Romey Ortb's Wisconsin Golf Course Museum: Conclusion I~By Monroe S

Tales From The Back Nine Romey Ortb's Wisconsin Golf Course Museum: Conclusion I~By Monroe S. Miller r Romey opened the double glass The shock of what we were experi- "I didn't," he said with a broad doors to the museum, took Betty with encing was wearing off. smile. his right arm and led the way in. The The first rows of equipment were Next to the Model T was a 1931 Orth boys were next with their fami- pickup trucks. It is unlikely there has Chevrolet pickup. It was the first year lies, and the throngs pushed close ever been a golf course superinten- Chevy offered a complete factory-built behind. I had muscled my way so dent who hadn't had a pickup truck, truck. ''They have always been behind that I was right behind the Orths. at least since the time of the Ford Ford," Tom mused as we looked the Large healthy indoor potted plants Model T. old truck over closely. This one had a filled either side of the vestibule area Romey's trucks were stunning. "Stovebolt" six-cylinder 194 cubic and another set of double glass The first one was, in fact, a Ford inch, 50 horsepower mill for power doors opened to the museum. I Model T, the beloved Tin Lizzie that and solid steel wheels and bed box, stepped through them and, literally, is so much a part of American histo- an advance over the wood that had gasped. ry. This one was a 1925 Runabout. It been used in the 1925 Ford Model T. On either side, as if to greet us, had a louvered hood, a canvas top Romey had it painted in the authentic were full size cut outs of Old Tom that folded down and a trusty Ford factory colors of "Blue Bell" blue and Morris (at the left) and Arnold Palmer four-cylinder engine. The bed of the black and accented with precise gold on the right, heroes of everybody box was maple wood, left with a pin striping. It also had a canvas top. who would ever walk through the clear finish. Romey even had the Next in line was another Ford, this museum doors. toolbox on the passenger running one a 1935 model, right out of the You were taken by the brightness board filled with tools of the time-a depression. It was black, too, but the inside the central area of the muse- ball pein hammer, a pipe wrench, a 16-spoke wire wheels were painted um. The height was formidable-I'd pliers and a couple of wooden han- bright red with chrome hubcaps. guess something over 25 feet at the dled screwdrivers. The vehicle had a They were beautiful accents. The center. Obviously Romey had installed shiny, deep black finish. tires were whitewalls. Romey had the high intensity fluorescent lamps so we Somebody said to Romey as he driver's side half of the hood up, wouldn't miss anything. Several large walked through the crowd, "Don't tell showing the 88 horsepower, 221 ceiling fans turned lazily. us you painted these, Romey!" (Continued on page 32) Equipment took up the central area of the floor. At the perimeter were a number of rooms, on both sides and across the back. Those across the back were open to the floor area. Above them was a mezzanine with a stair case at each end of the four comers. ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS FOR I looked at Tom Morris and Bogey Calhoun. Calhoun was speechless- THE GOLF SUPERINTENDENT a rare moment-and I thought Tom • Disposal of pesticides, fungicides, and hazardous wastes was going to pass out. In fact, I was a little light headed myself. There • Free cost analysis for disposal of waste inventory were rows and rows and rows of • Lab analysis for unknown substances bright, shiny, perfectly restored equip- • Turnkey waste disposal includes waste profiles, labels, manifests, ment. I didn't know where to start packaging, and transportation exploring. The big speakers in each comer of • RCRA and DOT compliance the building gave forth soothing clas- • 25+ years in the hazardous waste industry sical music. I guessed it was Dvorak's New World Symphony, per- Liesch Environmental Services, Inc. fect for our rural surrounds. It was 6000 Gisholt Drive, Suite 203· Madison, WI 53713 quiet; guys were talking with one (60B) 223-1532 • Fax (60B) 223-1534 another, but only in hushed tones.

