By Bruce Meadows
APRIL 2026
A man for all seasons . . .
Paul Nikol . . .
We said good-bye to Paul Nikol – teacher, coach, husband and father, to
a series of medical problems on April 13.
Paul was known as an outstanding elementary school teacher, a
successful high school soccer and golf coach and referee, a man who
helped bring the game of golf to a huge number of young girls and boys
who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to know it.
And a lot more.
I first met Paul when he was coaching boys’ soccer at Piner High, and
knew him as an energetic and at times very vocal man with a fierce desire
to make his boys’ team better while teaching them that he importance of
just trying their best was worth the effort.
I came to know Paul much better through his G.E.L. program – Golf at
the Elementary Level.
I had a friend whose father was a member of an exclusive golf club on
the Peninsula. The father heard about Paul’s program and prevailed upon
his friends to donate clubs, balls and other equipment. . . lots of it!
His son would drive to the Peninsula, fill up his pickup truck with golf
equipment and bring it to me at Fairgrounds Golf Club, and Paul would
come by and pick it up.
It’s impossible to say just how many kids discovered golf through G.E.L.
but a number went on to play in high school and beyond. A lot still play.
Paul was also actively involved in the Two Languages program, that
introduced an estimated thousands of elementary school students to
foreign languages ,including Spanish and French.
Besides coaching golf and soccer, Paul was also a well-respected soccer
and Futsal referee, and later worked as a marshall at Windsor.
He was inducted into a number of Halls of Fame, including Piner High
soccer – the school won its first championship under Paul in 1993 and
again in 1998. He served as coach from 1981 until 2000.
He was also inducted into the California Soccer Association Hall of Fame,
as well as the NorCal Soccer Oldtimers Hall of Fame in 2011.
When Greg Anderson and I were considering possible people for
inclusion in the first Redwood Empire Golf Hall, Paul was a slam dunk.
He was planning to attend our inaugural induction dinner March 28 – in a
wheelchair — but a second stroke made that impossible.
His wife Caryn told me that when she first got word about Paul being
inducted into our Hall of Fame, she told Paul and “he cried . . . then asked
me to read the information to him again.”
Paul worked with most of the pros in our community on his G.E.L.
program, and I reached out to just a couple to get their feelings. I’m sure
these sentiments would be echoed by many others.
From SSU golf coach Val Verhunce:
“I’m saddened to hear about the passing of Paul Nikol . . . a man that was
so much to so many. His commitment to his teaching, his soccer, his golf,
his community, his family and his friends go without saying that he was one
of a kind. I was blessed to work with Paul in the GEL program as long as I
can remember.
“I think one of the best things about that program was not as much about
teaching the golf swing but by teaching life lessons, which was something
that was very important to him and to all of us.
“I was glad to see his induction into the Redwood Empire Golf Hall of
Fame, even though he couldn’t be with us that night. He will be sorely
missed . . . my prayers and thoughts go out to Paul and his family.”
From Windsor GC Golf Director Jason Schmuhl:
“Pauli was one of my favorite guys. He started the program and got golf
pros to teach golf at the elementary schools. Those days were fun, helping
out at Olivet and Riebli.
“Paul was also a long-time marshal at Windsor Golf Course and
everyone loved him. He truly cared about kids and did an amazing job
growing the game of golf.
“He was also the golf coach at Windsor High School for a few years.
Whether he was helping kids or having a beer at "Pauli's Pub," I considered
Paul both a friend and a mentor.”
A memorial will be held at the Nikol Ranch (2560 Laughlin Road, Windsor) on June 20th, 2026, starting at 1 p.m. If you wish to bring something to the memorial, please bring your favorite finger food to share with others.
If have any questions, please use the following email address, yasterb811@gmail.com with any questions or comments. It would also be greatly appreciated to know if you will be attending the memorial so we can have an approximate number of individuals attending
We miss you, Coach . . . now and forever.
Coming up . . .
At Foxtail GC . . .
Sonoma County Amateur Championship
May 16-17
NCGA Point Event. 36 Hole Championship: Foxtail North. Entry $215. Flights:
Championship, Mens Net, Womens Championship, Womens Net, Senior (ages 55-64)
Flight Gross and Net, Super Senior (ages 65+) Flight Gross and Net, Special Legends
Flight played in Super Senior Flight (ages 75+) Gross and Net Winner. No trophy
provided to Legend Flight.
Special Practice Round Rates May 11 – May 15 ($55.00 includes shared cart). Skins
game 12:00pm on May 14. Must email cgay@playfoxtail.com to RSVP.
Call 707-584-7766
Note: GM Christopher Gay says only 20 spots remain open.
Foxtail Junior Club: Tournament Series
Calling all competitive junior golfers (ages 10–18)
Step up and test your game in 10 full 18-hole stroke play tournaments this
season at Foxtail. (Dates listed below).
• Win prizes after every event
• Earn points toward the Player of the Year Trophy
• Compete against players in your age flight
• One low price covers the entire series
$100 includes entry to ALL events
Flights may change based on entries
Flights will be based on age of as of 10/24/2026
Not a beginner program. Golfers should be able to play 18 holes walking.
