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All This And More.. .For Superior Appearance and Playing Conditions FOR A DEMONSTRATION CALL DISTRIBUTING CO. 14900 Twenty-first Avenue North • Plymouth, Minnesota 55441 1-800-362-3665 • 612-475-2200 HOLE NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK Official Publication Extraordinary Problems of the Minnesota Golf Course For T\irf Managers Superintendents' Association 1990-91 MGCSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS I would like to thank Paul Diegnau for hosting the May Superintendents' meeting. Officers The weather graciously cooperated to create a perfect day with approximately 90 President Tom Fischer, CGCS people in attendance. Edinburgh USA A note of thanks to Jack Kolb and John Wiley of Turf Supply Company for providing 612/424-8756 the educational speaker at the meeting in May. The talk on chemical mode of action Vice-President ... Rick Fredericksen, CGCS for various diseases was very informative and a timely subject of interest. Woodhill Country Club 612/473-5811 * * * * Secretary Greg Hubbard, CGCS Manitou Ridge Golf Course This spring has produced extraordinary problems for turf managers. 612/777-2987 The immediate past two seasons were dry. Courses were forced to recover from Treasurer Jim Nicol, CGCS harsh winters that resulted in much desiccation. Enormous effort was placed on Bunker Hills Golf Course attempts to regrow grass on tees, greens and fairways. This was coupled with lack 612/755-4150 of rainfall and less than ideal growing conditions. Unlike the struggle of the previous Ex-Officio Kerry Glader, CGCS two years, the spring of 1991 has been indifferent with above average moisture St. Cloud Country Club and temperature factors. At times, growth rate of turf dominates the ability to stay 612/253-5250 ahead with regard to mowing. Directors With the abundance of precipitation, weed seeds—which previously laid dormant Shane Andrews Hudson Country Club in the soil during drought years—spontaneously germinated this year, especially 715/386-9262 dandelions. Maintaining the golf course in championship condition can prove Scott Austin... Midland Hills Country Club challenging. 612/631-1545 * * * * Kevin Clunis Stillwater Country Club 612/439-7760 The hospitality tent at the US. Open will be situated between the clubhouse Irwin (Boots) Fuller... .Mankato Golf Club and first tee. Stop in for refreshments. This tournament will provide an excellent 507/388-2546 opportunity for the Association to represent our organization. John Harris Lafayette Club 612/471-8493 Joe Moris Tartan Park Golf Course The Research Tourney will be held on June 21. A steady stream of 612/733-3472 applications has been coming in. Be prompt with your entry. For information, call Mike Olson ... Golden Valley Country Club Rick Fredericksen at Woodhill Country Club. 612/545-0552 — Tom Fischer EDITORIAL COMMITTEE MGCSA President John Harris Scott Austin EDITOR John Harris ABOUT THE COVER ASSOCIATE EDITORS Jeff Turtinen Our cover this month salutes Hazeltine National Golf Club, site of the Scott Turtinen 1991 U.S. Open June 13-16. Pictured is a view of the 16th hole with Chris Hague, Hazeltine golf course superintendent, in the inset. Please turn to PUBLISHER Ralph Turtinen Page 5 for the second of a two-part series on Hague's preparations for the Open by Editor John Harris and to Page 14 for a congratulatory letter from Editorial and Business Office Ralph Turtinen, Executive Director the MGCSA to the Hazeltine superintendent. Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents' Association 240 Minnetonka Avenue South P.O. Box 617 Wayzata, Minnesota 55391-1617 HOLE NOTES is published monthly except bimonthly December/January, February/March for 612/473-0557 $10 per year by the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association, 240 Minnetonka Avenue FAX: 612/473-0576 South, Wayzata, MN 55391-1617. Ralph Turtinen, Publisher. Application to mail at second class rates is pending at Wayzata, MN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HOLE NOTES, 240 Minnetonka Avenue South, Wayzata, MN 55391-1617. What Makes Lyme Disease Tick? By Brian Bret, Ph.D. Lyme disease is rapidly becoming an important public health dwelling mammals such as voles or some ground nesting birds. concern. This potentially debilitating illness is now the most Newly hatched larvae are not infected with the Lyme disease common tickborne disease in the United States, and a likely