Mike Coker and son Troy work on golf courses ... - Backed By Bayer

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PURPLE COW school could afford it. With that, the first event was a home run, <strong>and</strong> it paved the way for future events. I cannot thank them enough.” Many golf industry professionals helped Greg Nicoll, center in red, make the tournament a success. From left to right: Jeff Wentworth, CGCS of Pelham Country Club, New York; Pete Pedrazzi, Jr., Crestmont Country Club; Greg; Dave Nicoll, Greg’s dad; <strong>and</strong> Tom Weinert, Plant Food Products. A growing cause “The number of people who want to help is truly amazing,” he says, singling out Bayer Northern Regional Manager Jim Davis, who also has an autistic <strong>son</strong>. But there have been dozens of others who chipped in with contributions large <strong>and</strong> small. “Word gets around. Superintendents are a small fraternity with big mouths,” Nicoll teases. “We have had three events now <strong>and</strong> are <strong>work</strong>ing on our fourth,” Nicoll says. For the first two years, the Annual Tournament for Autistic Children was held at the Maplewood (N.J.) Country Club, which is Nicoll’s Tending The Donald’s course Opened in 2004, Trump National is on Golf magazine’s Top 100 list. It plays 7,560 yards from the black tees, <strong>and</strong> 7,113 from the gold. From the black tees, the course is rated 77.3 with a slope of 147. It’s even a lengthy 6,067 from the ladies tees. A second 18-hole course is under construction. Designed by golf course architect Tom Fazio, Trump National is rich in history — the estate’s past is well suited to meld the traditions of golf <strong>and</strong> family. The property traces back to the Duyckinck family, a Dutch farming family that lived on the Lamington Farm property from the 1600s through the early 1900s. They occupied the “old Dutch House,” which is located to the south of the clubhouse. (Miles of equestrian trails, stables, cottages <strong>and</strong> a 1930s Georgian manor house flesh out the course.) There are tales of two distinctly restless spirits here. Some have heard the sounds of riding boots in the stairwells, far-off voices raised in anger <strong>and</strong> papers frantically shuffled in the still of the night. The lore <strong>and</strong> legend of these spirits is most probably traced to John Duyckinck, an alleged British sympathizer who was exiled to the property by George Washington in 1779. Whether he was a Revolutionary War hero or a British spy is still in question to this day. In the early 1930s the Cowperthwaite family obtained the property <strong>and</strong> kept it in the family for three generations. It was sold to automobile manufacturer John Z. DeLorean in 1981. Today, the New Jersey course has three sister courses under Trump Golf Management, LLC: Trump National Golf Club in Westchester, N.Y. (private membership, golf <strong>and</strong> residential community, designed by Jim Fazio); Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles (an 18 hole, upscale public course that opened last spring <strong>and</strong> hosted the 2005 LPGA Office Depot Championship); <strong>and</strong> the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach County, Fla. (a private membership course <strong>and</strong> site of both the ADT Skills Challenge <strong>and</strong> the LPGA sea<strong>son</strong>-ending ADT Championship). Trump currently has about $200 million in golf investments. Having Donald Trump’s name carries a certain expectation for unsurpassed quality for the courses, says Nicoll. “Our maintenance program strives for perfection at all angles,” Nicoll says. However, there is no open wallet. “That is a misconception,” he stresses. “There is always a bottom line, <strong>and</strong> we underst<strong>and</strong> that here at Trump National.” Yet they are growing. After completion of the first 18 holes last September, a pool <strong>and</strong> tennis facility have been added. Cottages continue to be built for members, <strong>and</strong> an equestrian facility is also under way. “Mr. Trump is a man with vision <strong>and</strong> a man who loves to build,” Nicoll says. The course hopes to have approval on the next Master Plan shortly. It includes another 18 holes of championship golf, a new maintenance facility, more cottages <strong>and</strong> the new ballroom where future auctions will be held. 30 Golf Advantage Winter 2006
