MBN Press Releases

Litchfield Country Club To Serve As Home Course For Lowcountry Day School Golf Team

2008-03-21T00:00:00-04:00

High School Golf Team Will Practice and Host Matches at the Willard Byrd Course

Litchfield Country Club officials announced today that the Club will serve as the home course of the Lowcountry Day School golf team during the 2008 spring season. The Fightin Marlins varsity golf team consists of eight student-athletes who are currently in grades nine through 12. The Lowcountry Day School will practice daily at the course and host four tournaments during the season that runs from mid-March through the month of April.

Weve played other courses in the Grand Strand community, but Litchfield Country Club stands head-and-shoulders above everyone, said Danny Bell, head coach of the Fightin Marlins golf team. The Litchfield course is in great shape and we have the use of their driving range, putting green and walk nine holes each day during practice. The Litchfield Country Club staff has been very professional and the teaching professionals take the time to offer additional tips after practice. Our relationship with Litchfield Country Club has helped our student-athletes improve their game.

We are very excited to welcome the Lowcountry Day School golf team to Litchfield, said Christa Bodensteiner, head golf professional. We hope that practicing daily on our challenging course will give the team a true advantage during their matches. Litchfield Country Club has always been very supportive of junior golf programs and we look forward to supporting the Low Country squad in 2008.

For more information or dates of the matches, contact Litchfield Country Clubs Pro Shop at (843) 837-3411 or visit ldspi.org.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. Myrtle Beach National has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses..

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, draws more than 300 prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 150 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Shoot-out Tournament. In the fall, Myrtle Beach National welcomes women golfers and couples to the Grand Strand for The Carolina Couples Classic and Just Girls Weekend. For more information, visit MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

Litchfield Country Club Offers Golfers Opportunity To Fine Tune With Launch Your Game Events

2008-03-20T00:00:00-04:00

Weekly Thursday Sessions Give Golfers Opportunity to Test Newest Golf Technology

Grand Strand golfers can get their game ready for the spring by participating in the Launch Your Game events to be held at Litchfield Country Club. Each Thursday from March 27th through May 1st, golfers can visit the Litchfield Country Club practice facility and test out the latest in golf club technology from some of the industrys most popular companies.

Golfers can also receive custom club fittings, order new clubs and receive playing tips from Litchfield Country Club teaching professionals. The weekly clinics will be held from 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. each Thursday with refreshments served. All events are free and open to the public.

The Launch Your Game schedule will run as follows:

March 27 Nike Golf
April 3 Adams Golf
April 10 Cleveland Golf
April 17 Callaway Golf / Ecco Shoes
April 24 TaylorMade Golf
May 1 PING

Our Launch Your Game events are the perfect opportunities for golfers to get ready for their best spring golf season ever, said Christa Bodensteiner, head golf professional at Litchfield Country Club. Golf technology changes quickly and playing with the most up-to-date, fitted clubs can take strokes off a golfers game.

For more information, contact Litchfield Country Clubs Pro Shop at (843) 837-3411.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. Myrtle Beach National has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses.

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, draws more than 300 prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 150 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Shoot-out Tournament. In the fall, Myrtle Beach National welcomes women golfers and couples to the Grand Strand for The Carolina Couples Classic and Just Girls Weekend. For more information, visit MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

Annika Sorenstam to Participate in 2008 Monday After the Masters

2008-02-20T00:00:00-04:00

February 20, 2008, North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters tournament organizers announced today that LPGA Hall of Fame member Annika Sorenstam will make her first appearance at the annual Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament to be held this year on April 14th at the Dye Club at Barefoot Resort & Golf in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The most successful player in womens golf, Sorenstam has rewritten the record books during her storied 14-year career on the LPGA TOUR with 70 tournament victories, 10 Majors championships and more than $20 million in career earnings. Sorenstam was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003.

We are looking forward to the 2008 Monday After the Masters Tournament and having Annika Sorenstam participate, said Darius Rucker, lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish. I got to know Annika at the opening of her golf academy in Orlando, Florida, and invited her to join us this year. She just won her first tournament of the year last Sunday and as a member of my foursome, well definitely be the team to beat.

Other guests scheduled to appear at the 14th annual celebrity charity golf tournament include NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino, and from the new GOLF CHANNEL golf reality show, Road Trip: Myrtle Beach, singer-songwriter Josh Kelley, ESPN commentator Charlie Rymer and Duramed FUTURES TOUR golfer Perry Swenson. PGA golfers scheduled to appear include Presidents Cup team member Woody Austin, John Daly, Tommy Two Gloves Gainey, Jim Thorpe and as well as LPGA golfer Laura Davies.

Monday After the Masters tournament tickets go on sale Saturday, February 23rd at 10:00 a.m. at the House of Blues, the Barefoot Resort & Golf pro shops and all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets are $10 with children 12 years of age and younger admitted free. All ticket proceeds benefit the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation, which supports the educational needs of children in South Carolina and the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation. Last year, the event recorded its second consecutive sell-out and raised $456,000 for the charities.

Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday has been involved in all five of the Monday After the Masters Tournaments held on the Grand Strand, and was joined as a co-presenting sponsor in 2007 by Intel Corporation.

We are excited to host our sixth Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament here in Myrtle Beach, said Bill Golden,vice president and director of marketing of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. The Monday After the Masters Tournament has meant so much to the state of South Carolina and we are proud to help present an event that helps fund the states junior golf and education programs and attract more national media attention to the Myrtle Beach area.

The field for past Monday After the Masters tournaments has typically included many of the biggest names in music, television and movies, sports and the professional golf world. Musicians from many different genres have competed, including jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis; R&B singer Javier; pop rock performer Edwin McCain; Alter Bridge drummer Scott Phillips and country singers Steve Azar, Johnny Lee and Jake Owen. Celebrities who have participated in the annual tournament have included ESPN hosts Stuart Scott and Dan Patrick; Gary Valentine of King of Queens; Kevin Sorbo of TVs Hercules and Andromeda; actor Anthony Anderson from The Departed and Lucas Black of Friday Night Lights and Jarhead.

From the sports world, the annual tournament has welcomed former NFL stars Dwight Clark, Jim McMahon and Sterling Sharpe; University of South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier and former Major League Baseball players Kevin Elster and Eric Karros. The professional golf field has always been well represented with Arnold Palmer, Tom Kite, Andy North, Woody Austin, J.B. Holmes, Ricky Barnes, Rich Beem, Lee Elder, Robert Gamez, Charley Hoffman, Billy Kratzert, Mark Lye, Troy Matteson, Jim McGovern and Erica Blasberg having participated in past years.

Mondays post-golf concert from the House of Blues has featured legendary performances from Hootie & the Blowfish and their musical guests. The concert has enjoyed tremendous popularity over the past 13 years with the list of past performers including Meatloaf, Branford Marsalis, Jason Mraz, Josh Kelley, Sister Hazel and Edwin McCain. The concert has drawn many other celebrities to the stage including John Daly, Samuel L. Jackson, Stuart Scott and Dan Patrick. This year's concert will be limited to the sponosors of the pro-am only.

About the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Golf Tournament
Recently named by Golf for Women Magazine as one of the most popular celebrity pro-am golf tournaments in the country, the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament attracts thousands of people who enjoy the music of the two-time Grammy award winners as well as the friendly competition between the band and their celebrity and PGA professional friends. Over the past 13 years, the Monday After the Masters has donated more than $3.5 million to the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation, which supports the educational needs of South Carolina and the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 104 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Stay and Play Package, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit GolfHoliday.com.

Myrtle Beach National to Host Fifth Annual Junior Shootout

2008-02-19T00:00:00-04:00

Myrtle Beach National will play host to the fifth annual Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Shootout during Easter weekend, March 21 22, 2008. The spring partner of the George Holliday Tournament held annually in November, the Junior Golf Shootout, hosts more than 150 boys and girls between the ages of nine and 18 years of age for the two-day tournament. The tournament entry fee is $99 and golfers from Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia, as well as a team from Finland, have already registered, with the deadline not until March 17, 2008.

