golf course management

Golf Course Management Magazinewww.gcsaa.org October 2014

Offcial Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

GCMINSIDE: Trees and the power of persuasion PAGE 54

TOP GEARTips to keep small engines running like a charm PAGE 44

Grass Roots grand opening 32

Taking stock of your future 80

The buzz about neonicotinoids 86

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Chapter 3

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10 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 10.14

CONTENTS10.14

44

54

64

74

Ready to roll, push or pullA small-engine expert

offers tips for year-round

maintenance.

Dale Gabrielse

Compelling forceRemoving hazardous trees at

the golf course is often a hard

sell. Harness the power of

persuasion to convince

stakeholders to take action.

John C. FechSaving a giantBiological predators of the

hemlock woolly adelgid are

saving hemlocks at Grandfather

Golf & Country Club in

Linville, N.C.

Kate Cahow

Remodeling road mapConsidering a golf course

renovation? Master planning is

a key step that marries the wants

and needs of the facility with the

architects ability to deliver on

those expectations.

Raymond Hearn

80 Mirror, mirror: Facing your future in the golf industry Industry veterans offer advice for steering a career course in changing times. Anthony L. Williams, CGCS On the Cover: Photo by Alex Mit/Shutterstock.com

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010-015_Oct14_TOC.indd 11 9/17/14 1:56 PM


INSIGHTS

Neonicotinoid insecticides and pollinators: Whats all the buzz about?Pesticide applicators should take precautions to protect

pollinators from potential danger.

Doug Richmond, Ph.D.

Aaron Patton, Ph.D. Cutting EdgeTeresa Carson86

RESEARCH

94

16 Presidents message

18 Inside GCM

20 Front nine

30 Photo quiz

84 Through the green

96 Verdure

98 Product news

102 Industry news

106 Climbing the ladder

106 On course

107 Coming up

109 On the move

108 In the field

113 New members

114 In memoriam

120 Final shot

ETCETERA10.14

34ShopAvoiding damage when

chain grinding

Scott R. Nesbitt

AdvocacyAct now, vote later

Kaelyn Seymour

TechnologyTaking the technology

plunge

Bob Vaughey, CGCS

WaterThe natural

Bunny Smith

Act now, vote later

36Taking the technology

403832TurfBack to our roots

Geoffrey Rinehart

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GCSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President KEITH A. IHMS, CGCS

Vice President JOHN J. OKEEFE, CGCS

Secretary/Treasurer PETER J. GRASS, CGCS

Immediate Past President PATRICK R. FINLEN, CGCS

Directors RAFAEL BARAJAS, CGCS

DARREN J. DAVIS, CGCS

JOHN R. FULLING JR., CGCS

MARK F. JORDAN, CGCS

BILL H. MAYNARD, CGCS

Chief Executive Offcer J. RHETT EVANS Chief Operating Offcer MATT SHATTO Chief Business Development Offcer J.D. DOCKSTADER

GCM STAFF

Editor-in-Chief SCOTT HOLLISTER

[email protected]

Sr. Managing Editor BUNNY SMITH

[email protected]

Sr. Science Editor TERESA CARSON

[email protected]

Associate Editor HOWARD RICHMAN

[email protected]

Sr. Manager, Creative Services ROGER BILLINGS

[email protected]

Manager, Creative Services KELLY NEIS

[email protected]

Traffc Coordinator BRETT LEONARD

[email protected]

GCSAA This Week/Turf Weekly

Editor ANGELA HARTMANN [email protected]

ADVERTISING 800-472-7878

Managing Director MATT BROWN

Marketing and Business Development [email protected]

Sr. Manager, Business Development JIM CUMMINS

[email protected]

Lead International Developer ERIC BOEDEKER

[email protected]

Account Development Managers BRETT ILIFF

[email protected]

KARIN CANDRL

[email protected]

SHELLY URISH

[email protected]

GCM MISSION

Golf Course Management magazine is dedicated to advancing the golf course superin-tendent profession and helping GCSAA members achieve career success. To that end, GCM provides authoritative how-to career-oriented, technical and trend information by industry experts, researchers and golf course superintendents. By advancing the profes-sion and members careers, the magazine contributes to the enhancement, growth and vitality of the game of golf.

The articles, discussions, research and other information in this publication are advisory only and are not intended as a substitute for specifc manufacturer instructions or training for the processes discussed, or in the use, application, storage and handling of the products mentioned. Use of this information is voluntary and within the control and discretion of the reader. 2014 by GCSAA Com-munications Inc., all rights reserved.

President KEITH A. IHMS, CGCS

Vice President JOHN J. OKEEFE, CGCS

Secretary/Treasurer PETER J. GRASS, CGCS

Immediate Past President PATRICK R. FINLEN, CGCS

Directors RAFAEL BARAJAS, CGCS

DARREN J. DAVIS, CGCS

JOHN R. FULLING JR., CGCS

MARK F. JORDAN, CGCS

BILL H. MAYNARD, CGCS

J. RHETT EVANS

MATT SHATTO

J.D. DOCKSTADER

Editor-in-Chief SCOTT HOLLISTER

[email protected]. Managing Editor BUNNY SMITH

[email protected]. Science Editor TERESA CARSON

[email protected] Editor HOWARD RICHMAN

[email protected]. Manager, Creative Services ROGER BILLINGS

[email protected], Creative Services KELLY NEIS

[email protected] Coordinator BRETT LEONARD

[email protected]

GCSAA This Week/Turf Weekly

Editor ANGELA HARTMANN

[email protected]

Managing Director MATT BROWN

Marketing and Business Development [email protected] Sr. Manager, Business Development JIM CUMMINS

[email protected] International Developer ERIC BOEDEKER

[email protected]

Account Development Managers BRETT ILIFF

[email protected]

KARIN CANDRL

[email protected] SHELLY URISH [email protected]

Golf Course Management MagazineOffcial Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

endoROOTS Granular

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up valuable nutrients, water, and recover. To fnd out

more, call or visit us online.

Best of all Worlds

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Best of All Worlds

1-800-233-0628

www.countryclubmd.com

You spoke. We listened.

In answer to feedback from superintendents worldwide, our four new Country Club MD

greens grade fertilizers contain phosphorus for those golf course managers who need to

include P in their greens nutrition program.

Ask your sales representative for more information about Country Club MD.

010-015_Oct14_TOC.indd 15 9/17/14 1:56 PM


Family reunions elicit different responses from different people.

For some, theyre events to be looked upon with dread, to simply be endured. Spending a few days with Uncle Bill isnt everybodys cup of tea, so many folks simply grit their teeth and try to make it through family reunions with as little trouble as possible.

For others, though, family reunions are the highlight of the year, cherished opportunities that dont come around often enough. I know I count myself in this category; when my ex-tended family comes together to reconnect and reminisce about old times, its an occasion to remember and one that I wont miss.

Ive been reminded of all the best parts of these family reunions as Ive prepared myself for this months chapter delegates meeting at GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. The chapter delegates meeting is one of our associations most important gatherings of the year, but it also is one of our most mis-understood. When members ask me to tell them more about these crucial meetings, Ive often referred to them as a family reunion for GCSAA, only with a heavy dose of serious business tossed in for good measure.

