Cancer claims SA golf legend, leaving lasting legacy
A former PGA golfer who shared his sporting passion with thousands of young South Australians has died aged 74.
Former PGA professional golfer Nick McCormack OAM died last weekend aged 74 after a battle with cancer, leaving behind a lasting legacy as a pioneer of the sport in South Australia.
McCormack recently received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2026, recognising his service to golf for more than 50 years.
In 2017, he also won the Award for Service to the South Australian Golf Industry alongside Jan Douglas at the South Australian Golf Industry Awards Night.
He had a 25-year association with the Grange Golf Club, where “he played a crucial role in the development of many junior golfers, from grassroots participation through to elite-level competition”.
“Nick’s dedication and tireless work across both metropolitan and country regions has been immense. His ‘McCormack’s Golf Club’ provided kids who were not yet old enough to join an established golf club an opportunity to play and learn from a young age,” a Grange Golf Club post announcing his death said.
Close family friend and professional golfer Sarah Douglass-Norris described McCormack as “very kind, very patient, very generous, very caring and very knowledgeable with the golf swing”.
“He lives and breathes golf himself – he just loves the game, and I suppose he spread his passion for golf everywhere, not just with me, but with everyone who ever met him,” she said.
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Douglass-Norris and her mother Jan, who worked alongside McCormack for many years, were close family friends of McCormack and often invited him to family dinners and Christmases.
“When he was diagnosed, we invited him into our home to live, and so, my son now is completely addicted to golf thanks to Nick. Every night after dinner, they’d be out on the grass playing golf. Ted learnt so much from Nick, and he’s now become a very good golfer as well and wants to turn professional,” she said.
Douglass-Norris began golf lessons with McCormack at age 12 and also did monthly clinics with him, as well as going to golf training camps he ran.
“He really inspired me to turn professional, and so, when I decided to do that in my late 20s, Nick was always there,” she said.
“He would give his time generously and before morning, before school, before work, he’d be out on the range with me, helping me out, fine-tuning me
“Then I was lucky enough to have him fly to Scotland to be my caddy for the British Open qualifying in Turnberry.”
Douglass-Norris said McCormack did not want a funeral but had a “living wake” after receiving an Order of Australia earlier this year.
“We invited all his close friends and anyone that had anything to do with his golfing career. We invited them back and had a really special moment where everyone poured their heart out and told Nick exactly how they felt about him,” she said.
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“He did go through the chemo and immunotherapy, which probably gave him an extra six months, but towards the end, he was in quite a lot of pain. He fought a good battle, but unfortunately, the cancer won in the end.”
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said that McCormack “made a lasting difference to our game and to the lives of so many young golfers”.
“For those who knew him, Nick will be remembered not only for his contribution to golf, but for his warmth, generosity and genuine care for the people he coached and mentored. He was a wonderful ambassador for the PGA profession and a passionate advocate for the next generation,” he said.
McCormack was introduced to golf by his father in Goulburn, New South Wales, at age 13, and by 16, he began a PGA professional traineeship under the tutelage of Bob Payne and Noel Matthew at Kooringal Golf Club.
He won several professional-amateur events in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia before moving to the latter state in 1980 to work as the professional at Marino Golf Club.
In 1985, McCormack joined the South Australian Golf Association as the development officer and taught “Go-Go Golf” to 8000 primary school students, also conducting PE teacher training.
During his golfing career, McCormack coached the junior state golf team from 1985-2005 and was the former head coach of the South Australian women’s team and coach of the men’s senior state team.
McCormack, who had been a member of the Professional Golfers Association since 1971, encouraged the next generation of golfers by developing and running various programs.
This included co-designing the golf program at the South Australian Public Schools Amateur Sports Association and co-designing and instructing the Independent Schools Golf Championship Program.
He was also the co-founder of McCormack’s Junior Golf Club, co-ordinator of The McCormack Junior Golf Cup, a club professional of the Marino Golf Club from 1980-1991, founder of Nick’s Golf School in the 1980s and a contributor to The Golfer publication.
Reflecting on the impact of golf in 2022, McCormack said: “The game teaches you who you are”.
“It also teaches them respect, honesty and discipline and brings the confidence out in some of these kids. Because most sports are team sports, golf teaches you that if you’re out there on your own and you do make mistakes, you pick yourself up and focus on the next shot,” he said
“It teaches them to be a little bit more patient; understanding that it’s just a game and it’s not the end of the world if something happens.”
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