MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – The Myrtle Beach golf community is reflecting after a new study shows the sport generated more than $1 billion in 2024.
An estimated 759,000 golfers traveled to the Myrtle Beach area last year, contributing more than $705 million directly into the local economy, according to the report from Golf Tourism Solutions.
In total, the industry supported more than 13,000 jobs and generated nearly $483 million in wages and benefits.
“Golf has diversified, developed, and helped drive Myrtle Beach for nearly 100 years,” said Ryan Cannon, executive director of Golf Tourism Solutions.
More than 3 million rounds of golf were played across the Grand Strand in 2024.
Roughly half of those were played by tourists, whose spending on lodging, dining, and transportation added another boost to the local economy.
The study estimates that those visitors supported more than 7,000 tourism-related jobs.
“These are just regular men and women that put food on the table for their families by working in the golf industry,” Cannon said.
Steve Mays, president of Founders Group International, which owns 21 local courses, said the region’s golf appeal has grown beyond a seasonal draw.
“It has really become a year-round destination for golfers,” Mays said.
This week, more than 3,000 players are competing in the 42nd annual Play Golf Myrtle Beach World Amateur Championship, one of the largest amateur tournaments in the world.
“Myrtle Beach is the only place you could host an event like this,” Mays said. “It’s not just about the volume of golf we have here, but the fact that we have world-class golf that’s accessible to everyone.”
The city is also now home to the Myrtle Beach Classic on the PGA Tour schedule, which Cannon said will help grow the game locally for years to come.
In 2027, Pine Lakes Country Club, Myrtle Beach’s first golf course, will celebrate its 100th anniversary, a milestone Cannon said reflects the sport’s lasting impact on the region.
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