Hoard of Directors MetGCSA e st 1959 President GLEN DUBE, CGCS Centennial Golf Club Vice President DAVID DUDONES Westchester Country Club Treasurer KENNETH BENOIT JR., CGCS Cover: Century Country Club. GlenArbor Golf Club Secretary ROBERT B. ALONZI JR. Fenway Golf Club Past President BLAKE HALDERMAN, CGCS Brae Burn Country Club Directors MICHAEL BRUNELLE, CGCS Upper Montclair Country Club BRETT CHAPIN Redding Country Club BRIAN CHAPIN Paramount Country Club DOUG DRUGO Wee Burn Country Club STEVEN McGLONE Siwanoy Country Club VINCENT PAVONETTI, CGCS Fairview Country Club Class “C” Rep DAVID PARSON The Apawamis Club Class “AF” Rep ROBERT STEINMAN, CGCS Pocono Turf Executive Secretary SUSAN O ’DOWD Tee to Green Staff Editor JIM PAVONETTI 203-531-8910 Managing Editor PANDORA C WOJICK Editorial Committee TODD APGAR STEVEN MCGLONE MATT CEPLO BOB NIELSEN KEVIN COLLINS SCOTT NIVEN INDY DROHEN TOM REYES ECHIP LAFFERTY GREG WOJICK Designer TERRI E YOUNG Advertising Manager MIKE BRUNELLE, 973-777-6710 TEE TO GREEN is published bimonthly by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association 49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, NY 10523-2819 914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437, METGCSA.ORG Copyright ©2015 ii this Issue Feature A M eeting o f the Minds ............................................ New York State Turfgrass Advocacy Day Provides Platform for Industry Professionals to Voice Concerns Over Legislative Issues Departments Letter to the Membership ............................................................................. 5 Regional N ew s.................................................................................................... 6 U pcom ing E ven ts..............................................................................................7 Member News .................................................................................................... 7 National Scorecard ............................................................................................8 Chapter N ew s...................................................................................................... 8 Weathering the Aftermath of a Harsh Winter “ Winterbites with its teeth or lashes with its ta il” ~ Montenegrin Proverb and this Slavic proverb—that it was a tough winter this year. The first half of the winter was fairly benign: mild temps and zero snow Then February and March hit along with frequent snowstorms and brutal cold, resulting in an extremely slow start to the 2015 golf season. As the snow and icepack slowly melted away from our courses, and turf started to Glen Dube, CGCS reveal itself, it became all too clear that MetGCSA President Mother Nature and Old Man Winter had conspired against us. The carnage from their cruel scheme included a deadly com­ bination of ice damage, snow mold, and desiccation in varying degrees to many SPE C IA L N O T E T O T H E courses—not just in our area, but through­ M E M B E R SH IP out the entire Northeast. I As most of you know by now, Ed When you throw in the fact that winter Brockner has resigned as MetGCSA snow has delayed course openings by almost three weeks and directly impacted revenue I executive director and is now the streams at facilities, you know this season is I executive director for the First Tee of off to a rocky start. But as a whole, superin­ I Metropolitan New York. Over the tendents are a resilient group of people. We | past four years, Ed has worked tirecan always find a way to overcome adversity | lessly to generate advertising revenue, I organize countless Met events, and and move forward. I has been the face of our association. I would like to thank Ed for his ef­ forts in enhancing our association I was very fortunate to come out of this | and, on behalf of the MetGCSA Board winter with minor damage. I’m one of the I of Directors, wish him the best of luck lucky ones this time. But I have been where I in his new endeavor. I would also like to thank Bob some of you are now and know full well what you are going through. Here are a few | Wolverton for his three years of de1 voted service to the board and our things I’ve learned from experience: association. His term on the board Following significant turf loss, open and has ended, and Brian Chapin will constant communication to your members and/or management is paramount. Explain j fill the vacant seat as a director. Brian what happened and how you are going