Christley (right) explains some of the capabilities of the central computer controller.

tion. Personal computers for central con-trol now have a firm hold in the golf andcommercial irrigation industry.

The computer is only limited in capabili-ty by your imagination. In the past, central

control equipment was built for one specificpurpose. Termed "hardware" today, upgrad-ing this equipment or adding new featureswas very costly, not only to the owner, butto the manufacturer as well. As old dedi-

cated systems became outdated or obso-lete, you were stuck with a dinosaur.

The personal computers used in irriga-tion today operate with a combination ofhardware and software. The software isconstantly being updated, making it pos-sible to upgrade your system or increaseits capabilities without the need to replaceyour hardware. Within seconds a systemcan be upgraded simply by inserting a newprogram disc into the computer. Evenamateur programmers can customize theirsystems to best meet their needs.

Now that these high-tech systems areavailable at our fingertips, we must use ourimagination to take full advantage of theirfeatures. With a little training, you can openthe door to all kinds of new system capa-bilities without leaving your desk. Some ofthese include; flow monitoring, field satel-lite monitoring, individual station control, totalor partial system water budgeting, repeat-ing cycles, pauses, link start capability, andsensing (and reacting to) changes in windor rain. The list grows monthly.

Computers make various in-field sensorsmore practical by utilizing two-way commu-nication. They can alert the water managerto specific problems in the field, such asa pressure loss caused by a ruptured pipeor a malfunctioning sensor. Important water-saving devices, which once required a tripto the field to check, can now be monitored

continued on page 34

~~" P.V.c."~~ HAMMER ARRESTOR

Water Hammer Arrestors (pigmented)The P.V.C.arrestor has been designed to protectthe fittings and joints from the destructive hydraul-ic shock caused by quick closing solenoidvalves-valves often found in commercial or homelawn sprinkling systems or larger commercial irri-gation systems.

Applications include: Potable Water, Sea Water,Acids, Petroleum Products, and other chemicalsor where corrosive conditions may be present.

Manufacturer's specifications:Schedule 40 Material is used for sizes 112" to 1112"

Schedule 80 Material is used to sizes over 2" in diameter.

P.V.C.material conforms to ASTM specification D1785-64T.Manufactured to pipe size, no special adaptors required.

Normal operating pressures: 35 to 500 PS.I.G.

Size112"3A"1"

11/4"11/2"2"

21/2"3"4"6"

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Circle 143 on Reader Service Card January 1987 31

Water Managercontinued from page 31

Steve Collins, irrigation manager for The Phoe-nician Golf & Tennis Resort, checks themoisture content and root depth in a coresample.

at the computer terminal.Most critical to the success of making

these "tools" work for you is making a fewadjustments in your thinking. First of all, re-move the fear that a computer is too com-plicated to learn. Secondly, get over the myththat a computer is supposed to do every-thing by itself. Although computer com-mands are very basic today, you still haveto give it certain precise instructions beforeit will respond.

Learning these commands takes time andpractice. One of the best things you can dobefore installing a computerized control sys-tem is take advantage of training for your-self or your personnel. The computer hasthe ability to do much more than most oper-ators know how to tell it to do. Training gives

the water manager a big advantage on thesystem against those who chose not to betrained.

By getting the absolute maximum benefitfrom your computer control system and in-corporating a full time water manager, inturn, you will be well on your way to enhanc-ing your own professional career .. e&

EDITOR'S NOTE: Kenneth B. Christley is awater management consultant based inPhoenix, AZ. He is a member of the TurfGrowers Advisory Committee of the Depart-ment of Water Resources, State of Arizo-na, and the American Society of IrrigationConsultants.

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34 sportsTURF Circle 120 on Reader Service Card

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Circle 121 on Reader Service Card

GCSAA CONFERENCE AND SHOW SCHEDULEMORE THAN 12,000EXPECTED AT PHOENIXGCSAASHOW

The Golf Course Superintendents Associ-ation of America (GCSAA) expects morethan 12,000 golf course superintendents,turf managers and suppliers to convergein Phoenix, January 26- February 2, for its58th conference and show.

Attracting the crowd is this country's lar-gest exhibit of turf management equipmentand supplies, a week-long assortment ofseminars and educational sessions, keynotespeaker and former Green Bay Packer quar-terback Bart Starr, Marie Osmond and herbrothers, famous Golf Course ArchitectRobert Trent Jones, Howard Keel of the tel-evision show Dallas, and a host of events.

A wide assortment of allied associationshold programs in conjunction with GCSAA.These include the Sports Turf Managers As-sociation (STMA), the United States GolfAssociation (USGA), the National Golf Foun-dation (NGF), the American Society of GolfCourse Architects (ASGCA) and the GolfCourse Builders of America (GCBA).

More than 300 manufacturers and dis-tributors will display their golf course andturf products on nearly five acres of exhibitspace inside the Phoenix Civic Plaza. Thetrade show will be open all day Jan. 31 andFeb. 1, and half a day on Feb. 2.

