J iily /A u p st 2015
VOLUME 46

NUMBER 4

Board of Directors
M e t G Ce sSt 1 9A5 9
President
GLEN DUBE, CGCS

Centennial Golf Club
Vice President
DAVID D U D O N ES

Westchester Country Club
Treasurer
K E N N E T H BEN O IT JR ., CGCS

Cover: Quaker
Ridge G olf Club.
Photography by
Evan Schiller.

GlenArbor Golf Club
Secretary
RO B ERT B. A LONZI JR .

Fenway Golf Club
Past President
BLAKE HALDERM AN, CGCS

Brae Burn Country Club
Directors
M ICH A EL BRUNELLE, CGCS

Upper Montclair Country Club
B RETT CHA PIN

Redding Country Club
BRIAN CH A PIN

Paramount Country Club
D O U G D RU GO

Wee Burn Country Club
STEVEN McGLONE

Siwanoy Country Club
V IN C E N T PAVONETTI, CGCS

Fairview Country Club
Class “ C” Rep
DAVID PARSON

The Apawamis Club

ii this Issue

Class “AF” Rep
R O B ERT STEINM AN, CGCS

Pocono Turf
Executive Secretary
SUSAN O ’D OW D

Insider’s G uide to S coring T h a t ‘Super’Job

2

Tee to Green Staff
Editor
JIM PAVONETTI
203-531-8910

Departments

Managing Editor
PANDORA C. W OJICK

Editorial Committee
I TODD APGAR
MATT CEPLO
KEVIN COLLINS
JANDY DROHEN
I CHIP LAFFERTY

I

STEVEN MCGLONE
BOB NIELSEN
SCOTT NIVEN f
TOM REYES
GREG WOJICK

M em ber N ew s .................................................................................................... 8
S co rec a rd ............................................................................................................. 11
S p o tlig h ts............................................................................................................. 12

Designer
T ER R I E Y OUNG

Advertising Manager
MIKE BRUNELLE, 973-777-6710

TEE TO GREEN is published bimonthly by the Metropolitan Golf
Course Superintendents Association
49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, N Y 10523-2819
914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437, METGCSA.ORG
Copyright © 2 0 1 5

U p c o m in g Events .............................................................................................16

s I sit down
to write another President’s Message on this
muggy, late-August morning, I’m reflecting
on how the season has transpired up until
now All in all, at least up here at Centen­
nial, the season has been a good one. Wacky
spring weather transitioned into a moderate
summer. The only issue were facing now is
the lack of regular rainfall. Unless you have
access to municipal water, ponds are at criti­
cally low levels. Couple that with the fact
that we are right in the middle of aerifica­
tion season and tu rf management can get
pretty dicey.
Hopefully everybody gets through this
dry stretch unscathed, and all of your fall
projects can start without issue.

ALittle R M (¡oes a Long Way
One thing that I’m particularly grateful for
is that my facility has no problem with my
getting away for a few days this time of year,
when I need it most. Every year, toward the
end of August, my family rents a beach
house in Massachusetts for one week, and I
join them for part of it. It’s something I look
forward to every summer.
Even though the trip is short, getting
away pays dividends. After a few days of rest
and relaxation, and enjoying some sun and
fun at the beach with family, I’m refreshed
and can return to work with renewed ener­
gy and enthusiasm.
I highly recommend a planned getaway
for you and your family. When you have a
moment to recharge, your club reaps the
benefits as well!

Aftcrhours Fun
July and August have been busy for the
MetGCSA. Our Summer Social, held July
13, drew a sizable crowd to the Orienta
Beach Club in Mamaroneck, NY Members
were treated to a picture-perfect evening
and an impressive seafood feast served by
the shores of the Long Island Sound. (See
photos, page 8.)
On the heels of that event was our Family
Picnic at Bedford Memorial Park. This fun-

Glen D ube, C G C S
M etGCSA President

filled afternoon featured a bouncy castle,
snow cones, and the ever-popular piñata. It
was nice to see a number of new faces there
with their families having a great time.
Special thanks to Bayer’s Dave Sylvester for
making his famous BBQ delicacies and as­
suming the role of grill master for the day!
(See photos, page 9.)
I’d also like to extend a special thank
you to Brett Chapin, our Social Committee
chair, for organizing these two very special
events.
Last but not least was the Scholarship &
Parent/Child Tournament held August 4 at
Mosholu Golf Course. Many thanks to our
host, Dave Moffett, for providing both a
great venue and a great playing field. By all
accounts, our parent-child teams had a won­
derful time on the links.
This tournament is also the time we pres­
ent scholarship awards to well-deserving
children of MetGCSA members. I want to
congratulate our eight scholarship winners
on a job well done and wish them the best of
luck in the coming school year. Many thanks
to Scholarship Chair David Dudones and his
continued on page Í 6

Tee to Green Ju ly/A u g u st 2 0 1 5

Insider’s Guide
to Scoring That
i

Superintendents and Headhunters Share
Their Trade Secrets W ith Assistants
Looking to Climb the Ladder
i P avonetti,

“Iwould start researching the facility
the minute I mailed my resume. When
I was granted an interview, this gave
me the head start I needed to gather
all the necessary facts and figures.”
- Ryan Segrue

f there is one topic that rarely
gets old among assistant superintendents, its
how to up their chances of landing that
super job. That’s why, after a six-year hiatus,
we decided to revisit the topic, this time
seeking the counsel of area assistants who
recently landed premium superintendent
positions, as well as several headhunters, who
are on the inside track of what it takes to
impress a prospective employer.
If you’re hoping to read about how to
build a resume, website, or cover letter, you
won’t find it here, instead, we’ll take you to
the next level, sharing the often-unspoken
rules of a successful job search and inter­
view process. The goal: to help you boost
your chances of winning that job you’re
hoping for.

Beginning the Job Search
#1: Walk the walk and talk the talk. If
you want a superintendent’s position, look—
and act—the part. Dress appropriately, shave
regularly, and just as important, maintain a
professional attitude both on and off the
course.
You can begin by cleaning up your social
media. Be sure it does nothing but reflect
well on you. “If you are Googling the golf
facility or club, you know they’re Googling
you,” cautions Shorehaven Superintendent
Ryan Segrue.
“Assistants should put as much work into
themselves as they do their daily mainte­
nance duties,” says Wykagyl Superintendent
Dan Rogers.“Behave like a professional, and
dress for the position you want, not the one
you have. After all, you never know when or
where you’ll run into a member—or a pro­
spective boss.”
“To talk the talk,” says Greg Wojick,
whose company Playbooks for Golf offers
job consulting services for professionals in
the turfgrass management industry,“it’s es­
sential that you not only know turf, but
the game of golf as well: the rules, the top
professionals, the best courses and their
architects. This will set you apart from
the average candidate and show a hiring
committee that you’re well rounded and
knowledgeable.”

#2: Be proactive when searching for a
job. “I can’t emphasize enough that it’s not
your boss’s duty to get you your next job,”
says Wykagyl’s Dan Rogers.“We, as superin­
tendents, can make contacts, provide know­
ledge and insight, but it’s up to the assistant
to be the driving force behind his or her
own career. They need to want that job bad
enough to get it. And that attitude will ul­
timately come through in the interview
process.”
#3: Accept every opportunity to inter­
view. Practice makes perfect—or at the
very least offers the experience you need to
feel more at ease when that big job inter­
view comes along.
“Assistants need to be put in that uncom­
fortable position of being judged and ques­
tioned about things they know, and don’t
know,” says Wykagyl’s Dan Rogers. “They
will undoubtedly have some failures, but
that’s the kind of experience they need to
succeed when there’s a job interview that
really counts.”
Shorehaven’s Ryan Segrue encourages job
hunters to include in their interview reper­
toires any job openings with management/
maintenance companies. “I know there’s a
stigma out there about these companies,”
says Ryan, “but I worked for ValleyCrest for
three years and I learned more in that time
than I ever could have imagined about the
business side of the superintendent’s job. Do
good work, and better opportunities will
come along,” he adds.

