Seascale Golf Club

Seascale Golf Club, five miles south of Whitehaven, fits neatly into a small area, overlooked by the Sellafield Power Station, but providing views of the Isle of Man and the Lakeland Hills in keeping with the popular perception of the beautiful county that is Cumbria on the North West Coast of England, Wordsworth Country.

Founded in 1893, the course covers less than a hundred acres without giving the impression of one hole encroaching on another. The links are the design of Willie Campbell and George Lowe.

Whilst not long by modern standards, Seascale encompasses a varied terrain at different levels without testing the golfer's fitness. It rises on the 1st and continues down the inland side of the course.

The 3rd provides the first panoramic view from a high tee, as the course continues northwards until the par five 7th turns in the opposite direction. The 8th is a long par three followed by the 9th, the only hole played directly towards the sea. Driving from a high tee, the line is straight at the Isle of Man.

The more memorable holes are on the back nine, starting with the short par three 10th, where a stream provides a hazard, as it does again on the 13th. In between are two par fours, one measuring 468 yards then a shorter two-shotter in the opposite direction.

However, the real test is to come. The par four 16th measures 471 yards with more defences that its mere length. The 17th tee overlooks the beach and the drive over a high hill requires accuracy for an ideal position for a long second shot into the green.

The 18th is ten yards shorter than the penultimate hole at 334 yards and the main challenge here is the enormous, L-shaped home green, where several pin positions can give the golfer one final problem – how do I get from the front round a corner to the hole?

The lasting impression is of having played eighteen holes of interest and variety – a very good partner to Silloth, further north up the Cumbrian Coast.