GOLF Getting Personal
Danny Millar - he wishes he was a joker
Who are you? Danny Millar, Deputy Head Greenkeeper at Rudding Park Golf Club.
Family status. Engaged with two children; Noah 4 and Chloe 1.
Who’s your hero and why? David Jason - he’s just a comedy genius and we all need to laugh!
What’s been the highlight of your grounds career so far? Seeing the young lads who have trained with us become head greenkeepers at other courses.
If your younger self saw you now, what would they think? Stop being so serious.
Which famous people wind you up? Any politician - because they’re all full of lies.
What job would you love, other than your own? A comedian. I would love that natural ability to make people laugh.
What was the most embarrassing moment in your life? Walking into a glass door when trying to impress a girl on holiday when I was about fifteen.
Brexit or Remain? I’m really not bothered about it anymore. They’ve moved the goalposts too many times to really care.
What is your favourite film? Law Abiding Citizen.
What scares you? Heights.
What would your autobiography be called… and who would play you in the film? Myself, me and I. And I would play me!
What is your favourite sport? Cricket and darts.
What would you cast into Room 101? On a serious note, war and poverty. On a personal lighter note, people who don’t indicate or say please and thank you.
Which historical time and place would you most like to visit? When God created Adam and Eve. There were far less people and things to be angry with.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? Just to see my children be successful in anything they do.
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? David Jason, Jeremy Clarkson and Lee Evans.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? If you ask a question you’re a fool for five minutes, if you don’t ask a question you’re a fool for life.
What’s your favourite smell? Sunday dinner cooking!!
Which three albums would you take to a desert island? Not all that hot on music, so just anything that I can actually hear the words to.
What’s the daftest work-related question you have ever been asked? Not to me personally, but one of the lads got asked which part warmed up on our turf iron …
What’s your favourite piece of kit? Probably our mini digger. You look at any hole and it has made an impact somewhere ... be it drainage, removing tree stumps or a bunker. It has made the hole better at some point.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Caring, loyal and reliable.
What is the single most useful thing you could tell a 16-year-old groundsperson/greenkeeper? Save as much money as you can.
What talent would you like to have? To be able to speak in different languages.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Eye for an eye, life for a life. We are too soft in this country.
44 PC December/January 2020
hundred metres of drains per year, concentrating on walk-offs, tees and greens as these get the most wear. We are now open every day of the year, which is unusual around Harrogate and we never close the doors now, unless you literally can’t get on the course.” The greens are USGA spec with a 80/20 rootzone mix and we generally suffer from heavy thatch levels, which has seen the team undertake some significant maintenance over the last five years. “There is a requirement to play on the greens all year round, as we have too many hotel guests to be using temporaries or closing the course, therefore, we had to put a programme in place to improve the drainage. Starting in March each year, we hollow core using 12mm tines at a depth of 4 inches - taking out around three tonnes of soil per green. Then, we topdress using 60 tonnes of kiln-dried sand. In May and August, we hire in the Air2G2, and the work is carried at 3.30am to avoid any disruption in play. In October, we will do a big verti-drain, and that normally sees us through the winter. Like most clubs, we used to have a renovation week in August, but the greens would take too long to recover, so we stopped that.” The work on the greens over the last five years has
Hawtree 11th
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