HOLT SHIELD – HISTORY

In 1963 George Stuart of Balmoral Golf Club had an idea to form a competition to cater for players in the 5 to 9 category.  He put this idea to George Riddell of Belvoir Park Golf Club and together they organised a meeting of interested clubs at Belvoir Park on the 4^th February 1963.  Representatives of the following clubs attended:-  Balmoral, Belvoir Park, Bangor, Carnalea, Clandeboye, Knock Scrabo and Shandon Park.

 It was decided that a competition to take the form of a league  catering for players in the 5 to 9 handicap range.  The competition would take place in the summer of 1963.  The aims of the competition to be :- “ To give more match play competition to players in the 5 to 9 range having regard to the fact that many players in this handicap bracket can only play in the Junior Cup, and for most players is a one day stroke event.

The following were elected to office :-

Chairman – Mr George Riddell, Belvoir Park Golf Club

Secretary Treasurer – Mr George Stuart, Balmoral Golf Club

A further meeting was held on the 18^th February 1963 when the format of the league was decided.  This format is still in place today.

The Secretary informed the meeting that a Major A W Holt, (thought to be from the Belvoir club) would present a shield to be played for each season.  It was agreed that the competition be called “ The Holt Shield ”.  Major Holt as a Consultant Engineer from South Belfast

Clandeboye were the first winners of the Shield, with Carnalea being runners-up.

At subsequent meetings it was agreed to allow other clubs to enter and the number of clubs rose to 32 in 1976.  It was then decided that this would be the limit.

Chairmen came and went in two year cycles but George Stuart, the Secretary, remained in office until he stood down in 1987 after 25 years.  George gave his heart and soul to make sure that the competition was successful.  Many golfers, young and old, have played “ Holt Shield “ and have gone on to become better players, some joining the professional ranks.  I am sure that all who played in the event will appreciate what George did for them when he founded the competition.

A reception was held at Shandon Park in 1987 to honour his retirement.  Representatives from all the clubs attended and George was presented with a watch, suitably engraved.

Mr Bobby Conroy, Carnalea Golf Club took over from George in 1988 and is still in office to this day.  The Holt Shield remains a most sought after trophy and one of the most popular in the golfing  calendar.  All of the main clubs in the area from Ardglass in the south, Moyola Park in the north, Cairndhu in the east and Tandragee in the west compete for the trophy.  With the opening of new clubs in recent years the number of clubs now competing is 40.  The decision of 1976 was recinded in 1996.

George sadly died in 1991 and a shield was presented by Mr Trevor Rankin of

Greenisland Golf Club to honour the memory and work George did for golf and the Holt Shield in particular.  “The George Stuart Memorial Shield” is played for annually by the current team captains.  A specially minted silver medal is presented to the winning player. The venue is chosen in alphabetical order with exceptions for special events, such as centenaries.  The first winner of the Shield was Mr Roy Gabbey from Carnalea Golf Club.  The first competition was played at Balmoral Golf Club, George’s home club.  George’s widow Evelyn attended the dinners and presented the prizes  for some years after George’s death.  Evelyn was presented with a special replica gold medal at one of her last appearances at a dinner.