CGCS, of Cen­
tennial GC, Makeisha
Rampersant of Coney
Island, fustin Morey of
Brae Burn CC.
Back (R to L): Ryan
Dexter of Redding CC,
Chris K elly of Loren
Findorak Drilling,
Steve Kubicki ofTanto
Irrigation, and fe ff
Nicolaisen ofEdgewood
CC.

>

1
andy pelted the Northeast members traveled to the Coney Island sec­
^ with near-hurricane force winds tion of Brooklyn. They provided supplies
and rain that caused not only exten­ to residents who were still suffering the
effects of Superstorm Sandy and brought
sive flooding and power and transporta­
and cooked more than 1,400 hot dogs,
tion outages, but also more than 130
deaths and tens of billions of dollars in served chili and soup, and provided bever­
ages to local volunteers and contractors
property damage.
For many Metro New York area golf dedicated to helping the people of this
course superintendents and their staffs, community get their lives back in order.
Met volunteers also dispersed supplies
recovering from the after-effects of
the MGA had collected from a number of
Sandy has required months of hard labor.
As the Met reached out to these associa­ local clubs, such as food, clothing, toi­
tion members, it became evident there letries, and other needed supplies. The
were many individuals and communities MetGCSA purchased the food and bever­
who also needed help—months after the ages they served, along with a number of
supplies, while Redding Country Club
destruction took place.
MetGCSA President and Brae Burn and Edgewood Country Club prepared
Country Club Superintendent Blake food, provided equipment, and also
Halderman learned about an area in donated supplies to help make the day a
Brooklyn, NY, that was looking for vol­ success.
More than five truckloads of donated
unteers who could not only offer a help­
ing hand, but also provide the equipment goods were distributed from the MGA,
to cook and feed hundreds of individuals MetGCSA, and several of our association
for an afternoon. Blake, along with fellow members. We want to thank all the indi­
board member Brett Chapin of Redding viduals involved, as well as the Met-area
Country Club, coordinated an effort to golf clubs that were willing to donate time
arrange for the equipment, supplies, and and supplies to make this day possible.
volunteers to spend a day assisting a com­
Brett Chapin, MetGCSA advertising manager,
munity in need.
is superintendent at Redding Country Club in
On December 28, several MetGCSA
Redding, CT.
Tee to Green January /February /March 2013

New Members
Please join us in welcoming the following
new MetGCSA members:
• Rob Capecelatro, Class C, of The
Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT
• Carlos Guerrero, Class C, of Manhat­
tan Woods Golf Club in West Nyack, NY
• Tyler Sandefur, Class C, of West­
chester Country Club in Rye, NY
• Jim Santoro, Class AF, of Valent
Professional Products in Fall River, MA.
• Eric Sharb, Class C, of Sleepy Hollow
Country Club in Scarborough, NY
• Eric Slekovich, Class C, of The Patter­
son Club in Fairfield, CT
• Jason VanEngen, Class C, of Bedford
Golf Sc Tennis Club in Bedford, NY
• Evan Flynn Weymouth, Class C, of
Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarbor­
ough, NY
Members on the Move
• Tony Grasso is the new territory sales
manager for Jacobsen/Textron. Previous
position: Superintendent at Metropolis
Country Club in White Plains, NY
• Guy Gurney is the new superintend­
ent at Hollow Brook Golf Club in
Cortlandt Manor, NY Previous position:
Superintendent at West Hills Country
Club formerly Orange Country Club in
Middletown, NY
• Stephen Kubicki is a new employee
with Tanto Irrigation in Elmsford, NY.
Previous position: Assistant superintendent
at Redding Country Club in Redding, CT.
• Scott Olson is the new superintendent
at Hampshire Golf Club in Mamaroneck,
NY. Previous position: Assistant Super­
intendent at Scarsdale Golf Club in
Hartsdale, NY
In Sympathy
We would like to offer our sincere condo­
lences to:
• Towers Country Club Superintendent
Eric O ’N eill, whose father passed away
January 23.
• Century Country Club Superintendent
Kevin Seibel, whose mother passed away
on January 24.