Sponsored by Myrtle Beach National, PGA TOUR Superstore and Coca Cola, the Junior Golf Shootout features two tournament rounds at Myrtle Beach Nationals Southcreek and West Course, lunch each day, a welcome gift, door prizes and fun for the entire family. Sanctioned by the South Carolina Junior Golf Association, tournament participants can earn points towards the Heritage Classic Foundation Rankings.

The Junior Shootout is a great complement to our fall George Holliday Tournament and has showcased college-talent bound players for 39 years, said Jim Woodring, vice president of golf operations for the Myrtle Beach National Company. The spring Junior Shootout is growing and offers the same competitive challenges for junior golfers, just earlier in the year. These events support our commitment to growing the game of golf with our yearly program of Kids Play Free at all of our courses.

For more information or to register for this years Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Shootout tournament, call 1-800-344-5590 or visit mbn.com.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. Myrtle Beach National has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses.

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, draws more than 300 prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 150 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Shoot-out Tournament. In the fall, Myrtle Beach National welcomes women golfers and couples to the Grand Strand for The Carolina Couples Classic and Just Girls Weekend. For more information, visit MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

Myrtle Beach, S.C. to Host Road Trip: Myrtle Beach GOLF CHANNEL Reality Show

2008-01-24T00:00:00-04:00

Thirty-Minute Golf Reality Show to Feature Charlie Rymer, Mark Bryan, Josh Kelley and Perry Swenson During Ultimate Myrtle Beach Golf Experience

January 24, 2008, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and GOLF CHANNEL are bringing the ultimate Myrtle Beach golf experience to 110 million homes worldwide with the February 5th debut of Road Trip: Myrtle Beach, the first reality show to be based in the state of South Carolina. Each original episode will air Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. and will be rebroadcast during the week.

Filmed entirely along the Grand Strand, a 60-mile stretch of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean that extends from Southport, N.C. to Georgetown, S.C., the Myrtle Beach area is the first golf destination to play host to a non-competitive reality program. Road Trip: Myrtle Beach will provide a backstage glimpse at why the Grand Strand area is known as the Golf Capital of the World with more Top 100 golf courses than any other destination and three million rounds recorded on area golf courses each year.

The 12-episode series follows former PGA TOUR professional and current ESPN commentator Charlie Rymer, Hootie & the Blowfish band member Mark Bryan, musician Josh Kelley and Duramed FUTURES Tour player Perry Swensen as they enjoy an extended Myrtle Beach golf vacation. Each episode takes place at a different Grand Strand golf course and features light-hearted banter between cast members, course information and videos, game management tips and golf instruction by Rymer, the foursomes activities after golf at area restaurants and night spots and live, original music, including the shows theme song that was written and recorded by Bryan and Kelley. The shows fifth recurring member, a 1962 red convertible Cadillac, is easily recognizable as it transports the foursome along the Grand Strand.

Having Road Trip: Myrtle Beach filmed right here in Myrtle Beach is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the area as the ideal golf destination, said Bill Golden, vice president and director of marketing at Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. We want to continue to grow the Myrtle Beach golf market and to accomplish this goal, we must reach out to golfers around the world and show what a golf vacation is like here by presenting the destination through the eyes of an entertaining cast in a fun and insightful way. Road Trip: Myrtle Beach is the perfect vehicle to get Myrtle Beach in front of 92 percent of the worlds golfers and the chance to present the quality of the golf, accommodations, restaurants and after-golf entertainment along the Grand Strand.

GOLF CHANNEL will broadcast the first four episodes of Road Trip: Myrtle Beach in the United States and more than 50 countries around the world starting in February with the remaining eight shows to be broadcast in the third and fourth quarter of 2008.

We are excited to debut Road Trip: Myrtle Beach in February, said Jay Kossoff, GOLF CHANNELs managing director of original productions and executive producer. This is a unique show that features golf, music and a very talented cast. We believe that our viewers will enjoy the humorous dialogue between the cast members and the course highlights from Myrtle Beach, the perfect destination for the show.

Rymer has been treating golf fans to his quick wit and down home humor as a sports commentator for ESPN since 1998. Relying on his experiences on the PGA TOUR, Rymer uses his views on life and golf to entertain audiences all over the world. Bryan is a founding member, songwriter and the lead guitar player for the multi-platinum band, Hootie & the Blowfish. Hootie & the Blowfish has garnered enormous success over the last 10 years, earning two Grammy Awards, an MTV Music Award, Billboard Music Award and a Peoples Choice Award. A native of Augusta, Georgia, Kelley was writing songs on the side as a student at the University of Mississippi when some of his work made its way to a Hollywood Records representative. Kelley signed with the label and has released two albums, with a third to debut in February 2008. A native of Charlotte, N.C., Swenson is one of the up-and-coming American female golfers on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. The 24-year-old graduated from the University of Texas where she finished second at the 2004 and 2005 Big 12 Championship.

Road Trip: Myrtle Beach, developed and executive produced by GOLF CHANNEL, is produced by Mickey Holden of the Holden Production Group. Holden has 25 years of experience providing original programming to network television. Some of his recent projects include CBS Jack at Augusta, The Food Networks Food Camp, Bragging Rights on The Tennis Channel, The Wandering Golfer on Fine Living and Tiger at 3 on CBS.

About GOLF CHANNEL
GOLF CHANNEL (GolfChannel.com), co-founded by Arnold Palmer and a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMSK), is available in more than 110 million homes worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless companies. It features a programming schedule that includes more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, as well as news, instruction and original productions, such as the popular Big Break. GOLF CHANNEL became the exclusive cable home of the PGA TOUR in 2007, and televises part or all of every PGA TOUR event. In addition, the network is exclusive television home of the Nationwide Tour, European Tour and Canadian Tour, and the exclusive cable home of the Champions Tour. Also featured is a generous mix of other competition from the LPGA Tour, USGA, PGA of America, Asian Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour of Southern Africa.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 97 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Stay and Play Package, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit GolfHoliday.com.

Long Bay Golf Club to Host Golf Tournament to Benefit North Myrtle Beach High School

2008-01-07T00:00:00-04:00

Tournament to Benefit Scholarship Programs and Music Education at North Myrtle Beach High School

The Long Bay Golf Club will host the inaugural Golf Fore Education tournament on Saturday, February 2nd. Presented by The Golf Gurus of Myrtle Beach and SunCruz Casinos, the captains choice tournament is open to both individuals and four-person teams and will begin with an 11:00 a.m. shotgun start.

An awards ceremony will follow the completion of play with prizes to be awarded to the first-place, second-place, third-place and last-place teams as well as winners of the hole-in-one, closest-to-the-pin and long drive contests. Golfers can also purchase raffle tickets for a wide assortment of prizes. Food and drink will be served throughout the day with heavy hors doeuvres after golf.

All proceeds from the tournament will benefit North Myrtle Beach High School with 50 percent of the contributions given to scholarship programs for graduating seniors and the remainder donated to the North Myrtle Beach High School Band to help support music education. All contributions are tax-deductible with single entry fees of $100 and four-person teams priced at $400. Sponsorship opportunities begin at $100.

A participants reception will be held on Friday, February 1st at the SunCruz Casinos in Little River, starting at 5:30 p.m. Hors douevres, drinks and gift bags will be provided for all participants, as well as a short clinic by head golf professionals from The Myrtle Beach National Company. For more information on participating in the Golf Fore Education tournament or sponsorship opportunities, contact Scott Noll of Golf Gurus Myrtle Beach at (843) 399-8880 or scott@golfdepartment.com.

Thank you to The Long Bay Golf Club, The Myrtle Beach National Company and SunCruz Casinos for helping us host this fundraiser for the students of North Myrtle Beach High School, said Kish Gohil, one of the owners of Golf Gurus of Myrtle Beach. This is a great opportunity to help raise money for hard-working students while enjoying one of Myrtle Beachs finest golf courses."

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety.