This meeting is an annual opportunity for your national board of directors and members of the GCSAA staff to touch base with repre-sentatives from all 98 of the associations af-fliated chapters. Some of those representatives are familiar faces who have served their chap-ters for many years, while others are new vol-unteers getting their frst taste of involvement at this level. Regardless of which camp they fall into, the chance to interact and share with these representatives in an environment like the chapter delegates meeting is invaluable.

But this meeting is not a one-way street. In fact, its most valuable aspect is that the chapter representatives share ideas and concerns from their respective regions. As much as we try to keep our fngers on the pulse of the local and regional issues facing our members, there is no substitute for hearing about those issues from superintendents who are living them each and every day. These messages give your national association a clearer idea of where to place its priorities and exactly what efforts it should

undertake on behalf of its members. Its a criti-cal part of chapter delegates meetings, and one I take extremely seriously.

This month, attendees will learn about and be asked to provide feedback and guidance on a host of matters important to the future of GCSAA. For example, theyll tackle the Rounds 4 Research initiative, getting in-depth information on the outcomes from this years Rounds 4 Research auctions, which raised nearly $150,000 overall, and helping to chart the future of that important program.

Chapter delegates also will be asked for their views on a number of issues related to membership in GCSAA: hearing from candi-dates for next years elections for the national board of directors, discussing a wide range of matters related to membership standards and classifcations and sharing opinions on the ideal structure and organization for the associations national leadership. And theyll also discuss the future growth and mission of GCSAA, how it will look 10 years from now and how we can position it for the future and ensure it continues to be an important repre-sentative for the entire golf course manage-ment industry.

These are weighty issues, to be sure. But recent history has shown that our chapter del-egates are more than up to the task of tackling these issues and charting a course for GCSAA. And the fact that these meetings also allow us the opportunity to catch up with members that we might see only a few times over sev-eral years is just another happy beneft from a meeting that is increasingly crucial to the on-going success of your association.

Keith A. Ihms, CGCS, is the golf course maintenance man-

ager at Bella Vista (Ark.) Village and a 33-year member

of GCSAA.

Keith A. Ihms, CGCS

[email protected]

A meeting of the minds

As much as we try

to keep our fngers

on the pulse of the

local and regional

issues facing our

members, there

is no substitute

for hearing about

those issues from

superintendents

who are living them

each and every day.

(presidents message)

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016-017_Oct14_PresMess.indd 17 9/17/14 1:57 PM


June 17, 2014.You may or may not remember what you

were doing that day. I do. You could fnd me on the grounds of Pinehurst No. 2 for the Womens U.S. Open. In time, though, it proved to be a signifcant day for me for other reasons. I was not alone. It certainly had an affect on two families and who knows how many others.

Part of my job includes compiling informa-tion for our In Memoriam section of GCM. Here is how that works: Becky Downing, our senior data integrity specialist at GCSAA, sends me obituary notices of deceased members in an interoffce envelope that is delivered to our de-partment on the fourth foor of the GCSAA headquarters building in Lawrence, Kan.

It is my duty to compose what will appear. Sometimes the deceased may have passed away as long ago as 18 months. Or it could be six weeks. There is no question this is sensitive stuff, to be handled with care. Proud families who want to remember their loved ones often will re-quest multiple copies of GCM as keepsakes.

For the families and friends of Ernie Hayes and Aylor Rogers, June 17 always will be cir-cled on their calendars.

A few weeks ago, I received their obituar-ies. Usually the frst things I look at are years of membership and date of death. What ini-tially caught my eye was that both Hayes and Rogers died on the same day. June 17. Soon I learned they had more in common than pass-ing away that day.

In Downings notes to me, she let me know that Hayes and Rogers were best friends.

They were different personalities, Mi-chael Hayes, Ernies son, told me. Dad was a little bit quieter. Aylor was outgoing and boisterous. But they were big buddies. Aylor had heard about Dads golfng prowess. Thats when they fnally met up to check out each others golfng skills.

Their paths frst crossed in the Carolinas. Hayes, a 40-year member of GCSAA, had ev-erything to do with Land Harbor Golf Club in Linville, N.C. He was there for the frst day in 1969 and later designed and constructed the back nine. Rogers, a 47-year member of GCSAA, spearheaded the construction of

Grandfather Golf & Country Club in Lin-ville. Only about 10 minutes separated these two men whose friendship seemed insepara-ble. Their families would gather at one of their homes on occasion, which was another sign of how much they meant to one another.

They kind of seemed like brothers, says Brenda, Aylors wife. They were very close. They would go on golf trips together. They were just very, very close.

Hayes and Rogers were instrumental in shaping their profession in North Carolina. Hayes was a founding member of the West-ern North Carolina Turfgrass Association. Six years ago, it named its scholarship endowment in his honor. Rogers was a lifetime member of the North Carolina Turfgrass Council.

In their later years, Hayes and Rogers were unable to meet and greet each other as often as they would have liked. Michael Hayes, 25-year GCSAA Class A member and op-erations manager at Land Harbor, thinks the last time they saw each other in person was at Ernie Hayes 85th birthday party. Still, they would talk on the phone. Even that, however, became more diffcult in their twilight. Ernie Hayes suffered from dementia in recent years.

On the morning of June 17, Aylor Rogers passed away. He was 90. Later that evening, Ernie Hayes passed away. He was 91. The Rogers family phoned the Hayes family. That is when each of them learned that these two men, signifcant in the golf course industry and the fber of their families, had died.

At frst, it was kind of a shock, Michael Hayes says, but then I just fgured that it was divine intervention that they had to make a tee time together.

Brenda Rogers thought something similar. I know theyre up there having a good time, talking about golf, she says.

The families requested that their In Me-moriam notices appear in the same issue. So, on Page 114, GCM has honored their request. Actually, it is our honor. I never met either man. Somehow, though, I expect whenever June 17 rolls around, I will think of them.

Howard Richman is GCM s associate editor.

Howard Richman

[email protected]

twitter: @GCM_Magazine

A matter of life and death

(inside gcm)

Aylor Rogers (left) and Ernie Hayes

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His football teams possess a record that would make even Nick Saban smile. What truly makes

him happy, though, is what plays out on the golf course.

John McCarthy, CGCS, is not necessarily facing a mid-life crisis. In this era of economic and

job-related uncertainty, though, it is life. At what now is considered a temporary position as interim

superintendent at Painted Dunes Desert Golf Club in El Paso, Texas, McCarthy is hundreds of miles

from the gridiron that his team in Georgia has, arguably, dominated.

McCarthy, 44, fnds himself in West Texas by design. And a need to support his family, which

includes an Olympic-caliber swimmer and a quarterback in the making, still based in Georgia. He

landed at Painted Dunes when they needed a superintendent and he needed a job. After nine years

at Crystal Falls Golf Club in Dawsonville, Ga., McCarthy says they told him they wanted to go a new

direction and let him walk.

It is a familiar scenario in the industry. Any industry, really.

You never know what can happen. It ( job issues) hits everybody. It doesnt discriminate, McCar-

thy says. This (superintendent job) is what pays the bills.

