July 21, 2023
FRENCH LICK, Ind. — While many Americans geared up for July 4 by buying food to grill or fireworks, Trine University student Nicholas Coccaro was preparing to play golf.
A lot of golf.
The golf management major from Palos Park, Illinois, played 247 holes of golf on July 4 — one for each year of the United States’ independence — to raise money for an organization that provides scholarships to children of fallen or disabled veterans.
Dream internship
Nick is interning this summer at the Pete Dye Course at French Lick, part of the French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana.
“I originally came down here for a golf trip in 2019 and fell in love with the course,” he said.
While looking for a summer internship he asked Cat Benson, dean of the Ketner School of Business, if an internship at Pete Dye might be possible. Benson put him in contact with Dave Harner, director of golf operations at the resort.
“I came down and interviewed here right after Christmas,” he said. “I couldn’t turn down a course like this.”
Nick said his regular duties are “pretty much anything you could think of,” including answering the phones, booking tee times, ringing up guests, working the bag drop and greeting guests, making gift bags and custom bag tags for guests, and helping with the first tee for junior golf.
Celebrating independence
When Nick floated the idea of playing 247 holes to celebrate the years of independence since 1776, Harner suggested making it a charitable event.
“I chose Folds of Honor because I had the pleasure to caddy for and play golf with Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, the founder and CEO,” Nick said. “It was easily the coolest round of golf I have ever played. I really love what he has done for the families of our late soldiers.”
He and Harner posted on social media seeking sponsors.
“Anyone could pledge any amount of money they wanted to per hole that I played,” he said. “They would Venmo us or write us a check and we wrote one check to Folds of Honor with all the money once all of it came in.”
He had played enough golf at Pete Dye this summer that he didn’t feel he needed any special preparation.
“The only thing I did to prepare was buy some light-up golf balls because I wasn’t sure how long it was going to take me to play all that golf, and I bought a bunch of Gatorade to help stay hydrated,” he said.
He said the staff at the course thought he was “crazy” to make the attempt, which gave him more motivation to follow through.
“But they were all very supportive and made sure I was supplied with water, food and fresh carts all day,” he said.
14 hours of golf
Nick teed off July 4 at 6 a.m.
“When I started, all I was doing was just playing golf,” he said. “I just got into a zone and those first seven rounds went by very quickly.”
Two hundred forty-seven holes later, Nick finished at 8:05 p.m. He said it was a rewarding feeling.
“I had my family out there with me and some others as well that celebrated with me on the final hole,” he said.
His tally for the day was 1,061 strokes, with 29 birdies and one eagle throughout the day. His low round was 69, with a high round of 85.
The effort brought in more than $5,000 for Folds of Honor.
Despite initial suspicions about his sanity, he said the effort has drawn praise from his fellow staff members at Pete Dye. He’s also been congratulated by resort guests who have recognized him from media coverage.
Trine University’s Class of 2024 saw 99.1% of its members obtain their desired career outcome within six months of graduation, continuing a 12-year streak of employment and graduate school placement averaging greater than 99%.
Low-income residents or those with disabilities or limited English proficiency can get their taxes prepared and filed electronically at no cost this spring through the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program hosted by Trine University.
Trine University has named Tonya Bussema as its new student success coordinator.