IN 2023, Cliftonville hosted the Belfast and District Veterans League.
The league exists to promote the game of golf, camaraderie, good competition and to support a charity. Any player over 60 years of age qualifies for selection by each club.
The league comprises the following fourteen golf clubs affiliated with the Golfing Union of Ireland: Balmoral, Bangor, Belvoir, Clandeboye, Cliftonville, Donaghadee, Dunmurry, Helen’s Bay, Holywood, Knock, Malone, Royal Belfast, Scrabo, Shandon.
The league starts in March and concludes at the end of September with a Finals Day shotgun start for the 14 clubs in a 4-Ball Better-Ball competition followed by lunch, speeches, passing on of the Shield, and most importantly the presentation of a cheque to the nominated charity.
This year the League was won by Malone with 34 points, Belvoir finished second with 33 points and Cliftonville finished a respectable third place with 29 points. Finals day was planned for September 28 but had to be cancelled due to weather conditions. The presentation of the cheque took place on September 29.
Convenors from Cliftonville, Malone, Clandeboye, Holywood, and Knock, together with Cliftonville Club Captain, John Duddy, presented Mervyn Bryans, Prostate Cancer UK, with a cheque to the value of £20,408 gathered from the contributions from all 14 clubs.
This brings the 2023 season to a successful close and we look forward to Malone Golf Club hosting the event in 2024.
