UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION WESTERN OFFICE 51 1709 West Eighth Street Los Angeles 17, California Phone Dunkirk ^ \ \ WM. H. BENGEYFIELD Western Director Voi 4 No. 2 «Western Turffletter March - Aprii 1956 T H E SE C H A N G I NG T I M ES LUIGI GALLETTI - Superintendent - has seen a great deal of golf and grown an abundance of grass. To determine the number of golf courses in the far West at the time this man started Western greenkeeping would be difficult. Golf was a young sport. In 1908, two years after the great San Francisco Quake, Luigi Galletti became course Superintendent for the Claremont Country Club, Oakland, California. Bobbie Jones was 6 years old at this time. Francis Ouimet, the United States Amateur, and the man who did so much to popularize golf in the United States, was 5 years away from his great victory over the British Professionals Vardon and Ray in the 1913 United States Open. Course Maintenance equipment was horse-drawn and the mowing largely done by grazing animals. No controls for turf diseases (or insects) were known. Bordeaux was thought to be beneficial. This month, after forty-eight years of service to golf and to his profession, Superintendent Luigi Galletti retires from the Claremont Country Club --- honored by his fellow Superintendents in Northern California and throughout the West. A F T ER F O R T Y - E I G HT Y E A RS We cannot help but attempt to connect those early days of golf maintenance with our latest methods as reported and discussed at the Long Beach Meetings in February. Attendance reached a new high at around the 1100 mark. The Southern California Superintendents Association, under President George Lanphear, did an outstanding job in planning, financing and organizing this successful National Turf Conference. What was said there and accomplished there will appear in other journals. We wish to reprint only a few "quotes11 that seemed particularly significant: 0n Conferences : Dr. Jim Watson, Toro Manufacturing Corporation f!Local, State and National Turf Conferences all play a vital role in the Turfgrass educational program. At National Meetings the basic principles and fundamentals of turfgrass culture should be emphasized. At State Meetings these basic principles, as applied to the environment of that area, should be discussed. At local meetings the specific application of these basic principles may be brought out". On Contracts: Mr. John G. Clock, Vice President, United States Golf Association "An oral contract or agreement has no advantage over a written memorandum or agreement. On the contrary, it has many disadvantages ---- a written contract is valid and enforceable and the constant change of Club Officials is a good reason for having one". On Iron Chlorosis: Dr. 0. J. Noer, Milwaukee Sewerage Commission f,lron Chlorosis is induced by a high pH occur at sometime on your course factor on putting greens. Many fertilizers today do not carry sulfur as that extra dividend11. 0n Melting Out: Dr. Bill Klomparens, Upjohn Company 7 or above. It is almost sure to Sulfur may, in the future, become a limiting "It now appears that there are over 500 species of Helminthosporium. They have different characteristics so they do not fall into a well defined turf disease pattern". 0n Pythium: Dr. J. L. Holmes, Mallinckrodt Company "Dr. F. L. Howard, University of Rhode Island, reports that Malachite Green, a dye which has fungicidal properties, will halt the mycelial growth of Pythium. This material does not necessarily prevent the disease, but it does destroy the mycelium when the fungus is active". 0n Disease: Mr. John Darrah, Cleary Company "Approximately 807« of the central eastern (Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, etc.) Superintendents are now on a summer disease preventative spray program". On Responsibilities: Mr. Elmer Border, Olympic Country Club, San Francisco, California "The Superintendent is responsible for an investment of from one-half to five million dollars. He is responsible to himself, his Club and to the Green Committee". On Water: Dr. Bob Hagan, University of California, Davis, California "The effective depth of rooting of turf grasses in our studies show the following: Bentgrass Bluegrass Bermuda 10 - 12 inches 24 - 35 inches 48 inches Because these are the effective rooting depths it becomes important for you to irrigate only when the grass needs it and on no other schedule". On Research: Dr. M. H. Ferguson, U.S.G.A. Green Section "In 1955 the Green Section disbursed funds in support of research on thatch control in putting greens; the study of Poa annua control; a study of nematode problems in turf; a study of soil physical properties of putting greens; a study of nutritional requirements of turfgrasses and a study of irrigation needs of turfgrasses". On Public Relations: Mr. Tom Dawson, Superintendent, Country Club of Virginia, "This business of Public Relations is important. Have you ever thought of calling your local golf editor, inviting him out to your course, showing him your experimental plots and explaining what you are trying to do to make the game more enjoyable? Have you ever thought of calling the editor of the local paper and offering to write timely hints on home lawn management?" Richmond, Virginia 1956 O U T L O OK - S E C O ND G L A N CE U. S. Railroads have recently been granted a series of 11 just and reasonable11 increases in freight rates by fhe Interstate Commerce Commission, Rocketing costs in the railroad industry make freight' increases up to 6% possible on a wide range of products. Superintendents may now find fertilizer and equipment prices slightly higher as pointed out in the last issue of our Western Turfletter. Do you know the Tournament schedule for your Club for 1956? Keeping up with the Club's plans for special events is an important part of the Superintendent's job. It will help you plan your work and a minimum of interference to important golfing days will result. IMPROVED BENTGRASS SELECTIONS NOW UNDER TEST IN CANADA Professor R. H. Knowles, Department of Plant Science, University of Alberta, Canada, reports that improved bentgrass selections are being tested at this Northern station. Congressional, Pennlu and Toronto are under observation, as well as less known selections from the mid-West, such as Northland #1 and a new Metropolitan type. /V /V it -k /V Vr Vc ic ic ic it Vc T HE G I FT OF G R E EN "Grass has other important values, a£ told in the Yearbook. I pass over them now, except one which is seldom mentioned but which I think of often as I travel and see the beauty of our Country. I am particularly conscious of it now, as I write these lines in May of 1948, when Spring brings out again her mantle of green. That use is the use of beauty itself. Grass can make beautiful the hillsides, schoolyards, roadsides, farmsteads; in doing so it brings greater utility and efficiency. Beauty also brings serenity, and serenity is a quality we and the troubled world need". Clinton P. Anderson U.S.D.A. Yearbook l!Grass,f BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE P AI D Los Angeles, Calif. Permit No. 19900 Mr, 0. J• Noer Milwaukee Sewerage Commission Jones Island Milwaukee» iia*