WINNEMUCCA — The Winnemucca Municipal Golf Course will soon see a new pro managing the course. A selection committee made up of golfers and Winnemucca City Council members looked over the nine applications, interviewed three of the candidates, and recommended one.

On a unanimous vote, the committee recommended Rick Longhurst, who was the golf professional at Ruby View Golf Course in Elko for 29 years and has been in pro golf for 40 years.

Longhurst reportedly told the committee he could be ready to take over in five weeks, which was a positive mark in his favor.

The committee was also impressed with the fact Longhurst has trained others who earned their golf A-1 classification, and in fact trained his replacement.  Committee members expressed their hope Longhurst would do the same for Winnemucca so when he’s ready to retire or move there will be a replacement in the wings.

Councilman Rich Stone, who was on the recommendation committee, pointed out 30 years ago the golf course in Elko was where the golf course in Winnemucca is now. He expressed his hope Longhurst could do for Winnemucca what he did for Elko.

The council voted unanimously to allow Mayor DiAn Putnam, City Manager Steve West, and City Attorney Kent Maher to move forward with negotiating a contract.

As West pointed out, the contract is primarily done they just have to fill out the financials.

The contract will be different in many ways from the one previously offered by the city.

For example, the new contract will not include a benefits package as the golf pro is not considered an employee of the city but is privately contracted for services.

Additionally, the one-year contract with an option to renew by the council is different than the five-year contract previously offered.

There are other changes as well.  Although the golf pro keeps the records, the city will ask that duplicates of the records be provided to them.

One issue that has not been settled is that of the money left on the books when the former golf pro left.

When questioned by SPJ, Mayor Putnam explained the money left on the books by course users when the former golf pro left remains in his control.  The city does not have access to that money.

She added the former and new golf pro will have to work together to get the money transferred and made available to course users.

The selection committee included: LHS golf coaches Andrew Myers and Chad Peters, Candace Pulls, the Ladies Club President, Jeff Herzog, the Men’s Club President, council members Rich Stone and Jim Billingsley.

Further Reading

From the Elko Daily Free Press:  Coming off 18; Elko golf pro retires