Felled by COVID in 2020, a longtime Myrtle Beach golf tournament returns in July
Family Golf Week, which features the 23rd National Father & Son Team Classic, is scheduled to return this summer after being canceled because of the coronavirus last year.
It is scheduled to be held July 15-17 and will also include the Parent & Child Team Classic.
East Coast Golf Management, which manages courses, runs events and has a marketing cooperative that includes a golf trail on the Grand Strand, owns the event and is working with the Golf Tourism Solutions marketing and technology agency on its operation.
Organizers tentatively plan to hold the tournament’s traditional events, and Barefoot Golf Resort will be the primary host facility for them including a demo night and post-tournament awards ceremony.
COVID has caused a change from shotgun starts to tee times to spread out participant arrivals at courses, however, and registration will be held over two days rather than one to spread out arrival times and allow players to have a full practice day without registration concerns on the eve of the first round.
“We’re not done with this virus yet, so we’ll continue with that, and everything else will be evaluated as we move further along and see where the world is,” East Coast president Mike Buccerone said. “As people get vaccinated and confidence is up we’ll see what happens.”
An event may even be added following the second round if conditions allow. “We’re trying to create some excitement again,” Buccerone said.
The seven host courses are Barefoot’s Love Course, Arcadian Shores, Glen Dornoch, Pine Lakes, Shaftesbury Glen, Thistle and Wachesaw East.
Family Golf Week in 2019 featured more than 650 players from more than 40 states and three foreign countries.
The event had 580 players registered last year before the proliferation of the virus in the U.S. and was still projected to have about 580 participants when East Coast announced the cancellation on June 29.
Buccerone said registration is ahead of 2020’s pace year to date. “We feel comfortable that we’ll be in the 700 to 800 participant level come July,” he said. “We’re cautiously optimistic and things are moving in a good direction.”
An entry fee of $995 per team includes a $150 gift card good at PGA Tour Superstore and participating courses; polos, tees, and hats from Ahead; a dozen Q-Star golf balls and a glove from Srixon; and undergarments from 2undr.
Pro golfer and instructor Hugh Royer III, who teaches at Tidewater, has been named the Father & Son tournament’s Father of the Year.
Visit FamilyGolfWeek.com for more information.
Mentor Cup on move
East Coast Golf has partnered with the Gene’s Dream Foundation, which benefits youth golf initiatives including The First Tee organization, to move the fourth annual Mentor Cup at Tidewater Golf Club to the Sunday before the start of Family Golf Week, which this year is July 11.
The Mentor Cup, which pairs a junior golfer with a mentor, is organized by North Myrtle Beach native and former Golf Channel personality Kelly Tilghman, has previously been held in October.
“We could have kept our October date but we feel the move makes sense on so many levels,” Tilghman said. “The mentoring process begins with family and summertime is when parents and children have the most free time to bond and play golf.
“Ultimately our ability to grow and flourish greatly depends on forming partnerships that share our values. We feel we have that with Tidewater Golf Club and the strong team behind Family Golf Week.”
Buccerone is on the Gene’s Dream Foundation board and East Coast will be more involved in the Mentor Cup, along with GTS. The late Gene Weldon, for whom the foundation is named, worked for East Coast at the end of his career.
“This will help us do things more together as we all move forward,” Buccerone said.
Tournaments upcoming
MM Golf and Travel has a pair of upcoming tournaments on the Grand Strand.
The Spring Shootout at the Members Club at Grande Dunes is Monday and has a $98 entry fee per player and 9 a.m. start, and the Easter Shootout at Prestwick Country Club on April 3 has a $74 entry fee per person and a 12:20 p.m. start.
Both tournaments are two-person team events with captain’s choice scramble formats. Several of the top teams earn prizes, and players can register at https://mmgolfandtravel.com/new-events.
The Memorial Day Shootout is scheduled for May 31 at Heritage Club, and other events are scheduled later this year.
Contact Elwin Miles at 843-222-5974 or Elwin.Miles@gmail.com for more information.
