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1999BOARD OFDIRECTORS

June 1999 • Volume 53, NO.1

FEATURES

FRONT COVEREast course, third hole, par 3, 130 yardsat Broken Arrow G.c.

18 GCSAA News: 2000 ESA Call for Entries

14 The Masters: Go There, Do ThatFred Behnke

4 ON COURSE WITH THE PRESIDENTBob Maibusch

FEATURE ARTICLE:Beyond The Boundaries:The Benefits of GolfGreg Martin

2

8 DIRECTOR'S COLUMNLuke Strojny

28 Good-ByeFred Opperman

10 SUPER -N- SITE PROFILE:Doug Davis -N- Broken ArrowGolf ClubRandy Kane

COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATIVEJohn Anderson

Turf PartnersOffice: 630-231-8441

TURFGRASS ADVISORDr. Randy T. Kane

University of Illinois & CDGA630-954-2753

30 THE BULL SHEETJohn Gurke

EDITOR: Fred D. OppermanASSOCIATE EDITOR: Cathy Miles Ralston276 Lincoln TerraceBuffalo Grove, IL 60089Phone & Fax: 847-537-7883E-mail: on_course@hotmail.com

This publication is not copyrighted. We would like toshare our articles with any who would like to use them,but please give the author and On Course credit.

The Midwest Association of Golf Course Superintendents (MAGCS), founded December 24,1926, is a professional organization whose goals include preservation and dissemination ofscientific and practical knowledge pertaining to golf turf maintenance.

We endeavor to increase efficiency and economic performance while improving and enhancing theindividual and collective prestige of the members.

The MAGCS member is also an environmental steward. We strive to uphold and enhance oursurroundings by promoting flora and fauna in every facet in a manner that is beneficial to thegeneral public now and in the future.

On Course June 1999 1

Harborside International in Chicago is an example of a golf course that transformedan industrial waste site into an environmental treasure, with positive

recreation, economic and social ramifications for the area.

Photo credit, Wm. Daniels

Greg Martin

1n the eyes of many, golf is agame of the rich, a sport ofthe privileged and a phe-

nomenon of the 20th century.Golf is seen as a sport of dubiousdistinction: an elitist gameplayed in lush and secured com-munities, far removed from thedistress of our culture. Perceivedas a waste of time, a waste ofmoney or a waste of land, golf isseemingly excessive.

This image is too bad,because golf is a great game inthe minds of those of us who

2 June 1999 On Course

play the game. While golf mayappear extravagant, the culturaland environmental benefits ofgolf are significant.

Few sports offer what golf canprovide. Golf is a sport that bringsman and nature together. Thegame is endlessly interesting to themind, senses and spirit. Viewed in alarger context, the game benefitsmore than just those who play. Golfhas a host of advantages; its bene-fits can be felt far beyond theboundaries of the golf course.

First, golf is a great game.Golf is a great game. Golf

requires focus and allows forreflection; it demands ability, butnot brute strength; it is a solitarygame that secures the deepestfriendships; it provides fair compe-tition for the less able; it illustratesa man's character, even when thegame is unbearable. Golf requiresa degree of patience and an abilityto understand personal strengthsand weaknesses. It is a sport thatcan grant good luck as well as ren-der bad breaks. Golf providescharacter- building because of itsability to develop individuals whounderstand the bad breaks of lifeor, as some say, "the rub of thegreen." Golfers value perseverance

and persistence, and they discernfair play and distinguish a positiveenvironmental experience.

Golf is, in its most basicform, man against nature. Theintrigue of the game is our instinctto compete against the forces ofphysics, nature and ourselves toconquer our limitations. Therehas never been a perfect round ofgolf; the laws of nature will notpermit it. So we continue to chasethe butterfly or try to catch the

big one. Golf is transfixing,addicting, stupefying and won-drous all at the same time.

Golf has a history of distinc-tion, characters and color. Butthere are other aspects of thegame that are equally intriguing.Those of us who play understandthat golf is a great game. Andwhen seen in a larger culturalframework, the game of golf andits playing field are nothing lessthan a cultural remedy, enriching

not only those who play and workwithin the confines of a golfcourse, but also those who don'timmediately appreciate golf's ben-efits. Golf has great restorativepowers that transcend the bound-aries of a golf course.

