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Members Achievements

Holywood Golf Club reached the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals of the Irish Senior Cup at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club on Saturday 9th September 2023 when they went down to Co. Sligo Golf Club by 3-matches to 2-matches.
First on the tee was Scott Montgomery who lost his match against T. J. Ford by 2 and 1, he was followed by Rory Williamson who had a 3 and 1 win against Sean McLoughlin, next on the tee was James McMaster who beat Aodhagan Brady by 2 and 1, in the penultimate match Paddy Greene lost out to Ruairi O'Connor by 4 and 3 and the bottom match of Alan Watt went 3 and 2 to Barry Anderson.

Holywood Golf Club won the Final of the South Ulster Irish Senior Cup at Portstewart Golf Club on Sunday 9th July 2023 when they beat Bangor Golf Club by 3½-matches to 1½-matches.
They were led out by Scott Montgomery who beat Shea Dorman by 6 and 5, he was followed by Rory McWilliams who had a 4 and 2 win against Lewis Gowdy, next on the tee was James McMasters who halved his match against Thomas Beaumont, in the penultimate match David McGeagh lost his match against Jude Devlin by 6 and 5 and in the bottom match Alan Watt had a 3 and 2 win against Ben Beaumont.  

The Boys’ from Holywood Golf Club were Runners-Up in the Final of the Ulster Fred Daly Trophy in 2023 when they went down to Lurgan Golf Club by 3-matches to 2-matches.

Rory Williamson was selected on the Ulster Interprovincial Championship team at Moyvalley Golf Club from Tuesday 29th August to Thursday 31st August 2023.
Other members of the team were Fionn Dobbin (Malone Golf Club), Lewis Gowdy (Bangor Golf Club), Cian Harkin (Letterkenny Golf Club), James Hewitt (Tandragee Golf Club), Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park Golf Club), Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle Golf Club) and Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell Golf Club).
They were Captained by Rory Leonard (Banbridge Golf Club) and Managed by Peter Waddell (Knock Golf Club).

Garrett Daly-Shaw was the non-travelling reserve selected on the Ulster Under-16 team to participate in the Interprovincial Championships at Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club from 18th and 19st July 2022, the others on the squad were Finlay Eager (Royal Belfast Golf Club), Charlie Smyth (Slieve Russell Golf Club), Evan Hogg (Belvoir Park Golf Club), Michael Wilson (Masseereen Golf Club), Stuart Nesbitt (Royal Portrush Golf Club) and Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint Golf Club) they were managed by Tiarnan McLarnon from Massereene Golf Club and captained by Trevor Lewers from Portstewart Golf Club.

Holywood Golf Club qualifies by winning their Ulster Regional Final of the Irish Junior Cup to reach the Quarter Finals at Limerick Golf Club on Saturday 18th September 2021 when they played Rathfarnham Golf Club when they lost out by 3½ -matches to 1½ -matches.
First on the tee was Thompson Gedge who lost his match by 2-holes against Jack Byrne, the next match of Scott Templeton against Ronan Feighery was halved, in the next match of Jamie Nevin against John Staunton went 2 and 1 to the Ulster team, in the penultimate match of Ryan McClelland against David Ennis went 2-up to the South Co. Dublin team so it was all down to the bottom match when Sam Murray lost out by the finest of margins to Alex Buckley.

Rory joined the elite group of golfers who have become multiple Major winners when he added the US-PGA Championship at The Ocean Club, Kiawah Island, with a record winning margin of -13 par 8-shots ahead of his nearest rival David Lynn, on Sunday 12th August 2012.

Having won his first Major at the Congressional Country Club in 2011, in the US Open Championship, with a run-away victory creating a new record when he returned a score of 268 around one of the worlds most challenging golf courses.

Since I first saw this young man win the West of Ireland Open Championship at Rosses Point in 2005 at the tender age of 15-years, I have been saying to anybody who cared to listen “Watch Rory McIlroy, he is Irelands answer to Tiger Woods” I’m delighted to see him prove me right and look forward to seeing him win many more Majors.