to I is the superintendent at Paramount fix it. Keep them in the loop and be honest I Country Club and will be serving as about the timing of the recovery process. i the Membership Committee chair­ man. We are all looking forward to Depending on your memberships preferred style of communication, reach out through I working with Brian and know he will blogs, websites, emails, and newsletters. If I make a great addition to our board. you don’t keep people informed, they will I Good luck and welcome aboard! be left to make their own conclusions, and unfortunately, they may not be to your benefit! One of the most difficult aspects of the continued on page 12 Survival Tips Tee to Green March/April 2015 ¿ fe a tu r e A Meeting of the Minds YorkState Turfgrass Advocacy Day Provides Platform for Industry Professionals to Voice Concerns Over Legislative Issues N ew by Michael Maffei, CGCS Tee toGreen March2015 he 16th Annual New York State Turfgrass Advocacy Day was held March 11 at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, NY, with 49 superintendents and other industry professionals eager to discuss this year’s issues: Support for the Turfgrass Environ­ mental Stewardship Fund, the Adoption of a State Definition of IPM, Repeal of the Pesticide Reporting Law, Parity for 3A, 3B Pesticide Applicator Fees, Support for the Farm Viability Institute, and Preserving Pollinators’ Health. Advocacy Day-goers made 71 legislative visits to drive home the importance of these legislative issues. Joining me in representing the MetGCSA were Blake Halderman, CGCS; Bob Nielsen, CGCS; Matt Ceplo, CGCS; Ernie Steinhofer, CGCS; Todd Apgar; Kevin Collins; David Dudones, Mike McCall, CGCS; and Glen Dube, CGCS. The Event Kickoff The event kicked off with an association breakfast and welcoming remarks by NYSTA President Tim Hahn. Rick Zimmerman, an associate of The Vandervort Group and lobbyist for the New York Alliance for Environmental Concerns (NYAFEC), and Jeff Williams of the New York Farm Bureau spoke on the legislative climate in Albany and state budget issues. They also offered attendees some tips for making effective visits, noting that it was prime time to meet with legislators since they were in the midst of final budget negotiations. Senator Thomas O ’Mara, chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Com­ mittee, addressed the group and expressed his interest in our issues. He was pleased to report that the Senate had included $175,000 in their budget for the Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Fund. The Senate budget also supports our issue deal­ ing with parity on commercial pesticide applicator fees. Garnering Support for the Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Fund Greg Chorvas, Past President of the New York State Turfgrass Association Greg spoke about the status and importance of the Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Fund, reporting that it was our Number One issue for the day. The 2013-2014 New York State Budget included a $150,000 appropria­ tion to support research that provides im­ proved turf management solutions. Continuing research is essential in provid­ ing turf management solutions that are key in preserving and protecting environmental quality. With this in mind, NYSTA recom­ mended that legislators continue to fund the $150,000 line item in the 2015-2016 budget. In 2014, a portion of this funding went toward supporting the next phase in the development of the BMPs for New York State Golf Courses. Bedford Golf & Tennis Club Superintendent Bob Nielsen detailed their work in building a self-assessment tool to help green industry professionals ensure that they are putting the BMPs into practice in their operations. Executive summaries of the BMPs were provided to all attendees and visiting legisla­ tors. In addition to focusing their discussions on the issues of the day, attendees were encouraged to present the BMP concept to legislators during each of their visits. Adopting a State Definition o f IPM Michael Majfei, CGCS, Co-Chair, NYSTA Government Relations Committee I reviewed the Adoption of a State Defi­ nition of IPM, stating that NYSTA believes New York State would be best served by adopting the IPM terminology recognized by the Food Quality Protection Act, the Na­ tional Integrated Pest Management Net­ work, and the Empire State Council of Agricultural Organizations. Several legisla­ tive proposals define IPM as using pesticides as a last resort. As