31 (Continued from page 31) grill and stylish side-mounted spare Like the Studebaker and the '35 cubic inch V-8 engine. It was painted tire all spelled elegance (if there is Ford, this one also had whitewall tires. a soft linden green. The fabulous elegance in a plckupl}. It was pow- The hubcaps were chrome and had paint job was highlighted by chrome ered by a six-cylinder engine. I want- the famous Ford winged logo. Romey trimmed headlights, a gracefully slop- ed to hop in, start it and drive it had it painted up in the original village ing front grill and a unique "V-8" away. green with Tacoma cream trim. The emblem on the grill. I'd never once seen any of these spare was mounted at the side of the J looked around, wondering if I trucks, nor had I heard Romey (or box and the fuel filler cap was was the only one looking at the pick- Jim, for that matter) talk about them. chrome, a nice touch for a great truck. up trucks. I wasn't, but the crowd of Half an hour had gone by and I had "Hey, Tom, look at this one," I said superintendents had dispersed over only looked at four of them. There to Tom Morris as we went down the the floor of the building; some of the were several to go before I even got line. "I'll bet each of us has driven guys were even upstairs by now. Jim to the grass machinery and tractor this truck before." Orth came by, put his hand on my displays. "You're right," he said as we shoulder and said, "Well, Boss, what Ford's 1942 pickup was intro- leaned on the fender of a 1953 do you think?" duced in December 1941 just as the Chevy 3100. It was a common site "I'm almost speechless, Jim. This war broke out. It was the last pickup when we were growing up in the is beyond words." Jim was, I could Ford would produce until after the 1950s and 1960s. Romey's was tell, proud of his father. war; car and light truck production green and had the standard Parked next to the '35 Ford was a gave way to the manufacture of war "Thriftmaster" six-cylinder engine stunning vehicle, one I'd not seen equipment. I loved this old truck; I under the hood. The curved windows very often despite my 50 years of remembered the model from my farm at each rear corner of the cab were age and rural upbringing that includ- youth when they were actually quite what I liked best about the appear- ed lots of trucks. It was a deep, rich common in the 1950s. The sheet ance of this truck. cardinal red 1937 Studebaker pickup. metal from the cab forward was dis- The first truck I drove was a 1954 It was the first year that Studebaker tinguished by its unique waterfall grill Ford F-100; Romey had a 1956 F- made a pickup and this one was and squared-off, flat front profile. It 100 that was very similar. It was fin- strikingly good looking. It had a was the first in Romey's collection of ished in cardinal red, an original smooth round design, whitewall tires trucks that had the headlights mount- color. Romey did everything authenti- and chrome hubcaps. The chrome ed inside the fender. cally, I was discovering. It had a For Your Fall Projects Check With ~r:c!!Jj!~"t;,nPlus wflftc

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32 wrap around front windshield and the Superintendents, at least those which were also gray), an 8N and a rear window wrapped around both my age, like tractors almost as 9N (both had red "bellies" and were rear corners. It was cool. The truck much as they like trucks. For much from the 1940s, a 1953 Golden grill had the classic widow's peak of our careers, tractors were the Jubilee NAA, and all red Model 640 motif, and the bed box was back to a power sources for large area mow- Workmaster, and a 1961 861 with a wooden floor, obviously because of ing equipment; it seemed for me Select-O-Speed transmission. experience with rust. I'd hauled a lot only yesterday we were mowing Those trannies were a disaster on of loads of grain to the grist mill in roughs and fairways with tractors goof lurf," Tom said as we passed by my hometown in a truck almost like and gang mowers, and tractors were the 861. "We had one of them and this one. needed to tow spreaders and every time you geared it up the rear I smelled coffee, followed the deli- sprayers and trailers. PTO was a tires would nudge a little turf loose. It cious aroma to a table where Romey common feature for shredders and was a good transmission for a farm, had set up a coffee maker. I drew a spreaders and chippers. But not but on golf fairways it was bad news." cup of the hot brew. these days. And