MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina – How Myrtle Beach earned the nickname “Golf Capital of the World” is simple: golf became a huge part of the area’s tourism and economy over the past 50 years and as the sport became more popular, golf tourism became an industry, so Myrtle Beach jumped at the opportunity to build hotels, create golf packages, tournaments and golf-focused travel that brought millions of rounds and visitors to the area.
It all began 100 years ago when Myrtle Beach’s first course – Pine Lakes Country Club – opened in 1927 with the moniker “The Granddaddy.” The big boom came after the 1950s and golf course development accelerated dramatically during the next 20 years, and by the end of the 20th century the “Grand Strand” had about 120 courses within 60 miles, an extraordinary concentration of golf, thus the well-deserved nickname.
Golf writers and publications, including Sports Illustrated, helped put Myrtle Beach on the map as a major golf destination. Many well-known names such as Robert Trent Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye and Greg Norman jumped in and designed courses that added prestige.
Today, the Myrtle Beach, a wildly popular vacation and beach destination, features 80 golf courses and millions of rounds played annually so the nickname isn’t just historical marketing but rather reflects the enormous golf infrastructure.
WORLD AM HISTORY
The first World Amateur was held in 1984 known as Myrtle Beach Dupont World Amateur Handicap Championship. The idea was to capitalize on Myrtle Beach’s enormous collection of golf courses and turn a golf vacation into a large-scale amateur competition.
Legendary marketing gentleman named Cecil Brandon was the driving force behind Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, and credited with launching the World Amateur and securing DuPont as title sponsor.
Brandon wisely used the words “World Amateur” with distinction. It wasn’t an elite amateur championship like the U.S. Amateur, but rather is was exclusively designed for ordinary golfers of different abilities using handicaps and flighting so players could compete against golfers of comparable ability.
The tournament exploded in size and popularity, becoming the world’s largest golf event. During Dupont’s 22-year sponsorship era, participation reached 5,000 golfers in some years. By the mid-1990s, it was drawing more than 4,000 competitors, utilizing roughly 60 courses on the Grand Strand.
“I played in a few of those Dupont-sponsored World Am tournaments and have many fond memories,” said Richard Nota, a retired construction executive from Massachusetts, who liked the Myrtle Beach area so much he retired in Little River, South Carolina in 2019. “All totaled I have played in 20 World Amateurs and enjoy the competition, courses, comraderie, unlimited food and beverage every day at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center’s 19th hole. Also, the organizers do a good job sorting out the sandbaggers and the option to enter a daily Skins pool in my flight is a bonus.”
After Dupont departed, the tournament evolved into the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Handicap Championship, annually attracting 3,000 golfers since Covid in 2020.
The champion golfer of the year in the 2026 Myrtle Beach World Amateur Championship is Michael Fincham (New Bern, N.C.) He beat 60 other golfers in the Flight Winners Playoff played September 4 at Grande Dunes Resort Course in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Fincham defeated Bruce Shively (Murrells Inlet, S.C.) in a one-hole playoff while Roger Parker (Concord, N.C.) finished third. Fincham maintains an 8.8 GHIN handicap index out of Taberna Country Club in New Bern, N.C. He won Flight 13 which is SENIOR MEN (50-59) with handicap range of 9.4 – 10.5.
CELEBRATING 43 YEARS
The 43rd edition of the Play Golf Myrtle Beach World Amateur wrapped up another successful event despite a handful of glitches, hiccups and controversies that go along with running a tournament of this magnitude.
First, a new team of golf connoisseurs from Golf Tourism Solutions, the tournament/event arm associated with Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, ran the 2026 tournament and it had some subtle changes, created by Scott Taylor, Championship Director. Scott Tomasello previously served as Tournament Director for many years, with Ryan Hart overseeing the event in 2025.
According to emails to participants and the tournament website, the 2026 World Am capped participants at 3,000, representing 48 states and 19 countries. There were 2,698 men and only 308 women with youngest age 20 and oldest 93. The top 5 states represented are Florida (350 players), South Carolina (350), North Carolina (338), Texas (199), and Virginia (197).
For 43 years, the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Handicap Championship is a four day, 72 hole tournament consisting of at least 12 divisions, 58 competitive flights 3 “Just For Fun” flights, while using 55 golf courses. “The World Largest 19th Hole” features 37 paying exhibitors to entertain and solicit golfers and guests.
While analyzing the 2026 numbers, it’s troubling to read that 747 players, which is 25% of the total field, are first-time participants. That means 700 players from 2025 did not return. Yikes! That is a huge number and Taylor and his committee should assess why.
“We are excited that 3,000 people have registered from all over the world to play in this year’s World Am,” said Scott Taylor, 2026 Championship Director. “Each year, our community’s goal is to provide the best possible experience to the largest number of people that we can. We look forward to welcoming new and returning participants this year.”