Playbooks for Golf’s Greg Wojick advises
making the most of every interview experi­
ence by reflecting on what you did well and
what you could improve on. “It’s wise to
keep a notebook of the questions you were
asked and the answers you gave,” says Greg.
“Over time, this notebook of questions will
be a valuable resource in helping you pre­
pare for future interviews.”
Executive Golf Search’s Bruce Williams
advises looking at the GCSAA website to
view the most often asked interview ques­
tions, many of which Williams, himself,
developed years ago when he was on the
GCSAA board.

Propping for the Interview
You just got the call from the club’s search
chairman or general manager inviting you
for an interview. Now’s your chance to dif­
ferentiate yourself from the other applicants
by learning more about the golf facility and
job you’re applying for than any other candi­
date—and then preparing to demonstrate
why you’re the best fit for the position.
#1: Research club and course particu­
lars. Job number one is to investigate the
facility’s history and philosophy and any
particulars about the maintenance operation
and golf course. Find out if there are any
renovation projects planned, underway, or
recently completed and what they might be
looking for in a new superintendent.

Tee to Green J u ly /A ugust 2 0 1 5

Come to the Course
Equipped
Most everyone we spoke to
noted the tools needed on a
site visit:
• a notebook or portfolio for
taking notes
• a camera or Smartphone
for taking pictures and
documenting what you see
• a soil probe to determine
how well the course has been
aerated and topdressed and
whether there are issues with
such things as drainage or
thatch

Shorehaven ‘s Ryan Segrue believes in get­
ting a jump on the research process. “I would
always start researching the facility the
minute I mailed my resume,” he says. “When
I was granted an interview, this gave me the
head start I needed to gather all the neces­
sary facts and figures.”
Ryan recommends perusing the club’s
website for information or photos that could
improve your understanding of the club and
property. He also suggests viewing the
course on Goggle Earth. “I always tried to
gain an intimate understanding of the prop­
erty before I made a site visit,” says Ryan.
Yet another information-gathering tack
Ryan suggests: Understand the course from
the golfers’ perspective by checking out
course reviews. “You’ll find golfers’ com­
ments for public courses, for instance, on
sites like GolfNow,” says Ryan.
Country Club of New Canaan’s Mike Roe
begins his investigation during the very first
phone call: “I request a copy of the operating
and capital budgets, equipment inventory,
USGA reports, and the square footage of the
greens, tees, fairways, and rough,” he says,
suggesting that you also inquire about
staffing levels and the average hourly wage
of the staff.
I And while you’re at it, Bruce Williams of
Executive Golf Search suggests that you also
request a copy of any maintenance standards
or standard operating procedures that the
club has established. But probably more es­
sential, says Williams, is that you investigate
the club’s financial standing to be sure it’s on
firm footing. The last thing you want to do
is sign on with a sinking ship—or one that
may not have the resources necessary to do
the kind ofjob that will reflect well on you.
#2: Put your network to work. The best
way to get the rub on the job you’re applying
for is to speak with your contacts: your boss,
industry mentors, and any contractors or
sales reps who might have had dealings with
the club. In addition to offering insight into
the position and why it’s open, you might be
put in touch that all-important someone
who would be happy to put in a good word
for you. As we know, it’s often who you know,

not what you know, that will give you that
edge in a job search.
New Canaan’s Mike Roe found it help­
ful to reach out to the members of his
club who had contacts at New Canaan.
“This was a huge factor in my getting the
job at CCNC,” says Mike. “Many of the
New Canaan members were familiar with
Wee Burn and came to play before my
interview.”
In the end, your success comes down to
taking some initiative. If you know, for
instance, that a headhunter is doing the
search, don’t hesitate to get in touch with
that person, if not directly, through a con­
tact you have. Everything you can do to
stand out will help increase your chances of
being selected from that pool of capable
candidates.
#3: Get it from the source. Try to con­
tact the club’s former superintendent and
even his or her predecessor. Inquire about
the course, the golfers, the club’s staff and
resources.
Executive Golf Search’s Bruce Williams
recommends taking your inquiry behindthe-scenes to understand previous superin­
tendents’ successes, failures, and length of
time on the job.
Shorehaven’s Ryan Segrue always fo­
cused on the current super and why he was
being replaced. Did he retire, move to
another position, or lose his job? “The cir­
cumstances behind a superintendent leav­
ing can make a big difference in the way
you approach the job, both in your cover
letter and interview,” says Ryan.
Another source of valuable information is
the club’s equipment manager. He can give
you the lowdown on the grounds crew and
the maintenance facility. You can ask about
the shop and the equipment fleet: what
should be replaced or upgraded and what is
missing that you should think about pur­
chasing.
Yet another good resource: salespeople
who call on the facility. They can tell you
things that staff may not feel comfortable
divulging. Ask about the morale of the staff,
if the club pays its bills, and even what kind

of products the superintendent likes to buy.
The objective of this type of in-depth inves­
tigation: to make your interviewers feel you
are so familiar with their operation, and
what it needs, that it would be the easiest
transition for everyone if they were to
choose you, rather than another candidate,
for the job.
#4: Conduct a site visit. Even if you’ve
played the course, you can’t set foot in the
boardroom without having conducted a site
visit— or two or three. The site visit is your
time to scrutinize course conditions and
look for ways you might enhance play or
course conditions.
Walking the course with a committee
member or the green chair is a great chance
for the committee member to get to
know—and hopefully like—you. It’s your
chance to demonstrate your knowledge and
the member’s chance to disclose any pet
peeves that you can use to your benefit dur­
ing the interview.
Listen closely to what the committee
member points out about the course. Don’t
worry if you don’t have all the answers at
that point. Just be sure to jot them down and
then address them during the interview or
in your presentation.
Most everyone we talked to agreed that
it’s always wise to talk to employees, the golf
pro and other facility managers, and mem­
bers to get a feel for what they like about the
course and what they would change if they
could. “During each of your contacts, leav­
ing a personable impression should be high
on your list of objectives,” says Playbooks for
Golf’s Greg Wojick.
“Plan to spend at least three hours out
there,” says Shorehaven’s Ryan Segrue. And
both Ryan and New Canaan’s Mike Roe
emphasize walking the course, even if you’re
offered a cart, to get a better sense of the lay­
out and conditions.
“You are looking for minor details and
areas you can improve on with your skill
set,” says Old Oaks Superintendent Shan­
non Slevin. While there is always something
that could be improved, both Wykagyl’s
Dan Rogers and Ryan caution against ap­

pearing overly critical. “Be a positive prob­
lem solver who can provide ideas and solu­
tions,” says Dan. “The last thing you want
to do is put your foot in your mouth by
looking for little issues that you know need
to be fixed but the members never noticed.
They may perceive you as overly critical
and feel you’re putting down their prop­
erty,” he adds.
“Try to focus on the major issues that
members are aware of, rather than focusing
on the more minor flaws,” continues Ryan.
“And if the course is in great shape and the
previous superintendent was well liked, I
would take nice photos of the signature hole
and vistas around the property and use them
as background photos in my PowerPoint
or report.”