that simple reality Romey also had a 2110 LeG, circa "I don't know about you," Tom made Romey's tractor collection 1973, that was finished in the original said, "but this is my fave, hands even more sentimental for me. yellow sheetmetal and blue belly. The down." Just as Morris and I were starting 8N had a mounted two-bottom plow He had a point. The 1957 Dodge down the aisles of old and not-sa-old and the 9N had the famous Ford read Sweptwide 0100 Romey had found tractors, Romey walked by. "Spend blade on the three-point hitch. and restored had fins like so many of some time here," he encouraged me. "Here's a genuine golf course tile vehicles from the nifty fifties. It "It takes somebody who has been antique tractor," Tom noted as we was a sharp truck, painted cherry red around awhile to appreciate these stopped by a huge IH Farmall F-20 and white and rolling on whitewall antiques. It doesn't hurt to have a "Fairway Tractor". My head barely tires. The radio antenna was mount- farm background, either." reached the hood of the dam thing. It ed at the front center of the roof. The first iron horses were all was on steel wheels that had small Rather than a neulral colored interior, Fords, lots of them. He had them spuds threaded into the wheels the seat covers, dash and floor car- parked by age-Model F (painted in instead of the directional bars found peting matched the two-tone color of original gray with red steel wheels), a on ag tractors of the day. It was likely the truck. Model N and a 2N (both were all the first honest turf tractor. "Finally, Tom, we are near Ihe gray in color and on steel wheels (Continued on page 34) end. I'm about exhausted!" I said as I sipped the coffee. He was looking at the Dodge so intently he didn't acknowledge me. Romey's next two trucks were fl~ 1HER.£ wac£ SF/tESt Chevys, a 1957 Cameo Carrier and a THaJ eM"'£" 9:>FT <;PIkE5, 1958 Apache. The Cameo was a dazzling, high-slyle pickup, kind of ANT> NOW.- .•. J like the Dodge. It was red and white, too; the inside of the box was painted high gloss white! "Very impractical, Romey," I thought to myself. It almost looked like a car. The spare was concealed beneath the bed, a 283 cubic inch, 160 horsepower V-8 was beneath the hood. Like the '56 Ford, it also had a curved front and rear windshield. A sunvisor covered the front windshield. The red and white interior also matched the exterior. The blue Apache marked the first year of dual headlights for pickups. It l had the same engine as the Cameo, but unlike the '57 Chev it had a small running board. The shine on the blue I paint was a mile deep. We bumped into Calhoun, I Middleton and Fennimore as we finished the trucks and headed to Romey's tractor collection. Bogey still was overwhelmed by the size of Romey's museum. "Boy, this is like the Smithsonian of golf courses," he commented. He was close to the mark.

33 (Continued from page 33) There were two Oliver tractors-a said as we walked from one end to He had an IH 8-16 tractor that ran 1938 Model 60 narrow front and a the other end of the Taro tractors. on kerosene from the 1920s like the 1956 Model 55 with a wide front. The The first vehicle, a Taro Model A Ford Model F. No Farmall collection 55 had turf tires on it, wide and "Master", was on steel wheels and would be complete without a B, and smooth and squat. had a manual dump body. Next to it Romey had one that was refurbished We were at the John Deere aisle. was a Model B "General"; it was on so that it looked like it had just come "I don't ever remember seeing or rubber tires, but had an appearance off the production line in Rock Island. even hearing old timers talk about similar to the Master-square front An IH 240 with a loader was parked John Deere tractors on golf courses end with an exposed radiator. next to the B. during the times of their "Johnny The coolest looking one was third Next to the Farmalls were the Poppers", Tom said. "Maybe their in line-a Model C ';Bullet". The Allis-Chalmers, which had all been distinctive sound was too unsettling name fit perfectly as the grill that manufactured here in Wisconsin at to golf players." covered the radiator came to a point West Allis. He had a big old 1937 As I thought about it I agreed with on the center line of the tractor. It WD on steel and a 1939 Model C Tom. JDs were popular tractors, for also had metal engine skirts, not (under 20 horsepowert) on rubber. sure, but other than as a loader trac- unlike those on the Oliver 60 tractor We doubled back