Second, golf courses arean environmental asset.

The overall environmentalbenefits of golf far outweigh itsnegative impacts, and those bene-

(continued on page 20)

Golf courses can buffer detrimental development from sensitive microenvironments, like the wetlands this frog calls home.

On Course June 1999 3

ON COURSE WITH THE PRESIDENT

Bob Maibusch) CGCS) MGHinsdale G. C.

7he longer I am in this busi-ness, the more I realizethat there are very few

black-and-white issues. By this, Imean that there are valid and con-flicting viewpoints on almost anysubject related to golf coursemanagement.

For instance, locally andnationally, superintendents' asso-ciations are frequently asked totake a strong stand on manage-ment companies. The requestscome from individuals who havehad negative experiences with oneor more of the companies or arecurrently feeling threatened bythem. Valid reasons exist for beingcritical of management compa-nies. We all know several people inthe business who have beentreated unfairly or unethically byone. However, it would be unfairto categorize all managementcompanies as bad. I know ofinstances when a managementcompany actually improved asuperintendent's position by rec-ognizing the deficiencies that hehad been forced to deal with andmaking changes in the operationof the facility to assist the superin-tendent in improving conditions.

4 June 1999 On Course

I have also talked to severalsuperintendents working for man-agement companies who feltconfident that they would not beheld responsible for less-than-ideal golf course conditions whenthose conditions were caused byfactors outside of their influence.They feel that the experienceof the principal players in theirmanagement companies preparesthem to understand the difficultiesencountered by superintendents,in that the principals can objec-tively assess a given operation anddiscern between what may be anunfortunate set of circumstancesand incompetence.

Some superintendents alsobelieve that management compa-nies allow them opportunities thatthey would not find in other seg-ments of the business. Theopportunity to move up the man-agement ladder to a regional ornational supervisory positionappeals to them.

Unfortunately, though, theprevailing sentiment among super-intendents who have managementcompany experience is negative.Lower wages are commonplace.This traces back to the reason thatmanagement companies exist: toenhance their bottom lines. Asmuch as they talk about commit-ment to quality, many managementcompanies will only deliver as goodof a product as they can get awaywith and still turn a generous profit.This creates a frustrating situationfor golf course superintendents whohave been trained to deliver the bestconditions they can. It also affectsthe individual golf course superin-tendent's future: a superintendentmight not be seriously consideredfor a better position at another clubbecause the golf course he currentlymanages has a reputation as beingonly mediocre in quality and he hasno power to affect positive changethere.

Another complaint is thatpromises of opportunity to moveup the management ladder arerarely fulfilled. It seems thatcompanies frequently give upper-level management positions toclubhouse managers or golf pro-fessionals because of the prevailingmindset that these individualsmanage the companies' "profitcenters," while the superinten-dents manage debit centers. Infact, we know that we manage thetrue profit center of our facilities.If you do not agree with that,then drive past a golf course whenit is 40 degrees, raining and windyand count the number of cars inthe parking lot. Time and again,golfer surveys have indicated thatthere are plenty of places to buy ahamburger or golf shirt, but onlyone place to play their favoritegolf course. Golfers have alsoproven that they will travel con-siderable distances and pay topdollar to play a well-maintainedgolf course.

I am practical enough toknow that management compa-nies are here to stay. They do filla need in many situations. In fact,I believe they will run in cyclesand continue to grow in influencebefore we see a leveling off andeventually a decline in them dueto competition and diminishedprofit margins. I do not think thatthey will ever take over the major-ity of facilities, particularly privateones, because they cannot deliverthe same level of quality at areasonable price that clubs withactive, interested members oroversight committees can do forthemselves. ~~

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On Course June 1999 5

Century offers thecomplete line ofLegacy Golf productsto help you controlwater, labor andenergy costs.Featuring Legacyrotors, valves, Genesiscentral satellite andViking decodercontrol systems.

{)SyncroFlo, Inc.

Efficient andeconomical, SyncroFiopumping stationsare the solutionto many golf courseirrigation problems.