old home course. Last year <strong>and</strong> this coming year, it will be held at Crestmont Country Club in West Orange, N.J., close to the school. Future events may move to Trump National when its ballroom is completed. “The event culminates with an awards dinner <strong>and</strong> silent auction,” Nicoll says. “Each year, it draws 90 to 100 participants.” Another 30 join the group in the evening for the dinner <strong>and</strong> auction. The event has become TCI’s major annual fundraising effort <strong>and</strong> a popular, fun <strong>and</strong> successful day for many, with proceeds used to help provide programs for TCI students. This fundraising effort has been crucial to sustaining many of TCI’s unique programs, like its horticulture, after-school, cultural arts, social skills, technology <strong>and</strong> career education programs. Last year, the outing brought in $80,000 to help the kids <strong>and</strong> their school. Why it <strong>work</strong>s “TCI is a wonderful group, helping children with autism <strong>and</strong> their parents,” says Shaun Barry, the area field sales representative for Bayer Environmental Science. “They had no idea of the potential possibilities of using a golf tournament to help their cause. “Greg, however, was well aware, <strong>and</strong> he helped direct the group to commit to a golf event,” Barry adds.“Greg understood the potential if it was successful <strong>and</strong> the futility if it failed. But Greg made things happen.” Barry says Nicoll’s organizational skills, creativity <strong>and</strong> tech savvy have helped the event become a success each year. The prizes <strong>and</strong> contests associated with the event appeal to the range of guests, from novice to experienced player. Barry also says Nicoll’s passion for the event was contagious. “He asked everyone to help <strong>and</strong> with the sincerity in this man’s heart, it was impossible to deny his request,” he says. “He was on a mission <strong>and</strong> everyone felt the enthusiasm. They couldn’t do enough to help the kids <strong>and</strong> Greg.” Thanks to Nicoll’s hard <strong>work</strong> <strong>and</strong> the help of many in the golf industry, the tournament continues to grow. People keep coming back. Nicoll says the tournament really does not take a lot of time.“The school’s development office took the ball <strong>and</strong> ran with it. I was there to guide them along,” he says.“Each year gets easier because everyone knows what is going on. The outing almost runs itself.” “The tournament is a great success,” says Barry. “When Nicoll said thanks last year to everyone, there was not a dry eye in the room. Everyone knew they were doing a great thing for a great man who only wants to help children.” While Greg Nicoll <strong>and</strong> the TCI team enjoy riding herd on a successful outing, they all express amazement at how much excitement comes from the participants. “They love it,” Nicoll says. “It’s great. It’s for a great cause <strong>and</strong> the people make the event.” ✹ Mentors make the difference Nicoll graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Upon graduation, he took an internship at the Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y., under Joseph Alonzi, CGCS. “It was there where I learned about course maintenance <strong>and</strong> tournament preparation,” he says. “I was fortunate to have a great group of guys to <strong>work</strong> with, including assistants Jeff Wentworth, Steve Sweet <strong>and</strong> Barney Misiura. They taught me so much, <strong>and</strong> I owe a great deal of gratitude to them for showing me so many things.” From there, he went to Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J., as an assistant under John Gasper, CGCS. After a year at Ridgewood, the assistant’s position opened back up at Westchester. “I was eager to get back,” he recalls. “It was a place that had such a buzz to it. It is gr<strong>and</strong> in scale, allowing 45 holes on over 500 acres of property, a huge tennis program <strong>and</strong> a beach club. In addition, it had a stop on the PGA Tour, The Buick Classic.” Nicoll spent the next couple years there. He <strong>and</strong> his wife, Dee spent their newlywed years living at the club above the offices for the grounds department. “Joe was not only my boss, but was like a father figure in our lives,” he recalls. “When you spend that much time in a place, you develop a close bond. He is truly a mentor to me <strong>and</strong> I am lucky to have had him teach me so much the business - <strong>and</strong> more importantly, about life.” After Westchester, he took his first superintendent’s job at Maplewood, home of the golf tee. The club was in transition <strong>and</strong> started large capital programs to renovate the golf course. Over the next eight years, he <strong>work</strong>ed with club members, General Manager Michael Lusk <strong>and</strong> the staff to create what Nicoll terms “something extremely special, something to be proud of.” Nicoll received his certification in July 2002. “I am very proud of being a Certified Golf Course Superintendent. For me, it means that I have achieved the highest st<strong>and</strong>ard of professional excellence. I consider it an honor,” he says. www.bayergolfadvantage.com Golf Advantage 31
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Mike Coker and son Troy work on golf courses ... - Backed By Bayer

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