Tee to Green June 2018 cov_Tee to G dec 2010 cover 7/6/18 11:22 AM Page 3 May/June 2018 VOLUME 49 NUMBER 3 Published by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association What’s Your EIQ? Story on page 2. Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:15 AM Page ii Board of Directors President DAVID DUDONES Westchester Country Club Vice President KENNETH BENOIT JR., CGCS GlenArbor Golf Club Treasurer ROBERT B. ALONZI JR. Fenway Golf Club Secretary BRETT CHAPIN Redding Country Club Past President GLEN DUBE, CGCS Centennial Golf Club Directors MICHAEL BRUNELLE, CGCS Upper Montclair Country Club STEVEN LOUGHRAN Rock Ridge Country Club VINCENT PAVONETTI, CGCS Fairview Country Club DANIEL ROGERS Wykagyl Country Club JESSE SHANNON, CGCS Manhattan Woods Golf Club STEPHEN WICKSTROM Burning Tree Country Club Class “C” Rep DAVE PETERSON Brae Burn Country Club Class “AF” Rep SCOTT TRETERA Harrell’s LLC Executive Director MIKE McCALL, CGCS Executive Secretary SUSAN O’DOWD Cover: Old Oaks Country Club Photography by Evan Schiller n this Issue I Feature What Type of Impact Are You Making on the Environment? ......2 Tee to Green Staff Departments Editor JIM PAVONETTI 203-531-8910 Managing Editor PANDORA C. WOJICK Editorial Committee TODD APGAR MATT CEPLO KEVIN COLLINS ANDY DROHEN CHIP LAFFERTY STEVEN McGLONE ANTHONY MINNITI BOB NIELSEN SCOTT NIVEN TOM REYES GREG WOJICK Designer TERRIE 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 © 2018 Chapter News ........................................................................7 Scorecard ..............................................................................8 Upcoming Events ..................................................................9 Spotlight ............................................................................10 Member News......................................................................11 Spotlight ............................................................................12 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:15 AM Page 1 P resident’s Message Judgment Calls: The Toughest Calls to Make T he ability to make sound deci- sions and good judgments are attributes es- sential to any successful manager. And they are particularly crucial for golf course man- agers during the heat of the summer when many of our most essential cultural practices have the potential to go awry and do more harm than good to our playing surfaces. Frequently, despite our better judgment, we perform these cultural practices at times that are less beneficial to the course, and more beneficial to the club’s busy golf schedules. When, at one time, we could at least rely on Mondays as a day of uninter- rupted work, those days are now often occu- pied with corporate outings too important to the bottom line to be bumped for course maintenance. So, with little wiggle room to spare, we find ourselves left with no choice but to per- form our necessary maintenance practices, hurriedly, while dodging foursomes during the week. Or worse, we aerify, topdress, brush, groom, verticut, and often water later in the day to limit golfer disruption and to finish the work in a reasonable amount of time. Once again, as our better judgment would tell us, cultural practices performed in the late afternoon during the heat of summer have a much greater potential for causing turf damage or loss. I have spoken to many superintendents over the course of the past few weeks about their decision-making processes when trying to accomplish these tasks, and their only goal is to avoid any sig- nificant turf loss or mishaps and to limit self-inf licted wounds. Let’s face it, the opportunity to make an error in judgment is far greater when under the duress of summer. A great motto is, “When in doubt, wait it out.” Skip a mow if the collars are weak; wait a day when the weather breaks to groom; eliminate the drag and, instead, water in the light topdressing; and sometimes, JUST LET IT BE AND DO NOTHING! Some of the best advice given to me is, “Never overdo it. Just control what’s controllable.” David Dudones MetGCSA President Weather Watch Taking note of weather patterns and daily f luctuations in temperature and humidity is part of the golf course superintendent’s job. It’s how we plan our days and even our weeks of maintenance activities. As novice weathermen of sorts, our clubs look to us for guidance in handling weather-related issues. But weather is neither in our control nor predictable. The advice we give, therefore, is based more on past experience and on-the- spot judgment calls than on sound decision- making. Those who attended our May 15 Super- intendent-Guest event at Wykagyl saw a weather-related judgment call in action. Out on the course playing our rounds, we all could see a major storm rolling in, but none of us, except it seems Wykagyl Super Dan Rogers, understood exactly what was com- ing. Dan felt the storm was moving so quickly that it merited interrupting play and sounding the lightning siren early. The Continued on page 7 Tee to Green May/June 2018 1 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 2 eatureF What Type of Impact Are You Making on the Environment? by Mike McCall, CGCS 2 Tee to Green May/June 2018 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 3 As most super- intendents know well, our golf course man- agement practices are perpetually under scrutiny . . . by local, state, and federal gov- ernment agencies, the media, our communi- ties, and our neighbors. And let’s face it, we’re an easy target. In recent years, words like “carbon footprint” and “sustainability” have become everyday sayings, making environmental concerns more common- place than ever in our industry and many others. The Met Area—particularly Westchester County and Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island—are perennially deemed the highest pesticide users in New York State by the New York State Department of Envi- ronmental Conservation (NYSDEC). How does the NYSDEC determine this? Believe it or not, those pesticide applicator reports you submit annually are being used to determine state pesticide use with the help of Cornell University. As of now, the summary data for the year 2013 is available in an NYSDEC report titled, “Final Annual Report for New York State Pesticide Sales and Applications 2013,” and it’s there for all to see on the NYSDEC website. The issue with this data that I, and others, have maintained is that the quantity usage is based on only the weight or volume of the products being used, without any considera- tion given to the amount of active ingredi- ent. While this information provides a large-scale picture for state officials, it’s f lawed in its ability to determine the toxic- ity of the applications, which I believe, is what we are all striving for. For instance, a fertilizer combination product that contains Dimension would be calculated based on the pounds of fertilizer applied, even though only a small percent- age of that fertilizer is actually a pesticide. Most superintendents try to do the right thing when managing their properties fol- lowing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program that either they have devel- oped for their own facility or that was developed by someone else, and they’ve cus- tomized it and made it their own. Now another tool in our toolbox is gaining popu- The EIQ Equation The formula for determining the EIQ value of individual pesticides is listed below and is the average of the farm worker, con- sumer, and ecological components. EIQ={C[(DT*5)+(DT*P)]+[(C*((S+P)/2)*SY) +(L)]+[(F*R)+(D*((S+P)/2)*3)+(Z*P*3)+(B* P*5)]}/3 DT = dermal toxicity C = chronic toxicity SY = systemicity F = fish toxicity L = leaching potential R = surface loss potential D = bird toxicity S = soil half-life Z = bee toxicity B = beneficial arthropod toxicity P = plant surface half-life. (Note: In the golf course world, the farm worker is the equivalent of the applicator and other course employees, and the con- sumer is the equivalent of the golfers.) larity to help turf managers properly select a product that will, first and foremost, work and, next, have the least negative impact on the environment or non-target organisms. That tool is the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ), a value based on a formula originally created to provide agricultural producers with data regarding the environ- mental and health impacts of their pesticide options so they could make better-informed decisions regarding their pesticide selection. The Skinny on the EIQ You may or may not have heard of the Environmental Impact Quotient, more commonly referred to as the EIQ. It’s not a new term. The concept of the EIQ was developed in 1992 by researchers and IPM specialists Joe Kovach, Curt Petzoldt, Jim Degnil, and Jim Tette of Cornell University, as a means to measure or quantify the envi- ronmental impact or the risk pesticides may have on human health and non-target or- ganisms with particular emphasis on apple production. Put in simpler terms, the EIQ is a way to figure out what product will have the lowest environmental impact, while still completing the target goal. The EIQ has been successfully adopted by green industry professionals and used for 20 years on golf courses. “The EIQ continues to grow in popularity among turfgrass man- agers,” notes Jennifer Grant, director of the New York State IPM Program at Cornell University. “They like having another tool in their tool box—a way to consider the envi- ronmental impact of a pesticide, while also considering the efficacy, cost, and need for resistance management,” she adds. The formula depicted in the box on the left shows Cornell’s method for calculating and assigning an EIQ value to an active ingredient.The higher the EIQ value, the greater impact the product, or products, can have on non-target organisms or the envi- ronment. But a better metric of environ- mental impact of a product depends on how much active ingredient (AI) is being used along with the rate applied. The product’s Field Use EIQ (FUEIQ) Rating takes the amount of AI into account, and is determined by multiplying the EIQ value by the rate of application and percent of active ingredient: FUEIQ = EIQ x Rate (LB/AC) x %AI. It’s the FUEIQ Rating that provides a value that can be used to compare the impact of pesticide applications, and thereby help in product selection. To determine the FUEIQ Rating for combination products, the EIQ value will first have to be calculated for each active ingredient. Often these combination prod- ucts use a lower percentage of each active ingredient, so the EIQ will be lower than if each product were used separately at rec- ommended rates. The FUEIQ value is helpful in determin- ing which of many similar products you might choose to apply on your course. If you were trying to control dollar spot, for in- stance, and both chlorothalonil (Daconil) and boscalid (Emerald) are products ap- proved for treating or preventing dollar spot, then it might be in your best interest to select the product with the lower EIQ value, i.e., boscalid. FUEIQ values, along with your knowl- edge of effectiveness, cost, and need for resistance management can help you to make the best product selection, when a pes- ticide is needed. The Cornell Guide for Commercial Turfgrass Management provides FUEIQ values along with the efficacy information and resistance management codes. It can be accessed free of charge on Tee to Green May/June 2018 3 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 4 the Cornell Turfgrass website, http://www. hort.cornell.edu/turf/guidelines.pdf. Shortcomings of the EIQ Method While the EIQ method makes sense on many levels, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you before going any further that even its most staunch supporters recognize there are a few f laws in the model. For instance, the EIQ method’s strength of distilling environmental risk into a single number is also one of its greatest weak- nesses. Determining the weighting of any single component can skew the entire sys- tem one way or another. One of the biggest complaints I hear is the emphasis placed on the percentage of active ingredient and application rate. Carl Schimenti of Cornell University summed it up nicely: “When you look at base EIQ values, they range from around 8 to 80, or a factor of 10. When you look at the amount of AI applied, it can vary from around .03 ozs./1,000 with something like Ecoguard, to about 7 ozs./1,000 with Ci- vitas. Or a factor of 200! There is much more variability in the amount of product compared to the base EIQ values. “Ultimately,” Schimenti continues, “this means that products with really high use rates (Civitas) or really low use rates (Ecoguard, trinexepac-ethyl) ‘warp’ the model. In this respect, it feels like the EIQ does overweight the amount of AI being applied. It becomes ‘pounds on the ground, adjusted slightly for toxicity.’ That being said, if you are comparing two products that 4 Tee to Green May/June 2018 4 have similar use rates, that’s when the EIQ becomes extremely valuable.” These shortcomings have not deterred Dr. Paul Koch of the University of Wisconsin- Madison from incorporating the EIQ meth- od into his Common Ground Initiative where he is evaluating 20+ golf courses’ pes- ticide applications ranging from low- to high-budget operations. His goal is to de- velop a statewide environmental impact baseline and provide some type of incentive for golf courses to achieve levels below that threshold or, at the very minimum, to con- tinually strive to reduce their individual course baselines. To determine that base- line, Koch is working with both the EIQ model and a simpler, but less sophisticated, Hazard Quotient model that relates only to the LD50. Developing a pesticide impact metric is a complex matter that may never be to every- one’s liking. But in an era of big data, it is the use of these metrics that will allow us to make better decisions, notes Cornell’s Dr. Frank Rossi. Instrumental in the develop- ment of New York State’s BMP manual and honored recently with the GCSAA 2018 President’s Award for Environmental Stew- ardship, Dr. Rossi won’t deny that the EIQ model could be enhanced, but even in its present form, he recognizes its value in determining—and managing—a course’s environmental impact: “By far the best rea- son to try the EIQ method,” he says, “is to get a sense of how your decisions for manag- ing pests accumulates into measurable (cer- tainly arguable) risk.” Environmental Impact Calculations Made Easy Provided these shortcomings in the current EIQ method haven’t deterred you from forg- ing ahead, you’re probably wondering, “How the heck am I going to figure all this out?” Not to worry. Much of the hard work has already been done for you. The EIQ for just about every AI approved for use in New York State can be found on an Excel spreadsheet, right here, on Cornell University’s website: https://nysipm.cornell.edu/eiq/list-pesti- cide-active-ingredient-eiq-values. This comprehensive spreadsheet (see ex- ample above) includes the environmental impact that various AIs have on bees, fish, birds, and beneficial insects, as well as on such factors as chronic health, dermal toxic- ity, and numerous others. The result is a sin- gle number describing the EIQ of a pes- ticide’s active ingredient. The list is updated fairly regularly, so if a new product comes on the market, check back at that link to see if it’s been added to the list. What’s interesting about this data- base is that you can go in and see which component(s) of the active ingredient is caus- ing an elevated EIQ value. For instance, many are aware of the issues surrounding imidacloprid (Merit) and its possible correla- tion with Bee Colony Collapse Disorder. If you look at the bee component of imidaclo- prid within the table, you will see that it has one of the highest values with respect to bee toxicity compared to most others. This spreadsheet will allow you to see why you should or shouldn’t use certain products under certain circumstances. Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 5 In addition to providing EIQ values for almost every AI on the market, Cornell has developed a calculator to help you deter- mine your Field Use EIQ Rating for various formulated pesticide products. All you need is the rate of application and percent of active ingredient in the specific product you’re considering purchasing or using. Then plug that information into Cornell’s calculator and, voilá, you have your Field Use EIQ. You’ll find the calculator by log- ging on to https://nysipm.cornell.edu/ eiq/calculator-field-use-eiq. You can also set up a spreadsheet to track your pesticide applications and their EIQ, or request an EIQ spreadsheet designed at Cornell University specifically for golf courses, by emailing css223@cornell.edu. Making your EIQ calculations simpler yet are software programs that will do every bit of work for you as you enter your normal pesticide application data. One such pro- gram has been developed by Met members and Playbooks for Golf ’s cofounders Greg Wojick and Matt Leverich, who describe their EIQ software as a turnkey solution to EIQ calculation and reporting. The program synthesizes all the product applications, pro- viding a summation of risks/toxicity for the entire property over a given period, typically a year. The EIQ in Action Recently, it’s seemed that calculating prod- ucts’ EIQ has gained favor as a tool in se- lecting pesticides that achieve the desired objective with the lowest impact on the environment. In fact, several recent Arthur P. Weber Environmental Award candidates pointed out on their award applications that they have made the EIQ an integral part of their turf management program. At the MGA Green Chairman Seminar on March 14, one of those candidates, Beth- page State Park, was awarded the 2018 MGA Arthur P. Weber Environmental Leaders in Golf Award. Director of Agro- nomy Andrew Wilson accepted the award on behalf of Bethpage, which has been using the EIQ for nearly 10 years with great effect. (See sidebar, page 6.) “The attraction is the simple number where the EIQ can help us evaluate choices among products,” explains Wilson. “We go by efficacy first, then look at EIQ while checking FRAC codes to rotate chemistries. “In addition, Wilson notes, “The data be- hind getting that base EIQ number is very meaningful. For those so inclined, they can look at leaching potential and fish toxicity risk in the raw data if they have surface water bodies. Or they can check out pollina- tor risk if they have large pollinator areas.” Putting the EIQ to Work on Your Course If making use of the EIQ method on your course sounds like more trouble than it’s worth, think again. Because we’re already required to keep pesticide application records, the work is mostly done. If you’re using Excel to track your products, then all you need to do is add a few cells (some that require formulas): EIQ, % Active Ingredient, Field Use Rating, # Acres Treated, Total Field Use EIQ, including the FRAC number can be useful for rotating products as well. The next step is to add the area (acreage) you are treating. Obviously, the more acre- age you spray, the greater the impact on the environment you will have. Very sim- ply, you take the Field Use EIQ Rating and multiply by the number of acres treated to get the Total Field Use EIQ Acres. Fi- nally, you add up all of the Total Field Use EIQ Acre values for each application and then you have your Total Field Use EIQ Acres, which then gives you a sense of the impact your golf course is having on the environment. The example below shows what your ap- plication record might look like. Through April, May, and June their Total Field Use Acres amounted to 7,182.3. Ultimately, this course ended up with a Total Field Use Tee to Green May/June 2018 5 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 6 The EIQ at Work in Bethpage State Park Study little less pristine than the others, just be patient, but if you feel it warrants men- tioning to your Green Committee, be sure to emphasize that you are one of a number of superintendents taking a lead role in the initiative to reduce the impact your course is having on the environment. And of course, adds Carlson, “if you’re close to reaching your damage threshold, you always have the option of treating the fair- way.” In the Final Evaluation The EIQ method of pesticide selection is just another tool we have at our disposal to support our efforts to adopt “best manage- ment practices” on our golf courses. While admittedly not perfect, making use of a method like the Environmental Impact Quotient is a step in the right direction in encouraging superintendents to take a closer look at the pesticides they use on their courses and the potential environ- mental impact they may present. If you visit the New York State Best Management Practices for Golf Courses website, http://nysgolfbmp.cals.cornell. edu/, you will find additional information about the EIQ and other pesticide selec- tion methods. How many times have you heard the saying, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure?” MetGCSA professionals are great at measuring myriad variables to manage and maintain exceptional playing surfaces—moisture levels, fertility and pesticide inputs, topdressing volumes, and firmness to name several. Now is the time to rise to the next level and work toward better managing and measuring the envi- ronmental risk on our courses. The EIQ method is a good way to start. Mike McCall is the executive director of the MetGCSA and managing member of the McCall Management Group, LLC. In their 2009 handbook, Reducing Chemical Use on Golf Course Turf: Redefining IPM, Dr. Frank Rossi, Dr. Jennifer Grant, and Bob Portmess detail how the EIQ was imple- mented during the study of Beth-page State Park to compare the environmental risk of the various pest management systems. The researchers noted that the EIQ ranks pesticides using a composite evaluation of toxicity and exposure factors to aide in the selection of products with the least environ- mental impact. The Field Use EIQ can also be used to compare management ap- proaches. In the Bethpage study, greens managed under IPM or biologically based systems had 50 to 95 percent less environ- mental impact over the course of a season than conventionally managed greens. Nine years later, the researchers felt their work was well worth the effort. The quality of the IPM-managed areas equaled that of conventional pest management systems, and what’s more, annual satisfaction surveys have shown that golfers did not perceive a differ- ence in the quality of IPM-managed putting greens. If you’d like to read more about the par- ticulars of this study, you can order a free copy of Cornell’s handbook by at https://cpb-use1.wpmucdn.com/blogs. cornell.edu/dist/6/5969/files/2015/03/ Cornell_Reduced_Chemical_Manual_2012 -19w8a2g.pdf. Acres value of 26,673, for the year (not pic- tured), which compared to many public and private courses is relatively low but much higher than the average of the New York State-owned golf course. To give you a frame of reference, a few years ago Cornell provided me with the following values for Total Field Use EIQ Acres for both public and private courses with varied maintenance regimes. As you can see, the values vary depending the on the level of conditioning required, with the Private Country Club hosting the profes- sional event racking up the highest value for Total Field Use EIQ Acres in a year: 2013 94,900 58,002 30,797 Private Country Club hosting professional event Private Country Club Public Daily Fee Course (well maintained) Average of all New York State-Owned Golf Courses 2017 not available 37,750 not available 9,000 5,757 So, if you’re looking to lower the EIQ on your course, it only makes sense that you look first at the largest areas that you treat on a regular basis, like your fairways or pri- mary rough. The larger the area, after all, the bigger the impact that reducing the EIQ values of your chosen sprays will have. To get started, Jeff Carlson, the superin- tendent at the Vineyard Club on Martha’s Vineyard, who is well versed in operating with fewer chemical applications, suggests identifying your best fairway—the one with full sun, and good drainage—and then letting it go as long as possible. trees, few “You’ll be surprised at how few inputs will be required,” says Carlson, who, man- aging a course on the Vineyard, has plenty of experience operating with limited pest and disease treatment options. If the untreated fairway begins to look a 6 Tee to Green May/June 2018 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 7 Seminar-goers enjoy the awards luncheon at Westchester Country Club.Chapter News Area Clubs Donate to the MetGCSA’s ‘Foursomes 4 the Foundation’ Initiative T he MetGCSA Board of Directors would like to thank the many clubs listed below that have participated in our “Foursomes 4 the Foundation” initiative over the past three years raising more than $80,000 for the MetGCSA Foundation. This year, your foursome donations helped generate $44,364 in bids. Approx- imately 80 percent of those proceeds will go to our Scholarship & Research Fund, which is dedicated to supporting turfgrass research at regional institutions—such as Rutgers, UMass, Penn State, URI, Cornell, and UConn—and to funding the Best Manage- Bedford Golf & Tennis Club Brae Burn Country Club Burning Tree Country Club Connecticut Golf Club Fairview Country Club Fenway Golf Club Fresh Meadow Country Club GlenArbor Golf Club Hudson National Leewood Country Club Manhattan Woods Golf Club Metropolis Country Club Paramount Country Club Preakness Hills Country Club Putnam County Golf Club Quaker Ridge Golf Club ment Practices for New York State Golf Courses initiative. In addition, this fund provides college scholarships for MetGCSA member children. Over the past several years, the MetGCSA Foundation has pro- vided approximately $20,000 in scholarships annually. Your participation in the “Foursomes 4 the Foundation” initiative will go a long way toward funding the research and initia- tives that will help improve not only course playability, but also environmental sustain- ability, and ultimately, the game of golf. We thank you all, again, for your support. Redding Country Club Rockland Country Club Rockrimmon Country Club Rolling Green Country Club Rolling Hills Country Club Sleepy Hollow Country Club Sunningdale Country Club The Apawamis Club The Patterson Club The Stanwich Club Trump National Golf Club ~ Hudson Valley Upper Montclair Country Club Westchester Country Club Whippoorwill Club Winged Foot Golf Club Wykagyl Country Club President’s Message continued from page 1 early warning sent players to the club- house in the nick of time—just before trees started snapping in the hurricane- force winds. I would like to personally thank Dan for having the foresight and judgment to activate the siren, despite the fact that we were all on our last hole. I would also like to give my condolences to the many superintendents who were person- ally affected by that unusually destruc- tive storm. Many were without power for more than a week, several members’ houses were severely damaged, and many others had their properties completely destroyed. Though lower Westchester suffered only a fast-and-furious storm, farther north, towns were hit with dam- aging tornado touchdowns that left those areas looking war-torn. Be There The dramatic ending to our Superinten- dent-Guest event made it all the more memorable, and like our other season- opening events, it had a great turnout. If you haven't marked your calendars with the balance of our season's events, please take a moment to make note of our great lineup of upcoming golf, social, and educational events, starting with our fast-approaching July 18 Summer Picnic at Bedford Village Park. Brett Chapin and the rest of the Social & Welfare Com- mittee members always do an excellent job with this event and all of our other social events, which offer a great way to meet and greet Met friends, old and new, and blow off some steam in the heat of the summer. You'll find a rundown of both MetGCSA and regional events listed in every Tee to Green (see page 9), as well as on our website, metgcsa.org. Looking forward to seeing you all at our upcoming events! David Dudones MetGCSA President Tee to Green May/June 2018 7 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 3:23 PM Page 8 Scorecard Weather Challenges Dave Mahoney Two-Ball Championship Qualifier Winning Results of Superintendent/ Guest Tournament by Zach Brooks Two-Ball Event Results Low Net Winners 70 Mike Cook/Ken Benoit The Care of Trees/GlenArbor GC 71 Tim Walker/Ryan Batz Leewood GC/Nutrite Low Gross Winners 70 Jason Meersman/Todd Apgar The Patterson Club/Metro Turf Specialists 76 Tom Ashfield/Andy Drohen Quaker Ridge GC/Koch Agronomic Services Closest to the Pin #8 Scott Apgar, Metro Turf Specialists #18 Ben Mancuso, MTE Turf Equipment Solutions Longest Drive Jason Meersman, The Patterson Club For a complete list of Two-Ball qualifiers and how they are faring in their matches, log on to the Met’s website, www.metgcsa.org. To all who qualified, your rounds must be completed by the following dates: Sweet 16 ~ June 30 Elite 8 ~ August 4 Final Four: Semis ~ September 8 Finals ~ October 6 Steve Loughran is Tournament Committee chair and director of facilities at Rock Ridge Country Club in Newtown, CT. D Wykagyl Country Club an Rodgers, superintendent and MetGCSA board member, had fully dialed in for the 2018 MetGCSA Super- intendent/Guest Tournament. Later this season, Dan will host the 103rd Met Open Championship at Wykagyl, making this a perfect dry run for his major tournament prep. Dan and his staff had the course in great shape for what has become an event tradi- tion, the Yellow Ball Tournament, which is a Best-Ball Net event played along with the customary Superintendent/Guest Gross & Net competition. The weather that day was perfect—until a thunderstorm, accompanied by unusually strong winds and lightning, overtook the area, ending everyone’s round before they could finish the last hole. In addition to causing a storm-shortened round, the high winds blew the proximity sheets clear off the property so no skill prizes could be awarded. USA Today reported that the May 15 storm left nearly 148,000 homes in New York and another 90,000 in Con- necticut without power. Wind gusts reached over 80 mph, and there were more than 1,000 lighting