GOLF
Getting Personal Andrew Dadge - he can get a bit
‘hangry’ when driving
Who are you? Andrew Dadge, 31, Deputy Head Greenkeeper at Søllerød Golflub. Born in England, moved to Denmark as a young child.
Family status? Married to my lovely wife, Lindsay.
Who’s your hero and why? Both my dad, and my step-dad for being solid role models.
What would you change about yourself? I get “hangry” often.
What’s your guilty pleasure? I’m obsessed with leather boots and I like bad Steven Segal movies.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Getting the chance to become the Deputy at Søllerød.
What are your pet peeves? Middle-lane drivers, when my wife leaves wet towels on the bed, and golfers who don’t respect the etiquette of the game.
If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? Fiji, with a pitstop in Tokyo.
What’s the best part of your job? I really enjoy working outside, and the early finish hours.
… and the worst? Golfers who don’t respect etiquette, and the early starts in the morning.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? To have a family and a really nice car.
Which three albums would you take to a desert island? Oasis - Definitely Maybe; Kasabian’s first album, Kendrick Lamar - Damn.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? Luke Bracken.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Go travelling with my family.
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? George Best, my dad (because he would like to meet George Best again) and Liam Gallagher.
50 PC December/January 2019
If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why? Ian Poulter on the Sunday of the Ryder Cup.
Do you have any bad habits? I get road rage from time to time, anything else, ask my wife!
... or any good ones? I’m always on time, I always carry the shopping, I always offer to buy a round.
Do you go to bed worrying about the next day's workload? From time to time, it would depend on the task.
What are you reading at the moment? - Hard copy or online? I’m really into Podcasts right now - I recommend Ear Shuffle.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Treat people the way you want to be treated.
What’s your favourite smell? Bacon on a Sunday morning, after a weekend shift.
What do you do in your spare time? I enjoy a cold beverage, and I watch TV, especially Premier League.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? A few days after my boss had returned from volunteering at the Ryder Cup this year, I was out spraying fertiliser and a member asked me if that “was something fancy he (my boss) had learned in France”?
What’s your favourite piece of kit? I do enjoy a trip around the course on the bunker rake.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Reliable, loyal, thirsty.
What talent would you like to have? Skateboarding.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? I would like to see minimum standards in contracts for the average greenkeeper raised.
Previous projects have included the automation of the driving range, which is a relatively new feature which our members benefit from.
Do you source additional help or is the work done in- house?
Our fairway top dressing and rough harvesting was outsourced this season.
How do you undertake pest and weed control?
Due to Danish legislation, we use a chemical-free and mechanical approach. This has its challenges but also adds a level of interest when solving problems.
This season we have struggled with Brown Patch and Anthracnose and, with the local regulations, there are no chemical or biological aids which we can use. We have been attempting to find a suitable solution to this problem whilst adhering to local guidelines.
There is a thriving mole population, which can be a nuisance and we also struggle with worm casts on fairways.
We topdress our fairways to combat the worm casts but, as for the moles, we use traps, but it doesn’t always work because they are sneaky!
What would you consider to be the state of our industry?
I found that my time working in England has shed some light on the issues greenkeepers face there, such as lower pay, lack of
contracts, pension schemes and lack of unions.
In Denmark, the greenkeeping industry is unionised, and the wages are fair and adequate. We are an up-and-coming nation on the golf and greenkeeping scene, whereas England has always been a leader in the industry, but the employees are being left behind due to lack of support and
resources. Many of them are moving out of the golf industry and into lawn care, private estates, etc. to earn a better wage and work in better conditions.
I think the golf industry in England, as well as BIGGA, should step up and do more to support the average worker in terms of offering job security and leading change.
Are we undervalued?
I think it can be a thankless job at times, but we are an integral part of golf and that is why working for a respectful employer is so important.
How would you raise our profile?
Networking and education are helpful factors to educate others about the complexity of our roles in the clubs. We offer email newsletters as well as having an electronic notice board at our clubhouse, and we often
update our webpage.
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