David wins the Hilden Cup as finals bring the summer season to a close

Hilden Cup

The Hilden Cup is the oldest trophy in the club having been presented in 1906.

This year’s final was a meeting between David McCallister (7), one of the most consistent golfers in the club and Alan Gilmore (18), a regular match winner on the club’s Ulster Fourball Team. It was always going to be a difficult task for David having to give away 11 shots.

Colin Hill holds the flag as Alastair Symington putts on the ninth green in the Musgrave Cup final.

The match was very close all through with neither player getting more than one hole ahead.

lan was one up after eight,but David won the ninth to be all square again, That score remained until hole 14 where Alan again went one up.

David won the next two holes to take a one hole lead. After halving hole 17, David hit the flag on hole 18 with his six iron tee shot which rebounded 20 feet away. Alan managed to halve the hole but David was the match winner one up.

Scratch Cup

Craig Cup Finalists Ivor Walker and David Payne set off on the first hole of the Craig Cup Final.

Norman McNellis reached the final of the club’s Scratch Cup at the end of his second season at the club.

In his semi-final, against 13 year old Aaron Marshall, the tie was level after 18 holes and Norman just won on the first tie hole.

In the final, his opponent was Paul Grant a four times winner of the trophy. Norman was three up at the turn. He won the tenth to go four up. Paul won the par 5 hole 14 to reduce the lead to three but Norman came back immediately to win the next hole and take the match.

Musgrave Cup

Scratch Cup Finalists Paul Grant and Norman McNellis on the fifth green.

Alastair Symington (5) was getting concerned that he hadn’t won a club trophy this year but his concerns were soon alleviated after playing the front nine in 34 strokes to be seven up against Colin Hill (12).

Colin won hole 10, but his recovery was only short lived as Alastair took the next two holes finishing with a birdie four at hole 12. Colin was unlucky to meet Alastair in such good form and had no answer to Alastair’s “McIlroyesque” approach to this final.

McKee Cup (Hcp 14+)

Richard McDermott (5) semi-final winner over Gary Campbell and Chris Budd (9), semi-final winner over Finn McCrory, met in the final.

McKee Cup Finalists Richard McDermott congratulates Chris Budd on the 18th green.

Chris was one up after nine holes. He took it to two with his additional stroke at hole 11 but then Richard fired birdies at the two par five holes in the back nine to square the match.

Another birdie at hole 15 put Richard one up only for Chris to square the match again with his additional stroke at hole 17. When Richard hit a wayward tee shot at hole 18, he left the door open for Chris who holed out for a three to win the match.

Craig Cup (Hcps 15-28)

The Craig Cup is the club’s second oldest trophy, having been presented in 1908.

Ivor Walker (15) got off to a quick start against David Payne (16) winning the first three holes.

David managed to get one back at the short fourth. Ivor won the eighth and David won the ninth leaving Ivor two up. David was a bit wayward off the tee and Ivor took the first three holes in back nine to go five up after 12. Halving the next two holes was enough to give Ivor victory.