to see the oth- tor I didn't remember much about Romey had. There were louvers on ers. Also made in Wisconsin at the them. either side. Racine plant started by Jerome Speaking of those old tractors with The final vehicle was a Model 0 Increase Case were Romey's Case the big cylinder and the big flywheel, 'Park Patrol", more familiar to superin- tractors-a Model VAC from the Romey had a few of them - a GP on tendents my age. It had a six-cylinder 1930s and a Model L, larger than the steel, a Model LA (a very small trac- Continental engine with overhead VAC and probably at least several tor) and a Model B. valves-a real powerhouse of an years older. The VAC was orange No sooner had Tom wondered engine. All four Taro tractors looked and the L was gray. He also had a when we'd get to pure golf course like they were ready for a good day's row crop 1957 Case 350, painted in equipment than we were stopped in work! the "new" Case colors of that day- our tracks by four immaculate, new- Romey was impartial. Next to the yellow/cream on the hood and fend- looking Taro tractors. "Wow!" was all Taros were Jacobsen tractors-the ers and the original dark orange on either of us could come up with. short and square G-10 towing tractor the engine and drivetrain. It was a "Wait until the boys from with its Ford four-cylinder engine, and beauty. Minneapolis hear about these," Tom a F-6 fairway mowing tractor with its

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34 elaborate cable system for lifting the course maintenance-especially on All three rooms were roped off to heavy gang units. "I have mowed a courses with 60 or 70 sand bunkers. keep people out of them, but with few thousand acres with one of Bogey came by, still full of energy, your toes right on the line you couid these," Tom mused, almost to him- and said breathlessly, "wait until you enjoy every detail that Romey and self. see all of the aerification equipment. Jim used to date each one. Horse The F-6 finally led us into the area Romey always talked about his good harnesses, calendars, antique spark devoted to mowing-feels and knives friend Tom Mascara; I guess they plugs, hand tools and hundreds of and even sickles. Romey had a horse were close. He has most of Tom's other small things took you back in drawn sickle mower next to a Ford West Point equipment on the other time. It was awesome. three-point hitch version of it. There side of the building. And all the old, Tom and I continued to wander, were gang mowers-too many of early Ryan pieces, too. And some looking at spray equipment and a col- them. From horse-drawn three gangs hand aerifiers." lection of seeders and spreaders. to Worthington Airfield Blitzers. from Equally interesting were the turf Then we climbed the steps in the tractor drawn Spartan nine-gangs to trucks-Red Ryders, Smithcos, nearest corner to see what surprises English equipment even Morris and I Cushmans and more. And he pre- were upstairs on the mezzanine. weren't acquainted With, Romey had served the history of Wisconsin's We had looked at it from all them all. "How many," we thought, prominent place in the golf car busi- angles below; it was a combination of "did that man rescue from the junk- ness with his collection of Harley open areas with displays, rooms yards?" Probably most of them. Davidson golf carts and the Universal (both large and small) and the hall- Big machinery occupied the floor that was made in Madison. It had a 4- ways connecting them. From the floor area of the museum. Under the mez- cylinder water-cooler Continental one could not see what was showing zanine that went all the way around engine. All eyes were on the in each. We reached the top of the the second level, Jim had designed Cushman Model 650 "bullet" golf car stairs, turned right and started our arrangements of smaller equipment. from the late 1960s-18 horsepower tour of the top floor. These displays were segregated by engine included! We walked through an opening walls and portable barriers, arranged We were drawn to the back wall of into an area enclosed by 8 foot walls in odd shaped rooms and areas. They the museum, also under the mezza- on either end and along the edge of made the museum seem even larger nine, by the crowd that had gravitated the mezzanine; the wall of the muse- than it already was. The back walls of there. Small wonder. um served as the back wall of the the variously shaped rooms were Two walls perpendicular to the room. painted white; others were "papered" back