More than 3,200 golfers are descending on Myrtle Beach this week and they all have one goal: to play the Grande Dunes Resort Course on Friday, September 1.
The 40th annual World Amateur Handicap Championship, golf’s largest single tournament, is being played on 50 of Myrtle Beach’s premier courses, and after four rounds of net stroke play competition, all flight winners will advance to the Flight Winners Playoff, where the World Champion will be crowned at Grande Dunes.
With players from all 50 states and 17 countries flocking to Myrtle Beach to play in a tournament often referred to as the “Everyman’s Major,” competition will be fierce, and Grande Dunes is the ideal layout to identify this year’s champion.
After undergoing a comprehensive greens and bunker renovation project in 2022, the Roger Rulewich design is in outstanding condition, highlighted by smooth, fast putting surfaces. At heart of the project was the restoration of the course’s greens to their original size and specifications, an effort that expanded the average putting green by more than 33 percent, greatly increasing the number of pinnable areas.
Grande Dunes has been ranked among the nation’s top 100 public courses and it complements an outstanding design with stunning natural scenery. Five holes reside along the Intracoastal Waterway, most memorably, the par 3 14th, which plays from an elevated tee box to a green that provides a dramatic view of the waterway.
The combination of heroic architecture and stunning visuals make Grande Dunes an idyllic venue for the World Am to crown a champion. The recently renovated clubhouse, now home to Terrazza 19, an inhouse restaurant, and an inviting patio, is perfect for spectators who want to enjoy the festivities.
A 72-hole, net stroke play event, the World Am is open to all golfers with a verifiable USGA handicap. Highlighting the World Am’s broad appeal, there are players as old as 90 and as young as 16 registered for the 2023 tournament, while Portugal and Canada lead the nations sending international participants. The average handicap for tournament players is 11.8 and 50 of Myrtle Beach’s best courses will host the tournament.
The World Am flights players into 11 divisions – men 49 and under, senior men (50-59), mid-senior men (60-69), super senior men (70-79), seasoned seniors (80+), women (59 and under), senior women (60+), the gross division, senior (50+) gross division, mid-senior (60+) gross division and women’s gross division. There is also a “Just For Fun” flight, created for players who want to enjoy the World Am experience without the pressure of competition.