Two Members Honored With Environmental
Stewardship

M att Ceplo, C G C S

^ ongratulations to Rockland
y / J Country Club Superintendent
^ ^ Matt Ceplo, winner of not one, but
two environmental stewardship awards
presented at the February 6 Opening
Session at the 2013 GCSAA Education
Conference in San Diego, CA.
Matt was selected by GCSAA and Golf
Digest as the solo Private Facility Merit
W inner of their 2012 Environmental
Leaders in Golf Award (see last column for
more on this award). Matt was also se­
lected by the GCSAA Board of Directors
to receive the 2013 GCSAA President’s
Award for Environmental Stewardship. A
high honor, this award was established in
1991 to recognize “an exceptional envi­
ronmental contribution to the game of

golf; a contribution that further exempli­
fies the golf course superintendent’s image
as a steward of the land.”
“GCSAA is fortunate to have member
superintendents like Matt who are won­
derful environmental stewards at their
courses,” says GCSAA President Sandy
Queen. “The board is proud to recognize
Matt as a passionate leader in this impor­
tant area, and to congratulate him on his
many accomplishments.”
Matt is a 27-year GCSAA member and
has spent most of those years— 18 to be
exact— at Rockland Country Club, which
he guided through certification in Audu­
bon International’s cooperative sanctuary
program for golf courses in 2000. He has
expanded his involvement with the organ­
ization to become a member of the Audu­
bon Steward Network and has been a
tireless advocate for various environmental
initiatives, especially among fellow mem­
bers of the Met and the MGA. As a mem­
ber of our association’s board for 18 years,
Matt served as president in 2007 and 2008
and is currently serving as vice president of
the Tri-State T urf Research Foundation.
When M att’s area experienced a period
of extended drought, he organized an ini­
tiative with green industry representatives
to convince the Rockland County Health
Department to change its public policy for
water use and now chairs the county’s
newly formed Water Quality Committee.
It’s no surprise, then, that Matt previously
has been recognized with a number of
environmental honors, including the
MG As 2012 Arthur P. Weber Environ­
mental Leader in Golf Award and the
Global Sports Alliance’s 2011 New York
Environmental Steward Award.
Congratulations, again, to Matt, a true
steward of the environment.

the third consecutive
year, Fairview Superinten/ dent and Tee to Green Editor
Jim Pavonetti has been recognized
for his commitment to environmental
stewardship on the golf course with one of
the GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental
Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA). Presented
annually, the ELGA recognizes golf course
superintendents and their courses for
overall course management excellence in
the areas of resource conservation, water
quality management, integrated pest man­
agement, wildlife/habitat management,
and education/outreach.
An independent panel of judges selected
national and also chapter and merit win­
ners in three categories: public, private,
and resort courses. Selected from GCSAAs
99 affiliated chapters, Jim was one of nine
2012 ELGA Chapter Winners for Private
Facilities. Matt Ceplo was the one-andonly 2012 ELGA Merit Winner for Private
Facilities.
Congratulations to both Jim and Matt
for their noteworthy contributions to our
environment.
( J

Jim Pavonetti, C G C S

Tee to Green January /February /March 2013

Chip Lafierty to Host Season Opener
D avid Mahoney Two-Ball Championship Heads to Rye G olf Club
by Ed Brockner, MetGCSA Executive Director

j 7n April 29, Rye Golf Club will
W
y host the Met’s first big event of
*---- the season: The David Mahoney
Two-Ball Championship Qualifier. Wel­
coming contestants to this ever-popular
outing is Superintendent Host Chip
Lafferty. “I’m looking forward to having
everyone back to Rye— this time to play
the course,” says Chip, who hosted Met
members for a Business-only Meeting in
2009. In addition to showcasing the many
improvements made to the course during
his tenure at Rye, this event also offers
Chip the opportunity to host an outing
named in memory of his close friend, Dave
Mahoney.