He also works in a profession where networking is in the fabric. Among those who put the wheels

in motion to restart McCarthys career is Tenia Workman, executive director of the Georgia GCSA.

She contacted past GCSAA President Dave Downing II, vice president at Golf Maintenance Solutions.

There he serves as agronomist for the Southeast region. He helped place McCarthy at Painted Dunes.

Transition (end) zone

Photo by Ruben R. Ramirez

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By the

NUMBERS

John

has desert and warm-

and cool-season grass

experience, says Downing,

GCSAA president in 2008. Its

been a win-win situation so far.

Winning is a common denominator in

McCarthys family. His Midway Wolverines youth

football team in Forsythe County, Ga., won 36 games

in a row in one stretch and recorded two champi-

onships. His defense was like the 1985 Chicago

Bears, la William Refrigerator Perry, allow-

ing zero points in the frst 17 games in that win-

ning streak.

Now, McCarthy, who attended the University of

Massachusetts Stockbridge School of Agriculture,

coaches the middle school team at Pinecrest Academy,

a private Catholic school in Georgia. In his frst three sea-

sons entering this year, McCarthys teams posted winning

records each season. An opportunity to shape youngsters

drives McCarthy.

The game is about having heart, soul and pushing

yourself to the next level and fnding what that level is,

he says.

His son, Ryan, seeks that next level. He appears to be

on a good path. Ryan, only a sophomore, is the starting

quarterback for the Pinecrest Academy Paladins varsity

team. At 6-feet-3, 190 pounds, the younger McCarthy

has the size that should make recruiters drool if he shows

promise. Schools such as Boston College and the Univer-

sity of Pennsylvania already have shown interest.

He wasnt the frst standout athlete in this family.

Johns wife, Karen produced some pretty special creden-

tials in her day. In her youth when she was known as Karen

Brewer, she qualifed for the Olympic Trials in the back-

stroke at the age of 15. She thinks her husband is talented

on multiple fronts.

John loves the outdoors and takes great pride in

his work on the golf course, says Karen, who was an All

American swimmer at Florida Atlantic University. He also

has a great love for children. He not only coaches them in

football but in life. He wants each boy to be a well-rounded

individual. He always puts the person frst but takes great

pride in his wins.

Ultimately, Karen says, her husband places family frst.

His greatest achievement is that he has been able to

balance his work, his coaching and his family, she says.

Since McCarthy is in El Paso, his assistants help him

during the week until Fridays when McCarthy returns to

coach that middle school team at Pinecrest Academy.

Asked if he would be willing to leave behind the job of a

superintendent position to be a football coach, McCarthy

wouldnt completely rule it out. Yet the passion for the pro-

fession that he developed as a 15-year-old working on the

course in summer hasnt faded.

The scenery out on the golf course changes every

day. Therefore your life does, McCarthy says. I love to

impact lives of our football players and I feel the same way

about making an impact in my profession. Its what I do.

Howard Richman, GCM associate editor

Turf Science Live pops up in the Midwest

Editors note: This report was fled by Luke Cella,

CGCS, Midwest Association of Golf Course Superinten-

dents. Accompanying photo above.

Four cornerstone companies of the turf industry came

together recently and put on Turf Science Live in Liber-

tyville, Ill. The second edition of the event in the United

States was held at the Merit Club and hosted by superin-

tendent John Nelson. Last year, the U.S. event was held at

Greenville Country Club in South Carolina. On both occa-

sions, the organizers followed a format that has garnered

considerable support in the United Kingdom since 2010.

Turf Science Live is similar to many demonstration

and research feld days except each exhibit involves an

in-depth and interactive discussion on the science, tech-

nology and application that brought the particular product


NUMBERS


Jeff Churchill (middle) and Steven Johnson (right) of Smithco take apart the solenoid from a spray nozzle component and point out the wear indicator to Merit Club superintendent John Nelson (left). Photo by Luke Cella, CGCS

Shop math 101: converting to metricType the numerator (top number) of the

fraction from the standard tool into your calculator and divide it by the denominator (bottom number). For

example, with a -inch standard size

=0.25

socket, divide the 1 by the 4 and get a result of 0.25 inch. Type the resulting decimal fgure into your calculator and

multiply it by 25.4, which is the number of millimeters in 1 inch. The standard size

of 0.25 inch multiplied by 25.4 equals a metric size of 6.35 millimeters, for

example. Round up the resulting metric fgure to the nearest metric size. From the example, 6.35 millimeters rounds up to

a metric size 6.5 millimeter socket.

Source: ehow.com

0.25 X 25.4=6.35

round up

6.5 mm

+

=

020-029_Oct14_Front9.indd 22 9/17/14 1:59 PM

020-029_Oct14_Front9.indd 23 9/17/14 1:59 PM


to market. Superintendents from the Midwest were invited

to participate in the daylong event with their local sales

representatives. It was a learning opportunity, where both

groups got to hear and see new technologies in action.

Turf Science Live was developed as an opportunity

for superintendents to network and to build relationships

throughout the day, says David Withers, president of

Jacobsen. The event is advertised to superintendents as

a hands-on opportunity to interact with leading special-

ists in many aspects of turf management demonstrating

techniques that can be used to improve conditions at the 411411The

411411

golf course.

Technology applied to the trade of greenkeeping sets

out to improve conditions, often by reducing inputs and

allowing superintendents greater control of the environ-

ment under their care. As products advance, superinten-

dents require more-specifc knowledge to use them to the

fullest. Turf Science Live sets out to provide that knowl-

edge. Attendees have the opportunity to learn to use new

technologies from product developers and specialists in a

hands-on setting.

Long gone are the days of factory settings, when a

new product was set up and rarely adjusted by the con-

sumer. Now, products are designed, and manufactured,

to be adjusted, sometimes on the fy, as shown by Chris

Fox and the team from Jacobsen. Fox explained the re-

lationship between frequency of clip and mowing height

and their combined impact on ball roll. During his demon-

stration, he showed how superintendents are able to in-

crease ball roll while raising the height of cut by increasing

the frequency of clip. Turf managers know that raising the

height of cut leads to greater photosynthetic surface area

and ultimately a healthier stand of turf.

In the turf industry, it has long been thought that su-

perintendents on the purchasing side have little to learn

from sales people. Turf Science Live is changing the way

superintendents see manufacturers and their sales staff.

Technology may set out to make things better, but applying

that technology is not always simpler. Our industry is at a

tipping point where end users must learn about products

and processes from those who have the most knowledge

about them.

GCSAA Legacy Award recipients announced

Nineteen $1,500 scholarships have been awarded as

part of GCSAAs Legacy Awards administered through its

philanthropic organization, the Environmental Institute for

Golf and funded by Syngenta.

The recipients are, including GCSAA member rela-

tive: Taylor Archibald, Michigan Technological University

(Steve Archibald); AnnMarie Backstrom, College of Saint

Benedict (Jeffery C. Backstrom); Courtney Doxtader, State

University of New York-Canton (the late Gene Taylor); Lily

Ellis, University of Buffalo (Howard C. Ellis, CGCS); Ryan

Fackler, Azusa Pacifc University (Steve N. Fackler, CGCS);

Kelsey Gabel, University of Illinois-Chicago (Charles C.

