Getting Personal with Ben Evans

Ben Evans ‐ let the countdown begin!

Who are you? Ben Evans, Head Greenkeeper at Shrigley Hall.

Family status? I've got a partner… I'm not legally married.

Who's your hero and why? Jim Arthur. I think a lot of Practical Greenkeeping, although old, it still rings true.

What would you change about yourself? I'd learn patience.

What's your guilty pleasure? Takeaways.

What's been the highlight of your grounds career so far? Getting this job.

What are your pet peeves? Stuff not being put away properly.

If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? I'd go to Augusta in top condition [written during Master's week].

What's the best part of your job? Overseeing something and seeing its progression.

… and the worst? Asking for more money from the hotel.

Do you have a lifetime ambition? I'd love to be the head greenkeeper at a really nice links course by the sea. Maybe in the south of France.

Favourite record, and why? Rumours by Fleetwood Mac.

Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? Rachel Riley from Countdown.

If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Buy a ProCore.

Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? Genghis Khan, Bob Marley and Jim Arthur.

If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why? Tiger Woods. He's got a lot of money, can go wherever he wants and everyone likes him.

Do you have any bad habits? I can be disorganised.

... or any good ones? I'm hard‐working.

Do you go to bed worrying about the next days workload? No.

Do you read? I mostly read golf books these days. I recently read one about golf course design, but also read Escape from Camp 14 about a refugee from North Korean imprisonment.

What's the best advice you have ever been given? "Stick to what you're good at."

What's your favourite smell? Petrol.

What do you do in your spare time? Uni work ‐ BSc Sports Turf Management.

What's the daftest work-related question you have ever been asked? "What kind of paint stripes the grass?"

What three words would you use to describe yourself? Hard‐ working, motivated and reliable.

What talent would you like to have? I'd love to be good at golf. I just can't crack it.

What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Some kind of proper punishment for breaking the regulation on fungicides.

You can read the full Shrigley Hall article here