Each year 3000 or so obsessed linksters from around the world make their way to the Grand Strand to play in the grandest “Every Man” amateur event in existence, the aptly named Myrtle Beach World Am. Over sixty different competitive handicap flights compete for the chance to be crowned as the World Am Champion. Dozens of courses from the greater Myrtle Beach area host the event that also includes gross (scratch) flights in Mens, Senior Men and Women’s divisions.
In my maiden voyage in the event, I competed in the 50-59 gross division. Every flight gets its own course assignments for the 72 hole event, we played at Myrtlewood, River Hills, Diamond Back and at the newly renovated Nicklaus Signature course – Pawley’s Plantation located at the south end of the low country coastline.
After each days play, at 6pm the event becomes a massive celebration of the game of golf at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. A different theme of food selection with 13 different stations around the convention center is set up by local eateries to show off their brand of cuisine. During the week of play and since arriving home, several people have reached out via social media to ask about the World Am . . . here’s a few pointers for first timers:
- Temper the expectations for your scores, tournament play is a completely different game from what we normally play at home. Preferred lies, gimme putts and the casual nature of normal play is nothing like the intensity of stroke play under the microscope. I went in with a rusty game – not expecting a stellar performance . . . telling myself before the week started, “nobody cares if you shoot 70 or 90”, and my results tested that theory. A four birdie even par 72 in round 1 was what I hoped for, but honestly didn’t expect. In rd2, several bad bounces, 3 putts and a few penalty strokes led to a “Duper”(85). Rounds 3 & 4 didn’t go much better, but somehow managed to hang in there to finish tied for 10th in the Senior Men’s Gross (Scratch) division. In that division every competitor is worthy of producing a solid round, the bigger issue is consistency. Another example of the volatility – 1st round leader Greg Moore fired an impressive 68, and a “Nat Moore” in round 3 (89) to take himself out of contention. The event’s ethos is centered around camaraderie and enjoyment, so once the scorecards are signed and turned in, the vibe shifts to the evenings events at the 19th hole party.
- There are over five dozen handicap (net) flights to play in, and a “Just For Fun” division – ideal for those recreational golfers who just want to play the courses and be a participant in the event. On the serious side, there is a handful of Scratch division flights for the most skilled players who want to compete at the World Am.
- The conditions in Myrtle Beach in August are hot and humid! So make sure you have multiple pairs of golf shoes, gloves and towels that are essential for long rounds in sticky weather. Although we didn’t get any rain, the southeast part of the country is known for summer storms . . . so bring the umbrella too.
- Location, location, location. Since each days play is spread out throughout the Grand Strand region, it’s best to stay somewhere centralized near the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, not only to minimize driving each morning for your scheduled tee time, but it’s also where the 19th Hole party is located. The World Am 19th hole is a true haven after your long day competing on the links – featuring open bar, food and golf product vendors for all of the participants. Each night features a different menu than the day before. Each event participant gets a guest pass to bring a friend along.
- Here a brief recap video of the 2024 event: https://myrtlebeachworldamateur.com/2024-world-am-recap-video/
The World Am is a must attend experience, the golf was memorable and several new friendships were made . . .
For more info: https://myrtlebeachworldamateur.com/
