T to G May June 2009 7/12/09 4:11 PM Page ii Board of Directors President ANTHONY GIRARDI, CGCS Rockrimmon Country Club Vice President ROBERT NIELSEN JR.,CGCS Bedford Golf & Tennis Club Treasurer Cover:Tamarack BLAKE HALDERMAN, CGCS Country Club. Brae Burn Country Club Secretary GLEN DUBE, CGCS Centennial Golf Club Past President MATTHEW CEPLO,CGCS Rockland Country Club ROBERT ALONZI JR. Fenway Golf Club KENNETH BENOIT JR., CGCS GlenArbor Golf Club MARK CHANT Colonial Springs Golf Club DAVID DUDONES North Jersey Country Club PAUL GONZALEZ, CGCS The Whippoorwill Club MARK MILLETT Old Oaks Country Club STEVEN RENZETTI, CGCS Pinnacle Turf, Inc. n this Issue SCOTT OLSON Scarsdale Golf Club I Executive Secretary INEKE PIERPOINT Feature Living the ‘Good’ Life ............................................................2 Tee to Green Staff Met Members Speak Candidly About Their Not-So-by-the-Book Editors Approaches to Leading a Healthy Life DAVE DUDONES PAUL GONZALEZ 973-942-0566 914-273-3755 Managing Editor PANDORA C.WOJICK Editorial Committee Departments KEVIN COLLINS SCOTT NIVEN PAUL GRABBE ERIC O’NEILL DENNIS GRANAHAN BILL PERLEE Upcoming Events ..................................................................7 CHIP LAFFERTY GLENN PERRY NICK LERNER MIKE REEB DAVE MOFFETT MIKE TOLLNER Member News ......................................................................8 GREG WOJICK Designer Scorecard ............................................................................10 TERRIE DUNKELBERGER Photographer Spotlight ............................................................................12 BILL PERLEE Advertising Manager MARK MILLETT,914-949-4203 TEE TO GREEN is published bimonthly by the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association 49 Knollwood Road, Elmsford, NY 10523-2819 914-347-4653, FAX: 914-347-3437, METGCSA.ORG Copyright © 2009 T to G May June 2009 7/12/09 4:12 PM Page 1 President’s Message e’ve navigated through an unseasonably cool, wet spring and, on WJune 21, entered into summer, seeing little of Doing Your the sun and heat typical of this time of year. Mother Nature tends to throw us at least one curveball each season. But we expect it. We’re trained to manage it. It’s part of our job as golf course superintendents. Part in What we’re not trained to handle, and what I’d like to devote this message to dis- cussing,is the never-ending stream of legisla- Tony Girardi, CGCS tive bills that keep emerging—particularly in MetGCSA President New York State. Many are potentially so Battling troublesome to our industry—and our abil- ity to do our jobs well—that on August 6, our Education Meeting will focus on this Working with GCSAA Senior Manager of pending legislation (see Spotlight, page 12). Government Relations Chava McKeel, our Bad If you’ve read the piece published in the last national organization has set up a link that issue of Tee to Green on NYSTA’s Advocacy allows you to easily locate a bill and shows Day, you have an idea of the legislative cli- you step-by-step how to send a letter voic- mate in Albany and NYSTA’s role in sup- ing your opposition to the bill.All you have porting our industry’s battle to suppress to do is “point-’n’-click” your way through Legislation some of this unnecessary legislation. the process. The site even provides links to a variety of form letters. It’s never been easier There’s Strength in Numbers to help our industry protest ill-conceived legislation. Some battles, though fought hard, are lost. Take the proposed ban on phosphorus use on golf courses in Westchester County.Even In Closing with the persistence of many superintend- Within our own association, we owe special ents and countless other industry members, thanks to our government relations chairman, phosphorus use on golf courses in West- Bob Nielsen, and within NYSTA, Mike chester County will be banned in 2011! But Maffei. Both have worked tirelessly to stop the purpose of this message is not to outline unwarranted bans and restrictions.Your sup- each and every proposed bill. Rather it’s to port,too,can go a long way in helping to pre- strongly urge each and every one of you to serve our industry’s rights and the integrity of write your state senator or legislator when our golf courses.Please feel free to contact me we email blast a request for help. or anyone on the board with any questions or Your voice does make a difference. Take thoughts you may have regarding proposed the most recent bill designed to ban Class I golf course legislation. and Class II pesticides: It was modified to include only school fields and playgrounds— I hope all is well with