we all know, pesticides are used as a tool in an IPM program. NYSTA supports bills S3064 (spon­ sored by Senator Young) and A l 186 Prior to the legislative visits, participants had the opportunity to hear what industry leaders had to say about each of the follow­ ing issues. The Issues «1 the Hay NYSTA President Tim Hahn addresses the group during the Advocacy Day opening session. (sponsored by Assemblywoman Gun­ ther), which define integrated pest man­ agement as a “systematic approach to man­ aging pests that utilizes a diversity of man­ agement options to minimize health, envi­ ronmental, and economic risks and impacts. These options may include biological, cul­ tural, physical, and chemical tools to prevent pest infestations or reduce them to accept­ able levels.” Both Senator Young’s and Assembly­ woman Gunther’s bills are currently in their respective Environmental Conserva­ tion committees. Repeal of the Pesticide Reporting Law Rick Zimmerman, Lobbyist, New York Alliance for Environmental Concerns Rick explained the history of the Pesti­ cide Reporting Law and how ineffective it has been. Industry spends $4.75 million each year to comply with this unfunded mandate, and it has cost New York State $2 billion since the law’s creation nearly 20 years ago. During the legislator visits, we called for the complete repeal of the law. Parity for 3A, 3B Certified Applicator Fees Larry Wilson, Chairman, New York Alliance for Environmental Concerns Larry explained that currently New York State law mandates a fee of $200 per year for class 3A and 3B classification of certified commercial pesticide applicators. (Included in this group are golf course superinten­ dents.) By contrast, all other classifications are required to pay $450 for a three-year period ($150/year). Tee to Green March/April 2015 Bedford Golf & Tennis Club Superintendent Bob Nielsen introduces the next phase in the development of the New York State Best Management Practices. Rick suggested that, in visits with legisla­ tors, attendees acknowledge there are seri­ ous issues facing the health of our pol­ linators, and support the formation of a stakeholder task force by the Department of Agriculture & Markets to address the issue. NYSTA also recommends that the legislature refrain from banning the neonicotinoid class o f pesticides be­ cause there is no conclusive proof that these pesticides are the primary cause of pollina­ tor health concerns. NYSTA is requesting parity within the certified commercial system by lowering the annual 3A and 3B fees to $150 per year and realigning the cer­ tification tim e period from one to With the various presentations complete, attendees had the opportunity to meet with three years. legislators and share their views and recom­ mendations on the issues. After the legisla­ Support for the New York Farm tive visits were completed, attendees re­ Viability Institute turned for a luncheon and wrap-up of the Steve Griffen, Co-Chair, NYSTA morning’s activities. Attendees also had the Government Relations Committee Steve provided an update on the New York opportunity to share any feedback they Farm Viability Institute (NYFVI), an inde­ received during their legislator visits with pendent, nonprofit organization led by far­ Rick Zimmerman for follow-up. “As I have said many times, government mers and growers who are dedicated to strengthening the agricultural and horticul­ is run by those who show up,” says Rick tural industries in New York State. The Zimmerman, lobbyist for the New York institute ensures industry success by sup­ Alliance for Environmental Concerns. “A porting applied research, education, infor­ well-informed, articulate group of advo­ mation transfer, technology adoption, and cates did ‘show up’ on behalf of the green market analysis to reduce practical barriers industry and did a commendable job in­ to the success of agricultural and horticul­ forming lawmakers about our issues and tural enterprises. In the past 10 years, 178 our policy recommendations. Thank you to projects have been completed, and New those who were part of the NYSTA Advo­ York has received an estimated 6 to 1 return cacy Day. I encourage more of you to partic­ ipate next year.” on investment. Legislators are being asked to sup­ port a $2.75 m illion appropriation in the 2015-2016 budget. The Legislative Visits & Wrap-Up Preserving Pollinators’ Health—and the Use of the Neonicotinoid Class of Pesticides Rick Zimmerman, Lobbyist, New York