THE GINGERBREADS ... what’s all the fuss?
Andy Peel is proud of his association with the Gingerbread Men and enjoys the banter and exchange of information. He is pleased that, through the pages of Pitchcare, they are finally being recognised for the work they are achieving in the management of golf courses, but wonders why some of his colleagues view them with suspicion and aggression!
“Its amazing that something a lot of greenkeepers (and other professions for that matter) do with each other should be knocked by our own kind! I’m talking about communication.
Pitchcare has, through the pages of this magazine and their website, promoted the sustainable approach to greenkeeping by focusing on the work that we, the Gingerbread Men, are doing at our respective courses. And I, for one, am very grateful for the opportunity to air our views. However, we have been called, in some quarters, ‘a threat to the industry’. What nonsense! If the R&A, the EGU and the STRI (through the Disturbance Theory) see fit to promote sustainable golf, why can’t we? Just exactly what is wrong with ringing a colleague for a chat? I have been doing
The Gingerbreads (l-r): Stuart Yarwood (Lymm GC), Andy Peel, Andy Ralphs (Delamere Forest GC), Brian Taylor (Sandiway GC), Steve Oultram (Wilmslow GC), Paul Lowe (Bromborough GC), Carl Crocher (Caldy GC) and John and Roger Kerry (Royal St David’s GC)
it my entire career. I have friends all over these great isles.
People like Alan Strachen at Royal County Down and Richard Walker at Ashbourne GC. We would often ring each other up for a chat, get on to a subject, and find that we had similar issues. Just by chatting a problem can be eased and, possibly, even solved. Derek Green was another who was brilliant at making time for a chat. So, when the Gingerbreads were being formed, I immediately thought it was a great chance to possibly lead the way in opening up a line of communication. Yet,
What are you like?
Andy Peel - honest, living in sin and likes smiley holidays, a bit of blancmange and WD-40!
Who are you? Andy Peel, Head Greenkeeper at Bull Bay Golf Club.
Status? Happily divorced! Now living “in sin” with Margaret. I have two wonderful sons - William 14, Didi 12. Also in residence are the adorable Nicola 20 and Louise 17.
Who’s your hero and why? Harry Potter. He fought for what was right and not what was easy!
What is your dream holiday? Any family holiday, where everyone is smiling.
What annoys you the most? Bad manners. Manners maketh the man!
What would you change about yourself? Nowt, you are what you are.
Who wouldn’t you like to be? Tiger Woods. Absolutely no private life!
Favourite record, and why? Blancmange: Living on the ceiling. Quirky lyrics.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? Easy, Margaret, she is ace.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? I would buy a motorhome, it’s been a life long ambition.
If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be? A violin, it’s the hardest working instrument, without hogging the limelight.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? When you see others running, start walking? Then, when you see people walking, that’s when you should be running!
What’s your favourite smell? WD-40! What three words would you use to
describe yourself? Optimistic, happy, honest.
What talent would you like to have? To be fluent in lip reading!
What makes you angry? The “politically correct” brigade.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Reintroduction in the use of “lead arsenate”!
for some reason, that simple objective seems to be lost on some people - and I really don’t know why.
As I have said in my article, this industry is not rocket science. It’s great to be able to ring up a mate and chat about everything or nothing. Just a courtesy call, that so often leads to other things. Maybe you have a problem that you just can’t quite solve. Make time for each other - you might be pleasantly surprised. Isn’t that what friends do?”
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