Nolan Wenker of Oswego Lake Country Club is featured in this month’s Superintendent Spotlight. He has been a superintendent for 15 years and worked various golf industry jobs for 25 years overall.

Wenker’s first jobs in golf were picking range balls and washing carts. But his unofficial introduction came as a youngster when he unsuccessfully attempted to mow a putting green in his mom’s back yard with the family’s rotary mower.

Growing up in Aloha, Ore., Wenker admired the quality of work produced at The Reserve Vineyard & Golf Club and eventually became a member of their grounds crew. He had fun with fellow crew members and gained valuable experience, propelling him to attend Oregon State and pursue a degree in turfgrass management. Doug McCullen and Phil Lagao, the latter who hired Wenker right out of college, have served as trusted mentors on his journey.

GET TO KNOW NOLAN WENKER

Although he doesn’t have a favorite pro athlete, Wenker was fortunate to have met Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and other accomplished golfers. 

In the rare down time from work, Wenker hangs with his family, goes fishing and hits the slopes for some two planking. Not him pictured. 

Excluding OLCC, the top three golf courses that Wenker has played are:  1) Pinehurst No. 2 (pictured), 2) Streamsong Black, 3) Gamble Sands.

He’s seen and done crazy things on a golf course – too many to list them all. One notable instance was when Wenker herded a wayward cow.

Wenker says he’s seen the movie Wyatt Earp a million times. Second on that list is Kingpin, which featured an elite performance from Bill Murray.

He is yet another OGCSA superintendent who has a hole-in-one, doing so on No. 3 at Langdon Farms GC during a winter match play tournament.