Briefs UK's 'brain drain' to Europe said serious V em Pu tney nited Kingdom groundsmen What greenkeepers overseas need is a and greenkeeper associations are aware of a "brain drain" to Walter Hagen. UEurope because of increased — Bill Bengeyfield golf interest there, but think the flow of ex- pertise is of no great concern at the moment. former national director, While some may try to discourage exodus, many key figures in these specialized fields USGA Green Section CALIFORNIA APPROVES JILL REPORTS view the trend as more beneficial long run FRESNO, Calif. — The California Envi- than harmful. The bottom line may be bigger ronmental Protection Agency has approved paychecks and long-overdue recognition. ent approach to society's strata set up imme- talents to the highest bidder. Club mem- use of reports generated by JILL, the pesticide What greenkeepers overseas need is a diate acceptance of his peers' status role. bers, conceded to be astute businessmen, reporting software developed by Orange Walter Hagen, observed William H. Bengey- Greenkeepers in the British Isles too long understand that economic message. Enterprises, Inc. field, former national director of the United have been content to stay in the background As it stands now, a rather generous an- The reports can reduce significantly the States Golf Association's Green Section. despite their prominent part in the day-to-day nual salary for ahighly regarded greenkeeper paperwork and time required for pesticide The American golf professional took Eu- success of course operations. They've lacked is in the neighborhood of $25,000, Bengey- use reporting. rope by storm in the Roaring Twenties. He the dashing, glamorous image and a leading field ventured. The paperwork reduction is achieved by hobnobbed with kings and queens, startled spokesman. Derek Walder, secretary for the Institute including the pesticide use of several blocks the British and rocketed the pros from back Perhaps that mantle can't be assumed, but of Groundsmanship, based in Milton Keynes, in a single report. For example, a grower with door to celebrity status. The Haig's irrever- they can speakfairly forcefully by taking their Continued on page 19 ten adjacent grape blocks can use the program to produce a single report versus ten, elimi- nating 90 percent of the paperwork. Send data from All California growers are required to file a Career Center for college students monthly summary report and a detailed report independent water each time they intend to apply a restricted planned again at Mid-Am show studies at courses material. To add substance and bulk to the For more information, contact Orange The Mid-Am Trade Show is holding its limited amount of research data on turf Enterprises Inc., 2377 W. Shaw Suite 205, third annual Career Center for college stu- chemical runoff, Golf Course News is Fresno, Calif. 93711.; 209-229-2195. dents and companies seeking graduating students during its 1992 show, Jan.-16-18 at asking superintendents nationwide to UST DEADLINE EXTENSION PROPOSED the Hyatt Regency Chicago. let us know if a ground water or surface WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U. S. Envi- Horticultural students from more than 50 water study of any kind has been or is ronmental Protection Agency has proposed regional colleges and universities will be in- being done at their course. extending the compliance deadline for fi- vited to participate, as will horticulture in- university horticultural departments and in- 'The Cape Cod Study was a good one, nancial responsibility for underground stor- dustry employers from the Midwest. dustry companies this fall. but it was only one study. There is a age tank owners from Oct. 26,1991, to Dec. The Career Center will provide students The show is sponsored by the Illinois critical need for data on the impacts of 31,1992. seeking full-time employment in nursery, Nurserymen's Association, Illinois Landscape turf chemicals on our water environ- The proposed extension affects owners garden center, landscape maintenance, de- Contractors Association, and Wisconsin ment," said Stuart Cohen of Environ- with 12 or fewer tanks at more than one sign, exterior landscaping or interiorscaping Landscape Federation. It is endorsed by Iowa mental & Turf Services, Inc., who di- facility, fewer than 100 tanks at a single facility industries with an opportunity to meet briefly Nurserymen's Association, Minnesota rected the Cape Cod Study. and non-marketers with a net worth of less with companies seeking qualified employees. Nursery & Landscape Association and Ne- Cohen said he has discovered several than $20 million. Companies will be able to conduct brief in- braska Association of Nurserymen. instances of isolated, limited golf course The extension is part of a broader effort to troductory interviews with participating stu- For further information, contact the Mid- runoff or leaching studies. Those were reduce the cost of these regulations on small dents. Am Trade Show, 1000 N. Rand Road, Suite usually conducted as a result of state or businesses while ensuring the protection of Invitations will be issued to college and 214, Wauconda, 111. 