On His Game
A low single-digit handicapper, Chip will
surely be among one of the top qualifiers
for this years Two-Ball event. But no sur­
prise there: Chip spent a good deal of time
as a youngster playing golf with family and
friends. Born in Buffalo, NY, Chip’s family
moved to Orlando, FL, as he was entering
his teen years. “I played golf just about
every day through high school at Sweet­
water Country Club near my home,” says
Chip. “I would pick up range balls in
exchange for lessons from Sweetwater’s
pro, Larry Galloway. It was Larry who
taught me how to hook the ball,” says Chip,
with a smile.
Sweetwater was also Chip’s first training
ground in the science of turfgrass manage­
ment. “I worked on the crew there pretty
much whenever I wanted all through high
school,” says Chip, who had his hands in
just about every aspect of course mainte­
nance, from pulling weeds to rebuilding
bunkers.

Chipping Away at Formal Training
After graduating high school, Chip went
on to college at Georgia Southern Uni­
versity in Statesboro, GA, where he admits
his studies were not necessarily his top pri­
ority. “Even though the school had a repu­
tation for having a party atmosphere, it
unfortunately didn’t offer a degree in my
chosen Field of fun,’’jokes Chip.
Tee to Green January/February/M arch 2 0 i 3

He left school and returned to what he
knew best: a job in golf course maintenance.
He accepted a position at Sabol Point
Country Club in Longwood, FL, working
under Joe Yorty, who showed him what it
meant to be a professional golf course super­
intendent. “Joe tried to convince me to go to
Lake City Community College and get a
degree in Golf Course Operations,” says
Chip,“but I decided to continue m y‘handson’ education instead.”
Chip took a position at a new-construc­
tion course: Alaqua Country Club outside
Orlando. After working his way up to sec­
ond assistant there, under the tutelage of
superintendent Steve Wright, Chip decided
that earning a degree at Lake City was prob­
ably his only shot at becoming the “big boss”
one day.
In addition to helping him land “the big
one,” five years after graduating, his Lake
City education offered Chip the unusual
opportunity to practice his trade in a farfrom-run-of-the-mill location: Vierumaki,
Finland, where he interned at the Finnish
Sports Institute, the training ground for all
of the country’s Olympians. Although the
season was short, the summer hours were
long since the sun never set during the
month of June. An interesting training
ground, Chip learned the ins and outs
of managing tu rf in an all-new growing
environment.
His second internship brought him back
to the States and the Met area, where he
worked with then Wykagyl Superintendent
Steve Renzetti. “When I graduated from
Lake City,” says Chip, “Steve was kind
enough to offer me a job as assistant super­
intendent.” Chip worked for Steve for six
years and then assumed the reigns as super­
intendent there for three before moving on
to his current position as superintendent at
Rye, where he’s been for more than 10 years.

The Rebirth of Rye
Rye Golf Club is a unique facility. Purchased
by the City of Rye in 1965, the club boasts a
more-than-century-old castle as its club­
house, which was built in 1852 overlooking
Long Island Sound as a private residence for
William Chapman. In 1921,40 acres of the

Chip Lafferty

estate were combined with the adjoining
Allen Estate to form Rye Country Club.
Devereux Emmet designed the course,
which was later sold and renamed Rye
Wood Country Club before finally becom­
ing the Rye Golf Club we know today.
In his tenure, Chip has faced the chal­
lenge of updating aspects of the course to
accommodate Rye’s more than 30,000
rounds of golf per year while preserving
some of the more distinctive course features
that had been lost. Guided by old aerial pho­
tos, bunkers were rebuilt, tees leveled, fair­
ways recontoured, and additional drainage
was installed, all without the guidance of an
architect. “Right now,” says Chip, “we are
looking into using a pond on the property
for irrigation so that we won’t have to rely
100 percent on City water.” Chip’s goal: to
cut the club’s potable water use in half.

