Golf Club - Link to The Past

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Seaham GC was opened in 1911 and as far as we knew has a "nice" history, nothing special, produced a few County Champions in its day.

On monday we received a Poppy Flag from The British Legion asking us to use it on our 16th in Commemoration of 100yrs since The Battle of The Somme and also in memory of one our Professional's Michael Moran who died on 10th April 1918 whist serving in the 7th Bn The Royal Irish Regiment.

I've done a bit of research and it turns out Michael Moran was the Irish Champion 5 years in a row between 1909-1913 and in 1913 became our Pro, he is known as one of the pioneers of Irish Golf, finishing 3rd at Royal Liverpool in 1913.

He played in The Open 6 times, his last being in 1914 at Prestwick.

He is buried at Le Cateau Military Cemetary in Northern France.

Members of the Irish PGA still compete for The Moran Cup and the 14th at Royal Dublin Links is named Moran's in his honour

So what about your club? Any hidden stories out there?
 
We have a club museum and full time Archivist who runs it. The current course was laid out in 1887, but golf was played along the beach there for over 2 hundred years.

must have a look in the museum one day, as Ive never been in before
 
At the time of year we look towards remembrance, it has to be an interesting display we have in the main lounge. Two members of the Club won the Victoria Cross, one in France during the First World war and the other piloting a "flying boat" during the Second World War. The display has their photographs and replicas of their awards. I briefly met the WW2 recipient at one of our Centenary events in 2007, a very humbling experience.
Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sasson were both treated in the military hospital at Craiglockhart during WWI and walked the course during their recuperation before going back to the Front.
 
Max Faulkner was supposed to be attached to Blackmoor when he won the Open. He was only at the club a very short time, but Peter Alliss is sure he was attached when he won at Portrush in 1951.

Bobby Locke used to play at the club when in the Uk, as well as Farnham and Hankley. He donated a trophy initially to be played for at Farnham, but after playing at Blackmoor and Hankley he wanted the cup to be played on a rota basis at all three clubs. Farnham threw their toys out of the pram, and refused to play ball. Not sure what happened to the trophy, but assume Farnham kept it.

We hold the Selbourne Salver every year for top amateurs. Two recent winners played in the last Ryder Cup. Andy Sullivan, and Matt Fitzpatrick. Sullivan shot a 60 when he won, and it was Matt Fitzpatrick's first win in a senior competition. Think he was 16 at the time.

I shot my first under par 9 holes there in 1974, but can't find it mentioned in any record books.:whistle:
 
The Butten Boys
Sundridge Park was once home to an elite team of British pros who were brought together in the early 60s.

Ernest Butten, an innovator and entrepeneur, had not taken up golf until the age of 60, but within a few years he had got his handicap down to a very respectable six. He believed that anything was possible, if you had the right training and were given the time and facilities to improve.

In 1963 he decided to create an elite squad of the four players who showed the most potential. And so the 'Butten Boys' were born. Tommy Horton, Tony Martin, Jim McAlister and Sandy Wilson made up the 'A' team and they had an exclusive practice ground created for them.

Progress was slow, however, and Horton was then joined by Brian Barnes, Iain Clark, Mike Ingham and Alan Ibberson. The arrangement lasted for four years, but the continued lack of success brought it to a premature end.

The overgrown remains of the practice grounds, complete with the old metal bag stands, still exist in the woods behind the 8th tee on the West.

In 2014 the European Tour hosted a 50th Anniversary Reunion dinner in recognition of their place in golfing history. See http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/news/newsid=216039.html
 
The only notable thing I am aware about at Ellesmere is that we have a mine shaft on the course, It is claimed to be the only one in the country but it isn't, so not that notable really.
 
A Braid course. Bobby Locke was a member and it is said (perhaps imaginatively) that Gary Player played his first rounds of golf in the UK round our track when he first came to the UK and was staying with Locke. On our 9th we have an area we try and hit our tee shot to called 'Locke's Ledge' as that is where he always put his tee shot - to give the best line in to the green. Nothing much else.
 