60084; 708-526-2010. local requirements for special circum- human health and the environment. stances, such as gaining a zoning per- mit. UST OVERFILL LAW AMENDED "When the results of studies are favor- WASHINGTON —The U.S. Environmen- New department created to help able, there is no press release from the tal Protection Agency has issued an amend- state agency," said Cohen. "Since I know ment to the Underground Storage Tank members abroad, GCSAA says studies have been held and there has not overfill prevention requirements. been a media cry of 'dangers of golf This final amendment allows overfill The Golf Course Superintendents Asso- mation have steadily increased over the last courses,' my guess is that these studies equipment to be used closer to the top of the ciation of America has formed a new depart- several years," Akins said. "We're excited are favorable to the industry." large bulk storage tanks (those tanks fre- ment to develop and implement programs for about the opportunity to focus our efforts on Superintendents are asked simply to quently located at retail gasoline stations) its 734 international members. the international arena and provide tools for write, listing: because it acknowledges that sufficient vol- Tom Akins, GCSAA director of planning, superintendents outside of the United States." • a contact name and phone number; umes to receive excess petroleum or waste will head the department and assume the Akins noted that GCSAA will examine such • the pesticides being monitored; still would be available. new title of director of planning and interna- options as education, publications and trade • whether it is a surface or ground Overfilling UST systems is a common tional programs. shows. water study; source of petroleum releases onto the surface "This new department is part of GCSAA's "Many countries already have established • if monitoring wells were installed; of the ground. commitment to share ideas about sound golf golf federations and associations that are • if the study was a condition of a TOMA KEYNOTE SPEAKER course management with the rest of the providing quality professional development permit; and MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — George Toma, world," said Executive Director John M. for their membership,"he said. "Our desire is • if a final report was issued. who has prepared every Super Bowl playing Schilling. to work cooperatively with those associations, Cohen, who will follow up on this surface, will be the keynote speaker at the The department has started surveying su- lending our expertise while learning from initial information, has agreed to com- fourth annual Southern Grounds and Turf perintendents, university researchers and golf their unique methods." pile the results and summarize them in Exhibition and Conference at the Conven- industry representatives worldwide to iden- Of the more than 10,800 current members an upcoming issue of Golf Course News. tion Center here Nov. 19-20. tify specific course management needs. "In- of GCSAA, 734 live and work in 47 countries Knowing superintendents may be too Toma's main job is caring for the Kansas City ternational requests for assistance and infor- outside the United States. busy to expand on the study, Cohen Royals baseball and KC Chiefs football fields. asked that they at least identify a contact More than 1,000"heroes of the sod" will learn Sports Turf Managers updated at conclave person and the time period during which of the latest information and innovations in turf the study was done. maintenance and landscape design. PASADENA, Calif. — The Sports Turf Dale Hansen, Kramer Sports Surfaces, "Al- "Most studies may have just a handful Morethan 175exWbitorsfromasfar as Oregon Managers Association recently held its ninth ternative Solutions: When the Grass Doesn't of data," he said, "but taken in total, it will demonstrate stateof-the-art equipment, sports turf institute at Brookside Park. Grow", and Mark Hodnick, Pasadena Parks could be another step in drawing the services and supplies for the grounds mainte- Speakers and topics were Mark Doble, and Forestry, "Budget Programming for the whole picture of the multi-year impact of nance industry. Industry professionals will Western Sod, "NewSportsTurf Construction: Drought." golf courses on the environment." present23seminarsoncurrentandfuture trends Planning for Water Conservation"; Steve The program provided insight into man- People are asked to send the informa- of grounds and turf management Cockerham, Univ. of California, Riverside, aging sports fields under water use restric- tion to Cohen at Environmental & Turf For more information, contact the Specials "Sports Turf Renovation"; Lynda Wightman, tions imposed because of drought conditions Services, Inc., 11141 Georgia Ave., Suite EventsManagementdivisionat803-737-9355. Hunter Industries, "Sports Turf Irrigation"; in the western states. 