Alliance for Environmental Concerns Rick explained that the issues facing the health of our pollinators are complex and present challenges to beekeepers, landscap­ ers, turfgrass management professionals, far­ mers, and homeowners. Tee to Green March/April 2015 Your Involvement—and NYSTA Membership—Counts If you are not a member of NYSTA, please consider joining. Your membership provides NYSTA with the resources needed to plan and implement many informative industryrelated events, not the least of which is our annual Turfgrass Advocacy Day. Particu­ larly important to preserving our liveli­ hood, the Advocacy Day is designed to: • Protect you and your golf course from losing the tools needed to perform your job • Prevent any onerous new regulations from adversely affecting our industry • Advocate for changes to—or the repeal of—laws and regulations that affect our clubs If you would like more information on NYSTA or the New York State Turfgrass Advocacy Day, you will find it on the NYSTA website: http://www.nysta.org. Though you may not have been able to at­ tend, consider visiting your Assembly mem­ ber or Senator in their district offices or writing them to discuss these issues. Please give serious consideration to attending the Turfgrass Advocacy Day in 2016. Laws and regulations affect everyone, and your input is important! Michael Maffei,golf course superintendent at Back O ’Beyond in Brewster; NY, is a past presi­ dent of NYSTA and co-chair of the NYSTA Government Relations Committee. We would like to acknowledge the following sponsors who helped make this successful event possible: the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Hudson Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Sullivan County Challenge, the Northeastern Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Central New York Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Long Island Golf Course Superintendents Association, Helena, the Nassau Suffolk Landscape Gardeners Association, Syngenta, Bayer, PLANET, Dow AgroSciences, and RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment). positi01^ .„ tt4 0 Í* e ® ‘ o colo0- 80000»^ *, fltf íeS?6C ■ Beto®® L o ^ « lc r i* # « * "® * ', . 1 -' & b Jf ! W,\ « '"v ?-í Lm-lr $ A p n l 2I>1. Regional News MetGCSA Has a tor-Win at the Annual Nor easter Ski Day by Andy Drohen i or the second straight year, the host team from Vermont won the Noreaster Cup at Killington Ski Resort in Killington, VT. This year, the MetGCSA team followed close behind claiming a second place win. Nine superin­ tendent associations from New Jersey, New York, and all around New England competed at the third annual event on March 5, where more than 100 golf course superintendents and industry representatives, along with their families came together for a day of camaraderie, great skiing, and competition on the slopes of Vermont. This year, the race was moved to the challenging “Highline” race trail where the Killington Mountain School trains, along with Olympic racers from around the world! The home field advantage really showed on the steep black diamond trail! Conditions were fantastic with all the snow flying around the Northeast this year. Race conditions were described as firm and fast for the two-run giant slalom race. Each team totaled their fastest four racers, and by just under 8 seconds, the team from Vermont won this year’s Noreaster Cup over the MetGCSA of New York. Vermont also successfully defended their title over the Northeastern group in the Vermont Cup, a rivalry that dates back to 1993. Apparently, the Northeastern group was working a little more than the Vermont guys this year! The MetGCSA was the big mover of the year, narrowly beating the Northeastern group by jgss than half a second, proving once again Einstein’s equation E=MC2 does indeed hold true. Kemp of t he Top ¡p i ers at Killington Trophies and prizes were awarded to the fol­ lowing “Kings and Queens of the Moun­ tain,” from—no surprise—the Vermont and Northeastern GCSAs! Fastest Male Skier: Jay Savage from the Vermont GCSA 9 Tee to Green March/April 20 Ì 5 25:60 Fastest Female Skier: Barb Fahey from the Northeastern 31:30 GCSA Fastest Male Snowboarder: Mark Finch from the Vermont 34:03 GCSA Fastest Female Snowboarder: No racers Here’s a look at how the tfams fared in the competition: Team Scores (Fastest 4 individual Time times totaled) 1st Vermont GCSA 1:46.50 (Winner of Nor’easter Cup and Vermont Cup) 1:54.31 2nd MetGCSA 3rd