The Turf News - Atlantic Golf Superintendents Association

The Turf News
May 2012 • www.agsa.ca
Highlights!!!!
Spring Around the
Turf World
The Process of Improvement
My Turning Point

Table of Contents Membership Rates
Editor’s Message ............................................................................................ 5
President’s Message ....................................................................................... 5
Both Sides Now ............................................................................................ 6
Spring Around the Turf World ........................................................................ 7
Key to Our Success ....................................................................................... 8
Irrigation Corner ............................................................................................ 10
AGSA Member Moves.................................................................................... 11
The Process of Improvement .......................................................................... 11
A Few Shots from The Show .......................................................................... 13
A Super Worth Knowing ............................................................................... 15
My Turning Point ........................................................................................... 17
Truro Golf Course, Nova Scotia
The Turf News ~ May 2012
Class A & B $100
Associate $100
Corporate $150
Student $38
Maintenance $50
4+ employees hired
by a Class A $150
Ad & Article Deadlines
February (Supplier) February 2
May April 15
July June 15
October September 15
Advertising Inquiries
Atlantic Golf Superintendent’s
Association Inc.
PO Box 2063
Fall River, Nova Scotia
B2T 1K6
T: (902) 861-1922
F: (902) 861-1923
E: barbyorke@ns.sympatico.ca
W: agsa.ca
Turf News Co-Editors
Paul MacCormack
Barb Yorke
3

Table of Contents Membership Rates
Editor’s Message ............................................................................................ 5
President’s Message ....................................................................................... 5
Both Sides Now ............................................................................................ 6
Spring Around the Turf World ........................................................................ 7
Key to Our Success ....................................................................................... 8
Irrigation Corner ............................................................................................ 10
AGSA Member Moves.................................................................................... 11
The Process of Improvement .......................................................................... 11
A Few Shots from The Show .......................................................................... 13
A Super Worth Knowing ............................................................................... 15
My Turning Point ........................................................................................... 17
Truro Golf Course, Nova Scotia
The Turf News ~ May 2012
Class A & B $100
Associate $100
Corporate $150
Student $38
Maintenance $50
4+ employees hired
by a Class A $150
Ad & Article Deadlines
February (Supplier) February 2
May April 15
July June 15
October September 15
Advertising Inquiries
Atlantic Golf Superintendent’s
Association Inc.
PO Box 2063
Fall River, Nova Scotia
B2T 1K6
T: (902) 861-1922
F: (902) 861-1923
E: barbyorke@ns.sympatico.ca
W: agsa.ca
Turf News Co-Editors
Paul MacCormack
Barb Yorke
3

Editor’s Message
Paul MacCormack ~ Superintendent Fox Meadows Golf & Country Club
pmaccormack16@hotmail.com
Well Spring has sprung and it’s an early
one here in Atlantic Canada. Courses
around the region are opening as early as
we can remember, and things are generally
looking good with regards to turf.
The winter caused some damage here and
there, but hopefully everyone affected
can recover quickly and look forward to
a great season.
Spring is quite a time for Superintendents.
We spend most of the winter retooling
and developing the plans for the
upcoming season. Budgeting, personnel
management, inventory maintenance, and
equipment issues are but a few of the things
we deal with during this time. If the winter
treated us well we can even look to tackle
some of those overdue projects that
we have been unable to find the time for.
President’s Message
The Turf News ~ May 2012
During a dry spring, like this one, getting
out on the course early can be particularly
rewarding.
Take the time this spring to focus on
something that you have been meaning
to change, but have yet to accomplish.
This particular task will vary from course
to course, and it can be anything really. It
may be a big or small undertaking, or even
seem insignificant to most. But I guarantee
if you tackle it early in the spring your
season will run much better for it.
In this issue of the Turf News we talk
about tackling the GM/Superintendent
position, the process of improvement at
your course, and even go ‘down under’
to meet a new Superintendent. Hopefully
you will find something to take away and
make the 2012 season your best ever.
Brian Gouthro, Ashburn Golf Club, brgouthro@accesswave.ca
I promised myself I would not let the President’s
message become a weather report.
But Holy Cow… I have never seen a Spring
like this in the Maritimes! I know a fellow super
who has already applied Revolution and
some guys have watered greens a couple of
times already. I know that at New Ashburn
some of the drain lines are starting to show
on the greens and a couple of our new tees
are showing drought stress. It could be a
weird and wacky summer on the East Coast.
I want to thank everyone who helped
with the annual Atlantic Turfgrass Conference
& Trade Show. This event is the AGSA
highlight of the year. We have made a concerted
effort to re-focus the speakers and
seminars on the golf course maintenance
industry. The conference committee will
continue to book good speakers who are
both entertaining and informative.
There are several casual golf outings being
planned across the Maritimes this summer.
The first is at New Ashburn on Wednesday,
May 23rd. There are limited spaces so
please sign up early. Contact Barb at the
AGSA office and she will add your name to
the player list.