The Myrtle Beach National Company has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones-designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses. Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, draws more than 500 prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 500 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Tournament. In the fall, Myrtle Beach National welcomes women golfers and couples to the Grand Strand for the Girls Love to Golf Clinic and The Carolina Couples Classic. For more information, visit MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

LPGA Professional Robyn Roberson Joins The Staff At Direct Approach Golf School

2008-01-02T00:00:00-04:00

Atlanta-Native Takes Position as Director of Female Instruction at Lowcountrys Premier Golf School

January 2, 2008, Pawleys Island, S.C. Robyn Roberson was recently named as the new Director of Female Instruction at Direct Approach Golf School, located at Willbrook Plantation in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Hired on December 3rd, Robersons duties include assisting in the day-to-day management of the school, coordinating the marketing and advertising needs of the school and building the female golfer clientele.

Im very excited to join the Direct Approach Golf School staff, said Roberson. When I heard that a school with the reputation of Direct Approach was looking for a female instructor, I jumped at the opportunity. My students have typically been about 90 percent female and I enjoy working with women to ease the intimidation factor on the golf course and help them improve and enjoy the game of golf.

With 25 years of golf experience to share with her students, Roberson comes to Direct Approach Golf School after serving two stints at the Dogwood Golf Club in Austell, Georgia. The Atlanta, Georgia native had a strong family relationship with Dogwood as her father, Luke Roberson, was the clubs first golf professional from 1972 until 1975. Introduced to golf by her father at the age of nine, Roberson became Dogwoods head golf professional from 1992 through 2002. From 2002 through 2005, she served as the first female teaching professional at Turnberry Isle Resort in Miami, Florida, before returning to Dogwood in 2005 as the membership and club manager.

Roberson became an LPGA professional in 1992 and earned her LPGA Class A certification in 1997. She has participated in the LPGA Teaching School, the LPGA Clubfitting Workshop, the LPGA Rules Workshop and the LPGA National Seminar. In 2000 and 2002, she was nominated as the LPGA Professional of the Year.

Adding an instructor with Robyns credentials to the staff of Direct Approach Golf School makes our school even stronger, said Jim Woodring, vice president of golf operations at Myrtle Beach National. She has a strong background of helping female golfers improve their game and their knowledge of the game of golf. Were proud to offer that, along with her tremendous level of skill, at our school.

About Direct Approach Golf School
The Direct Approach Golf School is a year-round learning facility that features one, three and five-day golf schools with top-quality instruction from seasoned PGA and LPGA certified instructors. Located at Willbrook Plantation in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, Direct Approachs learning center includes covered hitting areas, short game targets, private putting, chipping and sand areas, and more - making Willbrook Plantation an ideal setting for all students seeking to take control of their game. Direct Approach offers highly-specialized and individualized programs for men and women, juniors, seasonal clinics, weekly womens only schools and couples schools with a guaranteed four-to-one student/teacher ratio to ensure personal attention. Private instruction is also available for all skills of golfers. For more information, visit DirectApproachGolf.com or call (843) 235-9599.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. The Myrtle Beach National Company has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones-designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses.

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, draws more than 500 prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 500 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Tournament. In the fall, Myrtle Beach National welcomes women golfers and couples to the Grand Strand for the Girls Love to Golf Clinic and The Carolina Couples Classic. For more information, visit MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

Thirteen Myrtle Beach Area Golf Courses Honored in SC Ranking

2007-12-06T00:00:00-04:00

More Grand Strand Courses Selected Than Any Other Region in South Carolina

December 6, 2007, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Thirteen Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday member courses were named to the 25 Best Courses You Can Play rankings just announced by the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel. The biennial list was again dominated by the Grand Strand, the home of more than half of the honored premier public access facilities. Charleston was second with five courses, Hilton Head came in third place with four courses and the Midlands and Upstate finished just behind with two and one courses, respectively.

The Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday courses honored included Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Grande Dunes Resort Course, The Heritage Club, Kings North at Myrtle Beach National, Legends ResortHeathland Course, Pawleys Plantation, Prestwick Country Club, The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort, The Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort, The Love Course at Barefoot Resort, Tidewater Golf Club and True Blue Plantation.

To have 13 Grand Strand courses recognized by the South Carolina Golf Ratings Panel in their 25 Best Courses You Can Play ranking demonstrates the quality golf experience that Myrtle Beach golf courses provide, said Bill Golden, vice president and director of marketing of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. We congratulate our members who were selected for the Best Courses You Can Play list and applaud their commitment to taking care of the golfers who visit the Grand Strand.

About South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel
The South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel membership is comprised of golf industry, former golfers and coaches, media and business and industry members that are charged with the identifying the best South Carolina golf courses. The Panel considers criteria such as course routing, course design balance, course management strategy, course equity to reward good shots while penalizing bad ones, course memorability, aesthetics of the course and surrounding area and the overall experience by the golfer from the pro shop to the course. The Ratings Panel releases three different ratings: The annual New Course of the Year list; the bi-annual South Carolinas 50 Best Courses that identifies the best public or private courses during even-numbered years; and the 25 Best Courses that You Can Play that lists the best non-private courses in the state in odd-numbered years.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 97 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Stay and Play Package, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit GolfHoliday.com.

Golfweek Honors The Waccamaw Golf Trail Courses

2007-12-03T00:00:00-04:00

Golfweek's Definitive Guide To The Golf Life 2008 lists the Waccamaw Golf Trail in their Best RESORT Golf Courses Listing.

The Waccamaw Golf Trail is located along the southern shores of Myrtle Beach's world-renowned Grand Strand. This is one of the oldest resort destinations in America. "For more than 200 years, families have been traveling to the Murrells Inlet, Litchfield and Pawleys Island townships - collectively known as the Waccamaw Neck area - - to escape the summer heat and enjoy the cool waters and gentle ocean breeze. That tradition continues today. Only now, many of the visitors come for a different reason - to experience the Waccamaw Golf Trail, one of the finest assemblages of courses in the country."

"Gently cradled in a hammock of unspoiled coastal landscape - where longleaf pines and moss-draped oaks give way to tidal rivers and tranquil beaches - the 12 signature courses of the Waccamaw Golf Trail comprise a collection of the most highly acclaimed courses on the Carolina coast. Among them are three Golfweek's Best Courses, three of Golf Digest's 'America's 100 Greatest Public Courses,' six 4.5 star courses and one of only three five-star courses in the entire southeastern United States."

The Waccamaw Golf Trail also offers beautiful beaches, award-winning restaurants and 2 resorts called Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort and Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club resort.

Visit the trail at http://www.waccamawgolftrail.com for up to the minute specials and news about the trail.

Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort Presents Nights of a Thousand Candles Getaway

2007-11-29T00:00:00-04:00

Resort to Offer Relaxing Holiday Weekend Vacation For Two on Myrtle Beachs South Strand

Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort will offer the Nights of A Thousand Candles Getaway Vacation in celebration of the 2007 holiday season. Hosted by Brookgreen Gardens, Nights of A Thousand Candles is an annual holiday festival with thousands of lights and candles, carolers and musicians providing an entertaining evening on the Garden grounds during the weekends of November 30 December 1, December 7 December 8 and December 13 December 15 from 3:00 10:00 p.m.

The weekend getaway includes three nights of luxury accommodations at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort; daily breakfast and dinner for two at the Resorts award-winning grill, Websters; a choice of two tickets to Nights of A Thousand Candles or two tickets to enjoy the entire Brookgreen Gardens experience; unlimited bike rental and unlimited tennis on the Resorts 17 Har-Tru clay courts.

Nights of A Thousand Candles has grown tremendously over the last five years, said Ray Crabb, general manager of Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort. We are thrilled to welcome back families and couples again this year for an event that has become an annual favorite here on the Grand Strand."

For more information or to book the Nights of a Thousand Candles Getaway, visit https://secure.guestdesk.com/reservations/?id=21&systemType=2&bookedOnrefLoc=litchfieldbeach%2Ecom&packageURLID=2833&showPackageDetails=1or call 1-888-766-4633. Exact rates will be determined by reservation dates and accommodation types.

About Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historic Landmark, located on U.S. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, with the most significant collection of figurative sculpture, in an outdoor setting, by American artists in the world. Brookgreen Gardens has the only zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on the coast of the Carolinas. Brookgreen Gardens is open to the public daily. For more information on Brookgreen Gardens, visit Brookgreen.org or call (843) 235-6000..

About Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort
Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort is one of the leading vacation and golf resorts on the east coast. The Resort features a variety of amenities including luxurious accommodations, three championship golf courses, one of Americas top tennis facilities, a full-service health club, and more. Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort is located on U.S. Highway 17 South in Pawleys Island, along the Waccamaw Golf Trail, just twenty minutes south of Myrtle Beach and one hour north of Charleston. For more information, call 1-888-766-4633 or visit litchfieldbeach.com.

2007 George Holliday Memorial Tournament Results

2007-11-28T00:00:00-04:00

2007 George Holliday Memorial Golf Tournament Results

As an integral element of The Myrtle Beach National Company’s commitment to junior golf and promoting the game to players of all ages, the 39^th Annual George Holliday Memorial Junior Golf Tournament was held at Myrtle Beach National Golf Club November 22-24, 2007. A field of 225 boys and girls from throughout the United States and Puerto Rico competed in the three-day tourney.

The boys’ competition introduced its two top competitors to an age-old college rivalry that figures to play out several more times in the next four years. Jacob Burger, 17, of Orangeburg, S.C., who signed last week to play at Clemson, dueled with Wesley Bryan, 17, of Chapin, S.C., who signed last week with the University of South Carolina, in Saturday’s final-round action.

"Knowing it was Carolina-Clemson day with the big (football) game, we kind of figured that's how it was going to be,” Burger said.

Burger won the latest match-up of the top two juniors in the state with a 6-under-par 66 Saturday, for a 9-under 207 total and four-shot win over his rival.

The victory earned Burger the Jay Haas Award, given annually to South Carolina’s top junior golfer. He entered the Holliday with a narrow lead over Bryan, and with a win in this, the final event of the ranking season, Burger clinched the yearlong South Carolina Junior Golf Association points title after finishing second in that race a year ago.

Mariah Stackhouse, 13, from Riverdale, Ga., took the championship in the girls’ competition. Stackhouse was the 2006 Holliday runner-up, and her win in this year’s event capped a stellar year in which she became the youngest winner of the Georgia Women's Match Play Championship, won the Georgia Girls Championship, and represented Georgia in the USGA State Team Championship in Texas.


Jacob Burger	Mariah Stackhouse

The overall winner was Jacob Burger, age 17 with a score of 207
2nd Place went to Wesley Bryan with a score of 211

The overall girls winner was Mariah Stackhouse, age 13 with a score of 222

Ages 9 and under played 9-holes each day

Other winners, by age bracket were . . .
Boys age 9 & Under . . . Blake Taylor ~ 120, Jack Funderburg ~ 139, Kohler Karavan ~ 143, Ethan Hood ~ 161, Tucker Vaughn ~ 173, Riley Crouch ~ 200
Boys age 10 & 11 . . . Adam Garrett ~ 223, Max Bell ~ 254, Mark Karavan ~ 258, James Mishoe ~ 258, Tyler Caron ~ 280, Jacob Lail ~ 299
Boys age 12 & 13. . . Jackson Moore ~ 225, Blake Kennedy ~ 226, Mark Reilly ~ 230, Kyle Austin ~ 239, Ryan Lamb ~ 241, Taylor McCullum ~ 243
Boys age 14 & 15 . . . Adam Goins ~ 223, Christian Hawley ~ 223, Blaine Woodruff ~ 225, Arran Setro ~ 227, Lewis Adams ~ 228, Miller Capps ~ 231, Trevor Cone ~ 231
Boys age 16 - 18 . . . Jacob Burger ~ 207, Wesley Bryan ~ 211, Justin Clement ~ 216, Aiden Javed ~ 219, Caulder Moore ~ 219, Troy Spencer ~ 219

Girls age 9 & Under . . . Erin McBride ~ 54
Girls age 10 & 11 . . . Reona Hirai ~ 241, Chloe Bradburn ~ 276, Nathalie Lezcano ~ 287
Girls age 12 & 13 . . . Mariah Stackhouse ~ 222, Katelyn Dambaugh ~ 237, Marychandler Bryan ~ 264, Sierra Everson ~ 266, Katy Funk ~ 270, Katya Hoffman ~ 273
Girls age 14 & 15 . . .Torey Johnson ~ 240, Megan Brunham ~ 248, Alexa Payne ~ 255, Lauren Ferguson ~ 258, Tara Lyons ~ 269, Sarah Timms ~ 270
Girls age 16 - 18. . . Haley Stephens ~ 226, Meredith Swanson ~ 229, Cayci Ruppe ~ 234, Taylor Weaver ~ 237, Anna Martin ~ 242, Iman Ellis ~ 245

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS AND ALL PARTICIPANTS

Go to http://www.juniorgolfscoreboard.com to view all the scores.

King's North Named One of SC's Top 25 Courses

2007-11-26T00:00:00-04:00

South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel Names Arnold Palmer-Design as One of States Best

November 26, 2007, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Kings North at Myrtle Beach National was named to the 25 Best Courses You Can Play rankings just announced by the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel. The biennial list recognizes the states top resort, public access and daily-fee courses during odd-numbers years. Kings North was also selected for the panels inaugural 25 Best Courses You Can Play ranking in 2005.

It is an honor to be named one of the top 25 golf courses in the state of South Carolina, said Jim Woodring, vice president of golf operations at Myrtle Beach National. Our Arnold Palmer signature course is unique and memorable because of its surroundings, conditioning and playability. To be recognized by this panel of enthusiastic golfers who play the best courses around the state makes it even more gratifying.

Opened in 1971 and redesigned in 1996 by Palmers design firm, Kings North features bent grass fairways, greens and memorable holes that challenge golfers year after year. The par 5, 6th hole was christened The Gambler due to its risk-reward island fairway. Golfers can take the safe route by avoiding the lake and playing the dogleg left fairway or gamble for an eagle by taking the shortcut through the island fairway. The famed par 3, 12th hole island green was redesigned with the addition of a wooden bulkhead. Considered one of the states best island greens, the distinctive sandtraps are shaped in the letters SC. The par 4, 18th hole is nicknamed The Bullseye with 42 sand traps that golfers must try to avoid.

The Panels 2007 list was again dominated by the Grand Strand, the home of more than half of the honored premier public access facilities. Charleston was second with five courses, Hilton Head came in third place with four courses and the Midlands and Upstate finished just behind with two and one courses, respectively. Other Myrtle Beach courses honored included Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Grande Dunes Resort Course, The Heritage Club, Legends ResortHeathland Course, Pawleys Plantation, Prestwick Country Club, The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort, The Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort, The Love Course at Barefoot Resort, Tidewater Golf Club and True Blue Plantation.

About the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel
The South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel membership is comprised of golf industry, former golfers and coaches, media and business and industry members that are charged with the identifying the best South Carolina golf courses. The Panel considers criteria such as course routing, course design balance, course management strategy, course equity to reward good shots while penalizing bad ones, course memorability, aesthetics of the course and surrounding area and the overall experience by the golfer from the pro shop to the course. The Ratings Panel releases three different ratings: The annual New Course of the Year list; the bi-annual South Carolinas 50 Best Courses that identifies the best public or private courses during even-numbered years; and the 25 Best Courses that You Can Play that lists the best non-private courses in the state in odd-numbered years.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. The Myrtle Beach National Company has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones-designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses.

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, draws more than 500 prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 500 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Tournament. In the fall, Myrtle Beach National welcomes women golfers and couples to the Grand Strand for the Girls Love to Golf Clinic and The Carolina Couples Classic. For more information, visit MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

Early Entry Deadline Approaches For 24th Annual PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship

2007-06-22T00:00:00-04:00

Golfers still have time to register for the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship and save $35 prior to the event's early entry deadline on Monday, July 16th. The World Am will limit the 24th Annual World Am entries to 4,250 participants with the current registration for the Worlds Largest Amateur Single-Site Golf Tournament standing at 2,953, almost 15% more than last years total at this time.