Northeastern GCSA 1:54.73 2:00.58 4th Rhode Island GCS A 2:09.91 5th GCSA Cape Cod 2:17.57 6th New Jersey GCSA 1:49.0 m 7th Long Island GCSA 8th Connecticut DSQ - only 3 times AGCS 9th GCSA New DSQ - only 3 times England A Happy Ending Andy Drohen announces the Norfeaster Ski Day awards. increased that number by more than $1,000 again. Fortunately, right now, we do not know of anyone in our industry who needs immediate help. If you want to send us a message recommending someone in need, please do so to any of the board members. Otherwise our plan is to start a savings account for future needs. We are all fortunate to be associated with such great folks, and we encourage all of you to join us next year as we continue to use the • event as a means to help our own. Thanks to all who donated so generously, and spe­ cial thanks to Augie Young of Sipcam, Wes Bishop of Reliable Racing, Scott Watelet from Northern Ski Works, and Larry Kelly and Craig Cochran from 5-Star, who all generously donated to our raffle! Thank You to Our Sponsors The Nor’easter Ski Day was made great because of the overwhelming support of its sponsors! We would like to thank the fol­ lowing companie/for their help in making this event a huge success: Gold Sponsors: BASF,Jacobsen, MTE Turf Equipment, Sipcam Advan, Syngenta. Silver Sponsors: GenNext, Aquatrols, Koch Fertilizer, Nufarm, Sportscapes Un­ limited, Winfield, Club Car and Country Club Enterprises, Northeast Golf & Turf Supply, Jsiew England Specialty Soils, Toro, Grassland Equipment, and Harrell’s. Bronze Sponsors: Atlantic Golf & Turf, Bayer, Five Star, Valley Green, FMC, Re­ liable Racing, Saratoga Sod Farm, Putnam PJpe, Westchester Turf, and The Northstern GCSA. his is fast-becoming a “can’t miss” event, so be sure to watch for dates for 2016 and bring the family! Hope to see you next win­ ter on the slopes! If the skiing and racing did not provide enough excitement for folks, then the Après Ski party at the Wobbly Barn proved a fine ending to a competitive day on the slopes. Support from our generous sponsors helped the folks at Killington provide great food and an open bar for a few hours after skiing. Proving this is the place to be during the winter, Killington provided highly dis­ counted ski passes for the group through the weekend and affordable pricing on lodging. As in years past, this event also serves as a fundraising opportunity to help support our industry members in times of need. Most recently, the Nor’easter Ski Day helped by raising donations for a fellow superinten­ dent whose wife !s battling a mysterious ill­ ness, and previously, this fundraising effort helped another superintendent who was ¿eriously injured in a tree accident after Andy Drohen, a member of the Tee to Green Hurricane Sandy. The event has raised thousands of dollars Editorial Committee, is the Northeast Sr. Terri­ so far, and tmsyfear, we are pleased to have tory Manager with Koch Agronomic Services. Update Your Calendar With These Upcoming MetGCSA and Industry Events Superintendent/Guest Tournament Nine and Dine Event Monday, May 1 1 Country Club of New Canaan New Canaan, CT Host: Mike Roe Wednesday, September 23 Silver mine Golf Club Norwalk, CT Host: Larry Pakkala, CGCS MetGCSA Invitational Tournament Assistants Championship Tuesday,June 16 Century Country Club Purchase, NY Host: Kevin Seibel, CGCS Tuesday, October 6 Brae Burn Country Club Purchase, NY Assistant Host: Dave Peterson Met Championship and Met Area Team Championship Qualifier PLUS The Poa Annual Tournament Met Area Team Championship Tuesday, October 13 Meadow Brook Club Jericho, NY Host: John Carlone, CGCS Tuesday, October 20 Quaker Ridge Golf Club Scarsdale, NY Host: Tom Ashfield New Members Please join us in welcoming the follow­ ing new MetGCSA members: • Jarad Luknicki, Class C, Metropolis Country Club, White Plains, NY • Michael Moglia, Class C, St. Andrews Golf Club, Hastings-onHudson, NY Members on the Move • Brian Gallagher is the new superin­ tendent at Sprain Lake Golf Course (Westchester County Golf Course/Parks) in Yonkers, NY Previous position: super­ intendent at Putnam County Golf Course in Mahopac, NY • Greg Rotter is a new assistant super­ intendent at The Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT. Previous position: assis­ tant superintendent at Redding Country Club in Redding, CT. Educational Events Members Retired Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Day (Golf & Fine Turf) For further