Holt Shield Facts

THIS IS A NEW PAGE SO ANYONE WITH ANY INTERESTING FACTS CONCERNING THE HOLT SHIELD PAST OR PRESENT PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL PRINT THEM ON THIS PAGE IF DEEMED APPROPRIATE.

 

1991 -  GEORGE STUART, THE FOUNDER OF THE COMPETITION DIED.

A COMPETITION IN HIS MEMORY WAS STARTED AND THE TROPHY WAS DONATED BY TREVOR RANKIN OF GREENISLAND GOLF CLUB.

 

1991 - ROY GABBEY, CARNALEA GOLF CLUB WAS THE FIRST WINNER OF THE SILVER MEDAL.

 

2009 -  DERMOT HOEY PLAYED FOR ROYAL BELFAST AGAINST LARNE ON THE 26th MAY 2009 46 YEARS AFTER MAKING HIS DEBUT FOR SHANDON PARK WHEN HE WAS "A STRIP OF A LAD", IN 1963 WHEN THE COMPETITION WAS FOUNDED

 

2009 - STEVIE MULLEN PLAYING FOR LOUGHGALL AGAINST CITY OF BELFAST AT LOUGHGALL ON THE 28th JUNE 2009, HOLED HIS TEE SHOT AT THE 3rd HOLE IN A MATCH THAT HE WON.

 

2009 - Extension completed to the Holt Shield Trophy

 

In 2007 after 44 years of competition, the Holt Shield finally ran out of space to accept any further winners’ plaques. Last year, Trevor Rankin, Holt Shield chairman 1991/92 and a member of Greenisland generously donated and designed two extension shields to go along side the original shield.

The additional two shields have the capacity to record the winners for the next 38 years. Fortwilliam, winners in 2008, are the first club to have their name inscribed on a new shield.

The Holt Shield committee thank Trevor Rankin for his generosity and to Bobby Conroy, Holt Shield secretary, for arranging the designing and installation of the two centre silver plaques. Robinson Jewellers, Bangor, who supply the Holt Shield silver and bronze medals, were commissioned to make the silver plaques.

Future winning clubs are encouraged to display the shields in their entirety and to transport them with care to avoid scratching and damage.

 

2010 - ON THE 18TH APRIL 2010 LOUGHGALL'S PAUL LYNAS HAD A HOLE IN ONE AT THE 11TH HOLE DURING A HOME MATCH AGAINST KNOCK.

 

2010 - ON THE 25TH APRIL 2010 FORTWILLIAM' S STEPHEN BENSON HAD A HOLE IN ONE AT THE 10TH DURING A HOME MATCH AGAINST CLANDEBOYE.  STEPHEN ALSO HAD A HOLE IN ONE  IN A CLUB COMPETITION ON THE 10TH APRIL 2010 AT THE 12TH HOLE.  TWO IN TWO WEEKS, NOT BAD.

 

2011 - SHANDON PARK BRIDGED A 23 YEAR GAP BY WINNING THE HOLT SHIELD THIS YEAR.

IN DOING SO THEY HAVE EQUALLED FORTWILLIAMS RECORD OF SIX WINS.

 

2012 - FORTWILLIAM MADE IT A HISTORIC SEVENTH WIN BY DEFEATING LISBURN IN THE FINAL. THIS CONTINUED THEIR REMARKABLE RECORD OF REACHING SEVEN FINALS IN TEN YEARS, WINNING FOUR OF THEM. WITH A TOTAL OF SEVEN WINS, FORTWILLIAM MOVE AHEAD OF SHANDON PARK ON THE ALL-TIME WINNER'S LIST.

 

2015 - SCOTT MALCOLM OF DUNMURRY HAD A HOLE IN ONE AT 9TH HOLE AT WHITEHEAD GOLF CLUB.

 

2016 - 24TH APRIL - KIRK McGREGOR OF CARNALEA HAD A HOLE IN ONE AT 15TH HOLE DURING A HOME MATCH AGAINST BALLYCLARE.

 

2016 - THE LAST 16 MATCH BETWEEN CARRICKFERGUS AND DONAGHADEE BECAME THE LONGEST EVER HOLT SHIELD MATCH. BRETT BORKOWSKI (DONAGHADEE) BEAT DREW MEEK (CARRICKFERGUS) AT THE THIRD EXTRA HOLE AFTER BOTH SIDES HAD FINISHED LEVEL ON FIVE MATCHES APIECE. THIS WAS EQUALLED IN THE QUARTER FINAL MATCH BETWEEN CARNALEA AND SHANDON WHEN JEFF WINTER (CARNALEA) WON AT THE THIRD EXTRA HOLE AT SHANDON.

 

2017 - FORTWILLIAM'S TEAM CAPTAIN PAUL MAGUIRE HAS NOW PLAYED IN TEN HOLT SHIELD FINALS, WINNING FIVE OF THEM. A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT WHICH WE BELIEVE TO BE UNSURPASSED.

 

2019 - ROYAL BELFAST'S STAN CRAIGS SCORED A HOLE-IN-ONE AT THE 17TH AT ROYAL BELFAST, IN THEIR MATCH AGAINST ROCKMOUNT WHICH HELPED HIS TEAM TO A 4-1 VICTORY.

 

2021 - 12 YEAR OLD SCOTT MCCABE FROM MASSEREENE SCORED A HOLE IN ONE IN HIS MATCH AT THE 13TH HOLE AT BALMORAL. HE FOLLOWED IT UP WITH A BIRDIE TWO AT THE NEXT HOLE WHERE HE HIT HIS TEE SHOT TO A FOOT FROM THE HOLE. HE WENT ON TO WIN HIS MATCH 3&2.

 

2024 - SCRABO PLAYER AARON KELLY MADE HIS FIRST EVER HOLE IN ONE IN HIS HOLT SHIELD MATCH AT ORMEAU. HIS ACE CAME AT THE 4TH HOLE ON THE COURSE, THE SECOND TIME AROUND (13TH). HE HAD LEARNED FROM HIS PREVIOUS EFFORT AT THE HOLE. HE HAD HIT IT OUT OF BOUNDS! UNFORTUNATELY IT WASN'T QUITE ENOUGH FOR HIM TO WIN HIS MATCH BUT HE CERTAINLY WON'T FORGET IT!


2024 - THE QUARTER FINAL MATCH BETWEEN ORMEAU AND SCRABO WENT TO THE FOURTH EXTRA TIE HOLE BEFORE SCRABO WERE VICTORIOUS, THUS BECOMING THE LONGEST EVER HOLT SHIELD MATCH.