The Scramble will be held at Lakeside
Golf and CC in Lakeside NB. It will be held
on July 17th and should be a fun event. I
am looking forward to seeing the course for
the first time. The Rodd in Moncton will be
giving us a rate on hotel rooms if anyone
feels the need to stay the night. As special
room rate of $119 (standard double) has
been negotiated and a block of rooms are
set aside for AGSA.
I hope everyone has a busy and
productive season. Please try and take the
time to enjoy the successes you create at
your facilities. We are often too close to our
work to enjoy what we have accomplished.
I look forward to seeing everyone over the
next few months.
Member Golf Events
The AGSA has planned 3 events
for the summer of 2012.
The first event…
Where:
New Ashburn Golf Club,
Halifax, Nova Scotia
When:
Wednesday, May 23
1:00 Tee Time
What:
Complimentary 18 holes
A great day to connect with
your fellow turf members and
enjoy a round of golf.
~~~~~~~
4 Tee Times have been booked.
Register with Barb
at the AGSA Office:
barbyorke@ns.sympatico.ca or
902.861.1922
5

Both Sides Now…
Paul MacCormack, Superintendent Fox Meadow Golf & Country Club
As Superintendents we face a myriad of
decisions every day. Some are simple and
straight forward, others more complex.
These decisions affect everything from how
the turf behaves, how the golf course plays,
and even the level of enjoyment the course
provides. Yet there is another side to the decision
making process which usually takes
place in an office of a different nature, that
of the general manager.
It is in the GM’s office that some of the
overreaching decisions, with respect to the
golf course, are made. Decisions about day to
day interaction with members and the public,
along with those concerning the financial
health of the course all fall under the watch
of the general manager. In a well run operation
the decisions made in both turf and GM
departments should reflect the overall vision
for golf course, thereby helping the operation
stay both productive and competitive.
Most golf courses follow this formula and
for the most part it works well, but at times
it can be a source of consternation for both
sides. What happens though if the two roles
are combined? In particular, what if the Superintendent
is asked to assume both roles
and provide the vision and direction for the
golf course, all by him/herself? The Turf News
decided to put that question to a few local
Superintendents who have taken on the combined
roles of golf course Superintendent and
General Manager at their respective clubs.
First off, why would a Superintendent
want to take on the challenge of performing
both roles? Isn’t the job of Superintendent
difficult enough already? The first and
most obvious reason for considering such a
proposition revolves around finances. There
is a definite financial advantage for both the
Superintendent and the club in combining
both roles. The Super has the opportunity
to increase his/her personal earnings and
the club saves money by eliminating the
paid role of General Manager. Yet, whenever
we dig a little deeper, we see there are more
than just financial gains.
One of the outcomes of taking on both
roles is the depth of understanding one
gains from having a finger on the pulse of
both sides of the decision making process.
In addition, there is natural satisfaction
achieved by breaking through the we/they
attitude. Mike DeYoung, GM and Superin-
tendent of Glen Arbor Golf Course, reflects
on this point:
“I am a better superintendent thanks to
the experience I’ve gained in my role as Gm
and Superintendent. I have a much stronger
understanding of the financial picture
and evaluate every decision on what is best
for the total operation, not just on what is
good for the maintenance department. We
have also been able to knock down the ‘we
and they’ attitude that undermines many
golf operations. We are a team and it’s important
that we all understand the common
goals and work to that end.”
This new perspective gives the Superintendent
a better view of the entire operation
by not focusing solely on what is best for
the Turf Department. One keeps the well
being of the whole golf course in mind.
By now you may be thinking to yourself,
how does one accomplish this and not get
overwhelmed? Well according to Pascal
Richard, GM and Superintendent of Fox
Creek Golf Course, having the right people
in key positions is vital.
“Our maintenance staff has key individuals
whom I trust completely, so I have no
worries. You also need a great supporting
staff at the clubhouse. We have a wonderful
pro shop manager and events coordinator.”
Having key people in place is always important,
but it becomes magnified when
one person assumes both the Super and
GM role. Without competent people doing
the right things, the course can quickly run
into trouble.
A key component to making this all work
is good time management. Any Superintendent
knows that the ability to manage time
is one of his/her greatest assets. Knowing
who is doing what and how long it will take
allows our turf departments to get the job
done. Both Mike and Pascal warn against
trying to micro manage. Instead they both
work hard to delegate the work load.
“We have competent people in place,
and I have to respect their abilities and let
them do their jobs. If you are going to fill
dual roles, you must work smarter and pick
your spots.” says Mike.
This becomes especially evident at tournament
time as noted by Pascal:
“The biggest challenge is trying to be two
places at the same time. Tournaments can
be tough because you want to help get the
course ready and make sure that every little
detail is taken care of. At the same time you
have to be in the club house to welcome
your guests and make sure everything is going
smoothly on that end of things.”
Pascal also reflects on his time management
when it comes to home life, “It may
be tough sometimes to manage work and
home, especially with a newborn at home.
Starting work at 5:00 am helps… It allows
me to do plenty of work and still make it
home for supper. I have also been trying to
enjoy my weekends off. I think when we put
in more than enough hours during the week
we don’t have to be there every weekend.”
