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

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