If you ever called or visited the NCGA headquarters between 1990-2021, odds are you ended up meeting or speaking with Helen Nicolayev.
Nicolayev, who passed away earlier this week, was the NCGA receptionist for 31 years.
Her longtime tenure with the NCGA had been sort of a family affair as well. Before Helen, there was her mother, Liz Napier, who worked in NCGA membership for 20 years. Her son, Seth, also at one point in time worked in the cart barn area of Poppy Hills.
Helen retired in January 2022. We thank her for her dedication and service to the NCGA and its members and will always remember and miss her.
Just before her retirement, Helen shared some insight and thoughts on her long NCGA career in NCGA Golf magazine. The following is a Q&A session that was featured in the Fall 2021 issue as part of her retirement celebration.
Q: What will you miss?
N: I love talking to all the people on the phone. I love their stories and helping them resolve their questions. Also, the people I’ve worked with. Some will be forever friends. They’re just so nice.
Q: What do you remember about your first day on the job?
N: We used to have to wear uniforms. Collared shirts and slacks, NCGA Navy Blue Uniform Blazers and ties on event days. It’s much more relaxed now. The entire atmosphere. I actually worked at Poppy Hills first in 1987 and booked tee times---by hand.
Q: What are your retirement plans?
N: I see retirement as a new chapter. It’s important to me to help other people. That’s what I want to do. So I’ll probably end up doing volunteer work.
Q: What is your favorite memory?
N: That’s a tough one because there’s been so many. The people who work here have been so kind and generous. When home computers became available, someone from IT set me up with one for personal use for me and my son, Seth. It was a wonderful surprise. Another great memory was during one of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Ams, when Poppy Hills co-hosted it. One year it was raining like crazy. Kevin Costner came in to the office and fell asleep under one of the desks in membership. Tiger Woods was set up so he could play video games. And Ray Romano sat in the mail room and we brought him coffee. It ended up being fun.
Q: What would your mother say?
N: Whoa, you ended up working there that long?
