EDITORS NOTEBOOK Summer Fun By David Brandenburg, Golf Course Manager, Rolling Meadows Golf Course Losses in the Industry - Oliver F. Vogel the Founder of Spring Val- ley Turf of West Bend passed away on Au- gust 13, 2012 at the age of 88. Oliver is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Betty and four children, Kathleen (Gerald) Barbian, Laurie (Alan) Aleksand- rowicz, William (Joyce) Vogel and Randall (Susan) Vogel; grandchildren Brian Bar- bian, Michael Aleksandrowicz, Elizabeth (James) Stamatokos, John (Jennie) Alek- sandrowicz, Lawrence (Sara) Vogel, Julie (Paul) Fagley, Daniel Vogel, Oliver R. Vogel, Alexander (Elizabeth) Vogel, Abigail Vogel; six great-grandchildren and other relatives and friends. He was a lifetime member of David’s Star Evangelical Lutheran Church and a past member of the church council. He started the Cedar Valley 4-H Club which later be- came the Kirchhayn Trotters 4-H Club. He also started the Dairyland Softball League. After his barn was struck by lighting and Stan Zontek at the 1993 GCSAA Conference and Show killed most of his milk cows in April 1954, Oliver started Vogel Seed & Fertilizer (now (Photo from The Grass Roots Archives) known as Spring Valley Turf). He was Presi- bunkers for his golf course superintendent Golf Course Superintendents Association, dent for 35 years. father for $1.10 per hour. His fathers course the Don A Rossi Award from the Golf He was a member of the past Jackson Busi- installed the first ‘Penncross’ bentgrass put- Course Builders Association of America ness Association. In 1970, Oliver was ap- ting green in West Virginia. and the 2007 Crop and Soil Sciences Out- pointed a Director of the Jackson State Bank After high school his interest in turfgrass standing Alumni Award from his alma and also became a Director of the Fertilizer science led him to enroll at Penn State. He mater Penn State. Association. In 1976, he was a member of started his USGA career as an agronomist Along with helping thousands of golf the MATC Advisory Committee. Oliver in the Northeastern Region in 1971. He courses provide better conditions for daily received the Wisconsin Ag. Dealer of the moved to our North Central Region (Now play or national tournaments Zontek also Year Award in 1988. He was a member of the Great Lakes Region) in 1980 before be- helped maintain the putting green at the the Town of Jackson Planning Commission coming the director of the Mid-Atlantic Re- White House. for 22 years and also served as Chairman on gion in 1985. He will be missed by turf enthusiasts ev- the Board of Appeals. Oliver helped start the While in our region Zontek was a con- erywhere. Jackson Senior Citizens organization. tributor to The Grass Roots penning a column called ‘From The Directors Desk’. Weather Extremes The national turf industry was surprised In the November issue of The Grass Roots This summer can be called anything but by the passing of USGA Agronomist Stanley Zontek was awarded the best quote at the normal with the nicest spring weather in J Zontek on August 28, 2012 from a heart 1990 Wisconsin Golf Turf Symposium years followed by heat and drought for attack. with the following statement while dis- most of the state in June and July. They say Zontek joined the USGA in 1971 and was cussing the most indispensable manager politics and weather are local and that was the associations most tenured employee. of a golf club. “Golf is played on grass, not proven this year as the rain was hit and With 41 years of golf course visits, published on a hamburger or on a Izod shirt”. miss through most of July but overall it articles and speaking engagements Zontek Stanley was a true friend of the golf was dry through most of the state. has made friends all over the world. course superintendent and was awarded In Fond du Lac our average high in July Stanley’s introduction to golf was raking the Distinguished Service Award from the was 90.5 with a average low of 67.5. 42 THE GRASS ROOTS JULY / AUGUST 2012 EDITORS NOTEBOOK The heat alone would not have been so bad In seasons or periods like this we find ev- down some days when golfers wisely choose but with high evapotranspiration rates irriga- ery weakness in water supplies, pumpstation to stay in air-conditioned comfort rather than tion systems and water supplies were taxed to output and sprinkler head efficiency. The the steamy links but overall it was a good year the limit or over the limit as some courses had positives to come out of a stressful summer to play golf. to reduce irrigated acres. From June 19 to July are golf course manager know where they can 25th our course had .55” of rain with a total improve their irrigation systems in the future GCSAA ET rate of 