Magazine - 21 Questions with Baz Woodcock

By Sarah Gibson in 21 Questions on 1st Sep 2010 6:00

All round good guy Baz Woodcock is a well known and liked personality of the New Zealand Turf Industry. His work with the NZSTI and its training arm the NZ Sports Turf Industry Training Organisation, has made him a popular figure throughout all of New Zealand.

The NZ Sports Turf Industry Training Organisation provides the New Zealand sports turf industry with highly skilled, qualified and adaptable workers who are known throughout the world as some of the best Greenkeepers and Groundsmen around.  The NZSTITO was formed back in 1993 with the purpose to develop and manage qualifications and training programs for the NZ sports turf industry.  Baz and the team work closely with turf industry leaders and employers to ensure that its qualifications and training programs are entirely up to date, and meet the highly specialised skill requirements of the turf industry.

Known as a bit of a joker around the traps, let's see who has the last laugh after Baz gets through his 21 Questions. Good Luck Baz!


Name: Baz Woodcock (It’s actually Barry John, but I’m not a huge fan of Welsh Rugby)
Place of work and Position: I hold the Sales and Marketing Manager role for both the NZ Sports Turf Institute and the ITO (Industry Training Organisation).

Family: Married to my wife Rebecca,and I have two children
Favourite Food: Love a good Indian,lamb Bhuna is my favourite
Favourite Movie: Shawshank Redemption best movie ever made
Favourite Band: A bit of old school The Clash

Teams Barrack For: I'm a big Leeds United fan and I love my Rugby
Favourite Sport: Has to be Rugby league
Hobbies: My Golf would be classified as that.

Drinker: Yes, I like Guinness or two

Places Travelled: There are only two continents I haven't been to, Antartica and the Artic so I'm well travelled

Favourite Machine: The new Toro Z Turn, they look pretty good.
What Would make Your Job Easier: If there was two of me!

Best Turf Company in the Industry: Parklands
Industry's Most Annoying Rep: Scott Bromwich from Daltons

Industry's Biggest Cowboy: David Ormsby from Hamilton with the NZSTI. Dave will like that one. 
Who's Your Turf God: Meagan Cushnahan also with the NZSTI. Meagan knows her stuff! 

What's Been Your Biggest Cock-up: Staying in with a hangover when I should have been presenting at the 2009 NZ Turf Conference. Not a bad one hey?

Funniest Moment You've Had in the Workplace: The fairy office party we had a couple of Christmases ago. It was just wrong seeing certain people in a lovely fairy dress with the wings. People who have no right to be donning a pair of tights!

What's Your Motto: Nobody ever listened themselves out of a sale

Who Would You Turn Gay For: Pierce Brosnan



It's a shame Baz couldn't share some photos of the fairy party with us as I'm sure that would have been a good laugh. Baz's answer of 007 Pierce Brosnan would worry some of his friends no doubt who are going a little grey on the sides themselves. Just keep one eye open after he's had a couple of pints of Guinness, only joking! Well done on a very entertaining 21 Questions.

Cheers for being such a good sport Baz!

Read more articles in 21 Questions, by Sarah Gibson or from September 2010.