By BEN FONG/For the Sentinel
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — The Thursday Ocean City Senior Golf League officially opened its 2026 season on May 7 at Harbor Pines Golf Club, with players competing in the league’s signature combination of stroke play and match play competition.
Each weekly matchup offers four total points — two for net stroke play and two for match play — setting the stage for another competitive season in both the league’s A Flight and B Flight divisions.
In A Flight action, Garth Moyle opened the season in strong fashion against John Blady. Moyle posted a net 71 compared to Blady’s 76 and secured the match play victory 8 holes to 4 to sweep all 4 points.
Phil Gaffney turned in one of the day’s best rounds, carding an impressive net 67 against Pete McInerney’s 78. The two golfers split match play honors after tying with two holes each, giving Gaffney 3 points and McInerney 1 point.
Bob Pierce also earned a full 4-point victory after shooting a net 74 against Guy Hackney’s 78 and taking match play by a 9-5 margin.
Mike Bogdash delivered one of the most decisive performances of the opening day, firing a net 72 against Dave Farrell’s 91 while dominating match play 13 holes to 2 to collect all 4 points.
Frank Mancini continued the strong early scoring in A Flight by posting a net 68 while matching cards against John Blady’s 76. Mancini claimed the match play portion 9-4 to secure 4 points.
Joe Dempsey edged Ron Venturi in stroke play with a net 82 to Venturi’s 85. Their match play battle finished even at six holes apiece, resulting in 3 points for Dempsey and 1 point for Venturi.
Ben Fong rounded out the A Flight competition with a solid net 74 against Jim Hoagland’s 80, while also earning an 8-4 match play victory to sweep all 4 available points.
In B Flight play, Jeff Mitchell narrowly defeated Mike Coffman with a net 79 to 80 advantage and secured match play 5-4 to earn all 4 points.
Dominic Scalfaro also posted a strong opening performance while matching cards with Mitchell. Scalfaro shot a net 76 against Mitchell’s 79 and captured match play 8-4 to take all 4 points.
Tom Gahr completed the B Flight scoring with a net 76 against Coffman’s 80. Their match play contest ended tied at six holes each, earning Gahr 3 points and Coffman 1 point.
Among the day’s notable highlights, John Blady, Phil Gaffney, and Frank Mancini each recorded birdies during opening-day play. The shot of the day belonged to Gaffney, who eagled the par-4 sixth hole during his standout round.
As another season gets under way, Harbor Pines once again served as the backdrop for the league’s trademark mix of competition, sportsmanship, and camaraderie that has long made Thursday mornings a cherished tradition for its members.
Golfers interested in joining the league may contact Al Malatesta (malatesta9088@gmail.com), John Blady (john@swimusa.com), or Ben Fong (ben.fongmeister@gmail.com) for more information.