everyone, no doubt due, in part, to the 56 letters members of our industry sent to our state To ny Girardi, CGCS assemblymen. President Tee to Green May/June/July 2009 1 T to G May June 2009 7/12/09 4:13 PM Page 2 Feature Living the ‘Good’Life Met Members Speak Candidly About Their Not-So-by- the-Book Approaches to Leading a Healthy Life by Greg Wojick, CGCS ’ll bet each and every one of you healthy living, I’ve also done my fair share of Step #1: Get Some Exercise has read at least one article or book on the reading on the subject. I thought as a frame- Ikeys to living a long and healthy life. But do work for our members’ stories, I would share If exercise could be bottled, it would be the you practice what the doctors are preaching? the “Eight Steps to Leading a Healthy Life” best-selling potion at the local pharmacy. It In my informal survey of our members— that were prescribed in a recent Johns Hopkins slows the loss of muscle strength, maintains both young and old—I learned that not Medical Letter which I happened to catch better heart and respiratory function, everyone lives by the book. Some, it’s true, online. increases bone mass, and limits the risk of could be poster children for the American The good news in what this article had to diabetes. An effective exercise routine in- Heart Association, but others simply slide by offer is that a healthy lifestyle can actually cludes endurance training—walking, jog- on their good genes—or just plain hard work prevent or delay many of the ill effects of ging, cycling—and two or three strength and discipline. aging. So here goes. But first,I want to thank training sessions a week. We all know this I’m one with a family medical history I’d all of you for sharing the many valuable les- stuff, but who among us is actually putting it prefer not to carry on, so I’ve not only made sons you’ve learned in seeking good health into practice? a reasonable commitment to fitness and and happiness in your lives—a balance we all should be striving for. 2 Tee to Green May/June/July 2009 T to G May June 2009 7/12/09 4:14 PM Page 3 Well, there are numerous guys I know,with- An eight-year study of 13,000 Step #3: Eat a Healthy Diet out talking to them for this article, who might be classified as fitness fanatics, just people also showed that people Yes, it’s true. Regular consumption of fruits because they’ve run one or more 26.2-mile who walked 30 minutes daily and vegetables cuts the risk of colorectal can- marathons, like The Stanwich Club’s Scott had a significantly reduced cer in half and reduces the risk of heart dis- Niven, Milwaukee Country Club’s Pat Sisk, ease and diabetes. Switching to a low-fat diet Chicago Golf Club’s Jon Jennings, and Silver chance of premature death can reduce total cholesterol and lower blood Spring Country Club’s Peter Rappoccio. compared with those who pressure too. And then there are a whole slew of others Many of the members we surveyed claim who go at fitness with more typical goals in rarely exercised, reports the to put thought into what they put into their mind, like Eric Morrison, the 36-year-old American Council on mouths. Some are prodded by their signifi- super at Shennecossett Golf Club in Groton, Exercise. cant others or spouses, others by a medical CT, and former Burning Tree assistant. condition. Here are their stories. “Knock on wood,”says Eric,“I’m still pretty Earl Millett, 52, is a past president of the young, so I haven’t experienced any serious Met and Ridgeway Country Club’s superin- health issues yet. But I am trying to live a tendent for 29 years. Recently diagnosed healthy lifestyle so I can avoid problems with diabetes, Earl’s had to take stock of his down the road.” health. “It started with excessive thirst, fre- Eric and his wife, Cindy,regularly use the quent nighttime urination, and fatigue. treadmill at their Gales Ferry home. And That’s when I knew I had to go to the while Cindy teaches a fitness program for doctor.” new mothers part time for Groton Parks and Always active, playing hockey and golf, Recreation, Eric, a low-handicap golfer, hits swimming, fishing, Earl’s recent health con- cern has forced him to watch what he eats. the course at least once a week. “I really en- Blind Brook’s super when Chubby retired. “One of the toughest things is having to all joy participating in the CAGCS Two-Ball An on-again-off-again exerciser,Les describes but eliminate carbohydrates since they turn event,”says Eric. his “split schedule” exercise routine: “In the directly to sugar in the bloodstream,”he says. Making fitness fun is one sure way to keep summer, I don’t do any formal exercise.