information, call the show office at 800-873-8873 or 518-783-1229, or visit the website at www.nysta.org. Tuesday,July 28 Horticultural Farm II 40th Annual New Jersey Green Expo New Brunswick, NJ Turf and landscape Conference Save the date, and watch for details. Call Tuesday - Thursday, December 8 -1 0 973-812-6467 or visit www.njturfgrass.org The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa for further information. Atlantic City, NY The New Jersey Green Expo offers a com­ Turf & Grounds Exposition prehensive educational program providing Tuesday — Wednesday, November 17—18 cutting-edge applications and tactics to Rochester Riverside Convention Center guarantee green industry professionals’ suc­ Rochester, NY on the job. Offering one of the largest The Turf & Grounds Exposition offers an cess shows in the tri-state area, the expo excellent opportunity to network while trade also provides with the opportu­ remaining current on the latest research and nity to view theattendees latest and trends in turfgrass management. As always, and services on the market.greatest products the expo will feature key speakers from all For further information, call 973-812segments of the green industry, as well as a 6467 or visit www.njturfgrass.org. comprehensive trade show with more than 100 exhibitors. Wishing all the best to recently retired superintendents: • Mike Reeb of The Country Club of New Canaan in New Canaan, CT • Michael Barton of Burning Tree Country Club in Greenwich, CT Birth Congratulations to Scott Blough, su­ perintendent at Nassau Country Club, and his wife, Sarah, on the birth of their daughter, Amelia Jade Blough, who was 6 lbs. 12 ozs. and born on March 7. Tee to Green March/April 2015 Met Golfers Take to the Links in San Antonio by Doug Drugo ^ F he weather went from sunburns ^ F to frostbite, but this year’s GCSAA Golf Championships at the GIS show in San Antonio, TX, provided great fun and camaraderie for all who participated. The Met area was represented by nearly two dozen members, and the group did a pretty fine job leaving its mark on the com­ petition. Here are the highlights. ( J The National Championship Matt Cowan, the superintendent at the Crenshaw Cliffside Course at Barton Creek Resort in Austin, TX, survived a field of 87 fellow competitors to win his first National Championship at Cordillera Ranch Golf Club in Boerne, TX. The 36-hole event was shortened to a single round when severe winter weather forced the cancellation of the final round. But that didn’t affect Tony Hooks. It took just one hole on the first day of play to WOW the Championship Flight conten­ ders. Hailing from Due Process Stable in Colts Neck, NJ, Tony aced the Par 3, 4th hole at Cordillera Ranch. As Tony describes it,“I hit an Irish links-style 5-iron from 171 yards.” Not only did the hole-in-one afford Tony the opportunity to pick up the tab after golf, it sent Mr. Hooks off into the sun­ set on a brand-new Toro MDX Workman. Tony’s win will be talked about for years! The Golf Classic Jim Swiatlowski of Montammy Golf Club slammed the door on the Senior II Gross Division of the Golf Classic, taking First Place in the event with 53 points. Jim’s 53 points earned him the distinction of having the second highest point total from all divi­ sions in the Golf Classic. Great job, Jim! In the Classic II Gross Division, Justin Miller of Wee Burn Country Club placed Sixth with 42 points. Mike Brunelle of the Upper Montclair Country Club was the local medal winner in the Classic III Gross Division with 34 points. Mike missed First Place in his flight by a mere two points. Division III is yours next year, Mikey! Folks, hold on to your wine glass, Bob Tee to Green March/April 2015 2015 MGA Green Chairms Industry Strides and Em Darrell Marcinek ofNeshanic Valley Golf Course Hot by Matt Ceplo, CGCS Nielsen of Bedford Golf & Tennis fin­ ished one shot off the lead behind a threeway tie for First Place in the Net IV Divi­ sion. Way to go, Bob! The Four-Ball Jim Swiatlowski was at it again with his trusty partner David Dudones of Westchester Country Club in the FourBall event. Team Swiatlowski / Dudones were this year’s Division II Gross and Net winners. Jim and Dave shot a 4-over-par 75, netting a 6-under-par 65. Great play­ ing, guys! Tim O ’Neill of Country Club of Darien and his partner from San Diego, Mark Warren of Taylor Made, were not far behind in the Division II Gross bracket, finishing two strokes back with a 6-overpar 77. Division