Greenside APR 2015 Low Res

The Official Magazine of the GCSAI l www.gcsai.org l April 2015
Greenside
Monkstown Revealed
GCSAI Education Day
Review
Protecting Water
From Pesticides
Also in This Issue: l Brian Coburn Tribute l Protecting Water From Pesticides l Regional Reports
1
greenside magazine | December 2010
l The Best Show on Earth l Prepare Rather Than Repair l The Irish Abroad l Trade News

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Greenside
From the Editor
A Somber Start to the Year
I apologise for the somber tone in my Editors
Report but The 2014 Fatalities in the Workplace statistics
produced by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) make
disturbing reading. What I noticed, in particular, about these
figures was the amount of fatalities that occurred on farms
- a sector that you could align to the sportsturf industry, as the
accident ‘danger areas’ are similar. Thirty people died on farms
in Ireland during 2014, which represents 55% of work related
deaths that year.
This is a huge amount and efforts should be made to reduce this figure in 2015.
Only last month a fatality occurred on a golf course in the UK. We hope and
pray that no such tragedy will happen here in Ireland. I urge you to be vigilant
in your workplace and keep safety in mind.
I could not let this opportunity pass without mentioning the death of former
Greenside Editor, Brian Coburn. Unfortunately Brian’s passing occurred only a
few days after the last issue of Greenside went to print, so it was not possible to
announce it in that issue.
I first met Brian at a regional GCSAI committee meeting almost
twenty years ago. At the time he was involved, with others,
modernising the GCSAI. A year after that he became editor of
Greenside magazine and brought it from a 12 page newsletter
to the format that we know now - a full colour publication
throughout. When I became Editor of Greenside, Brian gave me
lots of encouragement and sound advice. I am still influenced by
him as I prepare each edition for print. I often find myself in difficult situations and
ask myself ‘what would Brian do here?’ I will miss him a lot. Sincere sympathies go out
to his family, particularly to his daughter Tracy. She saw Brian, not only as a loving
father, but also as a mentor. Both Brian and Tracy were a formidable team together
back in the early days of Greenside and the GCSAI.
You can read more about Brian in a tribute to him on page 10.
Contents
GCSAI Education Day Review 6
Brian Coburn Tribute 10
Quick Tips for Job Seekers 12
Nature on the Golf Course 14
GIS - The Best Show on Earth 18
Protecting Water from Pesticides 20
Course Feature:
Monkstown Golf Club 28
Regional Reports 34
Sportspitch Maintenance 42
The Irish Abroad 46
Trade News 50
Front cover: Monkstown Golf Course and
Clubhouse, County Cork
Photo: Alan Mahon
Editor: Alan Mahon
Tel: 053 9158606
Email: alan@gcsai.org
The deadline for receiving
advertising and editorial for
the next issue of Greenside is:
June 24 2015
Back issues of Greenside
can now be seen on the
GCSAI website:
www.gcsai.org
Greenside designed by:
S DESIGN
www.sdesign-belfast.com
The views expressed in contributed
articles are not necessarily the views
expressed by the editor of this publication.
Editorial content and photographs
cannot be reproduced without prior
permission from the editor.
3
greenside magazine | April 2015

Dates for Your Diary
Dates for your Diary
GCSAI AGM
23 April 2015
The Annual General Meeting of the
GCSAI will take place in Westmanstown
Golf & Sports Club on Thursday 23rd
April at 7:00pm. GCSAI members are
encouraged to attend.
Glas trade Show 2015
23 July 2015
Building steadily on four successful years, GLAS,
the trade show for the amenity horticulture
and sportsturf sectors in Ireland, will take place
in Citywest, Dublin on July 23rd. For more
information visit www.glasireland.ie
Tom Jennings Memorial
22 May 2015
The second annual Golf Classic in memory of
Tom Jennings will be held on Friday 22nd May at
Castlebar Golf Club. There will be a timesheet open
for greenkeepers from 1.30pm to 4.00pm. Contact
Stephen Munnelly for further details on 086 8109582
Irish Open
28 - 31 May 2015
Recruitment
Kilkeel Golf Club
Assistant Greenkeeper
Kilkeel Golf Club in County Down is currently seeking to recruit
a highly motivated and enthusiastic Assistant Greenkeeper to
join our experienced team.
Working under the Head Greenkeeper and his Deputy the candidate
will be involved in the daily presentation, project work and all other
aspects of turf maintenance involved in the day to day running of
our championship golf course. The candidate will possess a flexible
approach to work as early starts and weekend work is required.
Applicants will need to possess the following experience and skills:
Royal County Down is the venue for the 2015
Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation, which
takes place from 28th to 31st May. This is a great
opportunity to see world class golfers compete on
one of Ireland’s top golf courses.
• 2 years greenkeeping experience
• The ability to use own initiative and work as part of a team
• A “can do” attitude and excellent attention to detail
• A minimum NVQ level 2/ FETAC level 5 in Sports Turf Management.
• PA1, PA2A and PA6 spraying certificates
Salary will be negotiable dependent on experience. Start Date: 1 May 2015.
To apply for the above position or find out more information please
email a covering letter and C.V to the Hon. Secretary at:
info@kilkeelgolfclub.com | Closing date: 1st April 2015
FOR SALE
Poa Greens Sod
For more details contact:
Mark Harris of
Harris Turf Improvements
Mobile: 087 2540166
Email: harristurfimprovements@eircom.net
www.gcsai.org 4

President’s Report by Michael McFeely Westmanstown Golf & Sports Club
Dear Member
Welcome to my last report as President of the GCSAI. It is hard to believe that my two
year term has come to an end. It only seems like yesterday when I took over the reins
from Damian McLaverty and I have enjoyed every moment of it. During these last two
years I feel we have made such a lot of progress in our education events; we can be proud what we
have achieved, such as establishing our annual Croke Park Education Day, which brought world class
speakers to our members and bringing education events around the country by way of the Roadshows in
Westmanstown (Dublin) and Cork. We certainly hope to expand on these events in the coming years and
to create new forms of education for our members, which, I hope, will be announced later on this year.
I feel that we have the opportunity to increase our membership numbers and that greenkeepers, both
young and old, would see the relevance and the benefit of being part of our team.
I have met many young greenkeepers during my term as President and I hope that I have encouraged
them to get involved in our worthy organisation on a local level because, as I have repeated many times,
we rely on our great group of volunteers to help keep the show on the road.
In conclusion I would like to thank you all for the kindness and respect that you have given me over
the past two years and to wish the incoming President, Tom Carew, all the best during his term.
Michael McFeely
President GCSAI
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greenside magazine | April 2015

2014 Croke Park
The words ‘Croke Park’ grab most Irish people’s attention. The place gives
Ireland a national identity and it is the holy grail of Irish sport. What any
footballer or hurler would give to be able to play there and follow in the
footsteps of former greats such as Christy Ring and Paidi O’Shea.
The Croke Park Education Day would not be possible if it were not for the sponsors
Last November the GCSAI held its
second annual Education Day in Croke
Park and the turnout was even bigger
than the previous year with over 230 people
attending (compared to 185 in 2013). The
attraction of the venue played an important
part - being able to view the hallowed pitch
at first hand along with practicalities such
as ‘easy to get to’ and ‘free car parking in
the middle of Dublin’s fair city’ (without the
worry of being clamped). But the real draw
for the event was the quality of the speakers
who covered a varied range of topics.
GCSAI Prersident Michael McFeely
welcomed everyone in the conference room
and thanked them for coming. First up on
the podium were Paul O’Brien and Jeff Lynch
of reGolf Design, a successful Irish company
based in Kilkenny, who specialise in
designing golf courses and who also happen
Michael McFeely, GCSAI President, with Chris
Sealy, BIGGA Past Chairman
to have offices in Sweden and Canada. Jeff
and Paul gave a presentation titled ‘Golf
Course Drainage – A Golf Course Architects
Input’. They explained the importance of
incorporating a detailed drainage system into
the plans of golf course design, not only on
the fairways and in the rough areas but also
in the bunkers.
Michael Loughran, Course Manager at
Hilton Templepatrick Hotel & Country
Club (and a former President of the GCSAI)
showed how he manages his course in a more
sustainable way without relying too much
on chemicals and fertilisers. The theme for
Michael’s talk was ‘Sustainable Management
– One Step Forward or Two Steps Back’
which hints that there can be difficulties
going down the road of sustainability.
Fota Island Assistant Superintendent,
Simon O’Hara, a natural public speaker, gave
an informed presentation on ‘USGA Golf
Greens and Irrigation Strategies’. This opened
the eyes of many, particularly when it came
to the positioning of irrigation heads around
greens and the checking of nozzles to see if
www.gcsai.org 6

Eucation Day Review
they were suitable and working efficiently.
Following Simon’s talk, the first of the
international speakers gave his presentation.
Dougie Robertson, Head Groundsman at
West Ham United FC steered away from
golf course maintenance and, instead,
concentrated his talk on ‘Managing A
Premier League Ground and Facilities’. This
was a revelation to many attending. Dougie
explained how much money a Premier Club
turnover in a year and the difference it can
make in being placed top and bottom of a
Premier League table – no pressure on the
Groundsman. He also said that in the 2016-
17 football season, West Ham FC will be
leaving its Upton Park grounds and moving
to the Olympic Stadium.
national education day sponsors
The GCSAI would like to express their sincere thanks to all the sponsors which
help make the GCSAI National Education Day possible.
Simon O’Hara giving his presentation at the
Croke Park Education Day
With the 2014 European Ryder Cup
victory still fresh on the minds of many, it
was a great privilege to have the second of
the international speakers on the podium.
Steve Chappell is the Course Manager at
Gleneagles and was the man responsible
for getting the PGA Centenary Course at
Gleneagles in pristine condition for the Ryder
Cup. His presentation was simply called ‘The
Ryder Cup’. It was great to see Steve show
how he and his team prepared the course
for the event. During the tournament many
volunteers were brought in from around the
world, including some Irish volunteers. Steve
finished his presentation by showing a short
time lapse video on the course set up over
those three days in September.
The last presentation of the day, and by no
means the least important, was given jointly
by Sheila Macken and Trevor Myles from the
Pesticide Control Service (PCS). With new
legislation deadlines looming on the horizon,
Sheila’s and Trevor’s talk was called ‘SUD
and its implications for Irish Greenkeeping
and Sports Turf Management’. It will not be
Some of the speakers left: Simon O’Hara; Michael loughran; Michael McFeely; Dougie Robertson;
Steve Chappell; Sheila Macken and Trevor Myles
long before all professional users of spraying
equipment must be registered and Sheila and
Trevor gave a step by step guide on how to
become compliant. Not only must the user be
registered but the spraying equipment must
also be in good working order.
Michael McFeely paid tribute to former
GCSAI colleague and Greenside magazine
Editor, Brian Coburn, who sadly passed away
just over two weeks prior to the Education
Day. Michael also thanked those who helped
on the day and to the people who were
involved in organising the event, particularly
Damian McLaverty.
The Education Day would not have been
possible without the financial support from
the sponsors listed above.
Feedback from the delegates was very
positive and complimentary which will be
an encouragement for the organisers of the
Education Day to do the same again, if not
better, next year.
7
greenside magazine | April 2015

Greenside
GCSAI Roadshows Visit Dublin and Cork
A larger room than last year’s was hired in anticipation of the large numbers that attended the
first of this year’s GCSAI Roadshows, which was held on 13th January last in Westmanstown Sport
& Golf Centre. The organisers were justified, as over eighty people attended the Dublin event.
The attendees were not disappointed
as a number of top quality speakers
talked about a wide range of topics
covering the sportsturf industry. These
included Willie Allen, Course Superintendent
at Esker Hills Golf Club; Steve Isaac, Director
- Golf Course Management at the R&A; Jon
Palmer, Course Superintendent at Grange
Golf Club; Rory Leonard, Confederation
of Golf Ireland (CGI) and Trevor Myles,
Pesticide Control Division, DAFM at the
Department of Agriculture and Food.
The first to speak was Willie Allen.
Willie gave a remarkable account of the
transformation of the greens at Esker Hills
from a poa annua to an all fescue putting
surface with minimal disruption. He showed
the delegates how this changeover had led to
huge cost savings in chemical and fertilizer
inputs, as well as saving man hours on
maintenance, such as hand watering.
Next up was Steve Isaac. Steve is responsible
for the tournament set up for The Open
Championships each year. He gave an
insight into what is involved in preparing the
selected courses for arguably the world’s most
prestigious and sought after tournament.
Jon Palmer gave a wonderful insight into
his career development from apprentice
greenkeeper to course superintendent, with
many sacrifices being made along the way. He
gave encouragement to those that are starting
off in their career and advised that one
must be willing to learn and avail of every
opportunity to get formal training.
Rory Leonard was the last speaker before
lunch. He talked about the background in
setting up the CGI and its ambitions for
the future. It involved the coming together
of the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI), the
Irish Ladies Golf Union (ILGU) and the
Professional Golfers Association (PGA) to
help advance the sport of golf on the island of
Ireland, for the future.
The afternoon session was devoted entirely
to Trevor Myles. He raised a lot of eyebrows
on his talk about the regulations that are
being put into law this year regarding
sprayers and sprayer operators. He warned
those present not to be complacent when
it comes to disposing of leftover sprays
and washing down of sprayers. He also
highlighted the importance of keeping
detailed records of the chemicals purchased,
where and why they were used. Trevor got
everyone thinking, so be warned; Big Brother
is watching!
www.gcsai.org
Left: Jon Palmer, Rory Leonard,Willie Allen, Steve Isaac, Michael McFeely at the Westmanstown
Roadshow
Delegates listen attentively to Willie Allen’s talk in Coláiste Stiofán Naofa
Cork Roadshow
On 3rd February the Roadshow travelled to
Cork, the venue being Coláiste Stiofán Naofa.
Willie Allen and Trevor Myles repeated the
talks they gave in Dublin to an appreciative
audience. Two new speakers gave
presentations at the Cork venue.
First was Justin O’Byrne, Confederation
of Golf Ireland followed by Colm Dockrell,
Senior lecturer at the Botanic Gardens,
Glasnevin. Justin spoke about the role that
the CGI is doing to get more people to play
the game of golf. This is in the best interest
of the greenkeeping profession as the more
people that play the game, the more secure
their jobs will be and this may even create
extra employment. Colm Dockrell gave a
talk on the effects that the different light
8
colours within the light spectrum have on
the grass plant. This could have been a topic
that would overwhelm many but it turned
out to be a fascinating lecture. Did you know
that grass growing in the shadow of a tree is
affected differently than that growing in the
shadow of a building? It was an eye opener
to many.
The two Roadshows were generously
supported by the following GCSAI Education
Partners:
• Cropcare Ltd
• DAR Golf Construction Ltd
• Goldcrop Ltd
• John Deere Ltd
• SOL Golf Construction Ltd
• Syngenta
• Toro

Obituary
Farewell to a Little Giant
On 8th November 2014, Brian Coburn sadly passed away after a long illness with
cancer. That day the greenkeeping and turfgrass fraternity lost one of their most
passionate and well-liked members. Brian was surrounded by his loving family at the
time of his passing at the Southern Area Hospice in Newry.
Born on 5th October 1935 in Banbridge,
Co. Down, he joined his father’s seed
merchant business James Coburn &
Sons when he left school. He spent a year
in Canada learning different aspects of the
agricultural industry but returned home
to his beloved Ireland where he took over
the reins of the family business and started
family life.
Brian worked as Managing Director
in Coburns until 1997, but he saw many
changes in the seed industry and astutely
realised that agriculture was not going to be
sustainable at the level it was. He decided to
diversify into developing ‘flora and fauna’
seed mixes in the early 1980s and in the mid
80s he developed a range of seed mixes for
the golf course industry. Bravely, he headed
south of the border with these ranges and
was warmly received. His personality and
his dedication shone through and he quickly
became a valued trade member of the
greenkeeping circle. Distance was never an
issue or tailoring seed to individual needs as
he gave every customer that personal touch.
He often travelled to Kerry one day and back
to Cork the next – but he always liked to get
home each night.
On 30th June 1997 Brian retired from
Coburns and joined the GCSAI and launched
Greenside magazine. With his business
www.gcsai.org
expertise he took the association to a
structured, organised, and highly regarded
organisation. It is Brian’s foresight and vision
that brought Greenside to what it is today.
He stepped down as Editor of Greenside
magazine in December 2002.
Brian was a keen and passionate golfer and
a long time member of Banbridge and Royal
County Down Golf Clubs.
He served as Club Captain in
these clubs in 1967 and 1994
respectively. However, it was
Royal Co. Down that seemed a
second home to him. One of his
proudest moments at the club
was in 2007 when it hosted the
Walker Cup. Brian was the club’s
Green Convenor that year. The
condition of the greens at Royal
County Down were praised by
the players and commentators,
particularly BBC commentator
Peter Alliss. The 2007 Walker Cup was also
the last tournament in which Rory McIlroy
played as an amateur.
The Irish Links Initiative (ILI) was founded
10
by Brian Coburn in 2008. With over 40 years
experience in the turfgrass supply industry
and as Green Convenor at Royal County
Down from 1996-2010, Brian’s passion for
the heritage of the links course and the
love of the links game resulted in the first
conference of the Irish Links Initiative in
February 2008 at Portmarnock Links. This
attracted Superintendents, Course
Managers, Secretary Managers
and Green Convenors from every
corner of Ireland and indeed
Scotland. He continued working
with the ILI until his failing
health prevented him attending
committee meetings but he
mustered the strength to attend
the 2014 spring conference at
Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club.
One of Brian's early Links golf was Brian’s real love
editions of Greenside but his illness prevented him
from playing for the last few
years of his life. However, being the active
and determined man that he was, he was
not going to sit in a chair and give up. He
resurrected his love of fishing, particularly
Brian landed a whopper of a fish, which he caught in Scotland in May 2014 while visiting his son.