Another interesting nuance that becomes
an issue when doing both roles is how you
dress. Pascal, and Andrew Chant, GM and Superintendent
of Granite Springs Golf Course,
warn of keeping what you wear in mind as
you transition back and forth between your
roles. Dealing with the golfing public can
be interesting if they aren’t able to recognize
your professional position. In order to
convey an air of professionalism work boots
and muddy pants don’t fit the bill. Andrew
suggests always having a change of clothes
handy so you can easily move from an emergency
irrigation break on the 17th fairway to
conversing with a member in the pro shop.
When asked if they would do it over, all
of those we spoke with gave a resounding
yes. But all cautioned that keeping the
points mentioned earlier at the forefront of
your mind is crucial. Balance, key people,
and proper time management are vital to
not only the success of the golf course, but
to your personal well being.
A final word of caution from Pascal: “If you
are approached by owners with the opportunity
to take on the dual role I would suggest
considering it. Ensure you have a good team
in place to support you. I don’t care what anybody
says- no one can be a Superintendent,
Assistant-Superintendent, Pro-shop Manager,
Events Coordinator, and F&B Manager all by
themselves. If you try you might as well make
funeral plans right away!!!”
So if you are looking for a challenge and
wanting to take your career to the next
level, assuming the role of both Superintendent
and General Manager might be just the
tonic you need.
6 The Turf News ~ May 2012

Spring Around the Turf World…
The Minikahda Club,
Minn., USA. (above)
Claremont Country
Club, California, USA.
The Turf News ~ May 2012
Carnoustie Golf Links,
Carnoustie, UK. (left)
Vail Golf Club, Colorado,
USA. (below)
7

Key to Our Success … by Jim Alwine
Good playing conditions are not created
overnight by one person. Good playing conditions
are the result of consistent upkeep
and management by a dedicated staff, oriented
toward a common goal. As the superintendent
of Stockton Golf and Country Club,
I am the person who is ultimately responsible
for everything on the 125 acres that
my staff and I care for. I certainly cannot do
everything myself, although I tried for a few
months when I first arrived. It doesn’t take
long to realize that I’m only as good as my
staff and they are a reflection of my efforts.
Five years later, I’m happy to stand in front of
our daily assignment board and see the dedicated
individuals that look back at me.
Stockton Golf and Country Club is a private,
18-hole course established in 1914. The
original layout was designed by Sam Whiting
with renovations by John Harbottle in 1997.
The course has fairly tight, tree-lined fairways
and small greens. The majority of the property
sits below sea level with levees holding
back the water on two sides. Just off the first
tee, the newly designed clubhouse and the
ninth hole are California’s farthest inland port
with large ships providing scenery on a regular
basis. This can be a great place to work
with appreciative and supportive members. I
get many more compliments than I deserve
when most should go directly to the crew
that makes this place what it is.
I wasn’t always so thrilled with the employees
I have to work with. When we all
met each other for the first time, the majority
of the crew didn’t appear to enjoy their
jobs or their co-workers, and they certainly
didn’t like their new boss who was as young
as some of their children. As the new guy, I
brought with me many different ways of caring
for a golf course. I tried my best to explain
that there are many ways to accomplish the
same task and I would like them to try my
methods. In response I heard, “That’s not the
way we do it.” This attitude persisted until
we removed a number of employees from the
payroll over the course of a few years. Most
of the staff read the writing on the wall and
decided to accept some new ways of managing
the golf course. Five years later, these
same employees are on-board with all of our
ideas, both old and new.
Key components
In the past year, I’ve added two people to my
staff, and that has made my job and my life
much more enjoyable. When my previous
assistant left to seek employment back on
the east coast, I stumbled on an incredible
find. Rob Williams, assistant superintendent
of Stockton Golf and Country Club arrived
at the course very capable of managing his
own property. Since day one, his agronomic
sense, managing ability, and love of the sport
and industry have greatly improved the golf
course. We’ll hold on to him as long as we
can, but it seems like a waste when he could
be doing much more.
The position of assistant superintendent
is a strange one and must be unique when
compared to other industry lower-management
positions. The wages stink, the hours
are borderline ridiculous, and the promise of
a promotion is pretty bleak. However, there
are still guys like Rob who put in the time
and effort to be the best assistant they can in
hopes of getting a course of their own. When
I talk up Rob’s abilities and his impact on our
course to fellow superintendents and industry
partners, they often say, “You should keep
that quiet and hold on to him.” Someday, I’d
hope to have the opposite reputation as a superintendent
that churns out managers who
go on to succeed at their own courses.
Rob sure is a good starting point for that
and I’m sure he will find 18 holes to paint
his masterpiece. Until then, we will work together
to make Stockton GCC a little better
each and every day. Rob, like most good assistants,
wants to be involved in every aspect
of management. We discuss our strategies
for all maintenance operations including irrigation,
chemical applications, labor management,
budgeting, fertility, and tournament
preparation. He is encouraged to bring
his own ideas in all areas and he has while
accepting criticism and respecting my final
decision. The open relationship we maintain
has made him better at what he does. After
all, if he is not comfortable discussing course
management with me, how would he ever
debate a topic with a green committee or
general manager?
