The Official Magazine of the GCSAI l www.gcsai.org l September 2012 GREENSIDE SUmmer 2012 - ONE WE WOULD LIKE TO FORGET! PROPER DISPOSAL OF EMPTY CONTAINERS Also in This Issue l Living and Working in the Emerald Isle l Multifunctional Golf Facilities l The Irish Abroad l Trade News l Feature - Tullamore1 Golf Club l A Ghanagreenside Experience magazine | December 2010 Greenside www.gcsai.org 2 Greenside “You’ll Never Beat the Irish” Contents Living and Working As I write this, the 2012 London Olympic Games have just in the Emeral Isle 6 concluded. They included so many sporting events I rarely got to see and they were all wonderful to watch. The sixteen days Multifunctional Golf Facilities 12 of games and sportsmanship obscured, temporarily, the cloud and rain filled days of this summer. Watching Michael Phelps Disposal of Empty Containers 16 become the greatest Olympic medal winner of all time was a great occasion to witness. And as for Katie Taylor, the whole Delivering Sustainable Golf country swelled with pride on her gold medal achievement, in Africa 20 along with our boxing and showjumping medals. The Irish Abroad 26 hen there was the great achievement of Rory McIIroy winning the USPGA, his second Major Feature -Tullamore Golf Club 30 Tvictory. Before the Olympic Games there was Euro 2012. Regional Round-up 36 Ireland did very badly in the tournament but it was great to be Irish during the championships as the Irish Feature - Semple Stadium 44 fans in Poland got the respect of every other competing Utility Vehicles 50 nation. Ireland got a special prize for ‘Best Fans’ of the tournament. When other countries comment on how friendly Irish fans are it does make Grinding Advice 53 you feel good. We do have a reputation for our friendliness and long may it last. I remember bringing a Polish friend of mine to Graiguenamangh in Co. Kilkenny on a Trade News 55 photographic day out. We both share photography as a hobby so Graiguenamangh was an ideal location for photographic opportunities - the barges, canal walks and old buildings. When we arrived, we agreed to part company and meet back for coffee at 5:00pm. I wandered around the quayside and met some elderly men who had gathered around one of the barges. I started chatting with them and before I knew it, I ended up getting a trip down the River Barrow on one of the barges. It was a great moment and the ‘captain’ of the barge was a lovely character, full of chat. Of course, with a camera in my hand, I took photos of him. He didn’t mind. I met my friend for coffee at 5:00pm and told him about my adventures. “You Irish are good at that” he said enviously. “Good at what?” I asked. “Meeting strangers and talking with them. That never happens back home in my country. That is why I like living here. You walk down the street and strangers salute you”. When he said this to me I was amazed. I took all this for granted but when I thought about it I realized he was right. Maybe there is some truth when people from other countries comment on how friendly we are. We may not be the best nation to take home lots of medals at the Olympics but maybe we might be the nation with the biggest smiles. If that is the case then the weather and economic climate should not get us down too much. Front cover: The Royal Dublin Golf Course. Photo: Alan Mahon Editor: Alan Mahon Tel: 053 9158606 | Email: [email protected] Greenside designed by: S DESIGN www.sdesign-belfast.com The deadline for receiving Back issues of Greenside advertising and editorial for can now be seen on the The views expressed in contributed the next issue of Greenside is: GCSAI website: articles are not necessarily the views expressed by the editor of this publication. www.gcsai.org Editorial content and photographs 19 October 2012 cannot be reproduced without prior permission from the editor. 3 greenside magazine | September 2012 Recruitment Thank You GCSAI I would like to thank the GCSAI for their assistance in providing volunteers for this year’s Irish Open which was held at Royal Portrush. We could not have presented the course as well as we did without them. To each and every one of the volunteers I want to say ‘Thank You’ for all your help. Your efforts have been very much appreciated by me, Royal THE ISLAND GOLF CLUB Portrush Golf Club, and the players. I hope that you returned CorBALLIS, DonaBate, CO DUBLIN home with happy and fond memories of the occasion. Head Greenkeeper Joe Findlay Course Manager Royal Portrush The Island Golf Club, founded in 1890 is a unique championship links course, consistently ranked among the top golf courses in Britain and Ireland. We are seeking to recruit a highly motivated Head Greenkeeper who can demonstrate strong abilities