Obituary
sea fishing and fly fishing, and bought a
little boat in 2013. Nothing gave him more
pleasure than having the wind in his hair,
sea spray on his face, the Mourne Mountains
and Royal Co. Down Golf Club in the
background and a mackerel or two on his jig!
Royal County Down
Brian will be fondly remembered by the
many friends he had in the greenkeeping
industry. His warmth and passion always
shone through and his love of people.
You could sense this as there was always
a great smile on his face when he was in
conversation with others. Brian loved
nothing more than to help up and coming
greenkeepers in developing their career. He
may have been small in stature but he will
always be remembered for his big heart. He
was indeed a little giant.
Brian is survived by his loving wife Liz, his
sons Norman and Richard and his daughter
Tracy. May he rest in peace.
Brian with Course Manager, Eamonn Crawford, during an Irish Links Initiative demonstration at
Royal Co. Down Golf Links
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Grass Seeds, Chemicals,
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James Coburn & Son Limited
32 Scarva Street, Banbridge,
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Tel: 028 4066 2207
Email: sales@coburns.co.uk
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11
greenside magazine | April 2015

Greenside
Quick Tips
for Job
Seekers
With the overall Irish unemployment rate down (at the time of writing)
but standing at more than one in ten people in Ireland (10.1%) - and youth
unemployment standing at more than one in five young people (21.6%), Trainer
and Motivational Speaker Frank Newberry offers a few quick tips for job seekers.
Frank Newberry
In this article I just want to offer a few suggestions to motivate turfcare job seekers.
Tip 1 - Get any job rather than no job
If you cannot get the job you want in turfcare then do voluntary
work, internships or even helping out people by doing odd jobs.
Employers want people with the ‘work habit’ not those who wait
around for work to come to them. At a job interview you will at least
be able to say you were actively seeking and doing work from the
outset.
Tip 2 - Get government help
You can go online right now and visit http://www.welfare.ie/en/
Pages/jobseekers_home.aspx . On this government web page you
can get started on your job search immediately by, amongst other
things, downloading a ‘Jobseeker Pack’.
Tip 3 - Apply for vacancies that do not exist
Family and friends of mine in hard times have got back into
employment by first - taking an interest in employers they admired
and second - by asking the employer to consider them when a
vacancy next occurred.
In recent times a middle-aged pal of mine sent out 50 CV’s to
prospective employers and very quickly one (with an unannounced
vacancy) replied with an invitation to a job interview. My pal’s
letter of application arrived before the vacancy advertisement had
been drafted. He went for the interview and got a job that matched
his skills and experience perfectly. The employer was also pleased
because he got the right person without spending money on agencies
or advertising.
Tip 4 - Get on someone’s succession plan
Tip 3 can be extended to include asking to be placed on someone’s
succession plan. Most sensible employers will have someone in mind
to take over a job when and if, the current job holder is suddenly
incapacitated or decides to leave the job.
Typically a Deputy would be asked to cover for the Golf Course
Superintendent until a selection has been organised and people are
invited to apply for the vacancy. The person covering the vacancy for
a few weeks can put themselves in pole position for the permanent
job with a good performance as the interim job holder.
What is there to stop any of us applying to be on the succession
plan of any employee working anywhere? Nothing - we just have to
indicate and update our availability.
Tip 5 - Get interviewed in advance
Tip 4 can be extended to help you even more if you not only suggest
you be on someone’s succession plan but you also offer to be
interviewed in advance. Why should the employer wait and wonder
about an eventual successor when they can interview you now and
have you waiting in the wings when and if the vacancy occurs? Again -
we just have to indicate and update our availability. The best part of this
for you is that you know you have passed the interview well in advance.
Frank Newberry has been helping people to develop their
careers and get better results in the turfcare sector for over 25
years. If you are having problems writing your CV or preparing
for an interview and you think it might help to talk about it you
can contact Frank directly via the contact tab of his personal
website: www.franknewberry.com | © 2015 Frank Newberry
www.gcsai.org
12

News
Welcome to the
Green QAmpus
Project
Following on from the success of the EU
Green-e project, a second EU project
Green QAmpus is now underway. The
purpose of this project is to contribute
to an agenda by design, test and
implementation of a Quality Assurance
framework monitored by Greenkeeper
Training Europe, formerly the European
Golf Education Unit (EGEU). This
will ensure standardisation of golf
education, enhance the employability
of individuals and provide global
recognition of qualifications.
The project addresses general
objectives of Vocational Education
and Training, focusing on
operational objectives to improve
quality, transparency and recognition
of qualifications and increase volume
of co-operation between organisations
providing learning.
The Green QAmpus project includes 7
partners from 4 European countries, these
being:
• Benesov College, Czech Republic
• Czech Greenkeepers Association
• Kainuu College, Finland
• Luua Vocational Training Centre,
Estonia
• SRUC Elmwood Campus, Scotland
• Federation of European Golf
Greenkeepers Association
• Greenkeeper Training - Europe
This experienced group will make a
significant contribution to Vocational
Education Training systems in the partner
countries by building upon good work
done in the previous Green-e project.
The results of this project will be based
on research methodology, reporting,
collection of data, development and
testing, training, analyzing and validation
of results and dissemination. Through
the project, a robust Quality Assurance
framework, will be adapted to suit the
Ministry requirements of each country.
This will be offered to new and existing
staff within the Golf industry in order to
enhance the work in the sector and help
them to gain recognised qualifications
within the European community.
Following on from the previous project,
the work will have a major impact on
the Vocational Education Training
programs in each partner country. The
implementation of a homogeneous
Quality Assurance framework, monitored
and supported by GT-E/ FEGGA shall
ensure future knowledge, skills and
qualifications are accepted across Europe.
Out and About: A group of students from the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin who
attended the GCSAI Croke Park Education Day last November from left; Adam Feekery, Ruairi
Coyle, Daniel Plummer, Donal O’Keeffe
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13
greenside magazine | April 2015

Nature on the Golf Course
Where Do Cuckoos Go?
Screen
illustrates the
migration
journey of
Chris the
cuckoo from
Africa to the
UK
Cuckoo, cuckoo, what do you do?
In April I open my bill;
In May I sing all day;
In June I change my tune;
In July away I fly;
In August away I must.
Chris the cuckoo with his satellite tag
In May 2011, tracking devices were first fitted to five cuckoos in the
UK. The male birds were fitted with satellite tags by scientists from
the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Two cuckoos, Lyster and
Chris arrived back to the UK the following May - the first to have
their African migration mapped.
After a 10,000 mile trip, Lyster was seen 10 miles from where he was
tagged the previous year. The aim of the project was to discover why,
each year, fewer and fewer of the birds return to the UK.
Ireland has seen a dramatic decline of cuckoos in the last two
decades and the population of the birds is continuing to decline
steadily.
The lack of information about the cuckoos’ long migration has
hampered the understanding of how to help conserve the birds.
Information obtained from the satellite-tagged cuckoos that
returned back to the UK revealed exactly where the birds spent the
winter and just how brief the time that these so-called British birds
actually spent in Britain.
“They’re African birds really,” said Phil Atkinson, head of
international research at the BTO. He has taken a leading role in the
cuckoo project.
“They evolved in Africa. Like all migrating animals, they respond
to the changing seasons - depending on lush greenery to provide
the fruit and the food for insects that they feed on. This reliance
www.gcsai.org
14
The above little poem is remembered by many of
us from our childhood days but do we really know
where these mysterious birds go in late summer?
on seasonal patterns means that a changing climate could make an
already challenging journey impossible.
“All the birds got down to Congo and survived, and it’s only on
spring migration that we started to lose birds,” said Dr Atkinson. “We
lost our first bird, Clement, in Cameroon on the return journey in
2012, so we think the crunch time is just before they cross the Sahara.”
Although the team were sad to lose the birds, Dr Atkinson said that
understanding the most challenging parts of a cuckoo’s journey - and
where they were most likely to die - provided them with an incredible
amount of new and important information.
“These birds move into west Africa, they fatten up as much as they
can - enough to fuel their Saharan crossing. If they’re not able to do
that, I think that’s going to be a real pinch point in terms of mortality.
That’s where we need to focus our research effort and conservation
action.”
Three years on Chris is the only one of the five original cuckoos still
sending signals. Since then there have been around ten birds tagged
and are now preparing to make their journey back to the UK to breed.
Let’s hope they all make it.
The BTO website shows the time-lapse movements of Chris the
cuckoo from 1st May 2014 to the present time. It is fascinating to
watch. You can follow Chris’s progress, along with the other satellitetagged
cuckoos on the BTO’s website: www.bto.org/cuckoos

News
David Wins Trip to Sawgrass
The GCSAI will be sending the winning member to join the
maintenance team at TPC Sawgrass, courtesy of John Deere.
David Perdisatt, Senior Greenkeeper at Naas Golf Club in
County Kildare, successfully came through the process.
Left: David Perdisatt with GCSAI President Michael McFeely
at the John Deere stand during their visit to the BTME show at
Harrogate
David will join the five successful winners from BIGGA
at the legendary venue for the entire duration of the
Players Championship on the PGA Tour with travel,
accommodation, subsistence and uniform all provided courtesy
of John Deere. They will even get the opportunity to attempt to hit
the island green on the course’s legendary 17th hole.
David also trains greenkeepers and is responsible for
twelve students each year, each studying for a FETAC Level 4
greenkeeping qualification.
“I was absolutely delighted when I got the call to say I’d be
joining the team. It’s a really great opportunity to network with
other greenkeepers and make connections for my future career.
My ambition is to progress to superintendent level, so my current
role is very good experience for that in terms of the responsibility
for the trainees, exposure to budgets and team management. I
would really like to offer my thanks to both the GCSAI and John
Deere for this opportunity.” Said David. He added.
“I’ve always been interested in training and trying to help people
better themselves, and I still do a lot of online studying of my own
– you can never stop learning in this industry.”
The GCSAI wish David the very best during his time in Sawgrass
next month.
Sustainability Drive
Web Page Gives Instant
Links to Successful Case
Studies
Golf club managers, greenkeepers and consultants can
now get instant access to a series of exciting case studies
and initiatives that highlight the best practice in golf
business management and sustainability.
Working
alongside the
collaborative
golf industry
Sustainability Drive
- Unlocking Golf ’s
True Potential
initiative, a dedicated
Syngenta GreenCast
webpage gives direct
links to see how
other golf clubs are
performing, and some
of the practices they
employ to ensure
business viability and
ecological enhancement.
The exciting
Sustainablility Drive
initiative is being led
by the European Golf
Course Owners Association (EGCOA) and Club Managers
Association of Europe (CMAE), in collaboration with the
Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Association
(FEGGA) and Syngenta. The implementation of the plan and
the delivery of information will be provided in partnership
with GEO (golfenvironment.org).
The single webpage portal to access some of the best examples
of what can be achieved will prove immensely beneficial for all
clubs.
To access the links from the Sustainability Drive website, visit:
www.greencast.co.uk or
http://www.egcoa.eu/sustainability-drive/
Waterford Castle Sold
Colliers International reports the sale of the Waterford Castle
following an international market campaign.
The 310 acre island with its
castle hotel, Des Smythdesigned
championship golf
course and 45 lodges attracted interest
from virtually every continent and
following a competitive bidding
process the property has been sold
to a purchaser with local family interests who resides abroad.
Marcus Magnier of Colliers International who handled the sale
was reluctant to give the exact sale price but did indicate that
in marketing the property a figure in excess of €5.2m had been
given and declared the results to be considerably in excess of this.
John Rohan of Sherry Fitzgerald Waterford acted on behalf of the
purchaser.
It is anticipated that the purchaser will now undertake a
considerable development programme in accordance with the
planning which will include increased function and leisure
capacity and the building of further bedrooms adjoining the main
castle.
All in all this is a vote of confidence for Waterford City which
should benefit considerably when the international standard
resort is completed.
15
greenside magazine | April 2015

Greenside News
Earth Day Program for
Golf Courses
Environmental nonprofit Audubon International is excited
to introduce the first global Golf Course BioBlitz, a free
programme for golf courses, which will run the week of
Earth Day, April 19-25, 2015.
BioBlitz is a species counting competition designed to create
awareness among golfers and the community about the
environmental value of the habitats supported by golf courses.
The program, sponsored by the United States Golf Association, is
open to any golf course worldwide including those unaffiliated with
Audubon International.
“How many species can you count? When we’re done, we’ll have
a great idea about the wildlife, plant-life, and ecosystems that golf
courses support around the globe,” said Doug Bechtel, executive
director of Audubon International. “A BioBlitz is also a great way for
golf courses to bring naturalists and families out to see the natural
beauty golf courses provide in their towns.”
A golf course may invite any number of participants such
as golfers and their families, local environmental
organizations, youth groups, community members,
and local experts to count plant and animal
species located on the property. Awards
will be given in the categories of Most
Species, Most Participants, and Best
Photo. Following BioBlitz, Audubon
International will compile the lists of plant
and animal species recorded and report on
the findings.
To register for BioBlitz 2015 and receive your
free toolkit, please email Tara Pepperman at tara@
auduboninternational.org The deadline to register is April 17th.
Keep Safety in Mind
Golf courses and farms are quite often seen
as opposite ends of the agri/hort industry,
particularly when it comes to maintenance.
However, one thing that is common to both sectors is the
use of machinery and the dangers that come with them
such as unguarded parts on tractors. 2014 saw the highest
number of deaths on farms in decades and farmers are being urged
to be careful this year, after thirty people died on Ireland’s farms last
year, including three children under the age of 16 and nine over 65.
This figure is an 87% increase on 2013 when sixteen people died on
farms. 55% of all work related deaths in 2014 occurred on farms.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) figures show that 55 people
were killed in work-related accidents in 2014, compared to 47
fatalities reported the previous year.
Martin O’Halloran of the HSA said that the figure is far above
what is usually seen. “It’s about one and a half times of what we
Tragedy at Celtic Manor
- ‘A Stark Reminder’
Ollie Floyd, a 20-year old operator for Complete Weed
Control, died after his vehicle rolled into a lake on the
Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor on 3rd March last.
On behalf of the Company
a spokesman said, “It
is with great regret
that we can confirm one of
our operatives, Ollie Floyd,
died at the Celtic Manor
Resort,Wales, following an
incident which saw a spraying
vehicle roll into a lake on the
Twenty Ten Course.
“The incident is clearly
The late Ollie Floyd
subject to an on-going
investigation which Complete Weed Control and Celtic Manor
are co-operating with fully. Our thoughts are with the family at
this extremely sad and very difficult time. A further statement
will be issued in due course.”
Jim Croxton, CEO of The British and International Golf
Greenkeepers Association, said, “Everyone at BIGGA was
shocked to hear of the tragic accident and our thoughts go
out to all of Ollie’s family, friends and colleagues as well as all
those at Celtic Manor who will be so profoundly affected by
the incident. The greenkeeping industry is very close knit so a
loss like this is felt very keenly across the board.”
“Coming only just over a year since a similarly tragic
accident at Hinckley Golf Club this serves as a stark reminder
that there are risks involved in working with machinery and
Mother Nature. Golf courses are beautiful environments in
which to work but we must make every effort to ensure they
are safe environments also, for greenkeepers and golfers alike.
“The duty of care for our employees and customers must be
our primary concern and we must all devote both the time and
the resources to keep it so.”
expect to see. Most times they’re foreseeable and preventable. We’re
asking farmers to make a resolution to act safely in 2015 and take
the time to check their machinery.”
He added that uncovered parts on tractors, unguarded slurry
pits and the carrying of children unrestrained in machines were
particular worries. “Any fatality on a farm is unacceptable. The
majority of farmers work safely, so there is nothing to fear for
farmers who work safely.”
These words of warning should equally be applied to those working
in the sportsturf sector.
Embrace FARM, in response to the dramatic increase in farm
accidents and fatalities, embarked on a farm safety awareness
programme that has commenced with the launch of a video
campaign ‘What’s Left Behind’, kindly supported by ABP Food
Group, in which it tells, through personal testimony, the harrowing
legacy of farm accidents. Embrace FARM was founded by Brian
Rohan and his wife Norma, a farming family from Shanahoe, Co.
Laois, in 2014 to provide a bereavement support group for farm
families who, like them, have lost a loved one or, indeed, suffered
serious injury in a farming accident.
www.gcsai.org
16

