MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The 41st annual PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com World Amateur Handicap Championship will begin accepting entries on February 15. A 72-hole, net stroke play tournament, the World Am will be played Aug. 26 – Aug. 30 and more than 3,200 players from across the globe are again expected to participate.
Early entry into the tournament, which includes at least four rounds of golf, nightly admission to the World’s Largest 19th Hole and a gift bag, is $629 through March 21, a $100 savings off the regular cost. Players that register by March 21 will also be eligible to win one of 50+ random drawing prizes valued at more than $10,000 with items like TaylorMade clubs, Amazon gift cards, and more.
While the World Am format will look familiar to returning participants, there will be small changes, including the return of tee times for players, replacing the shotgun start from years past. An already impressive golf course lineup will be bolstered by the return of three legends courses – Heathland, Moorland, Parkland – further enhancing the tournament’s popularity. Also returning includes the Mystical group of courses in Man O’ War and Wizard, and the newly renovated Pawley’s Plantation.
“The World Amateur Handicap Championship is golf’s premier event for recreational players, providing them the opportunity to experience the roller coaster of emotions that comes with 72 holes of stroke play competition,” said tournament director Scott Tomasello. “It’s incredible to think the World Am is entering its fifth decade, but the event’s longevity is a testament to its enduring appeal and the memories and friendships it helps create. We can’t wait to see everyone on the course and at the World’s Largest 19th Hole in 2024.”
The World Am, which will be played on more than 50 Myrtle Beach area golf courses, flights players based on age, gender and handicap and is open to all golfers 17 years of age and older with a verifiable USGA handicap.
The World Am flights players into nine divisions – men 49 and under, senior men (50-59), mid-senior men (60-69), super senior men (70-79), seasoned seniors (80+), women (59 and under), senior women (60+), the gross division, senior (50+) gross division, mid-senior (60+) gross division and women’s gross division. There is also a “Just For Fun” flight, created for players who want to enjoy the World Am experience without the pressure of competition.
After four days of tournament play, all flight winners and ties advance to the World Championship Playoff, an 18-hole shootout that crowns the event’s winner.
While the competition is initially what lures players to the tournament, it’s only part of what keeps them coming back. At the heart of the World Am’s appeal is the camaraderie among its participants and much of that kinship is fostered at the World’s Largest 19th Hole.
Each night of the event, the 19th Hole overtakes all 120,000-square feet of the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, providing participants with free food and drinks, live entertainment, celebrity guest appearances, a golf expo and more. Among the big names that have appeared at the 19th Hole in recent years are David Feherty, Brandel Chamblee, Charlie Rymer and John Daly.
Players also receive a gift bag that includes a polo, pullover, golf towel, logo’d hat, PGA Tour Superstore gift card and an assortment of other goodies valued cumulatively at $250.