Registration for the world's largest amateur golf tournament, to be played along Myrtle Beach's famed Grand Strand from August 26 through August 31, is $490 prior to the early entry deadline. Golfers can enter online at WorldAmGolf.com or by calling 1-800-833-8798. After the July 16 expiration date, the registration fee will be $525.

Entry into the tournament includes four rounds of golf and a gift bag with more than $150 worth of merchandise. The entry fee also provides the golfer and guest with a pass to the World's Largest 19th Hole, the tournament's nightly party in the Myrtle Beach Convention Center that features food, an open bar, live entertainment and a golf expo. The 40,000 square-foot PGA TOUR Superstore will feature merchandise from leading golf equipment and apparel manufacturers; as well as game improvement areas, skill contests and games for participants and guests to enjoy. Participants compete for the right to be crowned World Champion and have a chance to win more than $500,000 in prizes given away at the tournament.

The International Pairs Championship returns in 2007 and once again, a World Am duo has the opportunity to become the United States Qualifier and win an all-expense paid trip to St. Andrews to represent the United States in the 2008 International Pairs World Finals.

The World Amateurs newest competitive entry is as much about the bond between family and golf as it is competition. 2007 will mark the inaugural year of the Cory Lemke Parent-Child Championship, a tournament for any combination of parent and child participating in the World Amateur. Registration for the Parent-Child Championship is limited to the first 150 teams with no additional entry fee. The top 10 teams with the lowest net scores will receive PGA TOUR Superstore gift certificates.

The event will be played in honor of Cory Lemke, who won his flight at the age of 15 in 2002 and played countless rounds of golf with his father, Mark Lemke, a 12-year tournament participant. Cory tragically lost his life in a 2006 motorcycle accident but his memory will live on through the Cory Lemke Parent-Child Championship.

Charlie Rymer, former PGA Tour golfer and current ESPN commentator, will serve as the Honorary Chairperson of the 2007 PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship and will be on hand during the week to meet golfers.

The PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship is considered the Every Day Golfers' U.S. Open, said Steve Mays, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday's tournament director. Any amateur golfer with a United States Golf Association handicap index, or foreign equivalent, can register for the World Am and has a legitimate chance to be crowned as the World Golf Champion. In addition, weve added a few special events in 2007 and look forward to the most exciting tournament in the 23-year history of the World Am.

The PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship is played on more than 65 Grand Strand courses and is open to any amateur golfer with a verified United States Golf Association handicap or the foreign equivalent for international players. Players are flighted according to their handicap. The 24th annual tournament is expected to draw 4,000 participants, including players from all 50 states and more than 23 foreign countries. Nearly 100 golfers play in each of the approximately 50 flights, with the flight winners advancing to compete in the 18-hole world championship playoff hosted at the renowned Dunes Golf and Beach Club.

For more information, call 1-800-833-8798 or visit WorldAmGolf.com.

About PGA TOUR Superstores
PGA TOUR Superstores are owned and operated by Golf & Tennis Pro Shop, Inc. (GTPS), headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. Each Superstore is dedicated to providing consumers with exceptional selection, services and prices within an entertaining, interactive store environment. GTPS is the PGA TOURs exclusive PGA TOUR partner for off-course/off-airport golf retailing. Two Superstores operate as Martins PGA TOUR Superstore in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Four Superstores operate in the Atlanta area (Roswell, Kennesaw, Duluth, Buckhead) and two stores operate in the Dallas, Texas area as PGA TOUR Superstore. Future expansion plans also include locations in Orlando, Fla.; Houston, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; and the Southern California cities of Los Angeles and San Diego in the near future. All Superstores are focused on game improvement in golf and tennis, as well as growing the games. Each store offers swing analysis, golf instruction by professional instructors, club fittings, indoor practice greens, and hitting nets, as well as golf and tennis apparel, golf-themed home furnishings, and a vast selection of golf and tennis equipment. The PGA TOUR Superstores Web site address is PGAToursuperstore.com.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 72 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Golf Package, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship, Golf Holiday also manages the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798, or visit GolfHoliday.com.

Kings North Honored By Good Sam Club

2007-06-04T00:00:00-04:00

The Good Sam Club recently recognized Kings North at Myrtle Beach National as the 2006 Golf Course Welcome Mat award winner, as selected by their members. Kings North, one of three Arnold Palmer signature courses at the Myrtle Beach National Golf Club in Myrtle Beach, was one of only 22 U.S. Welcome Mat award winners. Recipients of this prestigious award will be honored during the July 19th awards ceremony in Redmond, Oregon.

The Good Sam Club is the worlds largest RV owners organization that was founded 40 years ago and now boasts more than 1,000,000 members. Each year, the members vote on the United States businesses that roll out the red carpet of good customer service. Kings North was honored for treating RV owners well in 2006 and defeated 2005 winner, Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, California.

Customer service is an important part of running a successful golf course operation, said Jim Woodring, vice president of golf operations for Myrtle Beach National. The national golf market is exceptionally competitive, so to be singled out as the best is quite the honor.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. Myrtle Beach National has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses.

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, attracts prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 500 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Tournament. For more information, visit www.MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

The Long Bay Golf Club Welcomes The Champions Golf Academy

2007-05-30T00:00:00-04:00

Former PGA TOUR Player Hugh Royer, III to Serve as Director of Instruction

May 30, 2007, North Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Long Bay Golf Club recently announced the opening of the Champions Golf Academy and that former PGA Tour player, Hugh Royer, III, will serve as the Director of Instruction.

The Champions Golf Academy opened in March of 2007 and provides instruction and training to touring professionals, post-graduate students and amateurs of all ages.

The Champions Golf Academy Gap-Year Program is designed to help golfers prepare both physically and mentally to succeed at the collegiate level. Golfers join the Champions Gap-Year Program for nine months to work on their game, five days a week. The golfers concentrate on specific areas of the game during the morning and then practice their newly-refined skills on the course in the afternoon. For golfers needing additional academic work before college, classes are offered at Coastal Carolina University or Horry-Georgetown Technical College. The Gap-Year Program classes do not interfere with college eligibility. The Champions Golf Academy also provides accommodations supervised by house parents for students enrolled in the program.

The Tour Players Program is comprised of professional players from all professional tours and provides an intense training program specifically designed for each individual player to maximize their talent. The Program also includes a specific session in the fall to assist players in preparing for the rigors of Tour School. The Champions Golf Academy features sports psychologist, Stephen A. Russo, Ph.D., to work with all Gap-Year and Tour Players Program golfers in addition to a fitness program for maximum competitive results.

The Adult Program includes one, two, and three-day golf schools where players will receive instruction in all aspects of the game, including on-course instruction and assistance with course management. Private hourly lessons and playing lessons are also available. In addition, the Champions Golf Academy also offers weekly summer programs for juniors from 12 to 17 years of age.

Currently located on the Long Bay Driving Range, construction begins next month on the permanent Long Bay headquarters for the Champions Golf Academy. The facility will feature an 8,000 square-foot short game area with chipping, putting and bunker practice sites, a 3,000 square-foot building for the offices and golf-specific fitness facility, three private hitting bays for inclement weather and state-of the-art video equipment.

Teaching has always been an integral component of my golf career and I look forward to continuing help golfers improve, said Royer. The Gap-Year Program is a great opportunity for the talented young golfer who isnt quite ready for college golf. We put them in competitive golf situations during the year where they would be sitting through a redshirt-year if they were to have jumped right to college.

Royer comes to Long Bay from a four-year stint at the International Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head Island, S.C., where he helped gap-year golfers and juniors prepare for collegiate and professional careers. One of his pupils, In-Kyung Kim, shared co-medalist honors at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament and earned her LPGA card on her first attempt in 2007.