News
NEW AWARDS TO RECOGNISE BEST
PRACTICE IN AMENITY SPRAYING
A new amenity initiative is set to recognise and reward the industry’s best
sprayer operators. The Amenity Forum’s Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards
aim to improve overall standards by identifying the best practice of individuals
to enhance results, and sharing their experiences across the industry.
Amenity Forum Chairman, Professor John Moverley,
highlighted that accurate and efficient spray application
was an integral part of the commitment to fulfil the
Sustainable Use Directive.
“The best practice in sprayer operation we are seeking to
promote can immediately reduce the risk of point source
contamination during filling and diffuse losses during application,”
he advised. “Furthermore, achieving the best possible results from
every application could reduce the need for retreatment and lower
the overall use of pesticides.
“Better results will also ensure businesses are getting the best
value for money from every treatment, in terms of turf quality
for golf and sports through to weed control on hard surfaces and
amenity areas, for example.”
The Amenity Forum Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards are
sponsored by Syngenta and Everris.
Sprayer operators are encouraged to now enter one of three
separate categories of the Award:
• Sports and amenity turf using boom sprayer
• Hard and porous surfaces using vehicle mounted equipment
• Hard and porous surfaces / Invasive weed species using hand
held equipment
Successful entrants will be sent a short questionnaire to report
on their spraying practices, designed to identify and highlight
examples of best practice, along with individual practical tips and
advice they have implemented.
A short list of finalists will be visited by a panel of independent
industry specialists to award the accolade of Sprayer Operator of
the Year in each category. Each winner will receive a Go Pro Hero
action video camera, along with £500 of training vouchers for
further CPD.
Professor Moverley added that the Awards will be supported
by a dedicated Amenity Forum website to record and share the
experiences of the industry’s best sprayer operators, magazine
articles and podcast videos, along with social media channels to
spread ideas and tips as widely as possible.
Entry Forms
Initial entry forms can be downloaded from the Amenity Forum
website, the Syngenta GreenCast website link http://www.
greencast.co.uk/uk/news/general/news-2015/new-awards-torecognise-best-sprayer-operators.aspx
or available from any of
the Amenity Forum industry members supporting the Awards.
Entry to the Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards has been
entered for NRoSO, BASIS and BIGGA CPD scheme points.
Out and About
GCSAI Croke Park Education Day
Attending the GCSAI Croke Park Education Day last November were left;
Damien Coleman, Gavin Moran, Willie Allen, Roy Butler, Mark Bewley
Left; John Nolan, Eddie Walsh, Seamus Walsh, Gay Nolan at the
GCSAI Croke Park Education Day
A Sigh Says it All
Two farmers were sitting in the pub. They both had many acres of hay lying wet in the fields and the rain was still falling
as it had done for the past four days. After being glumly silent for half an hour, one of them heaved a long, drawn-out
sigh. The other. After contemplating his friend with a look of sympathy, remarked, “You’re telling me.”
17
greenside magazine | April 2015

The Best Show
On Earth
I have been attending the American Golf Industry Show (GIS) for
seven years and every year I feel that it gets better and better.
By Trevor Dargan
Woodenbridge Golf Club
At the beginning I used to attend full day seminars and would be
mentally drained at the end of each day, as the information you
get is quite heavy and you need to be 100% into your chosen
topic. Then I moved onto doing two half day seminars in order to try
and cover as many subjects as possible. This is not for everyone, as the
subjects covered are varied and spread over numerous subjects, and
there are too many to mention in this article. There is something for
everyone and everything. There isn’t a golf course related topic that is
not covered somewhere in GIS and if, by chance, you don’t find what
you are looking for you can always suggest your interested topic is
included at next year’s show.
Looking back now, I wish had planned my education days a lot better
and targeted areas which needed the most information relating to
my course for the coming season, and not just picking a seminar on
matters that I had personal feelings for. Now it’s so different. I plan,
or target, what I want out of each show, be it from the educational
seminars or the trade show. As this show is probably the biggest you
will ever see that is strictly golf course related, you need a plan.
Entrance to the GIS
According to GCSAA figures,12,400 people attended the show with
551 exhibitors renting 182,000 square feet. This is amazing considering
the dip in our recession. Credit must go to the GCSAA; their standards
and drive never drops. This event is about showing what is great and
good about our industry. It is like Disneyland for greenkeepers. All
machinery needs are covered, as the big companies have huge stands,
all equally impressive. Nothing is left to chance. They have it all. The
chemical and fertilizer companies have a one stop shop right there.
Their knowledge has to be commended. Gone are the days of just
trying to push stuff onto you. The technical end is covered thoroughly
before you even get a chance to discuss costs. For any assistant
superintendent these are great places to pick up that much needed
information on products.
While in America I went to Chicago as a stopover before heading to
San Antonio, mainly because I got a chance to visit Medinah, the venue
Left: Fintan Brennan, Mick Brennan, Ray Brennan exhibiting at their
Greenstester stand in GIS
for the 2012 Ryder Cup. Nothing could prepare you for a visit to such a
magnificent place. Even though it was under snow, it was not what we
went to see - it was the fantastic clubhouse and maintenance facility. We
were shown around by Dane, one of the three course superintendents.
He is a brilliant guy and has a mind full of information. He answered
all the tricky questions you would expect us to ask. If you ever want to
see record keeping at its best you should go there to see the ‘Bible of
Medinah’ as they keep a record of everything and add it into a binder
which is now 100mm plus thick, dating from 2009 to the present. It is
kept so that no matter what superintendent is in charge of what course,
they know exactly what, when, and how much product was applied.
During our stay in San Antonio we had the pleasure of meeting up with
Turfnet and Jon Kiger. It was a special meeting as Turfnet treated us like
the European team arriving to play golf against their American team.
Thank you Jon. All of the Irish team played great matches, but more
importantly made some new friends. Our Irish team won the match by
one point. We brought the coveted Hurley trophy back home again but
we look forward to playing the Americans in the Island Golf Club later
in the year. I hear on the grape vine that Turfnet are drafting in some
big guns to try and take the Hurley back to the US.
Finally, as a little island, we have a lot to be proud of. Our golfers are
taking on the world, of which we are a big part. Shane Lowery didn’t
learn his golf in Florida or Padraig Harrington in Augusta, but instead
on our very own member’s courses in Esker Hills and Stackstown
respectively. When I was at GIS I saw many Irish people trying to
make it in the new world of America such as Fintan Brennan and
his Greenstester. Well done to Fintan, his son Mick and brother Ray
for showing what is good about our Irish industry and showing the
knowledge of Irish greenkeeping in a positive light… If you want to
know more about the GIS contact the GCSAA. You can also email me
at trevordargan@inbox.com Thank you.
www.gcsai.org 18

Quarrel at the Quarry
The GCSAI (left) and TurfNet teams
It was only fitting that a group of Irish
superintendents, representing the
GCSAI, won the fifth TurfNet Emerald
Challenge golf tournament. Team
Ireland won the event by the closest of
margins - one single point for 227 in the
Stableford format event on February 24
at The Quarry Golf Club in San Antonio.
The event was expanded by four men per side this year for a
total of twelve players from Ireland and twelve representing
TurfNet. Players were all in town for the Golf Industry Show
and it was the second consecutive playing of the match on US soil.
Dark skies and cool temperatures greeted the golfers at The Quarry
Golf Club. The front nine represented nine links style holes, while
the back nine was comprised of holes meandering around a former
quarry. It set up as an Irish front nine and an American parkland
back nine, with several forced carries on the latter.
The event was once again organised by Jon Kiger of TurfNet and
Trevor Dargan of the GCSAI. For three years from 2009 - 2011
TurfNet - an American community of golf course superintendents -
sponsored members trips to play golf in Ireland and to meet up with
their Irish counterparts. Amid five days of golf on the Irish links,
TurfNet set aside one of the days’ matches to be held in conjunction
with a GCSAI regional meeting. Previous locations include Lahinch
(2009), Enniscrone (2010) and the Island Golf Club (2011). In each
of those years TurfNet won the competition - in 2010 also by a single
point.
The winning Irish team
A traveling hurley stick trophy has been the coveted prize each year
and bears the location and score of each match. For 2015 the Irish lads
were intent on keeping this symbol of Irish sport in its native country.
Since its inception, the tournament slogan has been, “Creating
Friendships One Putt and One Pint at a Time” and this is facilitated by
splitting the foursomes with two Irish players and two TurfNet players.
An added feature of this year’s event was team uniforms provided
by American suppliers Emerald Isle (shirts) and Turf Drainage Co. of
America (hats.) Par Aide also supplied custom logo flags, which will
be used again in future events.
TurfNet and the event return to the Island Golf Club in October.
The Irish players were: Trevor Dargan (Woodenbridge), Frank
Byrne (JFB Golf supplies), Casey O’Brien (Wicklow), Paul Fitzgerald
(Castle), James D’Arcy (DAR Golf Construction), John Smyth
(Headfort), Richie Doyle (Lucan), Fintan Brennan, Mike Brennan, and
Ray Brennan (Portmarnock Links), and Tom Sheridan (Old Conna).
19
greenside magazine | April 2015

Protecting
Water
from
Pesticides
Monitoring results in recent years has shown
that some commonly used pesticides are
being detected more frequently in drinking
water supplies. While the levels detected
are low and to date have not posed a risk to
human health, they sometimes exceed the
maximum permissible limit of 0.1 part per
billion for pesticides set by the EU Drinking
Water Directive. Careless storage, handling or
use of pesticides, or improper disposal of foil
seals or empty pesticide containers, can easily
cause breaches of this limit. The limit is so low
that a single drop, or a single foil seal from a
pesticide container, could potentially cause
an exceedance of the permissible limit along a
small stream that is one metre wide and 30cm
deep for a distance of 30 kilometres.
Two key sources of potential water pollution are “Point
Source” and “Diffuse” inputs and every effort must be
taken to minimise the potential for entry to water from
these pathways.
Point Source pollution can occur through careless practice
in the sprayer filling, mixing and washing areas and can
be as simple as an accidental spillage occurring during
filling or leaks from poorly maintained application
equipment. Filling and handling operations should
always take place well away from water bodies or
drains and a containment system should be used
to catch any accidental spillages when carrying
out these procedures. Diffuse pollution can
occur through spray drift, run off from treated
areas, leaching and drainage. When applying
pesticides, small quantities of fine droplets/
mist can move through the air, even on a
relatively calm day, and eventually be deposited
in an unintended location, such as a nearby water
body. This could impact negatively on drinking
A
SINGLE
drop of herbicide can
breach the drinking
water limit in a
small stream
for 30km
www.gcsai.org 20
Foil seals can also pollute water courses and rivers
water quality and on aquatic organisms (fish, algae, etc.). In order
to minimise the possibility of diffuse pollution, spraying operations
should not be carried out on windy days, after heavy rainfall or within
48 hours of forecasted heavy rain. Pesticides should not be applied to
frozen or saturated ground, to dry or cracked soils or broadcast on
non-permeable surfaces. Water bodies are particularly vulnerable to
run-off from hard or compacted surfaces.
Buffer zones
Before a pesticide is approved for sale and use in Ireland the
Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DFAM)
through its Pesticide Registration Division carries out a risk
assessment of the characteristics of the product. Where a
potential risk to aquatic organisms is identified, a specific
area adjacent to water bodies which cannot receive direct
application of the pesticide can be prescribed as one
of the conditions of the product approval. This area
is commonly referred to as a “buffer zone” In recent
years, the majority of products being authorised
for use in the EU require an unsprayed area to be
maintained adjacent to water bodies such as rivers,
lakes, drains etc. The extent of these buffer zones
can vary considerably depending on the product and
can range from a minimum of 1m to 70m. Apart from
some glyphosate-based formulations currently approved

Feature
Safeguard and Buffer zones must be observed around water courses
for use in or around water, no pesticide may be applied within 1
metre of any surface water body. It is important to note that these
buffer zone restrictions are specific to each product and distances
vary from product to product. Information relating to buffer zones
is detailed on the product label and must always be adhered to when
applying the pesticide. In the event of multiple products being used
in a tank mix, the largest buffer zone prescribed must be applied.
READ THE LABEL BEFORE USE. There is an obligation on the
user to be aware of the information provided on the product label
and to be aware of the location of nearby water bodies (streams,
ponds, rivers, lakes, wells etc.) and their proximity to the intended
treatment area and to the pesticide handling area.
Safeguard zones
Safeguard zones are one of the main tools identified for delivering
the drinking water protection objectives of the Water Framework
Directive. These are mandatory areas around drinking water
abstraction points where it is not permitted to use pesticides. Unlike
buffer zone information which is product specific and is always
found on each product label, information on safeguard zones is not
product specific nor is it available on any product label. Regulation
11 of Statutory Instrument 155
of 2012 – (Sustainable Use of
Pesticides) specifically prohibits
the application of a pesticide
within specified distances of a
water source as described. Such
zones can range from 5 metres to
200 metres depending on the size
of the supply as the following table
indicates. A list of safeguard zones
in a locality can be obtained from
the relevant Local Authority or
The National Federation of Group
Water Schemes. In addition
there is also a requirement that a
person shall not use a pesticide
within 15 metres of a landscape
feature that is known to be a
ground water vulnerable area
including karst areas, sinkholes
and collapse features. Penalties for
infringements of these legislative
requirements can range from fixed
penalty notices (fines) up to and
including prosecution.
Table indicating distance from open wells, open boreholes and water
abstraction points
Water Source
Abstraction point of any surface waters, borehole, spring
or well used for the abstraction of water for human
consumption in a water scheme supplying 100m³ or more
of water per day or serving 500 or more persons,
Abstraction point of any surface waters, borehole, spring
or well used for the abstraction of water for human
consumption in a water scheme supplying 10m³ or more of
water per day or serving 50 -500 persons,
Abstraction point of any surface waters, borehole, spring
or well used for the abstraction of water for human
consumption in a water scheme supplying 1m³ to 10m³ or
more of water per day or serving 10 -50 persons,
Abstraction point of any surface waters, borehole, spring
or well used for the abstraction of water for human
consumption in a water scheme supplying 1m³ or less of
water per day or serving 10 or less persons,
Distance
200m
100m
25m
This artricle comes from the Pesticide Controls Division of the Department
of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
5m
21
greenside magazine | April 2015

News
O’Keefe Elected
President of GCSAA
John J. O’Keefe, director of golf course management
at Preakness Hill Country Club in Wayne, N.J., has been
elected to a one-year term as president of the Golf Course
Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) for 2015.
O’Keefe, a certified golf course
superintendent (CGCS), served as
vice president of the association
in 2014 and has been a member of the
association’s board of directors since 2008. A
35-year member of GCSAA, O’Keefe also is a
member and past president of both the GCSA
of New Jersey and the Metropolitan GCSA.
A native of Lenox, Mass., the 58-year-old
O’Keefe earned an associate’s degree from the Stockbridge School
of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
He succeeds Keith A. Ihms, CGCS and golf course maintenance
manager at Bella Vista Village in Bella Vista, Ark., who served as
president for 2014 and will move to a final one-year term on the
board as immediate past president.
Other elected officers were Peter J. Grass, CGCS and
superintendent at Hilands Golf Club in Billings, Mont., as vice
president; and Bill H. Maynard, CGCS and director of golf course
maintenance operations at St. Albans Country Club in St. Louis,
as secretary/treasurer.
Three others were re-elected and will continue service on
the nine-member board. They are Darren J. Davis, CGCS and
superintendent at Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples, Fla.; John
R. Fulling Jr., CGCS and grounds and facilities manager at
Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club; and Mark F. Jordan, CGCS
and natural resource leader at Westfield Group Country Club in
Westfield Center, Ohio.
Rafael Barajas, CGCS and superintendent at Hacienda Golf
Club in La Habra Heights, Calif., will continue on the board as a
director, while Kevin P. Breen, CGCS, was appointed to the board
and will serve a one-year term.
Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS and general manager at the Olympic
Club in San Francisco, Calif., retires from the board after serving
the last year as immediate past president.
Clarke Appointed
Ryder Cup Captain
Tourism Ireland has welcomed the appointment of
Darren Clarke as Europe’s new Ryder Cup captain for
2016 and believes the decision will greatly enhance its
continued ability to promote Ireland as a world-class
golf destination.
Clarke, one of
Tourism Ireland’s
golf ambassadors
alongside world number
one Rory McIlroy, Graeme
McDowell, Padraig
Harrington and Paul
McGinley, was confirmed
in the role by the European
Tour on February 18 to lead Europe’s Ryder Cup defence at
Hazeltine National in Minnesota, USA, from September 30 to
October 2, 2016.
The 46-year-old will be the second Irishman in succession
to captain Europe after McGinley led the continent to its
eighth victory in 10 meetings against America last September.
Latest figures show that the economic impact of golf
tourism in Ireland has risen to £33million, up from
£27million, and promoting Ireland as a leading global golf
destination will be a major focus for Tourism Ireland in
Britain and other key worldwide markets in 2015.
The organisation has launched an extensive programme of
promotions to help deliver its aim this year, and at the heart
of the promotional activity will be the 2015 Irish Open, which
will take place at Royal County Down from May 28-31.
It will be the first time in 75 years that the event has been
played at the historic links venue in Newcastle,
Co. Down, and the tournament is set
to attract global attention, with home
favourite McIlroy set to lead a starstudded
field of world-class stars.
It Pays to Lose
Seamus Weldon Sales Rep, Tom Gentleman, winning the Michael
Sheils A4 Road race in Limerick
Losing weight can reap huge rewards
as was the case with Tom Gentleman,
Sales Rep for Seamus Weldon Golf &
Turf. Tom took part in the Michael Sheils
A4 Road Race in Limerick last March and
won. A delighted Tom, who used to be a
greenkeeper at Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club
in Co. Kerry, said “I lost three and a half
stone over two years and I feel a lot stronger
and fitter for it.” Little did he think that,
during his dieting, he would go on to win a
national cycle road race. It just goes to show
that it really does pay to lose some weight.
www.gcsai.org
22