When His Workday Is Hone
A true people person, Chip enjoys playing
golf with his many friends in the
MetGCSA, as well as spending time with
his wife of 10 years, Clare, and their three
wonderful children, Jessica, age 3; Macken­
zie, 2 Vi\ and 15-month-old Travis. “Clare is
a saint and the matriarch of our family,”
says Chip, “and she often jokes that she’s a
single mother in the summertime, which
many other supers’ wives can empathize
with.”
He’s also known to spend a good deal of
time walking his two goose dogs, Clue and
Kruger, on the course. “Clare refers to the
dogs as our original kids,” says Chip, who
uses those walks as an excuse to get a little
exercise and keep his eye on the turf.
“Rye has been an exciting place to work
over the past decade,” says Chip, replaying
in his mind just how much the course has
changed. “And the list of possible improve­
ments ... it really never ends.”
Be sure to join Chip for this season-open­
ing event—just a drive, chip, and a putt
away!

01atron Directory
Patrons listed on this page are supporting our association.
You are encouraged to support them.
A.G. Enterprises
Staff Uniforms
Rick Gordon
201-488-1276
Fax:201-489-5830
merrickl60@aol.com
www.AGEnterprisesonline.com
A. John Harvey G olf Course
Design
491 Naughright Road
Long Valley, NJ
201-280-8389
jharvey442@gmail.com
Aquatrols Corp. o f America
Kevin P. Collins, Territory Mgr.
37 Oneonta Road
Carmel, NY 10512
609-841-2077
kevin.collins@Aquatrols.com

m

ml

Argento & Sons, Inc.
Louis Argento
1 Prospect Avenue
White Plains, NY 10607
914-949-1152
Fax:914-948-0255
louis@argentoandsons.com
© Atlantic Irrigation
Specialists, Inc.
Rain Bird & All Related Supplies
Ray Beaudry / Tim Marcoux
800-878-8873
© BASF
John Bresnahan
www.BetterTurf.com
John.Bresnahan@basf.com
© Bayer Environmental Science
“Backed by Bayer”
Dave Sylvester
860-841-3173
© Blue R idge Peat Farms
Gene Evans / Chuck Evans
Topdressing, Divot, Bunker
570-443-9596 / 570-443-9590
DeLea Sod Farms
Bentgrass, Fescue, & Bluegrass Sod
& U.S. Silica Topdressing
Mike Hollander / Scott Geiser
800-344-7637
D & S Turf Products
Fioratine, JRM, Greenleaf
Analync & ISTRC Soil Testing
203-258-7911
Fax: 860-349-1291

r *

Dryject N.E. / TurfPounders
“Your Aerification Solution”
Kevin Collins / Steve Jordan /
Bob Lippman
914-672-6029
Fax:845-228-1728
mcc 10512@yahoo. com
Egypt Farms Inc.
Topdressing, Greensmix, Bagged
Products
Dan Snyder
800-899-7645

Nutrite
Supplier of Turf & Specialty
Fertilizers
Bob Griffin
Cell: 401-862-5873
bgriffm@nutrite.com

Executive Turf Products
“Specializing in Performance
Nutrients”
Ken Gentile
203-496-0891
executiveturf@aol.com

Pinnacle Turf, Inc.
Steven Renzetti, CGCS
914-384-9227
www.pinnacleturf.net
srenzetti@verizon.net

© Grass R oots, Inc.
Ryan Batz, Tech. Sales Rep.
973-252-6634
Cell: 631-872-5357
Growth Products, LTD
Howie Gold
80 Lafayette Avenue
White Plains, NY 10603
800-648-7626
Fax:914-428-2780
hgold@growthproducts.com

Plant Food Company, Inc.
“The Liquid Fertilizer Experts”
Larry Pakkala, CGCS: 203-505-3750
Tom Weinert: 914-262-0111
Dick Neufeld: 973-945-6318

Harrell’s
“Growing a Better World. Partners for

SllffPQQ

Joe Stahl: 203-209-6951
Scott Tretera: 914-262-8638
jstahl@harrells.com
www.harrells.com
LaCorte Equipment ~
John Deere G olf
“Your Trusted Northeast John Deere
Golf Dealer”
Gale Stenquist / Jim Calladio /
Scott Ferguson
800-560-3373 ext 4
Fax: 631-591-3447
golf@lacorteequipment.com
Leggette, Brashears &
Graham, Inc.
Hydrogeologie Consulting &
Environmental Engineering Services
Rob Good
860-678-0404
rgood@lbgct.com
LidoChem, Inc.
Performance, Nutrition Division
Randy Rider, Regional Manager
302-319-1001
rrider@lidochem.com