Royer attended Mississippi State University for two years before finishing his collegiate career at Columbus State University. After turning professional in 1987, Royer spent three years on the PGA Tour, captured four wins on the Nationwide Tour, and six years on the South African Tour that included one victory. The native of Columbus, Georgia retired in 2000, and returned to his hometown to open The Columbus Golf Academy in 2001.

Were excited to open The Champions Golf Academy at Long Bay Golf Club, said Jim Woodring, vice president of golf operations at Myrtle Beach National. Royer brings a wealth of experience in instructing golfers of all ages and the Gap Program and Tour Players Program are innovative ideas in the Grand Strand area. We also look forward to Royer contributing monthly video instruction tips for our MBN.com Web site.

For more information on The Champions Golf Academy, call (843) 399-1551 or visit championsgolfacademylbc.com/.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. Myrtle Beach National has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses.

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, attracts prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 500 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Tournament. For more information, visit www.MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

Thirty-Five Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday Courses Named To Carolinas 100 Must-Play Courses By Golfstyles Carolina Magazine

2007-05-30T00:00:00-04:00

More Grand Strand Courses Selected Than Any Other Area in the Carolinas

May 30, 2007, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Thirty-five Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday member courses were named to the third annual Carolinas 100 Must-Play Courses list which was published in the May issue of GolfStyles Carolina, currently on newsstands. The magazines editorial staff selected 100 public-access courses in South and North Carolina that they felt golfers should experience during their lifetime. The Grand Strand area tallied the most courses followed by the Hilton Head area with 16, the Charleston area with 15 and the Pinehurst area with 10.

The Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday courses honored included Bald Head Golf Club, the Dye Course at Barefoot Resort, the Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort, the Love Course at Barefoot Resort, the Norman Course at Barefoot Resort, Blackmoor Golf Club, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Carolina National Club, Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Farmstead Golf Links, Glen Dornoch Golf Links, Grande Dunes Resort Course, Heather Glen Golf Links, Heritage Club, Parkland at Legends Resort, Moorlands at Legends Resorts, Litchfield Country Club, Long Bay Club, Kings North at Myrtle Beach National, Oyster Bay Golf Links, Panthers Run Golf Links, Pawleys Plantation, Prestwick Country Club, River Club, Rivers Edge, Sea Trail Resort, The Pearl, The Thistle, Tidewater Golf Club, Tigers Golf Links, TPC of Myrtle Beach, True Blue Plantation, Wild Wing Avocet, Willbrook Plantation and World Tour Golf Links.

To have 35 Grand Strand courses named to GolfStyles Carolinas list of the 100 Must-Play Courses demonstrates the quality golf experience that Myrtle Beach golf courses provide, said Bill Golden, vice president and director of marketing of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. We congratulate our members who were selected for the Must-Play List and applaud their commitment to take care of the golfers who visit the Grand Strand..

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 78 championship golf courses, 72 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Stay and Play Package and the Ultimate Buddy Trip, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year.

In addition to hosting the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit www.GolfHoliday.com.

Willbrook Plantation Hosts Pawleys Island Youth Cup

2007-05-24T00:00:00-04:00

Fundraising Golf Tournament to be Held Saturday, June 2nd

May 24, 2007, Pawleys Island, S.C. The 11th annual Pawleys Island Youth Cup Golf Tournament will be hosted at Willbrook Plantation Golf Club, June 2nd. The event benefits Teach My People, a local organization that helps provide educational support for hundreds of children, youth and families of the Waccamaw school district to overcome academic, economic and social challenges. Through Teach My Peoples Youth Camp, the communitys young people find structure and support through after-school and summer programs. The 2006 event raised more than $12,000 for the charitable organization. Registration for the tournament begins at 1:00 p.m. with a shotgun start at 2:30 p.m. Deadline for registration is June 1. Entry fee is $100 per player with a captains choice format. The golf will be followed by a barbeque dinner. Spouses and guests are invited for an additional $10 per person. Golfers who sign up before May 28th will receive a free round of golf. For more information and registration, call (843) 237-8737.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. Myrtle Beach National has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses.

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, attracts prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 500 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Tournament. For more information, visit www.MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort Selected as One of Top Family Golf Resort

2007-05-23T00:00:00-04:00

May 23, 2007, Pawleys Island, S.C. Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort was recently honored as one of the 25 Best Family Golf Resorts by Golf for Women. Published in the current May/June issue, South Carolina and Arizona led the way in Golf for Women's inaugural family-friendly ranking with four resorts each. Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort was the lone Grand Strand facility selected.

The resorts were chosen for their willingness to encourage families to play golf together, whether with family tee times or in kids-play-fee programs, and for the amenities that families expected including spas, waterslides, theme parks, kids camps and beaches. Each resort was also rated on its junior tees, junior club rentals, junior instruction, kids activities and cost.

Golf for Women described Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort as a laid-back, affordable vacation spot on the Grand Strand, with three easy-playing courses across the road from the resort. The magazine further featured Litchfields three golf courses, the Direct Approach Golf Schools Kids Golf Camp, the variety of lodging at the Resort and the kids programs at the golf course and resort.

Were honored to have been recognized by Golf for Women as one of the top family-friendly resorts in the United States, said Ray Crabb, general manager of Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort. We put a lot of effort into our family and youth-oriented programs each year so its nice for Golf for Women to acknowledge all we offer and include us in this prestigious ranking. We work hard to make all guests feel like a member of the Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort family.

About Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort
Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort is one of the leading vacation and golf resorts on the east coast. The Resort features a variety of amenities including three championship golf courses, one of Americas top tennis facilities with more than 17 tennis courts, a full-service health club, and more. Recently, the resort was rated one of the top ten greatest tennis resorts in America by both Tennis Magazine and the Robb Report. Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort is located on U.S. Highway 17 South in Pawleys Island, just twenty minutes south of Myrtle Beach and one hour north of Charleston. For more information, call 1-888-766-4633 or visit www.litchfieldbeach.com.

Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday Announces Summer Family Golf Touranments

2007-05-23T00:00:00-04:00

May 21, 2007, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday has announced its Summer Family Golf Tournaments schedule for the 2007 summer season. The single-day events are designed for all ages and ability levels in a family-friendly environment. The Summer Family Golf Tournament series runs Wednesday through Friday, June 7 August 24 at the 20 participating Grand Strand are courses. Sponsored by PGA TOUR Superstores, the single-day events are ideal for the beginner or scratch golfer, young and old alike with no minimum age limit, or handicap needed to participate.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, all junior golfers, 16 years of age and younger, play for free with a paying adult this summer. Participation in a tournament costs $37 for adults (unless otherwise noted on the schedule) with the fee including a cart and the chance to win one of many contests. Each Summer Family Golf Tournament features a closest-to-the-pin and long-drive contest with prizes awarded to the winners. The Summer Family Golf Tournaments have three divisions open, couples and adult/youth and feature a captains choice format.

We're excited to host the 20th season of the Summer Family Golf Tournaments," said Kimberly Belk, director of the Summer Family Golf Tournaments. In the 19-year history of the Summer Family Tournament, more than 68,000 golfers have participated in our family tournaments during their visits to the Grand Strand. The Summer Family Golf Tournaments are a great way for families and friends to spend a day on the course whether they are here on their summer vacation or they are residents of the Grand Strand.

To register or to find out more information on the Summer Family Tournaments, call 1-800-833-8798, or visit www.summerfamilygolf.com. Golfers are advised to call or email in advance to check on availability.

