TIC VERT. Official Publication of the W. M.G.C.S. A. ( July/August 1987 PRESIDENTS MESSAGE Kurt A. Thuemmel C.G.C.S. After a long, dry period, we are beginning to receive some much needed rain. Remember the good old days when we would receive a good “ all day” soaker that would wet the entire soil profile? So far this year, the rains that have transpired in the Lansing area are short and heavy or the type that wash much of the sand off the bunker faces. Oh well, it could be worse (Fall of ‘86). At least our roughs are beginning to green up with the periodic rains. The June meeting was held at Riverside Country Club on the 22nd with Alex Clarkston as our host. We had a good turnout, and thanks to Alex, we were able to play on a well-maintained golf course. Our next meeting will be August 3rd, with Paul Schippers as our host, at the Moors Golf Club near Portage. A notice will be out by the time you receive this newsletter. You should have received a flyer on the annual golf day fundraiser at the Coutry Club of Jackson with Bill Madigan as host. The alternate club is Arbor Hills where Jim Eccleton is the superintendent. Don’t delay, send in your application now and insure your spot in this important fun-filled day. The proceeds are used to help support ongoing Turfgrass research at Michigan State University. Kurt Thuemmel / 1987 WMGCSA OFFICERS Kurt Thuemmel C.G.C.S.................................................................. President Walnut Hills Country Club, E. Lansing, Michigan 517/332-6060 Roger Barton .........................................................................Vice-President Blythefield Country Club, Belmont, Michigan 616/363-5945 Chris F ochtm an..............................................................Secretary-Treasurer Greenridge C.C., 740 Greenridge Dr., N.W., Grand Rapids, Ml 616/784-6597 Keith Paterson, C.G.C.S......................................................... Past President i Kent Country Club, Grand Rapids, Michigan 616/363-6728 Directors Pete Ashe, C.G.C.S. Hillsdale C.C., Hillsdale, Ml 517/437-7861 Bill Davis Mary wood C.C., Battle Creek, Ml 616/962-9784 Jeff Gorney, C.G.C.S. Grand Rapids Elks C.C., Grand Rapids, Ml 616/453-0705 Bob Hope, C.G.C.S. Kalamazoo C.C., Kalamazoo, Ml 616/343-2895 Bob Johnson Forest Hills Golf Club, Grand Rapids, Ml Fred Pastoor Muskegon C.C., Muskegon, Ml 616/ 759-0694 Editorial Committee Chairman-Advertising.................................. Keith Paterson C.G.C.S. Kent C.C. - 616/363-6728 Photographer ............................................................................ Charlie Scott 616/731-4148 Bill Madigan C.G.C.S.. C.C. of Jackson - 517/787-0650 Kurt Thuemmel C.G.C.S.. Walnut Hills C.C. - 517/332-6060 Advertisers Please patronize them as they have made this newsletter possible. Arthur Hills & Associates Benham Chemical C & R Grinding Century Rain Aid Ellis Sales Grand Rapids Tree Ideal Mower Kubota of Grand Rapids Lawn Equipment LESCO Matthews & Associates Miller West J. Mollema & Sons Nor-Am Chemical O.M. Scott Parmenter & Andre Raymer Pump Rhone-Poulenc Soderstrum Irrigation Spartan Distributors Spring Valley Standard Sand Turf Chemical Turfgrass Products ( V ( V J/yr-i V>1"> * &r £ v - ^ - - j r v y : ■ ’* ; -.c v Serving you better i.’zWith QUALITY----- MALLINCKRODT LEWIS FORE PAR CLEARY COUNTRY CLUB CHICOPEE Upjohn FOX VALLEY Chipco d ia m o n d sh a m r o c k Yankee c y c l o n e PBI Gordon Aquatrols Turfgrass Products PanaSea SOUTH LYON, MICHIGAN 48178 Phone Area 313 437-1427 JIM BOGART 1-800-521-TURF Aug. 31 Sept. 28 Nov. 7 MEETING SCHEDULE Golf Day Jackson C.C./Arbor Hills C.C. C.C. of Lansing Annual Meeting Fall Party Cascade Hills C.C. HEALTHFUL SUGGESTIONS by Paul Richter, Spring Lake C.C. As golf course superintendents we do a fine job providing our members with fine playing conditions. However, our jobs, in the warm months of the year, are very time consuming, and we find it difficult to regularly exercise to keep ourselves in good physical condition. With many demands on our time from work and family, working a regular exercise program into our lives is difficult. But every person does need to work their heart and lungs occasionally and make some form of physical fitness a part of daily life. Two of the easiest exercises to incorporate into your daily activities, and that do not require much extra time away from the job and family, are walking and bicycling. Walking does not require the purchase of any equipment and can be easily incorporated into daily activities. When playing golf, walk - this is an obvious one. Walk 9 to 18 holes of the golf course as part of your daily routine and check the course for problems as you go. Go for a walk after dinner and take your wife; it will help you to digest your food and the day’s events. Even walk to work, the store, or where ever else - use your imagination. The bicycle is something we all enjoyed as a youngster, but as soon as those ol’ car keys are in your pocket, the bike is in the corner collecting dust and rust. This form of 2-wheel transporation and recreation can easily be incorporated into your daily lifestyle. There is an initial expense for this exercise; a couple hundred dollars for a bike, another $30 to $50 for accessories, (rack, light, pump, bags, etc. . ,)and you have a very versatile piece of equipment. After this cost, with a little planning and imagination, the bicycle can be used for many duties that the automobile is used for. If you live close enough to work, 5 to 10 miles, with a little planning for clothes, you can commute on your bike. It will be surprising to find how fast you can travel to work, especially if you live in a busy city. Even if you travel at 10 mph you can make a 5 mile trip in 30 minutes, and most people can ride at 13-15 mph with little effort. For example: I would ride about 12 miles one-way to work in 40-45 minutes. It would take me 20-25 minutes or more in heavy traffic to drive, roughly twice the time by bike. However, in the morning you wake up and feel more mentally alert when you arrive, and in the afternoon you are not sitting in a hot car, going nowhere, in heavy traffic, getting high blood pressure; you are in the fresh air, exercising, strengthening your heart and lungs. Errands can also be done on the bike; go to the bank, barber, hardware store, even the party store for six chilly ones. Of course you can’t carry a week’s worth of groceries, but many small items will fit into the saddlebags used to bring lunch and other items to work. Even ride to the tennis courts, swimming pool, or to meet the boys for a couple at your favorite watering hole. (Not many people are arrested for riding a bicycle under the influence). Include the family by taking the kids in tow for a little ride after work; they’ll love it. It’s good exercise and you are able to spend some time with them doing something everyone can enjoy. If a park is near you, pack a lunch and ride with the family to the park for a picnic. The main point is that your are getting some exercise without taking much time away from your normal busy daily activities by incorporating exercise into your day. With a little imagination and planning, you can work a little exercise into everyday and take a step in keeping yourself in good physical condition. A new High K15-0-30 fertilizer from \ Now, you can provide potassium to meet the needs of your greens, tees and fairways with Scotts, High K fertilizers, which use potassium sulfate as the safe, effective source. Now there are two particle sizes to suit your application needs. Ask your ProTurf Tech Rep for details. Ron Defever Technical Representative PESTICIDE RINSE WATER DISPOSAL OPTIONS by K. IV. Brown Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Texas A & M University Recent Federal legislation has resulted the classification of anyone who has more than 100 kg (200 lbs. or 30 gallons) of pesticide solution or rinse water to dispose of each month as a hazardous waste generator. in those involved including The reauthorization of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act PL 98-6 includes a provision that such wastes must be treated as hazardous waste and must be stored and disposed of only by approved methods. Since many of the commonly used pesticides are on the EPA list of toxic substances, all surplus spray solutions, container rinsate water, spray equipment rinsate, solutions resulting from spill cleanup, and misformulated solutions are hazardous wastes and must be dealt with accordingly. Thus, nearly everyone who does a significant amount of spraying, in grounds maintenance, golf course management, nursery operaton, aerial applications, Agricultural Experiment Stations, and turfgrass or landscape maintenance operations, will need to find safe, economical, and approved methods of reducing the amount of waste they generate and disposal methods for the remainder. In the past, the common practice has been to wash the excess spray and rinse water down the drain into the sewer or allow it to run off into adjacent drainage ways. In some states, notably California, some operators were