6.22. or it if is time to drill a new well or rehab a Early this summer I was able to attend the Here are the ugly numbers from the United old well. GCSAA Professional Development Commit- States Department of Agriculture National The other positive is most golf courses are tee meetings at our headquarters in Lawrence, Wisconsin CropAgricultural Progress StatisticsWisconsin Service Wisconsin Crop Cropdoing fairly Progress well withWisconsin rounds and revenues CropKS. We were Progress able to discuss ways GCSAA can Progress report. with few actual rainouts. For us play was improve they way they educate members. June 25, 2012 July 9, 2012 Vol. 12, No. 12 August 20, 2012 Vol. 12, No. 14 Vol. 12, No. 20 Uneven Rains and High Temps Continue Heat Wave Crests, Breaks Hints of Fall Wisconsin received some much-needed rain this Wisconsin endured anotherSOIL week MOISTURE of brutal heat and Wisconsin saw another weekSOIL of coolerMOISTURE than average SOIL MOISTURE week, with up to 6 inches reported in the northern minimal rainfall, taxing crops,CONDITIONS livestock AS andOF people. temperatures, with thunderstormsCONDITIONS and AS spotty OF rain CONDITIONS AS OF regions. Flooding and standing water in fields were Temperatures soared into theJune triple 24, digits 2012 across much showers. Overnight temperaturesJuly 8, in2012 north-central August 19, 2012 reported in some counties. Rains were lighter across of the state, with daily high temperature records Wisconsin fell into the low forties and upper thirties, the central regions and spotty in the south, where dry broken0 at all five major reporting stations. Nights prompting2 frost protection measures for the cranberry 12 conditions persist. Crops perked up with moisture, but provided7 little relief, with record high overnight lows crop. 17Soil moistures improved slightly in the southern 57 southern Wisconsin needs additional rain badly. observed in several cities. Northern Wisconsin and central parts of the state, but fell in the north. As 66 0 74 13 31 49 Cutworm, armyworm and leafhopper infestations were received some timely rain, allowing5 crops to take corn and soybeans mature, farmers12 continue to 27 0 7 23 0 24 19 being treated in many areas, though rain and winds advantage of the heat. However, non23 -irrigated crops in monitor the damage caused by this summer’s41 drought. 63 62 27 34 hampered spraying for some. There were 4.8 days the drought-stricken southern portions60 of the state Reporters statewide commented that46 poor pollination suitable for fieldwork statewide. 37 and cob fill will affect2 corn yields and silage quality. 0 46 were reportedly in very poor condition.12 Many reporters 1 noted that early planted crops were hanging on, but Crop condition and maturity remained patchy and 1 Across the reporting stations, average temperatures 3 15 this week were 3 to 9 degrees above normal. Average late planted crops were stunted and stressed. Soil widely varied according to soil type and rain received, 12 4 20 51 77 high temperatures ranged from 82 to 88 degrees, moisture was 95-100 percent short 14to very short in with soybeans in overall better condition43 than corn. 39 25 four of 82the nine reporting19 districts. Pastures in these 34 4 while average low temperatures ranged from 60 to 68 43 Pasture conditions ranged18 from 22 percent42 poor to 48 31 areas were11 in very poor55 condition as well, adding to very poor in0 the Northwest5 District to 78 percent poor 31 degrees. Precipitation totals ranged from 0.11 inches 37 14 1 44 in Milwaukee to 2.76 inches in Eau Claire. If you are the stress on herds. Saturday6 finally brought an end to to very poor in the Southwest0 District. A few farmers 60 6 1 0 interested in further weather data, please reference the heat wave as temperatures dropped to more across the state were reportedly chopping silage early 5 State Average the following sites: seasonal levels34 statewide, 57but rain is badly needed. State Averageto supplement short feed supplies. Spraying for weeds 50 55 81 85 State Average Very ShortThere21% were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork this week. Very Shortand 41%insect pests continued. There were 5.7 days 39 33 http://www.noaa.gov/ 41 41 42 40 19 36 Short 24% suitable for fieldwork. 14 Very Short 23% 43 42 http://www.aos.wisc.edu/~sco/ Across the reporting24 stations,2 average8 temperatures Short 32% 5 0 55 Adequate this45% week were 11 to 15 degrees above normal. 1 Short 39% 18 25 http://www.cocorahs.org/ 1 0 0 AdequateAcross26% the reporting0 stations,0 average temperatures 9 Average high temperatures ranged from 92 to 98 0 Adequate 37% http://www.weather.gov/ Surplus 10% Surplusthis week1% were 2 to 5 degrees below normal.