PI aybooks for G olf
Golf Course Field Guides, Aerials,
Consulting, Career Development
Greg Wojick, CGCS: 201-219-0254
Matt Leverich: 913-221-8052
www.goplaybooks.com
Quali-Pro
Quality T urf and Ornamental Products
Phil O ’Brien
856-252-4725
PhilO@quali-pro.com
Seeton Turf Warehouse, LLC
Brian Bontemps
Cell: 845-239-7959
brianbontemps@seetonturf.com
Soil Solutions, LLC
Aerification Professionals
Anthony Decicco / John Decicco
7 Whittemore Place
Ryebrook, NY 10573
914-393-0659 / Fax:914-939-5010
Steven W illand, Inc.
“Quality Turf Equipment”
George Corgan
4 Production Drive
Brookfield, CT 06804
Cell: 914-213-3622
www.StevenWillandInc.com
Syngenta
Fred Montgomery, CGCS
23 Roslyn Drive
Ballston Lake, NY 12019
518-424-0760 / Fax: 518-399-6588
Fred.Montgomery@syngenta.com

Matrix Turf Solutions, LLC
Gregory R. Moran
259 Lucas Avenue
Kingston, NY 12401
845-338-3650
Cell: 845-849-8640
gmoran@matrixturf.com
Metro Turf Specialists
“Customers, Our Top Priority”
Scott / Ernie / Rob / Tim / Dave
203-748-4653
www.metroturfspecialists.com
Morris G olf
Mike Morris
48 Red Gate Road
Morristown, NJ 07960
973-600-9249 / Fax: 908-766-7747

Tanto Irrigation, LLC
William Bartels
914-347-5151 / Fax:914-347-6323
wbartels@tantoirrigation.com
The Cardinals, Inc.
Complete Distributor of Golf Course
Accessories & Turf Maint. Supplies
John Callahan
800-861-6256 / Fax: 860-673-8443
The Care o f Trees
Mike Cook: 914-345-8733
Jeremiah Green: 914-241-8110
Ken Clear: 203-847-1855
www.thecareoftrees.com

The Terre Company o f New
Jersey, Inc.
Seed, Pesticides, Nursery Stock, &
Fertilizer
Byron Johnson
973-473-3393
Fax: 973-473-4402
bfleury@terrecompany.com
Tom Irwin Inc.
“With Tom Irwin, You Are Not
Alone”
Rob Larson / Jeff Houde
800-582-5959
Fax:781-273-4804
Turf Products Corporation
Buddy Rizzio
P.O.Box 296
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046
br826@aol.com
Turf Products LLC / TORO
Toro Irrigation & Equipment
Pat Cragin: 860-874-2812
Main Office: 800-243-4355
Valley View Wholesale
Greenhouses
229 Smith Ridge Road
South Salem, NY 10590
914-533-2526
Fax:914-533-3059
www.valleyviewgreenhouses.com
Westchester Tractor, Inc.
60 International Boulevard
Brewster, NY 10509
845-278-7766
www.wtractor.com
Westchester Turf Supply, Inc.
“Serving the MetGCSA for 36
Years”
Bob Lippman: 914-447-6257,
bobwestturf@comcast.net
Dave Lippman: 914-447-5192,
westturf@comcast.net
Westwood Organic Recycling
James Scoli
914-949-3224
Cell: 914-490-1649
jscoli@westwoodorganic.com
Wickes / Arborists
“Your Property Is Our Branch
Office”
11 McNamera Road
Spring Valley, NY 10977
845-354-3400
www.irawickes.com
Wilfred M acDonald, Inc.
Glenn Gallion
Cell: 201-954-5878
www.wilfredmacdonald.com
W illiam A. Kelly and
Company
General Contractor ~
Construction Manager
Erick Kelly / Charity Kelly
914-232-3191
eric@wakellyco.com
Denotes MetGCSA member

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M m iÆ M 'JÎêê

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