encouraged to install soil lined pits or disposal mounds similar to those used for septic tank effluent. These practices will now likely be banned or abandoned because of the adverse impact on the environment when the pesticides flow or leak from such systems into surface or underground water resources. What Can Be Done? There are several things that can be done to reduce the amount of waste. First of all, care should be taken to mix only the amount of pesticide which is needed so that there C & R GRINDING We specialize in ALL golf course mower repair and sharpening. FREE Pick-up and Delivery Over 15 Years Experience Open 7 days - All year Area sales rep. for D & C Distributors (R & R Products) 5082 Page Avenue Jackson, Michigan 49201 (517) 764-1182 is little excess. Empty pesticide containers must be triple rinsed before disposal. The best approach to this is to use this rinse water to make up the pesticide solution being prepared. Another approach to reduce the volume that needs to be dealt with is to have areas available where any excess mixed pesticides can be applied at the recommended rates. It may even be possible to add rinse water to the spray apparatus after it is empty and to spray that over an appropriate field, thus rinsing the apparatus and simultaneously disposing of the rinse water. Care must be taken, however, not to exceed recommended application rates. Several manufacturers, e.g., Ag Robotics of Childress, Texas, are now developing metered injection devices, which add the pesticide to the stream of water just behind the spray nozzle. The system allows the concentrated pesticides to be kept in small chambers, while the make­ up water is transported in a large container that does not need to be rinsed. While these systems will be used increasingly in the future, they are more complex and thus, more expensive than conventional spray apparatus. D.L. Richards and T.L. Ladd have written an article on pesticide injection published in the Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (V 26,1985, pp. 683-686) which gives more details on recent advances. It may also be possible to collect the excess solution and the rinse water and hold it in tanks to be used as make-up water when the next solution is made. Such an approach is difficult, however, when a variety of pesticides is used. In addition, there is no way to know how much residue is in the solution being stored, thus interfering with accurate formulation. Microbes are likely to grow in the stored solution, producing slime that may plug spray systems. Even these approaches if one or more of is implemented, there are likely to be small quantities of pesticide solutions and rinse water that will need to be disposed of. Once the solutions are collected, they may be containerized, perhaps in Departm ent of Transportation approved 55-gallon barrels, and shipped to EPA approved disposal facilties. The cost is typically $250 per barrel, which is far too expensive for many operators to support. A second disposal option is to filter the solution to remove suspended solids by running it through an absorption media, such as activated charcoal. While there is some data on activated charcoal, there are no comprehensive studies available which would indicate how a filter would respond to the mixture of pesticides that are likely to occur. Absorption columns would need to contain several hundred pounds of charcoal, and frequent Mem ber Western Michigan G.C.S.A. (Continued on Page 5) tests of effluent would be needed to assure that the absorption capacity has not been exceeded. Once such filters are saturated, they would likely need to be disposed of in EPA approved hazardous waste facilities. Thus, this option is also likely to be very expensive, since one must purchase and later dispose of the filter material, in addition to conducting repeated analysis of effluent, which typically costs $500 per sample. Since the major component of the waste is water and since the pesticides in use today are degraded by soil microorganisms, evaporativee pits or enclosed soil disposal beds may be considered. However, any system that is in contact with the soil surface such that leaks cannot be observed will need to be monitored by wells drilled to the water table to demonstrate that the pesticides are not migrating to the groundwater. Even the use of concrete, metal, or plastic lined pits or soil beds does not eliminate the need for as many as four groundwater monitoring wells for each facility when the bed or pit is in contact with the soil. In addition to the cost of serveral thousand dollars to install each well, samples will need to be collected and analayzed for pesticides, likely quarterly at costs similar to those described above. Thus, this system is also likely to be very expensive. Several other possibilities exist which have not been fully explored or developed. These include small scale waste water treatment plants, which may require carefully selected micro-organisms to degrade the pesticides, and ultraviolet light treatments or chemical treatments, which would destroy the active ingredients of the pesticide formulation. While these approaches are each effective for selected pesticides, no information is available on how effective these treatments would be for the diverse mixtures of pesticides that must often be handled. A final option, which may be feasible, is to use an enclosed bed of soil in a container above the soil surface to evaporate and degrade the pesticide. Containerized soild disposal systems have been used with success at the Iowa State University Research Farm for over a decade. Junk and Richards (1984) report that some 144 kg of active ingredients of pesticides had been applied to a 100 m ± plot in a two year period without significant residue build-up. They also tested vapor concentration in the air above the facility and reported most pesticides were below detection levels, likely indicating that they were being degraded rather than vaporized. The Iowa system consists of a concrete lined pit and a mechanically activated roof, which covers the soil during precipitation events to exclude rain water. Thus, there is some evidence that such a system may be used to evaporate pesticide solution and degrade the residues. Unfortunately, as pointed out above, in-the-ground systems will require monitoring wells. Thus, it is suggested that another option would be to assemble a similar system in above ground containers. The ideal system would consist of a covered concrete slab equipped with a drainage system to collect spill, rinse water, and ash water in a sump. The collected waste would be pumped into a specially designed tank which has a lower liquid storage container and an upper layer of soil. The tank would need to be constructed of materials that are resistant to the waste and possess sufficient strength to maintain structural integrity and minimize the potential for leaks. For the present, coated metal tanks offer the best alternative. While the size of the liquid storage volume and soil evaporative surface vary depending on the climate and the volume of waste to be treated, a typical tank would contain 1 m (three feet) deep liquid storage chamber with 30 cm (12 inches) deep layer of carefully selected soil suspended above it on a perforated floor. A sump pump woudl be used to apply daily doses of the accumulated liquid to the soil via a surface distribution system. Rectangular tanks could conveniently be made from 1.2 by 2.4m (4 by 8 ft.) sheets of plate metal in units which are 1.2 by 2.4, 2.4 by 2.4, 3.7 by 2.4, and 4.9 by 2.4 m (4 by 8, 8 by 8, 12 by 8, 16 by 8) or larger if necessary. They will need to be supported at least 20 cm (8 in.) above the ground to facilitate visual inspection for leaks and to eliminate the need for ground water monitoring wells and associated sampling and analysis. This could be done by constructing the tanks on skids and placing them on blocks. While moveable covers would be ideal, a more practical solution would be to use a stationary fiberglass roof, which would allow radiation to evaporate the water but eliminate precipitation. With proper construction and maintenance, a soil digester as described above should be useful for several decades. If the experience in Iowa is borne out, the soil will be sufficiently decontaminated in perhaps one or two years after use ceases to allow disposal by simply spreading it on an adjacent field, or if it must be treated as a hazardous material, its volume will be much smaller than that of the pesticides that were disposed of. While there is obviously still more to be learned, it appears that above the ground soil disposal beds may provide an environmentally sage and economical means of pesticide solution rinse and wash water disposal. The author is presently constructing several systems as described here for further testing. J. MOLLEMA & SON, INC. WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR Horticultural and Turf Supplies m GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 49508 PHONE 616/940-1441 5400 36TH STREET S.E. 1-800-662-0010 GORIS