University of Wisconsin, Stout Women's Golf

Samb enters his ninth full season as the UW-Stout womens golf coach with the 2016-17 season.   Samb's work at the range, on the golf course and in the classroom, where he is an assistant professor in the Golf Enterprise Management program, has made him a sought-after coach with recruits looking for a coach whose personal approach can have a positive impact on their games. While Wisconsin and Minnesota remain the Blue Devils' primary recruiting base, his 2016 class of incoming recruits include one from Colorado and another from Connecticut who thought enough of Samb to come to Menomonie.   "Golf is a process sport and my teaching methods reflect that," Samb said. "Our door is open to golfers of all abilities from all parts of the country who want a Division I golf experience at the Division III level. We want golfers who want to be part of something very special academically and athletically.   "Our golfers are here, first and foremost, to receive an education and get a degree, but we hope they learn a lot about themselves and their golf game along the way. By the end of their careers, we hope they look back on their time at Stout and can see their growth they have made in all areas of their life."   The Blue Devils' success in developing golfers under Samb speaks for itself.   In his eight full seasons with the program, Samb has been named the WIAC coach of the year five times -- in 2009, 2011, 2013 and in 2012 and 2014, when the team captured the WIAC tournament. Samb has twice taken the Blue Devils to the NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championship (2013 and 2015).   Eight Stout golfers have combined to be earn all-WIAC honors 14 times, including returning golfers Rachel Hernandez (first team) and Jayde Curley (second team) during the 2015-16 season. Brittany McNett-Emmerich, a 2015 graduate and the program's only four-time all-WIAC selection, was twice the conference's player of the year (2014-15 and 2012-13).   McNett-Emmerich (2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15) and Mariah Chesley (2014-15) were named all-Women's Golf Coaches Association Central Region selections and McNett-Emmerich was a second-team national all-WGCA selection in 2012-13 and an honorable mention pick in 2014-15. In 2013, Alex Westman was named the WIAC Judy Kruckmann Scholar-Athlete and, following the 2015-16 season, Rachel Hernandez became the program's first WGCA All-American Scholar honoree.   Each of the top 25 single-round team scores on the Blue Devils' all-time list have come during Samb's tenure, including a school-record 303 during the final round of the 2014 Wartburg Fall Invitational in Waverly, Iowa. Before Samb's arrival in 2008, no Stout golfer had ever broken 80 in a single round; going into the 2016-17 season, it has happened 78 times.   Samb, a native of nearby Spring Valley, has always been a Blue Devil. He attended UW-Stout, acquiring a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a master's degree in Training and Development.   Samb, who attained a Class A membership from the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) of America in 1989, spent 25 years serving as a head golf professional or general manager at three Minneapolis area golf clubs, two of which were rated 4.5 stars in Golf Digest.   As a head golf pro, Sambs responsibilities included fiscal management, merchandising, event management, course maintenance and golf instruction to golfers of all levels.  His students ranged from novice golfers to fellow professionals and everything in between.   In January of 2016, Samb was elected into the PGA of America's "Quarter Century Club." The honor recognized Samb for his 25 years of service to the PGA of America and the game of golf.   "Your commitment to, and promotion of our great sport have helped make golf what it is today," PGA of America president Derek Sprague wrote in the letter commending Samb. "Indeed, you are truly an expert in the game and business of golf."   Sambs playing career includes amateur golf in the Chippewa Valley Golf Association, and professional tournaments in the Minnesota section of the PGA of America. This past summer, Samb recorded his ninth career hole-in-one on his home course at Troy Burne in Hudson.   Samb is an active member of the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) and serves on the NCAA DIII Central Region Awards Committee, as well as the National NCAA DIII Awards Committee. Samb also serves as a voter in the WGCA Division III Top 25. Samb was recently appointed to the WIAC Regional Advisory Committee, effective Sept. 1, 2014.   In addition to his coaching and teaching duties, Samb also oversees the Golf Enterprise Management co-op summerinternship program   Samb's teaching and coaching style allows his players to fully develop their games by working hard on their individual weaknesses, but at the same time, continuing to polish their strengths. "Being confident and having a swing that repeats under pressure is the ultimate goal," said Samb. "And having an outstanding short game to help out on the days when ball striking isn't what it normally is becomes essential."   "I really stress course management and learning when to play aggressively and when to play conservatively," Samb said. "I also like to stress the understanding of the importance of working hard on every shot and how each shot affects not only the individual score, but the team score as well."   Goals of the program and the team are to play one of the toughest schedules possible, always challenge ourselves and continually learn from our successes and the bad days. "I want all of our players to feel that they are part of something special," Samb said. "They are playing for their university, their teammates, themselves and having one of the most fun experiences they will have during college."   Samb resides in Bayport, Minn., along with his wife, Penny, and the couple have two adult children, Garrett, and Natalie.  Penny is a UW-Stout graduate and works in Minneapolis as a commissions controller for Thrivant Financial.  Garrett is Assistant Vice President and Financial Solutions Advisor for Bank of America in Woodbury Minnesota, and still plays scratch golf. Natalie is the membership director for Topgolf, a growing entertainment franchise featuring a high-tech driving range and sports lounge, in Kansas City, Mo., A four-time Academic All-American while at NCAA Division I Witchita State, Natalie had two second place individual finishes in Division I tournaments. Garrett and Natalie are the only brother/sister tandem to win the Minnesota Section junior player of the year award in the same year.   (updated July 2016)