Tournament Dates: 4/25/2026 N, 5/9/2026 S 6/13/2026 S, 7/11/2026 N,
8/8/2026 S, 8/22/2026 S, 9/12/2026 S, 9/26/2026 N, 10/10/2026 S,
10/24/2026 N (Bonus Points)
Open to the public. Call 707-584-7766
Once enrolled in the Foxtail League – eligible players will be invited to play
in the PGA Junior League which is a travelling league playing 3-5 different
courses. PGA League players may also advance to All Stars. PGA
League will have the same clinics days at the Foxtail League. Due to the
number of events in PGA League we will make every attempt to schedule
the Foxtail League so that Juniors can participate in both. Additional fees
for PGA League will be paid online at: You must participate in the Foxtail
Junior League to be eligible for the PGA League.
Foxtail Junior 13u :
The next step in learning is for juniors is to play in our beginner competitive
league. Welcome to Foxtail Junior Golf League! This program mirrors the
PGA Junior League but is completely done in-house at Foxtail. Junior
League Golf is a fun, social and inclusive opportunity for boys and girls
ages 7 to 13 (must be 13 or younger as of July 31, 2026). Junior League
Golf utilizes a popular scramble format that creates a nurturing environment
for learning and development – both on and off course. Depending on the
number of players we will have multiple teams, jerseys, weekly practices
and matches! $210 Per Child. Once registered you will be invited to
TeamSnap which is used for all communication and scheduling.
Early season practice starts 3/28 and going weekly until 5/30. From
1:00pm to 2:30pm
Season Practice starts 6/10 and goes through 8/5 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.
PGA 17u
Register Here: https://www.pgajrleague.com/junior-league-
events/9dbfe1d4-71d7-46a4-8959-858098ec1491
Public registration begins 1/26/2026
Welcome to the Foxtail PGA 17u Junior League. Junior golfers should be
ages 14-17 (17 or younger as of July 31st, 2026). This program will focus
on playing opportunities and competitions. Golf Lessons/Clinics are not
included in this years program. Instead arrangments can be made directly
with golf instructors. Competitions dates TBD. Tee Times for play every
Sunday March 29 – August 2nd at 2:30pm.
Jeff Sorkness, PGA jsorkness@playfoxtail.com PGA Junior Rate $50 for
45 minutes
Jason Bennett, League Coach jbennett@playfoxtail.com PGA Junior
Rate $30 for 30 minutes
Brad Dosie, League Coach bdosie@playfoxtail.com PGA Junior Rate
$30 for 30 minutes
For questions, contact Coach Christopher Gay, PGA
at cgay@playfoxtail.com or call 707.584.7766
Play Your Way to the CourseCo Championship
Foxtail Golf Club is hosting a CourseCo Championship Qualifier April 25,
and the winning team will earn the chance to represent Foxtail at Palouse
Ridge Golf Club in Pullman, Washington – July 18–19.
The 1st place team qualifies to compete alongside a Foxtail Golf
Professional and receives a championship experience that includes:
Practice Round – July 17
Hotel Accommodations
Championship Golf Rounds
Dinner with participants
Transportation not included.
Qualifier Format: 4-Person Scramble, Championship Format: 5-Person
Scramble
Entry Fee: $86 per player. 8:30am Shotgun North Course
Loyalty & Annual Members: Register through the Golf Shop to receive your
discounted rate.
Register now and secure your spot.
All are welcome regardless of gender identity and gender
expression.
Call 707-584-7766
At Fairgrounds GC . . .
Junior Summer Camps at Fairgrounds Golf Course (Santa Rosa)
– Ages: 6–13. Dates: • June 8–11, • June 15–18, • June 22–25, • July 6–9 •
July 20–23 • August 3–6. – Schedule: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
– Pricing: $550 full day / $350 half day
Daily Camp Flow:
Morning (9am–12pm); • Warm-up game: Stack the Deck • Putting: Aim,
Roll & Stop + Cow Pasture Pool • Chipping/Pitching: Ball Flight + Pig kin
Chipping + Twisted Darts • Full Swing: Power + Tanks Lunch: 12–12:45pm
Afternoon (12:45–4:00pm). • On-course play: 9 holes (starting from Division
1)• Toptracer driving range games Spots are limited.
Register today to secure your child’s spot for an unforgettable week of golf!
We’d love to have you join us . . .
GOLF 707 currently has sponsorships available. If you’d like to support
our online golf column, we would be able to feature your golf course or
business in the column on a regular basis
If you’d like some details, contact Dave Cox at ysn365.com
Thanks . . . Bruce Meadows
We would like to hear from you . . .
. .
Thanks for your comments, questions and suggestions. I appreciate them and would
like to get as many as possible.
If you have information about anything golf-related, including upcoming clinics,
activities, tournaments or sales, let me know.
And if you have questions, complaints or compliments about golf in our area, let me
know and I’ll make some inquiries. Email me at bmeadows4sports@aol.com