Seaham Golf course is located on the coast in the North-East of England, about 6 miles south from Sunderland and within easy reach from the A19.
With five par 3’s and three par 5’s, it is a true test of golf for everyone, especially when it’s windy.
Seaham Golf Club was officially opened on 11th May 1911 by Mrs. Luke Dillon. Back then it was a 95 acre course which only measured 2,700 yards in length.
The first club professional was a Mr. Wallace Brown who had laid out a good temporary 9 holes, was expected to complete the remaining 9 holes and merge the two sets together, within the 6 months that followed.
The Clubhouse, which initially catered for 173 gentlemen, and 52 lady members, was described as ‘substantial and convenient’ for a club in those days. These prominent members of the club were either agents or senior employees of the Londonderry companies, as well as several local doctors and clergymen.
In those days, it was the Dillon family that took much of the credit for promoting the club during the days when Luke Dillon chaired the board of directors. The club then went through all of the legal proceedings to make itself a limited company, with the president evidently being the Marquess of Londonderry. But it was Lord Londonderrys generous donation of 100 guineas that was indeed a handsome gift which set the club on the road.
Nowadays, the course boasts a length of just over 6000 yards with Scratch set at 68.
Current membership statistics show that Seaham has around 400 Gentlemen and 20 Lady members but we would love to have more.
The Future
Course improvements are on-going. There is always on-going work at the Club to gradually improve the facilites and the course for Members and guests. Over the last few years much work has been done in specific areas to redefine and shape holes, tee boxes enlarged and levelled, bunkers renovated and reshaped, along with the work on the Greens to improve the grass types.
As well as these improvements, the watering system was installed at the beginning of 2005 to maintain the the constant quality of the greens and fairways throughout the years, and over the winter months of the last few years, a lot work has been done to redefine and maintain the quality of numerous bunkers. Much credit for this continuous work must go to Dave Sharkey and the rest of his green-keeping staff who are doing an excellent job.
In 2011 we completely upgraded our locker room as part of ongoing work on improving the Clubhouse.
For the beginning of the 2012 season, over 50 trees were planted on the course, with many of these being lined down the right hand side of the 1st fairway. This will not only help toughen the hole up, but also improve ‘the look’ of the hole as the trees will eventually hide the plantation storage units. The practice putting green has also been extended in order to provide more room for members on competition mornings and this area has been lined with small conifers.
Conifers were added to screen the 2nd and 3rd Tee areas and now more have been planted round the 17th Tee.
During the winter of 2014, the Practice area has been provided with a ‘chipping practice area’ and improved bunker practice facility. Also new Tee Boxes have been laid out for the 5th and 6th. The 5th on Yellow Tees is now a Par 5.