For whatever it’s worth to past, present or future players, the 2026 World Am used 55 golf courses throughout the week, 30 courses each day of the tournament and incredible-but-true 5 players in this year’s field – Gerald States, Paul Ciancanelli, Don Yelton, Dean Tedder, and Ray Zajicek – have played all 43 years.
Social media sites Facebook and X had the usual reckless rants and raves about the 2026 event, posted by golfers who teed it up and paid the $700 entry fee. When you add the cost of transportation, lodging and car rental, expect your total to top off at $2,000.
Here is a post from the Facebook account of Dayton Slater, a retired lawyer from Richmond (VA) who played in Flight 38 (Men’s Super Senior) Handicap Range 2.1 – 7.1. “World Am, 3000 sandbagging Golfaholics, 60 flights, just about every course on the Strand utilized, Worlds Largest 19th hole every night. Big fun, lots of good players!”
TOP 10 TAKEAWAYS
1) LADIES WELCOME: The tournament needs more women golfers. Wake up Mr. Taylor and focus on inviting more women with maybe a 36-hole or 54-hole event if 72 holes is too much. Only 7 Flights of 45 players each:
(52) 0.0 – 0.0 WOMEN’S GROSS
(53) 6.2 – 17.9 WOMEN (59 & Under)
(54) 18.3 – 42.4 WOMEN (59 & Under)
(55) 0.8 – 14.1 SENIOR WOMEN (60 & Above)
(56) 14.2 – 18.8 SENIOR WOMEN (60 & Above)
(57) 18.9 – 22.8 SENIOR WOMEN (60 & Above)
(58) 22.9 – 40.5 SENIOR WOMEN (60 & Above)
2) FACT: There are way more “Reverse Sandbags” playing than actual “Sandbags.” There were several players with 10 handicap posting close to 100 and the limit on each hole is 9.
3) FACT: Weather is a factor every year. I played in 2023 with a hurricane washing out Round 3. Expect heat & humidity. It is consistently part of the program so drink plenty of water.
4) FACT: Slow play will happen. Expect your round to last 5 hours-plus.
5) CHEATING: There is-and-always has-been Zero-Tolerance for cheaters. Many have tried & all have been DISQUALIFIED. Add up all your strokes on every hole and tell the player recording your score what you got up to max 9. Translated that means very group will have one player who needs to recount. No problem, just play better if you want lower scores.
6) RULES: The World Am has a quality staff of expects from the Carolina Section PGA of America ready, able and waiting for your rules question. PGA Quarter Century member Lew Gach and Martyn Woodhouse have all the answers. And, there will be rules questions & in some cases rules violations, and subsequent penalties. Both gentlemen reported that a few players came forward and called penalties on themself many hours after completing their round ands signing their scorecards.
7) DISQUALIFICATION: Every year in its 43 year history, player have been disqualified during the 4-day competition and sometimes during the Flight Winners Championship round. The committee does not tolerate players who post scores well below their handicap, meaning 6-7-8 shots below their GHIN index. The penalty ranges from reduction of strokes in your flight to DQ. Despite the label that the tournament is the “largest gathering of sandbaggers in the world” the handicap committee does an exemplary job.
8) COMPLAINTS: After talking to an 11-year veteran from Cape Coral (FL) the feedback was negative. He said he was not happy and not coming back next year. He said focus was more on money and profit for the organizers instead of paying more places in the flight or increasing gift certificate prizes to top 5 in each division. He also said he plays same old courses. Yes, expect to meet a lot of grumpy old men!
9) ETIQUETTE: Why play ready golf when you are involved in 5 hour rounds and waiting on most holes? Also please use honor system for scoring. If player in your group records a birdie, please let then have honors and hit first. Not cool to jump onto the next tee just because you are mad or scored double-bogey or more.
10) NEVER: Please never tell another player in your group what the rules are if you don’t know what rule applies. Since you are playing four days with usually three different players, expect some minor controversies, minor disputes, some personality conflicts but get over it. Also, swearing is allowed but strongly discouraged.
There is one final, important bit of advice to Mr. Taylor and the crew to make 2027 the best ever World Am. Please invite more golf media to play and write about the event before, during and after. How can you possibly run a tournament of this size, popularity, magnitude and relevance without golf media involved? Remember who Cecil Brandon partnered with back in the early 80s? The golf media and golf writers, so you should do the same. There are always so many great stories to tell but no media are invited to write about it and play. This year, sad to report, there were barely any press releases delivered to golf media concerning the 43rd edition.
Finally, I can’t wait to sign up next year and spend another $2,000! It’s the best $2,000 I’ll spend all year! See you in Myrtle Beach – the “Golf Capital of the World” – the last week in August 2027!
PLAYER FLIGHTS/PLAYER LOOKUP
https://worldamclassic.golfnet.com/tourney/default.aspx
https://www.playgolfmyrtlebeach.com/