Dipman); Caitlin Greninger, University of Wyoming (Mi-

chael A. Greninger, CGCS); Amanda Gross, Northeastern

University (Douglas C. George).

Maggie Henderson, University of Tennessee (Wil-

liam J. Henderson III); OChun Jones, Clemson University

(Shaun Donahue); Molly Brown Langner, University of Al-

abama-Birmingham (Mark Langner); Alyssa Merkel (Uni-

versity of Nebraska-Lincoln (Steven A. Merkel, CGCS);

Grant Wood Nair, Ohio State University (Scott W. Nair);

Benjamin Naudet, University of Kansas (Paul Naudet);

020-029_Oct14_Front9.indd 24 9/17/14 1:59 PM

020-029_Oct14_Front9.indd 25 9/17/14 1:59 PM


Toros Ryder Cup roleWhen Gleneagles played host to last months Ryder

Cup in Scotland, The Toro Co. had a key presence.

Gleneagles extended their partnership with Toro as

the exclusive provider of turf maintenance equipment.

That includes Toros Greensmaster Flex 21s for the greens,

Greensmaster 1600s for the tees, Reelmaster 5410s for

the fairways and Reelmaster 3100s for the intermediate

and surrounds.

Jack Nicklaus was a consultant for Gleneagles as

it embarked on renovations pre-Ryder Cup. No. 18 was

completely rebuilt, a large lake was installed along No. 9,

and bunkers were rebuilt. The renovations featured about

50,000 tons of earth being shifted. The courses irriga-

tion system added the Toro DT Series sprinklers. And, to

ensure the fairways were frm and dry for the Ryder Cup,

Gleneagles superintendent Steve Chappell and his team

applied more than 10,000 tons of sand to the fairways.

That gave the course a 50-millimeter sand profle on top of

what already was there.

Garske grants awardedGCSAA awarded its 2014 Joseph S. Garske Collegiate

Grants to fve students: Grant Wood Nair, Parker Esoda,

Jacob Schaller, Abigail Gullicks and Colby Tarsitano.

The Garske Grant was established in honor of Par Aide

company founder Joseph S. Garske. It is funded by Par

Aide, a golf course accessory company, and administered

by the Environmental Institute for Golf. The program as-

sists children and stepchildren of GCSAA members to fund

their educations at an accredited college or trade school

with one-time, one-year grants awarded to fve recipients

without renewal. Grants are based on community service,

leadership, academic performance and a written essay.

Nair, who will attend Ohio State University, earned

$2,500. His father is Scott W. Nair, superintendent at

Kukio Golf Club in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Esoda will attend

the University of South Carolina. She earned $2,000. Her

father, Mark Esoda, CGCS, is at Atlanta Country Club

in Marietta, Ga. Schaller earned $1,500 and will attend

the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His father, Scott H.

Schaller, CGCS, is at North Shore Golf Club in Chilton, Wis.

Gullicks earned $1,000 and will attend the University

of St. Thomas. Her father is Class A superintendent Wil-

liam Gullicks of Bellwood Oaks Golf Course in Hastings,

Minn. Tarsitano, who will attend New York University,

earned $500. His father, Gerald A. Tarsitano II, CGCS, is

at The Hideaway Golf Club in Indio, Calif.

Student essay contest winners announced

Three college students were winners in the 2014

GCSAA Student Essay Contest.

Jesse J. Benelli, James W. Hempfing and Derek

Pruyne were honored. Hempfing, a frst-year Ph.D. stu-

dent at Rutgers University, received the top award of

$2,000 for his essay Lines drawn in the sand: The evolu-

tion of topdressing practices.

The second-place award went to Benelli, a frst-year

Ph.D. student at the University of Tennessee. Benelli,

awarded $1,500, wrote a paper titled Strobilurin fungi-

cides: Historical perspectives and implications on plant

health. Pruyne, in his second year of pursuing a masters

degree at Penn State University, claimed third place and

$1,000 for his essay, Assessing and optimizing soil pH of

creeping bentgrass putting greens.

Judges from GCSAAs essay task group selected

the winners. The student essay contest scholarships are

funded by the Environmental Institute for Golf through the

Robert Trent Jones Endowment.

Deadline looms for Bayer program

October 10 is the deadline for superintendents to

apply for Bayers second annual Healthy Turf, Healthy To-

morrow Plant Health Scholarship.

Two superintendents will each receive a $2,500

scholarship to continue their education in the area of plant

health as part of the Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow pro-

gram developed by Bayer in collaboration with the Environ-

Gleneagles, which hosted last months Ryder Cup, was assisted in its preparations by equipment from The Toro Co. Photo courtesy of Toro

Letter to the editor

Dear Editor:

I, and no doubt many other GCM readers, was

surprised and disappointed to see that GCM has ev-

idently begun publishing blatantly advertorial pieces.

Specifcally, the fve-page article in the August GCM

(Save the sand, Page 72) was obviously written by

the manufacturer of the featured product with abso-

lutely no mention of any competing/alternative prod-

uct solutions.

The tone of this article is incredibly biased, in my

opinion, and a disservice to your readers, as well as

competitors in the same market niche compet-

itors who have been providing quality, long-lasting

bunker-liner solutions for nearly two decades. Did this

specifc piece meet GCM s own editorial standards

and guidelines regarding preferential endorsements

of commercial products?

A sincere attempt to balance the ledger here

might include GCM publishing a comprehensive fol-

low-up article on bunker lining systems. This new ar-

ticle can include detailed info, pros and cons, and tes-

timonials on all other interested liner companies. This

follow-up effort would allow your readers to know the

full story on bunker-liner options before making their

own fully informed decisions. That would truly be

more consistent with the overall purpose of GCSAA

and GCM, would it not?

Bob McCormick

President

Klingstone Inc. by Sunburst Management Group Inc.,

its Agent

Editors note: GCM regularly publishes stories pro-

vided by or sourced from companies who do business

in the golf course management industry, but these

stories must meet very strict editorial standards and

guidelines prior to publication. Regrettably, the story

in question did not meet those standards and guide-

lines. Because of this error in judgment, GCM staff

are re-examining policies regarding industry-supplied

editorial content and will publish a product spotlight

story on bunker-liner options for superintendents in

the November issue of the magazine.

Tyler Powell, University of North Carolina (Brian Powell,

CGCS); Jake Schaller, University of Wisconsin (Scott H.

Schaller); Colby Tarsitano, New York University (Gerald A.

Tarsitano II, CGCS); Kurt Van Auken, Western Technical

College (David Van Van Auken); and Kara C. Wojick, Uni-

versity of Connecticut (Gregory J. Wojick).