The best part of having an assistant like
Rob is that I know the course will be taken
care of when I’m stuck in the office, which
is way too often. Nobody goes into this profession
with the hope of working on Excel,
returning emails, and dwelling on budgets.
Of course, all that paper work is a big part
of the job and somebody needs to manage
the course and the staff. We don’t miss a
beat with Rob on the grounds and the communication
is phenomenal. We are all on the
same page. The pro shop, the front office,
the maintenance staff, and our equipment
manager all know what the other is doing.
The other staff member who has honestly
changed my life is our equipment manager,
Jan Cariati. The name alone must create
interest because, yes, this is the name of a
woman. She joined us back in November
from a nearby course and among the exhaust
fumes, battery terminal cleaner and WD40
has been a breath of fresh air. Jan’s attitude
is the main difference between her and every
other mechanic I’ve worked with over
the years. She starts the day with a smile on
her face and is just as positive when the day
winds to a close. Everyone who knows what
this job entails can understand how remarkable
this is. I honestly don’t think I could do
the job. It’s just too frustrating.
I knew the crew would be suspicious of a
female mechanic. Two weeks in, they were
coming to me, individually, and complimenting
her work. She has the intellect and background
to solve every problem we’ve thrown
her way. With some years spent changing
brakes and doing tune-ups, a degree in civil
engineering from UCLA, several years working
with her father maintaining electric boats,
and a part-time gig as an electrician there is
little that slows her down. Oh, she is also
an accomplished musician, a mother of two,
and has an aviary and turtle pond in her
backyard. All this energy translates to some
enthusiasm in the workplace and I can’t get
enough of it.
Training techniques
Not all employees are natural born superstars
like Jan and Rob, but they can be molded
into professionals with just a little encouragement.
There is nothing revolutionary about
the way we teach our employees to be their
best. I stick to the tried and true techniques
that taught me to be more than a summer
employee 15 years ago. These practices
worked then and they work now.
First off, we had to get rid of the people
that were holding us back. We had to eliminate
those employees that did not work
well with others, showed up late, called in
sick (way too often), and just plain caused
problems. Replacing a bad employee with a
good employee solves one position, but it
also strengthens everyone else on the team.
8 The Turf News ~ May 2012

It is hard to do your best and stay motivated
when the lazy trouble maker is paid the same
as you. Some employees have to pick up the
slack, and at the end of the day go home feeling
cheated. I’ve been there and when that
bad apple finally is shown the door – there is
a celebration in the break room.
Consistency on the course has to come
from consistency from the management and
the crew. I learned this when I was 16 years
old working at Morris Park Country Club in
South Bend, Ind., for Superintendent Jim
Loupee. I walk-mowed the greens one morning
and he stopped me when I was washing
the unit after finishing my loop. He told
me I mowed right-to-left not left-to-right and
I would need to go mow all of the greens
again. I thought he was kidding. He told me
to apologize to the golfers that were playing
and explain myself if needed. The members
got a real kick out it, and I never mowed the
wrong direction again, at least not the whole
loop.
The “do it again” approach works so well,
it is probably the best training technique we
employ. If the bunkers are raked wrong, go
do them all again. If the tees are not cleaned
properly, go check them all again. It wastes
The Turf News ~ May 2012
some productivity for one day, but the employee
is unlikely to make that mistake for a
second time. Nobody likes to do the same
job twice in a row.
A more positive side of encouragement
was also discovered at Morris Park during my
summer breaks. An older gentleman named
Mickey would always pump his fist when
he drove by a fellow employee working on
the course. Our group of high school kids
would laugh about Mickey’s enthusiasm, but
it started to catch on. Eventually, the whole
crew was cheering each other on with this
simple fist pump, wave, or thumbs up. It may
be silly, but I’ve brought this to every course
I’ve worked at. Some members have told me
they enjoy the way we cheer each other on
and it helps to build some unity and a team
atmosphere. However, be warned, it can be
dangerous. Just last year, one of our rough
operators (we’ll call him Abel) drove into a
tree while pumping his fist to Ricardo who
was mowing fairways. Abel smashed the left
deck of a John Deere 3245C for a repair bill of
nearly $1,000. Yes, Abel still works here, but
he’ll never stop hearing about that day.
As the crew starts to show dependability
and quality workmanship, we begin to transi-
tion more authority to their shoulders. Mario
now leads nearly all landscape installation,
upkeep, and plantings with a crew assigned
to him and very little input from the bosses
besides, “nice job.” Richard handles large irrigation
and drainage projects even though
he only knew how to raise heads two years
ago. Sal and Arnold have supervised carpentry
work in the remodel of a restroom and
some new walk paths for the tees. This is
the type of motivation that keeps crew members
happily employed year after year. We
all know that these jobs don’t pay as well as
they should, so money cannot be the major
motivation.
Each year, Stockton Golf and Country Club
gets a little easier to manage. The turf is a
little healthier and so is the equipment inventory,
but that’s only a fraction of the story.
The main reason we can do so much more is
this staff that keeps improving along with the
golf course. To all of them, thank you.