Goldcrop
Amenity
Bio-stimulants
specialists
TC5 TM
Soil Bio
Stimulant
• Degradation of Thatch & Thatch building control
• Removing Black-Layer and algae
• Accelerating soil organism activity
• Improve soil structure
• Better water permeability
• Healthier turf
• Cost effective
Winner of the European
EDGE innovation award
“I applied TC5 thatch control to the greens
at Hermitage as the opportunity for regular
topdressing this summer was non existent.
At an application rate of 30 l/Ha I recorded a 50%
reduction within a week. Due to the thatch reduction
surface water is penetrating a lot quicker with drier and
firmer greens that have had very little disease.
Three weeks later a 2nd application reduced the thatch to
near perfect levels with no disturbance to the golfers and
at a minimal labour cost. I would highly recommend TC5
as it is very effective and tank mixes very easily.”
Mark Harrington,
Hermitage Golf Course Superintendent
Goldcrop Ltd
Springhill, Carrigtwohill,
Co. Cork, Ireland
T: +353 (0)21 488 2800
E: amenity@goldcrop.ie
Keith Boland
M: +353 (0)87 254 6795
Denis Collins
M: +353 (0)87 903 0877
www.amenity.ie
Frank Byrne
M: +353 (0)87 237 4285
Andrew Keating
M: +353 (0)86 804 5101

Feature
Five Basic Considerations
When Planning a Fertiliser Programme
Planning a
fertiliser program?
Then there are
five basic things
to remember
according
to Headland
Amenity’s Andy
Russell, who says
that if you ‘Fail to
measure, then you
should plan to fail’.
1 The starting point when putting together a
fertiliser program is a soil test to measure
the available nutrients in the soil. This
will provide an understanding of the
existent nutrient status and also serve as
a benchmark to compare future results.
Without this, we have little idea whether
the existing nutrients will be sufficient to
maintain the plant going forwards. A soil
test will highlight any nutrient deficiencies
or indeed excesses which can then be
taken into consideration when planning
fertiliser inputs. A quality soil test will
also report, amongst others, organic
matter content, cation exchange capacity
(CEC), salt concentrations and pH. For
consistent results, tests should be carried
out at around the same time of year, but
frequency will depend on the soil type in
use.
2 When planning a fertiliser program it is
important to keep it flexible. The growth
and development of grasses is hugely
influenced by the weather and, as we
know, the weather is hugely unreliable.
This means that the program produced
for a ‘given’ set of conditions will have to
adapt to accommodate weather extremes
or fluctuations. The key is to have a good
understanding of how each product
www.gcsai.org
works and why it is suitable under certain
conditions.
3 Next, a strategic fertiliser program does not
just take account of soil nutrient status and
the needs of the grass plant going forwards.
It also takes into account any management
practices and practical elements that have
an impact on the day-to-day running of the
facility. Many clubs will hold an important
tournament or event and will structure the
program to make sure the turf is looking its
absolute best at this point in the year. Solid
fertiliser products can be undesirable during
the summer months as they may be easily
seen within the sward if they don’t break
down rapidly, interfering with the playing
surface. Liquid or soluble products might
be more suitable during this period and
can be applied rapidly and unobtrusively.
A fertiliser program should also consider
the application of products around planned
aeration to ensure the turf is not stressed
before the operation ensuring rapid and
strong recovery post-maintenance.
4 With seemingly milder autumn and winter
periods, plant nutrition through this time
of year is key. Low rates of nitrogen can
be applied where soil temperatures allow
and growth is occurring. In addition,
24
applications of plant protectant nutrients
(e.g. potassium, calcium) can help to
strengthen the plant and minimise stress.
Recent STRI research shows tailored
nutrient input during autumn can help to
manage disease during its most prevalent
period. Without addressing turf nutrition,
plants in warm winters can stress, weaken
and lose colour making it more susceptible
to disease and slower to respond in the
spring.
5 Last but not least, the potential cost of
any fertiliser regime must be established
at an early stage and emphasis should
be placed on getting the best possible
results for the best cost. Fertiliser bag
prices must be carefully compared as the
amount in each can vary. Another cost
implication will result from the application
rate used. High analysis products often
have the advantage of being applied at
lower rates (where granule size allows)
– thus providing better value. Soluble
fertilisers can be extremely cost-effective
in comparison with some liquids, however
they carry an increased time/labour
element in preparation. Clubs who can
purchase materials ahead, and for the
whole season, can reduce unit costs where
cash flow allows.

News
Dubai Duty Free is Title
Sponsor of Irish Open
Dubai Duty Free will be the title sponsor of the 2015 Irish
Open Hosted by The Rory Foundation. Taking place at Royal
County Down Golf Club from 28 - 31 May, the Dubai Duty
Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation will see World
Number One Rory McIlroy play the role of tournament host
on behalf of his charitable foundation.
McIlroy is set to be joined by many of world golf ’s most
exciting names, with Rickie Fowler, Ernie Els, Sergio
Garcia and Lee Westwood already confirmed to join
Ireland’s golfing superstars McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Padraig
Harrington and Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke.
McIlroy said: “It’s great news that Dubai Duty Free has come on
board as the title sponsor for this year’s Irish Open….. The European
Tour and I both have strong links to Dubai, and I am sure Dubai
Duty Free will bring a lot to the event and add to its already great
prestige.”
Away from the fairways, Dubai Duty Free owns and stages the
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. A keen supporter of
horseracing, the operation is probably best known in Ireland for its
sponsorship of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, one of Ireland’s
most prestigious races which is held at the Curragh Racecourse in
June. This year marks the 150th running of this historical race.
Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free
said, “We are delighted to become the title sponsor of the Irish Open
hosted by The Rory Foundation. The tournament has a tremendous
history and is the flagship golf event in Ireland providing thrilling
golfing action for spectators, golf fans and television viewers around
the world. This year’s tournament features a fantastic line up and
we are very much looking forward to working with Rory McIlroy
and his Foundation, The European Tour, Tourism Northern Ireland
and the members and management of Royal County Down on this
prestigious sporting event.”
George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “We
are delighted to welcome Dubai Duty Free as a title sponsor on The
European Tour and look forward to expanding our partnership with
another powerful global brand which has vast experience in the
sports sponsorship market.
“By becoming the title sponsor to the Irish Open, Dubai Duty Free
is making its mark on golf ’s world stage and further showcasing the
close collaboration that exists between so many of Dubai’s leading
companies and The European Tour.”
More than 80,000 spectators are expected and tens of thousands of
tickets have already been sold for the event, which is supported by
Tourism Northern Ireland.
Advance tickets to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the
Rory Foundation are currently available at £30 per day with season
tickets available for £75. Families will be delighted to hear that
under-16s will be admitted FREE, as long as they are accompanied
by an adult (up to four children are allowed with one paying adult).
TM
groom mow level
3 SIMPLE STEPS FOR
CONSISTENT
GREEN SPEED
The TMSystem is unique.
It has several exclusive SMART cassettes that
will tackle everyday problems experienced
on greens:
FIRST: Reduce turf canopy density by
running the SMARTUltraGroomer
NEXT: Set bedknife B.C.D. and attitude angle
on the SMARTCut for an unsurpassed level
of cut quality
LASTLY: Manipulate green speed with the
SMARTVibe and satisfy your members
need for pace
TM
The TMSystem consists of 10 SMART cassettes for ultimate fine turf management.
It is fully compatible with all main-stream makes of triplex greens mowers and lightweight
fairway mowers, as well as ATT‘s dedicated pedestrian unit - INFiNiSystem
www.advancedtt.com

Feature
Chemistry 101
B y J o h n R e i t m a n
It is understandable that golfers might be concerned about what
sort of dangers they might be exposed to on the golf course after
pesticides are applied to control disease or insect pests.
Still, despite the presence of a spray
rig cutting a path along a fairway, a
2012 study conducted by researchers
at Cornell University shows that a panel
of pesticides commonly used on golf
courses throughout the country present no
carcinogenic hazards to golfers who might
inhale lingering vapors in the hours and days
following application.
The study measured the toxic effects of 37
chemicals commonly used on golf course
greens, tees and fairways in climatic regions
across nine states.
Health risks were measured by a complex
calculation that estimated a golfer's lifetime
average daily dose of inhaling vapors from
a height of 1-2 meters during the course of
a round of golf once per day over a 70-year
period.
The findings of the research conducted
by Hywel Wong and Douglas Haith, which
were published recently in the Journal of
Environmental Quality, could go a long way
in helping the turf management industry
dispel myths about some of the low-risk, lowuse
rate chemistries that proliferate today's
www.gcsai.org
market. The researchers wrote that several
of the chemistries studied displayed high
volatilization levels (or a substance's ability to
disperse as vapor), yet none present chronic
health risks to golfers. The hazard quotient
associated with all chemicals in the study was
less than 1:10,000, while the cancer-causing
risks of 10 chemistries in the study thought to
be carcinogens was less than 1: 100 million.
Researchers noted that anything that carries a
cancer-causing risk of more than 1:1 million
is considered unacceptable in the scientific
community.
In the 2012 Cornell study, volatilization
levels of some chemistries varied by location,
which researchers attributed to weather
patterns and application procedures. At least
22 of the 37 chemistries in the study showed
negligible volatilization. The remaining 15
chemistries displayed volatilization rates
ranging from 0.2 percent to 10.4 percent
during typical annual applications
Chemistries studied were: (herbicides) 2,4-
D, benefin, carfentrazone-ethyl, clopyralid,
dithiopyr, fluroxypyr, isoxaben, mecoprop-p,
oryzalin, oxadiazon, pendimethalin,
26
penoxsulam, prodiamine, rimsulfuron,
sulfentrazone, sulfosulfuron, triclopyr;
(fungicides) acibenzolar, azoxystrobin,
chlorothalonil, cyazofamid, fludioxonil,
iprodione, mancozeb, myclobutanil,
propamocarb-hydCl, propiconazole,
thiophanate-methyl; (insecticides) acephate,
bifenthrin, chlorantraniliprole, halofenozide,
imidacloprid, indoxacarb, permethrin,
thiamethoxam.
Some chemistries in past studies have
proven to be dangerous in field studies, and
research has played a valuable role in some
being removed from the market. Some of
those active ingredients that have been
shown to be dangers in the field, such as
ethoprop, diazinon and isazofos, no longer
are registered for use in turf, and nine of the
15 chemistries in a 2007 study by Haith and
Rebecca Murphy no longer are registered by
the EPA for use in turf.
This article is kindly reproduced
courtesy of TurfNet.com

Useful Publications
Golf’s Great Twin
Miracles - Ballyliffin
By Pat Ruddy (Ruddy Golf Library - October 1, 2014)
This book showcases, through word and
photographs, the two links courses that exist
within Ballyliffin Golf Club- The Old Course
and Glashedy Links. Set within beautiful
duneland on Donegal’s northerly coast, Ruddy
writes about the development of Glashedy
Links and how it has married perfectly with the Old Links.
Hardback 72 pages | Price: €25 | ISBN- 13: 978-0-9556049-3-5
Agriculture Code
of Practice
The Agriculture Code of Practice will help
you meet your duties under the Safety,
www.hsa.ie
Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. The
Code of Practice pack contains the actual
Code of Practice itself, a Risk Assessment
document, the Safe System of Work plan for Agriculture and
the Farm Safe DVD. These documents are available for free
download on the Health and safety Authority (HSA) website:
www.hsa.ie/publications or phone Locall 1890 289389
CODE OF PRACTICE
FOR
PREVENTING INJURY AND
OCCUPATIONAL ILL HEALTH
IN AGRICULTURE
How to Stress Less
By Benjamin Bonetti (Wiley, 2014)
Whether it’s your employment status, frustrations
at your current company or a lack of leads for a
new one, your career and job search can be a great
source of stress in your life. Bonetti provides tips for
rejecting stress and keeping a level head when faced
with difficult situations.
Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-0857084682
Pesticide Application
Record Book
The Everris Application Record Book
solves the problem of spray operator
record keeping required under the
Sustainable Use Directive (SUD). A full
record of every pesticide application can
be made by filling in the columns across the double pages in this
record book. To receive your free copy contact Colman Warde at:
colman.warde@everris.com or telephone on: 087 7799527
Sales
Noel Bennet: 087-2485901
Robert Mitchell: 087-9676755
Parts
Ciaran Croke: 01-8386995
A Series Fairway Mowers
3 & 4 Series Compact Tractors
Service
Roger Inglis: 01-8386867
Quality New & Used
Golf Machinery
A40 Aercore
1500 Series Front Mowers
27
greenside magazine | April 2015

Monkstown
Golf Club
The sun was shining magnificently on a February day when I visited Monkstown Golf Club. I had
taken the wrong turn and came to Monkstown from Passage, which led me up a steep and narrow
winding road to get to the golf club. It was a lovely quiet road with plenty of trees along the way.
Course feature and Photos by Alan Mahon

Monkstown Golf Club is surrounded by beautiful woodland
When I arrived I was greeted by a welcoming handshake from Martin Travers, the club’s
Course Superintendent. Even though it was a bright sunny day, the course was closed
due to heavy frost. Ireland was in the grip of a polar airflow that week, which prevented
temperatures rising above freezing point in many parts of the country.
Martin was making the most of the
course being closed, by doing
some essential maintenance work
- removing branches and debris after recent
winter storms. “We can only do this when the
course is closed so we took advantage of the
situation”, said Martin. Indeed the course has
many trees, some dating back to long before
the club’s formation in 1908.
History
The town of Monkstown derives its name
from the area’s link with the Benedictines, but
following the dissolution of the monasteries
in Ireland in the mid-sixteenth century, the
religious lands at Monkstown passed into
secular hands. In 1636 John Archdeacon
and his wife Anastasia built a fortified
house in Monkstown. It was this structure,
Monkstown Castle, that became Monkstown
Golf Club’s clubhouse in 1908. By the early
twentieth century Monkstown was well
established as a desirable place to live, with a
local population existing of many members
of the middle and upper classes. It became a
health and leisure area where activities such
as rowing, cycling, tennis, and sailing took
place, so it was not surprising that a new golf
club was formed and this happened in 1908.
Staff remove branches and debris after winter storms
The man in charge of designing the course
was Peter O’Hare of Greenore, Co. Louth.
He became the club’s first professional. The
ground was set out as a nine hole course
of 2,500 yards and was on a sloping site
with magnificent views over Cork Harbour.
The existing mature trees in the area
complemented the course. Most of the work
was completed in three months during which
time the committee spent £300 on setting
up the club and course. On Saturday 11th
April 1908, in glorious sunshine, the club was
officially opened.
In 1925 the club sought advice from the
www.gcsai.org 30

