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World Am golf tournament kicks off in Myrtle Beach

By Terry Massey Aug 31, 2010
More than 3,000 golfers are competing in Myrtle Beach for in the Golf.com World Am tournament.
More than 3,000 golfers are competing in Myrtle Beach for in the Golf.com World Am tournament.

Myrtle Beach, SC | What has more than 6,000 legs, 1,000 holes and one Rocket?

The 27th annual Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship, which is being played on the Grand Strand.

The world’s largest amateur golf tournament is an annual rite on the Myrtle Beach golf scene, featuring more than 3,100 players on 56 different golf courses for the entire week.

The tournament is traditionally a celebration of Average Joes, but this year’s field features at least one big-name pro—former big league pitcher Roger “Rocket” Clemens.

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner arrived late for Monday’s opening round, but he had a good excuse. He was arraigned on six counts of charges Monday morning.
Clemens’ day began in a Washington, D.C. courtroom, where he pleaded not guilty to six counts of perjury related to his testimony before Congress about steroid use.

His day ended on the 18th hole at the Pearl, where he managed to get in 18 holes in about two hours after flying to Myrtle Beach and putting his way around the course.

The tournament granted him special permission to be late for the shotgun start but he had to finish his round before sundown. But that’s all the special treatment he gets.

The rest of the week the Rocket will be like all the other participants, who hail from 48 U.S. states and 18 countries. Only one will be crowned champion at week’s end.

The unique format lets golfers factor their handicaps into their scores, so a weekend warrior who has a hard time cracking 100 has as good a shot as an everyday player.

Participants are guaranteed four full days of golf on some of the elite golf courses on the Strand plus an extravaganza every evening at the World’s Largest 19th Hole. The after-party is held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and features food, drinks, entertainment and display booths from golf manufacturers and other sponsors.

The tournament is a boon to the local economy, bringing thousands annually to Myrtle Beach hotels and restaurants that start to see a dropoff this week at the end of summer.

It’s also the kickoff of the fall golf season, when the Strand’s tourism market sees a shift from families on summer vacation to golfers in town to tame its 100 courses. For scores and standings in the World Am tournament, visit WorldAmGolf.com.

If all this golf talk has you in the mood to take a swing at the Myrtle Beach area courses, search Myrtle Beach golf courses and rates on MyrtleBeach.com.  

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