(December 22, 2023) – Dave Seaman began his journey with the Connecticut State Golf Association 42 years ago. That journey culminated at the 2023 CSGA Annual Awards Dinner at TPC River Highlands when Seaman was honored with the Distinguished Service Award.
Seaman first began working with the CSGA when as a member of the board and later as the president of New Haven Country Club he collaborated with the organization. Gradually over time, his involvement with the CSGA increased. In 1981 Seaman began volunteering for the CSGA and then in 2000, he joined the staff as controller, a position he would hold for 23 years.
“I was very happy when I found out I was being honored with the Distinguished Service Award,” Dave Seaman said. “I was aware this award wasn’t given every year, just once in a while. When I became aware I was very pleased and happy. I have spent many years associated with the CSGA on a volunteer basis and as the controller and I was very appreciative of the award.”
In life, proximity is often everything. Seaman grew up in Hamden and by chance, his childhood home was located only a mile from New Haven CC. Growing up Seaman wasn’t a member of the club but eventually, he learned that you could make some money at the club as a caddie.
“I started working as a caddie on a regular basis,” Seaman explained. “I would get there by walking or hitchhiking to the club. At that point, I became interested in golf and worked there for many years on a regular basis and earned some money and became interested in the sport.”
After graduating high school Seaman attended Providence College graduating in 1960 with a degree in accounting. Following college Seaman returned to Hamden and began working as a CPA for the T. M. Byxbee Company in 1961, a company he worked for full-time until 2000 when reduced his hours while still retaining a small group of longtime clients.
A short time after Seaman began working at the T. M. Byxbee Company he became a member of the club that had introduced him to the game of golf. After joining New Haven CC Seaman became involved in the club, joining the board and eventually becoming president in 1985. As a member of the board, Seaman met then CSGA tournament director Martin J. Moraghan, the father of current executive director Mike Moraghan. Those interactions led to Seaman volunteering with the CSGA and eventually when the opportunity presented itself to the staff in 2000 when the controller position became available.
All the while as Seaman was working for the T. M. Byxbee Company and eventually the CSGA and the First Tee of Connecticut in the same position he and his wife Betsy were raising their children David, Jr. and Libby and traveling the world. Seaman’s travels brought him to more than 200 different golf clubs across the globe and it also led to his membership with the R&A.
“My wife and I would make trips around the world every year and at some point we went to St. Andrews, Scotland and there was an old-time Connecticut lawyer who was the U.S. representative for the R&A,” said Seaman. “He was the guy in charge of the applications to get into the R&A and at certain point I became aware of him and I put my application in.”
The application was accepted in the early 1980s and Seaman would go over every year to compete in the annual meeting competition. The competition would go on for 2-3 weeks and it would include both team and singles matches. Always a memorable trip one year stands out amongst the rest, that was the year that Seaman got the better of James Bond in a singles match.
“Every year you would play your singles matches and one year I faced Sean Connery who was also a member of the R&A and he was Sir Sean Connery because he had been knighted,” Seaman reminisced.
Through the first 16 holes, Connery was in control leading 2 up. However, the tides turned on the infamous Road Hole at the Old Course. Needing to work some late magic Seaman caught fire with the putter rolling in putts on Nos. 17 and 18 to tie the match and then again on No. 1 to win the match on the first extra hole.
“I out-putted him the last three holes and it was just one of those things,” said Seaman. “After the match we went in and I bought him a drink and then he left to go out to dinner with his wife and his pal who had been waiting for us to finish because he had to play the extra hole match with me.”
For Seaman, a golf lifer, his match with Sir Sean Connery, his two career hole-in-ones including one on the downhill par-3 ninth at New Haven CC, and his time with the CSGA are just a few of the many chapters of his story with many chapters still to follow.
“Everything in general is fine with me as far as my health,” said Seaman. “I just keep rolling along. Both of my children live fairly close so I visit them on a regular basis and I have seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild so I spend a lot of time keeping track of them.”
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut State Golf Association functions as an extension of the USGA and provides stewardship for amateur golf in Connecticut. Founded in 1899, it is the country’s oldest state golf association and conducts over 60 Championships, Qualifiers, and One Day Tournaments throughout the year.