Come to the
Course Knowing
What to Look For

#5: Come to the course w ith a plan.
Make the most of your site visit by not only
putting together the materials you need, but
also a thoughtful plan of action.
Be sure, first and foremost, to wear nice
golf attire with golf shoes or good walking
shoes. Prepare for whatever the weather
might bring. It rained about two inches
while I performed my first site visit at Fairview. The benefit there was that I was the
only one on the course, and I got to see how
water moved across the property.
When I made a site visit, my to-do list
was lengthy. I would look at the trees, not­
ing whether there were too many positioned
too close to fine turf. I evaluated whether or
not the trees, water features, bunkers, and
other hazards were being well maintained.
Is the irrigation system adequate? How are
the cart paths? Has the course been well aer­
ated and topdressed? Are there drainage or
thatch issues? What is the condition of the
maintenance facility, clubhouse grounds,
and practice facility?
“The devil is in the details,” says Shorehaven’s Ryan Segrue. In addition to looking
for general agronomic and drainage issues,
he recommends that you take time to view
the course from the members’ perspective.
“Check for details like edged curbing, the
condition of tee markers and ball washers,
weeds in flowerbeds,” he says. “You will be

• Topdressing layering, root depth,
and moisture content on the greens,
tees, and fairways

Make the most o f your site visit by
taking a comprehensive look at the
property— the good, the bad, and the
ugly o f the golf course and clubhouse
grounds— m aking a photographic
record o f what you see. Here are a few
specifics on what our respondents
were always on the lookout for:
• The composition o f turfgrass species
on the greens, tees, and fairways, as
well as their conditioning
• Course aeration and topdressing

• The appearance o f the clubhouse
grounds and surrounding flowerbeds
• Drainage or thatch issues
• The m aintenance of trees, water
features, bunkers, and other hazards
• The condition o f the cart paths
• Irrigation system coverage and
efficiency and pum p house operation
• The condition o f the m aintenance
facility, inside and out
• Equipm ent inventory and condition
• M aintenance operation staffing
levels
Last but not least, secure a copy o f the
m aintenance operation budget, the
m aintenance standards, and the clubs
standard operating procedures so you
will get a good look at the club from
the inside out!

Tee to Green Ju ly/A u g u st 20 1 5

went through what I thought could be done
to improve every playing surface and then
explained, realistically, how that would
affect the current budget,” says Mike.
#3: Go for the extra credit. Executive
Golf Search’s Bruce Williams recommends
going for the extra credit points when
preparing your report by including copies of
any documents that you, yourself, have
written.“Items such as Maintenance Stand­
ards, Standard Operating Procedures, Bud­
gets, Equipment Replacement Plans, Daily
Checklists, etc., will give the club a glimpse
into what you can do for them to take them
to the next level,” says Williams.
And don’t forget to include any articles
you have authored or even an example of
your club communications. Communica­
tion is one of the keys to long-term success
on the job.

The Interview
surprised at how much members notice
these types of details compared to what we,
as turf professionals, see.
Ryan also recommends gaining an
understanding of the protocol and circum­
stances of your site visit so there are no sur­
prises. “Ive been on site visits,” he says,
“where I was expecting to be on my own,
but the committee ended up joining me.”
Forewarned is forearmed!
Some of the details New Canaan’s Mike
Roe feels are important to note are the top­
dressing depth, if it exists; topdressing layer­
ing, root depth, and moisture content on the
greens, tees, and fairways. On the tees,” he
says, “I also check to see how quickly the
divots are recovering or if the tees are ro­
tated properly.”
Last but not least, Mike recommends
checking for the composition of turfgrass
species, as well as the irrigation layout and
the number of quick couplers around the
greens, tees, and fairways.

drafting a Plan of Action
After your research is complete, your next
step is to quickly craft a plan of attack.
TMG Golf’s Jim McLoughlin recommends
that your plan of action include what you
would like to accomplish in your first year,
your First two to three years, and then high­
light a longer range vision for the operation.
#1: Show them what you can do. Do
your best to describe how you plan to man­
age each portion of the facility, including
greens, tees, fairways, bunkers, water fea­
tures, landscaping, trees, rough, practice

ÜW Tee to Green Ju ly /A ugust 2 0 1 5

facility, paths, equipment, irrigation. Leave
no stone unturned.
Old Oaks’ Shannon Slevin recommends
taking pictures of areas that you can relate to
one of your past projects or experiences and
then incorporate those photos into a Power­
Point presentation. “The PowerPoint is the
biggest opportunity to showcase your skills,”
says Shannon. “Ninety percent of the candi­
dates will have similar looking resumes.”
New Canaan’s Mike Roe prefers to pres­
ent his information in report form. “I used
a PowerPoint twice,” says Mike, “and both
times I felt like I lost my audience.” Mike
shows up to his interviews with a spiralbound booklet that he has prepared at
Kinkos, adding the club’s logo for a finishing
touch.
“I like to have the report tell the story of
the course and then back up what I say with
photos,” says Mike. “The report I did for
CCNC was 37 pages long. It detailed how I
was going to take what they have now and
build off that to raise the conditioning and
level of golf.”
Placing pictures from courses where he’s
worked, side-by-side, with pictures from
the course at New Canaan, he demonstrated
how specific areas might be improved.
#2: Show them the money. Keep in
mind that it’s wise to demonstrate not just
how you plan to spend the club’s money,
but also what you can accomplish for no
additional cost or, better, less money.
But Mike cautions against telling a club
you can do the changes you’re proposing for
the current budget, just to sell yourself. “I

With all that’s been written about inter­
viewing, you probably know about the
power of first impressions. Many surveys
have been conducted in the business world
that say it takes most interviewers just 6 to
10 minutes to draw a conclusion about a
candidate. That means that you have to be
on your game well before you set foot in
that meeting room. Here’s what our sources
recommend you keep in mind:
#1: Pay attention to the details. Extend
a firm handshake, maintain eye contact, and
present a professional image. This includes
ensuring your shoes are shined, clothing is
pressed, hair is cut, and your nails are clean
and trimmed.
I, personally, recommend having two dif­
ferent well-tailored suits ready to go for
your first and second interviews. When
called for an interview, you won’t have time
to run to Jos. A. Banks to be fitted for a suit
and then wait a week for it to be tailored.
#2: Know the key players. “If possible,”
says Playbooks for Golf’s Greg Wojick,“you
should learn the names and titles of the
people you might be interviewing with.
You’ll appear more confident and interested
if they know you took the time to learn
their names.”
Old Oaks’ Shannon Slevin and Wykagyl’s
Dan Rogers place this practice high on their
pre-interview to-do list. Says Shannon,“It’s
important to make a connection not only
with the names of the club officials and
staff involved in the interview process, but
also their professions. That will help you
talk tu rf in terms they can relate to and
understand.”

Dan adds, “If you’ve made it to the inter­
view, these people know a lot about you.
Knowing their backgrounds and under­
standing where they might be coming
from will help you better navigate their
questions.”
Dan also recommends writing down the
names of the interviewers in the order in
which they’re sitting in the boardroom.
“That way,” he says, “you can use their
names when talking to them, which helps
establish a personal connection.”
#3: Ace the likely questions. Make sure
you know how you will respond to pre­
dictable questions, such as, “Can you tell me
a little about yourself?” Review interview
questions you’ve been asked in the past and
prepare answers. At the same time, think
about the insights gained from your network
so you can couch your responses in the con­
text of how you can benefit this particular
course and club.
“Ideally,” says Playbooks for Golf’s Greg
Wojick,“you should try to gain enough con­
trol of the interview to insert the points you
feel are important to your getting the job
offer.”
#4: Rehearse. I’m an advocate of typing
answers to potential questions and then re­
hearsing the responses out loud. Take it a
step further and record your responses. Play
it back to see how you sound. Repeat the
process until you’re satisfied that you sound
natural, relaxed, and confident.
Executive Golf Search’s Bruce Williams
suggests a more impromptu rehearsal ap­
proach: “Do mock interviews with your cur­
rent superintendent or peers. And make sure
they ask you the tough questions,” he adds.

Dan Rogers,“most important is being confi­
dent that you’re the person for the job, yet
humble enough to know you don’t have it
yet. Confidence comes from preparation,
and humility comes from failure. It’s going
to take both to make it happen,” he adds.
#7: Tell memorable stories. Give specific
examples of how and why you’ve been suc­
cessful. “You’ll make a positive impression
on the hiring committee by sharing inter­
esting anecdotes about how you helped to
solve a tough tu rf or staffing problem or
contributed to saving the club money,” says
Playbooks for Golf’s Greg Wojick.“Be clear
about your specific role at each course, and
make sure to discuss topics that you know
are top-of-mind for the club, whether it’s
widespread tree removal or a large-scale
course renovation project.
“Just be sure never to alter the truth or
exaggerate the facts,” continues Greg. “Even
if the committee doesn’t recognize then that
you’ve stretched the truth, they’re bound to
find out later. And that’s a deal breaker.”
New Canaan’s Mike Roe cautions against
sharing negative stories about the former
superintendent or his or her maintenance
practices. “I would be truthful,” he says,
“about what I wanted to change or disliked,
but I would steer clear of any comments that
may be perceived as sour grapes.”

