32nd Women’s Coal Scuttle Championship: Elkview

Huntsville keeps Scuttle streak alive

CARBONDALE, Pa. – The Huntsville Golf Club heroines lengthened their championship legacy Wednesday. 

| Scoring Portal | History | Photos |

Last year, Huntsville added a third-consecutive Women’s Coal Scuttle Championship title to an already brimming trophy case. With six Coal Scuttle trophies in tow, potential for another championship performance this year was strong. 

With title-holding experience on their side, the Huntsville representatives collaborated for a total of 78 points. In the 32nd Women’s Coal Scuttle Championship at Elkview Country Club (par 72, 5,257 yards), the team earned itself hardware once again. 

“I thought we did great as a team,” Danielle Dalessandro, 29, of Philadelphia, Pa., said. “I was super excited that everybody played well, especially given the conditions. This was Emilee’s (Barkley) first showing and I thought she did really well.”  

The event’s format is gross stableford. The top three of four scores count toward the team total. Dalessandro earned medalist honors for a fourth time (2018-19, 2022) with a score of 29 points. Rounding out team Huntsville was Kasey Saraka (25), Bernadette McHugh (24) and Barkley (20). 

“The course was in great shape, I’ve played Elkview before,” Dalessandro, who works as a real estate agent, said. “It’s tough to acclimate. You think the greens are going to do one thing and then they don’t. It can be tough to get acclimated out there, but we managed.” 

Dalessandro, a self-proclaimed “grinder,” managed to add two birdies to her card. After her drive landed in the rough on No. 8 (par 5, 400 yards), she laid up to 51 yards with her trusted utility club. From there, she cleaned things up with a 58-degree wedge to five feet. On No. 10 (par 4, 309 yards) she lifted a 50-degree wedge from 91 yards to four feet.

Elkview, a northeastern Pennsylvania oasis, is a shotmaker’s delight. The course features rolling typography, tight fairways and diabolically sloping greens. The property teems with stunning views bolstered by the adjacent Crystal Lake. 

Wednesday marks Huntsville’s third successful title defense since 2021. Just a few weeks ago, Dalessandro won her third Huntsville Women’s Club Championship. 

“I feel once you have a title, you have to defend it and keep it going for as long as you can,” Dalessandro said. “When you’re out there, you play for [the team] and vice versa, I think we’ve all realized that. When you come in and see your team and you get to hold the trophy again with everybody and celebrate, [that’s] what it’s all about.” 

Dalessandro currently serves as the president of the Huntsville Women’s Golf Association. In her position, she coordinates women’s golf opportunities at the club. 

“The women’s golf community at Huntsville is great,” Dalessandro said. “It has grown tremendously since I’ve started, but they’ve always been so welcoming to me. I have so much appreciation for them, and I just want to do my part in any way I can.”  

McHugh and Saraka are regularly part of Huntsville’s championship squad. Barkley joined the team this year after a fourth-place finish in the Women’s Club Championship. 

“I have struggled at Huntsville for many years, and I never really felt like it was quite the right time for me to play in the Club Championship until this past year,” Barkley, 19, of Kutztown, Pa., said. “I was super excited to be a part of this team and play well and represent Huntsville because I love the course so much.” 

Barkley is a rising sophomore at West Chester University, she represents the Golden Rams on the Women’s Golf Team. Her dad, Jason Barkley, serves as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Golf Association.  

GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 110,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.