We would like to introduce you to Nicki, one of our most active members who chats with us from across the pond. Though we may never have the chance to meet Nicki in person she is very much one of our close friends. We are proud to have this opportunity for you to get to know a little about Nicki too.

My name is Nicki Collins, and Ive been married to Dave now for two years, however we have been together almost 7 years now. My MoT, Dave works at the Lickey Hills Golf Course, in Birmingham UK, and I work at the University of Birmingham as a PA. The course where Dave works has recently been taken over by a new company so they’re all just getting used to working with each other right now, so it’s a bit like when you first move in with someone, they have to get used to you, and you have to get used to their funny ways too!

The course where Dave works used to be owned by Birmingham City Council, but they put out a tender for all 7 of their municipal courses, and a company called My Time took them over, and they have courses all over the south of the UK – so who knows where we may end up in years to come.

Dave has three children from his previous marriage, and they have all grown up and left home. Jamie is his eldest, he’s 27, Daniel is his youngest, and he has just turned 25. Simon, Dave’s middle son, passed away sadly last year at the age of 25, so it was a stressful year last year. We don’t have children ourselves, and I was told some time ago I couldn’t have them, so we spend a lot of time travelling and visiting with our extended family when we are not working. Both of his sons have picked up his work ethic, one is at University and the other has his own business, so both of them work very hard, although I don’t think they would like to work in the turf industry.

The most difficult thing about being married to a MoT would be having to forward plan everything quite far in advance, especially around the weekend working, the summer ‘season’, and the football (soccer) season, as Dave also works at Aston Villa football club on the pitch on match days – so that also takes up a fair bit of his time. He enjoys it as he’s been a fan of theirs for years and gets paid to watch them every week, plus the extra grounds maintenance work looks good on his CV (resume). I wouldn’t say his job is a source of tension in the house, but sometimes if we are both tired, small things can get blown out of proportion and seem worse than they are.

I think if anyone was considering marrying or living with a MoT, that they would have to be independent, and not too reliant on their man being there all the time. Make sure you have plenty of hobbies – I regularly meet my best friend for shopping trips, meet the girls for nights out, and I’m studying part time for a university degree, so that keeps me busy, as well as all the usual family and household stuff that needs doing. There are a lot of good things about being married to a MoT; I think part of working outdoors makes people more positive natured, theres a lot to be said about fresh air being good for you. Dave is generally a very laid back person, and he doesn’t get stressed too easily, and I put that down to him working outside – I dread to think what he would be like cooped up in an office job, I think the poor man would go crazy! So, yeah, the life of a WoT is a little stressful at times, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it – other than the British weather…

If you’re a member of the Wives of Turf and would like to have your story of life on the course featured here please email wivesofturf@me.com for more information.

All of the spotlight posts are member written from a list of questions they were sent.