PASSCHIER, Turf Specialist Sand Pro The Professional for performance. The Toro® Sand Pro® is the only sand trap rake with total hydraulic power. That means lower maintenance, longer life and superior performance. The Sand Pro® maneuvers completely around in its own length for raking traps and tight "peninsulas." Hydraulic mo­ tors on all wheels, with no gears or belts to maintain. Attachments make the Sand Pro® even more useful. Options include spiker, finish-grader, edgerand drag mat. TORO. SPARTAN DISTRIBUTORS, INC. PH: (616) 887-7301 SPARTA, MI 49345 THE PROFESSIONALS I THAT KEEP TOC CUTTING. J EFFECTS OF SPRAY TANKS WATER pH ON PESTICIDE EFFICACY C.S. Gorsuch Clemson University and R.P. Griffin, Extension Entomologists In recent years we have noticed several cases where a given insecticide will give excellent control in one location and very poor control in a nearby location. The first thing that we tend to think of is that the insects are becoming resistant to the material or that there has been a problem in application or calibration. Many growers will blame the insecticide. A key factor that is usually overlooked is the pH of the spray water. pesticides, especially Most modern the organophosphate, are compound molecules that break easily into two or more inactive, smaller molecules when exposed to extremes of pH. TURCAM /FICAM bendiocarb ORTHENE acephate MONITOR m etham idophos A survey of 12 ponds in the Coastal Plains of South Carolina showed an average pH of 8.2 (range 6.8 - 9.5). Five wells were sampled throughout the state and these had an average pH of 6.7 (range 4.5-8.0). City water from Charleston, Conway and Clemson had an average pH of 7.9 (range 7.5-8.3). The following table shows the effects of pH on the hydrolysis rate of selected pesticides. MITICIDES CARZOL form etanate FUNGICIDES CAPTAN captan INSECTICIDES CYGON dim ethoate DIAZINON diazinon DYLOX/PROXOL trich lo rfon FURADAN carbofuran IM IDAN phosmet M ALATHIO N malathion LANNATE/NUDRIN m ethom yl LORSBAN/DURSBAN chlorpyrifos SEVIN carbaryl GUTHION azinphosm ethyl DIMECRON phospham idon PHOSPHAMIDON MAVRIK fluvalinate pH 2.0 pH 6.0 pH 9.0 pH 5.0 pH 6.0 pH 7.0 pH 8.0 pH 6.0 pH 7.0 pH 8.0 Unstable under alkaline conditions Vi life = 21 hours 12 hours 0.8 hour 1/2 life = 2 weeks 8 weeks 10 weeks 8 weeks 1/2 life =3.7 days 6.5 hours 63 minutes Vi life = 13 days pH 4.5 7.1 hours pH 7.4 (20 C) pH 7.4 (38 C) 1.1 hours < 12 hours pH 7.0 pH 8.3 < 4 hours Stable at pH 5.0-7.0 but rapid hydrolysis in more acidic or alkaline solutions Stable only in slightly acid water. pH 7.0 pH 8.0 pH 6.0 pH 7.0 pH 8.0 pH 9.0 pH 5.0 pH 7.0 pH 9.0 pH 4.0 pH 7.0 pH 3.0 (25 C) pH 3.0 (42 C) pH 6.0 (25 C) pH 6.0 (42 C) pH 9.0 (25 C) pH 9.0 (42 C) Vi life = 35 days 1.5 days Vi life = 100-150 days 24-30 days 2-3 days 24 hours Vi life = 17.3 days 10 days 12 hours Vi life = 74 days 13.5 days Vi life = > 30 days 35 days > 30 days 8 days 1-2 days < 1 day If water pH is greater than 8, add a commercial buffering agent to adjust water pH to 7 or less. The a c tiv ity of Turcam/Ficam at pH 8 or greater may be reduced. pH 3.0 (21 C) pH 3.0 (40 C) pH 5.0 (21 C) pH 5.0 (40 C) pH 7.0 (21 C) pH 7.0 (40 C) pH 9.0 (21 C) pH 9.0 (40 C) pH 3.0 (21 C) pH 3.0 (40 C) pH 5.0 (21 C) pH 5.0 (40 C) pH 7.0 (21 C) pH 7.0 (40 C) pH 9.0 (21 C) pH 9.0 (40 C) Vi life = 66 days 29 days 55 days 30 days 46 days 17 days 16 days 3 days Vi life = 22 days 8 days 108 days 45 days 44 days 10 days 9 days 5 days pH 5.0 pH 7.0 pH 9.0 pH 4.0 pH 5.2 pH 7.1 pH 8.2 pH 10.0 pH 6.0 pH 7.0 pH 5.6 PH 7.0 Vi life =4 days 14 hours 3 hours Vi life = 4 hours 10 hours 3 hours 10 minutes 2 minutes Vi life =6.8 hours 1.2 hours Vi life =30 hours 1 hour BRAVO chlorothalonil DACONIL BENLATE benomyl (NOTE: Benomyl breaks down to MBC which is still an active material.) It is also important to note that all pesticides are not affected the same by pH. Also, it is very important to note how temperature effects the rate of hydrolosis at a given pH. The pH of the water used for mixing pesticides should always be checked prior to mixing. The ideal pH range is 5.5-6.5. If the water source is alkaline, add a buffering agent to the water prior to adding the pesticide. Several commerical buffering agents are available. However, common household vinegar has been successfully used in different buffering capacities. This means that each case will have to be dealt with on an individual basis. The tank mix should be applied immediately. Credit: Carolinas Newsletter 1987 The Master Planning Process Have you ever had a member come up to you and ask “ Why did you build that tee there?” or, “ Why did you plant that tree in that particular spot?” My favorite question is “ Who gave you permission to do that?” After many years of being asked questions like these by people whose attitudes ranged from calm to irate, I decided to approach the Club with the suggestion that a Master Plan be prepared. By doing a Master Plan, the guidelines would be established for all future construction and changes. A committee would be designated to work with an architect with the final approval to come from the Board of Directors and the membership. I first approached my Green Committee with the idea in 1983, but due to funding and other projects within the club, approval to begin on the Plan was not received until the spring of 1986. The first step was to appoint a Master Plan Committee. The Board of Directors appointed the Green Chairman as Chairman of the Master Plan Committee. The Chairman then selected five people, representing a cross-section of the playing membership, to round out the committee. This group included a low handicapper, a lady golfer, an average range handicap (10-20), a senior golfer and Superintendent. The next step was to contact the Society of Golf Course Architects for a list of architects. Upon receiving the list, it was my job to contact six architects selected by the Chairman and myself to see if they would be interested in our project and, if so, to schedule an interview. From the initial six architects selected, we were able to set appointments with four of them. The committee met prior to the interview to establish a list of questions regarding procedures and cost factors. A list of desired changes in the golf course was based on comments and criticisms from the membership during the last five years. Goals were set on what we wanted to plan to accomplish, (i.e., rebuild all bunkers and tees, to improve playability of six to eight greens, plant massive number of trees, improve the general visual perception from the player’s point of view, improve cart traffic flow, drainage and improve the driving range and practice area). Information supplied by the Society of Golf Course Architects helped us compile the list of questions to be asked of each architect. The committee also created a budget to include Master Plan cost, visitation costs and construction costs once the project was underway. Because of budgeting, it was decided that each architect would provide his cost estimates for the Plan, visitations and basic phase costs throughout constuction. All interviews were conducted during the day in order for the architect to see and learn as much about the course as possible. By interviewing during the day, all committee members were not able to attend each interview. The interview usually consisted of two members of the committee and myself. I spent the most time with each architect showing them the course and giving them information. One note to be made is that Harbour Tree Golf Club is a Pete Dye design. Pete Dye, however, was not one of the architects interviewed. The club did not want to lose the Pete Dye look, so the architects were all told that new work and modifications had to blend well with Pete Dye construction and theory. All interviews lasted approximately 90 minutes followed by or preceded by 3-4 hours on the golf course. We finished interviewing by the first week in April, 1986. At this point in time, it was my responsibility to call and check job references of each of the architects. Also, late in August, one member of the committee and I went on the road to take a first hand look at work done by the architects we had interviewed. We looked specifically at green, tee and bunker construction. These three areas were to be the major parts of our Plan along with extensive tree planting. As part of the interviews, each architect was to submit his recommendations for the course along with his proposal for the Master Plan. After going through the interviews, checking references, both by phone and by on-site inspections, and going over each set of recommendations and proposals, the committee made a final decision determining which architect would be hired. Some of the major factors involved in the descision were the architect’s time to be spent on the job by himself and not an associate; his green, tee and bunker designs and construction technique; and his imagination. We notified all architects interviewed of our decision and met with the chosen architect to draw up a final proposal and a contract. Once the contractors