tion. This allows him to meet his your club in other ways as well as I mentioned that two-way FM often conflicting duties of direct talking to the crew. communication systems are now supervision of the crew and man- Many clubs have installed pho- affordable. Although the prices will agerial responsibilities in the office. nes on the course in case of medical vary according to the system you The advantages of reliable and emergencies and to prevent long choose and your dealer, listed immediate communications be- delays between nines as players below are some rough estimates of tween the course manager and the stop for food and drink. Conven- what you will currently need to crew are too numerous to cover tional phone lines require costly spend. fully. Obvious applications installation and often ditching include: across the golf course. Base station $1,000-$1,200 1. Testing, repair, and adjustment Many industries use FM voice (including antenna and desk of the irrigation system. reporter units to monitor and report microphone) 2. Avoiding lost man-hours due to on the function of specialized Course manager's portable $600- equipment breakdown. equipment. These units are trig- $700 (with telephone option) 3. Constant adjustment of the gered by an event such as low pres- Crew's portable (each) $500-$600 daily maintenance schedule to sure, high temperature, etc., and a Repeater service $20-$25 make the maximum use of available call is made to the portable base sta- (if necessary, per unit per month) man-hours. tion or even a pocket pager. A At first glance, the cost may seem 4. The coordination of activities recorded message is then played high even though these numbers are such as tournaments, chemical announcing the event. significantly lower than they were applications, and special projects. There are many uses for such a one or two years ago. Actually, most 5. Since the maintenance workers system on the golf course - par- courses would recover the cost of are almost constantly on the course, ticularly regarding the irrigation the system quickly as man-hours are they are usually close by when an system. Imagine the savings of saved and work is carried out more accident or medical emergency water and electriciy (as well as efficiently. occurs. Once equipped with radios, turfgrass) that could be be realized if For most golf courses, the year's they can quickly summon help. the monitor detected power lost capital equipment purchases are from the pumping station. The just around the corner. Give strong course manager would be notified consideration to acquiring a two- he technology is already by the voice reporter unit with a way FM radio system. It is a pur- available to make FM radio message such as "pump station chase you will find well worth the Tsystems work for you and power off." cost. However, it was in his capacity of Cap- OBITUARY tain, and Green Chairman of Lindrick Golf OBITUARY The death occurred just before Easter of Club that Eddie made his mark in the field of Walter Heeles, Secretary of the British E. W. Park, 62, a member and past Cap- golf course maintenance which became his Golf Greenkeepers Association for over tain of Lindrick Golf Club. He was a regu- great interest. For a period he acted as 12 years died in Harrogate District Hospi- lar contributor to this magazine and its course manager before handing over to the tal, last month after a short illness. predecessor Greenkeeper, as well as a current young, skilled Lindrick greenstaff. The high regard of Walter's contribution personal friend and supporter. He studied golf course conditions country- to golf was reflected in the huge atten- Eddie's first contact with greenkeeping wide and had amassed a considerable col- dance at his funeral, by not only the offi- was at St Bees school in Cumbria where, lection of slides on course conditions good cials and members of his club but being a keen golfer he looked after the and bad which he used for his numerous greenkeepers nationwide and represent- school's nine hole course. The course, talks to greenkeeping groups. He was a atives from the amenity turf industry. situated on a cliff overlooking the Irish sea friend and confidant to many greenkeepers The service was conducted by the Rev. was blessed with fine turf, as well as a and a firm believer that the condition of our Richard Kayes, an Oakdale member, flock of sheep, so maintenance was mini- courses would not improve until the ordin- Walter's one time playing partner and a mal and traditional. Upon leaving St Bees ary golfer was better educated to the meth- family friend. he qualified in dentistry at Edinburgh Uni- ods needed to achieve good playing Mr Heeles, who was 63 had been Oak- versity moving to Worksop where he met conditions all the year round. dale's head greenkeeper for 23 years, and married his wife Nan. Eventually he Another of his interest lay in country accepting the position when his business practiced in Sheffield in a 'family' busi- houses. He assisted his wife Nan on the premises were compulsory purchased in ness, with daughter Sarah and Nick join- research for her book 'Schooldays at 1963. ing him in the practise and his devoted Chatsworth', an account of her schools war A talented natural golfer he joined wife assisting with the administration. He time evacuation to Chatsworth House, the Knaresborough Golf Club as a young man was a greatly respected member of his home of the Duke of Devonshire. Discover- and in 1962 was elected Captain. He won profession. ing the Duke's connection with local golf the President's Cup in 1955, held the With his son Nick, Eddie became one of clubs, Eddie set about researching the sub- amateur course record and later when the most knowledgeable laymen on ject of 'country house golf which was later head greenkeeper at Oakdale won the greenkeeping matters, which enabled published under the pseudonym 'His- Harrogate Union Individual Champion- him to collaborate with Nick on a series of toricus' in Golf Monthly. ship. articles, published in Golf Monthly. The He had retired early to pursue his inter- A leading member of the Yorkshire Management of British Golf Courses'. ests, and his untimely death whilst looking Branch of BGG A, he became the National This was subsequently published in book- at a course in Cheshire has robbed his Secretary of the Association and ran their let form and through the Greenkeeper family and friends of invaluable support. affairs with his wife Betty from their home Training Committee distributed to all golf The whole of greenkeeping will be sad- in Knaresborough until the amalgamation clubs. dened by his passing. with EIGGA and the BGGA in 1987.