Last edited:
richart said:
Max Faulkner was supposed to be attached to Blackmoor when he won the Open. He was only at the club a very short time, but Peter Alliss is sure he was attached when he won at Portrush in 1951.

Bobby Locke used to play at the club when in the Uk, as well as Farnham and Hankley. He donated a trophy initially to be played for at Farnham, but after playing at Blackmoor and Hankley he wanted the cup to be played on a rota basis at all three clubs. Farnham threw their toys out of the pram, and refused to play ball. Not sure what happened to the trophy, but assume Farnham kept it.

We hold the Selbourne Salver every year for top amateurs. Two recent winners played in the last Ryder Cup. Andy Sullivan, and Matt Fitzpatrick. Sullivan shot a 60 when he won, and it was Matt Fitzpatrick's first win in a senior competition. Think he was 16 at the time.

I shot my first under par 9 holes there in 1974, but can't find it mentioned in any record books.:whistle:
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I wonder what trophy that was - not sure we have it. And if we did it was stolen when we lost the lot a few years back.
 
Our course (Lee park) has two claims to fame:-

It was the Beatles first paid gig together in our lounge (me and the missus had our wedding reception in there).

Lee park was the first course to be built in either England or Britain after the war (1954).
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
I wonder what trophy that was - not sure we have it. And if we did it was stolen when we lost the lot a few years back.
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Just checked in the Farnham Centenary book, and it was sent to Blackmoor to be played for for three years, and then was to be forwarded to Hankley for another three years. I reckon Hankley have still got it. Interesting correspondence between Locke and Farnham. When he asked for the trophy to be sent to us, they did, and told him where to go !! He never played at Farnham after that.
 
My course was founded by the St Andrews Society of Golfers which then became the R&A who wanted to play more golf than the society afforded them that was in 1817 so next year is our bi centenary, we play for the Gold Medal which started in 1818 and is one of the oldest medals in golf , we play for it at the Autumn Meeting and its the best Scratch score ,one of my mates one it this year.
 
Slightly off-piste but at Camberley on Monday, we were seated for our meal with some of the members from the host club, Talking to one of the members about where I was from, he then said that his first ever golf shot was taken from there while he was on holiday about 60 years ago. It turned out that it was not our actual course but one nearby that is now a housing estate but it was a bit of a coincidence. I can't remember his name but he played to a pretty high standard and Richard Boxall used to caddy for him.
 
richart said:
Just checked in the Farnham Centenary book, and it was sent to Blackmoor to be played for for three years, and then was to be forwarded to Hankley for another three years. I reckon Hankley have still got it. Interesting correspondence between Locke and Farnham. When he asked for the trophy to be sent to us, they did, and told him where to go !! He never played at Farnham after that.
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Interesting. Mind you if it went to Hankley they won't give it up to plebs like us...never mind you lot :)
 
Wallasey GC where Bobby Jones qualified for the Open he went on to win at Royal Liverpool. His portrait is up in the lounge with the replica on display tab augusta national. Wallasey is also the home of stableford where Dr Frank Stableford invented the scoring system we have all grown to love/hate
 
Val said:
Wallasey GC where Bobby Jones qualified for the Open he went on to win at Royal Liverpool. His portrait is up in the lounge with the replica on display tab augusta national. Wallasey is also the home of stableford where Dr Frank Stableford invented the scoring system we have all grown to love/hate
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Ooh controversy, taken from the front page of The Glamorganshire website

The Glamorganshire - founded in 1890, the fourth oldest club in Wales - is steeped in history.

It was here in September 1898 that the Stableford scoring system was first tried by its creator, Dr. Frank Stableford then a member of The Glamorganshire.
Click to expand...
 
Val said:
Wallasey GC where Bobby Jones qualified for the Open he went on to win at Royal Liverpool. His portrait is up in the lounge with the replica on display tab augusta national. Wallasey is also the home of stableford where Dr Frank Stableford invented the scoring system we have all grown to love/hate
Click to expand...

Really enjoyed seeing the second hole. Its really easy to see how the idea of stableford came about. Real hard par 4 where a big slice could mean a big number early in the round.

Nice painting of Mr Jones in the clubhouse. :cool:
 
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