“Search committees can sense nerves,”
adds Shorehaven’s Ryan Segrue, “so find a
way to calm down before you enter the
room.” Deep breathing helps.
#9: Follow up. If you really want the job,
following up is critical. Rule of thumb:
Touch base within 24 hours.
Handwritten thank you notes can go a
long way in this electronic age. Address a
note to the general manager and to the head
of the hiring committee, reconfirming your
interest. Mention the high points of the in­
terview, and restate why you’re right for the
job and how you can meet the club’s needs.
This is also a great time to correct an an­
swer that you may have stumbled on during
the interview.
In the end, this is the perfect opportunity
to put your name in front of the hiring
committee one more time.

In the End
As an assistant, you really aren’t expected to
know all. The key, however, to your inter­
view success now, and in the future, will be
your ability to demonstrate a positive, cando attitude. This skill will serve you well
beyond the interview and into your every­
day work, helping you navigate the politics
and the stresses and strains involved in run­
ning your own golf course one day.

#8: Be yourself. ‘‘Avoid coming across as
overly rehearsed,” says Greg Wojick. “Inter­ Jim Pavonetti is the editor of Tee to Green
viewers want to get a sense of your personal­ and superintendent at Fairview Country Club
ity and how you would fit into the fabric of in Greenwich, CT.
the club.”

#5: Take it outside. TMG Golf’s Jim
McLoughlin touts the value of encouraging
an on-course interview with the search
committee. “The rationale for this recom­
mendation,” he writes in a June 26, 2014
Turfnet blog entry,“is that a search commit­
tee will learn far more about their golf
course and each candidate through collabo­
rative on-course exchanges than they will
be able to via routine sit-down interviews,
primarily because search committees find it
difficult to develop a meaningful line of
questioning when dealing with technical
course issues.”
#6: D on’t be cocky. Strike the right bal­
ance between presenting your accomplish­
ments in a positive light and coming across
as overly confident. Being arrogant is one of
the worst mistakes a candidate can make.
“From my perspective,” says Wykagyl’s

Tee to Green Ju ly/A u g u st 2 0 1 5

a ïa d e « e a t th e C Ja ^ ,
y

M etGCSA 20Î5 Summer Social

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Bob Woher ton, Blake Halderman, & Bob Nielsen
Emily Conrad, Dan Rogers, Dave Conrad,
£ Samantha Rogers
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Greg Wo¡i(k £ Peter Rappouio

tfaàJÊÊÊtÊÈÈNÊÊmI H

Carolina Errazuriz
£ Dana Niven

Mhhele Collins & Doreen Warantz

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'oiintnirrazuriz, Dana Niven,
Jeff Thrasher, Srott Niven

Convening at the clambake tent

Photography by Megan Baggott

at the M etGCSA Family Picnic

Member News

2015 Scholarship Recipients Recognized at the
Mosholu Parent/Child Scholarship Tournament
by D a v id D udones, M e tG C S A Scholarship C hairm an

J

he 2015 Scholarship Awards Ceremony was held on August 4 as part
of the fourth Annual Scholarship &
Parent/Child Tournament at Mosholu Golf
Course, one of America’s premier First Tee
golf courses.
Dave Moffett, who is in his fourth season
as superintendent at Mosholu, had the course
in great shape. And the nine-hole, 2,300yard par 32 course proved, once again, to be
the perfect setting for kids and adults of all
golfing abilities.
Nearly 40 participants (parent/child
teams) played in a nine-hole shotgun, twoman scramble format, which was free to
members and, by all accounts, a great success.

The Scholarship Award Winners
After golf, everyone reconvened at the club­
house for a delicious buffet dinner on
the patio overlooking the ninth hole. With
everyone seated, the wining team from the
golf event —Wee Burn’s Doug Drugo and
his daughter, Claire— was awarded a prize,
and scholarship awards were presented to
eight deserving recipients, all MetGCSA
members’ children.
In addition to maintaining stellar GPAs,
these students are all very involved in their
communities and participate in numerous
extracurricular activities. “It’s great to see
such time invested in their communities,”
says Scholarship Chair David Dudones.
“This is one of the best things we do as an
association, and nothing makes our commit­
tee more proud than to hand out scholar­
ships to sons and daughters of our peers. It is
an investment well spent.”
Please join me in congratulating this
year’s scholarship recipients—and their
proud parents:
Courtney Cook, daughter of Lisa and Mike
Cook of The Care of Trees, will be a senior
at the University of Delaware studying
Interpersonal Communications and Organi­
zational and Community Leadership.

©

Tee to Green Ju ly /A ugust 2 0 1 5

A t the Mosholu Parent/Child G olf Event, M etGCSA scholarship winners receive their well-deserved
awards (left to right): Courtney Cook with her grandmother and sister, Julia; Greg and Pandora Wojick
with their son, Christopher; W ill Heintz with his son, W ill III;Joan Poliak and Pat Cragin with their
son, Andrew; Steve Renzetti accepting the award for his son, Austin; Jim Weiland accepting the award
for his son, Zachary; and Elizabeth and Tim Marcoux with their son, David.

Andrew Cragin, son of Joan Poliak and Pat
Cragin of Turf Products Corporation, will
be a freshman at The Ohio State University
and plans to pursue a degree in Business
Management with a focus on Logistics and
Supply Chain Management.

W ill Heintz III, son of Linda and Will
Heintz, superintendent of Pound Ridge Golf
Club, will be a freshman at Lewis & Clark
College and plans to study Molecular
Biology.

Brae Burn Country Club Claims
Invitational Trophy
David Marcoux, son of Elizabeth and
Tim Marcoux of Atlantic Irrigation Ser­
vices, will be a freshman at Daniel Web­
ster College and plans to study Game
Design and Development.
Sarah Perlee, daughter of Lorah and Bill
Perlee, superintendent of The Apawamis
Club, will be in her junior year at The
University of Vermont, majoring in Mole­
cular Genetics.
Austin R enzetti, son of Angela and
Steve Renzetti, owner of Pinnacle Turf,
will be a sophomore at Norwich Univer­
sity, studying Civil Engineering.
Zachary Weiland, son of Shannon
Mulligan and Jim Weiland, superinten­
dent of Connecticut Golf Club, will be
a freshman at Worcester Polytechnic In­
stitute, pursuing a degree in Chemical
Engineering.
Christopher Wojick, son of Tee to Green
Managing Editor Pandora Wojick and
Greg Wojick, principal, Playbooks for
Golf, will be a sophomore at the Univer­
sity of Connecticut, pursuing a bachelor’s
in Horticulture and Resource Economics.
In addition to congratulating our recipi­
ents, I’d like to recognize those past boards
who had the foresight to initiate our
Scholarship Fund, which has enabled us
to assist in the ever-increasing college
costs thanks to our Annual Bill Caputi
Scholarship Raffle, the 50/50s at our
monthly meetings, and last but not least, a
portion of our dues. Finally, a special thank
you needs to go out to the entire Scho­
larship Committee for their hard work in
reviewing and awarding each scholarship.
Please remember to support our schol­
arship raffle. It is the major income-gen­
erator for our Scholarship Fund!
David Dudones, chairman of the Scholarship
Committee, is superintendent at Westchester
Country Club in Rye, NY.

f

) espite a few raindrops, InvitaJ tional contestants were able to get
^ in all 18 holes on the pristinely con­
ditioned course at Century Country Club
prepared by our superintendent host, Kevin
Seibel, and his crew. We had a sold-out field
of players and some great golf rounds. Many
thanks to all the Century staff who had a
hand in making this an event to remember.
The event teams were made up of two
club officials, the golf professional, and the
golf course superintendent from each club,
making this a wonderful opportunity to net­
work with not only your club officials and
coworkers, but also neighboring clubs.
The team from Brae Burn Country Club,
led by our past president, Blake Halderman,
placed first in the Net Division with a 55,
claiming this year’s Invitational Trophy.
Congratulations!
Following the round, there were many
awards to be distributed. Here are all the
winning results:
Net Team Winners