020-029_Oct14_Front9.indd 26 9/17/14 1:59 PM

020-029_Oct14_Front9.indd 27 9/17/14 1:59 PM


On the job

A sports editor in Wisconsin was superintendent

for a day at GCSAA Class A member Tim Wegners

course. See how it turned out at OnMilwaukee.com.

http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/shiftswitch-

golfcoursesuperintendent.html?38592

Illinois country club to play on

Itasca (Ill.) Country Club has been around for

nearly 90 years. The Daily Herald tells us why it will

be around for a while longer. www.dailyherald.com/

article/20140908/news/140908624/

Restoration project

Andrew Hall, a gardener in the United Kingdom,

spent four years restoring a more than 100-year-old

lawnmower. Read all about it in the Daily Mail. www.

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2718878/Worlds-mo-

torised-lawnmower-restored-former-glory-centu-

ry-invented-ultimate-rich-mans-toy-costing-equiva-

lent-15-000.html

Tweets

RETWEETS

In the

NEWS

mental Institute for Golf (EIFG).

Scholarship recipients may use the award to attend

local, regional or national education conferences or to en-

roll in continuing education programs at an institution of

higher learning. To apply, go to www.backedbybayer.com/

healthy-turf.

Navarre earns top scholar award

Didnt somebody once say youre never too old?

Meet Gerry Navarre. This 54-year-old Michigan

State University student, pursuing a second career in turf

management, earned the top prize of $6,000 among 14

awards in the 2014 Scholars Competition offered through

GCSAA. The award is called the Mendenhall Award,

named in honor of the late Chet Mendenhall, who was a

charter member of GCSAA.

Navarre spent 25 years in fnancial consulting and

mortgage services before reconsidering his career choice.

It (award) is a big deal to me. Its going to take a load of

fnancial stress off since I have a 20-year-old in college

as well. I worked on a golf course for seven years during

high school and college and I loved it. It would have been

a tremendous career path the frst time around, but its not

too late to start.

The second-place award went to Christopher Marra,

21, of Penn State University. He received $5,000. Marra

received the MacCurrach Award, named in honor of the

late Allan MacCurrach, who was the PGA Tours frst

staff agronomist in 1974 and was GCSAAs Distinguished

Service Award recipient in 1997. The PGA Tour funds

the award.

Navarre and Marra receive an all-expenses-paid trip to

the 2015 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio. Other award

winners are:

Teddy Norman, University of Massachusetts-Am-

herst, $2,500; John Petrovsky, Penn State University,

$2,500; Morgan Robins, Penn State University, $2,000;

Richard Plemel, Rutgers University, $2,000; Sean Kelly,

Penn State University, $2,000; Travis Russell, University

of Arkansas, $2,000; Michael Wright, Michigan State Uni-

versity, $1,500; Andres Johansson, Michigan State Uni-

versity, $1,500; Justin Hickman, Mississippi State Univer-

sity, $1,000; Matthew Herrmann, Penn State University,

$1,000; Benjamin Cibotti III, Penn State University, $500;

and Robert Bond, Penn State University, $500.

Recipients were selected by the GCSAA Schol-

ars Competition Task Group. Criteria include academic

achievement, potential to become a leading industry

professional and employment history. Applicants must

be enrolled in a recognized undergraduate program in

a major feld related to golf/turf management and be a

GCSAA member.

The $30,000 program is funded by the Robert Trent

Jones Endowment and administered by GCSAAs philan-

thropic organization, the Environmental Institute for Golf. It

was developed to recognize outstanding students planning

careers in golf course management.

Rounds 4 Research totals six fgures

The fnal numbers are in: $145,339 was raised in the

Rounds 4 Research fundraising program this summer.

A second phase of Rounds 4 Research took place

in August. The program, to raise funds for turfgrass re-

search, totaled more than 200 rounds sold for $30,891

in a seven-day online auction. In the frst round in June,

nearly $115,000 was raised for the program that is run by

the Environmental Institute for Golf.

The Metropolitan GCSA led the way in August with

more than $4,000 raised among the 40 fundraising part-

ners that donated rounds for turfgrass research at the local

level. The top bid for a tee time for four golfers was $1,480

for the chance to play Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.,

site of this years PGA Championship. A stay-and-play

package at French Lick (Ind.) Resort sold for $1,650.

The Toro Co. supports the program with a $50,000 do-

nation. Since being launched in 2012, Rounds 4 Research

has raised more than $320,000. Eighty percent of the money

raised is returned to the local chapters for turf studies.

John Galbraith @VAsoilguyThe Science of Soil Health: Rhizode-position - what plants put into the soil through their roots...http://youtu.be/xgy9ArBpNiI

East lake Agronomy @eastlake1904_Very busy morning! Early tee times to avoid storms. We came we saw we conquered! Very lucky to have great vol-unteers. pic.twitter.com/5T0s83Ws6Q

Jon Hungerford @TCI_TurfgrassWe go from having pythium in our rough on Monday to possible frost tomorrow morning. Gotta love Iowa weather. #frostdelayssuck #gameday

Andy OHaver @andyohaverHappy Friday! #hydraulic pic.twitter.com/G1iaHEiP8W

Mitch Davidson @MitchDavyHeavy morning frost means taking our full turf care team of 7 members out for breakfast at whifs #team pic.twitter.com/u1bucWVw28

Adam Breitenfeldt @AdamBfeltNice day to put down some nitrogen and ferrous sulfate! #offcewithawindow

Jim Brosnan, Ph.D. @UTTurfWeeds@utgroundscrew talking to #UT-TurfFD14 attendees about feld mainte-nance at Neyland Stadium, home of the #Vols #vf

020-029_Oct14_Front9.indd 28 9/17/14 1:59 PM

f u n g i c i d e& i n s e c t i c i d e

Sit back and wait. No, thats not your style. Your

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anticipate problems and take

the initiative to solve them

before they appear. But the

environment has become less

predictable, and the pressure

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your resources are not what

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different plan of attack to make

things happen. What are you

waiting for?

ProactiveSee how CIVITAS can help you stay ahead of the game.

Ask your distributor about our Money-Back trial or visit civitasturf.com

Always read and follow product label instructions. Use of the product that varies in any way from the product label instructions is a violation of federal and state law.

AS PER LABEL INSTRUCTIONS, ALWAYS USE CIVITAS AND CIVITAS HARMONIZERTM TOGETHER.

Patent(s): www.suncor.com/patents

Trademark of Suncor Energy Inc. Used under license.

020-029_Oct14_Front9.indd 29 9/17/14 1:59 PM


Turfgrass area:Putting green

Location:Oxford, Miss.

Grass variety:MiniVerde bermudagrass

(a)Raised turf

Turfgrass area:Putting green

Location:Rock Valley, Iowa

Grass variety:Penncross creeping bentgrass

(b)

PROBLEM

Presented in partnership with Jacobsen

Straight line void of turf

Answers on page 118

(photo quiz)

PROBLEM

By John MascaroPresident of Turf-Tec International

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Back to our rootsGrass Roots, an exhibit highlighting mod-

ern uses of turfgrass, is scheduled to open Oct. 16 at the U.S. National Arboretum in Wash-ington, D.C. A collaboration of the arboretum and the National Turfgrass Federation, the ex-hibit is the centerpiece of the four-year Grass Roots Initiative focusing on the environmental, economic and recreational benefts of turfgrass in golf courses, athletic felds and landscapes.

