72nd GAP/AGA Men’s Coal Scuttle

Glen Oak captures Men’s Coal Scuttle Championship

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Glen Oak Country Club snapped Wyoming Valley Country Club’s GAP/AGA Men’s Coal Scuttle winning streak Sunday.

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Glen Oak registered a 6-over-par 578 total for an eight-stroke victory over Wyoming Valley (par 71, 6,153 yards), which, as defending champion, hosted the final round of the event’s 72^nd edition. Wyoming Valley previously won the last seven Men’s Coal Scuttle titles.

David Mecca led the Glen Oak team with a 3-under-par 140. That score put Mecca in a four-way tie for individual medalist honors. Berwick Golf Club’s Corey Bierly, Wyoming Valley’s Eric Plisko and Honesdale Golf Club’s Eric Williams also finished at 140. Williams, the GAP/AGA Men’s Player of the Year leader, prevailed on the fourth playoff hole (No. 1, par 5, 475 yards).

Joining Mecca on the Glen Oak team were Kyle Williams (143), James Egan (145), Kevin Karabin (151) and Luke Fayocavitz (153). The low four of five scores count toward the team total.

This marks Glen Oak’s second Scuttle victory (1989).

“We haven’t been competitive for many years. Going in, I thought there were a lot of good teams, but I thought we had a chance,” Williams, 30, of Clarks Summit, Pa., said. “We had a lot of people back at Glen Oak that were texting us and wishing us good luck in between rounds. It’s going to be really special for the club to see us win this. It will create more interest for golf. Everyone’s going to be pumped up.”

Glen Oak certainly felt energized following its performance at Huntsville Golf Club (par 72, 6,755 yards) Saturday. It led Berwick and Huntsville by six strokes.

An early charge by Wyoming Valley threatened to upend Glen Oak’s leaderboard status. But both Mecca and Williams dug their figurative toes into the sand. The former, playing two groups ahead of Mecca, rattled off three consecutive birdies to reestablish Glen Oak’s position. He hit a gap wedge 125 yards to four feet on No. 9 (par 4, 379 yards), a wedge 70 yards to three feet on No. 10 (par 4, 278 yards) and an 8-iron 175 yards to 18 feet on the par 5, 509-yard 11^th hole. Williams, however, bogeyed his final two holes: a loose drive on No. 17 (par 4, 398 yards), a pulled wedge from 80 yards on No. 18 (par 4, 354 yards).

“I was a little nervous. I hadn’t checked the scores, so I was hoping that wasn’t going to cost us. It didn’t,” Williams said.

Mecca, who joined Glen Oak earlier this year, made sure of it. He inked three birdies on his inward nine. Mecca executed a flop shot to six feet on No. 12 (par 5, 536 yards). He drained a slippery 27-footer following a crisp 7-iron on No. 15 (par 3, 190 yards). A wedge from 80 yards to six feet on No. 17 (par 4, 398 yards) moved Mecca to 4 under. Too much backspin on a sand wedge on No. 18 (par 4, 354 yards), however, led to a bogey.

No matter. The team title was Mecca’s mission.

“Dave Maddock was our head of golf. He put together a solid team,” Mecca, 29, of Scranton, Pa., said. “There are a lot of good players at Glen Oak. I’m proud to represent them.”

“Over the last three or four years, we’ve been building up kind of a younger group. This year, the kicker was Dave joining the club. He’s up there with the best amateur players in this area,” Williams added. “You knew, coming into this event, that even if we had a guy or two play shaky, he was going to play under par.”

The Glen Oak team followed Mecca throughout the sudden-death playoff for individual medalist honors. They encouraged. They reassured. They supported the new guy, regardless of individual result.

“I think Dave’s the best player in the area. I caddied for Dave in U.S. Amateur Qualifying at Rolling Green (Golf Club), and he was the first alternate there,” Karabin, 28, of West Chester, Pa., said. “Great player, great guy and a positive addition to the club.”

Karabin made the trip from West Chester to compete on Glen Oak’s behalf. He may return to the club to celebrate with his teammates.

“I definitely am [going back]. I’ll definitely convince a couple of the guys,” Williams said. “Kevin lives in West Chester, so I don’t know if I can convince him. I know Luke, Jamie and probably Dave will be there too. We’ll enjoy this one for sure.”

By virtue of its victory, Glen Oak will serve as a Men’s Coal Scuttle host site in 2023.

Established in conjunction with the AGA’s founding in 1951, the Men’s Coal Scuttle Championship is a cornerstone event in which clubs compete against one another to determine regional supremacy.

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 Association’s 330 Member Clubs and 90,000 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.