About PGA TOUR Superstores
PGA TOUR Superstores are owned and operated by Golf & Tennis Pro Shop, Inc. (GTPS), headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. Each Superstore is dedicated to providing consumers with exceptional selection, services and prices within an entertaining, interactive store environment. GTPS is the PGA TOURs exclusive PGA TOUR partner for off-course/off-airport golf retailing. Two Superstores operate as Martins PGA TOUR Superstore in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Four Superstores operate in the Atlanta area (Roswell, Kennesaw, Duluth, Buckhead) and two stores operate in the Dallas, Texas area as PGA TOUR Superstore. Future expansion plans also include locations in Orlando, Fla.; Houston, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; and the Southern California cities of Los Angeles and San Diego in the near future. All Superstores are focused on game improvement in golf and tennis, as well as growing the games. Each store offers swing analysis, golf instruction by professional instructors, club fittings, indoor practice greens, and hitting nets, as well as golf and tennis apparel, golf-themed home furnishings, and a vast selection of golf and tennis equipment. The PGA TOUR Superstores Web site address is www.pgatoursuperstore.com.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 72 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Golf Package, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship, Golf Holiday also manages the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798, or visit www.GolfHoliday.com.

2007 Summer Family Golf Schedule
Date Course Time
Thursday, June 7 Wedgefield Plantation Country Club 8:30 a.m.
Friday, June 8 Crown Park Golf Club 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, June 14 Crown Park Golf Club 2:00 p.m.
Friday, June 15 Heron Point Golf Club 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 20 Myrtlewood Golf Club- Palmetto Course 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, June 21 International Club 2:00 p.m.
Friday, June 22 Farmstead Golf Links 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday, June 27 Wedgefield Golf Club 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 28 Long Bay Club *** 2:00 p.m.
Friday, June 29 Blackmoor Golf Club 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 4 True Blue Plantation 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 5 Litchfield Country Club 2:00 p.m.
Friday, July 6 Wachesaw Plantation East 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday, July 11 Quail Creek Golf Club 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 12 The Dye Club Barefoot Resort and Golf*** 2:00 p.m.
Friday, July 13 Wachesaw Plantation East 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday, July 18 Arrowhead Country Club*** 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 19 Crown Park Golf Club 2:00 p.m.
Friday, July 20 Sea Trail- Maples Course 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 25 Wachesaw Plantation East 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 26 International Club 2:00 p.m.
Friday, July 27 River Oaks Golf Plantation 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday, August 1 Wedgefield Golf Club 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 2 Meadowlands Golf Club 8:30 a.m.
Friday, August 3 Arrowhead Country Club*** 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, August 9 Wachesaw Plantation East 8:30 a.m.
Friday, August 10 River Oaks Golf Plantation 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday, August 15 Glen Dornoch*** 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, August 16 The Dye Club Barefoot Resort and Golf*** 2:00 p.m.
Friday, August 17 International Club 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, August 23 Myrtlewood Golf Club- Pinehills 8:30 a.m.
Friday, August 24 Black Bear Golf Club8:30 a.m.
*** Courses are $57 per Adult

Five Myrtle Beach National Company Courses Honored By GolfStyles Carolina

2007-05-22T00:00:00-04:00

May 22, 2007, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Five Myrtle Beach National Company courses were named to the Carolinas 100 Must-Play Courses list which is currently featured in the May issue of GolfStyles Carolina. The magazines editorial staff selected 100 public-access courses in South and North Carolina that they felt all golfers should experience during their lifetime.

The five Myrtle Beach National Company courses honored included Kings North at Myrtle Beach National, Litchfield Country Club, Long Bay Club, River Club and Willbrook Plantation.

Having five of our courses named in GolfStyles Carolinas list of the Top 100 recognizes the quality of golf that we offer, said Jim Woodring, vice president of golf operations at Myrtle Beach National. Selecting the Top 100 golf courses in South and North Carolina is a daunting task and we are proud to have been included on this list. Golfers enjoy playing our courses for their scenic beauty, conditioning, playability and our service with southern hospitality.

About The Myrtle Beach National Company
The Myrtle Beach National Company has evolved into one of the leading golf course ownership and management operations in the Southeast, featuring many of the most well-respected signature courses along the Grand Strand. The company formed in 1971 with the construction of the Arnold Palmer-designed original 54-hole golf complex, which includes the West Course, Southcreek (both designed by Francis Duane and Arnold Palmer) and Kings North, also an Arnold Palmer design that has achieved national notoriety. Myrtle Beach National has grown to include the Robert Trent Jones designed Waterway Hills, Jack Nicklaus Long Bay, Tom Jacksons River Club and Aberdeen Country Club, Dan Maples Willbrook Plantation and Willard Byrds Litchfield Country Club, all premier Myrtle Beach area signature courses.

Myrtle Beach National has hosted tournaments for men, women, senior or junior golfers for more than 35 years to help grow the game of golf. Every November, Myrtle Beach National-sponsored George Holliday Memorial Tournament, recently named one of the top-ranked junior tournaments by the Heritage Classic Foundation, attracts prep golfers to the Grand Strand. During the spring, Myrtle Beach National welcomes more than 500 junior golfers to the area during Easter weekend for the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Tournament. For more information, visit www.MBN.com or call 1-800-882-2614.

Ten Grand Strand Courses Named To Golf Digests Americas 100 Greatest Public Courses List

2007-04-23T00:00:00-04:00

Grand Strand Places More Public Golf Courses on List Than Any Other Golf Destination In The United States

Ten Grand Strand courses were named to the 2007-2008 Americas Top 100 Greatest Public Courses list in the May issue of Golf Digest. The Grand Strand placed more public golf courses on Golf Digest's list than any other golf destination or state in the country. Michigan was second with nine public courses while Hawaii came in third with seven courses.

At number 28, the Dunes Golf & Beach Club was the highest-ranking Myrtle Beach area course on the list. Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation was 41st followed by the Heritage Club at number 46. Barefoot Resort & Golf's Davis Love III course was ranked at number 53 while Rivers Edge Golf Club finished 62nd. Tigers Eye Golf Links was 73rd while Kings North at Myrtle Beach National returned to the Top 100 list at number 76. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club was 86th while sister course, True Blue, finished 87th. Barefoot Resort & Golfs Fazio course was listed at number 92.

Placing 10 Grand Strand courses on Golf Digest's list of Top 100 Public Golf Courses reinforces our saying that It Can Only Happen Here, said Bill Golden, vice president and director of marketing of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. No other golf destination in the world has the quality and quantity of public golf courses that Myrtle Beach has to offer.

Established in 1966, Golf Digest's survey of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses remains the oldest and most respected golf course ranking. The rankings are based on extensive play and scrutiny of thousands of courses every two years by a panel of over 800 low handicap golfers. The 2007 2008 ranking is the 22nd edition of the ultimate honor paid to American golf course architecture. The courses were judged on various criteria: shot values, resistance to scoring, design variety, memorability, aesthetics, conditioning and ambience. After the panelists submitted their evaluations, Golf Digest averages the scores of the categories and totals the averages to determine the overall rankings. A course must be two years old to be considered for America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 80 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Stay and Play Package and the Ultimate Buddy Trip, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit www.GolfHoliday.com.

South Carolina And Myrtle Beach Area Selected As Top United States Golf Vacation Destinations

2007-04-18T00:00:00-04:00

Inaugural Golf Datatech Study Reveals Serious Golfers Preferences in Destinations

The state of South Carolina and the Myrtle Beach, S.C. area were selected as the most desired golf vacation sites in the Serious Golfer Travel & Resort Study by Golf Datatech, LLC, one of the worlds leading golf consumer research groups. With a database of 35,000 avid golfers who play more than 60 rounds per year, Golf Datatech conducts more than one dozen studies each year with the focus on equipment purchases, equipment usage, golf apparel preferences and golf destination travel. The objective of Golf Datatechs annual Serious Golfer survey is to develop an understanding of serious golfers travel habits, particularly when they are booking golf specific travel and vacations.

The avid golfers drive the golf travel business, said Tom Stine, partner, Golf Datatech LLC. They tend to be more knowledge about golf travel destinations and in particular, the quality courses, and thats why we polled this group of avid golfers in our study. Personally, it doesnt surprise me that South Carolina and Myrtle Beach were chosen by the golfers because of the larger number of great courses in the state, and in particular, the Myrtle Beach area.

The Serious Golfer Travel & Resort Study was conducted via the Internet in the summer of 2006 with responses received from more than 3,000 avid golfers from across the U.S. Among the questions asked on the survey:

" If you were interested in a golf specific vacation, where would be the TOP state destination in the United States that youd like to visit? With all 50 states listed on the survey, South Carolina was the most popular state selected with 21 percent of the votes. Florida was second at 16 percent.

" Which of the three cities in South Carolina would you most like to visit? Myrtle Beach received 75 percent of the votes, followed by Hilton Head at 19 percent and Charleston, finishing third with 6 percent of the ballots.

" Of the survey respondents who selected South Carolina for their vacation, 27 percent reside in the North Mid-Central (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin), 25 percent are from the Northeast (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont) while 24 percent hail from the Southeast (Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia).

The Golf Datatech Study validates our belief that the Myrtle Beach area offers the worlds best golf experience, said Bill Golden, Myrtle Beach Golf Holidays vice president and director of marketing. Golfers know that when they visit Myrtle Beach, they have more than 100 courses to choose from, have the opportunity to play Top 100 courses, can bring their families with a diverse list of activities or come with friends and enjoy the camaraderie. When you combine the quality and quantity of Myrtle Beach golf with the new non-stop flights into the area, theres never been a better time to visit the Grand Strand.

About Golf Datatech
Established in 1995, Golf Datatech conducts national consumer surveys that provide golf marketers with an in-depth understanding of the attitude and usage preferences of serious golfers throughout the country. Respondents to the survey were randomly selected from the Golf Datatech Database of Serious Golfers and represent the views of the hardcore golf enthusiast. Golf Datatech defines a hardcore golfer as one who plays more than 60 rounds per year. The average Golf Datatech study respondent played more than 62 rounds of golf per year, has a handicap of 15, an annual income just over $100k, with 69% having played golf for more than 10 years.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 72 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Stay and Play Package and the Ultimate Buddy Trip, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit www.GolfHoliday.com.

Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday Partners With Bridgestone Golf, Inc.

2007-04-05T00:00:00-04:00

Bridgestone Becomes the Official Golf Ball of Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday today announced that the worlds premier golf destination has partnered with Bridgestone Golf, Inc., to become the Official Golf Ball of Myrtle Beach. Bridgestone becomes the second company in the last year to partner with Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, joining Nature Valley Energy Bars, the Official Energy Bar of Myrtle Beach Golf.

A dominant force in the premium performance golf ball market, Bridgestone will promote two new performance golf balls in the golf-crazy Grand Strand market. Debuted in early 2007, the Tour B330 and Tour B330-S feature a softer cover formulation, reengineered core and a slightly deeper 330 dimple pattern. Both golf balls deliver increased durability and feel on wedge shots and greater distance off the tee.

Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and Bridgestone will kick-off an April campaign to reach the thousands of golfers that visit the Grand Strand each spring. Some of the events planned include:

" Two Bridgestone Tour Vans will be headquartered at various Myrtle Beach golf courses for two weeks to provide golfers with custom ball fittings

" Golfers will have the opportunity to sample thousands of Bridgestone Golf balls

" Bridgestone will serve as a presenting sponsor of the Spring Palmetto High School Golf Championship over Easter weekend

" Bridgestone promotional teams will visit Grand Strand golf courses, hotels and restaurants to distribute Bridgestone promotional items and golf balls

" Bridgestone will team up with Driving4Life, Tom Watsons and Bruce Edwards ALS charity foundation, to host closest-to-the-pin contests each Friday at Grand Strand golf courses. The contests will help raise an estimated $90,000 contribution to the national ALS charity.

We are excited for the opportunity to partner with Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and become the official ball of golf's most popular travel destination, said Dan Murphy, Senior Director of Marketing - Bridgestone Golf, Inc. By having the opportunity to reach Myrtle Beach visitors, and allowing them to experience Bridgestone's superior technological advantage, we can do our part in helping to ensure that this great area remains as one of the most sought after spots for buddy golf vacations.

Bridgestone Golf, Inc. manufactures and markets golf balls, clubs and accessories under the Bridgestone Golf and Precept brand names in the United States. Headquartered in Covington, GA, Bridgestone Golf began producing golf balls for the U.S. market in 1985 under the Precept brand name. As the number one golf manufacturer in Japan for many years, the Bridgestone Golf brand debuted in the United States in January of 2005.

Bridgestones flagship products include GC.Mid and GC.OS irons, GC Hybrids, WC Design Wedges, J33R 460cc Drivers, J33 Forged Cavity-Back Irons, New Tour B330 and Tour B330-S golf balls and e5 and e6 golf balls.

We look forward to a long relationship with Bridgestone Golf, said Bill Golden, vice president and director of marketing for Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. The Grand Strand is known universally as a must-play for serious golfers seeking quality golf courses and our golfers are precisely the target market for a premium golf ball and equipment manufacturer like Bridgestone. Every golfer wants to add 10 yards to their drive and thanks to Bridgestone and their technology, golfers can test out the New Tour 330 and Tour B330-S balls in Myrtle Beach in April.

For more information on the Bridgestone Golf appearance schedule in Myrtle Beach, visit GolfHoliday.com.

About Bridgestone Golf
Bridgestone Golf, Inc., based in Covington, GA, manufactures and markets premium golf balls, clubs and accessories under the Bridgestone and Precept brand names. Bridgestone is represented on a world stage by a number of internationally famed golfers including, Stuart Appleby, Fred Couples, Shigeki Maruyama and Nick Price. Bridgestone Golf, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Sports Co. Ltd., whose headquarters are in Tokyo. For more information visit http://www.bridgestonegolf.com

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 78 championship golf courses, 72 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Stay and Play Package and the Ultimate Buddy Trip, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit www.GolfHoliday.com.

# # #

ESPN Commentator Charlie Rymer To Serve As 2007 Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday National Spokesperson

2007-03-12T00:00:00-04:00

South Carolina Native Will Pen Monthly Column on GolfHoliday.com

March 8, 2007, Myrtle Beach, S.C.Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday announced today that former PGA Tour player and ESPN commentator Charlie Rymer will be the national spokesperson for the Golf Capital of the World in 2007. As part of the agreement, Rymer will serve as the guest host of Links Illustrated, the syndicated golf instruction television show hosted in Myrtle Beach, contribute custom video content for the GolfHoliday.com site, conduct interviews at events such as the Monday After the Masters Tournament and author a monthly column called The Rymer Report which will appear exclusively on the Golf Holiday Web site. Rymer might also be featured in Myrtle Beach Golf Holidays fall broadcast media campaign and other television programming.

Were excited to have Charlie Rymer as our Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday Spokesperson in 2007, said Bill Golden, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday vice president and director of marketing. His experience playing on Tour and working as a commentator on ESPN will be an asset for us. After meeting with Charlie several times, the first word that comes to mind is fun. Charlie will do a great job projecting what the Myrtle Beach golf experience is all about.

The 39-year old Rymer is currently in his 10th year as a golf analyst with ESPN and also partners with well-known golf course architect Mike Young in the Athens, Georgia-based Young Rymer Designs. The full-service design firm has constructed, designed or renovated more than 20 golf courses in the United States with five more currently in different stages of development, including one in Columbia, South Carolina.

I am looking forward to my association with Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and plan to bring as much energy and fun as possible to everything we do together, said Rymer. Ive enjoyed some great golf memories here from my junior golf and collegiate days and have played many of the Grand Strand courses. Growing up in Fort Mill, South Carolina, we referred to Myrtle Beach as just the Beach, and now I have the opportunity to represent the worlds most popular golf destination.

Rymer joined the PGA Tour in 1995 and competed in 73 events during his three years on Tour. His best professional finish came at the 1995 Shell Houston Open where he finished third, one stroke behind Payne Stewart and Scott Hoch. Rymer was a member of the Buy.com Tour, now known as the Nationwide Tour, in 1994 and 1998 and captured the 1994 South Carolina Classic. Rymer graduated from Georgia Tech in 1991 where he was a two-time College All-American. He and wife, Carol, have two sons, Charlie Duke and Hayden, 10 and 8 years of age, respectively.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 80 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the Golf Package, Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit www.GolfHoliday.com.