were signed, we got down to work. The architect and one of his associates came in for two days. We spent the time entirely on the golf course. They checked yardage, took photographs of each hole from many different points of view, checked property lines and soil compositions. It was necessary to find a good, clear aerial photograph of the course. We were able to acquire a very clear and recent 1-inch to 200 foot scale photo to be used as a base drawing. (Continued on Page 9) At the end of the two days, the architect met again with the committee. The committee re-emphasized what they were looking for and the architect went over some preliminary ideas. He also informed the committee that he felt it would take three to four drawings to accomplish the final drawing he would include all his ideas and we could keep, cut or modify from that point. We were told that the first drawing might appear fairly radical, but that it was just a starting point. Three weeks later (mid-November) we received the preliminary drawings and proposals. The committee met to review the plans. After ten days and two meetings, we were able to come up with the things we liked, things we wanted to modify and the things we wanted to eliminate completely. The architect came back in for one day. I spent more time on the golf course with him going over what had been decided in committee. Later in the day he met with the committee for more input and modified ideas. He was ask­ ed to do another drawing and to also give us a list of various construction costs in more detail (i.e., costs and breakdown of bunker, tee green and mound construction). One week before Christmas we received our second drawing. Again, the committee met to review it. Sugges­ tions and changes were noted. The time seemed right to get membership input. The drawing was placed in the clubhouse for three weeks with a suggestion box. During the three week period, there were many suggestions made and several questions asked. The third week in January the committee met twice to review all suggestions and comments that had been made. Some of the suggestions were implemented and some more were completely discarded. Once this was completed, the committee established what they felt were final ideas for the Plan. The Chairman decided that the third drawing would be the final drawing. This was due basically to time considerations. He wanted to have the final drawing by mid-March. The architect came again during the first week in February. We were blessed with very good weather and were able to spend the day on the course going over the final ideas. That night he met with the committee. He was told the basis of our decisions and why certain changes had been made. He also made some suggestions that were implemented at that time. His instructions were to do the final drawing and get it back for review as soon as possible. Once reviewed, we would move on to the next step of the of the project. After approval of the plan, we began to establish phas­ ing of the construction. Our goal is to complete that plan over a ten-year period. This will be based on economy and budgets. As part of the phasing procedures, the architect drew detailed hole by hole drawings of work and chain zones so that work will be confined to specific areas and not in many different areas simultaneously. Very detail­ ed cost breakdowns and estimates are done for each in­ dividual project as well as for each phase. A copy of the final drawing will go to a local irrigation designer to design a new irrigation system for the course. Irrigation changes will be made in each phase with a dou­ ble row fairway system being installed during the last phase. An important part of the Plan is the tree planting plan. A copy of the final Plan will go to a local landscaper who will assist with the planting program. He will help us with species and sizing selection and also availability of material. Tree planting will start in late September and continue on a yearly basis thereafter. The final Plan includes rebuilding all bunkers, adding some waste area bunkers, resurfacing in bentgrass or rebuilding all tees, six greens modifications, complete redesign of one hole, contour mounding, two new greens, driving range modification, a new irrigation system, plan­ ting of 1,600 trees, cart paths, drainage and a new maintenance facility. The committee has decided that all tee, bunker and green modification work will be done in house. All drainage, tree planting and mounds will also be done by my staff. The new greens, hole redesign, irrigation and cart path work will be contracted out. The architect is responsible for doing all project drawings and site layout and staking whether my staff or an outside contactor will be performing that work. The architect will also stake all tree locations. At this point, we are completing plans for our first phase of construction that is scheduled to begin in September of this year. Part of the first phase includes a new retain­ ing wall around the eighteenth green, new bunkers around the green and enlarging and resurfacing the teeing area of #18. In general I feel very fortunate to be included in this pro­ ject, not only because the course is getting the attention and work it had been needing so badly, but also because I have been allowed to play such an important role in this project. I feel fortunate that my club has had that foresight to plan for the future of Harbour Trees Golf Club. I firmly believe that a competent architect and a Master Plan are the answers to a lot of questions. Credit: The Indiana GCSA Newsletter, March 1987 GOLF CART PATH PLANNING by Grant T. Spear INTRODUCTION Are golf cart paths really necessary on the average golf course? The use of golf carts and paths on courses is a highly debated issue among individuals within the golf in­ dustry. Most Southern and many Northern golf course superintendents believe path systems maximize golf cart revenue. Whether or not golf carts are good for the game, even wider use of carts is anticipated in the near future and planning should reflect this fact. PERSONAL SAFETY OF GOLF CAR DRIVERS From the initial planning stage, one must fully realize that responsibility for the safety of people and property exposed to the finished path is an inherent aspect of all design activities. The number of golf cart connected liabili­ ty and damage suits has been rising. In some cases the golf course owner, the golf cart manufacturer, the cart dealer, the course’s golf cart mechanic, the course ar­ chitect, the paving contractor who installed the path and others are all named as defendants. Losses in such lawsuits can be well over a million dollars, so precautions must be taken in designing golf cart paths. establish what the superintendent and staff have done or observed with regard to the course (Ochs 26)” . Equipment maintenance records as well as periodic safety checks should be done on each individually numbered golf cart. A list should be made of exactly what is checked in each inspection. Other precautionary steps should include the following: (1) Ask golf cart suppliers, before signing a contract, to have an engineer on their behalf inspect the course, slopes, bridges and paths for safety. Get a written affidavit stating that an engineer inspected conditions and certified that the equipment is capable of safely and routinely negotiating them, even with inexperienced drivers. (2) Install all safety features recommended by the designer like curbs, speed bumps, traction grooves, war­ ning signs, barriers, route indicators and anything else. (3) Clearly post driving instructions on golf cars for new and inexperienced drivers. This should include a warn­ ing about drinking or using “ judgement impairing” drugs while operating a cart. “ The best way to deal with potential litigation is through the use of documentation, (which should be) sufficient to (4) Rental slips should contain a liability disclaimer pro­ tecting the owner which was written by a lawyer. NOR-AM INTRODUCES lurcam 2J4G INSECTICIDE ALL THE ADVANTAGES OF TURCAM IN A CONVENIENT GRANULAR FORMULATION • FAST ACTING • GOOD RESIDUAL • DOESNTTIE UP IN THATCH • EASIER TO APPLY Now available in 40-lb. bags IMPORTANT Ptaasa ramamOaf always lo raad and loilow caislully all laOal difactions whan applying any chemical • ADVANCED CARBAMATE CHEMISTRY • COST EFFECTIVE ftN O R A M NÜHAM D U MICAL COMPANY 3b(J8 SaveiMde Road HO Bo* 749b W*iunyluii IM 1‘JUUi 10 MAXI III...Tl .. from Coast t Golf's Premier Irrigation Control System Stadium Course, PGA West Repeatedly the choice of the world’s leading architects and super­ intendents, MAXI® III from Rain Bird is recognized as golf course irrigation’s most exciting and versatile computerized control system. Sophisticated. Reliable. Powerful. MAXI® III offers state-of-the-art irrigation tech­ nology. An IBM computer, too. Not to mention the ability to handle a wide range of important functions. Lighting—securi­ ty—and a host of other necessary operations. Legends in the making—the great golf courses of tomorrow are being built today. And MAXI® III is there! Controllers. Rotors. 