Jim Alwine is superintendent at Stockton
Golf and Country Club in Stockton, Calif.
Check out his blog at http://sgccturf.
blogspot.com/ or he can be reached at
sgccturf@sbcglobal.net.
9

Irrigation Corner
Barry K. Stone, CGIA
By the time this newsletter arrives most of
you will have charged up your irrigation
systems for the coming season. You may
discover what errors, if any, were made in
autumn during blowout, and if Mother Nature
took any revenge on the system during
the winter months.
During the last few days I have had several
calls regarding the options of how to
charge the system up for the season. A popular
question is, “Is it best to fill the system
as a whole or do by sections ?”
The answer I always give is section by
section. This way you are only filling and
pressurizing a small portion of the system
at one time. You have better control over
where the water is travelling and if there is
a leak or a problem it is isolated to the one
section. All the air should be allowed to escape
slowly … out through sprinklers, drain
valves, or air/vacuum release valves. Again,
this is an easier process in small sections. If
the process takes over a day or two and the
system leaks off over night, there are only
the sections that have been charged up to
check for leaks and not the full golf course.
Finally, if there are any breaks where dirt can
become sucked into the pipe, it is limited
to the section charged up and not the full
system.
Another frequent question is, “How long
should a system take to loose pressure before
the PM pump will come on? “This
depends on several things and events, but
here are some points to consider: The location
of your pump station in relationship to
the system will have a large part to play. For
example, a pump station located at the highest
point will lose pressure faster than one
located at the lowest point. All head pressure
in the system is working back on the pump
when it is located at the lowest point.
A system is considered reasonably tight
if the PM pump only runs every 15 minutes
and very tight if the pump runs only every
30 minutes. Again remember the pump station
location will alter these numbers and
shorten or extend them by a few minutes.
Most pump station designs call for alarms
when the number of pump starts per hour,
exceed a total of 6. When this happens it is
time to start looking for those leaks and get
them fixed.
Please contact me with any of your questions
and suggestions for the coming issues.
Your comments on items discussed
above are welcome.
Have a great spring,
Barry
10 The Turf News ~ May 2012

AGSA
Member
Moves…
Marc Altese has taken over as Superintendent
at Clovelly Golf Club in St.
John’s, Newfoundland.
Nathan Mackay is the new Superintendent
at Glasgow Hills Golf Club in New
Glasgow, PEI.
Ray Pineau has taken over at Kingswood
Golf in Fredericton, NB.
Ryan Sherry has taken over the reins at
Bell Bay in Baddeck, NS.
The Turf News ~ May 2012
The Process of Improvement
Chris Tritabaugh, Northland Country Club, Duluth, Minnesota
As I sit down to write this article, it is almost
two years to the day since I was offered
the Golf Course Superintendent position at
Northland Country Club in Duluth, Minnesota.
Northland Country Club is a 1927 Donald
Ross design. The course was constructed
on a bluff, which rises 500 feet above Lake
Superior and offers spectacular views of Lake
Superior from a majority of the holes. A round
at Northland begins with the golfer at the lowest
point on the course. After only three holes
the player will have already risen 175 feet. The
course continues to gradually climb another
125 feet, reaching its total elevation change
of 300 feet on the 13th tee. Over the next
four holes, the player works his/her way back
down the entire 300 feet of elevation.
When I first saw Northland, the course
had numerous eye-catching elements, but the
original playing characteristics Ross intended,
mainly fast and firm, were no longer present.
Reintroducing these characteristics became
central to my vision of what Northland Country
Club could be. Two years after taking the
position of Golf Course Superintendent, the
Membership at Northland is enjoying their
golf course like never before and the relationship
between them and the Turfgrass Management
Staff is exceptionally strong. Getting to
this point was not easy, and implementing the
necessary improvements was not always popular.
But with education, vision and support
from the right people, we have begun to bring
about a revival of Northland Country Club.
Disappointment Leads to Opportunity
When I first heard the Golf Course Superintendent
position at Northland Country Club
was going to be available, I was two days from
the biggest disappointment in my career. It
was September, just weeks from my wedding
day, and I had just missed out on a life changing
Superintendent position. The interview
process for that position had begun in June
AGSA / ATRF SCRAMBLE 2012
Where: Lakeside Golf & CC ... New Brunswick
When: Tuesday July 17 ~ Shot Gun 1:00pm
What: 18 Hole Scramble Tournament / Lunch / Banquet / Prizes
Cost: Same as last year [ SEE Registration Form posted on Web Site ] www.agsa.ca
** A block of rooms has been reserved at the Rodd Hotel .. 434 Main St., Moncton
Room rate (Dbl) $119 ... includes Continental breakfast / parking
PH: 506-­‐382-­‐1664 / 1-­‐800-­‐565-­‐7633 [ Identify Moncton location , AGSA Booking ]
SEE YOU THERE... REGISTER YOUR TEAM OR SINGLE PLAYER !
Include your Superintendents, Club Managers, Officials too.
