"Among the many things I admire about Jay, his devotion to caddie programs is right at the top. At a time when caddieing has been dying in most places around the country, he's not only kept the programs here going, he's strengthened them."
-- longtime NBC commentator and former caddie Jimmy Roberts.
The MGA Foundation is proud to administer the Jay Mottola Scholarship to celebrate the longtime MGA executive director as well as his contributions and support of the game on all levels.
Applications for the Jay Mottola Scholarship are now CLOSED.
About Jay Mottola
Jay Mottola has always been an advocate for caddieing, and under his guidance, supporting youth caddie initiatives has been a main focus of the MGA Foundation since its inception. Mottola was first introduced to the game as a young teenager, working as a caddie and on the grounds crew at The Tuxedo Club, near where he grew up in Tuxedo, N.Y. In addition to his basketball success at Lafayette College, Jay was also a member of the golf team and made it to the NCAA Tournament twice as an individual - an impressive feat for a Lafayette golfer. His love for golf led him to the MGA in 1977, when he joined the field team staff for the summer. From there, Mottola joined the full-time staff a few years later and by 1982 was named executive director, a role he held until 2016.
Jay guided the MGA throughout perhaps its most prolific period in history. He has a long list of accomplishments both here in the Met Area and on a national level; highlights during his tenure include the expansion of the Association's service programs, the launch of The Met Golfer, the construction of "Golf Central" as a home for the MGA and other area golf organizations, and the creation of the MGA Foundation. As just one of its programs, the MGA Foundation conducts a number of Caddie Academies each year, a concept that Mottola and former tournament director Gene Westmoreland created in the late 1980s. Jay is an active board member of the MGA Caddie Scholarship Fund, and remains involved with all of the MGA Foundation's programming.
The Jay Mottola Scholarship (JMS) is a significant scholarship, available for four years of undergraduate study. In collaboration with the local CSFs, the MGAF and JMS Committee will identify and invite top candidates to submit an essay; finalists will then be interviewed and the award recipient selected. The MGA Foundation and area Caddie Scholarship Funds are thrilled to work together to honor and continue Jay's lasting impact on caddies and the game we all love.
Learn more about Jay Mottola and his background
Current Recipient: Joshua Hamilton Smith
Meet Joshua Hamitlon Smith, the third Jay Mottola Scholarship recipient. Joshua will be studying Fine Arts Illustration and Design at Savannah College and Art of Design. He graduated from the Dalton School in 2024 and was a caddie at Wykagyl Country Club. Read Josh's Story.
“This means more than I can put into words. First, receiving this scholarship filled me with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude; the fact that I was chosen out of an applicant pool of dozens made me feel seen and appreciated, like the work I had been putting in was significant and valued outside of myself and my family.”- Joshua Hamilton Smith
Information for Applicants
The Jay Mottola Scholarship is a significant financial grant awarded to an outstanding caddie or young person who works in service to golf in the Met Area. This need-based award is available to exceptional graduating high school seniors from Long Island, New Jersey, and Westchester who are eligible under their local Caddie Scholarship Fund's criteria.
Students must have caddied (or worked in service to golf in Westchester, LI, or New Jersey) for a minimum of two seasons and come with a high recommendation from the club.
Students must qualify for financial need and be in good academic standing. Children of members at private clubs are not eligible to apply.
Applications for the Jay Mottola Scholarship are now CLOSED.
Selection Process: The Jay Mottola Scholarship Committee will review all applicants with the local CSFs. The Committee will identify and invite top candidates to submit an essay, and finalists will then be interviewed in person.
For more information on the application process, please contact the MGA Foundation at 914-347-2340.
Information for Supporters
Join us now in recognizing Jay Mottola and his many contributions to the game of golf in the Met Area. Your support of the Jay Mottola Scholarship will make a meaningful impact on the life of a young person in the Long Island, New Jersey, and the Westchester area. With the creation of the JMS, this opportunity marks the first time all three local funds will work together on candidate screening and selection for this new, high-value scholarship award. Once again, as in the past, Jay brings the Met Area community together.