Monkstown Golf Club
Fairway still in the grip of winter
renowned golf architect Alister MacKenzie
on how to improve the course. After many
long debates about the cost of carrying
out these improvements, alterations were
eventually carried out on the course in 1926.
In 1958, during the club’s golden jubilee,
Viscount de Vesci, owner of the land and
clubhouse, from whom the club rented, died.
The following year the club received a letter
from de Vesci’s solicitors offering to sell the
entire demesne to them for £5,000 or else
to vacate the property within three months.
Faced with this ‘gun to the head’ the club
eventually made an offer of £4,000, which
was accepted, much to the relief of the club.
This put a huge financial burden on finances,
so the club sold off Castle House, a nearby
residence, together with some land adjoining
the avenue, to ease the financial pressure.
Monkstown Castle
Looking down the 18th fairway
Martin Travers, Superintendent Monkstown GC
In 1959 members were dissatisfied with the
state of the greens and course, despite the
club’s professional carrying out a programme
of improvements.
The condition of the clubhouse
(Monkstown Castle) was deteriorating
and in the mid 1960s it was estimated that
between £10,000 - £12,000 would be needed
to carry out essential repairs to the building.
In 1966, the owner of the Parkgarrife Estate
approached the club with an offer to sell
part or all of his land to them. Parkgarrife
Estate bordered the golf club to the north
with 61 acres of land and offered the club
the opportunity to extend to eighteen holes.
Subsequently the property was bought by
the club for £12,500 and the renovation of
the clubhouse was abandoned. The site of
the historic Parkgarrife House (which was
31
greenside magazine | April 2015

Monkstown Golf Club
destroyed by fire in 1956) was to become the
location of the new clubhouse. To pay for the
development of the new nine holes, 32 acres
of land from the old course was sold in 1967,
realizing £22,000 for the club. This included
the selling of Monkstown Castle, the building
that had served as the clubhouse since 1908.
The design and construction of the new
holes was carried out by club member Tom
Carey. Tom worked for the building firm
Sisks, which provided him with the skills
necessary to design and build a golf course.
Work started on the new holes in 1968 and
Just like the old course, the new greens were
constructed using a soil based rootzone.
The greens on the front nine holes are still
the same as they were when they were built
in 1908. The new eighteen hole course was
opened for play in late 1970 at a cost of
£20,000. This was a remarkable achievement.
Maintenance
Martin has four staff working with him. They
are Kevin McCarthy, Chris O’Flynn, Des
Coen and Frank Cronin. They have served
the club well with over fifty combined years
working at the club.
Martin is Scottish and was born in Glasgow.
Talking to him you would be forgiven for
thinking that he had just got off the plane
from Scotland as his Glaswegian accent is
as strong as ever. His first job on leaving
school was as an apprentice at Haggs Castle
in Glasgow. He worked at Haggs Castle for
several years but, at the time, there seemed to
be no opportunities there for him to develop
his career. In 1989 he became aware of a job
vacancy at Monkstown Golf Club in Ireland
and decided to apply for the position. He
travelled to Ireland for the interview, which
happened to be on St. Patrick’s Day, and to
his delight was offered the position of Head
Greenkeeper (as the job title was called back
then). He has remained at Monkstown ever
since, marrying and starting a family in the
meantime.
When Martin arrived at Monkstown
the course was suffering from drainage
problems and many days of play were lost
due to it being waterlogged. When he went
for his job interview on that St. Patrick’s
Day in 1989, the course had been closed
every day since the previous Christmas.
An impervious soil pan 25cm below the
surface existed throughout the course. It was
decided, therefore, that the fairways should
be verti drained. This work was carried out
fifteen years ago using twelve inch tines.
The soil pan was shattered and the results
were immediate. Since then the fairways are
verti drained annually followed up with an
application of 600 tonnes of sand. Sand slits
were installed on the 11th and 18th fairways.
It is very rare now that the course is closed
due to heavy rainfall.
Back row left: Kevin McCarthy, Chris O’Flynn, Des Coen. Front; Frank Cronin, Martin Travers
Removing an old pathway
The view from the 18th tee
www.gcsai.org 32

Monkstown Golf Club
Branches are shredded and spread around under trees
The greens at Monkstown Golf Club are all
soil based. However, after many years of sand
topdressing, the top five inches of rootzone
is sand. Hollow coring is done only once a
year in the autumn, using half inch tines,
but the greens are solid tined monthly from
October to April. The feeding programme
changes each year. The reason for this is
that Martin relies on the results of soil tests,
taken the previous spring, before deciding
on what nutrients to apply. Based on these
results he applies a granular feed in Spring
and then, every three to four weeks, applies
a liquid feed during the growing season with
plant growth regulators added to the mix.
During the winter months 20kg of Sulphate
of Ammonia and 10kg of Sulphate of Iron is
sprayed every six weeks with liquid seaweed
added. The greens are lightly sanded every
Interesting Facts
• Peter O’Hare, the club’s first
professional emigrated to the US in
1914. He was tied seventh in the 1924
US Open which was the best finish by
an Irishman in the US Open until Rory
McIlroy won it in 2011
• In 1959 the club purchased a second
tractor for £45 to help with the
maintenance of the course.
second week in summer. This practice is very
popular with Superintendents nowadays.
Tees and greens are irrigated with water
coming from an old reservoir located beside
the 16th tee. This reservoir used to serve the
village of Monkstown.
Many mature trees are growing on the
old part of the course (the front nine) but
conifers were planted on the back nine
during the 1960s and 1970s to give definition
to the new holes. However these eventually
grew too big and had to be dealt with. In
the late 1990s and early 2000 new trees were
planted; mainly scots pine, oak, beech and
ash. The violent storms that hit Ireland in
January and February 2014 took their toll on
many trees in Monkstown so more will be
planted to replace these.
My visit to Monkstown Golf Club was a
• During construction of the 16th
green a former captain, who was
an employee of Cork Distilleries,
buried a bottle of Cork Dry Gin in the
green. Inside the bottle was a note
promising a free bottle of gin to any
player who got a ‘hole in one’ in a
competition. As luck would have it,
the new course designer, Tom Carey,
achieved this in 1971.
memorable one. The course overlooks Cork
Harbour and on a fine sunny day the views
are spectacular. It is a lovely place to play golf
and remove the cobwebs of life.
Machinery Used
Jacobsen Triplex Greens mowers x 2
John Deere Pedestrian mowers x 4
Jacobsen Triking mowers x 2
Jacobsen 3800 fairway mowers x 2
Jacobsen Bunker rakers x 2
Articulator rough mowers x 2
Tru Roller
Toro 5700 sprayer
Ultra Plant topdresser for greens
Ultra Plant topdresser for fairways
Ford 2120 tractor
Shibura tractor
New Holland tractor
John Deere Aercore
Verti Drain (greens)
Verti Drain (fairways)
Salsco mulcher
John Deere Gators x 4
33
greenside magazine | April 2015

F.E.G.G.A. REPORT By Dean Cleaver CEO
Greenkeeper Associations Gather from
all over Europe at FEGGA Conference
Greenkeeper Associations from all over Europe
gathered in Portugal for the Annual FEGGA
Conference on 13th & 14th February 2015.
The coastal town of Lagos,
in the Algarve, proved
to be an excellent venue,
enabling the Conference to be
split between the Vila Gale Hotel,
and the nearby Onyria Palmares
Golf Club (pictured right), giving
a wide range of facilities and
the opportunity to stage an Educational Roadshow for Portuguese
Greenkeepers as part of the event.
The Roadshow event was supported by Everris and Syngenta,
which attracted around forty five local greenkeepers and featured
presentations covering soil tests & interpretation of results by Everris;
the OnCourse process from the GEO; the benefits of working with an
agronomist, and concluded with a spray calibration practical session
delivered by Syngenta. The greenkeepers were enthusiastic and
engaged – their concentration very evident as the language switched
from English, into Spanish, and then finally into Portuguese!
The two-day FEGGA conference was attended by around eighty
people, representing greenkeeping right across Europe. The
Conference focused on the major issues of water usage & resource
management in Iberia; Education, featuring both the FEGGA
programme of association support operating in Europe supported by
the R&A, and the launching of the pilot of an important new initiative
from FEGGA, which will see assistant greenkeepers from across
Europe taking on temporary exchange job placements to increase
skills, confidence and motivation. A draft Joint European Position
Statement on the use of pesticides was also debated, and this will
continue to be developed over the next three months before coming
back to the Associations with more information. Couple this with
a powerful gathering session in which all European Greenkeeper
Association activity was discussed.
At the FEGGA AGM some amendments to the FEGGA
Constitution were accepted in order to help continue modernisation.
Giovanni Nava, from Bologna, Italy stood down from the Board after
his four year term. Giovanni was replaced by Joel Nunes of Palmares
Golf Club representing the Portuguese Association. The FEGGA
Board wished to mark the immense contribution of Giovanni and
thanked him sincerely for his time on the Board.
The Conference closed with FEGGA thanking conference patrons
Ransomes-Jacobsen, Toro, John Deere, Syngenta and Campey
Turfcare for their support and help in delivering some of the
education events during the show.
FEGGA is dedicated to communicate and share environmentally
sustainable ideals and skills for quality golf course management.
Participants at the FEGGA Roadshow at Onyria Palmares Golf Club, Portugal
www.gcsai.org 34

Southeast Report by Mark Murphy, Tullamore Golf Club
March is a month of many weathers and, as I write this
article, March this year has begun with snow. Let’s hope
that the weather improves as the month progresses.
Captains drive-ins are over, spring aeration is underway, fertiliser
programmes are in place, as we look forward to the start of another
season and we hope that this year will be the start of an upturn in
Irish golf.
Christmas Outing
We had fantastic weather for our Christmas outing at the world
famous European Club it was hard to believe we could be playing
links golf in mid December without jackets or woolly hats. Our
thanks go to Pat Ruddy for allowing us play his course, to the course
staff for the condition of the course and to Sidon for the way we were
looked after on the day. Rory Sweeney returned a brilliant score of 42
points on the day to win the competition.
Tom Carew takes a 75ft putt on the longest green in the world
Tony Burke tees off at The European Club
Attending the Christmas outing at The European Club from left: Trevor
Dargan, Barry Crosbie, Casey O'Brien, David Behan, Michael Doran,
Tom Carew, Rory Sweeney, Robert Kilduff, Mark Murphy
european club Results
1st Rory Sweeney
2nd Casey O’Brien
3rd Shamie Murphy
4th Ned Browne
Trade Frank Byrne
Barry Crosbie plays a shot from one of the deep bunkers at The European
Club
Educational days
Well done to everyone involved in making our three educational days
such a success. It was great to see the large crowds that attended each
day. Thanks to our sponsors for making the events possible.
The European Golf Club, Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow
Sponsors
A special thanks to the sponsors of our region for their continuing
support.
Best Advice
My father taught me why you should listen even though you want to talk.
Richard Branson
35
greenside magazine | April 2015

Northwest Report by Damien Coleman Galway Bay Golf Resort
2015 ... From Darkness Into Light
Looking back on 2014 I don’t feel we can have any complaints
overall. Even though the year got off to a terrible start, with
storm after storm, when things settled we largely had a suitable
mix of weather. We can only hope that 2015 will bring similar
weather, which will allow us to develop and improve our courses
as the year goes on. Dare I say that I noticed a slight lift in golf
participation last year? I do feel things are improving on the whole,
and we can only continue to work hard within our respective clubs
to ensure that we all get our fair share of any improvements in the
golf industry. Remaining positive and holding on to our resolve is
paramount at this stage, as I genuinely sense we are at the end of what
has been a detrimental period and could now be the beginning of a
renaissance for the golf industry - from darkness into light!!
Spring Aeration
For most of us the onset of spring can only mean one thing, aeration,
aeration, aeration. Whilst we all have varying opinions as to the size
of hole we punch, the type of tine we use, the depth we go etc., I
wonder how many of us sat back and looked at the bigger picture. Are
we aerating because we think we should? Or are we aerating because
we actually need to? In most cases it will most likely be because we
need to.
However, I still think we need to analyse our approach to aeration
programmes a little more, to ensure that we are getting the best
possible results for each individual situation. Is there an argument
for replacing a hollow tine with a solid tine for spring aeration each
year? Whilst every situation is different and each superintendent will
know what is best for his own situation, I still think that these are all
questions we need to ask ourselves.
What about the sand we are applying? Are we applying too much or
too little? Maybe we are applying the wrong type of sand. Then comes
nutrition. How much fertiliser are we applying before or after aeration
and in what form is it? Are we pumping the plant with granular
nitrogen to speed up recovery, ultimately softening the grass leaf and
Aerating, part of the spring maintenance programme
www.gcsai.org 36

Northwest Report by Damien Coleman Galway Bay Golf Resort
possibly leading to disease problems? Or are we drip feeding foliar
feeds to ease the plant back to its original state? For my own
situation, these are certainly areas I have been scrutinising over
the past couple of years and altering them where I felt the need to.
I don’t think we are going to come up with a formula which will
work the same for every golf course but I do think it’s possible to
tease out a combination which suits our individual situations best,
rather than just doing it by the book and expecting results.
An organic
fertiliser for rapid
post-renovation recovery!
C-Complex
Christmas Golf Outing
Our annual Christmas golf outing was held at the fantastic
Strandhill Golf Club in Sligo. Battling tough conditions we had
a very enjoyable day on what is always a great course to play. A
massive 'Thank You' must go to Jason Kelly and his staff who had
the course in brilliant condition for the day. Greens were rolling
like most places would during the summer. Certainly a course we
will be back to before long.
christmas outing Results
1st
2nd
3rd
Trade
Education Days
It was very encouraging last November to see such large numbers
turn out to the Education Day organised by the GCSAI in Croke
Park. Education is the backbone of our industry and without it
we could not move forward. Having such a range of people and
professions in Croke Park cemented the fact that this industry is
growing and of course Croke Park was followed in the months
after by similar days in Westmanstown and Colaiste Stiofan
Naofa. These educational days were well attended, which means
that their viability is sustained. I look forward to Croke Park 2015.
Tom Jennings Memorial
Because of the success
of last year’s event, the
Golf Classic in memory
of Tom Jennings will
be held again this year
on Friday 22nd May at
Castlebar Golf Club.
There will be a timesheet
open for greenkeepers
from 1:30pm to 4:00pm.
Contact Stephen
Munnelly for further
details on 086 8109582
Damian McLaverty
John Fahy
Damien Coleman
Trevor Prestage (NAD)
Castlebar Golf Club
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37
greenside magazine | April 2015

Southwest Greenside Report by Finbarr O’Mahony Kanturk Golf Club
After the violent storms of last winter, which caused significant
damage to many courses in the Southwest region, this winter,
thankfully, has been a lot kinder with no storms of note. The
weather was unusually mild right up until late November, which lead
to an extended growing season for many. A lot of courses suffered
significant damage from Fusarium Patch disease during the autumn
period, with nightime temperatures frequently in the low to mid
teens. Some courses in the region reported a slight increase in revenue
during 2014. Was this down to the good summer, or the improved
financial situation for some people? Who knows? Hopefully we will
have more of the same this year.
RESULTS OF CHRISTMAS OUTING
1st Finbarr O Mahony Kanturk GC 5 hcap 38pts
2nd Tommy Sayers Ceann Sibeal GC 10 hcap 37pts
3rd James Burns Bandon GC 6 hcap 36pts
Cat 1 Timmy O Regan Bandon GC 4 hcap 3 4pts
Cat 2 Pat O Rourke Shannon GC 13 hcap 33pts
Cat 3 Gary Partington Ceann Sibeal GC 19 hcap 34pts
Guest 1st Johnny Ryan Fota Island GC 19 hcap 38pts
Guest 2nd Padraig Crowley Kinsale GC 17 hcap 37pts
Trade 1st David Casburn Sea Nymph 12 hcap 37pts
Trade 2nd Trevor Prestage NAD 7 hcap 32pts
Fusarium patch disease
Christmas Outing
This was held at the magnificent Fota Island Golf Club on 17th
November last, Fota Island having hosted the Irish Open the previous
June. The turnout was excellent with around thirty five playing.
Conditions on the day were testing, with a very strong breeze.
Chairman, Finbarr O'Mahony, took 1st prize with a score of 38pts.
In 2nd place with 37pts was Tommy Sayers from Ceann Sibeal Golf
Club. David Casburn of Sea Nymph won the Trade Prize with a
great score of 37pts. A big ‘Thank You’ to the new owners at Fota
for allowing us the use of the course. The course was in excellent
condition, the benefits of their fairway top dressing programme were
evident with excellent conditions underfoot. Great credit must go
to Course Superintendent Con O'Drioscall and his deputy Simon
O'Hara for this. We were treated to a lovely meal upstairs in the
restaurant afterwards. Our special thanks to the catering staff for this.
Michael F. O’Connor presents Finbarr O’Mahony, Kanturk Golf Club
with 1st prize
Finbarr O’Mahony presents Trevor Prestage, NAD, with 2nd prize in the
Trade section
Fota Island Golf Club
Finbarr O’Mahony presents James Burns, Bandon GC, with 3rd prize
www.gcsai.org 38