bacteria. They usually pick it up from the infected host as they place to get it is right in your backyard. feed. Reports of the disease are likely to increase as more people After feeding two to three days on the host, the larvae drop become aware of its causes and symptoms and seek medical off on the ground and overwinter in leaf litter, thatch or soil. help for proper diagnosis and treatment. The next spring, they molt into eight-legged nymphs and still At the same time, the bacteria responsible for the disease carry the infection. is certain to increase for two reasons. First, the deer tick that Nymphs occur in late spring or early summer of the second transmits the disease from one host to another appears to be year. Their populations peak in early or midsummer. Soon af- exploding in population. Second, the deer tick, the bacteria and ter molting, nymphs begin searching for hosts to feed on. Un- the disease are spreading widely throughout most of the con- like the newly hatched larvae, nymphs are not restricted to tinental United States by mammals and birds that act as hosts ground level when searching for suitable hosts. They climb grass- for the ticks. es and weeds. It is at this stage that humans are most suscepti- A recent article in USA Today stated that scientists now be- ble to ticks. Other common nymph hosts include medium size lieve the bacteria causing Lyme disease was present in this coun- mammals and birds. If the nymph is infected with the spirochete, try long before it became officially recognized in 1975. Therefore, it will pass it on to the next host it feeds on. instances of Lyme disease that occurred decades before were The average infection rate of nymphs is about 25 percent. probably misdiagnosed because the disease was not known. This means that if you're bitten by a nymph, you have a one Recognizing the Symptoms in four chance of being bitten by an infected tick. In some areas of the country, this rate can be significantly higher. Lyme disease has a variety of symptoms, which makes it After a few days of feeding on their hosts, engorged nymphs difficult to diagnose. It can also mimic other diseases such as drop to the ground and remain there until their final molt. By Alzheimer's disease and certain neurological disorders. late summer or early fall, nymphs are molting into adults. Adult One of the first signs of Lyme disease is a reddish, purplish populations peak in midfall. If a nymph has been infected with or brownish rash around the site of the tick bite. The rash ex- the disease, it will carry it into adulthood as well. pands from the center out and may look like a bull's-eye with Adult ticks climb shrubs and tall grasses in search of hosts. red rings inside other red rings. However, not everyone who The most common host is the white-tail deer. Other large hosts contracts Lyme disease will experience a rash. In some cases, include dogs and humans. After feeding for a few days, the adults the rash can go away without the infected person realizing what drop off and overwinter. Adults can also be found the follow- it is. Other early symptoms, which can occur within 32 days ing spring. The infection rate of adult ticks can range from 40 of the tick bite, include swollen lymph nodes near the bite, flu- to 50 percent. like symptoms, headache, fever, chills, stiff neck, nausea and fatigue. Making Your Property Less Hospitable to Ticks Other Symptoms The control of Lyme disease provides an ideal opportunity Other symptoms that can occur later include overall body for an integrated pest management approach. Control methods weakness, severe headaches, Bell's palsy, carpal tunnel syn- must include mechanical, physical and chemical methods aimed drome, dizziness, seizures, disorientation, muscle and joint pain, at the ticks and their hosts. However, no control program can neurological and cardiac problems and arthritic symptoms. Later guarantee that a person will never get Lyme disease. symptoms can occur months to years after the person is infected. If a tick does not find a host soon after it hatches or molts, If you think you might have been exposed to Lyme disease, it will die. Therefore, making your property less hospitable to contact your doctor immediately. It can be detected with a blood tick hosts such as deer, white-footed mice, birds, squirrels, chip- test and treated with antibiotics in the early stages. munks and other mammals is helpful in controlling the spread Life Stages of Lyme disease.