Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Racer Report Podcast – MMGC Bunker Project Completed at Home of Racer Golf
8/22/2024 11:17:00 AM | Men's Golf, Women's Golf
Murray State golf student-athletes and golf enthusiasts in the region will enjoy the amazing new bunkers at Miller Memorial Golf Course
Since 1983, Frances E. Miller Memorial Golf Course just outside the city limits in Murray, Kentucky has been a gem of a course for the Murray State men's and women's golf teams University and especially the Murray State men's women's golf teams.
In 2023, the Murray State Foundation, that operates MMGC, announced a generous gift of 1.2 million from Jim and Sue Cash to go to improvements for the golf course.
The Racer Report Podcast featured the improvements at MMGC this week on GoRacers.com, iTunes and Spotify.
Nick Newcomb has a deep love for Miller Memorial. Not only is he the course director, he's also a Murray State Hall of Fame member having been part of the class of 2020, after playing for the Racers from 2007-10.
"Miller Memorial has always gotten lots of compliments over the years," said Newcomb, who helped the Racers to the 2010 Ohio Valley Conference Championship. "However, the bunkers needed some work and that was a main project we wanted to tackle this summer. Switching over to the white sand just makes the course pop now. It's exciting to see that we're moving the course in a good direction and that makes for a better experience for our Murray State golf teams and the people who play here regularly and when visitors come to play Miller Memorial."
Extreme Golf management of Middlesboro, Kentucky, completed the MMGC bunkers using a technology called the Billy Bunker. A special polymer seals each bunker so that water can drain through it, but the sand will not. The sand in the MMGC bunkers is actually microscopically cut pieces of Quartz.
"The best way I can simplify this is if you filled a room full of basketballs, wall to wall, and you threw marbles, they'd hit the floor," Newcomb stated. But, if you threw soft balls, they'd stay on top of the basketballs and not go through to the floor."
"The bunker project is such an exciting opportunity for our athletes and this community," said Murray State Men's Golf Coach Jacob Miller. "Obviously being one of the best courses in the area and a university-owned golf course, we take pride in Miller Memorial. These necessary investments will keep the course among the best in the area."
"We are incredibly thankful for all of the hard work that has been put into Miller Memorial this summer and still continues through this fall," said Murray State Women's Golf Coach Philip Nelson." To have this kind of commitment to excellence at the mid-major level is uncommon. The renovation of our bunkers is a massive step toward making our home a premier golf destination in western Kentucky, as well as an excellent facility to develop our student-athletes. They have already benefited greatly from the improvements and you can see the public usage starting to pick up heavily at the golf course because of the improvements as well."
Miller Memorial was designed by Jack Kidwell and Mike Herdon of Columbus, Ohio on land in eastern Calloway County donated by L.D. Miller, who was a 1937 Murray State graduate. He named the course for his late wife. MMGC quickly became a favorite of golfers in the area and the Murray State golf teams.
Miller Memorial opened on the USA Today annual list of the best public layouts and Golf Digest had MMGC on it's 2006 list of Best places to Play. The 1987 OVC men's golf championship was hosted at Miller Memorial that the Racers won for Hall of Fame coach Buddy Hewitt. The Murray State women's team under Hall of Fame Coach Velvet Milkman won the OVC title here in 1999.
The Murray State men's team has a tournament named after Coach Hewitt called The Buddy. The second staging of the event happens at Miller Memorial on Oct. 00. The women's team host the Jan Weaver Invitational April 13-14, 2025.
Follow the Racers on Twitter (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow both Murray State golf teams on Twitter and Instagram @RacersMGolf & @RacersWGolf.
In 2023, the Murray State Foundation, that operates MMGC, announced a generous gift of 1.2 million from Jim and Sue Cash to go to improvements for the golf course.
The Racer Report Podcast featured the improvements at MMGC this week on GoRacers.com, iTunes and Spotify.
Nick Newcomb has a deep love for Miller Memorial. Not only is he the course director, he's also a Murray State Hall of Fame member having been part of the class of 2020, after playing for the Racers from 2007-10.
"Miller Memorial has always gotten lots of compliments over the years," said Newcomb, who helped the Racers to the 2010 Ohio Valley Conference Championship. "However, the bunkers needed some work and that was a main project we wanted to tackle this summer. Switching over to the white sand just makes the course pop now. It's exciting to see that we're moving the course in a good direction and that makes for a better experience for our Murray State golf teams and the people who play here regularly and when visitors come to play Miller Memorial."
Extreme Golf management of Middlesboro, Kentucky, completed the MMGC bunkers using a technology called the Billy Bunker. A special polymer seals each bunker so that water can drain through it, but the sand will not. The sand in the MMGC bunkers is actually microscopically cut pieces of Quartz.
"The best way I can simplify this is if you filled a room full of basketballs, wall to wall, and you threw marbles, they'd hit the floor," Newcomb stated. But, if you threw soft balls, they'd stay on top of the basketballs and not go through to the floor."
"The bunker project is such an exciting opportunity for our athletes and this community," said Murray State Men's Golf Coach Jacob Miller. "Obviously being one of the best courses in the area and a university-owned golf course, we take pride in Miller Memorial. These necessary investments will keep the course among the best in the area."
"We are incredibly thankful for all of the hard work that has been put into Miller Memorial this summer and still continues through this fall," said Murray State Women's Golf Coach Philip Nelson." To have this kind of commitment to excellence at the mid-major level is uncommon. The renovation of our bunkers is a massive step toward making our home a premier golf destination in western Kentucky, as well as an excellent facility to develop our student-athletes. They have already benefited greatly from the improvements and you can see the public usage starting to pick up heavily at the golf course because of the improvements as well."
Miller Memorial was designed by Jack Kidwell and Mike Herdon of Columbus, Ohio on land in eastern Calloway County donated by L.D. Miller, who was a 1937 Murray State graduate. He named the course for his late wife. MMGC quickly became a favorite of golfers in the area and the Murray State golf teams.
Miller Memorial opened on the USA Today annual list of the best public layouts and Golf Digest had MMGC on it's 2006 list of Best places to Play. The 1987 OVC men's golf championship was hosted at Miller Memorial that the Racers won for Hall of Fame coach Buddy Hewitt. The Murray State women's team under Hall of Fame Coach Velvet Milkman won the OVC title here in 1999.
The Murray State men's team has a tournament named after Coach Hewitt called The Buddy. The second staging of the event happens at Miller Memorial on Oct. 00. The women's team host the Jan Weaver Invitational April 13-14, 2025.
Follow the Racers on Twitter (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow both Murray State golf teams on Twitter and Instagram @RacersMGolf & @RacersWGolf.
Evansville VS Murray State | Women's Basketball Game Highlights
Saturday, February 28
Head Coach Rechelle Turner | Racer Basketball | 2/26/26 Post Game Press Conference
Friday, February 27
Thomas & Pena | Racer Basketball | 2/26/26 Post Game Press Conference
Friday, February 27
Indiana State VS Murray State | Women's Basketball Game Highlights
Friday, February 27