50 years of golf course irrigation experience. Rain Bird — the choice from coast to coast Ra/n ^ B ir d / 3400 Jefferson S.E., Grand Rapids, Ml 49508............. 616-452-3373 31691 Dequindre, Madison Hts., Ml 48071 .................313-588-2992 22159 Telegraph, Southfield, Ml 48034....................... 313-358-2994 Michigan TOLL FREE 800/544-9219 These extra measures may be costly, time consuming, and bothersome, but they may be the difference between winning and losing a court case. Besides, the records may also save money in maintenance and repairs; personal computers are handy for such records. RULES OF THUMB FOR GOLF CART PATHS No standards of placement exist for golf cart paths. The extensiveness of paths on a golf course can vary from limited paths near tees and greens of certain holes to a system covering the entire course. The factors in deciding the extent include: (a) the course design relative to traffic intensity, (b) the intensity of play, (c) the funding available, and (d) the personal feelings of members toward golf cars. WHEN TO INSTALL CART PATHS Regardless of cultural practices on a course, scarred bare areas may result from intense traffic. Soil erosion is increased in such areas. Also, traffic tends to move around these bare spots enlarging the damage more and more. The common solution is to install a path to confine the intense traffic and allow turf to grow back into the surroun­ ding area. “ Cart paths are the only realistic solution to bare, eroded areas (Beard 536).” Other specific reasons for installing paths include minimizing washout areas on hilly courses, increasing the safety of golf cart operation especially when the course is damp, reducing soil com­ paction in heavy traffic areas and directing traffic flow to minimize slow play problems. GENERAL GUIDELINES Paths should be as close to the tees as possible without completely destroying the aesthetics. Ideally, run the path parallel to the length and flow of the tee so golfers will spread possible wear all along the margins. Place the path close to where most people are expected to hit the ball in the fairway, yet reasonably out of play. Although close placement evokes the controversy about the balls hitting the path, if the paths are too far from the fairway, either use of them will slow play or nobody will use the paths. The superintendent and designer must decide on the placement on an individual basis for each hole. Also, one well placed path segment can often serve two holes in the case of parallel fairways. A combined golf cart path and service road cuts the amount of paving and the overall cost. A double duty path obviously will be built of stronger materials and therefore could also provide random security and emergency help service to stranded or distressed golfers. It is generally wise to locate irrigation satellites near paths, to allow for emergency vehicles to easily penetrate the central core of the course and to design bridges, tunnels and cross­ ings to accomodate light trucks. MINIMIZING POOR AESTHETIC QUALITIES Since golf cart paths generally disturb the landscape, conceal them as much as possible. The path can sometimes be used as an accent or can be given a more organic look if it is inconcealable. Harsh qualities can be masked with bunkers of comparable coloring, shrubs, or­ namental grasses, flowing curves rather than straight lines and by the type and color of construction material chosen. Dark colored materials of a hue similiar to the surroun­ ding turf are preferred with few exceptions. However, white limestone may blend well with sand bunkers. FACTORS IN MAKING PATH DECISIONS The practical demands of the course’s soils, the climate and the amount of available construction funds must also be considered. If the goal is to at least meet the costs of the golf carts and paths with rentals, then the long term financial picture must be considered. A short rental season and/or the probability of low golf cart volume dictate the best type of path to install. A complete path network is probably not necessary. DESIGN Many people feel golf cart paths should be installed on new courses only after about six months to a year of play. This allows the superintendent to get a picture of the traf­ fic patterns while taking safety and ease of play into ac­ count. Others think paths can be built with the new golf course. A major disadvantage of waiting to install a path is that golfers may have already developed habits of driv­ ing in the wrong areas which will be difficult to break. A third approach, used when funding is limited, is to draw up an entire path system for a course. As money becomes available, segments are contructed starting with the areas of severe wear to the areas showing the least wear. Limited Paths. On well-drained golf courses limited paths can be installed only in trouble spots allowing cars to travel on the turf elsewhere. Paths from tees which end abruptly usually see heavy wear at the end. Solutions to this problem include having the path arc slightly at the end to spread out areas of wear, using a flared cart path ter­ minus with portable barriers or combining to two (see Fig. 1). ARTHUR HILLS AND ASSOCIATES design course C a l l : 1 - 4 1 9 * 8 4 1 - 8 5 5 3 Fig. 1 Measurements. Paths widths usually fall within a range of 6 to 10 feet with 8 feet being considered the norm. A reason for this norm is that asphalt-laying machines will work at 8 foot widths. Besides, carts stay on a path better as it widens and maintenance vehicles fit well, too. PROBLEMS Avoid sharp curves by banking and/or widening the curves. Steep slopes near water or drop-offs which paths traverse should have guard rails, walls or curbs. Ex­ cessively steep uphill slopes and downhill inclines which cause excess cart speed are best avoided. Surface con­ tours are recommened to allow surface water to freely flow over or off the cart path. A center 3 to 4 percent higher than edges is suggested for flat terrain. In hilly terrain slop­ ing to one side works well (Beard 538). CHOOSING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS The types of path construction can be as simple as dumped and graded gravel to concrete of sidewalk stan­ dards. The considerations in selection of materials follow: (a) wear tolerance, (b) cost, (c) effects on play, (d) aesthestics, (e) long-term maintenance, (f) availability, and (g) course topography. COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION The cost of materials parallels the sophistication of them starting around 50 cents per square foot of rolled gravel to $2 per square foot for top-of-the-line concrete (Hurd- zman 14). Construction costs should be weighed against longevi­ ty of the path, since response to internal soil drainage and climate is the most important cost determining factor. Paths rarely have a chance to wear out before weather- specifically wet or freezing weather-ruins them. The freezing and heaving, thawing and settling of the path’s surface or base is primarily responsible for the destruction of any paved surface. Combating these forces in the construction of the path or pavement will increase cost but add to the path’s life. The best solution realistical­ ly available is to reduce soil water content as much as possible and produce a pavement resistant to settling and heaving. SURFACE MATERIALS Cheapest Paths. Spreading stone, gravel, wood chips or other loose organic materials on the ground and com­ pacting it is the least expensive alternative for a path sur­ face. Lower budget courses which start with a gravel sur­ face may, once it has settled and stabilized, wish to use it as a subbase for asphalt or concrete at some future date. Of course, this settling decreases the longevity of gravel as a surface, too. Organic materials work well on level areas where ero­ sion is not a problem. An advantage besides low costs is that it usually absorbs the impact of stray balls; hence organic materials are often used on paths in areas which often come into play. An obvious disadvantage is that reapplication is periodically needed to replace losses from erosion, weathering and decomposing else they will too rapidly soften and degrade. Another potential disadvan­ tage to organic products is that availability problems may drive up the cost. Improved Weathering Resistance. A further improve­ ment can be made by installing an engineering fabric bet­ ween the surface material and the soil. This cloth provides dimensional stability so the path materials cannot be push­ ed down and provides some underdrainage, as well. (Continued on Page 14) THE “ PEACE OE MIND" PROGRAM -Natural Organic Based -High Analysis PROFESSIONAL! DRY SPREADABLE GRANULES: Crabgrass preventer. . . .20-2-5-F TEAM Summer formula...........20-3-6 -F IRON Fall Formula..................10-5-15 + IRON Spring Valley Milorganite Professional available from: J. MOLLEMA & SON, INC. PHONE 616-245-0533 1530 EASTERN AVE SE GRAND RAPIDS MICH 49507 Additional costs of such materials is about 20 cents per square foot, but it may triple or quadruple a path’s life. However, fabrics