~ Staff ~

Samantha Ayers

Samantha came to Poplar Grove in April 2004 as the Membership and Tournament Director. She has been playing golf since 1993, and has been in the golf business since 2001. Samantha is also currently working toward LPGA teaching certification.

Samantha graduated from Roanoke College, located in her hometown of Salem, Virginia, with a B.S. in History, and a K-12 teaching endorsement. She is currently a member of the CMAA and is also a licensed real estate salesperson for Poplar Grove Real Estate.

Darren Hall

Darren came to Poplar Grove in May of 2005 as the Assistant Golf Course Superintendent. He has been in the golf course management industry since 1997.

Darren began his career in En-joie Golf Club in Endicott, New York, home of the PGA Tour's BC Open. He gained invaluable experience there while they underwent a complete greens and bunkers reconstruction. After two seasons there, he relocated to Boonsboro Country club as the IPM manager. While in this position, he certified Boonsboro in the Audubon Sanctuary Program for the course.

He is currently a member of the GCSAA and has a two year certificate from Penn State University in Turfgrass Management and an A.S. in Natural Resources Conservation.

Tracy O. Newman, PGA

Tracy Newman, PGA came to Poplar Grove in April of 2007. He earned his PGA Class A membership in 1998. Tracy was an all-state golfer in both high school at Liberty and in college at James Madison University. Tracy has been in the golf business in Central Virginia for the past 25 years. He came to Poplar Grove after spending the last 7 years as GM/Head Golf Professional at Ivy Hill Golf Club in Forest, Virgina. He also spent the 10 previous years in Forest at London Downs Golf Course. Through the years Tracy has become an accomplished teacher of the game of golf, and enjoys teaching golfers of all ages and skill levels.