GOLF Getting Personal
Rob Preston - he’s a family man who loves the gym and NASA
Who are you? Rob Preston, Course Manager at the Manor House Golf Club.
Family status. I met my lovely wife at sweet seventeen and we have been together for twenty years. We have four children (three boys and one girl).
Who’s your hero and why? My gramp Ted, who recently passed away. He’s always been my idol and, together with my nan, brought me up since I was eight years old. He was such a hard working guy and gave me plenty of advice. Our five month old baby boy is named after him, Teddie.
What would you change about yourself? I can get bored very easily so I can lose focus if I am not interested in the topic.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far? It has to be when I was promoted to course manager in a very short space of time. I am very proud of what my team have achieved during my six years at the Manor House.
What are your pet peeves? Laziness, being inefficient and people making excuses.
If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? Disney (family) and the Maldives (me and my wife).
What’s the best part of your job? Working with a great team to achieve a manicured golf course, then see what you’ve achieved at the end of the week. I love being outdoors, especially out in the surroundings of Castle Combe.
… and the worst? People who work alongside you that don’t understand your industry, and golfers that believe they are all head greenkeepers.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? I’d like to drive Route 66 and to be the best I can within my career.
Favourite record, and why? Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline (Reading Football Club pre-match song).
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? My wife ... and not just because I have to say that. She is my world!
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? My gramp, Bobby Moore and David Jason.
If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why? I would love to work with NASA for the day - anything outside this world is exciting and fascinating.
42 PC June/July 2019
Do you have any bad habits? I’m impatient and have OCD with cleanliness.
... or any good ones? Going to the gym to keep myself fit and healthy (self discipline).
Do you go to bed worrying about the next day’s workload? In the first year as course manager I did, but now I don’t. You can’t do anything about it at that time, and like many things in life, some things are out of your control (mother nature).
What are you reading at the moment? I’m not a big book reader, but I read loads on football and stuff on gym fitness.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? You can’t please everyone maintaining a golf course but you can only do your best and try to go with the majority (happy medium). Life’s too short!
What’s your favourite smell? Frosty mornings at work and the smell of my baby boy after a bath.
What do you do in your spare time? I go to the gym a lot. I have a season ticket for Reading and I love spending time with my family.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? A member asked if greenkeepers need to work at weekends. He was not happy that we sometimes got in the way, even though we start as early as 4am to try and get ahead of the golf. My response was as diplomatic as possible.
What’s your favourite piece of kit? Toro ProCore and Sweep and Fill.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Direct, adaptable and loyal.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? I would like to see higher levels of Healh & Safety in general. I strongly believe that no matter what resources/budgets is like, it has to be the priority.
yourself by putting down loads of nitrogen and double verti-cutting every other day, when I don’t need to.”
“I am very organic with my fertilisers. I don’t use too many granules and what I do use is low in nitrogen. My general mix, during the growing season, would be a chelated iron, seaweed, phosphite and a liquid feed. I have also started to use MolTurf to get some sugars into the greens at certain times of the year. We suffered badly with nematode stress in my first year as course manager. Alongside the help of my main supplier AGS, we have the nutritional values and health spot on now with the nematode damage under control. Over the three years, I have worked closely with Sam Honeyborne, we have a great relationship where we can bounce ideas together and stride for better results.”
“With having sand-based greens, I like to adjust what we use based on the current health of the greens plus the weather. I don’t
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