may have en­ vironmental limits since some will become brittle and break in extremely cold environments. these engineering Without these improvements these cheaper paths are short lived compared to paved surfaces. They may last anywhere from a few days, in extremely wet conditions, to about a year prior to maintenance. Hard, Long-Lasting Surfaces. Pavements better resist environmental and traffic wear. Although the initial invest­ ment is higher, they are more maintenance free. A simple form of paving, known to some as ‘chip and seal” , is made by preparing a smooth base, applying a thin layer (about 2 inches) of gravel chips, covering it with tar and rolling. Repeating this process to a 4 inch depth reportedly works well for light vehicles. An underbase of gravel (4 inches), engineering cloth, or both will extend the life of this paving by reducing soil water effects. Chip and seal costs about 75 cents per square foot. This low-maintenance, lower costing pavement has a textured look and will last nearly as long as blacktop (Hurdzan 16). Blended asphalt, or blacktop, is a commonly used sur­ face (see Table 1) and costs as little as $1 per square foot to $2 per square foot using a gravel base and engineer­ ing clothlayers to reduce weathering (Hurdzan 16). All blacktopped surfaces are very low maintenance, long lasting and smooth riding. TABLE 1_______________________________________________ Cart path construction materials by percent use. Asphalt ................................... 65 Other: ..................................... 17 Gravel Don't have cart paths ............ 12 .......................................45 9 mentions: Cement/concrete 3 mentions: Dirt 1 mention each: Limestone-Shells-Lava rock-Sand-Woodchips. Many superintendents have found that gravel subbase for blacktop negatively influences drainage unless tile drainage is added. Hence, most pavers recommend direct placement of blacktop layers over the soil over engineer­ ing cloth. Usually at least two inches of course ashpalt is used for the bottom layer, followed by another 1 to 2 inches of coarse asphalt or fine asphalt which feels bet­ ter under spiked golf shoes. Finally, cement, which has high rigidity, nearly no maintenance requirements, prac­ tically endless life and the best ride, is the most expen­ sive paving surface. Water and acid-forming and acid- based chemicals are hard on cement. Reinforcing rods can be added to cement for increased strength much like the addition of engineering cloth to asphalt. For higher traffic roads carrying heavy equipment, at times, cement the paving of choice. Good underdraingage is still necessary even though resistance to weather is better than other materials. Aa gravel subbase (4 inches thick) and tile is usually used. Pavers is recommend a 4 inch thickness concrete with expansion joints in Northern climates. A rough texture surface is preferred in areas of foot traffic since golf spikes don’t mix with smooth cement. Alternatives. Recent innovations not yet fully tested under golf course conditions are honeycomb or matrix structures. Composed of wear-resistant materials ranging from concrete to plastic. These structures are designed to carry the weight of repeated golf cart, vehicle and foot traffic. Such a material with regularly spaced openings or cells in various geometric configurations, if properly installed over a well drained subbase with a coarse textured root zone, allows adequate water infiltration for turf to grow in the spaces (Beard 539). Interspaced vegetation provides cooling of the surface and it blends into the adjacent turfed landscape. The full potential of such a material is yet to be determined. ENCOURAGING PATH USE The main way to get golfers to use any golf cart path is to have the proper placement as was stated earlier. Most golf courses have to route their paths in a few areas in patterns that are less convenient or different from previous traffic patterns. The addition of traffic aids to encourage use, such as signs, chains, ropes, lines, landscape plantings or movable barriers, are positioned to direct traffic to the path. Golfers will hopefully adopt the new patterns and allow the eventual removal of the aids. More drastic measures like new bunkers, trees, grassy mounds or shrub plantings may be necessary in extreme cases. On golf courses with complete path systems, carts are sometimes restricted the paths. Even with incomplete paths, courses sometimes restrict cart traffic to the paths on the holes which have them. These regulations are best enforced by meetings with the club membership. to There are obviously no absolute guidelines for golf cart use on a cart path system. All decisions should be made on the basis of the course’s topography, the extent of the cart path network, the physical soil conditions, and perhaps most importantly, the opinion of the course’s clientele. Credit: Iowa GCSA MATTHEWS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. G O L F C O U R S E A R C H I T E C T U R E L A N D S C A P E A R C H . T E C T U R E G E R A L D H. ' Je r r y' M A T T H E W S 9373 East Herbison Road Laingsburg, Michigan 48848 517-641-6882 and 517-371-4511 W. B R U C E M A T T H E W S 0-16920 Timber Dune Drive Grand Haven, Michigan 49417 616-846-1502 MEMBER AMERICAN SOCIETY OF GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS IDENTIFY AND CONTROL POISON IVY Poison ivy has been particularly vigorous and it is well-adapted to many widespread this season; locations. Each poison ivy leaf is composed of three richly green, glossy leaflets. The tips of the leaflets are usually pointed, and their margins are often coarsley toothed. Where poison ivy can climb trees, fence posts or other structures it becomes a vigourus vine. Where there is no support, it sprawls to become a ground cover; in some conditions, it becomes woody and shrubby. In this form it is sometimes called poison oak, although poison oak is a different, but closely related plant. Poison ivy usually has smooth white berries; poison oak has slightly hairy white berries with small, warty projections on them. Poison ivy and poison oak are sometimes confused with a shrubby trifoliate wild plant known as fragrant sumac. One of the easiest ways to tell poison ivy and fragrant sumac apart is to crush a leaf; fragrant sumac is quite aromatic and poison ivy has no distinctive odor. Be sure to wear gloves when performing this test. Poison ivy plants are difficult to kill. Cutting off existing plants will not provide control because poison ivy develops extensive underground runners. For this reason, digging will not work. Herbicides, such as amitrole and 2,4-D are the best solution, but ones designed to kill poison ivy will also kill the plants that poison ivy grows around and through. As the vines grow through hedges or shrubs, use long-handled pruning shears to cut the plants off at ground level. When new growth appears beneath the desirable plants, it can be treated without harming other foliage. Herbicides kill poison ivy best when applied to leaves that have just reached full size. Old, well-established poison ivy may require repeated treatment. Credit: University of Missouri Cooperative Extension Service Chipco'26019 has been controlling diseases for a long time, for a long time. RHÔNE-POULENC INC. AGROCHEMICAL DIVISION BOB DUGAN. Romulus. Michigan—(313) 941-1972 STOCKING THESE FINE PRODUCTS FOR PROMPT SERVICE STANDARD GOLF PAR AIDE DU PONT NOR AM RHONE-POULENC DACONIL 2787 PBI GORDON AQUATROLS AQUASHADE W.A. CLEARY NELSON- RAINBIRD PVC PIPE & FITTINGS WEST MICHIGAN DISTRIBUTORS OF Milorganite f e r t iliz e r 1042 MICHIGAN ST . N E • GRAND RAPIDS. MICHIGAN 49503 • P O BOX 2411 PHONE (616) 458-1546 FUSARIUM NIVALE, SCLEROTIUM ROLFSII, BASIL CELL CARCINOMA.. . by Robert Breen Sr. Arrowhead Golf Club Fusarium Nivale, Sclerotium Rolfsii, Basil Cell Carcinoma, Rhizocolonia-Salani, Melanoma, Melmitha Sporium Vagans, Squamous Cell Carcinoma are but a few of the diseases that, unless specific precautions are invoked, a Chicago area superintendent may encounter in his career. If some of the above do not sound too familiar, it is because they are not turf diseases, but types of skin cancer that has afflicted several superintendents as a result of overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. is being depleted by In the past, much of the sun’s ultraviolet rays were prevented from reaching the earth’s atmosphere by a stratospheric ozone screen; however, this protective screen the misuse of chlorofluorocarbons in industry. The House Energy and Commerce Health and Environment Subcommittee has stated that skin cancer has reached epidemic proportions as a result of this abuse and is asking the present administration to persuade the industrial world to make deep cutbacks in the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons. initiate diplomatic negotiations to Lawrence L. Johnson, M.D., a dermatologist who practices in St. Charles, describes the three most common types as follows: The most common type of skin cancer is called a basal cell carcinoma. This cancer comes from a layer near the surface of the skin called the basal layer. These cancers are the most common type of cancer in the United States. They are usually slow growing and not too aggressive. They rarely go inside the body and hurt people. However, if not taken care of, they can be quite destructive to the skin and to the tissues just under the skin. Most basal cell carcinomas if caught early enough can be easily removed and cured in one treatment. The second most common type of skin cancer is called a squamous cell carcinoma. This cancer comes from the layer of skin called the squamous layer. These are not nearly as common as basal cell carcinomas, but they are considered more dangerous. Although they usually do not go inside the body, they do have the potential. Squamous cell carcinomas are most common on the lip and in the oral cavity where they can go inside the body very quickly. The only cancer of the skin that is truly dangerous is the melanoma. This tumor arises from pigment cells, not skin cells. Melanomas can also be found in the eye or the central nervous system or in another area where pigment cells exist. The melanoma can occur on any area of the body. In contrast, basal cells and squamous cells occur (Continued on Page 20) OTTERBINE® Fountains will make your members proud of their beautiful Golf Course .. 