Southwest Report by Finbarr O’Mahony Kanturk Golf Club
Education Day
2014 Educational Day Croke Park and Regional Educational Day
CSN - There was a great response to these two events with around
235 and 55 people attending these respectively. It was good to see a
few more from the southwest region in Croke Park this year. Steve
Chappell’s talk about preparing Gleneagles for the Ryder Cup was
the highlight for many. Down in Cork Willie Allen’s talk about
converting his poa greens at Esker Hills Golf Club to predominately
fescue greens was the highlight, with a good discussion afterwards on
his conversion process.
Irish Open
After the great success of last years event at Fota Island the event
heads north again to the world-renowned links course at Royal
County Down Golf Club from May 28th to 31st. A huge number of
tickets have been sold already, and this is an event not to be missed,
with a few big names confirmed, including world No.1, Rory McIlroy.
Finbarr O’Mahony presents Padraig Crowley, Kinsale Golf Club with
2nd prize in the Guest section
Golfer of the Year 2014
This was a very close contest with only 5 points separating 1st
and 2nd by the end of the year. This year the honour went to
Finbarr O'Mahony who had a total of 39pts with Tommy Barrett
of Charleville Golf Club in 2nd place with 34pts. Fortunately for
me, Tommy could not make the last outing so I got the chance to
overtake him. Tommy Sayers of Ceann Sibeal Golf Club was in 3rd
position with 30pts.
The first outing of the year took place at Ceann Sibeal Golf Club.
Report and results will be in my next Greenside report.
N E W 2 0 1 5 A - S E R I E S
F A I R W A Y , R O U G H & T R I M M O W E R S
Outings for 2015
• Thursday April 23rd at Lee Valley Golf Club. The format will
be singles. Tee times 1:45pm to 3:15pm.
• Thursday June 11th at Douglas Golf Club. Again the format
will be singles. Tee times 1:45pm to 3:45pm.
• Mid August (venue to be confirmed). Check the Southwest
section of the GCSAI website for updates.
• Early to mid November will be the Xmas outing. Again, the
venue will be confirmed.
The format for qualification for the President’s Cup will remain the
same as last year with the aggregate of the best 2 scores out of 3 from
the Lee Valley, Douglas and August outings counting to make the
team; so please make an effort to attend the outings.
Southwest Region A.G.M.
This was held after the golf at the Xmas outing and since there was no
nominations received for any positions, all the remaining committee
were happy to stay on for 2015. The list of committee members may
be found in the southwest section of the GCSAI website, with all
the contact details. We are always looking for new people on the
committee, so anyone interested in going forward for next year please
contact me, as a number of people will be stepping down after this year.
Sales : Michael Weldon 087 2488594
Tom Gentleman 087 9350273
We are delighted to announced that Air 2G2
will become available for hire very soon.... For
rates or a quotation please contact us directly.
The Air2G2 is a self propelled hydrostatic drive
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Barleymount | Killarney | Co. Kerry | www.mowers.ie
39
greenside magazine | April 2015

Northeast Report by Stephen Kelly Westmanstown Golf & Sports Club
Another New Year Begins
Hello to our Northeast members. A new year is upon us again and I
hope it will be a good one for everybody!!
Autumn Trophy
Our autumn trophy was held in the Island Golf Club on 21st October
last. We had a great turn out and it certainly was a great test of links
golf with the wind blowing hard through this gem of a golf course on
the day. I would like to thank Dave Edmondson and his greenkeeping
staff for the excellent condition of the course and to everybody in the
Island that made us so welcome.
autumn trophy Results
1st Paul Matthews
2nd Richard Byrne
3rd Gavin Dunne
4th MArk Bewley
5th Gerry Byrne
Trade James D'Arcy
Daniel Takes Top Prize
Our annual Player of the Year was won by Daniel Mooney. We congratulate
Daniel who was our most consistent golfer throughout the year.
Island Golf Club
Rosslare 2014
Our annual trip to Wexford was a great success, as always, and a good
time was had by those who attended. Thanks to Pat Murphy and
Anthony D’Arcy Sands who sponsored the trip. Thanks also to Iain
Wakeman and his greenkeeping team for having the course in great
shape.
rosslare Results
1st Frank Donlon, Robert Bolger, Brian Harvey, Richie Doyle
2nd Jon Palmer, John Egan, Gavin Dunne, John Smyth
3rd Dave Callanan, Frank Byrne, Andy Sheehan, Pat Murphy
4th Richard Byrne, Mark Bewley, Dean Brock, Paul Matthews
Dave Callanan, Frank Byrne, Andy Sheehan, Pat Murphy receive third prize
Black Bush Golf Club
Left: Richard Byrne, Dean Brock, Paul Matthews, Mark Bewley
receiving their fourth prize from sponsor Pat Murphy
Robert Bolger, James D'Arcy, Gavin Dunne, Mark Bewley, Daniel
Mooney, Richard Byrne, Paul Matthews, George Eastwood, Dean Brock
www.gcsai.org 40

Northeast Report by Stephen Kelly Westmanstown Golf & Sports Club
Winners Frank Donlon, Robert Bolger, Brian Harvey, Richie Doyle with
sponsor Pat Murphy
Best Wishes to Eddie
I would like to take this
opportunity, on behalf of
everybody in the Northeast
region, to wish Eddie Donlon
the very best in his retirement
from Rush Golf Club. Eddie
has been a great servant to the
GCSAI down through the years.
He served as Treasurer and President and also did great work for the
Northeast region. Eddie has been a great friend to me and to many in
the region. I hope to see you, Eddie, this year, and the coming years at
our outings.
The man with the golden putter. Eddie Donlon on the 18th green at the
Rush Christmas Outing
41
greenside magazine | April 2015

Prepare
Rather Than
Repair...
By Carl Pass
of Premier Pitches Ltd
With Premier and Football League groundsmen expected to provide a surface for much
more than ninety minutes of football each week, Carl Pass, Managing Director of Premier
Pitches Ltd., reckons the best way to achieve this is to provide a new pitch each year.
Professional football pitch management
is no longer about providing a surface
which will withstand the rigours of
ninety minutes of football, as any League
groundsman will testify.
Groundsmen now have the additional
pressure of providing a surface that will be
used for a pre-match warm-up which can
last up to thirty minutes. There are also half
time activities, including penalty shootouts,
Come the end of the
season, clubs who wish to
maintain a high standard
of playing surface, whilst
maximising revenue from
other opportunities, must
accept that the pitch has
done its job and replace it.
marching bands, dancers and junior matches
played across the pitch. In addition, many
teams now insist on a warm-down after
the match which, in some cases, becomes a
full-blown training session for squad players
not involved in the ninety minutes of action
which has just taken place out on the pitch.
An existing pitch being stripped with a Koro TopMaker
Success in European competitions brings
additional burdens as travelling teams have
access to the match pitch for training sessions
on the day prior to the tie being played.
Other events, such as music concerts, bring
in much needed revenue to clubs who are in
the business of making money by whatever
means to support their main objective, which
is to be successful on the pitch.
All these activities are undertaken often
in grounds which have either evolved into
multi-use venues or, worse still, have been
designed with little or no thought to the well
being of the pitch. The consequence of such
relentless use is a degenerated surface which
may suffer from compaction, poor drainage,
little or no grass cover and uneven levels.
So, where does this leave the person
entrusted with producing a surface which
will cater for all the needs of a professional
football club?
Clubs will not reduce the height of stands
to reduce the impact of shade, nor will they
open up corners of the stadium to allow
increased air movement, or reduce the
amount of additional activity on the pitch
during match days and in the close season.
It is my view that we must take a positive
stance to the situation by adopting a new
philosophy of preparing new pitches rather
than repairing old ones.
Come the end of the season, clubs who
wish to maintain a high standard of playing
surface, whilst maximising revenue from
other opportunities, must accept that the
pitch has done its job and replace it. This
www.gcsai.org 42

Feature
is particularly important in a stadium
environment where the groundsman is,
essentially, growing grass indoors.
Beginning the season with a new pitch
offers the greatest opportunity for the surface
to withstand the difficult environment it is
expected to perform within. Stadium pitches,
in general, have improved tremendously
over the past ten years, which is a credit
to all involved, including groundsmen,
researchers and manufacturers of specialist
turf maintenance equipment. I’m fortunate to
work alongside progressive agronomists and
the new generation of sports turf managers
and head groundsmen, who realise the
advantages of preparing a new pitch, rather
than repairing an old one.
So, what are the advantages of pitch
preparation rather than repair? When should
it start and how is it achieved?
Cultivating a pitch after Koroing
I feel it is important that
the groundsmen choose
materials that they want
to work with as, when
we’ve finished and left
the site, it is they who are
responsible for seeing
the pitch through to the
end of the season.
A consultant or the groundsman should
either prepare a specification or discuss
with a reputable contractor the work that is
required and when it can commence. The
specification will include a bill of quantities,
which will outline to the contractor what he
is expected to supply and what the club may
wish to supply themselves.
As a contractor, I feel it is important that
the groundsmen choose materials that they
want to work with as, when we’ve finished
and left the site, it is they who are responsible
for seeing the pitch through to the end of the
season.
Materials should be ordered and provision
made to store them safely away from the
elements as required. Bulk materials, such as
Fibresand or Fibrelastic, need to be ordered
in advance and a delivery time and date
agreed.
As soon as the club’s corporate department
has finished with the pitch and all coverings
are removed, the contractor should be on site
ready to commence work.
The existing pitch surface should be
stripped using a Koro TopMaker, a superb
Consolidation
piece of equipment that has revolutionised
the way pitches are renovated. The Koro
strips the entire surface, removing all organic
accumulations and leaving a clean, debrisfree
rootzone which can then be worked with
to produce the desired playing surface.
Initial cultivation can then commence to
break up any pans or layering which may be
present within the top 100mm of the pitch
profile. This work also serves as the ultimate
form of aeration as it redistributes particles
around the profile and allows any anaerobic
conditions to become oxygenated. Should
any soil conditioners, such as seaweed or
granulated lime stone and fertilisers, be
required, they should be applied at this stage
to ensure they are thoroughly incorporated in
43
to the vital top 100mm of rootzone.
Once initial cultivations are complete,
and dependent upon the specification, it
would be normal practice to apply new
rootzone material, which is often Fibresand
or Fibrelastic. This is intended to replenish
any material lost during the removal of the
surface. It is important to use a specially
adapted drop spreader, which is capable
of handling this type of material without
bridging or blocking as work progresses.
The evenly spread material can then be
integrated into the top 100mm by further
cultivation, normally with a rotary harrow. At
this stage, a visual inspection will dictate how
many passes with the cultivator are required
to produce an evenly blended rootzone. The
greenside magazine | April 2015

Feature
final pass will be made and levels trimmed
to be consistent with those of the original
construction.
Consolidation will be required next. This
is a vital aspect of the works and should be
carried out evenly and accurately all over the
pitch to achieve consistent results. As work
progresses, it may be necessary to irrigate at
this stage to maintain a degree of moisture
in the immediate surface, preventing the
separation of fibres. Fines in the rootzone can
also find their way onto the surface as a dusty
residue if irrigation is not available, causing
problems later in the season by impeding
surface drainage.
Fine finishing is a vital aspect of achieving
the end result. This work should be
undertaken by skilled operators using
specialist machinery and equipment. When
surface levels are seen to be satisfactory, the
next stage of the works can then commence.
The first stage of pitch
preparation is then
complete. It is then up to
the groundsman to use
his skill and the relevant
technology available
to him to produce and
maintain the new sward.
Seeding in progress
The pitch should be overseeded with a
seeder designed specifically for sowing a
pitch from scratch. Usually two passes will
be made with this type of machine, but
more may be required if the groundsman
or consultant dictate otherwise. Finally, the
pitch should be flat rolled to seal in the seed
and produce the finished level.
The first stage of pitch preparation is then
complete. It is then up to the groundsman
to use his skill and the relevant technology
available to him to produce and maintain the
new sward.
He can carry out this work in the
knowledge that he has a completely refreshed
rootzone, free from any layering and its
associated problems. Drainage rates will
be increased considerably, preventing
waterlogging during the wetter winter
months. The sward will be made up of new
grass plants all establishing seminal roots
which will form the basis of a strong root
mass, essential for durability. The weedgrass
Poa annua will be largely eradicated to the
Flat rolling after seeding
point when it is no longer a problem and the
whole pitch will be in better condition than
it would have been if it was a pitch renovated
from the previous season.
The work I’ve described is more expensive
than standard renovation, but not so high
that it should not be within the budget of any
professional football club. Those with very
limited budgets could achieve an acceptable
result by fraize mowing to clean out the
vegetation and overfeeding, enabling them to
begin each season with a new sward.
To get the very best from the playing
surface, new pitch preparation should be
carried out each year. In reality, budgetary
constraints and other issues, such as
restricted timescale, may prevent it. From my
experience of working across the UK and in
Europe, it should be a major consideration
for any club who want to maximise both
pitch performance and profitability.
Greenside acknowledges Pitchcare
Magazine for the use of this article
www.gcsai.org 44

GCSAI Membership Form 2015
To be returned to:
ALAN MAHON
GCSAI
RATHJARNEY, PIERCESTOWN, CO. WEXFORD
Tel/Fax: (00353) 53 9158606 Mobile: (00353) 87 6260889
E-mail: alan@gcsai.org Website: www.gcsai.org
PLEASE PRINT IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Name: ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Home Address: ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Home Tel Number: ................................................................................................... Work: .......................................................................................................
Mobile Tel Number: ..................................................................................................................................... (Member info now sent by text message)
Email Address: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Golf Club: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
(If you are a retired member you must give the name of the golf club you last worked at and the dates)
New/Existing Number (delete as applicable) Membership Number: ........................................................................................................................
Region: .................................................................................................................................................................................................... (see below for details)
Position: ..................................................................................................................................... Amount Enclosed: ................................................................
Membership Rates
Superintendent €98.00
Deputy Superintendent €80.00
Greenkeeper €70.00
Apprentice / Student €60.00
Retired €60.00
Groundsman €80.00
Associate €80.00
Signature of Secretary Manager or Superintendent: ...................................................................................................................................................
Stamp of Golf Club: ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
I hereby apply for membership of the GCSAI and agree to abide by the Constitution and Code of Ethics of the Association.
Signature: ..................................................................................................................................... Date: ......................................................................................
REGIONS: NW Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Galway
SW Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Tipperary, Limerick, Clare
NE Dublin, Meath, Westmeath, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Longford, N. Ireland
SE Kildare, Wicklow, Laois, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Offaly
For generous club discounts for 3 or more staff joining please contact Alan Mahon

the Irish Abroad
A Unique Situation
Ed Angle
for a Wexford Man
By Ed Nangle Director Turfgrass Programs, Chicago District Golf Association
Another Irishman in Chicago is hardly a strange thing. My job however is probably
one of the more unique ones that are in the area. The Chicago District Golf Association
(CDGA) has had a pathologist/agronomist in place since 1985 for a range of reasons.
The impact of bacterial decline on the
new bentgrass cultivars caused by
Xanthomonas pv. graminis in the mid
80’s lead to an inducement of despair within
the golf industry in Chicago, which has one
of the highest densities of golf courses in the
world. A perceived lack of support from the
state at the time meant that CDGA member
courses decided to add a position which
came to be considered ‘the family GP’ for
courses, for the association.
The CDGA has a proud history in the
game of golf. The Association celebrated its
centennial last year and of the 25 original
clubs that started the association 20 remain
and are considered among the best locally
and nationally. Chicago Golf Club, a
McDonald gem, along with other courses
designed by Raynor, Ross, Colt and Alison
and McKenzie, all leave an impression on the
game in the area. The Association endorsed
and refined the “fractional par rating
method” for course ratings in the 1940’s
and this has formed the basis for USGA
course ratings today. The Association is now
based out of the Midwest Golf House in the
southwest suburbs of Chicago, directly across
from the venerable Cog Hill, and with its
own three hole golf course.
The Sunshine Through Golf Foundation,
the CDGA’s charitable organization, works
with disadvantaged kids, wounded veterans
and a range of other groups to bring golf,
time outdoors and accessibility to people who
might not get that opportunity on a daily
basis.
The position I hold entails a lot of diversity
on a day to day basis. Predecessors in the
position are Dr. Randy Kane and Dr. Derek
Settle who put their own stamp on the
position – and the independence of the job
certainly allows for that to continue. There
are 400 member courses in the Association
and they stretch all the way from southern
Illinois into southern Wisconsin and across
www.gcsai.org 46

