Baltusrol, Echo Lake honored by Caddie Scholarship Foundation
For the third straight year, Baltusrol Golf Club and Echo Lake Country Club were honored for their exemplary contributions as the New Jersey State Golf Association Caddie Scholarship Foundation celebrated its 72nd year at its annual meeting at Baltusrol in Springfield on June 12, 2019.
The Foundation also announced a new honored scholarship named for former CSF chairman Ed Batta. The scholarship awards $10,000 each year to a caddie scholar. The inaugural recipient is caddie Jack Baker of Rockaway River Country Club, who will attend the University of Vermont.
Baltusrol Golf Club was the top contributing club in New Jersey for the eighth consecutive year, as Baltusrol members donated $71,100. Foundation club representative Rick Wolffe was applauded for his fund-raising efforts.
“The NJSGA is proud of the tremendous impact the Caddie Scholarship Foundation has had on young men and women around the state. Families are struggling to pay tuition and the Foundation is happy to help them,” said NJSGA president Bill Frese. “The Caddie Scholarship Foundation is one of the best in the nation, and has never been stronger than it is under the present leadership. We had a great fund-raising year, and I thank the representatives of the five most generous clubs.”
Echo Lake Country Club was again honored for its impressive total of Par Club Members, edging out historical top contributors Manasquan River and Upper Montclair. Brian Steller and John Rochford serve as Echo Lake's Foundation club representatives and were recognized for their fundraising efforts.
Members of the Par Club donate at least $100 to the Caddie Scholarship Foundation. In 2018, Echo Lake led all clubs with 470 Par Club members, followed by Manasquan River with 438 and Upper Montclair with 424.
Foundation chairman Ben Del Vento, who worked with Batta for many years, praised the former chairman.
“Ed Batta is being recognized with a four-year $40,000 scholarship in his name for his dedication as a representative and chairman of the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation,” said chairman Ben Del Vento. “His work has touched the caddie scholars in the State of New Jersey and has made us the most successful state in the nation in support of caddies.”
For the 2019-20 academic year, the Caddie Scholarship Foundation awarded 155 scholars from 42 member clubs a total of $648,000 in scholarship aid. Included in that total are 16 new-in-college applicants and 38 freshman applicants whose average SAT score was 1204, and a 3.42 GPA. The Foundation continues to achieve a 96%+ graduation rate; one of the highest of any Caddie Scholarship program in the nation.
Since its inception in 1947, the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation has awarded more than $14 million to more than 3,000 caddie scholars.
The Top 5 Contributing Clubs
1. Baltusrol Golf Club- $71,100
2. Echo Lake Country Club- $56,385
3. Manasquan River Golf Club- $50,000
4. Montclair Golf Club- $47,775
5. Upper Montclair Country Club - $46,300