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BENHAM CHEMICALS West Michigan Sales Rep: JERRY MAKAREWICZ Residence: (616) 454-3976 G.R. Wrhse: (616) 698-1836 MI TOLL FREE: 1-800-482-6520 24800 N. Industrial Drive, Farmington Hills, MI 48018 IMAGINE A GOLF COURSE WITHOUT TREES PROTECT YOUR AVAILABLE TREES THROUGH Proper Care Lightening Protection Large Tree Pruning Tree Removals Distributors for: Mauget Tree Injectors & Terra-Sorb Moisturizer Mauget Tree Injectors control Dutch Elm Disease, Bronze Birch Borer, Diplodia Tip Blight on pines, Cytospora Canker on Spruce and nutrient deficiencies. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL Bob Kelly Home:(616) 453-6652 Rubs out grubs faster. CHIPCO'MOCAP RHÔNE-POULENC INC. AGROCHEMICAL DIVISIO N BOB DUGAN, Romulus, Michigan — (313) 941-1972 HOW WELL DOES THE AMERICAN GOLFER PLAY? National Survey Reveals Answer For The First Time The typical American golfer reports that he plays an 18-hole round of golf in 25 strokes over par, or an average score of 97. This, and other information has been provid­ ed for the first time by a survey of American golfers con­ ducted by the National Golf Foundation. The survey, titl­ ed the Golf Consumer Profile, was recently published by the NGF and contains never before available information on how golfers view themselves as players, consumers, media observers, and much more. Two-thirds of all golfers, according to the Golf Consumer Profile, report they normally break 100 on a regulation 18-hole golf course. Only one-third regularly complete play in under 90 strokes, and the elite group that posts scores in the 70s accounts for only eight percent of all golfers. Panel maintained by the NGF and Market Facts, Inc. An eight-page questionnaire was sent to a nationally representative sample of 1,973 golfers in the summer of 1986. 1,212 usable questionnaires were returned. The return sample was weighted to match U.S. Census statistics on key demographic variables. The National Golf Foundation, created in 1936, is golf’s research and promotional organization. A nonprofit organization, the NGF includes in its membership more than 500 golf product companies, national, state and local associations; golf course architects and builders; golf publications; and more than 3,000 golf courses across the United States. m e t A • m \ Men do a little better than the scoring norm, averaging 23 strokes over par per round. Women average 35 strokes over par on average. Senior golfers who are a lit­ tle short off the tee should take heart in their accuracy, for the statistics show seniors over 60 checking in with average scores 24 strokes over par, one better than the national average for all golfers. How far do golfers claim to hit the ball? The average male golfer says he realizes about 199 yards off the tee, while the average female’s tee shot is approximately 131 yards. On­ ly about 17 percent of males and 2 percent of females boast tee shots of 250 yards or more. When the men and ladies select five irons for ap­ proach shots, the men average 137 yards with that club, the ladies average 91 yards. Where does the ball go once it’s hit? Almost 50 per­ cent of all golfers admit the fade or slice most accurately describes their general ball flight pattern. However, as a golfer’s skill increases, he or she is more likely to claim a straight ball or a desired draw, according to the survey. The Golf Consumer Profile survey was conducted by mail using the Golf Consumer Mail IN D U S TR IA L • C O M M E R C IA L • RESIDENTIAL WELLS and PUMPS 4 " and LARGER P U M P SA LES 8l SER VIC E DEEP WELL TURBINE & SUBMERSIBLE 4 " RESIDENTIAL WELLS GIVEN SPECIAL ATTENTION FAST ROTARY DRILLING SOIL TEST BORING & ANALYSIS EARTH RESISTIVITY SURVEYS ENGINEERED GROUND WATER SUPPLIES 453-3212 IF NO ANSWER 453-3213 OR MARNE 677-1070 WE SPECIALIZE IN GOLF COURSE WELLS & PUMPS 3 3 1 1 3 MILE RD. N W • GRAND RAPIDS usually in sun exposed areas of skin. The incidence of melanoma cancers is increasing at an alarming rate. Deaths have even been recorded in teenagers from melanomas. Melanomas can arise spontaneously or from an irritated mole. Usually melanomas are black or dark brown, but they can be almost skin colored. It is imperative that melanomas be caught early because surgical excision is the only good treatment. The person most vulnerable to skin cancer is an individual with blue eyes and fair complexion. This does not rule out others who spend much of their life outdoors. Dr. Johnson suggests a suncreen for all Caucasians who are exposed for long periods to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. A sunscreen is a lotion designed to give protection in varying degrees. A sunscreen with a SPF of 10 offers ten times as much protection compared to no protection. The ultimate in protection is attained with a sunscreen offering a SPF of 15. Baby Oil, mineral oil or cocoa butter do not contain any protective ingredients and should be avoided. Dr. Johnson also suggests a Sam Snead type hat as being preferable to a cap. If you are at all in doubt whether or not you have skin cancer, I would suggest you see a dermatologist, as in most cases the treatment is painless, consisting of freezing the affected area with liquid nitrogen. The dermatologist will also have a better opportunity for early detection of melanoma, which has increased 85% over the past years and can prove to be life threatening. Credit: Bullsheet Chipco® Aliette® for the control of Pythium in turf fungicide • true systemic • unique mode-of- action • no watering-in • required longer spray interval • cost effective RHONE-POULENC INC. AGROCHEMICAL DIVISION Monmouth Junction, New Jersey 08852 - Telephone: (201) 297-0100 STANDARD SAND CORPORATION TOPDRESSING SAND 2150 USA Sieve 20 30 40 50 60 70 100 140 200 270 PAN MM .84 .60 .42 .30 .25 .21 .15 .10 .07 .05 % Retained .0 .6 4.6 28.5 23.6 24.3 17.6 .8 .0 .0 • Meets USGA specfications • C onsistent Q uality • Lab Reports w ith Every Shipm ent • M ichigan’s Largest Topdressing Sand Supplier Standard Sand Corporation P.O. Box 290 Grand Haven, Michigan 49417 Contact: Roy Hanson (616) 842-5180 Efficient Grass-Cutting P erform ance Eco, D iesel-Pow ered Front M ower from an . SELLING OR BUYING USED EQUIPMENT Let our computer referral service match you up with a buyer or seller. Call V.R.5. (IL) 312 - 293-1817 (Outside IL) 1- 800 - 334-7009 John C. Lapp, CGC5 L E S C O . . . fo r all you r tu rfg ra s s needs. As a major manufacturer, formulator and distributor for the green industry. LESCO sells a complete line of fertilizers, control products, grass seed, equipment, replacement parts and a wide assortment of tee markers, flags, sandtrap rakes and other golf course accessories. Whatever you need for turf maintenance, call LESCO first — toll-free. (800) 321-5325 NATIO NW IDE (800) 362-7413 IN OHIO LESCO. Inc , 20005 Lake Road. Rocky River, O hio 44116 (216)333-9250j RUSS HANCOCK LOU BECKMAN JIM HYDE FRED MILLER TURF CHEMICALS INC. 1011 E. Main P.O. Box 451 Owosso, Michigan 48867 Office: (517) 725-7145 FOR ALL OF YOUR FERTILIZER, CHEMICAL AND GRASS SEED NEEDS EXPERIENCED, DEPENDABLE PEOPLE TO SERVE YOU SÖDERSTRÖM IRRIGATION, INC. We specialize in golf course irrigation pumping plants. Complete in­ stallation, conversions and service. We handle the com plete line of Toro Irrigation Equipment. Call us for any inform ation on the above services, FREE estim ates. (616)887-8141 3560 - 13 Mile Road Sparta, Ml 49345 (616)874-9086 APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP WESTERN MICHIGAN GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION (A NON-PROFIT MICHIGAN CORPORATION) Date___________________, 19__________________ □ Class A - $30.00 □ Class B - $20.00 □ Class D - $35.00 □ Honorary Name_________________________________________________________________________________ (First Name) Middle (Wife) (Last) (R.F.D. or street and number) (Residence Phone No.) RESIDENCE (City or Post Office) (State) (Zip) Name of club or employer Address_______________________________________________________________________ Business Phone No.:__________________ Residence Phone No.:___________________ Exact title of your present position EXAMPLES: (Sup’t. of Grounds)(Sup’t.