strikes in the region. Thanks to Dan’s quick call on the fast-approaching storm, everyone made it to the clubhouse safely. Many thanks to everyone at Wykagyl for hosting this special event. General Manager Bob Kasara, Head Professional John Deigan, and Assistant General Manager Lisa Cash- man went out of their way to make the day special for all who attended. by Steve Loughran W hen I approached Pelham Su- per Jeff Wentworth back in October about possibly hosting the Dave Mahoney Two-Ball Championship Qualifier, he agreed, without a moment’s hesitation. Having worked with Jeff and the staff at Pelham Country Club, I knew how close many of them were with Dave. Jeff had long been a good friend of Dave Mahoney’s, and the head pro, Mike Diff ley, had coached youth basketball with him, forming a bond despite the fact that they coached opposing teams. To Jeff, it was only fitting to have the event at Pelham. Battling the Elements Despite the difficult spring, which came on the heels of snowfall, significant amounts of rain and temperature f luctuations, Jeff and his staff had the course in amazing, mid-sea- son form for what marked the 10th year for this ever-popular two-ball event. Unfortunately, despite Jeff ’s best efforts to make the day picture-perfect, April 30 brought with it cold temps and heavy rains. The only saving grace was that, at the day’s end, the sun did shine through. We could only wonder if Dave had something to do with that! Thank you, Jeff, and the entire Pelham staff for going all-out to make this special event memorable. What follows is a look at the day’s golf results. 6 Tee to Green May/June 2018 8 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 3:23 PM Page 9 ults of nt/ ment Upcoming Events Not-to-Be-Missed Upcoming Events The results for the competition were as follows: Gross & Net Competition First Place Gross Winners ~ 73 Tom Asfield, Quaker Ridge GC Steve Glossinger, Guest Second Place Gross Winners ~ 73 Matt Lapinski, Greensight Agronomics Rob Dobozs, Guest First Place Net Winners ~ 61 Dave Conrad, Plant Food Company Rob Hutchinson, Hutchinson Tree Care Second Place Net Winners ~ 66 Tim Walker, Leewood GC Norman Fell, Guest Yellow Ball Event Is a Bust Sticking with what’s become tradition at this annual event, a Yellow Ball was given to each foursome prior to teeing off. The yellow ball was then played by each mem- ber of the foursome, rotating through and recording the individual’s Best Ball Net Score for that particular hole. The goal is to finish the 18-hole event without losing the yellow ball. If the ball is lost, your team is out of the competition. According to Tournament Committee Chair Steve Loughran, this year, no yellow balls were returned at the round’s end. Oops! Better luck next year, fellas! Zach Brooks, a Tournament Committee member, is a sales consultant at Noble Turf in Mt. Laurel, NJ. Summer Picnic Wednesday, July 18 Bedford Village Memorial Park Bedford, NY Nine & Dine Event Tuesday, September 25 Rock Ridge Country Club Newtown, CT Host: Steve Loughran The Poa/Met Championship/Met Team Qualifier Tuesday, October 9 Old Oaks Country Club, Purchase, NY Host: Jason Anderson Regional Events 2018 University of Connecticut Turfgrass Field Day Tuesday, July 17 UConn Plant Science Research and Education Facility, Storrs, CT The field day will offer guided tours of a variety of research projects underway at the university followed by a delicious lunch and an opportunity to connect with fellow turf professionals. Exhibitors from across the region will also be present with product and service information for the turfgrass industry. Watch the website for further details as the date approaches: www.turf.uconn.edu. Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Day (Golf & Fine Turf) Tuesday, July 31 Horticultural Farm II, New Brunswick, NJ Save the date, and watch for details. Call 973-812-6467 or visit www.njturfgrass.org for further information. NYSTA Challenge - Steve Smith Memorial Golf Tournament Monday, August 20 The Links at Union Vale, Lagrangeville, NY In its 19th year, the NYSTA Challenge, sponsored by NYSTA and the Hudson Val- ley GCSA, is an annual fundraising event supporting environmental issues. This past year, this event raised $14,555 in support of the 2018 Turfgrass Advocacy Day, the New York Alliance for Environmental Concerns, and the New York Farm Bureau Agricul- Assistants Championship Tuesday, October 30 Preakness Hills Country Club, Wayne, NJ Assistant Hosts: Tony Espe, Miguel Ortega, Kyle Cross Superintendent: John O’Keefe, CGCS MetGCSA/CAGCS Fall Seminar Thursday, November 8 The Patterson Club, Fairfield, CT Host: Jason Meersman MetGCSA Winter Seminar Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Westchester Country Club, Rye, NY Host: David Dudones tural Alliance. As always, the NYSTA Challenge will begin with a golf tourna- ment and conclude with a buffet dinner with open bar and prizes and raff le drawing. For further information, contact NYSTA at www.nysta.org or 800-873-8873 or 518- 783-1229. The 14th Annual Joseph Troll Turf Classic Tuesday, September 4 Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, NY Superintendent Steve Rabideau will host this year’s UMass Alumni Turf Group fund- raiser in support of turf education and research at the University of Massachusetts. Steve was also selected as this year’s event honoree. Please plan to attend this worthy fund- raiser, and watch for details. Entry forms and additional information will be available online at www.alumniturfgroup.com. 2018 GREEN EXPO Conference and Trade Show Tuesday – Thursday, December 4 – 6 The Borgata Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ 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. For further information, call 973-812- 6467 or visit www.njturfgrass.org. Tee to Green May/June 2018 9 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 10 Spotlight Steve Loughran Welcomes Nine & Dine to Rock Ridge by Matt Ceplo, CGCS N estled among the country hills of rural Newtown, CT, lay the 63-year-old Rock Ridge Country Club. Once the estate of a promi- nent New York City doctor, the property, which included a three-hole golf course, was used primarily on weekends as a peace- ful retreat from the big-city life. The doc- tor’s oasis was eventually sold and became known as Pine Tree Country Club. Shortly after, a group of dedicated golfers from Pine Tree purchased the property, hired Golf Course Architect Alfred Tull to expand the course to nine holes, and then changed the name to its current Rock Ridge Country Club. The only hint of its former identity is the pine tree that’s remained the club’s logo. Managing this little slice of heaven for the past six years is Superintendent Steve Loughran. As the Met’s Tournament Com- mittee Chair, Steve is more than pleased to host this year’s Nine & Dine event at his home club on September 25. It’s All About Golf A self-proclaimed golf course rat, Steve grew up within walking distance of Silver Lake Golf Club in Staten Island. By the time he was 12, he was helping around the clubhouse and pro shop, picking up odd jobs that earned him carte blanche to play the course. At 14, Steve began caddying at Rich- mond County Country Club, and by 16, he had caught the attention of the club’s then superintendent, Brian Remo, who wasted no time in hiring Steve to work on the golf course crew, a job he maintained through high school. Bitten hard by the golf bug, Steve became the captain of his high school golf team, a position he held his sophomore, junior, and senior years. In recognition of his success, the Staten Island Press awarded him the dis- tinction of Staten