Everyone knows and loves our Director of Golf, Nik!
Nik has a history that runs deep with Sandpines Golf Links, and we are so very lucky to have him as the face of our operations!
A wealth of knowledge, learn more about Nik’s journey (back) to Sandpines & Florence:
“I was born in Oregon, but my childhood was far from typical. My entrepreneurial parents moved frequently, and by the time I was 12, I had already lived in Oregon, Hawaii, California, Nevada, and back to Oregon.
In 1991, we settled here in Florence, where I discovered my passion for golf. At the time, my family had just opened The Westward Ho! Paddle boat business, which kept my parents busy, leaving me searching for something to do. My dad, an avid golfer with a single-digit handicap, was eager to introduce me to the game. I spent my summer at Ocean Dunes Golf Links, where the golf pro, Vern Smith, took me under his wing. In exchange for cleaning carts and picking balls on the range, I had free access to the course and early instruction from Vern, which set me on the right path with my swing.
By 1993, I was playing on my high school’s state championship golf team and working my first paying job at Sandpines Golf Club, a new course in Florence. I was hired as a cart kid under Jim Skaugstad, the first golf professional at Sandpines. Over the next few years, I balanced high school, golf, and working at the course. My game progressed to the point where I earned a spot in the 1996 U.S. Junior Amateur in Flagstaff, Arizona, and received a golf scholarship to Portland State University.
After college, I took a job at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, where I spent four summers at their Ghost Creek course. There, I started the PGA program and learned to teach from top instructors such as Jerry Mowlds, Verne Perry, Bruce Furman, and Christopher Smith. It was at Pumpkin Ridge, mentored by Ben Hay and Dylan Campy, where I discovered my love for teaching golf.
In the winters, I spent time in Indian Wells, California, at a private club called The Reserve and eventually moved to La Quinta full-time in 2003. The Coachella Valley, with over 120 golf courses and perfect weather, became my new home. I earned a position as an assistant golf pro at Bermuda Dunes Country Club, a prestigious club where over the next 10 years I was able to become a PGA member, advance through the ranks, and host the Bob Hope Classic for many years. Over that time I got married, became a father, and was promoted all the way to Director of Golf. I grew in my career and life, but my passion for teaching and helping others improve their game remained constant.
In 2014, when my daughter Violet turned 3, the desire to raise our family in Oregon grew stronger. Unfortunately, the catalyst for our move was a cancer diagnosis for both my father and father-in-law within six months of each other. Christina and I decided to move back to Florence in 2015 to be closer to family. During the next few years, I worked for my in-laws at the Oregon Home Center. We welcomed our son Mikey into the world, and spent a winter in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, as the Director of Instruction at Querencia Golf Club.
In 2018, I heard that Sandpines Golf Club had been sold and renamed Florence Golf Links. I sent the new owners a letter, hoping for an opportunity to return to my roots. I shared my experience in the golf industry and expressed my love for raising a family in Florence. In June of 2019, I was hired as the General Manager and Head Professional at Florence Golf Links. Coming back to the course where my golf career began has been one of my proudest moments. It is why I was so thrilled to be able to contribute to the restart of the Siuslaw high school golf program after it had been gone over a decade!
Over the past five years, our family’s connection to Florence has deepened. We settled into our forever home, adopted a golden retriever named Caramel and a German Shepherd named Chai, and now have two cats, 10 chickens, and a 5-foot ball python named Uni. Christina has been the middle school art teacher for several years, and both kids thrive in school, enjoy the performing arts, sports, and love their hometown.
Today, I’m incredibly grateful for the journey that brought me full circle. I am excited to share my passion for golf through our community’s youth programs. Watching my own children, Violet and Mikey, grow in the game, along with other young golfers, is incredibly rewarding. My love for golf, my family, and my community have shaped who I am and it’s very fulfilling to be able to give back to a sport and community that has meant so much to me throughout my life.”
Nik Remer
Director of Golf, Florence Golf Links
PGA Member