Seaton Carew: The unlikely capital for a golf hole in one

If you are still looking for your first hole-in-one then Seaton Carew Golf Club might be worth a visit after a recent hot streak!

Getting an ace has always been seen by many average golfers as the pinnacle of their golfing career, after all the odds for achieving it are reckoned to be 12,500 to 1, writes Paul Fraser.

And over the course of an 11-day run in August there was a staggering five hole-in-ones recorded by club members at the historic links by the North Sea.

“It was a staggering period. As a club I don’t think we have ever known anything like it,” said club secretary Roy Leonard.

“Seaton celebrates its 150th year in 2024 and we have some long-standing members here who can’t remember anything quite like it.”

The incredible run of good fortune started on August 18 when David Goodchild holed out at the 15th hole, known as Cosy Corner, using a three wood.

Just two days later Carl Mason scored his first ever ace in 40 years as a member at Seaton Carew at the sixth (Mashie) with a seven-iron.

The 70-year-old, whose handicap peaked at seven before he started to suffer from frozen shoulders, said, smiling: “All I said to the three guys who witnessed it on the adjacent tee was ‘now I can die a happy man!’

“I have been on the edge of the hole on the 15th before, waiting for it to drop, and that was around 20 years ago. I just thought it would never happen.

“This time I decided to go out on my own for a knock before I played a competition. My shot was going towards the bunker, I didn’t see it bounce, and when I was walking towards the hole, it was blowing a gale.

Golf hole in one feats at Seaton Carew: ‘To say the Scotch has been flowing freely is a bit of an understatement’

“The ball must have been resting against the flag and as soon as the wind picked up it moved the flag and the ball dropped in. The three lads shouted hole-in-one – I’m a bit deaf so I couldn’t hear. I couldn’t believe it.”

The trend continued five days later when former Hartlepool United footballer Barry ‘Badger’ Parkes, now aged 83, struck the NINTH ace of his 46 years as a member with his five-wood on the sixth.

“All of them have been at Seaton Carew,” said Barry, who reached a five handicap at his peak.

“I feel so privileged to have hit nine when a lot of people haven’t even had one, I am a lucky so-and-so because the ball just keeps dropping in!

“I can’t remember too many of them, but I do want to hit 10 now because double figures would be amazing – like my good friend John Hall.

“I’m also so privileged to play at Seaton, one of the best and oldest courses in the UK. I love being part of the community – and it is most unusual to hear about all these hole-in-ones.”

Sean Cussons became the fourth member of this illustrious group to hole out at Mashie, using a nine-iron on August 28.

And the final member of the quintet was Peter Fearon when he got the fourth ace of his career and the first in a competition. That was also on Mashie and his club of choice was a five-iron.

Roy added: “To say the Scotch has been flowing freely at Seaton Carew is something of an understatement as ‘putting a bottle on the bar’ is the recognised way of celebrating such an achievement. Congratulations all round and cheers lads!”

The five golfers still have work to do to catch former Seaton Carew club captain John Hall, Barry’s long-term pal. John’s tenth hole-in-one since joining as a member in 1953 was recorded earlier this year.

For further information about Seaton Carew, visit the club’s website.

Now have your say

What do you think? Can your club match Seaton Carew’s flurry of holes-in-one? Why not let me know by leaving a comment on X, formerly known as twitter.