With her poise and personality, onetime pageant contestant Nyomy Obcemea considered pursuing a career in modeling. In the golf business, she’s already a role model.
The former Weber State golfer is the first female winner of the Utah Section PGA’s Assistant Professional of the Year award, a remarkable honor for a woman who “never, ever thought I was going to be working in the industry,” she said.
The award “really does warm my heart,” Obcemea said. “I’m just beyond words, honestly.”
And with that, she begins to tell a great story of how she joined the Ogden Golf & Country Club staff after working in marketing for a couple of post-college years. Encouraged by John Chevalier, a marketing client and former OG&CC board member, she somewhat half-heartedly went through an interview with PGA Professionals Craig Sarlo and Bob Wallis in 2016.
Three months later, she called them back and asked if the position was still open. This time, she made quite an impression in the interview. Within a few minutes, then-club president Mike Fisher said, “I’ve heard enough.” He told Wallis, “Now I know why you wanted to wait for her.”
Sarlo’s pitch to Obcemea was that someone with her marketing skills and ethnic background with parents from the Philippines would have a lot to offer to a diverse community of golfers. That has proven true, in her eight-plus years on the job. After quickly achieving Class A membership in the PGA, Obcemea went to work in building the club’s junior and women’s programs.
“She has a wonderful feel for people and for the profession of golf,” Wallis said. “Everyone who knows Nyomy loves Nyomy, … It’s been fun to watch her grow and progress over the years as a professional.”
About 100 juniors now participate in summer lessons and a phase-in opportunity has rejuvenated the ladies’ league. And the rewards have come for Obcemea, whose first student was a 10-year-old boy dealing with bullying. He’s 18 now, and golf may have saved his life. A tattoo on Obcemea’s forearm preserves that experience, referencing a Bible verse about being put in position to do good.
Having coached the girls golf team at her old school, Northridge High in Layton, Obcemea is launching the program next spring at West Field in Weber County. The team is a diverse group with more “rodeo girls” than longtime golfers, but she likes their potential. The same is true of women’s increasing impact within the Section and in the business overall. Two of her former Northridge players are pursuing careers in golf.
“It gives me a lot of hope,” Obcemea said. “A lot of women in the Section get to trailblaze for the next generation. It’s inspiring, because there’s more ways to get involved in golf than just playing.”
Feature written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photo by Fairways Media