III of the Four-Ball competi­ tion was well represented by the Met. The team of Tyler Otero of North Jersey Country Club and Jeremy Batz of Trump National Golf Club - Colts Neck placed Second in the Gross Division with a 2over-par 74 while the team of Kevin Seibel of Century Country Club and Doug Drugo of Wee Burn Country Club placed Third in the Gross Division with a 3-over-par 75. The real story of Division III lies in the Net winners, Otero and Batz. Tyler and Jeremy’s 2-over-par 74 netted a whopping 19-under-par 53. Awesome job, guys! You are definitely on the competition com­ mittee’s radar in San Diego! See You Next Year in San Diego! Congratulations to all who participated in this year’s golf championships. This annual preconference golf event offers a great op­ portunity to not only play some of the country’s best courses, but also to meet superintendents from across the U.S. and around the world! Next year, the GCSAA Golf Championships will be held in San Diego, CA. I hope to see you all there! Doug Drugo, chair of the Tournament Committee, is superintendent at Wee Burn Country Club in Darien, CT. ( J^ F he MGA Foundation hosted this Ay year’s Green Chairman Education Series at Alpine Country Club in Demarest, NJ, on March 24. Drawing a full house that included superintendents, pro­ fessionals, green chairmen, and club offi­ cials, the meeting focused on a variety of industry topics and trends in golf course management. Among the impressive panel of industry professionals were two speakers from the USGA Green Section. Northeast Region Director and past Reid Award winner David Oatis spoke about the importance of culti­ vating a good relationship between superin­ tendents and their green committee; and Northeast Region Agronomist Adam Moel­ ler spoke about the impact of trees and their location on a course’s slope rating and course handicap. As the MetGCSA’s Environmental Com­ mittee Chair, Ken Benoit shared news on the New York State Best Management Practices program, explaining its focus on promoting golf course management prac­ tices that protect and enhance our natural resources. I had the pleasure of giving a quick TriState Turf Research Foundation update on projects the foundation is funding and how they benefit courses throughout the Met area. To those of you who have contributed, “thank you”! If you haven’t already joined About the Award For the uninitiated, the Arthur P. Weber Award was established to recognize an MGA member club that has demonstrated environmental stewardship through golf course maintenance, construction, educa­ tion, and research. It is named in honor of past MGA President Arthur P. Weber, who passed away in 2008. Weber wrote an En­ vironmental Code of Conduct for golf course maintenance at his home club, Old Westbury on Long Island, nearly two dec­ ades ago that many Met Area clubs still use as a model. Weber was a longtime member of the USGA Green Section and helped found the MGA Green Committee and the Tri-State Turf Research Foundation. Past recipients of the award include Man­ hattan Woods Golf Club (2014), Wee Burn Country Club (2013), Rockland Country Club (2012), the Round Hill Club (2011), GlenArbor Golf Club (2010), Westchester Country Club (2009), Sebonack Golf Club (2008), and Trump National Golf Club ~ Bedminster (2007). If you missed this year’s seminar, be sure to schedule time to attend next year. There’s always an outstanding lineup of speakers, and it’s a great opportunity to showcase your course’s environmental efforts with an ap­ plication for the Arthur P. Weber Environ­ mental Leaders in Golf Award. We hope to see you in 2016! in Education Series Highlights ironmental Stewardship ored With Arthur P. Weber MGA Club Environmental Leaders in GolfAward MetGCSA Environmental Chair Ken Benoit of GlenArbor Golf Club (left) and M GA board member Philip Fabrizio of Knickerbocker Golf Club (right) present the Arthur P. Weber M GA Club Environmental Leaders in Golf Award to Darrell Marcinek of Neshanic Valley Golf Course. our valued list of contributors, there’s no time like now! Last but not least was Brad Klein of Golfweek Magazine. He gave an interesting and informative review of the state of the golf business, offering his thoughts on how clubs and courses might stay ahead of the game in a competitive market. Met Member Recognized lor Environmental Efforts One of the highlights of the meeting was the presentation of the 2015 Arthur P. Weber MGA Club Environmental Leaders