in all aspects of greenkeeping and golf course management in a traditional links environment. The FOR SALE successful candidate will be capable of organising, motivating and managing the existing greenkeeping team and must bring a high standard of presentation to the links. The successful candidate will Poa Greens Sod have a recognised greenkeeping qualification and a proven track record of success in a similar working environment. The candidate For more details contact: should have or be able to demonstrate experience in the following: Mark Harris of • Recognised industry qualifications in greenkeeping and pesticide Harris Turf Improvements application techniques Mobile: 087 2540166 • A working understanding of current health & safety legislation Email: [email protected] • A working understanding of budgetary preparation, forecasting and monitoring • An ability of motivate, manage and supervise the greenkeeping team • Be able to implement an environmentally sustainable maintenance programme on the links • Prepare and implement personal training plans for the needs of the existing staff • Manage and maintain the existing pool of maintenance equipment • Manage and maintain the existing irrigation system The salary for this position will be commensurate with the successful candidates qualifications and experience. Closing date for applications is 12th of September 2012 Applications in writing including a full CV to: [email protected] GCSAI Update As and from the last week of August, the GCSAI office will only be open on Tuesday and Wednesday of each week. Any enquiries will be dealt with on these days. From the GCSAI National Executive www.gcsai.org 4 News Ash Dieback Alert! sh dieback disease caused by the fungal pathogen Chalara fraxinea is a relatively new serious disease of ash which has caused extensive damage in several AEuropean countries. The organism has been relatively recently identified and its biology is not yet fully understood but the disease has spread rapidly in continental Europe over the past 10 years and is now widespread in several countries. The Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) which is responsible for forest health has been very concerned about the disease and although the disease is currently not regulated under EU plant health legislation, it has been carrying out surveys for the disease to determine its status in Ireland. The Forest Service is also concerned that it may inadvertently have been introduced into Ireland through imports of ash plants and wood, including firewood, from other European countries. In this regard the Forest Service has been monitoring imports. To date the disease has not yet been found in Ireland but it has been recently detected in Great Britain, largely associated with imported plant material. If unusual disease symptoms of ash are observed they should be reported for investigation as part of its surveys to Forest Protection Section, Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, either by email to forestprotection@ agriculture.gov.ie or by telephoning 01 6072651. Symptoms of ash dieback include leaf and shoot wilting and dieback of branches. It should be noted though that other damaging agents can also cause similar symptoms. 5 greenside magazine | September 2012 Feature Living and Working in the BY Cameron Cooper I had wanted to do an internship in Ireland since before I went to school at the State University of New York at Delhi for golf course management. I didn’t know where in Ireland or why Ireland. I have never been here before; I have never even been out of the States. ll I knew about Ireland is great introduction to links golf what I had learned from and Irish greenkeeping. Eddie was the stories of people who kind enough to tell me about the Ahad been on vacation and golf troubles he’s encountered on his trips here, and from books such course and how he had dealt with as Tom Coyne’s A Course Called the issues. Over the next week I Ireland. I grew up falling in love would travel to Portmarnock, to with golf at Cazenovia Golf Club meet Gary Johnstone; The Island and from all that I had heard at Club to meet Johnny O’Sullivan; the course, from golfers who had County Louth Golf Club “Baltray” played in Ireland, I knew I would to meet Paul Malone, and have to go there. Woodenbridge to meet Trevor I began my search in early Dargan. I’m very thankful to all October for a course that would of them for taking time out of take me on. I contacted Jon Kiger their days to show me around of TurfNet and, with his massive the courses. It was great to talk amounts of help, got accepted with these guys about how they at Mount Juliet Golf Course in manage their courses and deal Thomastown Co.