55

58

59

Brae Burn Country Club
Blake Halderman, Bill Schultz,Jon
Rachlin, Nick Yaun
Metropolis Country Club
Dave McCaffrey, Don Capelin,
Gordon Paris, Craig Thomas
Canoe Brook Country Club
Jamie Devers, Taylor Rossi,
Woody Garavente, George Deitz

Gross Team Winners

64

64

66

Due Process Stable & Golf
Tony Hooks, Bill Costigan, Dan Marino,
BrettJones
(match of cards)
Fairview Country Club
Jim Pavonetti, Ric Apter,John HeJJer,
Shaun Powers
Sunningdale Country Club
Sean Cain, Davi Kubie, Stephen
Karotkin, Chris Toulson

Closest to the Pin

Jim Woods, Professional
Putnam County Golf Club
#4 Bob Kenney, Club Official
Leewood Golf Club
#13 David Dudones, Superintendent
Westchester Country Club
#13 Nick Lombardi, Club Official
North Jersey Country Club
#4

5’ 2”
6’ 1"
2’ 9"
5’ 9"

Longest Drive

#11 Nick Yaun, Professional
Brae Burn Country Club
#11 Sean Cain, Superintendent
Sunningdale Country Club
#11 Dan Marino, Club Official
Due Process Stable & Golf
Low Professional

64

Shaun Powers, Fairview Country Club

The team from Brae
Burn Country Club
claims this year's
Invitational trophy.
Left to right: G olf
Professional Nick Yaun,
Superintendent Blake
Halderman, Green
Chairman Jon Rachlin,
Club President Bill
Schultz.

Tee to Green Ju ly/A u g u st 2 0 1 5

Calling All Assistants!
Join Fellow MetGCSA Member Assistant Superintendents at the
Annual Assistants Championship at Brae Burn Country Club
by Tom Reyes
/n October 6, Brae Burn Country
^Club in Purchase, NY, will host the
annual MetGCSA Assistants Cham­
pionship. Assistant superintendents through­
out the area will have the opportunity to
come together for a day of comradery, net­
working, and, of course, great golf This years
assistant superintendent hosts, Dave Peterson
and Bobby Jewett, are excited to showcase
their efforts on a day that gives back to fel­
low tu rf professionals.

Tlw Course: Then and Now
Founded in 1964 by a group of friends from
Harrison Country Club, Brae Burn was first
known as Purchase Hills. The club quickly
abandoned the name, however, because of its
similarity to another club in the area, and in
a “name-the-club” contest, members settled
on the current Brae Burn Country Club.
Open for play in June 1965, the course
was designed originally by Frank Duane, a
long-time protégé of Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Toward the end of 2006, Brae Burn brought
in another Trent Jones disciple, Golf Course
Architect John Harvey, to produce a master
plan for the property. In the fall of 2007, the
club put the plan into motion, embarking on
a bunker renovation project that would not
only make fairway bunker slopes gentler, but
also create multiple areas to enter and exit
the bunkers.
No small undertaking, the renovation
included everything from reshaping the
bunker floors to installing new drainage,
liners, sand, drip irrigation on south facing
slopes, and sod on most bunkers. Several en­
tirely new bunkers were also created.
Drainage was installed to pick up bunker
outfalls and fix any problem areas in the
roughs and fairways. And fairway expan­
sions were added in many locations to bring
the fairway closer to the new bunkers, en­
hancing playability and visual appeal. As part
of the project, Brae Burn also made a large
cut on the par 3, eleventh hole to create bet­
ter visibility to the green complex. In addi­

©

Tee to Green July/A ugust 2 0 1 5

tion, the 9th green was expanded
by an extra 1,500 square feet to pro­
vide more pinable areas.
More recent improvements have focused
on enhancing the visual appeal and dramatic
sightlines of the course and area around the
clubhouse. A pond restoration project that
includes dredging and creating waterfalls
between the ponds is well underway. In addi­
tion, they have added or improved on rock
walls and naturalized areas throughout the
course.
“A very active membership, who takes
pride in their golf course, allows us the op­
portunity to complete several capital im­
provements each year,” says Brae Burn Su­
perintendent Blake Halderman, who is
pleased to take part in providing a venue for
MetGCSA assistants to enjoy time away
from their daily responsibilities.
In addition to the upcoming Assistants
Championship, this year Brae Burn has
hosted a number of outside events such as
the Westchester Open, the Met Open Qual­
ifier, and the MGA Senior Championship.
Word to the wise when playing the
course: “The length won’t beat you up, but
on these sloped greens, keeping the ball
below the hole is a must!” warns Blake.

About Dave Peterson. ..

Dave Peterson and Bobby Jewett

October of 2010 marked the beginning of
Dave’s tenure at Brae Burn Country Club,
which he’s quick to note has been a great fit
for him. “Blake gives his assistants plenty of
responsibility, which has helped me im­
prove, both personally and professionally.
The crew has been a pleasure to work with,
and of course, being closer to family and
friends is a great benefit too,” says Dave.
A native of Pearl River, NY, Dave now
calls Ramsey, NJ, home with his new fiance
Kait. Also in the golf industry, Kait works
for the USGA in the Merchandising De­
partment. “She travels to every U.S. Open,
staying onsite for about two months at a
time,” says Dave, who recently grabbed the
opportunity to propose to the love of his life
at the airport on her way home from
Chambers Bay. Congratulations, Dave!
As an outdoor enthusiast, Dave enjoys any
and all sports, from catching a wave and
doing a mud run (favorite Pebble Beach pas­
times!) to playing hoops, which he admits is
probably his favorite. “Golf isn’t bad either,
when I’m hitting it well,” says Dave, with a
smile.

Starting his career in turfgrass while study­
ing at Penn State University, Dave Peterson’s
first internship brought him to Winged
Foot in 2005, where he returned in 2006 for Jack o f All Trades
the U.S. Open. After a second internship at Turfgrass management is not the only skill
the Kittansett Club in Massachusetts and in Dave’s bag of tricks. His superb ability to
subsequent graduation from Penn State in troubleshoot and repair just about anything
2008 with a B.S. in Turfgrass Science, he has made him a part-time mechanic, IT
headed West for the better part of three sea­ technician, electrician, plumber, and even a
sons to Pebble Beach. While there, he put a carpenter, going so far as to handcraft some
second U.S. Open under his belt. His third of his own furniture. “Whatever needs to
Open was in 2012 at The Olympic Club in get done, it’s pretty certain Dave can do it,”
San Francisco, where he took time off from says Blake.
“It’s no secret that I call Dave my best
work to volunteer at the event. “No sur­
prise,” says Blake, “Dave asked to use his assistant ever,” says Blake. “He is one of those
vacation to go work on another golf course. guys who everybody loves, and he has an
incredible work ethic.
Now that’s dedication!”

“As an example,” continues Blake, “one
Sunday in January around 5 p.m. I stopped by
my office with my wife to pick something
up. As I pulled in, I see all the fertilizer pal­
lets outside, and there’s Dave cleaning the
shop. All of a sudden, my wife starts cursing
me up and down saying I am working my
staff too hard, etc. Finally, when she calmed
down a bit, I was able to explain that I never
asked him to come in. That’s just the way
Dave is: always looking to improve the facil­
ity in any way he can—and obviously at
any hour of the day, even in the dead of
winter.
“There’s no doubt, when Dave’s onsite, you
know the golf course is in great hands. He’s
made my life so much easier the past five
seasons,” says Blake.

