The popular Niagara-on-the-Lake men’s league wrapped up its 2026 season last Thursday in style — with a bang and a boom.

Joe Interisano supplied the bang, thanks to a hole-in-one, and young gun Jared Mines brought the boom, winning the open division of the long-drive contest with a blast that measured some 325 yards.

On the 120-yard fourth hole, with playing partners Jeff Brookhouser, Larry Blight and John Bistani watching, Interisano stepped up and hit a nine iron into a strong wind.

“The pin was positioned just behind the front bunker,” Interisano said later.

He told one of his playing partners he’d try to hit his shot low, avoid the front bunker and keep the ball on the green.

“The ball flew low and straight toward the pin,” Interisano said.

“It struck the sand near the back of the bunker, bounced up and out, and disappeared onto the green.”

As they approached the green, his ball was nowhere to be seen. On that hole it often means your shot has scooted over the green.

Brookhouser said, “I bet it’s in the hole!” He walked over to the pin, looked down and there it was.

“After years of playing golf, it was an incredible feeling to finally accomplish something I had always dreamed of,” Interisano said.

Having his regular golfing buddies there made it even more special, “a golfing memory I’ll treasure forever.”

Mines’ long drive was equally dramatic.

After Dan Regan had won the age 70-plus contest with a tee shot measuring 258 yards and Dan Vukovich took the 55-plus category with a 256-yarder, it was Mines’ turn.

The best of his three drives off the first tee sailed straight up the fairway and toward the stratosphere, coming back down to Earth about 325 yards later, ending up on the back fringe of the green.

 It was probably “the best drive I’ve seen all year,” pro shop manager Darren Smith said.

In the closest to the pin competition, Brandon Meisner nailed his shot to about eight feet from 103 yards away.

The big cash winner on the day was Quinton Spagnol.

After notching his own hole-in-one earlier this season en route to carding some stellar rounds, Spagnol stepped up for the winner-take-all putting contest.

With a large crowd anticipating a chance at a big payday, Spagnol was the third man to putt. He drained the 35-footer and took home nearly $1,200 for his effort.

During the post-festivities banquet, the winners of the club’s annual match play tournament were honoured.

The 2026 champs were: Regan (Carmichael Cup for the second straight year), lefty Mike Clarke (Wetlauffer Cup), Patrick Craig (Jim Brown Cup), Ricky Watson (President’s Cup) while Joe Doria and Rob Reimer teamed up to win the Goldup pairs competition.