Although seminars and a golf tournamentprecede the conference, the official open-

continued on page 36

5:15 pm

7:00·8:001:005:15

7:008:00

9:001:00

4:007:30

7:308:00

8:309:006:00

7:008:001:001:306:007:00

Thursday, January 29Opening Session/Keynote Address-Bart Starr

Friday, January 30Registration OpensConcurrent Educational Sessions-Part IConcurrent Educational Sessions-Part IIMeet the Candidates for GCSAA Office

Saturday, January 31Prayer BreakfastRegistration Opens

Sports Turf Managers Association WorkshopTrade Show OpensConcurrent Educational Sessions-Part III

American Society of Golf Course Architects ConferenceNational Golf Foundation WorkshopInternational Golf Course Management Sessions

Golf Course Builders of America Annual MeetingSTMA Banquet-Joe Torre

Sunday, February 1Registration OpensMajor Speaker Sessions

Rita Davenport, Jack Kaine, Dr. James MeltonSTMA Stadium TourTrade Show OpensGCSAA President's Reception

Monday, February 2Registration OpensTrade Show OpensTrade Show EndsGCSAA Annual Business MeetingReceptionBanquet & Show

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Circle 123 on Reader Service Card

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Circle 124 on Reader Service Card January 1987 35

GCSAA Showcontinued from page 35

ing is Thursday evening, Jan. 29. Bart Starr,former quarterback and coach of the GreenBay Packers, will "kick off" the show witha motivating adaptation of a pre-game lockerroom speech. More than 70 concurrenteducational sessions follow on Friday andSaturday.

Three major speaker sessions are beingoffered on Sunday, Feb. 1. "Success onYour Terms"by James Melton encourageslisteners to set personal and professionalgoals that lead to greater satisfaction andreduced stress. "Who's in Your Driver's Seat"by Jack Kaine explains the forces that controlhuman behavior and how they effect leader-ship and management. Time managementconsultant Rita Davenport will provide ef-fective concepts to help managers keep ontop of paperwork, handle interruptions,.deleqate work, prioritize tasks, conductshorter meetings and utilize periods of peakprod uctivity.

After a full-day USGA Green Section pro-gram on Monday, Feb. 2, the Old Tom Mor-ris Award will be presented to Robert TrentJones during the banquet. Jones hasdesigned more than 400 golf courses in 42states and 23 countries. He joins ArnoldPalmer, Bob Hope, Gerald R. Ford and PattyBerg as recipients of the award. The eveningwill be topped off with the performance ofMarie Osmond and the Osmond Brothers.

Interested turf managers should contact

GCSAA as soon as possible by calling 1-BOO-GSA-SUPT.Some seminars are alreadysold out and GCSAA will need to help youwith housing.

TORRE WILL GIVE THREEVIEWS OF TURF DURINGSTMA CONFERENCE

Few players were closer to the turf thanJoe Torre when he was catching for the At-lanta Braves, the St. Louis Cardinals andthe New York Mets. He applied this familiar-ity with baseball turf later as coach of theBraves and the Mets. When he ended upbehind the microphone for the CaliforniaAngels, his comments about turf manage-ment went beyond the dugout into millionsof homes in the Los Angeles area.

Sports turf managers can hear Torre's re-marks when he gives the keynote speechat the Sports Turf Managers Associationbanquet, Jan. 31, at the Hyatt-Regency,Phoenix. The banquet caps off a full dayof educational sessions held in conjunctionwith the Golf Course Superintendents As-sociation of America Conference and Show.

STMA has arranged for more than 25 ex-perts to speak on key aspects of sports turfmanagement. Specific attention will be paidto fields of each major sport played on turf,as well as polo fields, horse race tracks andlawn bowling greens. Speakers are travel-ling to Phoenix from more than 15 statesand three countries. As a result, regionaldifferences in turf management will becovered.

A tour of Phoenix sports facilities andstadiums has been arranged for Sunday,Feb. 1. Buses will take the sports turfmanagers to Arizona State University's SunDevil Stadium, a softball complex in Tempeand the spring training camps of the Mil-waukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs.When the tour returns to the Phoenix Civ-ic Center, the delegates can review morethan 300 exhibits of turf managementproducts covering nearly five acres of floorinside the Civic Center.

For more information contact Dr. KentKurtz, STMA, 1458 N. Euclid Ave., Ontario,CA 91764. (714) 984-4677. STMA has itsown block of rooms reserved for those at-tending its conference.

36 sportsTURF

Bentgrass underneath the fabric cover greened-up more than two weeks before the uncovered turf.

One late winter day John Roberts, ex-tension turf specialist at the Univer-sityof New Hampshire, was evalua-

ting his turf plots for winterkill when he no-ticed that the nearby vegetable plots werecovered with a sheet of fabric. He put turfwinterkill and the covers together in his mind.He obtained a spare cover from the vegeta-ble specialist and pegged it down over onesection of his turf plots. That section of turfgreened up more than two weeks earlierthan the uncovered turf.