ALWAYS A GREAT EVENT
11

and lasted throughout the summer. For three
months I poured my heart and soul into multiple
course visits, a presentation to the search
committee and three separate interviews. All
of this while helping my then fiancé, prepare
for our wedding. After receiving the call informing
me I was not chosen for the position,
the first thing I did was call the colleague who
had been offered the job and congratulate
him. We spent some time talking about the
strategy he felt gave him an advantage over
the competition, and ultimately the position.
Upon hearing of the Superintendent opening
at Northland, I focused all of my energy towards
creating an opportunity.
The Courtship
Not only did I feel pressure professionally to
gain my first Superintendent position at such
a gem of a course, I also felt pressure on a
personal level. My wife is a native of Duluth
and we had often dreamed of the possibilities
of ending up at Northland and raising
our family in Northern Minnesota. As soon
as the Northland position officially became
available, I set out to learn as much about the
course and make as many contacts as possible.
The first opportunity to do so came in
the days before and after our wedding, which
just happened to be in Duluth. Long before
the Superintendent position became available
I had set up a round of golf for our wedding
party the day before the wedding. This gave
me the first opportunity to see the golf course
and to begin gaining a vision for the future
of Northland Country Club. After playing the
course and returning from our honeymoon, I
spent two more days walking the course, taking
pictures, writing notes and gathering valuable
information about the golf course. During
these visits, I also had the opportunity to meet
and speak with all but two of the search committee
members.
When it came time for the interviews, not
only did I have intimate knowledge of the golf
course and strong ideas for how I wanted to
go about making improvements,
but the
members on the search
committee also saw me
as a person who was
passionate about being
their Golf Course
Superintendent. I have
since been told it did
not hurt that my wife
was a native Duluthian.
The one thing I always
knew I wanted to do as
a Superintendent was
to stand up for what I
knew was right, establish myself as the expert,
have a vision, and use that vision to guide the
membership down a path of course improvement.
I set out to establish this right from the
interview process. I was candid when it came
to my assessment of the golf course and how I
was going to go about making improvements.
Whether it was because of my passionate
approach to the interview process, my wife’s
connection to Duluth or a combination of the
two, I was offered the opportunity to bring
Northland Country Club to the “next level.”
Educating towards Improvement
Improvements necessary to bring Northland
to the oft discussed and possibly unattainable
“next level” were many. The thatch level in the
fairways was off the charts, turf cover around
many of the features was sparse at best, and
topsoil in these areas was often non-existent.
There were, however, many positives. Despite
the thatch on the fairways, bentgrass was by
far the dominant species, meaning the turf
would not only benefit, but ultimately improve,
from being dried out. The putting surfaces
at Northland were definitely set up for
success. I have often heard experienced Superintendents
say that a person’s level of success
in our industry is usually determined by
the quality of the putting surfaces, and their
conditioning should be the #1 priority. Years
of topdressing had provided a strong sand
layer and I knew with proper management
the greens would be fantastic. With a plan to
accentuate Northland’s positives, I set out to
begin the process of educating the membership
on how and why we were going to begin
making improvements.
One of my strategies for making improvements
began with the very word itself. Being
positive in my communication was important
and while we were ultimately making changes
to the golf course, the word change tends to
hold a negative connotation for many individuals.
However, when speaking about making
improvements to the golf course most will
feel as if something positive is going to be the
end result. With this in mind, I made sure to
communicate to the membership at all points
of the improvement process. In the beginning,
I laid out a plan of what we were going to
do and what would ultimately be the result.
After presenting the ideas to our Greens Committee,
gaining their support, and then acting
on the plan, I made sure the membership was
continually updated on the process. I let the
members know what they where seeing and
why, and kept them informed of any improvements
realized along the way. I also provided
examples or anecdotes from others within the
industry, which were pertinent to our situation.
I was not afraid to let people know that
at times the processes necessary to bring
about improvement, would affect the appearance
and/or the condition of the course. But
in relative terms, they were looking at shortterm
pain for long-term gain. Once the worst
of the improvement process effects were over,
I would then communicate the progress we
had made. My reports included the positive
improvements brought about after “shortterm
pain” and what the membership could
expect to see in the future. In April, in this
very space, Matt Shaffer of Merion Golf Club
wrote of considering himself a “solution rather
than a result.” Until I read Matt’s article, I
did not think of what we were doing in these
terms; however, bringing about improvements
at Northland really was more about the solution
to the problems rather than the immediate
result.
By nature, golf course superintendents are
a modest lot. We tend to allow inner satisfaction
with our accomplishments to keep us
happy. Once the improvements are realized,
be proud of it, show your membership the results
and let them know what was gained by
following the path you laid out for them.
A Big Thanks!
I want to thank my wonderful seasonal staff.
Without them, all the vision and planning
would be for naught. I also thank my full time
staff, Assistant Superintendent Jake Ryan, Golf
Course Technician Rob Tripp, and Equipment
Manager Chad Terch. They make all the little
things happen on a daily basis and allow me
to focus on the big picture. For their efforts, I
am eternally grateful. Thank you to my family
who listen to me talk about Northland and
turfgrass management more than they probably
care to. Of course, I must also thank my
wife, who after all the work I put in, might just
be the reason I got the job, and who quickly
puts me in my place when I let work come
home with me. Her support and understanding
make everything so much easier.