The gogolfing Website would like to congratulate Rory McIlroy on being selected for the Ryder Cup Team that won against the USA in September 2010.

The Girls’ of Holywood Golf Club won the Ulster Final of the Girls Interclub Championship and made there way to Massereene Golf Club to compete in the National deciders on Tuesday 26th August 2008. They met Leinster Champions Co. Louth Golf Club, the eventual green pennant winners in the All-Ireland Semi-Final and lost out by 2-matches to 1-match.

They were led by Jessica Carty (8) who lost to Sarah Murray (5) by 3 and 1, she was followed by Siobhan Greene (12) who had a comfortable 5 and 4  win over Rebecca O'Reilly (22), in the bottom match Rebecca Tully (17) lost her match against  Emer O'Shea (35) by 2 and 1.

The gogolfing Website would like to congratulate Rory McIlroy on being selected for the Walker Cup Team that lost narlowley to the USA at Royal Co. Down Golf Club on September 8th and 9th 2007 and on being part of the victorious Irish Team that won the European Amateur Championship at Western Gailes on the Ayrshire Cost, on Saturday 7th July 2007, when they overcame a strong French team by 4 ½ matches to 2 ½ matches. Ireland had not won this Championship since 1987, the other members of the team were Jonathan Caldwell (Clandeboye Golf Club), Shane Lowry (Esker Hills Golf Club), Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge Golf Club), Simon Ward (Co. Louth), well done lads and we will continue to follow your progress in the years to come.

Congratulations to Rory McIlroy on adding the West of Ireland in 2006 and the Close Championship at the European to add to the West of Ireland 2005 and the Close Championship at Westport in 2005, a unique achievement and particularly for one so young (17 on the 4 May 2006).

Boy-Wonder Rory McIlroy having won the Irish Youths' Championship and Ulster Boys' Championship was selected to lead the Ulster team for the Boys' Interprovincial Championships at Warrenpoint from 25th to 27th August 2004.

Rory McIlroy started winning at an early age winning the Doral Junior Publix Under Tens Championship held in Florida in 1998 aged just 9! He then won the Moyola Celebrity Classic in the same year, following that he was awarded the Belfast Telegraph's Junior Golfer of the Year. He finished third in the Junior World Championships in 1998 & 1999. He also finished third in the Pepsi Little Peoples Golf Championship in 1999.

In 2002 he won the Ulster Boys Championship (U15), and was awarded the Junior Sports Personality for Irelland in 2004. He continued his success in the Ulster Boys Championship winning in 2003 and 2004, following that with the Irish Youths Championship in the same year.

He also won the Warrenpoint Scratch Cup in 2005 and the Ballyliffin Scratch Cup in 2005.

He holds Course records at Royal Portrush (61) par 72, Castlebar (66) par 72 and Oughterard (66) par 72.

H. Diamond was selected on the Irish Boy's team for the Home Internationals at Blairgoweir, Scotland in early August 2002.

Holywood won the Ulster Final of the Jimmy Bruen Shield and reached the National Finals at Newlands Golf Club. They came up against Thurles in the Final on the 22nd of September when they lost by 3 matches to 2 matches. The team was Gordon Shellard with Peter McMiller, Stephen Doherty with John Hume, Stephen Gordon with Simon Biggerstaff, Michael Dickson with Sam Gilpin and Andrew Nugent with Michael Gillen.

Prior to 2001:

Hollywood Golf Club won the All-Ireland Barton Shield in 1923.

 Hollywood won the All-Ireland Irish Junior Cup at Portstewart G. C. in 1995.

They won the All-Ireland Irish Mixed Foursomes at Athlone G. C. in 1983.