Kevin Morris, executive director of the Na-tional Turfgrass Federation, acknowledges the support of the National Arboretum in pro-viding space for the turfgrass exhibit. Its a little unusual for an arboretum to have a turf-grass display. We dont know of any, anywhere. In fact, they were stepping outside of their comfort zone frankly, but I applaud them for their vision the (former) director, Dr. Co-lien Hefferan, and Scott Aker, the head hor-ticulturist.

The 1.3-acre Grass Roots exhibit space is located near the front entrance of the Na-tional Arboretum, which hosts about 500,000 visitors annually. On opening day, the exhibit will contain 12 interactive displays, with two more to be constructed by next spring. Each section provides information about the uses of turfgrass, its importance to modern soci-ety, its history and best management practices for maintenance. Among the displays are a compact golf hole, sports felds, lawn areas with swards of six warm-season and four cool-sea-son turfgrass species, more than 30 different ornamental grass species, and a rain garden showing the ability of grass to absorb water

Geoffrey [email protected]

and nutrients. The golf area includes a 007 creeping bentgrass tee, apron and 900-square-foot putting green; a Zeon zoysiagrass fairway; tall fescue/Kentucky bluegrass rough; and a pond with aquatic plants.

Interpretive signage will assist visitors, who will be able to access additional information and intriguing Find the Facts questions on the Grass Roots website in real-time via QR (Quick Response) codes. Because many of the concepts displayed in the exhibit need more ex-planation than there is space on the signage, we are hoping that the QR code links will allow visitors easy access to more information as they visit, says Morris.

The aim of the Grass Roots Initiative is to showcase the value of properly managed turf as an environmental asset and the importance of research to continue to leverage that value. As part of the initiative, professional and scientifc symposia and homeowner-focused workshops and demonstrations will be held. In addition, the initiative is coordinating efforts to develop a National Greenscape Corridor linking the National Arboretum, the National Mall and Arlington National Cemetery, and coordinat-ing public messaging and outreach to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable

Presented in Partnership with Barenbrug

(turf)

The compact golf hole as seen from a small pond at the Grass Roots exhibit in the U.S. National Arbore-tum. Photo by Geoffrey Rinehart

turfgrass and landscape maintenance practices at these culturally historic landscapes.

The Grass Roots Initiative is funded by pri-vate donations from groups, including GCSAA, that represent the golf, sports turf, turfgrass seed production, and lawn and landscape in-dustries. To date, the National Turfgrass Fed-eration has raised $265,000, but estimates that $400,000 will be needed over the four-year life of the exhibit to cover construction costs and ongoing maintenance. The exhibit gives golf and other turfgrass-related industries an op-portunity to communicate to the general pub-lic and public policy decision-makers the bene-fts of turfgrass in modern society.

For more information on the Grass Roots Initiative and the exhibit, see the fea-ture on GCSAA TV (www.gcsaa.tv/view.php?id=2443) or visit the initiatives Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NTFGrassRoots Initiative).

Geoffrey Rinehart is the coordinator for the Grass Roots

Initiative.

032-033_Oct14_Turf.indd 32 9/17/14 2:02 PM

Exclusively From

032-033_Oct14_Turf.indd 33 9/17/14 2:02 PM


Avoiding damage when chain grinding

Purists say that grinding ruins a chain; that only a fle should be used to restore sharp-ness. But most of us need to put a new edge on chainsaw teeth and get back to work pronto and that means grinding.

A few simple steps will maximize the ben-efts of your mid-priced electric grinder (see Chain grinder: an essential tool on Page 34 of the August issue of GCM). A few good habits will reduce the chance of damaging the chain during sharpening.

When you open the box, put your new grinders pieces on a terry cloth towel or piece of carpet. Remove the big knob under the chain vise, and lift it off the base. Split off the tilt table, being careful not to lose the little steel balls and springs.

Youll likely see rough castings and blobby paint. Use emery paper or a Dremel-type tool to remove casting fash and smooth the surfaces that will make contact when ro-tating and tilting. It took under 10 minutes to get all our pieces moving smoothly without the balls and springs in place.

Lightly grease all contact surfaces and the detents. Use grease to hold the balls and springs in place for reassembly. Unbolt the chain-stop lever system at the back of the vise. This will let the wheel drop down to touch the vise.

Assemble the motor head, and mount a wheel. Most chains need the 3 16- or 1 8-inch wheel. Set the wheel to 90 degrees and the vise to 0 degrees. Use a protractor to ver-ify that the pre-set snap-in vise angles actu-ally are 0, 15, 30 and 35 degrees, to the left and right. If needed, re-mark the grinders scale to refect actual angles. Cut a 3 5-inch index card at 30 degrees and verify that the built-in

head angle indicator is accurate. You may need to grind the detents a bit to achieve equality of the snap-in pre-sets.

The grinders weve checked are very close to dead-on, but its worth verifying. A proper sharpening demands exactly equal angles on the chains right and left teeth.

When reassembling the chain-stop system, bend some metal or add washers if needed to snug up that system. A chain is smooth-est when each sharpened tooth is exactly the same length.

We replaced our grinders sloppy adjusting screws and knobs with the higher-quality screws and knobs that came with our otherwise-al-most-useless universal plastic chain grinder. Look for 6-millimeter and 8-millimeter screws and wing nuts from the hardware store. Met-ric nylon wing nuts can also be found hold-ing the tail light assemblies in junkyard cars. These rustproof, vibration-resistant fasteners are also great for holding down small-engine air cleaners.

Sloppy screw threads can be enlarged and tightened with a few drops of cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) allowed to harden in the air.

Mount your grinder to a bench or wall, or onto sturdy -inch stock. We store ours on a shelf. Clamp it to a tailgate, get 110 volts AC from the vehicle with an inverter, and youre ready to restore a chain thats hit a rock. Bring along your fles for light tooth dressing.

Now prepare the sharpener thats a human. It takes practice for the ear to hear a smooth grind and the touch to kiss not clobber the chain teeth. Its sharpeners, not grinders, that ruin chains.

The trick is to keep each tooth as cool as possible, to avoid de-tempering the steel. Take several small bites out of the tooth. Pause for a second between bites. Let the heat escape from the thin cutting edge.

Dont try to sharpen the chain with only one pass at each tooth. Mark a starting tooth with a permanent marker, and set the chain-stop lever so the stone just grazes each tooth. After one round, screw in the chain-stop ad-juster a nudge, and do another round until all are shiny, sharp and ready to have the depth guides set.

Next month Ill look at some of the fner de-tails of cooler sharpening and custom grinding for special purposes.

Scott R. Nesbitt is a freelance writer and former GCSAA

staff member. He lives in Cleveland, Ga.

(shop)

Scott R. Nesbitt

[email protected]

Top: While the chain at the top can be dressed up with a fle, the teeth on the lower chain demand sharpening with a good grinder. Photos by Scott NesbittMiddle: Rough surfaces need to be smoothed and lubricat-ed to improve operation of the pre-set detents and general operation of a mid-priced chain grinder.Bottom: Checking the accuracy of the grinders angle settings is easily done with a protractor and contributes to safer, smoother, faster cutting with chain saws.