12 The Turf News ~ May 2012

A Few Shots From The Show…
Hugh Yorke
The Turf News ~ May 2012
2011 Superintendent of the Year, Marc Altese (right).
One for the AGSA vault… …and the water comes out here.
A little shmooze here… a little there All the water fits inside the rope?
13

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A Super
Worth Knowing…
This month the Turf News caught up with
Justin Sheehan, AGCSA member and the
Superintendent of Coffs Harbour Golf Club.
Coffs Harbour is located on the South East
coast of Australia, roughly 27,000 kms from
Halifax. Crickey, that’s a long way!
Full Name: Justin David Sheehan
Nickname: Pup
Age: 36
Family: Wife Kelly and three children
Allanah (13), Kaylah (9) and Lachlan (7).
Years as a superintendent: Seven
Previous clubs: Mudgee Bowling Club
(apprentice, 3 years); Coffs Harbour Golf
Club (apprentice, 1 year); Parkwood International
Golf Club (greenskeeper, 6 months);
Coffs Harbour Golf Club (assistant superintendent,
10 years); Mudgee Golf Club
(superintendent, 3 years); Beverley Park
Golf (superintendent, 2 years); Cabramatta
Golf Club (superintendent, 1 year).
Current club: Coffs Harbour Golf Club
Number of staff: Eleven
Course specs: 27 holes (Lakes Course
6001m, East Lakes 5772m and West Lakes
5774m). Wintergreen tees, fairways a mix
of blue couch carpetgrass and kikuyu. 328
couchgrass greens.
The Turf News ~ May 2012
What are
some of the
big issues currently
facing
Coffs Harbour
Golf Club and
how are you
and the club
planning to
meet these
challenges?
The big issues facing the club are water
treatment and the irrigation system. The
club is currently going through the process
of applying for a water grant for a water
treatment facility. This will be installed
some time this year. Plans for the irrigation
system are still being finalized and we may
look at doing the system in stages. The club
is very fortunate that we have a good supply
of storm water runoff, as well as reused water
from the treatment plant. Water quality
is fairly good but can be enhanced with the
introduction of wetlands.
What are the most challenging aspects
of a superintendent’s job today?
Environmental and OH&S issues are a large
part of the modern day superintendent’s
role.
What is the best advice you have ever
received on the job and who gave it to
you?
Greens are maintained on a knife’s edge, so
if you haven’t lost grass you’re not having a
go. – Martyn Black.
If you could change one thing about
your job what would it be?
Early mornings.
Best part about being a superintendent?
Working outdoors and construction.
What’s the best part of being involved
with the turf industry?
The friendships you make and the support
offered from fellow superintendents.
Most embarrassing moment as a superintendent?
Towing a hose behind a postie bike and
having the hose catch on a tree stump. As
luck would have it, this all happened as I
drove past my club president…
Funniest moment seen on course?
Watching my old boss (no name mentioned,
but it happened at Coffs) put the
spray rig into the dam.
Worst excuse from a staff member?
I thought it was Saturday.
15

My Turning Point
Jeff Johnson, jjohnson@theminikahdaclub.com
Many of us have had a moment in our career
that we look back on and say it changed our
professional outlook, a moment that maybe,
at the time, appeared to be about the worst
event that ever happened to us professionally.
When I encountered my moment, I had
no idea of the journey on which it would
lead me. A journey, happily, that I’m still on.
The spring of 2004 was a spring that neither
I nor anyone who was on our staff here
at The Minikahda Club will soon forget. It’s
the year our putting surfaces emerged from
winter in the worst condition one could
possibly imagine. Poa annua death affected
every green to one degree or another. Recovery
was an extremely long and painful
process. No matter what we did to heal
the greens, the process never proceeded as
quickly as we hoped. We had greens with
up to 60 percent loss and the recovery process
was close to a 12-week painful ordeal.
Throughout the experience I learned some
valuable lessons about communication, turf
management, and my skills as a superintendent.
What I did not expect was how it would
eventually mold my golf course management
philosophy. A true blessing in disguise, this
event was a precursor to what I feel has been
one of the better career decisions I have made
during my nine years as superintendent.
By losing as much Poa annua on our
greens as we did, it made the club realize
The Turf News ~ May 2012
how vulnerable our playing surfaces were to
winter kill. Seasonal disease stress also was
viewed for the threat it is, rather than something
to accept and treat. We concluded
Poa annua was our greatest liability and we
felt it would hold us back from ever having
truly great greens. This is a sea change for
us, since our putting surface at Minikahda,
as well as our overall conditioning, are highly
regarded by our membership and others.
Given this conclusion, we were confronted
with the challenge of finding a way to increase
our bentgrass populations and while
at the same time providing quality playing
surface with both turf types.
