Father's Day is fast approaching, and what would make a better gift than a trip to Myrtle Beach to participate in the largest father-son golf tournament in the world.
This July the "Seaside Golf Capital of the World," Myrtle Beach, will host the 12th annual Martin's PGA Tour Superstore National Father & Son Team Classic, a celebration of the game of golf and its ability to forge lasting family ties.
Eligibility for the tournament isn't just limited to fathers and sons. Other accepted pairs include grandfathers and grandsons, stepfathers and stepsons, fathers and sons in law and uncles and nephews. Golf is the feature attracted, but past participants know the importance of this one-of-kind event extends beyond golf.
"This is such a wonderful concept," wrote Donald R. Hollenack, a second-year participant in the event. It is so much more than about golf. It allows my dad and me to spend five days of quality time together, which is so very rare since we live about two hours apart and we seldom just get to kick back anymore.
"We stay at the beach and enjoy the ocean, we enjoy the dining, we enjoy the playing competitors we have met over the past two years, and absolutely love the golf and the competitive nature of the tournament," he added. "We will be back."
The three-day event will be played on Myrtle Beach's most acclaimed courses, including the newly renovated Pine Lakes Country Club, the Grand Strand's first golf course. Last year's 54-hole competition brought more than 1,600 players representing 44 states and eight foreign countries to the area.
Each day teams will be assigned to a different golf course where they'll compete in a different two-man format. Thursday teams will play better ball. Friday features alternate-shot, and Saturday the action concludes with the pairs playing captain's choice.
Prior to the action on Wednesday, teams will register at one of two locations (PGA Superstores in Myrtle and North Myrtle) and have the chance to make arrangements to play practice rounds at discounted rates in order to familiarize themselves with their golf courses.
The Father-Son Classic golf course rotation includes Barefoot Resort & Golf, Pine Lakes Country Club, Farmstead Golf Links, Resort Course at Grande Dunes, Indian Wells Golf Club, Legends Golf Resort, Myrtlewood Golf Club, Tidewater Golf Club, Wachesaw Plantation East, Crow Creek Golf Club, River Hills Golf & Country Club and Thistle Golf Club.
The Classic's official welcome reception will be held at Pine Lakes on Wednesday evening, giving players a chance to get a look at the recently restored clubhouse, orginally constructed in 1927. Pine Lakes is also home to the new Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame.
Following each round of competition, players can participate in the Father & Son Skills Challenge & Demo Alley at the Resort Course at Grande Dunes. There will also be a nightly Closest to the Pin & Putting Contest at Martin's PGA Tour Superstore.
Saturday the Father-Son Classic will conclude with an awards ceremony and player's cookout at the Resort Course at Grande Dunes.
The registration deadline for the event is June 1. Along with three days of golf and an exceptional gift package, each player will receive a $200 Martin's PGA Tour Superstore gift card. To request a tournament brochure call 1-866-497-2627 or visit www.fathersongolf.com.
This year's event will benefit the ALS Therapy Development Institute. ALS TDI Golf is the largest nationwide network of golf based fundraisers to support research into effective treatments for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
ALS is no stranger to the golf world; Bruce Edwards, Tom Watson’s caddy for more than 20 years, lost a hard-fought battle with ALS less than two years following his diagnosis in 2001, and PGA Tour Professional Jeff Julian played in three tournaments on sponsor’s exemptions following his diagnosis in 2000. These two men put a public face on the disease and raised significant awareness and the National Father & Son Team Classic is committed to continue that legacy through this partnership.
Recapture a golf memory or make some new ones at the 2009 National Father & Son Team Classic.