Seaview (Galloway, New Jersey)

The Seaview is a golf club and resort on the East Coast of the United States, located in Galloway Township, New Jersey, north of nearby Atlantic City. The club hosted the ShopRite LPGA Classic in 1986-87, from 1998-2006 and again starting in 2010. During World War II, it hosted the PGA Championship in 1942, Sam Snead's first major title. The course also cooperates with Rutgers University on testing of new turf breeds and natural control of mosquitoes.

Seaview Golf Resort
Club information
Seaview (Galloway, New Jersey) is located in the United States
Seaview (Galloway, New Jersey)
Seaview (Galloway, New Jersey) is located in New Jersey
Seaview (Galloway, New Jersey)
Coordinates39°26′56″N 74°28′26″W / 39.449°N 74.474°W / 39.449; -74.474
LocationGalloway, New Jersey
Elevation40 feet (12 m)
Established1914; 110 years ago (1914)
TypePublic
Operated byDolce Hotels and Resorts
Total holes36
Events hosted1942 PGA Championship
ShopRite LPGA Classic
WebsiteSeaview Golf
Seaview Resort
Bay Course
Designed byHugh Wilson (1914),
Donald Ross (1915)[1],
Bob Cupp Jr. (1998)
Par71
Length6,155 yards (5,628 m)
Course rating69.5
Slope rating120[2]
Pines Course
Designed byWilliam S. Flynn and
Howard C. Toomey (1929),
William Gordon (1957),
Al Janis (1990)
Par71
Length6,731 yards (6,155 m)
Course rating72.1
Slope rating126[3]

The resort has two golf courses, Bay and Pines, and a 300-room hotel with tennis courts, swimming pools, two mini basketball courts, jogging trails, a fitness center, and a spa.[4]

On September 1, 2010, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey took ownership of the hotel and the Bay course.

On August 1, 2018, it was announced that The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey sold the club to Florida-based KDG Capital LLC for $21 million.[5]

History

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The golf club dates from 1914, when public utility magnate Clarence H. Geist founded the Seaview Country Club. The original golf course, known today as the Bay Course, was partially designed by Hugh Wilson (who also designed the two courses at Merion Golf Club). In 1915, Donald Ross completed the course by adding the sand bunkers.[6] In 1998, the course was restored by Bob Cupp Jr. to be close to the original design. Today the course plays as a par 71, 6,155 yards (5,628 m),[7] or 6,247 yards (5,712 m) from the back tees.[8] In 2006, the hole numbers were rearranged to improve logistics.[9]

In 1929, the club opened a nine-hole course designed by William S. Flynn and Howard C. Toomey. A second nine holes were built by Flynn disciple William Gordon in 1957, and the rearranged layout became known as the Pines Course. Three holes were removed in 1990 to make room for a practice facility, with replacements designed by Al Janis. Today, the course is 6,731 yards (6,155 m) from the back tees and is also a par 71.[8]

 
Seaview logo under LaSalle Hotel Property ownership

In 1984, the Marriott Corporation bought the club, and turned it into a resort open to the public.[4] Marriott sold the property to LaSalle Hotel Properties in 1998, but continued to manage it until 2009. Marriott Vacation Club owns the adjacent Fairway Villas vacation condominium complex and the Pines course, but both courses and recreational facilities are seamlessly open to guests from the hotel and the vacation club.[10] Dolce Hotels and Resorts took over management of the hotel and Troon Golf was retained to manage the golf courses.[11]

In 2009, Seaview was honored by Golfweek magazine as one of the “Best Courses You Can Play” in New Jersey, and by Golf World magazine with a 2009 Readers' Choice Award.

In July 2010, it was reported that the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey was negotiating with LaSalle Hotel Properties regarding the possible purchase of the hotel. On September 1, 2010, Stockton College finalized the deal for 20 million.[10]

Tournaments

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The Seaview Country Club hosted the 1942 PGA Championship, then a match play event. Sam Snead won the final match at 2 & 1 over Jim Turnesa to claim the first of his seven major championships. He closed out the match by holing a 60-foot (18 m) chip shot for birdie on the 35th hole.[12] A composite course was used for the event, using the front nine of the Bay Course coupled with the nine holes designed by Flynn.[8]

In 1986, the Bay Course hosted the inaugural Atlantic City Classic, an LPGA Tour event, and did so again the following year. The tournament, by then named the ShopRite LPGA Classic, returned in 1998 and remained at the club through 2006, and was revived as an annual event in 2010.

Scorecard

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Seaview Resort & Spa - Bay Course
Tee Rating/Slope 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Blue 69.5/120 357 434 484 360 301 393 190 319 476 3314 352 230 320 415 419 204 377 115 501 2933 6247
White 68.4/117 345 421 464 347 291 380 180 302 463 3193 337 221 311 401 403 193 366 104 482 2818 6011
Gold 70.4/124 293 341 394 290 255 319 110 288 411 2701 272 179 275 325 321 150 294 92 408 2316 5017
Par 4 4 5 4 4 4 3 4 5 37 4 3 4 4 4 3 4 3 5 34 71
SI 9 1 7 11 15 3 17 13 5 10 14 12 6 2 16 8 18 4

Sources:[2][13]

References

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  1. ^ "ShopRite LPGA Classic (About Us)". shopritelpgaclassic. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Course Rating and Slope Database™: Seaview Resort & Spa - Bay Course". USGA. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  3. ^ "Course Rating and Slope Database™: Seaview Resort & Spa - Pines Course". USGA. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Robinson, Tom. "The Seaview Marriott Resort Bay Course: The Past is Prelude in New Jersey". Golf Publisher Syndications. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
  5. ^ Jennings, Rob. "$21M sale ends posh golf resort dorm for these college students". NJ.com. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  6. ^ "ShopRite LPGA Classic (About Us)". shopritelpgaclassic. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  7. ^ "Course map" (PDF). ShopRite LPGA Classic. 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c Whitten, Ron. "Golf Digest Course Critic: Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa, Galloway Township, N.J." Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
  9. ^ PGA.com news services. "Mid-Course Correction". Archived from the original on 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
  10. ^ a b "Galloway Township residents worry about loss of tax revenue if nonprofit Stockton buys $16.2 million Seaview", The Press of Atlantic City, July 4, 2010.
  11. ^ "Dolce to manage historic resort Seaview"[permanent dead link], www.hotelworldnetwork.com, April 28, 2009.
  12. ^ "PGA Championship History". Retrieved 2006-11-18.
  13. ^ "Scorecard: Bay Course" (PDF). Seaview Golf. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 1, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
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