Feature
The Association is now based out of the Midwest Golf House in the southwest suburbs of Chicago
northern Indiana into western Michigan. The reason for the spread is
twofold – the Association has been successful in keeping clubs happy
with all services provided, and many of the out of state courses are
weekend or vacation courses for Chicago businessmen who want
their golf scores to count on their CDGA membership. This means
I can cover a lot of ground in the summer. Part of the membership
that is paid by the 80,000 golfers to the CDGA supports my position
and so it is in our best interest to give them value for money. Annual
dues of between $20 and $40 dollars covers handicap management,
competition organization, course ratings, rules officials and turf
support for the association members. This is at no further cost unless
a member decides to play in association competitions outside of their
regular club competitions. The CDGA will also run USGA qualifying
events and are the official vendor for the USGA handicap system in
the state of Illinois.
We have a diagnostic lab where superintendents can send in
samples for free to help with disease problems during the season and
further to that we are on call during the season to help with problems
as they arise.
The CDGA diagnostic lab
We had 20 projects last year looking
at disease control options, surface
firmness and wetting agents, biosolid
activity and herbicide efficacy.
The ‘we’ part includes myself and the director of research - Ron
Townsend. The team combines to work on research projects which
can be funded by industry or implemented based on ideas from
superintendents in the region. Testing and product evaluation is
carried out at the golf house on the three hole golf course and we also
collaborate with courses all over Chicago – giving real world data for
many of the trials. Superintendents in the area like to have the trials
on site as they get to evaluate products and ideas directly as well as
using the trials when talking to membership about changing practices
or altering budgets. Superintendents also drive some of the research
project ideas and it means there is a direct input from the end users.
We had 20 projects last year looking at disease control options,
surface firmness and wetting agents, biosolid activity and herbicide
efficacy. This allows us to provide relevant information at all times to
the superintendents in the region as well as keeping the turf program
up to date on the efficacy of the latest products.
Further to that, we provide education to the superintendents. We
host a research field day, which will cover 8-10 topics, and we bring in
academics from regional universities to help cover some of the topics
for the day.
I also speak at monthly and annual superintendent meetings on
research we have carried out at the golf house. The program works
regularly with the University of Wisconsin, Purdue University,
47
greenside magazine | April 2015

Feature
A research field day event
University of Illinois and The Ohio State
University on projects and there are ongoing
efforts to publish in peer review publications.
The aim of the work is to turn it to practical
information, which can be used for reference
purposes for the superintendents if needed
when it comes to making purchasing
decisions.
The reason I ended up here is probably
down to Mike O’Keeffe. I took the
opportunity, while at Myerscough College, to
do an internship in South Carolina through
the international intern program. Since
then, I returned to Ireland - tortured Mr. PJ
Dempsey for 18 months in Enniscorthy Golf
Club - then eventually finished up with a PhD
from The Ohio State University after some
time in Australia. A post-doctoral position
followed at the University of Florida and
while I had looked into positions in Europe
nothing had played out. The CDGA position
became vacant as Dr. Derek Settle had moved
on to Bayer and I was fortunate to impress
Robert Markionni, Sheldon Solow and Mike
Nass into hiring me. The bottom line however
was the opportunity afforded to me through
Mike O’Keeffe. Even though he did not hand
me dinner on a plate – he certainly opened
a lot of doors for me to walk through. This
opportunity is available to many young
greenkeepers who want to get the chance to
gain experience in America.
On a daily basis during the season I can
visit four courses in the Chicago area, and,
www.gcsai.org
depending on the climate, it can become
either a disease diagnostic visit or a visit
on other issues such as biotic stresses. The
climate in Chicago is classed as humid
continental and this means that the area
suffers extremes in temperature and
conditions. The Winter of 2013-2014 was a
record breaker with temperatures averaging
-5°C from December 1 through March 31.
This, combined with ice formation and 2
meters of snow, meant that there was a lot of
dead grass in the spring of 2014.
Winter kill during 2013/2014
48
Fortunately the summer conditions were
not too hot with temperatures approximately
5°C below average which reduced disease
pressure. In the spring, visits may also involve
setting up research plots – decisions on
various sites around the city may be driven by
specific disease problems or if we are looking
at, for example, water quality issues, then
appropriate sites are selected.
Chicago has a long history of hosting golf
tournaments; the Ryder Cup, U.S. Open, and
U.S. Amateur, amongst others, have all made

Feature
an appearance in the area. Further to that, the
city has been a regular PGA Tour stop with
the BMW Championship returning this year
to Conway Farms. We generally are on hand
to help out wherever needed and will do
whatever is asked to help get the tournament
completed. Last year, I was also involved
in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst and saw
some very interesting colors as the USGA
implemented a reduced water strategy.
This year will also see Olympia Fields
Country Club host the US Amateur and the
local superintendents and golf officials will all
pile in to help where needed. The rich history
of golf in the area means that Luke Guthrie,
Luke Donald, Jeff Sluman, Steve Stricker can
grasses. Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) and
bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) are common
in this area of the U.S. The location is part
of the transition zone and it means that
neither the warm season grasses nor the
cool season grasses find it optimal all season
long for growth – it is a tough location
to be a turfgrass manager. Diseases and
insects become more diverse and even more
aggressive the further south I go and damage
can really occur within hours. It’s very
interesting to see the activity but it can be
taxing to try understanding all the problems
that are occurring as the grasses change.
Other issues that occur include tornadoes
as well as spring decline in water quality due
in the political sphere to ensure the health
of the game. Further to that the Wee One
Foundation (www.weeone.org) is based at
the Midwest Golf House, which has helped
superintendents deal with huge medical bills
– it’s a great charity and continues to grow on
an annual basis. The Association continues to
be a leader and influence on the game of golf
here in the U.S. and I am really enjoying the
experience of dealing with the issues, which
can translate readily from Ireland to Chicago
at certain times of the year – it makes for
an interesting day at times! In trying to
help the superintendents deal with both the
disease, insect and weed problems - there
is a requirement to protect them from the
Pinehurst 2014 in all its browness
call the region their home at certain times of
the year and competition for ‘bragging rights’
can be intense between the clubs, meaning
that the conditioning of the courses leads to
constant tweaking to get an edge.
Generally, dollar spot Sclerotinia
homoeocarpa is the prevalent disease, but
Microdochium, brown ring patch Waitea,
Pythium spp. anthracnose Colletotrichum
cereale, and a range of patch diseases are
possible to find during a season in Chicago.
Disease pressure can be intense with
humidity’s above 90% a regular occurrence.
Further to this, rainfall can be sometimes
tropical in nature with downpours leaving
standing water on turf, followed by hot
temperatures, leading to scalding of the turf.
The spring and autumn are similar to Ireland
and this means that Poa can find time to
grow which then causes issues for the courses
when the extreme conditions arrive.
Chicago is where I work the most but my
position also brings me to southern Illinois,
which grows predominantly warm season
to salting of surfaces that inevitably finds
its way into the water course. A majority
of the private courses have a somewhat
difficult time trying to provide early
season golf, but as the membership tends
to only play golf from June 1 - September
1, it makes life a little easier. Issues such as
covers, tree work, snow and ice removal,
and preparation of the irrigation system for
winter tend to dominate in the offseason,
while superintendents like Dan Dinelli, Scott
Witte and others have a huge diversity of
projects on site such as rootzone construction
variations, turfgrass evaluation trials and
beekeeping practices. I, of course, have
not lost the accent and I get some stick for
that - but the superintendents have been
very welcoming and are extremely intense
about their profession. The superintendents
association (Midwest Association of Golf
Course Superintendents) are very progressive
and will sponsor research they feel offers
them value while also having influence on
the national association and interacting
weekend superintendents, who enjoy time
in the 19th hole. We write a weekly scouting
report discussing climatic issues, disease
and insect damage noted amongst other
things. This lets everyone know that they
are not alone in their battle. The report can
be used for personal use or it is also posted
in the changing rooms of the clubhouse to
deliver information. The service requires a
phone call from the superintendent prior to a
visit – nobody else at the course can request
a visit and so this helps to retain some
sensibility when things might look a little
off color for no reason other than a change
in temperature. There is no requirement for
a superintendent to follow direction from
the service – we offer an extra set of free and
independent eyes and sometimes a pair of
sympathetic ears. If you would have asked
me ten years ago if this was where I would
be - I would have not had any inkling - but
it certainly is a great experience and I gain
more knowledge every day than I dispense!
49
greenside magazine | April 2015

Trade News
New John Deere 5G
Series Tractors for 2015
John Deere’s latest 5G Series tractor line-up includes
four model ranges featuring 3.2 and 4.5-litre Stage IIIA
engines with a rated power of 75, 85 or 100hp (97/68/EC),
plus a choice of two- or four-wheel drive.
This new series has been specifically
designed to provide high levels
of comfort, power,
hydraulic performance
and manoeuvrability to
customers who require a
versatile utility tractor with
compact dimensions and a
narrow tread width.
The 5GF, 5GN and 5GV Series tractors offer customers an
open operator station or a redesigned cab, plus a wide range of
transmission, PTO and hydraulic options, from entry level to
premium alternatives. These include:
• two-wheel drive 12F/12R speed transmission up to a fourwheel
drive 24F/12R PowrReverser transmission;
• 540/540E PTO, or a 540/1000 PTO including ground drive;
• twin pump hydraulic system with two mechanical SCVs,
or a triple pump system with four electro-hydraulic SCVs
including seven mid-mounted couplers.
The open centre hydraulic system supplies up to 122.5 litres/
min hydraulic flow when equipped with three pumps. A joystick
provides fingertip control of implements when using the
electro-hydraulic SCV option.
The tractors’ three-point hitch has a maximum lift capacity
of 2590kg as standard, or with additional lift cylinders this can
be increased to 3100kg. New push-button controls allow the
hitch to be steered hydraulically from side to side, making it
easier to operate rear-mounted implements in confined spaces.
In addition, the operator can manually adjust the implement to
keep it level to the ground, particularly when working on slopes.
Completing the new John Deere line-up of speciality tractors
for 2015, the low-profile 5GL Series 75 and 85hp four-wheel
drive models feature an open operator station and a 24F/24R
Sync Reverser mechanical Hi-Lo transmission.
ATTs INFiNiSystem
New 30” Model
To cater for the needs of the Groundsman ATT has
developed a 30” version of its popular INFiNiSystem.
This new model follows on the heels of last year’s
launch of a 26” version, up from the 22” launch model.
The new 30”
INFiNiSystem
boasts the same
unique floating head
mechanism that is
independent of the
traction drive, ensuring
ground pressure is spread
between three rollers, as
opposed to two as seen
on fixed head units. This
is hugely beneficial as it helps to regulate weight transfer and
minimise plant stress during routine cutting operations. The
new 30” INFiNiSystem can be driven either fully electrically
via a single or double battery module or by hybrid electric via
an engine generator configuration. The added width means
the unit offers increased productivity and is especially well
suited to larger areas such as football and rugby pitches. The
decreased ground pressure is particularly beneficial where
maintaining synthetic fibre integrity is paramount such as on
DESSO GrassMaster® Hybrid systems.
Users also benefit from the accuracy and cleanliness of cut
from the ATT 30” SMARTCut. The simplicity with which
both the cassette carrier chassis and the SMARTCut cassette
can be adjusted permits alteration of the behind Centre
distance and the attitude angle of the bedknife. The 30”
also features an electronically adjustable clip rate, optional
groomer and optional front roller configurations to augment
further the Groundsman’s ability to set the unit up with a “no
compromise” approach.
Not just a mower though, this new 30” is able to
accommodate different cassettes from the TMSystem range
to perform other essential agronomic practices required to
maintain sports turf in top condition.
Campey’s New Raycam
Fertilizer Spreader
Every, groundsman and greenkeeper needs a granular
fertiliser/seed/sand spreader and Campey Turf Care Systems
have recently launched the new Raycam Fertiliser Spreader.
It is quick, economic and easy to operate, with an option
of 500lt or 600lt hopper capacity. The expansive spreading
width is from 1m to 14 metres.
Raycam Fertiliser Spreaders are 3pt linkage mounted, PTO
driven and known as Pendulum “Wagtail” spreaders. They
are designed to distribute granular fertilizer and seed with
precision, so eliminating unnecessary waste.
The steel construction with pressed polyester hoppers provide
the durability and strength for a machine which is in constant
Campey 185 New Raycam Spreader from
Campey Turf Care
use. Both models
are supplied
with a hopper
agitator and a
hydraulic aperture
controller. The
Raycam range
is suitable for
tractors between
30hp to 50hp.
The new
Raycam Fertiliser
Spreaders from
Campeys are a
practical, reliable and useful addition to its already extensive range
of equipment for turf maintenance.
More information is available at: www.campeyturfcare.com
www.gcsai.org
50

Trade News
New Appointment at
Greentech Sportsturf
Greentech Sportsturf, as part of
the company’s continued growth
strategy, is delighted to announce
the appointment of Eamonn Maguire
as Area Manager for the Republic
of Ireland. Greentech has also
committed to setting up a warehouse
and office base in Drogheda to ensure
efficient supply to Irish customers.
Eamonn Maguire
Eamonn has 17 years combined
experience of working in the horticulture and turf industry.
His first introduction to the turf world was selling peat
for the construction of USGA greens and he has more recently
Turf TankCalc Aids
Accurate Sprayer
Calculation
Turf and amenity sprayer operators can now get an instant
calculator for precise product inclusion rates in spray tank
mixes, with the free Syngenta Turf TankCalc App for smart
phones and tablets.
Turf TankCalc provides an instant
answer for the amount of any product
required to be added to the tank for a
given water volume, along with the rate being
applied per hectare. Syngenta UK Business
Manager, Daniel Lightfoot, said the new App
would prove invaluable for turf managers
and spray operators to quickly and accurately
calculate the rate of any product to add to the
tank.
“It is very simple to use and extremely efficient for calculating
filling plans for spraying. It saves time and ensures high accuracy
in the tank mixing - based on area, tank size, product, application
rate and operating speed.” It also provides optimum nozzle
selection options and application guidelines.
With more complex tank mixes now being used for enhanced
turf management - possibly including fungicides, growth
regulator, wetting agent, fertiliser and trace elements in the same
mix - careful calculation of the component parts is crucial, he
added.
It includes a quick link for Syngenta products and a direct
route to the Syngenta GreenCast website for detailed product
information and labels, along with weather forecasts, agronomic
information and other application advice.
Furthermore, Turf TankCalc records details calculated for
each spray application, along with relevant information on
nozzle selection and water volume, for example. The data can be
exported by email for record keeping.
Turf TankCalc is available now for android and Apple operating
systems. It can be downloaded from quick links on the GreenCast
website Application Zone (www.greencast.co.uk).
worked in the turf nutrition business in Ireland. “I am delighted
to be commencing work with Greentech as I know that they have
excellent staff and a fantastic range of tried and tested products.
A great deal of these products will already be familiar to anyone
involved in the management of turf in Ireland”. said Eamonn.
Eamonn will be introducing and re-acquainting greenkeepers with
brands such as The Andersons fertiliser and Nutri Dg, Floratine’s
Pervade and grass seed from the Barenbrug portfolio. One
exciting new and innovative product is the Stevens POGO, a turf
management cloud-based tool which measures and documents the
moisture, temperature and salinity of turf. “I am looking forward
to continuing to offer a personal and professional service to all of
my clients and it is great to know that there is an established team
behind me in Greentech Sportsturf Ireland”. Added Eamonn
To contact Eamonn Maguire direct call 087 9133915 or
email eamonn@greentechsportsturf.ie
www.greentechsportsturf.ie
https://www.facebook.com/greentechsportsturf
Headland
develop Crystal
Green® for
Xtend Fertiliser
Formulations
Headland Amenity have launched Crystal Green®,
a source of slow-release phosphorus, nitrogen and
magnesium recovered from nutrient-rich waste water.
Crystal Green makes for an eco-friendly fertiliser
that enhances nutrient efficiency, while significantly
reducing the risk of leaching and runoff.
Most phosphorus fertilisers are highly water
soluble and rapidly react in the soil becoming
unavailable for plant uptake. As turfgrass grows it
produces organic acids, such as citrates, to help roots absorb
nutrients. Crystal Green® is formulated with citrate-soluble
phosphorus, which has low water solubility, releasing slowly
in response to organic acid production, gradually supplying
the soil solution with nutrients to meet plant demand. This
process minimises excess phosphorus in the soil, lowering
the risk of leaching and runoff while providing the turf a
season-long supply of phosphorus according to the plant’s
requirements. Crystal Green® granules are uncoated, 99.9%
pure, dust-free, and maintain their slow-release capabilities
even if cracked or broken. Whilst the original Crystal Green®
5-28-10 formulation is suitable to aid establishment and to
maintain P availability in free draining soils, it is also a perfect
slow-release partner in fertiliser blends. Headland has used it
successfully in their Xtend 10-10-10+2MgO product. As well
as Crystal Green®, Xtend comprises a composted organic base,
seaweed meal and humic acid, and is ideal for use on golf
tees, fairways and surrounds as well as winter sports pitches,
cricket outfields and racecourse turf.
Also of note is Headland’s new ProTec® liquid nutrient
range and improvements to the highly successful
‘Weathercheck’ location specific forecasting module.
51
greenside magazine | April 2015

