6/15/2023 - By Samantha Bamaca

This is a story about nematode control and root health at En-Joie Golf Club, the home of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open. But before we get to that, let’s set the stage.

According to the course’s website, “The En-Joie Golf Club is a beautiful tour-tested championship golf course located in Endicott, NY. Nestled below the rolling hills and along the banks of the Susquehanna River, En-Joie has an old-school traditional layout that true golf enthusiasts love. The golf course is located only 2 miles off Route 17 in south central New York State, just minutes west of downtown Binghamton, NY.”

En-Joie is a municipal course owned by the village of Endicott, NY, and is home to the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open on the PGA Tour circuit.

The Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company

The course was originally constructed in 1927 under the design of Ernie Smith by George F. Johnson. Johnson was half-owner of a local company, the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company. Johnson and his business partner, fellow shoemaker Henry Bradford Endicott, built the course for their employees to enjoy (thus the name, En-Joie, spelled with capital letters E and J).

During the 1920s, an estimated 20,000 people worked in EJ’s factories. In the 1940s, due to their role in producing footwear for the war, the company made about 52 million pairs of shoes each year. Today, the shoemaker still exists, albeit as EJ Footwear, LLC, after having been ultimately acquired by Rocky Shoes & Boots, Inc.

So, how does this relate to golf?

En-Joie as an Employee Benefit

George F, as he was known, was committed to employee benefit programs designed to “uplift” workers, especially during tough economic times. This was perceived as mostly motivational and certainly generous. However, the programs were put in place partly to enhance employee loyalty and mitigate the unionization of workers.

As part of their initiative, EJ and the Johnson family created libraries, carousels, swimming pools (one in the shape of a giant shoe sole), a theater, and, yes, you guessed it, a golf course. Many of these amenities were provided to the people of the community at no charge.

“According to George F., ‘some foolish workers got it in their heads that golf was only for the rich…golf is just as good for hard-working shoemakers as it is for the tired businessman…the poor can play golf just as cheaply as going to the movies, and it’s better for their health. Give men comfort to live and play then you can work them hard and they will be ready for more.’

Golf balls were also made by Endicott-Johnson and were used on the En-Joie fairways that were flat and virtually tree-less back then. In addition, no rough was grown so that no golf ball could be lost.”

In 1998 and 1999, the course was renovated by renowned architect Michael Hurdzan, lots of trees were added, and En-Joie became known as a course that would challenge both pros and amateurs alike. In 2007, the course became home to the PGA Tour Dick’s Sporting Goods Open. And in the fall of 2014, Harrell’s rep Anthony Chapman became superintendent.

Shallow Roots and Nematode Control at En-Joie

Chapman, GCSAA Class A Superintendent, along with superintendents before him, inherited a course that had been plagued by a few problematic greens with shallow roots. En-Joie has sand-based California greens, so concerns about nutrient leaching are always a factor when it comes to applying products. Anthony often wondered if that contributed to shallow roots. He also noticed the same weak areas (hot spots) on a few of the greens and felt like something wasn’t quite right.

Following his instincts and a few conversations with former En-Joie superintendent and friend, Rocco Greco, he continued to investigate, sending samples off to Cornell and Rutgers. The diagnosis came back confirming nematodes but at threshold levels. “Even if nematodes are at a threshold, it can lead to a major problem. For example, if you have drought-like conditions and nematodes are there feeding on your roots, now the turf is left vulnerable to abiotic and biotic stress and can begin to show signs of serious decline. They can compromise those roots for sure,” says Chapman. With the diagnosis in hand, Anthony felt more confident. “I do have a problem that I can address,” he said.

Combatting Nematodes to Create Superior Playing Conditions

He worked to combat the nematode issue using products like Divanem™ while simultaneously strengthening roots to help improve overall turf health. Notably, he relied on EarthMAX® Organic and Amino Pro V to build longer, stronger roots. By taking a holistic approach, along with tackling tree removal and other projects, he was able to have a profound impact on the quality of the course.

According to the En-Joie website, “Over the past decade, there has been an easily noticeable commitment to superior course conditions.” Anthony attributes those superior conditions to the superintendents who preceded him. Often Anthony would hear long-time course members speak about the “turnaround” of En-Joie, and that the change started with Andrew, continued with Rocco and Anthony followed suit.

The former En-Joie superintendent, now Harrell’s rep, is no stranger to struggles. In 2011, while on the crew at En-Joie, Tropical Storm Lee devastated the area and left certain holes 24 feet underwater, and closed the course for 9 months. And in December 2020, the area received 40 inches of snow and 2 inches of rain, resulting in major flooding and leaving some areas of the course smothered by ice.

