FROM ME EDITOR GOLF COURSE Due process? Try Members, general managers: THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE GOLF COURSE INDUSTRY Summer of their discontent? Publisher much ado about Charles E. von Brecht leepless in Seattle... and Columbus... and Philly. Editorial Director Superintendents have been sleepless from Delaware to Brook Taliaferro nothing, in Humble Dubsdread this summer, worrying about the weather — emember the infamous Tour 18, the Hal Phillips, and their jobs. Editor course comprising replicas of famous editor Heat and humidity were unrelenting and life-defying. No Hal Phillips Rgolf holes laid out amid the power lines and prairie scrub amount of syringing, no deluge of chemicals could save some Managing Editor of Humble, Texas? You know, the faux 13th at Pebble Beach next courses. Hurricane Jerry dumped 15 to 18 inches of rain on Mark A. Leslie to the near 11th at Merion, just beyond the mock 17th at South Florida, headed north, then turned Sawgrass? around and dumped another 5 or more Associate Editor Peter Biais Well, the case goes to trial this month in Houston, where the inches on the same area. Canals and lakes controlling interests behind three resorts — Pebble Beach, filled and the state of Florida could not Editorial Assistant Pinehurst and Harbour Town — will test the limits of federal drain. J. Barry Mothes Yet, general managers and green trademark protection. Contributing Editors The brass tacks of most trademark disputes center on con- committee chairmen from the East Coast Terry Buchen, CGCS, MG sumer confusion, and whether that confusion (once proved) to the Rockies are firing their superinten- Vern Putney prevents or discourages the public from buying the real thing. dents — professionals who have no control Editorial Advisory Board For example, will a golfer who plays the Tour 18 version of over the circumstances. Mark Leslie, managing editor Raymond Davies, CGCS Harbour Town's famous finishing hole confuse the makeshift "I know of more than a half dozen guys Merced Golf & Country Club swamp to his left for Calibogue Sound? When he plays the who will lose their jobs out here," said one Ohio superinten- Kevin Downing, CGCS replicated Amen Corner, will the Tour 18 patron become con- dent after a drenching and hot summer that steam-cooked the Willoughby Golf Club Tim Hiers, CGCS fused? Is he standing on an abandoned oil field next to Houston turfgrass. "It's been a summer from hell." Collier's Reserve International Airport, or is he standing on the manicured grounds That's tantamount to shooting the cook because of bad taxi Dr. Michael Hurdzan of Augusta National sipping a mint julep? service to the restaurant. Who other than the superintendent Hurdzan Design Group is going to save that golf course? The person running the food Mary P. Knaggs, CGCS I can't see a judge buying the supposition, frankly. Hazeltine National Golf Club Besides, a Tour 18 patron pays just $55 to $75 to play, whereas and beverage? The lawyer sitting in this year as green chair- Roger Maxwell a Pebble Beach patron, for example, shells out $200 for the man? The club owner who built his fortune making widgets? Management Consultant privilege. That's the best differentiater there is! In effect, club members blaming superintendents for dead James McLoughlin turf when the weather is the culprit is like Chicago White Sox The McLoughlin Group Pardon me, but this whole business is fairly ridiculous; and Kevin Ross, CGCS with regard to the plaintiffs, a bit tacky. The idea that Tour 18 is infielder Ozzie Guillen putting eye drops on his bat when he's Country Club of the Rockies somehow taking money from Pinehurst's pocket, or that golfers in a slump. Brent Wadsworth drive to Humble, Texas and believe they're actually standing on Come-on! Wadsworth Construction But the word is, country club members often leave their the Monterey Peninsula is ludicrous. Production Manager Furthermore, a place like Pebble Beach derives a large good judgment back at work when they come to the course. Joline V. Gilman measure of its glory from the natural surroundings. Just read the "People lose their common-sense reasoning in country club brochures. environments," said Bob Brame, director of the U.S. Golf Circulation Manager Brenda Boothby Are the Pebble Beach attorneys prepared to claim patent Association Green Section North Central Region. "They don't protection for Carmel Bay, the rocky coastline, the seals, the want to hear agronomic reasons why the greens are dying. Editorial Office bordering Del Monte forest, not to mention a course design that Instead, they will base their decisions on emotions." Golf Course News follows the land's natural contour? That attitude is not lost on superintendents anywhere the Box 997, 38 Lafayette Street Yarmouth, ME 04096 At this stage, I wouldn't put it past them. weather gets too weird for too long. 207-846-0600; Fax: 207-846-0657 • • • One person confided: "Like any superintendent, I worry [email protected] It's a big country — big enough to feature several diametrically about having two bad years in a row, whether it's my fault or opposed yet similarly devastating weather