My other goal was to find a way to improve
the overall health and condition of our weakest
grass, Poa annua. Basically an oxymoron
right? I wanted to increase our bent population
but have healthier Poa, a very confusing
process to say the least. We were spending
a great deal of funds on fertilizers and fungicides,
and the one thought I kept coming
back to was, why does the plant need all of
these inputs to survive? Can we not provide
a healthier, more sustainable system through
the use of an organic-based program? If this
works for the agriculture community, why
can it not work in our environment? I wanted
to find a way to reduce our addiction to
fungicides as well as our dependence on a
regular fertility regime.
This thought process led me down the
road of investigating alternative products,
which I now no longer view as alternative,
such as seaweed extract, humic acid, molasses,
fish hydrolysate, sea mineral water,
yucca extract. These were just a few of the
products we applied in order to provide a
healthier plant as well as a healthier more
sustainable soil system. There was no
doubt that over time we began to produce
a healthier plant. We pushed the envelope.
We used less fertilizer and slowly reduced
our fungicide usage as well. Benefits which
our membership was seeing and feeling
with the quality of our playing surfaces.
During the following years the quality of
the golf course continued to improve. But
what were we doing to increase our bentgrass
population? What were we doing to
reduce or eliminate our greatest liability?
Re-grassing greens was out of the question.
We had just completed a $2.5 million restoration
to the course which had involved
shutting it down, and re-grassing greens
through yet another shutdown was not going
to happen in the near term. My answer
was to begin an over-seeding program. During
the restoration we were able to remove
between 350 to 400 trees on the course.
Trees created shade, making past over-seeding
efforts a waste of time and money. Now
with so many trees gone we might stand
a chance to grow grass from over-seeding.
For the next three years an application of
two pounds of creeping bentgrass was applied
to the greens both spring and fall in
coordination with core aeration. Seed germinated,
but with no change in our management,
Poa annua continued to dominate
the stand. We were spending close to
$5,000 for seed annually, and when I heard
a speaker at a seminar explain that in an
over-seeding program only two percent of
the seed will establish, it confirmed to me
we were wasting our time and money with
over-seeding. I know none of my members
17

would think a return of $100 on a $5,000
investment is very smart business. So we
soon abandoned the idea of over-seeding
greens.
In 2007, I received an email from a former
grounds committee chairman who was
also a past president of the club. He told me
about a program being used at his club in
California. At his club they were converting
their 90-year-old greens to predominantly
creeping bentgrass without over-seeding and
without shutting down for re-grassing, all
while maintaining quality playing conditions
for the members. Of course I was curious
and skeptical and needed to do my research.
I called the superintendent and learned
about their program. He explained the theory
and the consultants who were proponents
of the theory. I contacted the main principal
of the consulting firm and gathered more information.
In all I spoke to about five or six
superintendents working with the firm. I also
took a trip to five courses in California to see
the results for myself. I returned to our club
and met with the grounds committee and
scheduled a meeting and site visit with one
of the consulting firm’s agronomists. The
committee spent a great deal of time speak-
ing with the consultants and investigating
the benefits and potential challenges of the
program. Impressed with what we heard, we
hired the firm, Greenway Golf, and began the
process to transition our 100-year-old greens
back to a predominately creeping bentgrass
sward of turf.
We are now in our second season implementing
the cultural and nutritional techniques
recommended for this bentgrass
management program. Throughout the process
I have changed my approach to managing
the finer grasses almost 180 degrees
from my prior philosophy learned in college
and in my years as an assistant. In the past
our goal was to manage for the lowest common
denominator (the Poa); now our goal
became to create advantageous conditions
for the bentgrass to thrive. In only the first
season, about a six-month growing season
for us in Minneapolis, we saw on average a
20 percent increase in our greens bentgrass
stand. As we strive to increase the population
of bentgrass, we are seeing additional
benefits, such as a reduction in fertility as
well as fungicide usage. The entire system
seems healthier and more sustainable. We
know not every year will provide substantial
reductions in fungicide use as Mother Nature
always has the last say, but it’s a start.
We have a long way to go toward our ultimate
goal, and this past season we have experienced
a few set backs along the way. But
as we make changes and adjust the process
to meet our needs, the goal continues be
toward increasing our sward of bentgrass.
The conversion to creeping bentgrass is
going to take some time and effort, but in
the process we have altered our approach to
how we manage the golf course. We have
reduced inputs and improved playing conditions,
and are heading in a direction in
which I am confident.
For me, as I look back on the spring of
2004, I see it as a point in my career that
altered my thought process as to how we
go forward managing the golf course. In retrospect,
it provided me with a new direction
and outlook on managing the golf course
and an experience that I can say was clearly
a turning point in my career.
To contact Jeff send email to him direct
at jjohnson@theminikahdaclub.com or
visit his blog at www.minikahdagrounds.
blogspot.com.
1st Annual Kevin Tilley Memorial Hockey Game
This rocous affair, sposored by Engage Agro and Nova Turf, showcased some steller hockey skills and reinforced for some that playing a fast
paced game only once or twice a year may not be a great idea! There were 26 “skaters” and 2 goalies, all of whom are affiliated with the
AGSA. The red team prevailed 5-3 when the final buzzer went and everyone adjourned to the hospitality suite for some rehydration and
further camaraderie. It was a great way to start the conference so plan to attend in 2013.
18 The Turf News ~ May 2012

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