Seaton Carew Golf Club captain Phil Cain bursting with pride as English Amateur Championship arrives in the North East

The tournament, which has been won by the likes of Nick Faldo, Paul Casey, Danny Willett and Tommy Fleetwood in the past, has never been held as far north as Hartlepool, which boasts a rich and storied golfing history.

This week, some of the country's most promising golfers are descending on the town to battle it out for one of the most vaunted prizes in amateur golf.

The event will be hosted by Seaton Carew and Hartlepool golf clubs, with two days of stroke play split between the two courses before the remaining 64 men and 32 women compete across four days of match play as they bid to become the next English amateur champion and, in turn, one of the sport's hottest prospects.

For Phil Cain, who joined Seaton when he was just eight after receiving a membership as a Christmas present in 1978, the arrival of the prestigious event has been years in the making.

The coming of the English Amateur to one of golf's most picturesque, challenging and historic championship links courses coincides with the club's 150th anniversary.

The course was founded in 1874 by Scotsman Dr Duncan McCuaig, a talented golfer and, at the time of his relocation from Edinburgh to Teeside, a newly qualified surgeon.

To his dismay McCuaig, who won the gold medal at St Andrew's in 1867 and 1869, discovered there were no courses anywhere in County Durham or North Yorkshire and, after some careful negotiations with the local livestock farmers, set about establishing the Durham & Yorkshire Golf Club, later renamed Seaton Carew.

The current layout also owes something to another of golf's two greatest architects, with Dr Alister MacKenzie, who went on to design the world-famous Augusta National, adding five new holes and adjusting the 17th, which has since become Seaton's signature, in the 1920s.

In the 1970s Frank Pennink, renowned for his work on the likes of Royal Liverpool, Royal St George's and Woburn, designed four new holes which have since been used when Seaton has hosted the Brabazon Trophy, the English Open Amateur Stroke Play Championships, and the Carris Trophy, the English Boys Amateur Stroke Play Championships.

Now, Seaton and Hartlepool are set to host the country's most famous amateur championship, breaking new golfing ground and shining a spotlight on the North East in the process.

For Cain and his fellow members that makes this week, which was first set in motion in 2021, a relentless mix of immense pride, considerable pressure and, of course, lots of hard work.

"The golf course is in magnificent condition," he said.

"My wife's in Marbella and I'm here at Seaton all week - obviously, golf is the love of my life.

"I joined the club in 1978 and, at that time, all I wanted to do was to win the club championship.

"I managed to do that twice in the 90s and then I was thinking about trying to make it as a professional - I think I saved myself some money by never following through on that.

"Now, here I am, coming up to 46 years later, representing the club on this momentous occasion, hosting this fantastic event on our 150th anniversary."

Indeed, Seaton's road to hosting the English Amateur, following in the fairways of the likes of Wentworth, Woburn and Royal Liverpool, has been a long and painstaking process.

Course manager Tom Coulson, who began his greenkeeping career just down the road at Cleveland Golf Club, has made Seaton his second home in order to ensure the course is in pristine condition ahead of one of the most momentous weeks in its history.

"This doesn't happen in a week or a month." Cain said.

"It takes years and years and years.

"The course is always in good condition, but now it's in what I would term Open Championship condition.

"I've been very fortunate to play all of the Open Championship courses, I've played in America and Europe, and this is right up there. It's sensational.

"Tom Coulson, who we recruited from Royal St George's, has worked tirelessly - when I say tirelessly, I'm talking 60, 70, 80 hours a week for the last four years - to get the course to where it is.

"He's built an amazing team around him, they're doing 88 hours a person this week, it just goes to show how much it means to us all."

Cain knows all about what the competitors, including a number hailing from the local area, will be going through this week, having played in the competition in the early 90s.

He said: "It's all about preparing yourself mentally.

"It's an old saying, but it's true, that 80 to 90 per cent of golf is played between the ears.

"It's a static sport, the little white ball is not going to move until you hit it.

"Of course, you miss a four footer at the first and guess what you've got at the second.

"I got knocked out by Paul Page, who went on to play in the Walker Cup and actually beat Tiger Woods, so that's not a bad claim to fame."

For both Seaton and Hartlepool, the week promises to propel the town and their respective golf clubs - two of the finest in England - into the sporting spotlight, with huge potential for further progress, both on and off the course.

"I'm not sure the town understands how important as a tourist attraction the club is," Cain said.

"People are travelling here, staying here and spending their money here.

"The exposure will spill out to the local community, to the local area and local businesses."

Both Seaton Carew and Hartlepool are encouraging people to come along, check out the course and take in the competition on what is sure to be a memorable and momentous week for the area.