About Hobby J ew ett. ..
Bobby Jewett may be new to the crew this
year, but he brings with him valuable golf
course experience, not the least of which is
knowledge of what it takes to prep for a PGA
Tour.
“Like Dave,” says Blake of the newest
member on his team, “Bobby has jumped

right in like he’s been here for years. He is
the kind of guy who just loves being on the
golf course—working or playing a round.
“He’s a first-to -arrive and last-to-leave
type of person,” Blake continues. “Even with
a 5:30 a.m. start on Fridays, Bobby will be in
and have the range tee cut before that time
and then want to dry-cut the greens that
night so they are just that much better for
the weekend. You can always count on
Bobby to finish all the details after every­
one else is gone,” adds Blake.
A Desert Storm Veteran, Bobby served on
the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy.
His turfgrass career started with graduating
cum laude from SUNY Delhi with a B.S. in
Turfgrass Management, after completing
four season-long internships. His first job
out of school was as the assistant superin­
tendent at CordeValle Golf Club in Cali­
fornia, where he hosted two PGA Frys.com
Opens and the Women’s Senior Amateur.
In addition to gaining valuable tourna­
ment experience on the job, Bobby has also
volunteered at many events, notably the
2009 Women’s Amateur at Red Tail Golf
Club and the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open at
Oakmont. He went on to gain Major
Championship experience at the 2011,
2012, and 2013 Men’s U.S. Opens at Con­

gressional, The Olympic Club, and Merion
Golf Club respectively.
Bobby moved on to become an assistant
superintendent at Metedeconk National in
New Jersey before joining the team at Brae
Burn in February of 2015. “My experience
here has been nothing short of amazing,”
says Bobby. “Blake is a great mentor in all
respects to both Dave and me and allows us
to be involved in all aspects of the course
operations.
“We strive for perfection on a daily basis
and continue to go above and beyond our
members’ expectations,” continues Bobby.“It
is a pleasure to work with individuals who
are as passionate about the game as I am.”
When asked about favorite hobbies or
pastimes, Bobby mentions bowling, skiing,
and hiking but then is quick to point out his
number-one preoccupation: “My true pas­
sion is golf, period,” he says. Committed to
viewing the course from the player’s per­
spective, Bobby can be found on the course,
club in hand, almost every night.
With the level of commitment, skill, and
experience Blake, Dave, and Bobby bring to
the Brae Burn Country Club, there is no
doubt this year’s Assistants Championship
will be an event to remember. October 6. Be
there!

Superintendent Blake Halderman
Welcomes Assistants Tourney
Blake began his career in golf course man­
agement when he was just 15 in his native
New Hampshire. He worked at the local
nine-hole Angus Lea Golf Course for Scott
Niven’s father, Russ, and then Scott’s brother,
Curt. While pursuing his tu rf degree, Blake
interned at The Stanwich Club with Scott,
completing the Niven trifecta. To round out
his experience, he also completed an intern­
ship at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Col­
umbus, OH, alongside friend and Two-Ball
partner Glen Dube. Blake received a B.S. in
Turfgrass Management with a minor in
Business Administration in 1995 from the
University of Rhode Island.
His first job out of school was as an assis­
tant at Woodway Country Club with then
Superintendent Larry Pakkala. After just
two-and-a-half years there, Blake landed his
first superintendent’s job at Minisceongo
Golf Club in Pomona, NY “I just wanted to
be a superintendent,” says Blake of his speedy
rise to the top. “I applied everywhere, from
Puerto Rico to California.”

After three years at Minisceongo, Blake’s
next stop was Trump National-Westchester
as the grow-in superintendent. In 2004, just
four years later, Blake accepted his current
position at Brae Burn, where he’s quick to
tell you, he is grateful for his members, coworkers, and especially his two assistants,
Dave and Bobby.

What More Could a Super Ask For?
“I am so fortunate to have two extremely
hardworking, dedicated, and professional
assistants watching over the property every
day. I couldn’t ask for a better combination
of assistants. I am so proud to have both of
them on our staff—and pleased, now, to host
an event that honors not just their contribu­
tions, but also the hard work and dedication
of the many other assistants in the Met area.
I encourage my assistants go to meetings
and events and network with their peers, but
hosting an event like this allows them to be
in the spotlight,” says Blake.

Hosting the Assistants Championship is
just one example of Blake’s commitment to
giving back to the association—and indus­
try as a whole. He has been an active mem­
ber of the MetGCSA since 1995, serving on
various committees and the Board of Direc­
tors for the past 11 years. His current role on
the board as past president allows him to
remain involved but also affords him more
time with his wife and two children. “Be­
fore,” says Blake,“I would make it to all the
kids’ sports events, but now I actually have
the time to coach their teams too!”
Speaking of time, October 6 will be here
before you know it. We hope our superin­
tendent members will encourage their assis­
tants to come out for some friendly com­
petition and what promises to be a great
round of golf with their peers.
Tom Reyes, a member of the Tee To Green
Editorial Committee, is an assistant superinten­
dent at Century Country Club in Purchase, NY.

Tee to Green J u ly /A ugust 2 0 1 5

®

Spotlight

Met Area Team Championship Returns to Met Area
by A ndy D rohen

f J

his year marks the 35th anniversary of the Met Area Team
W
Championship, one of the season­
ending events that brings together superin­
tendent associations from Maryland to New
England. Each year, up to 15 chapters send
eight-man teams to battle it out on some of
the East Coast’s finest courses.
This year, after a four-year hiatus from the
Met area, the championship will be held on
October 20 at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in
Scarsdale, NY, where our host, Tom Ashfield,
has been the superintendent for the past
eight years.

About the Playing Field
Opened in 1916, this par-70, 6,976-yard
course is renowned for its world-class golf
conditions. A classic A. W. Tillinghast design,
Quaker Ridge Golf Club is often referred to
as “Tillies Treasure,” receiving numerous
recognitions over the years. In March 1989,
Quaker Ridge was voted the number one
course in the Met area by The Met Golfer
magazine. The course is also highly regarded
on both national and international levels.
In 2015, Golf Digest ranked Quaker Ridge
among its Top 100 courses— #71—in the
United States.
According to famed architect Pete Dye,
“Quaker Ridge has some of the greatest golf
holes ever seen,” while 31-time PGA Tour
event winner Jimmy Demaret has touted
Quaker Ridge as worthy of hosting any
tournament, including a U.S. Open and PGA
Championship. Quaker has, in fact, hosted its
share of events, starting with the 1936
Metropolitan Open, in which Byron Nelson
achieved his first significant professional vic­
tory. In 1997, there was the Walker Cup; add
to that three Met Opens, three Met Ama­
teurs, and, yes, three Met PGA Cham­
pionships. In 2018, the club will have the
honor of hosting the Curtis Cup. On an
annual basis, Quaker Ridge hosts the
Hochster Tournament, which is an amateur
event attracting some of the best golfers in
the Metropolitan Area, as well as from
around the country.

Tee to Green Ju ly/A u g u st 2 0 1 5

Now, on October 20, Met Area Team
Championship contestants will have the
opportunity to experience this Tillinghast
gem that so many have talked about.

Quaker’s Evolution
Though it’s fair to say that Quaker has
undergone relatively few changes in its
nearly 100-year history, it has made some
notable refinements to the course. The most
significant, perhaps, was in 1925, when the
purchase of additional land at the northern
corner of the property prompted the club to
bring Tillinghast back to change a few
holes. In 1965, Robert Trent Jones added
some new tees and removed some outdated
bunkers, and from 1991 to 1993, Rees Jones
assisted Quaker Ridge in restoring all
bunkers and adding five new championship
and four new forward tees.
Over the past 10 years, architect Gil
Hanse has been hard at work restoring
much of the course’s original design. Bun­
kers have been renovated and greens ex­
panded to their original shapes. Some of the
greens were even digitally scanned and
rebuilt to USGA specifications.
Among the most unique projects Quaker
completed this spring was relocating several
sizable trees— a 90-foot oak tree and two
70-foot Linden trees—from one area of
the course to the perimeter of the second
hole. The intent was to protect homeown­
ers’ properties from errant golf balls since it
wasn’t possible to install large-scale netting.
Environmental Design out of Texas was
called in to do the work; this was the same
company that moved some of the largescale trees at Pebble Beach prior to the U.S.
Open. The trees were dug up, balled, and
moved on a bed of airbags with a bulldozer
and the largest excavator you have ever seen
on a golf course.
Needless to say, this was new territory for
someone who has planted nothing larger
than a 12-inch caliper variety! “The stress­
ful part,” notes Tom, “is not moving the
trees. It’s when the company tells you its

Tom Ashfield

work is done and it’s up to you to keep these
humongous trees alive!”
But all’s well that ends well: “None of the
trees have lost a single leaf,” says Tom,
adding with a wink and a smile, “So please
keep it left of the trees on the second hole to
protect the club from any future lawsuits or
having to plant any other large trees!”

