Why You Need to Play in the Myrtle Beach World Golf Amateur Tournament #MBWorldAm

Let the good times roll...on the golf courses in Myrtle Beach!

For the 35th year, more than fifty golf courses (and hotels) in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (and North Carolina border) welcomed over three thousand golfers to the annual World Amateur Tournament this year. What was on the menu?

Fun, food and golf, of course!

The Myrtle Beach World Amateur Tournament is one of my favorites to cover every year. Although golf is the main attraction, some could argue that the "19th hole" is a separate event, as there are putting and short game contests with big money (up to $25,000!) on the line.

The food is an affair in itself, with some of the best restaurants on the Grand Strand putting out their best and most delicious snacks for all to enjoy.

From Greg Norman's Australian Grill and Antonios with their exceptional steak and seafood dishes to Big Mike's Soul Food (delectable ribs) and Sticky Fingers' fried catfish, I didn't know which station to head to first!!

Entertainment kept the Myrtle Beach Convention Center rocking each night, with top-shelf bands keeping the crowds dancing and one of the finest pocket billiard players in the country, Ewa Mataya Laurance, showing her finesse around the table. With 100,000 square feet to cover, the 19th hole is the place to be after a tournament day in the Myrtle Beach sun.

The focus is on the golf, as this is a Tournament, with the most beautiful courses at the beach glistening in the morning sky as players set out for a day of stroke play. From Aberdeen Country Club with its serene "Meadows", "Highlands" and "Woodlands" nines to Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, with its decidedly southern feel, golfers who play in the Myrtle Beach World Am get to play golf on the choicest courses!

Companies peddling their products lined up in booths at the Convention Center as in past years; from magnetized wrist bracelets to help you improve balance to an auction house which had signed footballs, golfers were trying, buying and talking sports, food and the current player rankings.

One very interesting display which I came across was of the history of the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Tournament, "World Am Through The Ages", which allowed golfers a look back at some of its finest moments...as well as the trophy being awarded to the winner.

In my opinion, the spirit of the game is what this tournament is all about - choose to attend to be a part of history and to have a great time, both on, and off, the golf course!

Have you played golf in the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Golf Tournament? Tell us about your experience in the comments section of this golf blog and tag us on Twitter @Golf4beginners!

How a Caddie Can Help You During a Golf Tournament

"Caddies don't win championships, golfers do." What are your thoughts on this statement?

If you were to review the commentary made by C.T. Pan after the Wyndham Championship, basically that caddies should "show up, keep up and shut up", you would be missing out on an opportunity to learn a great deal about the game of golf. Pan was joking, of course, but, having his wife (an inexperienced caddie) on the bag was probably not the best idea when it came to winning or losing the tournament.

Been asked by many questions about my caddie (wife) last week. Would like to answer them all in this post 1. She is retired from caddying 😆 and ended her career on a high note. 2. I have a caddy for the next couple events. Thank you for all the offering. pic.twitter.com/HFFLrWT9Rd

— C.T. Pan (@ctpangolf) August 20, 2018

There are mixed thoughts on the roles that caddies should play in the game of golf. Bobby Jones, one of my favorite golfers, was not a proponent of caddies being a major part of his round, saying, "If I needed advice from my caddie, he'd be hitting the shots and I'd be carrying the bag."

Video producer Dan Jenkins was quoted with a similar sentiment about caddies, "If a caddie can help you, you don't know how to play golf."

Lawrence Donegan, a Guardian newspaper golf correspondent, admits that some caddies are good, "and some are bad." Good caddies are like psychologists during a tournament, helping with mood, club selection and reading the greens.

Caddies must have some worth to a golfer (aside from carrying clubs) as some make as much as ten percent of a player's purse!

Caddies are a breed of their own. If you shoot 66, they say, "Man, we shot 66!" But go out and shoot 77, and they say "Hell, he shot 77!"  ...Lee Trevino

From counseling on the mental game to advising which golf club is best to use in different situations, a caddie who knows your game can go a long way during eighteen holes of a tournament.

James Y. Bartlett, author of the book, "Think Like a Caddie, Play Like a Pro", believes that caddies "serve as a valuable team member to help them make better decisions and achieve the lowest possible score."

If you are offered a caddie during your company event or during an amateur tournament, here are three things to ask before accepting his or her looping ability:

- How often do you play this golf course? If you have never played the course, your caddie will know where the doglegs, and trouble lies!

- How well can you read greens? You may not see where the break is, but, if your caddie regularly plays the course, he/she will know!

- If I give you an idea as to how far I hit my 7-iron (for example...and no fibs on distance as the caddie needs to know the true distance), can you help with proper club selection?

You should know your distances better than a caddie who meets you for the first time but if you are unsure, ask for advice.

When I was invited to play Pebble Beach with the Navy Seals at the Legends Invitational Tournament, I was given a caddie who played the course often and gave me invaluable advice. On the 8th hole at PB, my caddie told me to hit my second shot (over a deep water divide) to the left of where the rest of the group was aiming (because they wanted to make the shot onto the green). I landed safely on the fairway and wound up with a bogey on this very difficult hole while my group's golf balls landed in the ravine.

Final thoughts: Caddies don't judge you - they've seen it all, from bad swings to stressful fits of rage, so asking for advice might be just what you need to improve your round during a golf tournament!

Have you ever employed a caddie? How did he/she help your round? Comments welcome below on this golf blog and tag us with your answers on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.