Seaham Golf Club Co Durham

Seaham Golf Club was officially opened on 11th May 1911 by a 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 club pavillion, which initially had 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 boats a length of just over 6000 yards with scratch set at 70. Current membership statistics show that Seaham has over 500 gentlemen, and over 60 lady members.