Seaview Marriott Resort

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The Seaview Marriott Resort is a golf club in Absecon, New Jersey. The club hosted the ShopRite LPGA Classic in 1986-87 and again from 1998-2006, and also held the 1942 PGA Championship. The course also cooperates with Rutgers University on testing of new turf breeds and natural control of mosquitoes.

The resort has two golf courses, known as the Bay and Pines Courses. The resort also has a 300-room hotel, as well as tennis courts, swimming pools, two mini basketball courts, jogging trails, a fitness center, and a spa.^[1]

[edit] History

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) and opened in 1915. The following year, Donald Ross completed the course by adding the sand bunkers. 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, 6,247 yards from the back tees.^[2] In 2006, the hole numbers were rearranged to improve logistics.^[3]

In 1929, the club opened another course of nine holes designed by William S. Flynn and Howard C. Toomey. A further 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 from the back tees and is also a par 71.^[2]

The Seaview Country Club hosted the 1942 PGA Championship, when the tournament was still conducted by match play, with Sam Snead defeating Jim Turnesa 2 & 1 to claim his first major championship, closing out the match by holing a 60-foot chip shot for birdie on the 35th hole.^[4] A composite course was used for the event, using the front nine of the Bay Course coupled with the nine holes designed by Flynn.^[2]

In 1984, the Marriott Corporation bought the club, and turned it into a resort open to the public.^[1]

In 1986, the club 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 when the event folded. The Bay Course was used to hold this event.