That was the first use of a new tool formanagement of both cool and warm sea-son turf. Uses for these portable, ventilat-ed greenhouse-like covers quickly spreadfrom golf courses in New Hampshire toAlabama. It wasn't long before they couldbe found at Milwaukee Stadium and theRose Bowl. Today, the 16-foot-long tubesof material are commonplace in the storageareas beneath the stands of stadiums andin the maintenance buildings of golf coursesacross the country.

The list of benefits attributable to covershas grown far beyond early spring green-up. Low-temperature damage to both bent-grass and Bermudagrass has been great-ly reduced. Higher soil temperaturesbeneath covers enhance turf root growth,38 sporlsTURF

help sod knit faster, and speed up germi-nation of seed by as much as 50 percent.The controlled ventilation of the turf underthe blankets conserves moisture and greatlyreduces dessication injury. Irrigation to co-vered turf can be cut nearly in half.

The list of benefitsattributable to covershas grown far beyondearly spring green-up.

Covers are much easier to install, removeand reinstall than straw or other types ofmulches used to insulate turf during thewinter. In case of a late frost after the covershave been removed, the blankets can bereinstalled on an average green in less than20 minutes.

Stadium field managers are using thesecovers to speed up germination or regrowth

of turf between the hash marks or along thesidelines of football fields and around thegoal mouths of soccer fields. One stadiumfield superintendent plans to place a coverover damaged portions of his football fieldthat have been seeded with pregerminat-ed ryegrass.

Football and soccer field managers cancover their fields between games in the fallto delay winter dormancy. Baseball fieldmanagers with early season openers canuse the covers to bring the turf out of dor-mancy. Sod can be installed earlier in thespring and still knit before the first gamewhen covered.

Landscape uses have just begun to de-velop. By covering a newly-seeded slope,germination can occur faster, wind and watererosion halted, and the amount of water toirrigate the slope reduced. The fabric canbe reused on other sites as needed. Sub-surface uses for the fabrics, such as prevent-ing rocks and debris from heaving into thetopsoil, are just now being evaluated. Ver-sions of some of these fabrics are used towrap drainage structures to prevent silta-tion and clogging. Thicker sheets of thefabrics have provided tremendous temporaryprotection of turf against vehicle and foottraffic.

The three manufacturers of these coversare as amazed by the new uses of theirproduct as anyone. Gary Anderson, mar-keting manager of DuPont's Turf Blanket,says demand is so great that many buyersdon't want to wait for adjustments under-way to make the covers more covenient anddurable for golf course and athletic field use."In the past three years we have increasedthe tear strength of the Turf Blankets sixfold and the sunlight resistance three fold,"state Anderson. "Now we are preparing tooffer the blankets in sizes to fit specific sitesand we are simplifying the process whichholds sections of the blanket together."

Wire loops hold the fabric down ant! can beinstalled quickly.

The cover Roberts first tried was DuPont'sRemay, a six ml spun-bonded polyesterwhich allows 75 percent of light through.Today, Anderson recommends the compa-ny's Typar blankets for sports turf uses. Be-cause it is made of spun-bonded polyprope-lene and 12 ml thick, it is six times strongerthan Remay while still 70 percent transpar-ent. It also resists degradation by sunlightthree times longer.

HPI Ltd. of Canada recently set up dis-tributors in the U.S. for its Evergreen pro-tective covers. These are made from wovenpolyolefin fabric and are 85 percent trans-parent. The Evergreen cover is made to ord-er and comes as one piece in its own storagebag. This eliminates long storage tubes andjoining different pieces together during in-stallation.

Warren's Special Products Div. has beenmarketing TerraShield protective covers formore than two years. Made of polyester non-woven needle-punched fabric, TerraShieldcovers are not subject to degradation byultraviolet light. The white material letsenough light through to allow turf under-neath to tiller, avoiding the stemmy growthcaused when a cover creates too muchshade.

continued on page 41

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Circle 127 on Reader Service Card

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Circle 128 on Reader Service Card January 1987 39

TRIPLE SWING JOINT

A New Name onthe Leader Board ...from an "Old Pro"

• Full-circleAdjustments

• Excellent Field-tested FlowCharacteristics

• No Over Torquing

• Pre-assembledUnits Include6" Nipple

• No Leaks• Each Individual

Joint FeaturesContinuous 3600

Movement

• Made in the U.S.A.

Tough. Durable. Built to take a pounding from insideor out. The Swing Safe Triple Swing Joint withstandsthe hammer of quick-closing valves or the instantimpact of an errant mower ... without leaking.

Installation is quick and easy, too. The Swing SafeTriple Swing Joint eliminates the problem of overtorquing or bottoming out. And a-rings at each jointguarantee no leaks after the job is completed.

Manufactured in five sizes (V2", 3A", 1", 1%" and 1V2"),the Swing Safe Triple Swing Joint is available eitheras components or, for no additional cost, pre-assembled. The 1", 1114" and 1Y2" models offer the

extra strength of Schedule 80 PVC.All models are available in either slip

or threaded design.

For additional information, contactAMS Plastics1515 Fayette, EI Cajon, CA 92020 619/449-8570Circle 115 on Reader Service Card