Golf Club Atlas was where it was first publicly announced Mike Nuzzo and I were building a new course in South Texas. We chronicled the progress here, and soon we were fielding offers to play the course. I don’t know how many GCAers and friends we hosted over the years, but it numbers in the 100s if not 1000s.
Tonight, we are pleased to use GCA to help spread some positive words again as we announce the first recipients of the Alfred T. Stanger Memorial Scholarship.
National Award Winners:
Nicole Lopes, $2500
Nicole is from Kaneohe, HI and is entering her Junior year at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where she is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. In her first two years she has earned a GPA of 3.5, and has been named to the All-Conference Golf Team in both years. Nicole has completed an R & D Internship with Callaway Golf and hopes to make a career in golf as an Engineer, Golf Professional, or Collegiate Golf Coach.
Annika Kuleba, $2500
Annika is from Albemarle, NC and will be entering her first year of college in Fall ’18 at Sweet Brier College, Sweet Brier, Virginia where she has also signed a letter of intent to compete on the golf team. She plans to major in Environmental Science – Weed Science. Annika’s weighted HS GPA is 4.2 and she has too many charitable accomplishments for me to list, safe to say she’s been a busy girl. Annika, daughter of a Golf Course Superintendent, hopes to make a career in golf as a weed scientist with a focus on natural methods for controlling invasive species in fine turf.
Samuel Warne, $1500
Sam is from Sag Harbor, NY and will be attending his first year of college next fall at the University Of South Carolina. His High School doesn’t use the GPA system I’m familiar with and lists his as 93.48, which sounds pretty good. Sam was a multi-sport athlete and while he had many athletic accolades the one I like best came from a letter of recommendation from his Athletic Director, “not only be losing the finest athlete with Sam Warne’s graduation, we will be losing the finest ambassador to our athletic community”. Sam, the son of a PGA Club Professional, hopes to major in business and make a career in golf as a Golf Professional or Golf Architect.
Jonathan Jones, $1500
Jonathan is from Portland, TX and will be attending Sam Houston State in the fall where he is enrolled in the PGA Golf Management Program. Jonathan earned a 3.73 GPA in HS as well as many awards for the quality of his golf as a member of the varsity golf team for 4 years. Most impressive to me is All-State Academic, take it from me as a Texas parent, that’s not an easy one to get. I especially enjoyed Jonathan’s essay when he described what he learned from playing golf, “…the integrity it takes to face each shot and accept the outcome, and the friendships that are built on the course by men of different ages, different backgrounds, and different professions.”
Hunter Cotton $1500
Hunter is from Snyder, TX where he is studying Golf Landscape and Technology at Western Texas College in hopes of earning a career as a Golf Course Superintendent. This summer Hunter will work as an intern at Whispering Pines Golf Club (Nuzzo and I are building 30mins away, come see us). Hunter has worked at a local public course for two years and in his essay he wrote this, “There is something about mowing greens in the early am that you just can’t explain”. Hunter, we know the feeling.
Local Award Winner
Karly Critendon, $1500
Karly is from Port Lavaca, TX, and is a “child” of Wolf Point Ranch as the daughter of Ranch Manager Brandon Critendon. In High School, Karly was highly involved in multiple organizations and activities such as Varsity Golf team, Choir, FFA, 4H, and NHS. She held many leadership/officer positions in each of these organizations and was also crowned Calhoun County’s 2014-2015 Fair Queen. Karly received numerous music and FFA awards/honors including 3rd chair in the TMEA All-State Mixed choir, and Texas FFA State Talent show finalist. She is currently a student at Texas A&M University as an Agriculture Science major, studying to be an Agriculture Science teacher.