Gallant Golf Captain: Zal Mody

Mody’s dedication to golf can be credited to his father, who inspired Mody’s love for the sport when the two started playing together in the summer of his eighth grade. Mody explained, “I took it up because my dad used to play. He really liked it, and he talked to me all about it.” His initial interest soon developed into a lasting passion: “Golf is really fun so I have stuck with it for all these years.” Carrying his experience into the Hopkins Varsity Golf team in ninth grade, Mody made an immediate impact on his teammates. Varsity Golf Head Coach Tim Nolan described Mody as “well-liked by all his teammates of past and present,” and added, “[Mody] has always been an integral member of the Golf Team since his freshman year.” 

Despite admitting that being a captain is “a lot of work,” Mody nonetheless finds the role rewarding: “It is pretty great to be the captain of the team. Everyone looks up to you and you are the role model for the team. It is cool to have that kind of responsibility.” He expressed enthusiasm for mentoring younger players and mentioned, “I am looking forward to teaching the team. We have a lot of new players, so it will be cool to see how the team shapes up this year.”

Julian Peccia ’27 remembered his first year on the golf team, sharing, “I didn’t know anyone, but when I walked into the squash center he first introduced himself and said hi.” Through his humor and welcoming approach to leadership, Mody has helped develop a vibrant team spirit. Co-captain Garga noted that Mody is “usually just cracking jokes with the team, always bringing the team chemistry up.” He added that Mody is “a guy who is always gonna put his all in and still have a fun time. He is just an overall nice and happy guy who never has any issues.”

Christopher Feng ’26 remarked that Mody’s hard work on the course inspires his teammates: “Zal is dedicated during the season and always makes an effort to talk to everyone on the team, acting as a role model both on and off the course.” Finn Sommer ’26 added, “When we had a lot of issues with transportation, he helped out a lot. He’s really the only one who hosts team dinners and team rounds [at his country club]. He’s the glue that binds us all together.” 

As co-captains, Mody and Garga are responsible for collaborating and maintaining a positive dynamic in order to successfully lead their team. “Zal and Krish together make a pretty good team as captains,” said Sonya Mittal ’27. Sommer shared, “They have a great dynamic. Everyone knew that they were always going to be captains this year.” Sommer also noticed their complementary leadership styles: “Krish is a little more quiet and Zal is a little more vocal, and they both are very good at leading the team.”

Zal’s determination to grow as a golfer created a competitive atmosphere between the captains, as Garga recalled, “He’s become a way better golfer over the years. I remember whooping him as a freshman then he came back sophomore year and was evenly competing against me.” Garga refused to back down, however, and stated, “I got him locked this year though.”

Reflecting on his time with the golf team, Mody remembered the team’s long-awaited victory last season, stating, “We won our first [match] in 1000-something days last year.” Looking ahead, Mody expressed optimism for continued success by remarking, “Hopefully we can win a few more games this year.” Other members of the golf team also hold this same positivity, as Sommer mentioned, “We have a very strong team this year. We have great team chemistry and we have a lot of good kids.”

A shared love for the sport strengthens the team’s bond, and Mittal commented that her teammates “all love golf and are very passionate about it. They always stay after hours if they can to work on it themselves and are very self-motivated.” While all wins are important, the ultimate aim remained clear for Sommer, who said, “The goal is always to beat Hamden Hall at the end of the year.”

Mody encourages his teammates to find joy in the sport, whether in casual play or a heated match. Acknowledging the pressure of competition, he thoughtfully advised, “Try to take the pressure off yourself. Golfing for fun is a lot easier to play, so if you bring the same mindset into a match you are probably going to play better. If you overthink it, then it is all out of whack.” 

As Mody plays his final season of Hopkins Varsity Golf, Coach Nolan wishes him “well this senior season and continued success at [Washington University in St. Louis].” Zal hopes to play at the club level in college, and he plans to continue playing golf as a hobby in the years to come.