Hofstra University senior Vincent Apostolico is in his final year with men’s golf, a team which wrapped up its Fall schedule in late October. As his time at Hofstra comes to a close, Apostolico took some time to reflect on his collegiate career.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned is the only thing you can ultimately control is your effort,” Apostolico said.
Apostolico, originally from Sparta, New Jersey, played golf all four years at Sparta High School where he served as captain for two years and was ranked the seventh-best senior golfer across the state. He helped lead the team to a 35-1 record in his first two seasons and qualified for the New Jersey State Amateur Championship, becoming one of the youngest players to qualify.
When his high school career ended, Apostolico had a choice: play college golf in his home state or branch outward. He visited Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City and Rider University in Lawrence Township.
“I wasn’t in love with [Saint Peter’s campus],” Apostolico said. “It was in the middle of Jersey City; growing up in north Jersey, especially in the northwest, I’m not a big city guy. Plus, they don’t have a lot of support there when it comes to golf. Rider offered me a spot but the coach didn’t seem committed to me. I didn’t feel like a priority for him.”
The third alternative was Hofstra. While its campus was over 70 miles away from home, Apostolico saw the positives in more ways than one, starting with Hofstra head coach Joe Elliott.
“[Elliott] was very welcoming,” Apostolico said. “I felt like the school was very good academically. I knew I wanted to go into either biology or business at the time and I knew the school was great for both of them. I wanted to make sure I went to a good academic school because I love golf but I know it’s not going to be my career going forward.”
Apostolico ultimately chose Hofstra where he now majors in accounting as well as representing the golf program. He’s learned a lot about the sport during his time on Long Island. He refers to the Fall semester of 2023, where he had no top 20 finishes despite four in the previous two seasons, as a pivotal point.
“I remember I got really wrapped up in the end result that season,” Apostolico said. “I had to reflect a lot and ask myself, ‘Where can I improve?’ That was a big thing, just saying that to myself before every round and every shot. Just commit to it, try your best and that’s really all you can do.”
It was a change that Apostolico, one of two seniors on the roster, didn’t go through on his own. He was influenced heavily by coaches and teammates alike, especially Elliott.
“There’ll be times where I’d say to [Elliott] that I’m sorry for playing a bad round,” Apostolico said. “He’d say to never apologize and ‘that’s golf.’”
Apostolico played his first two seasons for Hofstra alongside Dino Capazario, who transferred to Hofstra as a junior from Lamar University in Texas at the same time Apostolico arrived as a freshman. Capazario shot season averages below 75 strokes in both seasons for the Pride and had a lasting impact on his younger teammate.
“[Capazario is] by far the best player I’ve ever been teammates with,” Apostolico said. “He was very calm-mannered, he never got too angry. He had a positive attitude when it came to his golf game. I never really saw him get too down. Even if he had a bad round, he would joke with us and laugh stuff off.”
The sport Apostolico plays competitively now is a sport he’s known for most of his life. He picked up the game when he was just three-years-old, introduced to it by his dad who played baseball at Montclair State University but wanted his children to take up a sport that allowed them to play for themselves.
“I don’t really have any memory of not picking up a golf club,” Apostolico said. “I played for fun until I was 10, then I started playing tournaments. I just loved the feeling of competing.”
Apostolico took that passion and has turned it into his career. He followed in the footsteps of his two older brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, who both played collegiate golf in New Jersey. Tommy played at Farleigh Dickinson University and Jimmy played at Saint Peter’s.
The youngest of three siblings, Apostolico learned much about golf from his brothers who each taught him different facets of the game.
“Tommy influenced me a lot,” Apostolico said. “He doesn’t have the best mechanics when it comes to golf, but he could score. He never let any critics or golf professionals change him.”
Apostolico learned not only how to win on the course, but also what it takes to sharpen his game.
“Jimmy’s work ethic was really the thing that pushed me,” Apostolico said. “I’d say out of the three of us, he’s probably the best one. I remember it was the summer before my freshman year, I wasn’t playing as well as I wanted to and I tried to see what Jimmy was doing because he was playing really well up until that point. I would look at him and he’d be showing up to the course, practicing pretty much every single day. That was a big reality check.”
Apostolico also drew inspiration from professional golfers, especially the 5 feet 6 inches tall Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion. Apostolico, who is 5 feet 9 inches, saw himself in McIlroy.
“I’m not a tall guy,” Apostolico said. “That really influenced me because I feel like in sports, I don’t [know] what it is, but when you’re short, they sort of look down upon that.”
Apostolico also found motivation in McIlroy’s run in the summer of 2014, where he won three straight tour starts, including two majors. It came one year after he signed a sponsorship deal with Nike.
“The media came down on him [after the Nike deal],” Apostolico said. “I thought that was so cool because he proved the critics wrong.”
Golf has been a major part of Apostolico’s life and has taught him principles even beyond the links.
“If you really want to be good, not only in golf but at life in general, you have to work for it,” Apostolico said. “Nothing’s ever going to be given.”
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Len Skoros