034-035_Oct14_Shop.indd 34 9/17/14 2:03 PM

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On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Americans will go to the voting booth. Governors will be elected in 36 states; all seats in the U.S. House of Repre-sentatives and a third of the U.S. Senate will be voted upon. With this much of Congress running for election or re-election, turnout is going to be important. Election results will de-cide the political landscape in which you op-erate your golf course for the next two years.

According to the United States Election Project at George Mason University, during the 2010 midterm election, only 41 percent of the eligible voting population actually turned out to vote, meaning only four out of 10 people helped elect the governors in 36 states. Turn-out in the 2012 national election was 58 per-cent, but this is not uncommon in years with a presidential race.

The 2010 redistricting process created Con-gressional districts that are more gerrymandered and partisan than ever. When you couple redis-tricting with low voter turnout in midterm elec-tions, many members of Congress know they dont have to work hard to be re-elected, which contributes to the current gridlock we are expe-riencing in Washington, D.C.

Despite these challenges, it is important for GCSAA members representing the golf course management profession to get out and vote this November. Elected offcials make import-ant decisions about how the golf course man-agement profession is going to be treated, and its a key way to have a say in our democracy.

As an association with members in all 50 states, GCSAA offers several recommenda-tions for participating in this important polit-ical activity.

Register to vote. This is the most important action to take before going to the polls. Every state has different regulations on the deadlines for registering in order to vote in the Novem-

ber elections. Check with your local secretary of states offce to fnd out what your deadline is and how you can get registered in time to vote in November. In addition to getting yourself regis-tered, check with others at your course and in your chapters to make sure they are registered as well. The No. 1 reason why people arent cor-rectly registered to vote is that they have moved, and the correct address is essential.

Research the candidates. Knowing who you are voting for is as important as registering to vote. GCSAA has several resources available to help you learn about candidates. Check the re-sources section of Government Relations On-line to learn about who is running in your area and their positions on issues. In the future, pri-mary elections will also be equally important for our members.

Identify the initiatives. A characteristic of an informed voter is that he or she knows about initiatives that are on the ballot. Large states like California have a very simple process for citizens to put referendums or initiatives on the ballot. In other states, the process for add-ing items to the ballot is a little more diffcult. However, what is important is that you are aware of the initiatives that are on the ballot and how they will affect you and your course.

Get out and vote. The preparation to vote takes a little bit of time, but the process is rel-atively easy, thanks to the 2002 Help America Vote Act. All states offer early voting, which allows voters the opportunity to vote if they cant get to the polls on Election Day. Some states also open their polls the weekend before Election Day in order to make voting as easy as possible.

This month, the GCSAA Grassroots Am-bassadors will be registering others to vote at chapter meetings and at their facilities. In No-vember, they will be encouraging other GCSAA members to become informed on issues and candidates and to go to the polls and vote.

We want you to join GCSAA on social media and use the hashtag #golfvotes. As we continue our grassroots efforts, we will use this social media campaign to show members of Congress that not only does golf have an eco-nomic impact in their districts, but its workers vote as well.

Kaelyn Seymour is GCSAAs government relations specialist.

(advocacy)Kaelyn [email protected]

twitter: @GCSAA

Election results will

decide the political

landscape in which

you operate your

golf course for the

next two years.

Act now, vote later

Photo by Igor Stevanovic/Shutterstock.com

036-037_Oct14_Adocacy.indd 36 9/17/14 2:04 PM

036-037_Oct14_Adocacy.indd 37 9/17/14 2:04 PM


Bunny [email protected]

twitter: @GCM_Magazine

Nestled in the west San Fernando Valley, among the rolling foothills of the Santa Mon-ica Mountains, Woodland Hills Country Club has been feeling the pain of a three-year drought along with the rest of Southern Cal-ifornia. For the clubs superintendent, main-taining the golf course around water restric-tions isnt exactly breaking news.

Unfortunately, weather has always dic-tated our water use as much as anything else, says Steve Sinclair, CGCS, whos been heading up golf course operations at Woodland Hills for the past 22 years.

So Sinclair began pinching off the spigots fve years ago with the frst phase in a planned reduction of maintained turf. At this 89-year-old layout, built at the height of the golden age of golf course architecture and designed by renowned architect William Billy Bell Sr., thats a tricky business.

We had to start small, says Sinclair, who is a 23-year member of GCSAA. This is a tight old course, built in 1925 on 70 acres.

By the numbers, that means the mainte-nance teams accomplishment of replacing 7 acres of turf with several types of naturalized areas has reduced inputs to one-tenth of the golf course. On the hillsides, beds of mulch planted with species such as lantana, acacia and rock rose that are native to Southern Cali-fornia resemble a desert landscape. An effcient drip-irrigation system keeps these known low-water-users alive through the worst of the drought, Sinclair says. Level areas have been seeded with warm-season native grasses dotted here and there with desert marigold for color and contrast. These areas, where the grasses can grow as tall as 2 feet in the summer, require little to no irrigation.

The aesthetics of the golf course have changed quite a bit. Either they (members) loved it or they hated it, Sinclair recalls. Now most have grown to accept it.

What might be easier to accept is the 10 per-cent savings in water costs, which Sinclair says have doubled over the last seven years. The club also took advantage of a $1-per-square-foot re-bate from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to move sprinkler heads, install the drip irrigation and plant native species.

Sinclair points out that superintendents

(water)

The aesthetics

of the golf course

have changed quite

a bit. Either they

(members) loved

it or they hated it.

Now most have

grown to accept it.

Steve Sinclair, CGCS

pondering similar projects should know that natural is not the same as easy.

I think its more work to maintain a na-tive area than to maintain turf, he says. Dont look at it as labor-saving, especially in the frst couple of years.

Seeding of the newest naturalized areas was completed as recently as last month, and Sinclair says he will be taking up the matter of designating additional areas for naturalization at the clubs next board meeting. The timing couldnt be more critical, given the ongoing drought and the recent news that the club will have to wait until 2019 to receive reclaimed water not next year, as the city had previ-ously promised.

Rainfall would solve a lot of problems here, Sinclair says.

Bunny Smith is GCM s senior managing editor.

The natural

Water savings at Southern Californias Woodland Hills CC have been achieved by installing native ornamentals in mulch beds on hillsides (top) and planting warm-season native grasses in fat spots (bottom). Photos courtesy of Steve Sinclair

038-039_Oct14_Water.indd 38 9/17/14 2:06 PM

038-039_Oct14_Water.indd 39 9/17/14 2:06 PM


Since I began writing this column for GCM, I have felded a number of technology-related questions from fellow superintendents. One of the most common questions from superintendents looking to dive into some of the technologies discussed here and modernize their maintenance operations is a simple, Where do I start?

While I have written about Twitter, the use of drones and new irrigation technologies, among other things, these tools and apps tend to intimidate some who dont have a base of knowledge to start with. First, let me reassure you that while you can break a computer, tablet or phone by experimenting with it, those problems are typically software related, and in most cases, those can be easily resolved. Regardless of what you do, the device is not likely to catch fre or break into a million pieces.