Trade News
Instrata Approval for Ireland
Greenkeepers in Ireland now have full approval for the Syngenta
turf fungicide, Instrata. The new option provides a powerful
combination of contact+ and systemic activity for turf disease
control inside and out.
Daniel Lightfoot,
Syngenta Turf Business
Manager for UK and
Ireland, reported that with
its fast-acting combination of
actives, Instrata has become
an integral part of most UK
greenkeepers’ disease control
strategies, and would be a very
welcome addition for Ireland.
“The combination of three
actives, all working in different
ways and at different points in
An unprotected leaf surface, attacked by
disease, causing the epidermal cells to
collapse
the disease life cycle, ensures Instrata provides effective protectant and fast
acting curative activity - making it a genuine all-round option at any time
of the year,” he advised.
“It has proven especially valuable during variable weather conditions
in early spring and autumn, when the multi-activity and ease of use can
ensure turf quality is protected in the most difficult situations.”
“GreenCast disease risk records have shown turf in Ireland has been put
under incredible stress by wet conditions, with stop-start growth during
periods of mild temperatures and high disease pressure,” he warned.
Instrata provides a combination of key actives, each with essential roles:
Chlorothalonil - protectant contact action and resistance busting multisite
technology
Fludioxonil - renowned contact+ activity to protect leaves and target
disease spores in thatch
Propiconazole - cool weather systemic provides lasting protection and
cures
Colman Warde, Everris Country Manager Ireland, highlighted
greenkeepers and superintendents in Ireland have been eagerly awaiting
the approval of Instrata. “The instant contact protection of the leaf, plus
hitting pathogens in the thatch and on the plant to reduce infection risk,
can provide extended protection for exceptional long-lasting results,”
added Mr Warde. “No other turf fungicide could provide all these
attributes and flexibility in one easy to use option.”
New Ride-on Spreader
Martyns have been Distributors of Spyker
equipment for the past 5 years and are proud to
launch their new ride on spreader.
New Ride On Spreader S100-12010
With improved productivity and reduce wear
on your operators’ bodies by investing in the
Spyker Ride-on Spreader. The S100-12010
improves upon a proven stand on platform by adding
our unparalleled spreader technology, marine-grade
stainless steel cables, tie-down hooks for trailering,
and a reliable Subaru engine. With a top speed of over
5mph for quick transport and a simple thumb switch
for 3mph optimal spreading speed, the Spyker Ride-on
Spreader delivers consistency when you need it and
speed when you want it. Large front and rear tires with
turf-safe tread make the S100 easier to handle and gives
a smooth ride even on rough or hilly terrain. The extralarge
single port rate gate allows larger materials to be
used, making it a versatile multi-purpose machine that
can be used all year long. Invest in a Spyker Ride-on
Spreader so that you can take on more, larger properties
and still have energy to spare at the end of the day.
For more information phone (093)38012 or email
info@martynlawns.com
Also visit:www.martynlawns.com
John Deere Experience Days 2015
From the power and performance of the popular Gator utility vehicle and
new TerrainCut front rotary mowers to the versatility of the R Series compact
tractor range, interested customers from all industry sectors can get first-hand
experience of John Deere’s latest commercial turf equipment at a number of
open day events in 2015.
John Deere dealers in the UK and Ireland are hosting a series of Experience Days from
March to September. Visitors can test drive a range of machines, as well as see the
benefits of John Deere solutions such as overnight parts availability, flexible finance
programmes from John Deere Financial and PowerGard maintenance and repair plans.
Full details of the John Deere 2015 Commercial Experience Days, including all the host
dealers, dates and venues and how to register online, can be found on the company’s
website at www.john-deere-experience-day.com
www.gcsai.org
52

Trade News
Are Thatch and Black Layer a Problem?
Goldcrop has the answer withTC5 Soil Bio Stimulant.
TC5 was launched in 2006 in the Netherlands and is currently
been used throughout Europe. ln 2011 TC 5 won the European
EDGE innovation award. The formula used is designed to hyperaccelerate
the activity of microbes by providing an abundance of
oxygen for metabolism to occur.
The chemistry used to produce this product is unique which:
• Promotes beneficial microbes in
your root zone
• Increases oxygen
• Degradation of thatch quickly
• Removes black layer and algae
• Better absorption of nutrients
• Less disease incidence
• Longer roots and healthier plants
See our advert
on page 23
10.4 Metre Wide Trilo
Mower From The Grass
Group
Trilo have introduced their first wide area mower
into the market with a 10.4 metre working width and
designed for high productivity in the most extreme
conditions.
The R10’s natural home will be the turf growing
industry where a cutting capacity of 15 acres an
hour will mean it is the ideal partner to the current
Trilo turf care range. Its 12 independently mounted 910mm
floating mowing cylinder heads follow contours and uneven
ground. The combination of the open cylinder units and tube
frame construction means that clippings are dispersed evenly
across the turf.
Cutting height can also be quickly and easily adjusted with
just the one tool provided with the machine.
The unit is mechanically driven and only requires a 55HP
tractor as a minimum meaning that substantial fuel savings
are achieved. The surprisingly low weight of the Trilo R10
reduces stress on the surface and makes the grass less
susceptible to disease. The unique fully foldable chassis of the
R10 reduces the overall width down to 2.5 metres. In addition
to easy transportation of the unit from site to site (at 2.5m
the R10 is permitted to access public roads in Europe) it also
means tight turns can be easily manoeuvred when in use.
Toro Reelmaster 5010-H
Simultaneously launched in the US, the Toro Reelmaster
5010-H is one of the most revolutionary machines to join
the line-up of Toro mowers at Lely - sole distributors of
Toro in the UK.
Providing operators with up
to 20 percent savings in fuel
costs, this hybrid version of the
5010 Series is powered by Toro’s
new patented PowerMatch
technology. This drive system
couples the power from a
24.8hp diesel engine to a
self-charging 48-volt battery
pack to seamlessly match
the power needed for traction and
cutting, based on current mowing
conditions.
One of the main advantages of
The all-new Toro
Reelmaster 5010-H
the Reelmaster 5010-H is that it is able to perform as well as, or
better than, a higher horsepower machine, including scalping
and verticutting.
On most fairways, a 24.8hp engine has enough power to
complete a job. However, when there are more challenging
mowing conditions, such as hilly terrain, more power is needed.
That’s when the Reelmaster 5010-H sheds the cutting unit load
from the engine to the battery pack, allowing more horsepower
to be allocated to the traction circuit. If at that point even more
power is necessary, the battery pack continues to power the
cutting units while also boosting the engine, giving the machine
the equivalent of over 40hp. The result is plenty of power, but
only when needed, saving users both fuel and money.
The Reelmaster 5010-H can also save on maintenance costs.
“The reimagined design means the elimination of the DPA
cutting units’ hydraulic components. The new design has
approximately 100 fewer potential hydraulic leak points than a
traditional hydraulic machine.
Since the cylinder motors are electric, the Reelmaster 5010-H
also eliminates the expense of changing hydraulic lines every few
years as part of your regular maintenance schedule.
53
greenside magazine | April 2015

Greenside
Contact Points
Alan Mahon (Communications Manager)
Rathjarney Piercestown, Co. Wexford.
Tel/Fax: 053 9158606 Mobile: 087 6260889
Email: alan@gcsai.org
Michael McFeely (President)
Westmanstown Sport & Conference Centre
087 2342051
Email: michaelmcfeely@hotmail.com
Tom Carew (Vice President & Treasurer)
Craddockstown Golf Club – 087 6260182
Email: carewtc@yahoo.ie
Michael Loughran (Education Officer)
Hilton Templepatrick - (0044) 797 4229343
Email: michael.loughran@hilton.com
Finbarr O’Mahony (SW Rep.)
Kanturk Golf Club – 087 7728720
Email: fomahony75@yahoo.co.uk
Dean Brock (NE Rep.)
Grange Golf Club – 085 1411291
Email: deano_brock@hotmail.com
Damien Coleman (NW Rep.)
Galway Bay Golf Resort - 087 6666131
Email: damo1451@hotmail.com
Mark Murphy (SE Rep)
Tullamore Golf Club - 087 2609255
Email: marktgc@gmail.com
Fionna Brown Johnson (Helpline - members only)
051 872898 | 086 8551369
Email: fiona@profiletraining.ie
GCSAI Website:
www.gcsai.org
The deadline for receiving
advertising and editorial for
the next issue of Greenside is:
24 June 2015
Eddie Hangs up his Boots
Eddie Donlon finally called it a day last February when he retired as
Course Superintendent at Rush Golf Club.
The veteran greenkeeper, who is a former GCSAI
President (2003 - 2005), worked at Rush for
an incredible forty two years. Starting work at
Rush in 1973 he has seen many changes down through
the years and is one of the few people who was actively
involved with both the Irish Golf Greenkeepers
Associaton (IGGA) and the GCSAI. During his time
at Rush Golf Club many greenkeeping friends and
colleagues from all over Ireland and overseas would
call to visit Eddie where he would make them feel at
home - a round of golf followed by a chat over a pint Eddie Donlon
would be the order of the day.
One event that started during the IGGA days in 1984 was the Rush
Christmas outing and it is thanks to Eddie, that this enjoyable event is still
going strong today. It has seen the gathering of greenkeepers and trade from
all over Ireland for over thirty years. Eddie says that he intends to keep this
event going and that Rush Golf Club has penciled in the slot for the 2015
Christmas outing. What will Eddie do now in his spare time? He is not a man
to disappear into the sunset so it will not be the last we’ll see of him. We wish
Eddie a long, happy and healthy retirement.
Jon Meets Enda
Enda Kenny visited Atlanta on March 14th as part of his St. Patricks
day visit to the US. While there he met up with TurfNet stalwarth and
GCSAI supporter, Jon Kiger, who was invited to a dignitaries breakfast,
based on his role as the on air host of The Celtic Show on an Atlanta
radio station. The Taoiseach spoke at the breakfast about the many
attractions that made Ireland worth visiting. He specifically mentioned
our great golf courses.
Mr. Kenny was the
grand marshall
of the Atlanta
St Patricks Day parade
and he joined Jon and
his crew in the viewing
stand after the parade.
Jon had heard that Enda
was a keen golfer and
had a chance to speak
with him briefly (wearing
his GCSAI pin in the
process) about TurfNet’s
activities, particularly the
four year video series on
Greenkeeping in Ireland;
TurfNet's Jon Kiger, proudly wearing his GCSAI
pin, with An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, at the St.
Patrick’s Day parade in Atlanta
the TurfNet member trips to play Irish courses and meet the course managers;
the American student turf school interns who work and report on their time
in Ireland; and the TurfNet Emerald Challenge where Irish greenkeepers play
against American greenkeepers. When Jon first mentioned to Enda Kenny that
he worked with greenkeepers in Ireland the Taoiseach replied, “There’s quite a
bit of science behind that, isn’t there?”
“Regardless of how people in Ireland feel about his leadership and actions he
was a good ambassador for Ireland and I’m sure his presence will encourage
many people to visit the country in the coming years.” said Jon Kiger.
54

GCSAI Trade Members
The GCSAI thank each and every one of our Trade Members for supporting us throughout
these challenging times. Please support them when purchasing goods and services.
Company Name Contact Telephone Email
Advanced Landscape Services Karl Dooley 087 9402650 advancedlandscapeservices@eircom.net
Algae Green David Molloy 086 0265460 david@ogt.ie
Anthony D’Arcy Sands Pat Murphy 087 2585653 info@darcysands.ie
Aquaturf Solutions Ltd Stephen Daly 086 0838747 aquaturf@eircom.net
Barenbrug UK Ltd Paul Warner 00441359 272000 pwarner@baruk.co.uk
Bayer Environmental Science Greg Collins 087 4102499 greg.collins@bayer.com
Campey Turfcare Systems Ltd Brian O’Shaughnessy 087 9274521 brian@campeyturfcare.com
Clive Richardson Ltd Priscilla McFarland 048 38852888 pmcf@cliverichardsonltd.co.uk
Cropcare Ltd Rose O’Donovan 01 2874485 info@cropcare.ie
DAR Golf Construction Ltd James D’Arcy 087 2573550 james@dargolf.com
Declan Branigan Designs Ltd Ronan Branigan 041 9846627 ronan@declanbranigandesign.com
Drummonds Ltd Rosalyn Drew 041 9838986 rosalyn.drew@drummonds.ie
Dublin Grass Machinery Robert Mitchell 01 8386867 dublingrass@eircom.net
Eddie B. Connaughton Ltd Eddie Connaughton 01 6283300 eddiebconn@eircom.net
Emerald Lawns Colin Sherrard 01 6852655 colin@emeraldlawns.ie
Gary Flood Landscapes Ltd Gary Flood 087 2523195 info@garyfloodlandscapes.com
Goldcrop Ltd Mark Booker 087 9580110 mark.booker@goldcrop.ie
Golf Technology Ireland Ltd Pat Cantwell 087 2548023 pcantwell@golftech.ie
Greenstester Fintan Brennan 087 6750425 fintob@gmail.com
Harris Turf Improvements Mark Harris 087 2540166 info@harristurf.ie
Headland Amenity Ltd Andy Russell 00 44 1223 597834 andy.russell@headlandamenity.com
Humber Palmer Mick Kelleher 086 8067902 mick5kell@gmail.com
James Coburn & Son Ltd William Cartmill 048 40662207 sales@coburns.co.uk
JFB Golf Supplies Ltd Frank Byrne 087 2374285 jfb_golf@yahoo.com
John Deere Ltd Chris Meacock 00441949 860491 meacockchris@johndeere.com
Kevin Broderick Ltd Kevin Broderick 01 2572255 kbroderick@brodericks.ie
Landcraft Sportsturf James Sutton 087 6977707 landcraft@eircom.net
Leinster Turf Equipment Ltd Derek Inglis 086 8308033 sales@leinsterturfequipment.ie
Lely Ireland Ltd Richard Harris 045 526170 turfcaresales.ie@lely.com
Major Equipment International Ltd Eibhlin Murphy 094 9630572 info@majorequipment.com
M. A. Healy & Sons Ltd Derek McEneff 085 8013074 derek.mceneff@mahealy.ie
Martyns Grass Lawns Ltd Brian Martyn 093 38012 martyngrassslawns@eircom.net
MSK Silversands Ltd Michael Kelly 087 2887016 msksilversands@gmail.com
National Agrochemical Distributors Ltd Liam McMahon 087 2563390 liam@nadirl.com
ProGrass Brian O'Carroll 087 2421193 brian@prograss.ie
Ransomes Jacobsen Sam Cassidy 00441473 276323 scassidy@tip.textron.com
Reel-tech Barry Drennan 087 6388955 barry@reeltech.ie
Sanrose Ltd Bernard Kinsella 087 2550133 sanrose@eircom.net
Sea Nymph (Galway Bay Marine) Ltd David Casburn 087 6788481 david@sea-nymph-ireland.com
SOL Golf International Ltd Michael O'Leary 064 7751006 info@solgolfconst.com
Spraychem Golf Ltd Yvonne Ritchie 087 2365858 yvonne.ritchie@spray-chem.com
Syngenta Caroline Carroll 00441223 883466 caroline.carroll@syngenta.com
Tacit Golf Course Equipment Giles McDonagh 087 9441174 giles.mcdonagh@tacitgolf.co.uk
Teagasc Colm Dockrell 01 8459016 colm.dockrell@teagasc.ie
The Buggyman Ltd Liam Ross 045 878200 liam@buggyman.net
TurfCare Pat Galavan 045 409330 pgalavan@turfcaregroup.com
Unichem Ltd Niall Dunne 01 8351499 niall@unichem.ie
Whites Amenity Jer Doran 01 8438521 jerdoran@whitesagri.com

Toro ® Reelmaster ® 3550-D
Lightweight
champion
The Reelmaster 3550-D,
the lightest fairway mower on the market.
THE REELMASTER 3550-D
FAIRWAY MOWER
Weighing in at just 900kgs, our Reelmaster 3550-D is the fairway champion of the world.
So, while it makes a big impression – it won’t leave one. Because it floats like a butterfly over contours.
What’s more, it has a productive 2.1m (82ins) cutting width and 7mph (11kmph) mowing speed. With its
turf-friendly tyres, the superior traction of a Series/Parallel 3-wheel-drive system, and a powerful 25hp
(18.5kW) diesel engine, the RM3550-D is just simply a knockout.
Full product details at www.toro.com
Put us to the test. For a free onsite demonstration, call Lely on 01480 226800
Features
DPA
cutting
units
REELMASTER 3100-D REELMASTER 3550-D REELMASTER 5510-D REELMASTER 7000-D
Lely. Your partners in turfcare. Call 045 526170.
Lely not only brings you Toro. Talk to us, too, about TYM compact tractors and PREMA certified pre-owned machinery.
Toro Commercial Products are distributed by Lely Ireland Limited, Kilboggin, Nurney, Co. Kildare. Tel: 00353 (0)45 526170 | Email: turfcaresales.ie@lely.com | www.lelyturfcare.com | www.toro.com