Christopher Caccamo '21 Recruiting Profile

Not only has growing up playing golf revolutionized my game and skill level, but it has seriously impacted my outgoing polite personality. I remember being just 4 years old while being at my grandparents. While my grandpa sat in front of the abruptly noisy fan and my grandma sat rocking in her chair, I remember being able to hear the tv over the fan ever so often. I was watching young Tiger Woods win his 2007 PGA championship title. While my grandparents sat in excitement, I sat there thinking, instead of watching. What I thought was not that it looked interesting in any way, but boring. 

Around that age (like all parents) mine needed to bring me a summer camp. My grandparents (with their love of golf) brought up ‘The First Tee’ at Plainfield Country club. Of course I didnt understand what was going on due to my young age, I eventually started to learn proper etiquette and strategies which have most definitely guided the way in which my love for golf soared. From that point on I began going every summer up until the age of 13. I even had a favorite counselor we would request. I remember going out on the course watching the counselors play (most whom are division 3 or better golfers) and being amazed with the insane distance and accuracy they perceive.  

Well as time went on I would continuously practice and play every single day.  I bought all types of equipment in my backyard. Every spring, I would replenish my foam golf balls and would wack them into my neighbors lawns.  As I turned 16 I was qualified to work the golf camp as a counselor.  I got interviewed and got the job. After guiding younger kids the same way I was guided, everyday that summer, I would play a round. Every day.  I played every day from beginning of June until the end of August, and never missed a day. My favorite counselor from when I was there still worked there, and I challenge him. Not only did I beat him on the sister 9 hole course of Plainfield, but I shot 1 under. My grandpa who is always around at the course and is pretty well known talked to him later that day and my former counselor told him “I taught him to play, not be better than me”. This only boosted my confidence. Now I play and work very often at the camp while being friends with all the other counselors from other colleges. I see how much they enjoy the sport and that only boosts my drive to play in college. Even at night (as ridiculous as it sounds) I try to be connected to the sport, through watching youtube videos and actually learning from them. Little do I know I would play some of the worst rounds of my life after those nights, after realizing its 4 am and Im still addicted to watching golf. My friends too, I would hook them into the sport. Two of my friends (one a senior at the time) finally gave in after my bribery. The senior was so upset at the end of the season. Not because he hated it, but because he felt he missed out playing those earlier three years. In conclusion not only did I learn from the spread and growth of the game. But I feel it is also my duty as well to grow the game and its interests to younger and developing children.