GOLF Getting Personal
David Winter - he loves the smell of coffee in the morning ... honestly
Who are you? David Winter, head greenkeeper.
Family status? Married – and a daughter.
Who’s your hero? It’s got to be Neil Warnock, for taking Cardiff FC back into the Premier League.
What would you change about yourself? I’d like to be a bit taller.
What’s your guilty pleasure? Chocolate.
What’s been the highlight of your grounds career so far? Forty-four years served!
What are your pet peeves? Litter on the course.
If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? Nepal. I’d like to see the Himalayas.
What’s the best part of your job? People raving about how nice the course is.
… and the worst? Petty moaning.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? To walk in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Favourite record, and why? Amen by Enigma (at the moment).
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? I would ensure my family were all well looked after.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? Eve Miles, the actress.
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to
40 PC August/September 2018
a dinner party? Gary Speed. Chris Coleman. Ryan Giggs. (Latest Wales national football managers).
If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why? A professional footballer.
Do you have any bad habits? My wife says it’s picking my nails.
... or any good ones? I’m polite.
Do you read (and what)? I’ve just read The Cretan Runner.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? My old head greenkeeper used to say, “don’t take notice of everybody’s criticism”.
What’s your favourite smell? Coffee.
What do you do in your spare time? Hill walking and five- a-side football. When I was a young lad, I never thought I’d be doing that at 63 years old.
What is the stupidest question you’ve ever been asked about your job? Does that blow hot air? If so could you thaw the course out? (Whilst using a leaf blower).
What’s your favourite bit of kit? It has to be the ProCore.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Honest. Friendly. Workaholic.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? I’d reprimand people for doing figure-8s whilst looking for their golf balls in buggies.
system now.”
Grasses on the greens are almost exclusively bents and annual meadow grasses: “We don’t seed with fescue very often and, a few years ago, we undertook an aggressive programme of overseeding with bent. We were doing that through the season, but it’s now down to about twice per year.”
“There is no artificial drainage in most greens and they’re all push-up greens, so the annual meadow grass is inevitable. They’re also built in saucer shapes to gather water as there was no irrigation at that time.”
“Only the wettest couple have pipe drainage in them. To be honest, all the verti- draining we have done through contractors and the tining,
which we do with our own ProCore, seems to do the trick.” “We used to get on the Izeki tractor, with a CoreMaster mounted on the back, and then verti-drain at the end of the year. The ProCore, though, is very useful.”
“Also, we used to verti- drain in the spring, but we stopped doing that, because the weather at that time of year is very up-and-down. So, we hollow tine with three-inch tines every spring instead, verti-drain more during the Autumn, and micro-tine as often as we can throughout the year.” “Like anyone, there are periods when it rains for days and weeks, and we do get wet. But, everyone comments that it is a self-draining course.” David and the team have recently been increasing the
Packed rubber pathways
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