David Nuhn returned to his alma mater as Idaho's men's golf head coach in January 2016. A Moscow native, Nuhn graduated from the University of Idaho in 2010, after a standout career as a Vandal.
“For most coaches, this would be their dream – to find a great opportunity at their alma mater. I feel blessed to have a positive impact on a school and community that I care about as much as I do.”
Since his arrival in 2016, Coach Nuhn has led the Vandals to success coaching players to 24 all-conference awards, four Big Sky Freshmen of the Year, 2024 Big Sky Individual Champion Joe Sykes, and 2025-26 Big Sky Player of the Year Josh McCartain. Nuhn led the Vandals to a conference championship in 2016. At the helm, Nuhn recorded 10 consecutive seasons of 1.000% APR. As head coach, he handles recruitment, travel coordination, practice planning, and budgeting for the Vandal men's golf team.
Nuhn immediately led the Vandals to the 2016 Big Sky Conference title in his first semester at the helm. The victory was Idaho's second in as many years and Nuhn was honored as the Big Sky Coach of the Year. The team posted a then program record 22-under par tournament score and 17-under par final round at the Big Sky Championship. Five Vandals landed on all-conference teams. The Vandals finished sixth at the NCAA Kohler Regional with three players finishing in the top 25. The highest any Big Sky team has finished at a regional since the return of Big Sky men’s golf in 2014-15.
The 2016-17 team featured two second-team All-Big Sky selections in Ryan Porch and Enrique Marin.
Under Nuhn's guidance, Marin carried his momentum into a strong junior season in 2017-18. He finished third at the Big Sky Championships, helping the Vandals take third as a team. Marin posted Idaho's lowest score in 28 of the team's 33 rounds on the year.
Nuhn embodies the spirit of a Vandal, earning the Idaho Vandal Staff Member Educator of the Year award in 2019. In this season he coached his first of many Big Sky Freshman of the Year, Colt Sherrell.
From 2021 to 2023, Nuhn guided three consecutive athletes to the Big Sky Freshman of the Year honor featuring Jose Suryadinata (2021), Tommy McKenzie (2022), and Joe Sykes (2023).
In the 2022-23 season, Nuhn led the Vandals to two regular season wins, including the 2023 Chambers Bay-Redhawk Invitational. The Vandals defeated top 60 teams Michigan State and Oregon State, winning the event by 11 strokes.
In 2023-24, Idaho finished second at Torrey Pines and Chambers Bay before beating Boise State in the inaugural Battle for Idaho. Joe Sykes earned Big Sky Medalist honors, finishing four strokes ahead of the field. Idaho finished in 3rd at the Big Sky Championship, just 4 strokes behind the winning team.
The 2024-25 team saw the Vandals compete in the Big West Conference, finishing a solid fifth in the 12-team league championship.
In 2025-26, Idaho won back-to-back tournaments in the fall, breaking the program scoring record in those consecutive wins. The Vandals bested the 2016 school record by one stroke, finishing 23-under to take the title at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invite and followed that up with a 31-under performance at the SIUE Dolenc Invite, led by individual champion Sam Johnson, who finished at 14-under par.
Four Vandals earned All-Conference honors, led by Big Sky Player of the Year, Josh McCartain.
Academics have continued to be a priority for Nuhn. During his tenure, 19 players have earned GCAA Scholar All-American honors, including a program record five players in 2023-24 and 2025-2026. The Vandals have earned All-Academic Team (3.0+ GPA) nine times and the Presidents Special Recognition Award (3.5+ GPA) five out of the last six years.
The Vandals were named the inaugural Big Sky Conference Academic Champions for men’s golf in 2023-24.
Since his 2010 Idaho graduation, Nuhn has earned his PGA of America Class-A certification(Elected in March 2018), and plays professionally as a member of the Pacific Northwest PGA. Prior to taking over as Idaho's head coach, Nuhn served as an assistant at Washington State and as the assistant golf professional at the U of I Golf Course.
Leading Idaho's program allows Nuhn the opportunity to follow many of his passions, including helping teenagers transition into adults.
“You get a fulfillment seeing these kids grow on and off the golf course,” said Nuhn. “It’s something I really enjoy. We strive to be better golfers, students and people here at Idaho golf, and my role is to assist with that growth in everyway that I can."
As a player, he was a member of the Idaho golf team from 2007-10 and the Lewis-Clark State golf team in 2005-06. In high school he was crowned the 2005 4A Idaho State Champion representing Moscow High. Nuhn's lowest tournament score is 62 (-9), shot in the final round of the 2018 Rosauers Open.
Nuhn's parents, Ken and Theresa attended Idaho as well as his brother, John and his wife, Paula.
He and Paula have three children, son Ben and daughters Mattea and Sydney.
