Monday After the Masters a quick sellout

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- As expected, spectator tickets for the 21st annual Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am sold out in a matter of a few hours Monday.

Approximately 6,000 adult spectator tickets are sold annually, and the approximate 2,000 general admission tickets that aren't tied into sponsor packages went on sale at 10 a.m. Monday.

Tickets were $20 and the allotment for the Ticketmaster service was sold out within an hour. The remaining tickets at Barefoot Resort clubhouses and the House of Blues ticket office sold out within a couple hours.

"It's a real testament to the guys and people who keep plugging away at the event," tournament director Paul Graham said. "A lot of events, when they get to the longevity that this event has, they kind of wear out, and for some reason it has remained popular and we are very thankful for the support. We're appreciative of every piece of it."

Children 12 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult but must pick up a complimentary ticket at the ticket booth in the Alabama Theatre/House of Blues parking lot at Barefoot Landing before boarding a shuttle bus.

Recently-named 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup Team captain Davis Love III, three-time PGA Tour winner Boo Weekley and Golf Channel analyst Charlie Rymer are among the pro golfers who have already committed to the event.

Athletes who have committed include Cleveland Browns and former South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw and former NFL players Jim McMahon and Sterling Sharpe. Most of the other commitments will be announced in mid-March.

Coveting Gopher golfers

For all the new markets that have been opened up to non-stop air service into Myrtle Beach in the past couple years, and the expanded seasons for some direct flights, there is still one coveted market rife with golfers that hasn't been tapped yet: the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

"Minneapolis is a great golf market. It's just the distance from Myrtle Beach is obviously an issue from an air carrier perspective," said Bill Golden, president of marketing cooperative Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. "It's something that's been part of our conversation for years and we'll probably continue to talk about that market."

According to several sources, it's widely accepted that Minneapolis has more golfers per capita than any other U.S. city, and according to golf.com, more people play golf in Minnesota per capita than any other state in the union. Approximately one Gopher State resident in five hits the links each year.

Minneapolis' relatively short golf season seemingly makes it fertile frozen ground for attracting golfers to the Strand in the spring and fall golf seasons. But air service is usually based more on filling planes during the summer family vacation season, and Golden said many of the city's residents are intent on enjoying their state's summer offerings.

"They tend to stay there at the lakes and they take advantage of the beautiful area that they have," Golden said. "So that's the issue that we have. The demand doesn't really translate for six or eight months. We can pinpoint the golf demand and we know some of our carriers have significant activity going on in Minneapolis.

"I don't want to say it's never going to happen, I just think it's going to take some time and effort to cultivate that, but it's a challenge."

Golf Channel tour visits

True Blue Golf Club and Caledonia Golf & Fish Club are hosting one of the Golf Channel Amateur Tour's 27 majors this year on Saturday and Sunday. The event is sold out and with a field of nearly 190 golfers.

The Golf Channel Amateur Tour purports to be the largest amateur golf tour in North America for all ages and skill levels with more than 7,000 active members and 55 local tours. The tour offers more than 700 stroke-play tournaments annually, including the 27 majors and the National and Senior National Championships.

Youth program registration

The First Tee of the Grand Strand is holding online student registration for After School and Saturday classes offered at several sites around the Grand Strand. Students must be ages 7-14 and 90-minute classes will begin the last week of March and run one day per week for eight weeks.

The cost is $40 and classes are limited to the first 21 participants at each site. Clubs will be provided to students without them.

After School sessions begin at 4 or 4:30 p.m. and locations are Willbrook Golf Club on Mondays (lead coach Dave Hall), Cane Patch Par 3 on Wednesdays (Shelby Smith), Shaftesbury Glen Golf & Fish Club on Wednesdays (TBA), Legends Resort on Thursdays (Chris Abraham), Conway Country Club on Thursdays (Bill Knehr), and Crown Park Golf Club on Fridays (Rev. Andy Anderson and Vincent Myers).

Eagle Nest Golf Club is hosting Saturday sessions from 2-3:30 p.m. with lead coaches Patrick O' Brien and Samantha Swinehart.

The non-profit First Tee teaches character based on nine core values and healthy habits through golf. Certified First Tee volunteer coaches teach the curriculum.

HH youth land home

While The First Tee of the Grand Strand is still looking for home sites in both Horry and Georgetown counties, another nearby chapter has secured a home facility.

The First Tee of the Lowcountry recently unveiled plans to build a six-hole golf course and recreational field on Hilton Head Island. Construction is slated to start as early as March and be completed by the fall. The First Tee of The Lowcountry executive director Mike Davis said the organization has raised about $1.3 million of the $1.5 million needed in cash and in-kind services.

The 13-acre facility will have a 300-plus-yard driving range, a six-hole short par-3 course, and a chipping and putting area. The facilities will be open to the public whenever The First Tee classes are not in session.

Dunes hosts rules seminar

Need a refresher course on the Rules of Golf?

The Carolinas Golf Association has an annual series of USGA Rules of Golf Seminars, and the one being held on the Strand this year will be March 5 at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club beginning at 5 p.m. Seminars typically last between 90 minutes and two hours.

The CGA's scheduled 15 seminars are free of charge and open to anyone. Attendees will view a narrated computer presentation on the basics of the Rules of Golf followed by question and answer sessions. A free 2012-15 USGA Rules of Golf book is included.

Carolinas PGA and LPGA members receive credits for attending. 

This article was written by Alan Blondin from The Sun News and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.