Where II all Began
Tom’s love for the game dates back to his
first regular job as a caddy at Orchard Lake
Country Club in Michigan. He was 15 and
would spend all of his summer days “loop­
ing” where he quickly became one of the
top pro-jocks at the club. Tom would regu­
larly get under the straps for some of the
better players of the club, as well as for Mrs.
Walters, who was blind and, according to
Tom, had a pretty good game.
“Walking Mrs. Walters back and forth
from her ball to the cup during her pre-putting was my first encounter with just how
important it was to have a feel for the con­
tours of the greens,” says Tom. “Isn’t it ironic
how someone with this kind of disability
could teach another person so much about
the game?”

After finishing high school in 1983, Tom
entered the army on the G.I. Bill to earn
money for college and to become a military
police officer. Tom originally thought about
becoming an FBI agent like his cousin who
was taking a similar career path. But Tom
still had a hankering for a good game of golf
and would play on whatever golf course he
could find, whether it was in Germany or
Belgium or in upstate New York when he
was stateside.
“We have all kidded about playing golf on
a course that looked like a cow pasture,” says
Tom, “but in Germany, it was actually a cow
pasture. On several of the holes, cows would
be grazing in the fairways and rough!” Tom
laughs, “I liked to think of them as moving
hazards!”
After his three-year stint in the army, Tom
took a job working on the grounds crew at
Oakland Hills Country Club in Birming­
ham, MI. But having had a longtime passion
for law enforcement, Tom decided to take
a brief hiatus from tu rf and joined the
Bloomfield Hills Police Department as a dis­
patcher. It didn’t take him long, however, to
realize that turfgrass management was his
true calling.
He enrolled in the two-year turf program
at Michigan State University while working
as a crew member and then an assistant at
Franklin Hills Country Club, in Franklin,
MI. After completing the program, Tom
decided to further his education, earning a
B.S. in Crop and Soil Science.
Degree in hand, Tom accepted a position
on the crew at Oakland Hills Country
Club, where he had the opportunity to expe­
rience all that went into prepping the course
for the 1996 U.S. Open. The following year,
Tom was offered the superintendent’s posi­
tion at Edgewood Country Club in Com­
merce Township, MI. He worked there two
years, cutting his teeth on a 60-acre golf
course that averaged more than 36,000
rounds a year! Talk about having to keep up
with divots!
From there, Tom headed East to the New

York Metropolitan area’s Canoe Brook
Country Club. He remained there for seven
years before landing his current position in
2007 at Quaker Ridge.

A Family Man
Tom and his wife, Karla, will be celebrating
19 years of marriage on October 12, just
several days before he hosts the 124 Met
Area Team Championship players at Qua­
ker. Their first encounter was clearly by
chance, when Tom was an assistant superin­
tendent and invited to join a fellow assistant
at his relative’s birthday party. Working long
hours, Tom wasn’t eager to go, but after
some prodding, he relented, and it was there
that he had the good fortune of meeting his
future bride, Karla.
They lived on opposite sides of the State
of Michigan, but lucky for Tom, Karla was
willing to make the trek to see him while
he was busy spending long days on the golf
course at Oakland Hills. After dating a few
years, they planned a wedding a few months

after the 1996 U.S. Open, when Tom knew
there would be a break in the action.
Tom and Karla have two children:
Andrew, who is 14 and in his first year of
high school, and Kylie, who is 9 and in the
fourth grade.

Bring Your A’ Game!
The membership and Tom’s staff are very
much looking forward to having everyone
play Quaker Ridge on October 20. The
course is truly a great test of golf. Tom’s best
advice:“Keep the ball below the hole when­
ever possible, because as you know, Tillinghast was known for having great green
complexes with lots of movement!”
Andy Drohen, a member of the Tee to Green
Editorial Committee and co-chair of the Met
Area Team Championship, is the Northeast
U.S. & Canada Sr. Regional Sales Managerfor
the Turf & Ornamental Group at Koch
Agronomic Services.

Tee to Green fu ly /A u g u st 20 Í 5

Save the Date for These
Upcoming Events!
Nine and Dine Event

Met Area Team Championship

Wednesday, September 23
Silvermine Golf Club
Norwalk, CT
Host: Larry Pakkala, CGCS

Tuesday, October 20
Quaker Ridge Golf Club
Scarsdale, NY
Host: Tom Ashfield

President’s Message continuedfrom page 1
committee for their hard work in organ­
izing this event and in conducting the
scholarship selection process. (See article,
page 10.)

Assistants Championship

MetGCSA Christmas Party

Tuesday, October 6
Brae Burn Country Club
Purchase, NY
Assistant Hosts: Dave Peterson and
Bobby Jewett

Saturday, December 5
The Stanwich Club
Greenwich, CT
Host: Scott Niven, CGCS

Speaking of Awards

Met Championship and Met Area
Championship Qualifier PLUS
The Poa Annual Tournament

Tuesday, October 13
Meadow Brook Club
Jericho, NY
Host: John Carlone, CGCS

More in Store

Educational Events
MetGCSA/CAGCS Fall Seminar

Thursday, November 12
The Patterson Club
Fairfield, CT
Host: Jason Meersman
Turf & Grounds Exposition

Tuesday - Wednesday, November 1 7 - 1 8
Rochester Riverside Convention Center
Rochester, NY
The T urf & Grounds Exposition offers an
excellent opportunity to network while
remaining current on the latest research and
trends in turfgrass management. As always,
the expo will feature key speakers from all
segments of the green industry, as well as a
comprehensive trade show with more than
100 exhibitors.
For further information, call the show
office at 800-873-8873 or 518-783-1229,
or visit the website at www.nysta.org.

Tee to Green Ju ly/A u g u st 2 0 1 5

We are pleased to announce two special
honors that will be awarded at our an­
nual Winter Seminar on January 13:
Matt Ceplo, superintendent of Rock­
land Country Club and a MetGCSA past
president, has been selected to receive
our coveted Sherwood A. Moore Award,
and respected Golf Course Architect
Rees Jones will be honored with our John
Reid Lifetime Achievement Award. You
can read all about these deserving award
recipients in the upcoming issues of Tee
to Green!

40th Annual New Jersey Green Expo
Turf and Landscape Conference

Tuesday - Thursday, December 8 —10
The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa
Atlantic City, NY
The New Jersey Green Expo offers a com­
prehensive educational program providing
cutting-edge applications and tactics to
guarantee green industry professionals’ suc­
cess on the job. Offering one of the largest
trade shows in the tri-state area, the expo
also provides attendees with the opportu­
nity to view the latest and greatest products
and services on the market.
For further information, call 973-8126467 or visit www.njturfgrass.org.
MetGCSA Winter Seminar

Wednesday,January 13, 2016
Westchester Country Club
Rye, NY
Host: David Dudones

As summer ends, we have a golf-packed
September and October ahead of us. The
Nine and Dine will be hosted by Larry
Pakkala at Silvermine Golf Club on
September 23.
The Assistants Championship will be
held on October 6 at Brae Burn Country
Club and hosted by Assistants Dave
Peterson and Bobby Jewett. I urge super­
intendent members to encourage their
assistants to attend this special event and
enjoy much-deserved time away from
their job and course.
Finally, on October 13, John Carlone
will host the Poa Annual/Met Championship/Met Area Team Championship
Qualifier at the Meadow Brook Club.
As you can see, we have a great lineup
of venues. Please mark your calendars
and take some time to enjoy one of our
many upcoming MetGCSA events.
Glen Dube, CGCS
P resident

atronDirectory
Patrons listed on this page are supporting our association. You are encouraged to support them.
© A.G. Enterprises
Rick Gordon ~ Staff Uniforms
201-488-1276 / Fax:201-489-5830
merrickl60@gmail.com
www.AGEnterprisesonline.com

© All Pro Horticulture, Inc.
54 Railroad Avenue
Copiague, NY 11726
John Seib
631-789-6680 / Fax: 631-789-5711
john@allprohort.com

Aqua-Aid, Inc.
Surfactants, Verde Cal, OARS,
Root Pruner, & Drill & Fill
Bert Brace: 570-510-4996
Bert@aquaaid.com
info@aquaaid.com

© Aquatrols Corp. of America
1273 Imperial Way
Paulsboro NJ 08066
Kevin P. Collins, NE &
Mid-Atlantic Territory Mgr.
609-841-2077
kevin.collins@Aquatrols.com

Argento & Sons, Inc.