BoardTronics'"Repair or upgradeyour Rain Bird orTaro golf controllers.Replacement boardscan be shipped fromthe Century NationalService Centerwithin 24 hours.Call 888-855-9132.

Improve water qualitywith an aeratingfountain, or createwater features fromexisting golf coursestreams and ponds.

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On Course June 1999 7

DIRECTOR'S COLUMN

"OMSION OF FAUI..KS 1lROS. 00HSTRICTl0H. INC.

As arrangement chairman, Iwould like to personally thank allof the 1999 host superintendentsfor volunteering their courses. Asalways, the commercial sponsorsare appreciated. Their generosityhelps defray the cost of ourmeetings. ~

knows that if he wants the ballsunloaded, he might not get therange tee mowed. Learn how to say"no" tactfully and it will save youtime. The point to all of this is thatwhile you cannot add more hours toa day, you can use the hours youhave more productively and wisely.

Speaking of time: it is time youhosted a MAGCS meeting. We arelooking for sites for the year 2000.The months of July, August, Sep-tember and October are still open.Please contact me if you are inter-ested in hosting a meeting.

For more details or pricing information,call Jim, Brett or Curt:

715-258-8566*Supporting member of MAGCS*

Why go Fines Free?It's the only topdressing sand availablethat is engineered specifically for use on

golf course greens.

I attended Bruce Williams'"Time Management" seminar inOrlando this year. Bruce has manyideas on how we can be better timemanagers. Although I don't agreewith all of his ideas, I have tried toimplement some of them, such asthe use of technology like two-wayradios, cell phones and fax machinesto save time. Develop written goalsand prioritize them. This will giveyou a game plan to follow. Writegoals for the season; involve thepro, manager, green chairman orboard when writing your goals. Itmay save you time and aggravationif everyone knows and understandsthe game plan. Learn how to say"no." There are tactful ways to dothis, like, "I would be happy tounload your truckload of rangeballs, Mr. Golf Pro, but I will not beable to mow the range tee beforeyour next lesson." Chances are, Mr.Golf Pro will want you to do both atthe same time, but at least he now

Over 100 Chicago-Area golf courses havenow chosen FINES FREE- TOPDRESSING!

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So what am I getting at?TIME. The commodity that noone ever has enough of. Howmany of us have ever said, "I wishI had time to do this or that." Iknow I have. As turf grass man-agers, our time is as valuable as asunny 70° day with low humidityand a quarter-inch of precipitationforecast every third day and a staffof 300 trained employees. I amconstantly fighting a battle of nothaving enough time. There are 24hours in a day and between work,family and anything else you maybe into, that time is used up veryquickly.

Luke Strojny

~

ril showers bring Mayflowers. I am writing mycolumn during the last

week of the rainiest April I've everseen. It seems that all my staff hasdone in the last three weeks ispush the sand in the bunkers andpump water. The turf suddenlydeveloped a mind of its own andwants to be mowed every hourthat it's not under water. In addi-tion, my staff and I have manycapital projects to finish, plus learnhow to operate our new irrigationsystem that was installed last fall.Needless to say, we all have had avery busy spring.

8 June 1999 On Course

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On Course June 1999 9

SUPER -N- SITE PROFILE

Doug Davis -N- BROKIN~4!4lUlO\V

GOLF CLUBRandy!(ane

Z)0ug Davis has been thesuperintendent at BrokenArrow Golf Club since

April of 1995, having joined themanagement team there as thecourse \vas nearing completion.Doug hails from a small town ineastern Iowa (near the QuadCities), he is currently single, andmost of his family remains in Iowa.

Doug followed a son1ewhatcircuitous route to land at BrokenArrow, since he originally enteredcollege at the University of Iowaas a classical music/fine artsmajor. While in college, Dougworked as a summer laborer atClinton (IA) Country Club, andlater at Finkbine Golf Course,which is the highly rated Universitycourse in Iowa City. Once Dougdecided to make golf turf hiscareer choice, he moved to theHawkeye Institute of Technology

(continued on page 12) Doug Davis at the Masters.

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10 June 1999 On Course