One of the most powerful men in the golf industry and a number of entertaining golf content creators will be featured at the 42nd Play Golf Myrtle Beach World Amateur Championship.
The tournament has more than 2,900 registrants from 47 states and 18 countries, including about 30 players from Portugal, and is being played Aug. 25-29 on nearly 60 Grand Strand courses.
United States Golf Association (USGA) chief executive officer Michael Whan will be attending the World’s Largest 19th Hole at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center following the first round on Monday, Aug. 25.
“We’re excited to have him here for the event. It’s pretty cool,” tournament director Ryan Hart said.
Whan is expected to take part in an onstage roundtable discussion and be a guest on the Katrek & Maginnes on Tap show on SiriusXM satellite radio, which is being broadcast live nightly from 5-7 p.m. on the main stage in the convention center and features hosts Brian Katrek and John Maginnes.
Hart said tournament operator Golf Tourism Solutions hopes Whan’s visit this year might lead to a cooperative relationship between GTS and the USGA regarding the tournament.
“We would love to have the USGA be a part of it,” Hart said. “We’re using their handicap system to run the golf tournament, and having them as a partner in any way, shape or form just gives you more and more credibility, right? . . . Having him come is a big deal.”
The members of St. André Golf and Bryan Bros Golf will be at the convention center during the event as well, entertaining players and likely filming content, and former Golf Channel personality Charlie Rymer is also appearing.
The 19th hole, which features food, cocktails and an expo, is essentially being hosted this year by St. André Golf. The Atlanta-based comedy troupe has social media content creators, including co-founder Aaron Chewning, that produce golf-related sketch comedy videos.
Both St. André and the Bryan brothers – Wesley and George – have partnered this year with GTS, the marketing, technology and event operations agency that promotes the Myrtle Beach market, to film content that promotes the golf market.
The Bryan brothers have 658,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel, 368k followers on Instagram, 58k on X and 30k on Facebook.
St. André Golf has 174,000 subscribers to its YouTube channel, 460k followers on Instagram, 154k on Facebook and 19k on X.
19th hole changes
The configuration of the 19th hole is being completely rearranged.
“It has been pretty much rinse and repeat over the past decade,” Hart said. “Nothing on the floor is going to be in the same place as it’s been in the past. One thing we’re doing is bringing back the indoor par-3, I think that’s going to be a big hit this year.”
Much of what has been done in previous years on the main stage is being done in the ballroom where bands have traditionally played, and will be broadcast on large screens in the main convention center hall.
Four bands over four nights have played in the ballroom over the last several years, but this year the Crocodile Rocks dueling pianos performers will play Tuesday night, and Wednesday night will be karaoke. Bands will play Monday and Thursday.
“We’re trying to just make a bunch of different changes this year,” Hart said. “Having Crocodile Rocks in there I think is going to be a big hit. I think our people are going to love it and I love the fact that they’re local and it kind of pitches something local.”
The World Am has a pair of corporate partners that will be active at the 19th hole in PGA Tour Superstores and GolfPass, the Golf Channel-affiliated membership program that combines golf content, instruction, and tee time booking in one platform.
“One of the big things we’ve done is we’re kind of moving away from this whole, ‘Hey we’ve got a zillion sponsors’ model and we’re going to have proud partners is what it’s called, because it’s not a sponsorship it’s more of a partnership between us and them to make everybody’s experience better while promoting each other at the same time,” Hart said.
The 19th hole will also include a long putt contest, golf simulators, games and activities.
Numerous masseuses have been available at the 19th hole in recent years, and that concept is expanding with the creation of the ‘Recovery Zone,’ which will include masseuses, and massage and recovery products from the companies Human Touch and Hyperice.
“It will be a whole section to where you can rejuvenate for the next day,” Hart said.
The tournament features flights within numerous divisions that include different genders, age groups and handicaps, along with gross divisions and a just-for-fun division that isn’t involved in the competition. Players in that division can create their own foursomes for each round.
There is a welcome party at The Hangout in Broadway at the Beach on Sunday, Aug. 24 before the first round.
There are still five men who have participated in the first 41 World Ams and are entered again this year.
“These guys, as long as they can come, they’re coming,” Hart said. “They’re pumped about it. They all just love the atmosphere and camaraderie that is part of the event.”