© Double‘D’Turf, LLC
Drill & Fill Specialist
Dennis DeSanctis Sr.: 732-241-7378
dennis@doubleDturf.com

© Dryject N.E. / TurfPounders
“Your Aerification Solution”
Kevin Collins / Steve Jordan /
Bob Lippman
914-672-6029 / Fax: 845-228-1728
mcc 10512@yahoo. com

© Emerald Tree Care, Inc.
26 Fox Meadow Road
Scarsdale, NY 10583
Steve Farrelly:914-725-0441
Kevin Wyatt: 203-422-2441

© Evergreen Organic Recycling
1160 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
James Amodio / Raymond Colasacco
914-949-9030
Ray@EvergreenOrganicRecycling.com

© Executive Turf Products
92 Vine Road, Stamford, CT 06905
Ken Gentile: 203-496-0891
executiveturfproducts@gmail.com

© Pinnacle Turf, Inc.
40 Skyview Lane
New Rochelle, NY 10804
Steven Renzetti, CGCS
914-384-9227
srenzetti@verizon.net
www.Pinnacleturf.net

© Plant Food Company, Inc.
“The Liquid Fertilizer Experts”
Tom Weinert: 914-262-0111
Dick Neufeld: 973-945-6318
Tom Pepe: 609-751-1372
David Conrad: 914-263-3244

© Playbooks for Golf
Mobile Coverage System, Golf Course
Field Guides, Soil Analytics, Aerial
Photography, Consulting, Career
Development, Professional Search
Services
Greg Wojick: 203-219-0254
Matt Leverich: 913-221-8052
www.goplaybooks.com

© Seeton Turf Warehouse, LLC
Brian Bontemps: 845-239-7959
Brian Gjelsvik: 973-670-7139
brianbontemps@seetonturf.com

1 Prospect Avenue
© Grass Roots Turf Products, Inc.
Soil Solutions, LLC
White Plains, NY 10607
“Serving Turfgrass Professionals
Louis Argento
Aerification Professionals
Since 1978”
914-949-1152 / Fax:914-948-0255
7 Whittemore Place
Ryan Batz / Keith Kubik
louis@argentoandsons.com
Ryebrook, NY 10573
Ofc: 973-252-6634
Anthony Decicco / John Decicco
© Atlantic Golf & Turf
www.GRIturf.com / sales@GRIturf.com
914-393-0659 / Fax:914-939-5010
9 Industrial Boulevard
© Growth Products, LTD
Turner Falls, MA 01376
© Steven Willand, Inc.
Fertilizers, Organics, &
John Garcia: 203-996-6267
“Quality Turf Equipment”
Fungicide Products
jngarc@gmail.com
4 Production Drive
80 Lafayette Avenue
Brookfield, CT 06804
© Atlantic Irrigation
White Plains, NY 10603
George Corgan: 914-213-3622
Specialists, Inc.
Howie Gold: 917-559-4425
georgecorgan@charter.net
Rain Bird & All Related Supplies
hgold@growt hproduc t s.com
www.StevenWillandInc.com
Ray Beaudry / Tim Marcoux
©
Harrell’s
© Synergy Turf / Pocono
800-878-8873
“Growing a Better World. Partners
Turf Supply
© BASF
for Success”
“Agronomic Professionals”
“Intrinsic Brand Fungicides”
Scott Tretera: 914-262-8638
Bobby Steinman, CGCS
Peter Jacobson: 919-530-9062
stretera@harrells.com
860-488-2822
peter.jacobson@basf.com
www.harrells.com
bobby7777@aol.com

© Bayer Environmental Science

LaBar Golf Renovations

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

6 Claremont Road, Suite D1
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
Rich LaBar: 908-502-5253
rich@labargolf.com
colleen@labargolf.com

© Blue Ridge Peat Farms
133 Peat Moss Road
White Haven, PA 18661
Gene Evans / Chuck Evans
570-443-9596 / 570-947-5888

Cushman / E-Z-GO
Nick Roberto: 845-637-7641
nroberto@textron.com
Frank Savakis: 203-605-0554
fsavakis@textron.com
Marc Santospirito: 516-662-3554

© Custom Golf
Golf Course Materials
Michael Giacini: 631-433-4494
nmgiacini@verizon.net

DeLea Sod Farms
Bentgrass, Fescue, & Bluegrass Sod
& U.S. Silica Topdressing
Mike Hollander / Scott Geiser
800-344-7637
mhollander@|leleasod.com

© LaCorte Equipment ~
John Deere Golf
“Premier John Deere Golf Distributor
in the Northeast”
Eric Berg / Jeff Sutphen / Jim Calladio
800-560-3373 / Fax:631-591-3447
golfparts@LaCorteEquipment.com
www.LaCorteEquipment.com

© Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc.
Hydrogeologic Consulting &
Environmental Engineering Services
Rob Good:860-678-0404
rgood@lbgct.com

© Metro Turf Specialists
“Customers, Our TOP Priority!”
Scott / Ernie / Todd / Rich / Jake
203-748-GOLF (4653)
www.metroturfspecialists.com

© Syngenta
23 Roslyn Drive
Ballston Lake, NY 12019
Fred Montgomery, CGCS
518-424-0760 / 518-399-6588
Fred.Montgomery@syngenta.com

© Tanto Irrigation, LLC
“Serving the MetGCSA for 40+ Years
William Bartels: 914-347-5151
Fax:914-347-6323
wbartels@tantoirrigation.com

© The Cardinals, Inc.
Complete Distributor of Golf Course
Accessories & Turf Maintenance 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: 203-863-0900
Greg Gutter: 914-241-8110

© The Terre Company o f
New Jersey, Inc.
Seed, Pesticides, Nursery Stock,
& Fertilizer
Byron Johnson: 973-473-3393
Scott Ferguson: 201-956-4511
sferguson@terrecompany. com

© Tom Irwin Inc.
“With Tom Irwin, You Are Not
Alone”
13 A Street, Burlington, MA 01803
Jeff Houde: 203-731-1776
800-582-5959
jeff@tomirwin.com

© Turf Products LLC / TORO
Toro Irrigation & Equipment
Pat Cragin
Cell: 860-874-2812
Ofc: 800-243-4355

© Valley Green, Inc.
205 Wilson Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06854
Greg Moran
Cell: 845-901-1358
Ofc: 203-831-9748
g.moran@valleygreenusa.com

© Valley View Wholesale
Greenhouses
229 Smith Ridge Road
South Salem, NY 10590
Frank Amodio
wgh@aol.com
Kevin Amodio
kevin.wgh@yahoo.com
914-533-2526

O Westchester Tractor, Inc.
60 International Boulevard
Brewster, NY 10509
John Apple / George Risley
845-278-7766
www.wtractor.com

© Westchester Turf Supply, Inc.
“Serving the MetGCSA for
39 Years”
Bob Lippman: 914-447-6257
bobwestturf@comcast.net
Dave Lippman: 914-447-5192
westturf@comcast.net
info@westchesterturf.com

© Westwood Organic
Recycling
P.O.Box 139, Purchase, NY 10577
James Scoli: 914-949-3244
914-946-WOOD
info@wes twoodorganic. com

© Wilfred MacDonald, Inc.
South Hackensack, NJ 07606
Glenn Gallion: 201-954-5878
ggwilmac@aol.com

Winfield Solutions, Inc.
“Service, Solutions, Insight”
Eric Bresky, CGCS
845-849-8640
eabresky@landolakes.com
www.winfieldpro.com

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