Spectators are back at the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am.
After two years of holding the event without general public spectators, the band and organizers have decided to run it back and have again opened the tournament up to fans.
Tickets to attend the 28th Hootie MAM on April 15 at the Barefoot Resort Dye Club are $35 and went on sale at 10 a.m. Monday through the House of Blues ticket office and www.LiveNation.com. Organizers say the event is nearly sold out.
The Dye Club will open to spectators at 9 a.m. and shuttles will transport patrons to the course from the Alabama Theatre parking lot at Barefoot Landing.
“We’re really looking forward to it. We kind of went through an experimental phase trying to see how the operation of the event could be as smooth as possible but also trying to raise as much money as we can,” said tournament director Paul Graham. “. . . We owe it to the band and we owe it to our sponsors to try to put on the best event possible, and that’s what we’re going to continue doing.”
The charity event pairs paying amateurs with pros and celebrities.
Tournament organizers have announced the bulk of the field of celebrities and professional golfers, though a few more additions are expected in the next couple weeks.
Early commitments include first-time participants Urban Meyer, a three-time national champion college football coach, and Clinton Portis, a former Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos Pro Bowl running back.
Other commitments include Major League Baseball player and coach Jim Leyritz; former NFL players Jimbo Covert, Joe Jacoby, George Rogers, Sterling Sharp, Jonathan Ogden, Corey Miller, Olindo Mare and Jim McMahon; actresses Debbe Dunning and Paula Trickey; actors Kevin Sorbo and Donovan Carter; actors/comedians Gary Valentine and Jackie Flynn of the television show Loudermilk; and TV hosts Craig Melvin and Jay Harris.
Committed musicians include Branford Marsalis, Javier Colon, Edwin McCain, Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts and Joey Fatone of NSYNC.
Pro golfers include World Golf Hall of Fame member, 21-time PGA Tour winner, major champion and two-time U.S. Ryder Cup Team captain Davis Love III, former LPGA member Kristy McPherson of Conway, and former PGA Tour member, former Golf Channel talent and Murrells Inlet resident Charlie Rymer.
Other former PGA Tour players who have committed include Chris DiMarco, Woody Austin, Ken Duke, Tommy Gainey, Coastal Carolina alumnus Tom Gillis, Billy Hurley, Billy Kratzert, and Kyle Westmoreland, as well as 2023 LPGA Tour member Samantha Wagner.
The golf tournament will be held entirely on Monday again, as it was for 25 years before it was split into two days for the past two years.
As complicated as hosting fans can be, Graham believes the band and some regular celebrity participants missed them.
“The band themselves and other celebrities have definitely mentioned it,” Graham said. “But you kind of also go and try to put your hat on what’s the best thing for the event, and honestly over the last couple of years we’ve really just been kind of experimenting with different things.
“. . . We’re kind of going back to what we were doing before. The tournament has been incredibly successful, but I also think that with success I believe you still need to always take a look at yourself to make sure you’re doing things as good as you possibly can. So steering away from complacency is something I try to strive to do.”
The event was canceled in 2020 and ’21 due to the coronavirus pandemic, then returned without spectators. Prior to COVID, it regularly sold out with 6,000 or more spectators, often on the first day of ticket sales. Many of the attendees were guests of major sponsors, as well.
There will be fewer spectators on the course than the previously sold out events, but there will still be a “healthy” number of tickets for sale, Graham said.
Graham said the cost of the event has increased because Myrtle Beach has become more expensive during the spring break period.
Allowing spectators isn’t profitable because of insurance and the logistical costs, Graham said, and there are risks with spectators involved. But he believes they add to the overall success of the event, and large crowds are a departure from many private celebrity fundraising events.
“We can’t really charge enough to fans to cover the cost, but we decided it was better to have them. We’ll hopefully break even on it and have them enjoy the day,” Graham said. “I’m super happy that we’re able to do it and hope the folks in Myrtle Beach and fans of the band appreciate it and have a great time. All we really care about is the band, the fans and our charity, so that’s what we’re going to keep doing.”
The three-day Hootie MAM event includes sponsor and VIP outings such as a welcome party on Saturday, April 13, silent auction and pairing party gala on April 14, and concert at the House of Blues following golf on April 15.
The MAM raises money for junior golf and education charities and initiatives in South Carolina through the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation.
The event has raised more than $7 million in its 27 years and has established a $3 million endowment, according to organizers.
Volunteers are still needed, particularly for spectator transportation, and they can sign up at www.hootiegolf.com.