208, Wheaton, Md. 20902. GOLF COURSE NEWS UK superintendents leaving for fertile European ground Continued from page 15 more acceptable to the golfer, he contends. and leadership qualities. Among them is of staffers experienced in grading. Buckinghamshire, England, thinks the threat McMillan thinks European golf course Jaime Ortiz-Patino, president ofValderrama There has been some mutual disillusion- of skilled shortage will lead to new awareness construction is too lavish. More "bread and Golf Club, a course in Spain Bengeyfield ment among some Spanish golf club officials by employers of the value ofWalder's fellow butter" courses are the answer, he believes. and others considers the best conditioned and aspiring young course superintendents professionals. At present, too many are out of pocketbook in Europe. from America, lured overseas with glowing That, in turn, will mean a new look at reach for the general golf public, he declared. Six years ago, Petino wanted to build an promises. current wages. "Anywhere grass is grown," As in much of the Northwest portion of the American-style course. Green Section's Beng- Many Americans lacked the background he declared, "our members are prominent. United States, many courses in the UK are eyfield responded to his consultant inquiry. to handle course problems, and others com- Far from just moving around plants and orna- played hard in a comparatively short sea- This led to other Spain course projects. plained of being short-changed financially. mentals, planting shrubs and decorating, they sonal span. Because of the climate, there is Petino has been quick to lend a helping Leading British professionals have taken a are recognized in Europe as distinctive insufficient natural recovery time. hand to others golf-minded. He supplied leaf from the carefully kept notes of top-notch craftsmen. They are paid accordingly. Switzerland, he noted, is leaning more to golf, materials, equipment and stolons for the U.S. pros — South Africa's Gary Player, "If this movement means an economic but 'tremendous snow" is discouraging. first public course in Spain, being built next Australia's Greg Norman, Spain's Seve upturn for groundsmen, so much the better. While there may not be a strong to Valderrama in the town of Guadiaro by Ballesteros and Germany's Bernhard Langer. The paycheck is important." greenkeeper organization in Europe, indi- townspeople. U.S. architect Robert Trent According to Bengeyfield, they are ventur- The British International Golf Association viduals are surfacing with strong opinions Jones Sr. contributed course aid in the form ing rather deeply into course design. echoes that stand. Several members of that greenkeeper or course superintendent group have been attracted to the greener cash fields of Europe. Jack McMillan may be the leading example. Thefirstpresidentof the English & International Golf Groundkeepers Association and past chairman of the British & International Golf GreenkeepersAssociation"defected"togreener, R EEL more financially fertile pastures and golf course consultantstatusinthe spring of1990. He's since been involved in a number of major projects in Europe and the UK Prior to his invasion of Europe, McMillan had been for nine years head greenkeeper at prestigious Sunningdale Golf Club, Surrey, England. For more than 30 years a head greenkeeper, he has trained on-course 20 of England's head greenkeepers, and authored many articles on greenkeeping. While a number of high specification, quality golf courses have been constructed in France and Germany, McMillan feels that, in order to sell the game of golf to the French and German masses, they must be able to •¡•¡•8 play at reasonable cost. He believes good, hard-wearing public courses could be built, reasonably priced, along the lines of the many public and local authority courses in the UK that give so much pleasure to so many persons. Scotsman McMillan ruefully gives the green fee price "prize" to Pebble Beach, Calif. He played that world-renowned links after parting with $200. "I thought I'd bought part of the course," he reflected. The availability of woodlands gives France and Germany an advantage over the UK in course building selection, McMillan said. Dense population and limited space hamper course development in the UK One problem confronting the golf course industry in the UK and shared by the courses in the temperate climate zone in the United States is the increase in golfing traffic. Much of this is over winter months, when soil temperatures drop but weather conditions allow play to continue. McMillan claims traffic has increased in his lifetime from 5,000 rounds of golf annu- SHARP Want sharp looking turf? Then you need fine-tuned, razor-sharp ally to nearly 50,000 rounds. This has influ- enced course condition more than any other reels in your mower. That's exactly what you get with a Neary change, he said. It also has been the major grinder — reels that are as sharp as sharp gets! reason for the great changes in the way courses are managed. All Neary Models sharpen faster, more accurately than ever, Prolonged heavy traffic during frost on thanks to our continued engineering innovations. Find out courses with a short growing season and and year-round golf leads to deterioration in play- which upgradeable Model meets both your performance ing surfaces and causes the greenkeeping your budget needs. Call today for FREE literature or the name industry serious concern. of the Neary dealer nearest you. 800-233-4973 It is, he feels, the reason for the break- down in the relationship between greenkeeper and golfer in recent times. He feels two greens at every hole must be considered to spread this increased traffic. At least providing a well-prepared, well-man- ager temporary green would help relieve the Neary Manufacturing • 19228 Industrial Blvd. • Elk River, MN 55330 • FAX 612-441-6016 situation. If managed year-round, it may be CIRCLE #111 GOLF COURSE NEWS