-Manager)(Sup’t.-Pro)(Ass’t. Sup’t.)(Other) I have been employed at my present position fo r _________ years. Prior to this I had been employed as follows: (Please state type of work engaged in) Send my mail to: □ __________________________________□ ______________________________ Home address Business address Each application MUST be signed by two Class A members of the Association who will certify as to reliability of the Applicant. Attested________________________ Address_____________________________________________ Attested________________________ Address_____________________________________________ Applicant’s Signature________________________________________ _______________ PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO THIS ADDRESS Chris Fochtman 7632 Alpine Ave., N.W. Sparta, Ml 49345 Nothing cuts like the Ransomes 5 gang reel team RANSOMES Fast-cutting, diesel-powered, all-hydraulic systems save time and money. For information or demonstration, call Rich Hetrick or Ed Stesny, Turf Manager at: (313)541-4660 Ideal Mower Sales 811 Woodward Heights Ferndale, Michigan 48220 Motor 350D ■ Kubota 38 HP Diesel ■ All hydraulic driven reels and lifts ■ 24" turning radius and uncut circle "O' ■ II' 6" width cuts 8 acres per hour If price is your problem, check our Motor 5/3 ■ Ford 27 HP Gas ■ 11' 6 " width cuts 6.5 acres per hour Quality doesn't cost, it pays. Special leasing terms available WESTERN MICHIGAN GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION S ★ Monday, August 31 st; 1987 ir Proceeds go to Michigan Turfgrass Foundation Research Fund. 4 Man Best Ball — Best two of four full handicap — • ENTRY FEE: $75.00 per player ($300.00 per team) • * Players in a m . Shotgun May Play Arbor Hills Country Club In P.M. (Cart Is extra) INCLUDES: - GOLF (8;00 A M . Shotgun /1 :0 0 P.M. Shotgun) - GOLF CART @ C ountry Club o f Jackson - LUNCH / REFRESHMENTS On course - DINNER @ 7:00 P.M. (Sharp) - PRIZES 8:00 AM. Shotgun 1:00 P.M. Shotgun Arbor Hills Country Club Name Handicap Entries Must be Received by Aug. 21st; 1987 Make Check Payable To: W.M.G.S.A. Mail To: Jeff Corney 2715 Leonard N.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49504 The proof is in the putting. The Greens King® IV with the revolutionary new Turf Groomer™ greens conditioner has no equal for producing faster, truer greens, without lowering height of cut. This unique, L J j j m Exclusive roller design fea­ tures bevelled edges to “pucker-up” horizontal runners. The knife blades rotate through slots in the front roll­ ers, slicing horizontal runners before they lie down. without reducing the height of cut. So, contact your Jacobsen Distribu­ tor to arrange a free demonstration. And, put this revo­ lutionary new greens care system to the test on your own proving ground. Finance plans available. Jacobsen The horizontal reel follows closely behind to clip grass while it’s standing straight, for faster, truer greens with­ out lowering height of cut. Division of Textron Inc., Racine, Wl 53403. Telex: 264428. Greens King and Turf Groomer are trademarks of Jacobsen Division of Textron. TEXTRON Jacobsen Division of Textron Inc. patented greens care system, a Jacobsen exclusive, concentrates on troublesome thatch and hori­ zontal runners that can slow down putting, or even throw off putting accuracy. The front roller “puckers up’’ hor­ izontal runners and plant leaves, readying them for clipping. Then, the powered knife blades rotate through the slots in the front roller, cutting horizontal runners and removing thatch that can choke a green to death. The reel follows closely behind, neatly cutting the grass while it’s still standing straight and true. The result: Faster, truer putting and healthier, hardier greens, ready for play. And, you get all this MILLER WEST, INC. 274 Mart Street S.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49508 (616)241-4481 SPECIFY THE BEST FOR YOUR GOLF CO W a r r e n 's " T e rra B o n tT PUTTING GREEN CONSTRUCTION SANDTRAP LINING SLOPE EROSION CONTROL TerraBond Overlapped Fabric Use TerraBond as a replacement for the usual 2" coarse sand layer between the greens mix and the gravel drainfield. The fabric will eliminate downward migration of the mix into the gravel and the subsequent reduction of water flow from the green. TerraBond’s high water permeability and highly engineered uniform density and EOS (AOS) make it an ideal fabric for this use. It will not rot in the soil-water environment. Its horizontal (planar) flow characteristic moves excess water horizontally out to the sides. Line the entire golf sand trap with TerraBond, including 6" under the surrounding sod. The sod’s roots will knit the fabric to the soil beneath. Clay and rocks will be totally restricted from moving up into the sand. Sand wash-down in rainstorms will be dramati­ cally reduced, because TerraBond interrupts the interface of sand/soil. Rakeup will be greatly reduced. Time will be saved. Also, “ wrap the in the trap drain to keep it flowing gravel” indefinitely. TerraBond’s polyester will resist chemical and ultraviolet degradation. TerraBond is utilized beneath cut slope stone protection (rip-rap) as shown above. The fabric provides long-term confinement of cut slope or fill material. functional Being constructed of soft and pliable needle- punched polyester, TerraBond will remain stable and in spite of potential exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays and/or concentrated hydrocarbons such as gasoline, diesel fuel, oil or hydraulic fluid. for many years, TerraBond also can be used construction, patio construction and planter filtration/separation. in weed control, gravel path filtration, subsurface drainage, retaining wall W a rre n 's " TerraShield Polyester 1” Geotextile Ground Covering . . . the best greens BLANKET in the business. THE EXPERTS AGREE Winter 1984-1985 Wind Desiccation Damage Test on bentgrass greens (Univ. of Nebraska-Test compared the protection of TerraShield cover with clear plastic cover and uncovered control area.) • Desiccation injury around test site was severe. Uncovered control area had 60% damage. TerraShield covered area had no injuries. Control area produced only 36% of the green cover obtained under TerraShield blanket. Green-up occurred 24 days earlier with TerraShield . . . and remained significantly greener than the uncovered control area for 21 days after cover was removed. TerraShield produced 3 times the recuperative potential of the control area . . . and twice that of clear plastic covered area. TerraShield enhanced soil temperature compared to uncovered control area. • TerraShield remained in place all winter with no ripping or tearing despite heavy winds. * CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION^ SAMPLES, AND WH PRICING. IC entury Rain Aid/ 3400 Jefferson, S.E. 31691 Dequindre Grand Rapids, Ml 49508 Madison Heights, Ml 48071 313-452-3373 313-588-2992 22159 Telegraph Southfield, Ml 48034 313-358-2994 CALL TOLL FREE number MICHIGAN 1-800-544-9219 HAHN SPRAY-PRO 44, IT WORKS. ANDWORKS... AND WORKS... Greens or fairways... the Spray-Pro 44 with its big high flotation tires to protect your turf, converts in minutes to a Sprayer, Spreader, Aerifier or Utility Bed. Designed for easy on, easy off switching and year ’round service. T h is “ c re w ” sh o u ld be w o rk in g fo r yo u the aerifier. . . Hydraulically controlled from operator’s position. Cultivates a full 42 inch width. Cleanly penetrates to 3 inches, depend­ ing on soil conditions. Optional Slicing Blades to open the soil with a minimum of turf disturbance. the sprayer. . . 160 gal. poly tank, 3-section boom for 18-1/2 ft. cover­ age. Spray with 1,2, or all 3 booms. Fingertip control of all spray system functions. the spreader. . . Precise rate settings for a uniform pattern. Top dress sand in 12 to 20 ft. swath, apply seed, fertilizer and lime 20 to 40 ft. Up to 500 lbs. per minute. the utility truck bed Reinforced steel, 1500 lbs. capacity. Converts to dump bed with addition of Hydraulic Package. FAST, WIDE COVERAGE 4 WHEEL STABILITY Low center of gravity. For more stability and safety. BIG HIGH FLOTATION TIRES Reduce compaction. Drive on golf greens safely. About half the PSI of other utility trucks and sprayers. Sold and Serviced by LAWN EQUIPMENT SERVICE & SALES 46845 W. 12 MILE ROAD NOVI, Ml 48050 • 151 NORTH PERRY PONTIAC, Ml 48058 P.O. BOX 500 (313) 348-8110 (313) 858-7700 WESTERN VIEWS’ 6442 E. Encantado Ct., N.E. Rockford, Ml 49341 Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID Permit #6 Rockford, Ml cah arid—&*— r h r' P'1 rt M i c h . S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y E a s t L a n s i n g , MI 4 08 £ 3 3