wall divided the area under the Inside was every imaginable green with life size golf course photographs. mezzanine into three rooms. Each and tee tool known to man. Cup cut- There were pictures of tractor plants room depicted a golf cou rse shop ters, soil samplers, divot repair tools, in Wisconsin, of Jacobsen's factory in from days gone by-the left one was and pieces we couldn't identify. They Racine, Brillion Iron Works, the Briggs obviously from the early years of the were hanging on the four walls. and Stratton engine plant in century, the center room was fitted Flags, sticks, cups, tee blocks and Milwaukee and The Kohler Company with shop equipment from the 1920s, ballwashers from years ago were engine factory in Kohler when the and the art deco shop radio in the there. The display included the old engines were indeed made there. third bay told you it was typical of the Lewis Line wooden paddle/tin bucket "We're never going to get through 19405. (Continued on page 37) this, Tom," I said as I was looking around for a place to sit for awhile. We had to look through irrigation equipment and hand mowers. We both wanted to look at the old Jake 4- acre mowers and the ancient Taro Whirlwinds. Romey even had an early triplex Greensking-the early praying mantis-looking machine. It was an antique in our business, yet both of us could remember when it was intro- duced. Romey and Jim knew people would need to rest every once in awhile, so he had a number of "tee stations" about the museum floor, each one different with a history of its own. We looked across the floor to where the bunker equipment was, and Tom spotted an old Stan Clarke power sand trap rake, one of the first (if not THE first) power rakes. That represented a giant step in improved

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39 Jottings From The Golf Course Journal IMAGE By Monroe S. Mfller

Sandy Noltner sent me the card fork, and accountants with a sharp required a coat and tie. All respected shown here for my birthday this past pencil. the code except one, and he had a summer. I was flattered that she So, what about us? Usually we tie and golf sweater on. Dr. David took the time to make it for me; I are portrayed with a golf club, and it Cookson, one of the all-time best plan on saving it among things is a misrepresentation. Sandy is leaders of golf in Wisconsin, was our important to me. Sandy is just start- much closer to the mark; leave it to a guest speaker. After the meeting he ing kindergarten, and her Dad has child to get it right. said to me something like, "what a been the equipment manager at our Image Is important in any career, great audience. You couldn't tell you club for over twenty years. maybe even more so in ours. It guys from a group of bankers or Innocence and honesty are two seems for many of the 25 years I accountants." things that make children such a have been a golf course superinten- Dr. Cookson was saying two pleasure to have and to be around. dent in Wisconsin I have expended a things: his image of us as a profes- They tell it like they see ii, and in lot of energy in trying to overcome sion was like that of many golf player Sandy's crayon drawing she sees me false and negative images of us and and a lot of the public. And he was mowing a green behind a Toro walk- attempting to convey an accurate pic- also admitting he was wrong and ing greensmower. Talk about noticing ture of the majority of golf course likely his impression of us may well the details! superintendents. have changed for all time. It was a Like everybody else, it seems we A highlight for me was years ago big victory for me. are closely identified by what we do when I was an officer of the WGCSA. Frankly, one big reason I have in this life-for work and career. We had a monthly meeting at the edited The Grass Roots for 14 years Doctors are shown with stetho- Nakama Golf Club here in town. and written an untold number of arti- scopes, bankers with money bags, There was a big turnout-nearly a cles for it, a bigger job than anyone lawyers with the scale of justice (and hundred for dinner-and the club had other than Cheryl Miller realizes, is a money bags!), farmers with a pitch- a dining room dress code that commitment to show the outside world what we do, who we are and generally portray all of us and our profession in an accurate light. I flat- ter myself when I say I believe it has -ro t1)orJ roe helped. f'GM So.Na:J

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