Golf
GETTING Personal...
Chris Furneaux - better distribution of Sky TV’s football money profits would be very much appreciated ... “Green Army”!
Who are you? Chris Furneaux (aged 35), Head Greenkeeper at Minthis Hills Golf Club in Cyprus.
in the winter between dark green fairways and yellow roughs. Both management and our members were sceptical about this idea at first, but they are now very positive about the winter appearance of the course. We have good practice
facilities here at Minthis Hills which include a driving range as well as a chipping area with three practice bunkers and two practice putting greens. The practice greens are each 300m2
, whilst the
chipping area is approximately 2,000m2
. The
driving range is quite spectacular as it has been cut out of the side of a big, steep hill with fantastic views of the distant Troodos mountain range. There are future plans to build a new 3-hole teaching academy. I am fortunate to I have a
wide range of machinery available to me, but I also have a very good working relationship with the other Course Managers on the island, so if I need to borrow anything then I usually give one of them a call. We all share machinery with each other when needed which works very well for us. Each October, I am
responsible for proposing the golf maintenance budget for the following year. If there are budget restrictions, I will change the plan accordingly. My annual budget has been quite consistent in the time that I have been here, so I more or less know exactly where I stand at the start of each year. However, every order I make over E500 still has to be approved by the Director of Golf. I have a very good relationship with our
members here. I always make a point of attending the monthly committee meetings to address any golf course concerns, plus I update them on any upcoming projects. The committee email the minutes to the other members, so everyone is aware of what is happening. I play in the monthly medals and always try to be approachable and honest when answering any questions about the course. This open, face to face communication allows me to get across my point of view about the daily challenges we incur and educates the members in the methods we use to treat each situation. The AGM is the most important meeting of the year for me as I can use it to present our aims and objectives for the following year and put a stop to any rumour-mongering which might be doing the rounds.
Family status? I am married to a Georgian woman named Nino and we have one son, Luke, aged three and a half.
Who’s your hero and why? Tommy Tynan, goal scoring giant for Plymouth Argyle FC in the 1980s.
What would you change about yourself? My concentration, I sometimes drift off ...
What’s your guilty pleasure? I watch the X Factor, sorry.
What do you drop everything for? My family, or an irrigation problem out on the course!
What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Working in the wonderful Cyprus climate.
Glass half full or half empty? Half full, preferably with traditional dark Belgian Ale.
Climate change - fact or fiction? I’m still not convinced, so fiction.
What’s your favourite season? Spring.
What are your pet peeves? Ignorance, negativity and bad manners.
If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? Tickets to Brazil to see as many games as possible at the World Cup finals would be super, with a bit of sightseeing thrown in.
What’s the best part of your job? Sun, fresh air and meeting good people.
… and the worst? Bunker washouts, invasive weed grasses and drought.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? To remain driven and happy.
Who wouldn’t you like to be? Demitris Christofias, the former Communist president of Cyprus who has brought a once prosperous country to its knees through his sheer greed and incompetence.
Favourite record, and why? One of my life’s great pleasures is winding down on a Friday night with a good drink, watching a movie or listening to something decent. “The High Road” by Broken Bells is a current favourite.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? If the wife is unavailable, then Margot Robbie could keep me company.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? I would yell something along the lines of “get in there you little beauty”!!
If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be and why? A saxophone, as it is deep, cool and jazzy.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? It is better to try and to fail than to spend your life doing nothing and always wondering what if.
What’s your favourite smell? A proper Cornish steak and stilton pasty.
What do you do in your spare time? I entertain my son, play golf, swim and socialise with good friends.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? After greens renovation work I frequently hear “why do you have to put so much sand on the greens it’s like putting in the desert?” ... that always winds me up!
What’s your favourite piece of kit? My Tru-Turf greens roller.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Friendly, honest, relaxed.
What talent would you like to have? I would love to be a far better golfer, ideally Ryder Cup standard.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? All Sky Premier League television money profits should be solely distributed to Plymouth Argyle Football Club.
PC APRIL/MAY 2014 I 17
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