Longer and Fatter Roots Than Ever Before

During his tenure, Chapman was persistent about addressing challenges in a manner that would serve the course well in the long term. And in 2022, he handed the reins over to a one-time En-Joie intern, Sully Murphy. Sully had been working as a superintendent in Florida and was happy to return and take over the post at En-Joie as Anthony transitioned out of the role.

According to Sully, “My experience in the last year with Harrell’s has been outstanding. Anytime I need a product, advice, or just another set of eyes on any situation that I have, my sales Rep, Anthony Chapman, is always there to help. Whether it’s early in the morning or late in the afternoon, he is always willing to take a phone call or stop by to see what’s going on.”

As former colleagues and friends, Sully trusts Anthony and has implemented many of the programs and practices that Chapman initiated. However, Sully did want to try some new things, namely, enhancing the root health program. So, Anthony and Sully worked together to augment the current EarthMAX® Organic / Amino Pro V program by adding Root Enhancer, Bio-MAX® 4-0-0, and Activator + SA.

The results have been phenomenal. Roots are longer and fatter than they’ve ever been, and the outcome was so dramatic that even the cup cutters began to comment.

Of his experience with Harrell’s products, Sully said, “My success with Harrell’s products has been unmatched. As I entered the 2022 season as a first-year Superintendent in the Northeast, coming from warm season-based grass in Southeast Florida, I was concerned about the fertility and growing seasons changes. The program Anthony had put in place previously, and the program he and I developed when I arrived helped my property tremendously.

With the extended drought of 2022 and having a tournament in late August, I was concerned about wilt and disease pressure with the high amount of stress we were going to put on them getting prepared for the tournament.

By switching wetting agents to Fleet and Symphony, I could control my moisture on greens down to even percentages throughout the entire surface while maintaining a firm and fast approach for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open. That, combined with the heavy root driving program that we put together, my greens performed flawlessly, and we had one of the tournament's best Data records in history.

This year as we made it through May without any rain and high temperatures, I have full confidence in the performance of these greens and all playing surfaces with the programs that we have in place. We have seen significant root growth over the past year and continue to monitor the roots and surface as get through this drought. Harrell’s products have stood up against some of the worst summers and springs I have been a part of.”

When asked if Anthony feels a sense of ownership with En-Joie, he said that while he lives 10 minutes from the course and has a history there, he now serves as a mentor, friend, and sounding board for Sully. “I want him to take ownership now, so I take a step back and watch him go. And that’s the way it should be.” Almost every week, Anthony visits the course to ride with Sully, help with tournament prep, and talk about old tricks and new ideas.

Building on Both Experience and Relationships

He mentioned that it helps that he, and many other Harrell’s reps, are former superintendents or have a long history of industry experience. So, they recognize and can identify issues quickly, and can help reduce stress and calm the nerves of their customers. Being able to speak from experience and offer our customers advice and support is a huge benefit. In fact, Harrell’s Territory Manager, Andrew Cain was the superintendent at En-Joie from 2006 to 2009, and Harrell’s Sales Director, John Keeler interned there during the summer of 1989. John had this to say:

“Things were a little different then. They had just bought their first lightweight fairway mower by raising the daily fee from $12 to 13 dollars for a cart and 18 holes of golf. The fairway mower was $35,000, which just happened to be the same number of (35,000) rounds per year. We were lucky the numbers were equal because En-Joie was owned by the Village of Endicott, so raising the price scared a lot of people. The fear of losing rounds meant losing revenue. That year they had the best year ever and compliments on course conditioning.

 They had a single-row irrigation system with manual heads. You flagged on each head (which means you had to turn the heads on with a key and run like crazy because there was a 50% chance you or your cart was getting wet.) Most nights, I went home with wet feet. We timed every fairway head with our watch and a piece of paper, writing down start and stop times. The course was prone to Pythium, so overwatering meant you were on the sprayer the next day. I learned water management that season, along with disease prevention and identification.

Pythium attacks roots. So, when I was there, we were in survival mode. 

Last year I went to the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, and the greens were awesome. Anthony and Sully have created a great program feeding the roots and moving the water throughout the profile. Balanced Approach at its best.”

Calling on Harrell’s Arsenal of Resources

Chapman attributes the credit for their success to Harrell’s team of Directors of Agronomy, the TurPh.Dudes.

“When a customer is struggling, I can always see what Paul (Dr. Paul Giordano, Director of Agronomy) says. I can text, call, or email and explain the situation and send pictures. Our PhDs come back right away with a solution or their thoughts. I can put them on speaker with the superintendent, and we can get the support we need instantly. Our customers are so appreciative of that, and it brings a certain comfort level when we can say, ‘Now we know what to do.’”

Another resource is the free application planner inside TurfCloud. Harrell’s reps can and do build programs within TurfCloud and share them with their customers or vice versa. These programs can then be sent to Harrell’s Directors of Agronomy for review and input. The scheduling feature makes it simple for supers to adjust if they don’t get a spray out or move things around as needed.