Myrtle Beach long ago earned its reputation as golf’s most popular travel destination, and now the area’s profile as a host for high level competitive events is soaring.

The newest addition to the Grand Strand calendar in 2024 is the MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com Intercollegiate, a 16-team event that will be hosted by the Coastal Carolina University men’s golf team. The 54-hole tournament will be played September 8-10, 2024 on the Grande Dunes Resort Course, one of South Carolina’s most acclaimed layouts.

Coastal Coach Jacob Wilner was able to quickly attract a quality field, a credit to the respect coaches throughout the nation have for the Chanticleer program and the appeal of playing at Grande Dunes, a course that has been ranked among the nation’s top 100 public designs.

“Grande Dunes is a course people in the business have heard of,” Wilner said. “There are a lot of options for how to set it up … The greens are big, and we will grow the bermuda rough up. I think it’s a world class golf course.”

The setup options Wilner referenced expanded dramatically with a comprehensive greens and bunker renovation project in 2022. The greens were restored to their original size and specifications, an effort that netted an additional 40,000 square feet of putting surface, dramatically increasing the number of pinnable areas on the TifEagle greens.

Founders Group International, Grande Dunes’ parent company and supporter of the Coastal Carolina golf program, also restored the bunkers to their original shape and contours, in addition to the installation of Capillary Concrete Bunker Liners.

Teams from as far away as California will begin their 2024-25 season in Myrtle Beach, as will five Sun Belt Conference teams.

Joining Coastal in the first annual event will be Campbell University, East Carolina University, Loyola Marymount University, Elon College, Appalachian State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University, Old Dominion University, Florida Atlantic University, Western Carolina University, University of Maryland, University of Texas El Paso, Jacksonville University, Santa Clara University and Texas State University.

A Roger Rulewich design, Grande Dunes, which features six sets of tees and can stretch to nearly 7,600 yards, has long been one of Myrtle Beach’s most popular courses. The layout features five holes that reside along the Intracoastal Waterway, a quintet highlighted by the stunning 14th hole.

The par 3 plays from an elevated tee box to a green that overlooks the waterway, providing beautiful views and one of the round’s most demanding tee shots.

In addition to the MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com Intercollegiate, Coastal will also host the 23rd annual General Hackler Championship March 18-20, 2024.

The MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com Intercollegiate will join the Myrtle Beach Classic, the area’s first PGA Tour event, as new additions to the area’s competitive calendar. The Myrtle Beach Classic will be played May 9-12 at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club.