That being said, I have a few words of advice that I hope will take the intimidation factor out of trying new technologies and will protect both you and your information. First, always have a backup of the information on your devices. And dont simply back up your computer once or twice a year; use an active backup that automatically backs up on a regular schedule.

At our facility, our offce computers and other devices back up to a hard drive built into our router. If any of our computers completely crashes, these backups give us the ability to have a new one set up and running, with every fle and setting exactly the same as it was before, in two hours. Everything backs up on an hourly basis so, at worst, we would lose one hour of work. Both Apple and Windows offer similar options for backup, and some services are available online that do the same,

(technology)Bob Vaughey, [email protected]

Twitter: @rollinghillsgcm

such as Mozy (http://mozy.com/#slide-5) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com). Editors note: To see videos further demon-strating these backup options and more, visit the

GCM blog at http://gcm.typepad.comSecond, use antivirus software and other

protection tools, especially if you are using Windows-based computers. While Apple products are not immune to attacks, they are far less vulnerable than Windows products. One key reason for that is that the number of Windows users far outpaces Mac users, so they are simply targeted more frequently. Do not open unknown emails, attachments or links to unknown websites. There are many ways hackers can access your computer and most will go unnoticed beyond some general slowing of your computer. Antivirus software can be a bit annoying at times, but its well worth the investment if only for creating some peace of mind.

Now that your computer is protected and backed up, the real fun can begin. While the more adventurous might be inclined to explore the inner workings of the hardware youre using, Id suggest staying away from that and focusing your time on specifc apps, programs and online resources. Explore cloud-based or online programs and apps. Check out online options for offce documents, scheduling tools and other regular tasks. Sign up for Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Use these new avenues to connect with other superintendents.

As you get more comfortable with both the hardware and software youre using, you can move on to more advanced concepts. Everyone starts somewhere, and only through trial and error do they become profcient with computers.

Remember, you have everything backed up, you have virus protection and, hopefully, most of your work is actually being performed on the cloud and not on your physical machine, so you can feel comfortable exploring all these technologies have to offer without fear.

Bob Vaughey, CGCS, is the director of agronomy at Rolling

Hills Country Club in Palos Verdes, Calif., and a 10-year

GCSAA member.

Taking the technology plunge

Helpful linksBasic advice:

http://home.mcafee.com/

advicecenter/?id=ad_ost_tohtpyo&ctst=1

Computer backups:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2065126/

the-absurdly-simple-guide-to-backing-up-

your-pc.html

Online shopping tips:

http://www.staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-

online/protect-your-personal-information/

online-shopping

Safe Social networking:

http://www.networkworld.com/

article/2346606/microsoft-subnet/12-tips-

for-safe-social-networking.html

Photo illustration by Igor Stevanovic/Shutterstock.com

040-043_Oct14_Tech.indd 40 9/17/14 2:07 PM

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A small-engine expert offers tips for year-round maintenance

Dale Gabrielse

READYREADYto roll

READYREADYREADYpush

READYREADYREADYREADYREADYpullrr

044-053_Oct14_sm_engine.indd 44 9/17/14 2:08 PM

Photo illustration courtesy of Subaru Industrial Power Products



Power equipment like snow blowers, power washers, generators and lawnmowers are built to do a

specifc job and, in most cases, they do it well. But when a piece of equipment doesnt perform as it

should or not at all it not only impacts how safely, effciently and quickly you can do your job, but

it can also impact your bottom line.

Thats why proper engine maintenance and on- and off-season preparation are crucial. Without this

attention, the engines performance could be diminished and its lifespan drastically reduced, which

means youll be spending more time and money on repairs or replacements. And when your equipment

is out of commission, it also means projects on the golf course start running behind schedule.

But make regular engine maintenance a habit and the reverse is true; machines run at peak perfor-

mance, engines last longer, and the potential for injuries and costly damage to components is reduced.

loose or damaged due to vibrations or fuctuations in temperature. Operating equipment with loose or bro-ken fasteners could result in serious damage to the engine and operator.

Clean air is crucial to the engines effciency. To make sure its getting enough, check the air flter and replace it if its dirty. Also replace a foam flter that has torn or shrunk so contaminants dont get into the engine.

Even more vital to engine effciency is fuel. If it hasnt been treated with a stabilizer, it degrades and becomes stale. Stale fuel causes residue buildup that can plug the carburetor and prevent the engine from

Get fired upBefore you fre up the engine at the start of a sea-

son, make sure its ready.Inspect the engine on a stable, fat surface in

a well-ventilated area away from ignition sources. Check all components to make sure they are clean, in good condition and frmly in place, including the spark plugs, muffer and fuel cap. Also be sure wires and fuel hoses are intact and in good condi-tion. Damaged fuel hoses can allow fuel to escape, which increases the risk of fre when they are near a hot engine.

Tighten or replace bolts that might have become

Replace a dirty, shrunken or torn air flter to ensure the engine gets enough air to run effciently. Photos courtesy of Subaru Industrial Power


Protect your work of art.

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Thats why professionals trust us and build their snow mold control

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starting. To avoid this entirely, always replace old fuel.Oil that hasnt been changed regularly can be-

come thick and gummy and increase the risk of cor-rosion that can keep the engine from running eff-ciently. Replace it with oil that has the proper weight as specifed in the owners manual.

If the engine has accumulated dirt and dust while in storage, a thorough cleaning will get rid of buildup and keep it running effciently. Make sure the engine and the recoil starter, if the engine is equipped with one is free from dirt, grass or other debris. Also make sure the cooling fns under the shroud are clean and free of obstructions that could cause the head area to overheat. You can use an air hose to blow off the engine or wipe it down with a dry rag. Avoid washing it with a hose or pressure washer, which could force water into the engine and cause corrosion.

Now youre ready to roll, push or pull into the season.

What to do whenIts not uncommon to occasionally experience

problems with starting or lost power. When this happens, always begin by inspecting the four things an engine needs to operate: fuel, oil, spark and compression.

Always make sure there is enough fuel in the tank and the fuel valve, if the engine is equipped with one,

is open and in the on position. Also ensure the en-gine has enough oil and the ignition is turned on. While these are obvious concerns, checking them frst can save you a lot of time and hassle.

In addition, make sure enough fuel is making its way to the engine. Choke and pull the starter fve or six times, then remove the spark plug and see if the electrode is wet. A dry electrode indicates that not enough fuel is being supplied to the engine, which can be a result of several issues and should be in-spected by a repair shop.

An improperly gapped or loose spark plug also could be the culprit of an engine that doesnt start. Inspect it to make sure the porcelain and electrodes are not damaged and that its properly gapped so it can fre effciently. Refer to the manufacturers man-ual for the recommended gap distance. Tighten the spark plug frmly, but dont make it too snug as this can damage the threads in the cylinder head.

You also should check to ensure the spark plug is producing a spark. To test it, take the cap off and re-move the spark plug from the engine. Insert it back into the cap and place the metal base against the en-gine, which will ground the current as you test. En-sure the ignition is in the on position and slowly turn the engine over. If the plug does not produce a spark, then it should be replaced.

Also test the engines compression by slowly turn-

Change oil regularly to prevent it from becoming thick and gummy.


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golf course management - october 2014

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