In 1914, after getting frustrated over a lengthy wait to get on the first tee at a local golf club, Philadelphia businessman Clarence H. Geist made the decision to launch a private golf club of his own. He opened both the Bay Course and the original clubhouse in November of that year, with the official opening occurring on January 9, 1915, at the new Seaview course, followed by Seaview’s first tournament the next week.
The opening was covered in the February 1915 issue of The American Golfer by the distinguished golf writer and course designer Albert Warren Tillinghast. According to his piece, Tillinghast was impressed to see midwinter play in the North and admired the good quality and contours of the greens. Upon touring the clubhouse, he was charmed by the spacious rooms and harmonious decor, even choosing to stay for dinner and dancing later that night. In summary of his experience, Tillinghast wrote, "The evening was one which Seaview would long remember," and he was right—we continue to celebrate our grand history to this day.