Island Advance All-Star for three straight years. With his high school diploma in hand, Steve had his sights set on following what had long been his passion, and he enrolled in the turfgrass management program at Uni- versity of Rhode Island. Steve interned at Meadow Brook Club 6 Tee to Green May/June 2018 10 with former MetGCSA President, John Carlone, who, according to Steve, proved an extraordinary mentor. “I look back on my experience working with John as a turning point in my career,” says Steve. “He invested a great deal of time in showing me the ropes in the three months I interned with him, and John and I still have a great relationship to this day.” In 2006, Steve interned next at Fairview Country Club with then Superintendent Mike Mongon. After completing his degree in 2007, Steve returned to Fairview, this time as an assistant. When Mike made the move from Fairview to North Hempstead Country Club, Steve went along with him, adding another venue to his resume. “We had worked well together and looked for- ward to a new challenge,” says Steve. “Un- fortunately, Mike left later that fall before we had a chance to sink our teeth into the renovation work we had envisioned.” Steve stayed on at North Hempstead, working on a series of upgrades with the newly hired and current superintendent, Tom Kaplun. “Like a sponge,” says Steve, “I absorbed all that I could from my time with Tom—everything from the ins and outs of in-house project management and fertilizer and chemical applications to membership communications and staff management.” With significant experience behind him, Steve made the move in 2012 to Rock Ridge Country Club, assuming the role of golf course superintendent and then direc- tor of facilities in 2017. Golf Course Enhancements and Accolades Clearly involved in managing all aspects of the club’s property, when I called to inter- view him for this article, Steve was busy with myriad tasks required to get the pool area, tennis courts, and outside patio area, complete with a fire pit, prepped for the club’s Memorial Day festivities. “We have an active membership,” says Steve. “During the season, the club is busy from morning to night.” And of course the golf course is no exception. Steve credits the club’s golf pro, Brian Hussey, with contributing to the course’s popularity. “Brian has worked to Steve Loughran revamp the golf program with an emphasis on family,” says Steve, lauding Brian’s efforts. But the golf program isn’t the only aspect of the club that’s undergoing change. On the course, Steve is in the midst of several in- house projects, including the restoration of greenside bunkers and complexes. “We were able to finish Holes 2 and 6 this spring with more on the slate for the fall,” explains Steve. While working to return the course’s bun- kers back to their original shape and size, Steve and his crew discovered the original soil/sand lines, which guided them in their restoration work. “The greens are very small and so were the original bunkers,” says Steve. Every golf course improvement that Steve and his staff have made over the past seven seasons has been geared toward creating a better membership experience. “We have very active ladies’ and junior golf programs here,” notes Steve, “and I have tried to make the course more enjoyable for all handicaps.” Steve is quick to note the significant role his staff has played in both the project work and day-to-day maintenance responsibili- ties. “I can’t thank my staff enough,” says Steve. “With the difficult spring we’ve had, some days it seemed like a fire drill to get the project work and course conditioning accomplished, but we really never missed a beat.” Helping lead the charge is Steve’s assistant, Pat Sullivan. “I couldn’t ask for a better assis- tant (and part-time therapist) than Pat,” says Steve. “Working with me first as a summer employee and then, for the past two seasons, as my assistant, Pat has earned the respect of not only the staff, but also the membership.” When you’re out for your round at the Nine & Dine, Steve has a few words to the wise: “Hit it straight. We have modified the width in the fairways for our single-row irrigation, and with no irrigation in the rough, the terrain can become dry enough that you can catch some f lyer-lies.” Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 11 Giving Back Always a proponent of giving back to the industry, Steve was pleased to join the MetGCSA board of directors two years ago, accepting the role of tournament chairman. He credits Jim Pavonetti and Brett Chapin for encouraging his involve- ment on the board. “It’s been eye-opening from the start,” says Steve. “All the behind- the-scenes work Met board members do is quite impressive.” Serving as tournament chair has be- come a sort of labor of love. “Working on the Two-Ball Tournament has been par- ticularly rewarding,” says Steve. “Talking to the two-ball teams about the outcome of their matches gives me the chance to become familiar with members I would otherwise probably have never gotten to know.” For all its rewards, serving as tour- nament chair does have its challenges. “Getting sites for the meeting is the easy part,” says Steve. ”It’s getting the clubs to commit to a date that’s the challenge. Many clubs have their events scheduled almost a year in advance.” Life Beyond Work Like most superintendents, Steve does have a life outside of work. He lives in Brookfield with his fiancée of four years, Amanda. They have two children: Mac- Kenzie, who is 3½, and Bobby, who is just 2 but already has developed “one hell of a golf swing.” When he can steal away from his indus- try commitments, Steve enjoys nothing more than spending time with his family, going to the beach, hiking, and boating. In the off-season, you’ll find him with family on the slopes skiing or at the rink teaching his kids to skate. “It’s never too young to learn,” says Steve. Conspicuously missing from this list of favorite pastimes is golf. Still an avid golfer, boasting a 3.3 handicap, there’s little doubt that his kids will get bitten by that golf bug, just like their dad. “I am very fortu- nate to be at such a family-oriented club,” says Steve. “I’m able to bring my kids to work or even out for a few putts later in the day. It’s nice to see the members’ faces when my kids stop by,” he adds. Please put September 25 on your calen- dar and plan to come by to play nine and then dine with your fellow turf profession- als. There’s no better place to unwind, enjoy a little camaraderie, and sip a libation than at the Rock. Matt Ceplo, a member of the Tee to Green Editorial Committee, is superintendent at Rockland Country Club in Sparkill, NY. Member News MetGCSA Loses Honorary Member and Inspirational Educator and Plant Pathologist It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Honorary member and URI Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology Dr. Noel Jackson. He passed away peacefully at home on May 29. Born in Yorkshire, England in December 1931, Dr. Jackson was 86 years old. A recipient of our 1999 John Reid Life- time Achievement Award, Dr. Jackson was a natural teacher with a passion, enthusiasm, and curiosity for learning that inspired a generation of students to pursue careers in the turf industry, golf course management, and academia. To his great delight, he was recently immortalized by the reclassifica- tion of Dollar Spot Disease, which resulted in a species of fungi named for him (Clarireedia jacksonii), in recognition of his life's work in turfgrass pathology. Dr. Jackson was internationally renowned for his expertise in cool-season turf and as an expert diagnostician. Known