patterns during the not. We are just like baseball coaches. We seem to be very Advertising Office expendable. It's odd to try to convince 350 members that National Sales: same three-month period (see story page 1). Charles E. von Brecht In Florida, it rained so hard and often that fungicide sales, for you're not the town idiot." Box 997, 38 Lafayette Street example, were among the lowest on record. The heavy rain "In our part of the country, people aren't used to weather like Yarmouth, ME 04096 207-846-0600; Fax: 207-846-0657 Continued on page 37 Continued on page 12 Western Sales: Letters Robert Sanner have for the intruder who caused fact that Poa annua is the one correct rates, added to the decline GATOR DIED WRONGFUL DEATH Western Territory Manager Stubby's unjust and severe pun- golf course turfgrass which is of overly weakened turf. When 2141 Vermont To the editor: ishment. least tolerant of summer heat, the snow ball starts rolling down Lawrence, KS 66046 The article in the September Dave Manning winter cold and ice stress. These the hill, it gains momentum and is 913-842-3969; fax: 913-842-4304 almost impossible to stop. issue of Golf Course News regard- general manager inherent weaknesses of Poa Marketplace Sales: ing the alligator attack at the Cocoa Beach (Fla.) CC annua were seen during the win- Courses with good drainage and Diana Costello-Lee Cocoa Beach Country Club ter of 1993-94 along the East well-built greens come through 207-846-0600; fax: 207-846-0657 [page 5] was not accurate as to Coast and now, during the sum- better. Poorly-drained greens, tees USGA: DON'T BARBECUE SUPERS Golf Course Expo Sales the individuals involved. mer of 1995 here. and/or fairways, especially with Douglas Oakford There were actually two young The letter below, issued by the The reasons Poa annua, and high percentages of Poa annua, 207-846-0600; fax: 207-846-0657 men who were trespassing on U.S. Golf Association Green Sec- to a lesser extent bentgrass and were hardest hit. What to do ? tion North Central Region, was perennial ryegrass, declined this First of all, recognize that Subscription Information the golf course at 11:30 at night Golf Course News collecting golf balls from the sent to courses in the upper Mid- summer are many. The catalyst maintenance of dense, healthy P.O. Box 3047 lakes. They were wearing wet west during the brutal weather was a hot summer which set turf during prolonged periods of Langhorne, PA 19047 suits and carrying plastic gro- pattern this summer. records in many areas. In some heat and humidity cannot always 215-788-7112 areas the heat was joined by too be successful. Especially, Poa cery bags to transport the golf To the editor: United Publications, Inc. balls they collected. The prolonged period of high much rainfall and yet, in other annua turf. Don't barbecue the Publishers of specialized bus- As a result, one of the young daytime and equally high night- areas too little rainfall. In some course superintendent! Rather, iness and consumer magazines. men was seriously injured by an time temperatures has resulted cases, close mowing and/or the understand their plight and when Chairman use of grooved front rollers the weather cools, give them the Theodore E. Gordon alligator who was basically just in widespread turf loss on golf President defending his home. The gator courses throughout the North added to the package. support to begin a comprehen- J.G. Taliaferro, Jr. was subsequently destroyed by Central Region of the USGA Once grass becomes stressed sive seeding program. Where the Florida Fish and Game Com- Green Section (Indiana, Ohio, and weakened, disease problems drainage is a limiting factor, de- CHARTER NGF^f MEMBER mission for doing what he does Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota, begin. Anthracnose, pythium (fo- velop a plan to improve it. These NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION naturally, and the trespassers — Michigan, North Dakota, South liar and soil borne), take-all conditions may come again. one of whom may have perma- Dakota and Montana). Poa annua patch, summer patch, brown It will be a busy fall at most nent injurie — are now facing was hit the hardest. The purpose patch and dollar spot were all courses. Good luck ! If we can criminal charges. of this letter is to convey the wide- seen this summer. The heat and assist in any way, give our office Quite rightly, the patrons of spread nature of this summer's weakened turf made fungicidal a call. Copyright © 1995 by United the golf course have shown a problems and the fact that, in many control of diseases more diffi- Robert C. Vavrek, agronomist Publications, Inc. All rights cases, the turf loss was beyond cult than usual. In a few cases, R. A. (Bob) Brame, director reserved and reproduction, in great deal more concern for the whole or in part, without written unfortunate demise of their the control of turf managers. pesticide applications, made with USGA North Central Region permission from the publisher is friend Stubby the gator than they It is an established agronomic well-calibrated equipment and at Covington, Ky. expressly prohibited.

8 October 1995 GOLF COURSE NEWS