Simon Elfrink
Staff Writer
With his playing days behind him, former Racer golfer Nick Newcomb took a position as the pro-shop manager at the golf course he played on for years—Miller Memorial Golf Course.
Newcomb, who was pivotal in the rebuilding of the Racers’ men’s golf program, found himself getting a callback to Miller Memorial after taking over after Director Will Snodgrass retired.
“I am thrilled to be able to come back to Murray State for this opportunity,” Newcomb said. “Golf is my passion, and I am very happy to be part of the team that cares for this great golf course at Miller Memorial.”
After Snodgrass retired, Newcomb got the opportunity to interview for and eventually occupy the vacant position. He had been running the Benton Country Club golf course for the last several years, so when the opportunity came to work closer to home he felt he was more than ready to come back to Miller Memorial.
“It feels good to be back here,” Newcomb said. “I really like Murray. Me and my wife have been living here for the past two years. We had a house in Murray even when I was traveling to Benton every day. I’m just happy to be back and I’m really enjoying it so far.”
As a golfer for Murray State, Newcomb had the opportunity to play on the Miller Memorial Course, where he found great success in his four-year collegiate career from 2007-10. In his time with the Racers, Newcomb placed first in the OVC Tournament in both 2008 and 2010. Newcomb and his younger brother Patrick Newcomb helped the Racers win the OVC Championship in 2010 as well. The Newcomb brothers were inducted into the Racer Hall of Fame for their feats with their golf clubs.
As shop manager, Newcomb will be responsible for organizing events, internal affairs, inventory, sales, marketing and promotion of the course.
Newcomb said Snodgrass kept the course in great shape and that while there’s a lot of marketing and public relations that needs to be done to get people back on the course in the wake of COVID-19, Snodgrass set the bar high for Newcomb, who hopes he can follow suit and run Miller Memorial as well as his predecessor.