to many Tony Girardi Earns Prestigious Master Greenkeeper Certificate Congratulations to Rockrimmon Superin- tendent Tony Girardi, a recent recipient of the Master Greenkeeper Certificate, which you might describe as the UK equivalent of earning our CGCS status. The Master Greenkeeper Certificate is awarded to those members of BIGGA (Bri- tish & International Golf Greenkeepers As- sociation) who have reached the highest standards of greenkeeping and golf course management. Recognized as a prestigious greenkeeping industry award, the Mas- ter Greenkeeper Certificate is achieved through a three-stage process. In Stage One, 200 credits of education, training, and experience are required. In Stage Two, two Master Greenkeepers must assess your golf course operation against specific criteria. And in Stage Three, you must complete two, three-hour exams: a Case Study and a Technical Paper. Tony passed each Stage with f lying col- ors and felt the experience was well worth the effort. “In a very short two-year period,” in the field as Dr. Turf, he derived great satisfaction from visiting golf courses and in- teracting with golf course superintendents to provide practical and effective disease control recommendations. All who had the fortunate opportunity to know and work with Dr. Jackson will re- member him for his booming voice, hearty laugh, broad Yorkshire accent, and his keen sense of humor. We would like to offer our sincere condo- lences to his wife and family. If you wish to inspire and encourage future turfgrass re- search, memorial donations may be made to: The Noel Jackson Turfgrass Pathology Endowment (E338), c/o the URI Found- ation, P.O. Box 1700, Kingston, RI 02881. says Tony, “I can safely say that I have learned a great deal about course manage- ment from my peers in the UK and Ireland. The Master Greenkeeper process is an invaluable experience that allows you to grow both personally and professionally,” he adds. To drive home just how special this achievement is, Tony is only the 74th golf course manager or superintendent from all over the world to make the grade, and the certificate process is in its 28th year! Congratulations, Tony! New Members Please join us in welcoming the following new MetGCSA members: • Nicholas Alley, Class AF, Grass Roots Turf Products, Randolph, NJ • Matthew Lapinski, Class AF, Green- sight Agronomics, Boston, MA • Ben Mancuso, Class AF, MTE Turf Equipment Solutions, Derry, NH • Paul Schwab, Class AF, Club Car, LLC, Brookfield, CT Tee to Green May/June 2018 11 Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 12 Spotlight Jason Anderson Brings Triple-Header Event to Old Oaks by Steven McGlone B elieve it or not, the fall season is less than three months away and that means it’s time for the MetGCSA’s annual three-in-one event: the Poa Annual Fundraiser, Met Championship, and Met Team Qualifier. This year’s venue, Old Oaks Country Club, in Purchase, NY, is a special club with a rich history. Jason Anderson, the club’s superintendent for nearly two years, is looking forward to host- ing the event and showcasing all that this classic course has to offer. A Site Worth Seeing Old Oaks Country Club was the product of the Roaring ’20s golf craze that swept through the country. Members of Manhat- tan’s “light exercise club,” Progress City Club, decided they wanted to become golfers and, in 1924, snapped up 205 acres adjacent to Century Country Club in Pur- chase, NY. The land, part of the estate of William A. Reed, a wealthy investment banker, had once been owned by a silk mer- chant, Trainer Park. Naming his estate Hillcrest, Park built a British manor house in 1890, complete with elaborate staircases, massive rooms, and formal gardens. In 1925, with the manor as their club- house, Progress Country Club was organ- ized and A.W. Tillnghast and Charles Alison joined forces to design and build a 27-hole golf course. When the Great Depression hit, Progress suffered. First came several name changes—Purchase Country Club, Pine Ridge Country Club, and back to Purchase Country Club. Then in 1935, it merged with nearby Oak Ridge, assuming its present name, Old Oaks Country Club. The nine-hole course, which was built first, no longer exists, its land taken for the construction of Interstate 684. The 18-hole course and original manor-house-turned- clubhouse, remain today, along with the pool opened in 1930 and renovated in the ’70s, just in time to be featured in the 1976 movie, Goodbye Columbus. Over the years, the club has made numer- ous enhancements to the property under the direction of golf course architect Ken Dye and most recently with Rees Jones, under Jason Anderson’s watch. 6 Tee to Green May/June 2018 12 From Whence He Came Born and raised in Brewster, NY, Jason got his first taste of the business working sum- mers on a golf course. At 17, he took a posi- tion on the crew at Morefar Golf Course, known today as Back O’Beyond. Working for fellow Met member Superintendent Mike Maffei, Jason was inspired to pursue a bachelor’s in business administration and golf course operations at SUNY Delhi. During that time, he interned at Morefar and then at Winged Foot Golf Club, which led to a five-year stint under Paul Latshaw Sr. and then Eric Greytok. After completing his degree in 2002, he became a second assis- tant and then, the following year, the club’s irrigation technician. He had the fortunate opportunity to take part in the preparation for the 2004 USGA United States Amateur Championship. “I enjoyed the experience so much,” says Jason, “that I came back in 2006 as a volunteer for the U.S. Open.” By that time a veteran tournament volun- teer, Jason had also lent a helping hand at The Senior U.S. Open at Aronimink in 2003 and the 2002 Nissan Championship at Riviera. Jason then springboarded to Old Oaks as an assistant working for then Superintendent Mark Millet. “Working with Mark 11 years,” says Jason, “gave me a tremendous amount of knowledge about managing not just the turf, budget, and staff, but also, and perhaps more important, a membership.” When Mark retired in 2015, Jason stayed on as first assistant for the newly hired su- perintendent, Shannon Slevin. Two years later, Jason found himself at the helm, credit- ing the many superintendents he’s worked with for providing him with the skill set needed to be where he is today. “They all inf luenced me in different ways,” says Jason. “I couldn’t have asked for better mentors.” A Work Always in Progress Since 2016, Jason and Old Oaks have been hard at work on the renovation efforts that were initiated two years ago. Working with Rees Jones and Total Turf Golf Services, Jason and Old Oaks have finished a renova- tion project that included tees and bunkers, as well as a rebuild of the 18th green and the driving range and short-game facility. Jason Anderson Jason credits his assistants, Nick Baczkow- ski and Jeff Sorkow, and his 24 -man crew, with keeping all the balls in the air and the course well conditioned during the chaos of the renovation work. “I expect a lot out of my guys,” says Jason, “but I am extremely grate- ful for what they do.” Jason is also grateful for the show of sup- port from his green chairman and commit- tee. “They all seem quite pleased with the direction my staff and I are taking on the property,” says Jason, crediting, as well, the club’s general manager, Iwona Sterk, for smoothing the way for the club’s project work. “Her incredible organizational skills and leadership has made all the difference in our ability to get things underway and com- pleted here on the course,” Jason remarks. Life Beyond Work When he’s not on the clock, Jason enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, Kelly, and, weather permitting, taking his Boston Whaler for a spin on the Sound. When he wants to get away from it all, Jason slips away to enjoy the peace and quiet of his family’s rustic summer cabin in Rye, NY. In the offseason, Jason frequently retreats to a home he owns in upstate New York, where he enjoys snowmobiling with friends and family. Otherwise, you’ll find him enjoying some well-deserved R&R in his home on Old Oaks property, which he shares with his 13-year-old Border Collie, Jake, who’s been riding shotgun in the cart with Jason since his first season in 2005. The way time is f lying, October 9 will be here before you know it, and Jason is already plotting and planning all that has to be done to provide contestants with “good condi- tions, fast, sloping greens, and a tough setup.” So be sure to sign up for what promises to be great golf on one of the best classic courses around. Steven McGlone, a member of the Tee to Green Editorial Committee, is the golf course superin- tendent at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, NY. Tee to Green June 2018_tee to green Dec 2010 7/6/18 11:16 AM Page 13 P atron Directory 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 merrick160@gmail.com www.AGEnterprisesonline.com ✪ All Pro Horticulture, Inc. 80 East Gates Avenue Lindenhurst, NY 11757 John Seib: 631-789-6680 Fax: 631-789-5711 john@allprohort.com Aquatrols Corp. of America “The World Leader in Soil Surfactants & Wetting Agents” 1273 Imperial Way Paulsboro, NJ 08066 Tom Valentine: 610-299-4470 tvalentine@aquatrols.com ✪ Atlantic Golf & Turf 9 Industrial Boulevard Turner Falls, MA 01376 John Garcia: 203-996-6267 john@atlanticgolfturf.com ✪ BASF Corporation “Professional & Specialty Solutions” Paul Ramina: 908-413-2944 paul.ramina@basf.com ✪ Bayer U.S. “Backed by Bayer” Dave Sylvester: 860-841-3173 ✪ Blue Ridge Peat Farms 133 Peat Moss Road White Haven, PA 18661 Gene Evans / Chuck Evans 570-443-9596 / 570-947-5888 ✪ Carriere Materials, LLC U.S. Silica Topdressing & Bunker Sand, VFB Bunker Sand & Partac Topdressing Bill Carriere: 914-939-4884 bc1000@verizon.net Club Car CT / Metropolitan NY 72 Grays Bridge Road Brookfield, CT 06804 Paul Schwab: 203-943-6898 Ofc: 203-740-1458 Paul_Schwab@clubcar.com ✪ Cushman ~ E-Z-GO Nick Roberto: 845-637-7641 Reed Williams: 516-662-3554 Chris Larizza: 203-605-0554 DeLea Sod Farms Turf, Topdressing & Root Zone Scott Geiser: 631-484-1211 sgeiser@deleasod.com Dylan Wyatt: 631-796-6757 dwatt@deleasod.com ✪ Emerald Tree & Shrub Care Co. 146 Summerfield Street Scarsdale, NY 10583 Steve Farrelly: 914-725-0441 Kevin Wyatt: 203-422-2441 William Demarest: 914-725-0441 ✪ Evergreen Organic Recycling 1160 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605 James Amodio / Raymond Colasacco 914-949-9030 Ray@EvergreenOrganicRecycling.com ✪ Executive Turf / Synergy Turf & Pocono Turf Supply “Micro Carbon Technology” Ken Gentile: 203-496-0891 executiveturfproducts@gmail.com humagroturf.com ✪ Finch Services Inc. 522 Edwards Avenue Calverton, NY 11933 George Corgan: 914-893-0868 Ofc: 631-727-8700 gcorgan@finchinc.com / www.Finchinc.com ✪ Fisher and Son Company “Green Industry Professionals Since 1928” Mike Weber: 347-486-0480 mweber@fisherandson.com ✪ Grass Roots Turf Products, Inc. “Serving Turfgrass Professionals Since 1978” Ryan Avery / Keith Kubik / Nick Alley Ofc: 973-252-6634 www.GRIturf.com / sales@GRIturf.com ✪ Greenacres Company “Irrigation Contractor” Dave Pijnenburg: 203-948-5103 Dave@greenacrescompany.com GreenSight Agronomics “Automated Daily Drone Mapping of Stress & Moisture” Matthew Lapinski / Justin McClellan sale@greensightag.com ✪ Growth Products, LTD Fertilizers, Organics, & Fungicide Products 80 Lafayette Avenue White Plains, NY 10603 Howie Gold: 917-559-4425 Ofc: 800-648-7626 hgold@growthproducts.com ✪ Harrell’s “Growing a Better World. Partners for Success” Scott Tretera: 914-262-8638 stretera@harrells.com Fred Montgomery: 518-813-7814 fmontgomery@harrells.com Helena Chemical “People, Products, Knowledge” Tim Gerzabek: 609-221-9240 Sean Kennedy: 802-558-4009 LaBar Golf Renovations 170 Mount Airy Road, Suite A1 Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 Rich LaBar: 908-502-5253 rich@labargolf.com Mark Eliot Design Mark Sosnowitz, ASLA, LLC 914-318-4476 msosnowitz@aol.com ✪ Metro Turf Specialists “Customers, Our TOP Priority” Scott / Matt / Jake / Rich / Todd 203-748-GOLF (4653) www.metroturfspecialists.com MTE Turf Equipment Solutions, Inc. 115 Franklin Street Ext., Derry, NH 03038 Ben Mancuso Ofc: 585-356-2770 bmancuso@mte.us.com ✪ Noble Turf Brian Bontemps: 845-239-7959 Brian Gjelsvik: 973-670-7139 Zach Brooks: 914-309-2373 Bill Cimochowski: 609-923-4045 Northwestern Mutual Joseph A. Small: 845-224-0015 Joshua Weinerman: 845-224-0027 Justin Copeland: 845-224-0017 Kristine K Bargo: 845-224-0004 Stephen Henry Lynch: 845-224-0005 Ashley Smith: 845-224-0002 joe.small@nm.com ✪ NuFarm Americas, Inc. “Helping the World to Grow a Better Tomorrow” Bryan Bolehala: 201-874-8060 bryan.bolehala@nufarm.com Jim Santoro: 518-207-2094 jim.santoro@nufarm.com ✪ Palisades Fuel, Inc. “Gasoline ~ Diesel ~ Heating Oil” Frank Muggeo: 914-945-0645 fmuggeo@palisadesfuel.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, Conditions App, Golf Course Field Guides, ezPins, Consulting, Career Development, Professional Search Services Greg Wojick: 203-219-0254 Matt Leverich: 913-221-8052 www.goplaybooks.com SiteOne Landscape Supply “Stronger Together” Chad Mathieu: 914-539-5675 cmathieu@siteone.com Soil Solutions, LLC Drill & Fill / Aerification Professionals Anthony Decicco / John Decicco 7 Whittemore Place, Ryebrook, NY 10573 914-393-0659 soilsolutionsllc369@gmail.com ✪ Sygenta “Manufacturer of Plant Protection Products” John Bresnahan: 413-333-9914 John.bresnahan@syngenta.com ✪ Tanto Irrigation, LLC “Golf Course Irrigation Specialists” Steve Kubicki / Paul Guillaro info@tantoirrigation.com ✪ The Cardinals, Inc. Complete Distributor of Golf Course Accessories & Turf Maintenance Supplies John Callahan: 860-673-3699 Fax: 860-673-8443 jcalcardinal@aol.com ✪ The Care of Trees Mike Cook: 914-345-8733 Jeremiah Green: 914-241-8110 Ken Clear: 203-863-0900 Greg Gutter: 914-241-8110 ✪ Tom Irwin Inc. “With Tom Irwin, You’re Not Alone” 13 A Street, Burlington, MA 01803 Jeff Houde: 203-731-1776 800-582-5959 jeff@tomirwin.com ✪ Turf Products LLC ~ TORO Irrigation & Equipment “Servicing Our Customers Since 1970” Pat Cragin: 860-874-2812 Bill Conley: 860-360-0503 Shawn Donovan: 203-910-9114 Peter Hull: 860-305-2525 Jim Staszowski: 413-237-1467 ✪ Valley Green, Inc. “Serving the Industry since 1990” 205 Wilson Avenue Norwalk, CT 06854 Greg Moran: 845-901-1358 Ofc: 203-831-9748 g.moran@valleygreenusa.com ✪ Westchester Tractor, Inc. 60 International Boulevard Brewster, NY 10509 John Apple: 845-278-7766 www.wtractor.com ✪ Westchester Turf Supply, Inc. “Proudly Serving the MetGCSA Since 1976” Bob Lippman: 914-447-6257 Dave Lippman: 914-447-5192 info@westchesterturf.com ✪ Wickes Arborists 11 McNamara Road Spring Valley, NY 10977 John Wickes: 914-906-3264 Ofc: 845-354-3400 Fax: 845-254-3475 john@irawickes.com ✪ Wilfred MacDonald, Inc. “Turf Equipment Specialists” Glenn Gallion Ofc: 888-831-0891 Fax: 973-487-1333 Sales@wilfredmacdonald.com ✪ Winfield Solutions, Inc. “Service, Solutions, Insight” Rob Saunders: 203-249-5059 Jim Masone: 516-818-9852 www.winfieldpro.com W & B Golf Carts / Yamaha 3391 Route 9, Hudson, NY 12534 Jason Hommel / Michael Behan Ofc: 518-851-2266 pgagolfcar@gmail.com ✪ Denotes MetGCSA member Tee to Green June 2018 cov_Tee to G dec 2010 cover 7/6/18 11:22 AM Page 2