Oak Hill G.C. Wins Senior Interclub Championship At Forest Hill
Receiving a an even-par 71 from A-team players Jeff Kortina and Glenn Cocchiola and a 72 from B team participants Keith Rickenbach and Paul Patent, Oak Hill Golf Club, located in Milford, won the coveted Adrian “Bud” Foley Trophy, emblematic of the NJSGA’s Senior Interclub Matches on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at Forest Hill Field Club in Bloomfield.
Also adding to Oak Hill’s victory was the A-team pairing of Jeff Douglass and Sal DiFazio, who shot 75, and the B-team of Bill Swann and Tom Cullinane who shot 78.
Oak Hill combined for 296 strokes, well beyond runner-up and defending champion Upper Montclair (308). Mendham was third at 313, followed by Plainfield with 314 and Copper Hill with 323.
The Senior Interclub Championship is comprised of eight-man teams (four four-ball duos) of clubs representing the five Senior Interclub division winners. In its first year, 2015, 12 teams competed in three divisions. This year, 20 clubs competed
The Senior Interclub Matches, for male golfers 55 and older, included three four-ball, match-play rounds of section play, leading to a divisional winner. This year, five divisions were comprised of four clubs.
The interclub matches took place in September and October.
“Oak Hill members are staunch advocates of the Senior Interclub matches,” said team captain Kortina. “We enjoyed the camaraderie and meeting and competing against guys from other clubs. The excitement at our club was huge. We had a lot of enthusiasm. We enjoyed making a name for our club. We appreciate the opportunity.”
The standout for Oak Hill was Rickenbach, an eight-handicap player who carded five birdies.
“The greens were great. They were fast and we’re used to fast greens at Oak Hill,” Rickenbach said.
Kortina noted that Cocchiola’s father, Joe, who passed away last year, was a member at Forest Hill and Glenn dedicated the round to him, shooting a 74.
“The Senior Interclub was terrific that in its second year, we nearly doubled the number of teams in the event,” said NJSGA president Dan Meehan. “We look to continue the trend next year. It was an event that was developed by staff and board members and we are excited about its potential.”
Every team included two divisions differentiated by USGA Handicap Index titled the “A” division and the “B” division. The “A” division included golfers of any Handicap Index, while the “B” division included only golfers with a Handicap Index of 8.0 or higher (as of 8/15/16). Each team played with two A division four-ball teams and two B division four-ball squads.
“We went from three divisions in the first year to five this year and hope the word will spread around the state that the players are having so much fun in this,” said NJSGA executive director Kevin Purcell. “It’s about the camaraderie, the competition, and making new friends.”
