Seaton Carew
Founded in 1874, Seaton Carew is one of the oldest golf clubs in England and a true classic links on the County Durham coast. Reworked by the great Alister MacKenzie in the 1920s and extended by Frank Pennink to a rare 22 hole layout in the 1970s, the Old Course is a par 71 of 6,603 yards through firm fescue, sandhills and buckthorn beside the North Sea.
Photo: Seaton Carew Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Seaton Carew is the great links of the northeast, a course whose pedigree belies its relatively quiet profile. The club was founded in 1874 as the Durham and Yorkshire Golf Club, making it one of the oldest in the country, and the links was reshaped in the 1920s by Alister MacKenzie, the architect of Augusta National and Cypress Point, whose strategic eye still defines the round.
In the 1970s Frank Pennink added four holes, leaving Seaton Carew with a rare 22 hole layout that allows the club to set out the course in different configurations. Whatever the routing, the experience is pure links: firm fescue turf, classic sandhills, thickets of buckthorn and greens that demand both nerve and imagination. For golfers touring the east coast, it is the essential stop between the famous links of Scotland and Lancashire.
Seaton Carew at a glance
- Founded
- 1874
- Designer
- Alister MacKenzie, later Frank Pennink
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 6,603 yds
- Green fee
- Visitor rate
Founding, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Seaton Carew Golf Club and leading course databases. The club was founded in 1874, the links was reworked by Alister MacKenzie in the 1920s and extended by Frank Pennink in the 1970s, and the Old Course plays as a par 71 of 6,603 yards. Visitor green fees vary by season and day (indicative, 2026), so always confirm the current rate directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Seaton Carew plays as a links should. The sandy base drains fast and keeps the turf firm, so the ball runs and the wind off the North Sea is a constant partner, rewarding a flighted, controlled ball over a high one. MacKenzie's strategy is felt in the angles: a tee shot to the right side opens the green, while a lazy line leaves a far harder approach.
The buckthorn is the local hazard that visitors learn to fear, dense and unforgiving where it lines the holes, and the bunkering is placed to catch the careless rather than the merely unlucky. The greens are firm and quick, asking for an approach that lands short and runs in rather than one that tries to stop on a dime.
The closing holes are renowned, a demanding finish where the wind and the buckthorn combine to test a card to the last. With its 22 hole flexibility and its MacKenzie bones, Seaton Carew offers a links experience that the better player will want to return to again and again.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members club that welcomes visiting golfers and societies; advance booking recommended, especially at weekends and in summer |
| Green fee | Indicative visitor green fees in the region of 50 to 90 pounds depending on season and day (2026); always confirm directly before booking |
| Booking | Reserve a tee time through the golf office ahead of your visit; ask which of the 22 hole configurations is in play |
| On the day | Smart golf dress on course and in the clubhouse; trolleys and buggies available; the links walk is flat and exposed to the wind |
| Getting there | On the County Durham coast near Hartlepool, around 20 minutes from Middlesbrough and close to the A19 |
| Best months | April to October for the driest links conditions, with the North Sea wind in play year round |
Access and fee details verified June 2026; rates change by season and day, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Hartlepool and the wider Teesside area provide hotels close to the course, while Middlesbrough and the handsome town of Durham, a little further inland, add a broader choice of lodging and dining for a longer stay.
Seaton Carew makes an excellent anchor for a links tour of the east coast, pairing well with the great links further north and south, so a trip can string together MacKenzie's work here with other classic seaside courses on firm, fast ground.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Seaton Carew.
Build a County Durham golf trip
We arrange tee times at Seaton Carew, pair it with the best of the northeast coast and book the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Seaton Carew Golf Club questions
Who designed Seaton Carew Golf Club?
The links was reshaped by the celebrated architect Alister MacKenzie in the 1920s, and Frank Pennink added four further holes in the 1970s, creating a rare 22 hole layout that allows several course configurations.
What is the par and length of Seaton Carew?
The Old Course plays as a par 71 of 6,603 yards, a traditional links of dunes, fescue turf and buckthorn on firm, fast draining sandy ground.
How old is Seaton Carew Golf Club?
Seaton Carew was founded in 1874, originally as the Durham and Yorkshire Golf Club, which makes it one of the oldest golf clubs in England.
Where is Seaton Carew Golf Club?
Seaton Carew sits on the County Durham coast near Hartlepool, looking out over the North Sea, with classic links dunes between the course and the beach.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.