Getting Personal with Rick Sinker

Rick Sinker evens out his passion for Strictly and his pet cat with a pint after work.

Who are you? Rick Sinker. 31 years old from Warrington.

Family status: Single.

Who's your hero and why? My family. I can't pick anyone out singularly as we're such a tight and close knit unit but they are all so supportive and helpful to me, no matter what I throw at them. They're all heroes in their own individual way.

What would you change about yourself? I'd be four inches taller. Other than that I'm pretty happy with myself, inside and out.

What's your guilty pleasure? A Friday 'after work pint'. Especially if I feel I've earned it.

What's been the highlight of your career so far? Hosting the Lancashire Seniors competition earlier this summer, across a two-day event. To receive the praise we did, appreciation and admiration from the players made it a real career highlight.

What are your pet peeves? Lateness and poor timekeeping. And not switching before and after mowing with any reel mower!

If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? Las Vegas. I'd love to visit again and this time really make the most of that crazy place.

What's the best part of your job? Working outdoors in Britain's green and pleasant land.

… and the worst? Turf disease.

Do you have a lifetime ambition? To have a happy and content family of my own and to manage a Links golf course.

Favourite record, and why? Alesso - Cool. It's me all over and holds a lot of good memories.

Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? Gemma Atkinson. She seems like a really sound girl, up for a laugh and I love her northern accent.

If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Buy my dream car; C63 AMG Mercedes and drive it straight to the airport for the holiday of a lifetime.

If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be and why? Drums. I want to be an integral part to a bigger picture. And the lads in my team say I can be loud and boisterous when I want to be!

Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? My Grandad Hudson, Fred Dibnah and Guy Martin.

If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why? Richard Branson. I'd love to know how it feels to own and live on your very own paradise island, in the middle of nowhere.

Do you have any bad habits? I leave tools scattered anywhere and everywhere after I have used them, which is weird as I'm such a neat freak at home.

... or any good ones? Paying (extreme!) attention to detail with the quality of cut on mowing equipment. More a personal quality than habit but I'm also very loyal and dependable.

Do you go to bed worrying about the next day's workload? All the time. Maybe this should be under bad habits?...

What are you reading at the moment? Practical Greenkeeping (again). I've recently got into reading in my personal time as well and the last hard copy book I finished was 'The Hit' by David Baldacci.

What's the best advice you have ever been given? 'Man made machines to help not hinder'. In other words, if a machine can do something for you to make your life easier, then use it.

What's your favourite smell? Bacon and egg toasties cooking after a good morning's graft.

What do you do in your spare time? Milking cows on our family dairy farm, socialising, and putting my feet up on the couch with a beer in hand and my cat Pumpkin.

What's the daftest work-related question you have ever been asked? "Do you think you would be able to lay a carpet in my lounge?" as we were turfing.

What's your favourite piece of kit? The John Deere 220 E Cut hand mower. It's a superb piece of kit, quality finish and keeps me fit in the process.

What three words would you use to describe yourself? Committed, conscientious and daft.

What talent would you like to have? To play the guitar. Also, every year I see Strictly Come Dancing I think it'd be awesome to be able to dance like that... just as a little secret trick up my sleeve if I ever needed to bust a move on the dance floor!

What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? For the daily first tee times on both the 1st and 10th tees to be no sooner than 7am, on every golf course in the land.

Read the full Ashton-in-Makerfield article here