TWENTY Questions


Colin Webber - Red tape and the smell of babies! You’d better read on ...


Who are you? Colin Webber, Managing Director of Portmore Golf Club.


Family status? Married.


Who’s your hero and why? Billy Connelly, because his CD was the thing that kept me going late at night when I was building the course!


What is your dream holiday? What’s a holiday? A trip to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand would be appreciated.


What annoys you the most? Red tape and moaning.


What would you change about yourself? My age and my lack of confidence.


Who wouldn’t you like to be? Any politician.


Favourite record, and why? The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack - great memories.


Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? My wife - she may read this!


If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Tell the wife - she may read this!! Buy a mower each for all the little sports club in the area.


If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be and why? A guitar. I like to think I’m versatile.


What’s the best advice you have ever been given? “There is no such thing as can’t” or “The most unused asset in most businesses is the owner’s brain” or “Never give up”.


What’s your favourite smell? In no particular order, freshly mown grass, freshly bathed babies and roses.


What do you do in your spare time? What spare time? I look after Barnstable RUFC’s pitches, and I’m Chairman of Devon & Cornwall BIGGA.


What's the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? Okay, if the main course is closed, can we play the small course?


What’s your favourite piece of kit? My home made coconut dragmat, my home made washdown facility and my home made compost tea kit.


What three words would you use to describe yourself? Determined, caring, dedicated.


What talent would you like to have? To be able to play a musical instrument.


What makes you angry? Bullying in any shape or form.


What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Get rid off land mines!


Vertical log pile Compost pile


joins were pointed out. “I uncovered the portacabins whilst on a visit to Lancashire,” says Colin. “So, I was straight on the phone to my bank manager to arrange the finance to ensure cranes at both ends and transport back to Devon that same day. As it turned, out the crane company back home also had some portacabins they no longer wanted, so that cut part of the transport costs down.”


“We had all the skills we could possibly want within our membership, along with two nuclear scientists that I couldn’t quite find a use for, other than manual labour!”


“The members set about ‘their’ clubhouse with incredible enthusiasm,” says Colin. “I was the fetcher and carrier. I’d be up early to complete all the mowing tasks as soon as possible, then I’d be off to the local building suppliers in my old Montego saloon to ferry back whatever was required - cement, plywood, paint, plasterboard, light fittings. You name it, somehow I managed to get it in the Montego!” The finished result is a shining example of commitment and quality tradesmanship. “The members did all this work voluntarily,” says Colin, “although I did give each and every one free membership the following year. I am eternally grateful to them.” “With the clubhouse completed,


we then focused on our water quality to help us become compliant with the new ground water regulations of April 2010,” continues Josh. “This involved changing all of our cleaning products in the clubhouse to environmentally friendly replacements; this had an immediate effect by improving the discharge water from the septic tank. We then built our own environmentally friendly wash-pad for cleaning the golf course equipment and containing the water, allowing it to be re-used.” Colin is now setting his sights on renewable energy production. In the months to come, he plans to install a woodburner in the clubhouse that will be able to provide heating throughout the winter. Then he intends to install photovoltaic solar panels to provide energy throughout the year for the clubhouse and the electric mowers and buggies. “Electricity forms 54% of our carbon footprint and here, at last, is a sure-fire way of getting rid of that ever increasing bill,” Colin says.


Of course, Colin has not reduced just the club’s carbon footprint but its running costs too, which continue to come down. “For example, our annual water bills are down from around £6,000 to under £500, and our power bills have fallen significantly,” he says. “You must remember, though, that costs


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