in Golf Award to Neshanic Valley Golf Course in Neshanic Station, NJ. Presenting the award was GlenArbor Superintendent and MetGCSA Environmental Chair Ken Benoit. Congratulations to Met member and di­ rector of golf operations Darrell Marcinek, CGCS, who is at the helm of this award­ winning golf course. This was a very special meeting for me because Darrell had worked with me as an assistant at Rockland Country Club. I would like to think I showed him a thing or two, but the reality was Darrell probably helped me more than I helped him! It was a privilege to have had Darrell on our staff. We certainly are very proud of what he has accomplished, both professionally and personally. During his acceptance speech, Darrell said that being selected as this year’s winner was the highest honor that Neshanic Valley and the Park Commission has ever been awarded. Now, that’s saying something be­ cause Neshanic Valley has also been recog­ nized by Audubon International as a Cer­ tified Cooperative Sanctuary; in 2011, they received the Sustainable Business Award from the South Branch Watershed Associ­ ation; and they have been recognized as a “River Friendly” facility by the New Jersey Water Supply Authority. As if all that’s not enough, Neshanic Valley has also been recognized for En­ vironmental Stewardship by the New Jer­ sey Department of Environmental Pro­ tection and as a Groundwater Guardian Green Site by the Groundwater Found­ ation. While Darrell and the Park Com­ mission have certainly demonstrated just how good golf courses can be for the en­ Matt Ceplo, a member of the Tee to Green vironment, they’ve also caught the eye of Editorial Committee, is superintendent at Golfweek Magazine, which voted Neshanic Valley the 36th Best Municipal Golf Course Rockland Country Club in Sparkill, NY. in the United States. Congratulations, Darrell and Neshanic! Due Date for Scholarship Award Applications Is Fast-Approaching Application form, fo, the 2015 MetGCSA Scholarahip A rntd. are available on the Met website, www.metgcsa.org under the Us tab or through MetGCSA Executive Secretary Susan ODowd C U k C, AF, or Life AF metnber of the It you have any q Davld Dudones at Westchester Country ,o iSSra) will select r.crpients based on leaderxh.p » « “T a »” » .b o u r e e , dar of events in the Tee to Green or on our association web­ site for the precise date and site of the event. i l fa Tee to Green March /April 2015 New Canaan’s Nike Roe Set to Host the Superintendent/Guest Tournament by Steven McGlone fter only six months as su­ perintendent at The Coun­ try Club of New Canaan, Mike Roe finds himself knee-deep in preparations for the Superintendent/Guest Tournament on May 11. You may have played New Canaan be­ fore, but you probably weren’t aware of its rather unique design and build history, which includes the work of Willie Park Jr., Alfred Tull, and last but not least, Robert Trent Jones. The club started back in the 1890s as The Oenoke Field Club, a social playground for Manhattan- and Brooklyn-ites. Amenities included two lawn tennis courts and a pavilion for socializing, highlighted by Sat­ urday afternoon tea. It didn’t take long for a few of the mem­ bers to propose building a golf course. With the original site too small, they leased and then purchased the 208-acre St.John farm, along with a dilapidated farmhouse that became their clubhouse. Willie Park Jr. was engaged to lay out the first nine holes, which he did one Sunday afternoon in 1895 during his first visit to this country. The membership decided to build the course themselves. They readied the land, excavated the bunkers, and opened four holes by the summer of 1897, ulti­ mately finishing the first nine in 1900. It wasn’t unit 1947 that the second nine were built, this time designed by Alfred Tull—after a failed attempt by the mem­ bers, again, to complete the last nine holes themselves. A minor renovation in the 1950s by Robert Trent Jones left the course pretty much as it appears today, some 65 years later. Last fall, the club rebuilt the N th hole, as well as the bunkers on the 3rd and 8th holes. This year, the club has hired Andrew Green as the new course architect and plans to restore both par 3s on the front nine, holes 5 and 7. The Country Club of New Canaan is a relatively short course at 6,442 yards with a par of 71; however it plays tough. With small greens, overhanging trees along fair­ ways, and blind bunkers, accurate placement off the tee is crucial.