Holywood won the Ulster Cup in 1954;

Members who played representative golf for Country or Province;

J. R. Dickson represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1977 to 1980 playing 10-times won 6-matchs and lost 4-matches accumulating 12-points;

Rory McIlroy represented Ireland as a Senior International from 2005 to 2007 playing 21-times won 11-matches halved three and lost 7-matches accumulating 25-points. He represented Ireland at international Youths level from 2005 to 2006 playing 4-matches, won 3-matches and lost 1-match accumulating 6-points. He represented Ireland at Irish Boys level from 2003 to 2004 playing 16-times won 10-matches halved one and lost 5-matches accumulating 21-points. He represented Ulster in the Senior Interprovincial’s from 2005 to 2006 playing 10-times won 5-matches halved three and lost 2-matches accumulating 13-points. He represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships in 2005 playing 6-times won 2-matches halved two and lost 2-matches accumulating 6-points. He represented Ulster at the Boys Interprovincial Championships from 2003 to 2004 playing 11-times won 6-matches halved two and lost 3-matches accumulating 14-points;

James Clarke represented Ireland at international Youths level in 1999 playing 2-matches, won 1-match and lost 1-match accumulating 2-points. He represented Ireland at Irish Boys level in 1998 playing 3-times won 2-matches and lost 1-match accumulating 4-points. He represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships from 1999 to2001 playing 7-times won 1-match halved one and lost 5-matches accumulating 3-points. He represented Ulster at the Boys Interprovincial Championships from 1995 to 1997 playing 18-times won 8-matches halved three and lost 7-matches accumulating 19-points;

H. Diamond represented Ireland at international Youths level from 2004 to 2005 playing 7-matches, won 5-matches and lost 3-matches accumulating 10-points;

P. Mitchel represented Ireland at international Youths level in 1984 playing 2-matches and lost 2-matches accumulating 0-points. He represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships from 1982 to 1985 playing 14-times won 9-matches halved one and lost 4-matches accumulating 19-points;

M. Eaton represented Ireland at Irish Boys level in 1982 playing 5-times won 1-match and lost 4-matches accumulating 2-points;

J. R. Dickson represented Ulster in the Senior Interprovincial’s from 1977 to 1983 playing 33-times won 18-matches halved one and lost 14-matches accumulating 37-points;

H. M. Hadden* represented Ulster in the Senior Interprovincial’s in 1938;

S. King represented Ulster in the Senior Interprovincial’s in 1991 playing 3-times won 2-matches and lost 1-match accumulating 4-points. He represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships in 1981 playing 2-times won 0-matches and lost 2-matches accumulating 0-points;

J. Ballagh* represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships in 1962 playing 2-times;

P. Collins represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships from 1994 to1995 playing 10-times won 5-matches halved one and lost 3-matches accumulating 11-points;

H. Diamond represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships in 2005 playing 6-times won 2-matches halved one and lost 3-matches accumulating 5-points;

S. Thompson represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships in 1978 playing 3-times won 1-match and lost 2-matches accumulating 2-points;

J. Watts* represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships from 1964 to 1965 playing 4-times;

Darren McWilliams represented Ulster at the Boys Interprovincial Championships in 2000 playing 5-times won 2-matches and lost 3-matches accumulating 4-points;

Michael Yarr represented Ulster at the Boys Interprovincial Championships in 1999 playing 3-times won 1-matches and lost 2-matches accumulating 2-points;

V. McWilliams was selected on the ILGU Junior squad in November 2000;

History of Holywood

Instituted 1904 affiliated 1904

Holywood was the original site of the Royal Belfast Golf Club in 1881. It had to relocate in 1892 as the primary purpose of the land was as a military rifle range.

Golf was revived at Holywood in 1904, when Mr. J. K. Stephen, the Captain in 1912, with other local gentlemen, leased land from Mr. Henry Harrison. Mr. Harold Reade, three times Irish Close Champion together with C. S. Butchart, the professional at Royal Co. Down, laid out the original nine-hole course. The club had 212 members in 1905 and had a surplus of £12.15 shillings.

The club became a limited company in 1923 and bought extra ground for £6,000 and extended to eighteen-holes. A new clubhouse was built, which was burned down in October 1945, resulting with the loss of the early records. The first Captain was H. L. Garrett.

What the Club tells us: