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Pine Lakes
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The First Myrtle Beach Golf Course

Myrtle Beach Golf
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2018

Ed Bullock, Larry Leagans Inducted Into Myrtle Beach Golf Hall Of Fame

Industry Leaders Were Enshrined During Ceremony at Pine Lakes Country Club

Larry Leagans, who operated Eagle Nest Golf Club, and the late Ed Bullock, who oversaw construction of Surf Club and Myrtle Beach National before becoming head pro at each facility, were inducted into the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame Thursday evening at Pine Lakes Country Club.

“Larry Leagans and Ed Bullock were driving forces in the Myrtle Beach golf community when the area was on the front end of its emergence, setting a standard that helped lift the entire market,” said Bill Golden, president of Golf Tourism Solutions. “They worked tirelessly to make Myrtle Beach a better golf destination and both men are richly deserving of this honor.”

Bullock, who was inducted into the Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame in 1993, left his native North Carolina and moved to the South Carolina coast in the late 1950s to pursue his passion: golf. It didn’t take long for his avocation to become his occupation.

He became the construction supervisor at The Surf Club, Myrtle Beach’s third course, before taking over as head pro, working at the esteemed layout from 1959-1972. Bullock left the Surf Club for a similar challenge at an even higher profile facility, overseeing construction and eventually assuming the mantle of head pro at Myrtle Beach National, where he worked until his 1985 retirement.

Bullock passed away in 1995 at the age of 77; his daughter, Trisha, was in attendance to accept the induction plaque on his behalf.

A stint in the Air Force brought Leagans to Myrtle Beach and he never left. He broke into the golf business as general manager of the Cabana Terrace Motor Inn, where he became a tireless advocate for the golf package, before leasing Eagle Nest for 20 years.

Leagans’ work at Eagle Nest provided a blueprint for success along the North Strand and opened the area to traveling golfers. He also contributed to the community through his work with Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, the Myrtle Beach Golf Course Owners Association, and Grand Strand Tee Time Network.

Bullock and Leagans constituted the 10th class inducted into the MBGHOF and they were the 24th and 25th enshrinees.

Other members of the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame are: Robert White, Jimmy D’Angelo, Carolyn Cassidy Cudone, Clay Brittain, Cecil Brandon, George “Buster” Bryan, Gary Schaal, Paul Himmelsbach, Charles Byers, Egerton Burroughs, Bryan Floyd, Edward Jerdon, George Hilliard, Russell “Doc” Burgess, Critt Gore, Sandy Miles, Phillips Goings, Kelly Tilghman, Robert LeComte, Vernon Brake and Edward Burroughs.

Established to pay tribute to the men and women who have played significant roles in the development of the Myrtle Beach area golf industry, the Hall of Fame opened in 2009.

2017

Hotelier, Golf Course Owner Vernon Brake And Bob LeComte, The Man Behind The World Am, Inducted Into Myrtle Beach Golf Hall Of Fame

(Myrtle Beach, S.C.) – Hotelier and golf course owner Vernon Brake and Bob LeComte, an integral part of the World Amateur Handicap Championship’s growth, were inducted into the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame at Pine Lakes Country Club Thursday evening.

“Vernon Brake and Bob LeComte were vital figures in Myrtle Beach’s growth, doing work that sometimes went unnoticed by the public but was pivotal to the area’s emergence as the Golf Capital of the World,” said Bill Golden, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday’s president. “Both were locks for induction and it was a pleasure to celebrate their accomplishments and Myrtle Beach’s rich history.”

Brake was part of a group that bought The Breakers Hotel in the 1970s and as the managing partner, he spearheaded its growth from a property with 71 units to one with more than 650. Brake also launched a golf package business at the Breaker’s, booking hundreds of thousands of rounds over the years.

Buoyed by his success at The Breaker’s, Brake was a founding partner of Myrtle Beach National, one of the Grand Strand’s bedrock developments. MBN eventually expanded to include 10 courses with Brake helping lead the way.

He was also an influential board member at Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and Grand Strand Tee Time Network.

LeComte, who was inducted posthumously, didn’t arrive on the Myrtle Beach golf scene until the conclusion of a 37-year business career, but he left a lasting legacy on the Grand Strand, helping attract the two most significant title sponsorships in the destination’s history.

LeComte secured DuPont as the title sponsor of the World Amateur Handicap Championship, and it grew into one of the longest and most successful relationships in all of sports. During DuPont’s 22-year run as title sponsor, the World Am grew into an event that annually attracted 4,500+ players from every corner of the globe.

LeComte’s tenacity also led to securing Energizer as a title sponsor for the Senior Tour Championship, bringing a high profile, professional golf event to Myrtle Beach. The Senior Tour Championship provided international exposure as well as a live domestic television audience, showcasing the Myrtle Beach golf experience, and it wouldn’t have happened without LeComte.

Brake and LeComte became the 22nd and 23rd inductees into the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame, which is located in the courtyard at Pine Lakes, the area’s first course.

Other members of the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame are: General James Hackler, Robert White, Jimmy D’Angelo, Carolyn Cassidy Cudone, Clay Brittain, W. Cecil Brandon, Jr., George “Buster” Bryan, Gary Schaal, Paul Himmelsbach, Charles Byers, Egerton Burroughs, Bryan Floyd, Edward Jerdon, George Hilliard III, Russell “Doc” Burgess, Critt Gore, Sandy Miles, Phillips Goings, Kelly Tilghman and Edward Burroughs.

Established to pay tribute to the men and women who have played significant roles in the development of the Myrtle Beach area golf industry, the Hall of Fame was founded in 2008.

2016

Golf Media Pioneer Kelly Tilghman, Developer Edward Burroughs Enshrined into Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) – Developer Edward Burroughs and Kelly Tilghman, a trailblazer for women in golf media, were inducted into the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame at a ceremony at Pine Lakes Country Club Wednesday evening.

Established to pay tribute to the men and women who have played significant roles in the development of the Myrtle Beach area golf industry, the Hall of Fame was founded in 2009.

“Edward Burroughs and Kelly Tilghman are two of the most prominent personalities in Myrtle Beach golf history,” said Bill Golden, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday’s president. “While both have contributed to the area in different ways, they were and are among the titans in their chosen fields.”

Burroughs hails from one of the most significant families in Myrtle Beach’s history, and his unerring vision and leadership were instrumental to the area’s growth throughout the 20th century. Burroughs was the guiding force behind decisions that led to the donation of land that is now Myrtle Beach State Park, helped found Coastal Carolina University, and was vital to the development of Highway 17 Bypass.

This Grand Strand giant was also essential to Myrtle Beach’s emergence as an international golf destination. He sold land to the Dunes Club, allowing for the construction of Myrtle Beach’s most iconic layout, but he is most renowned for his development of Myrtlewood Golf Club.

The area’s first 36-hole facility, Myrtlewood was located in the middle of town and helped jump start Myrtle Beach’s transformation from sleepy beach community to acclaimed golf destination.

One of the most decorated junior golfers in Grand Strand history, the game has been a vital part of Tilghman’s life. She lived on the third hole at the Surf Club, one of the area’s most venerable layouts, and her family owned Gator Hole Golf Club, where Tilghman worked every job imaginable and honed a game that earned her a scholarship to Duke University.

Upon graduation from Duke, she played professionally across the globe for four years before retiring to take a position with the then upstart Golf Channel. Tilghman’s stature grew along with the network’s, and she went on to become the first full-time female play-by-play broadcaster in American sports history when she led PGA Tour coverage on Golf Channel.

Her play-by-play work eventually extended to NBC’s coverage of the 2012 London Olympics, but Tilghman has carved out a hall of fame career – in Myrtle Beach and beyond – as a result of her work in golf.

While her star rose nationally, Tilghman continued to maintain ties to the Grand Strand. Over the years, she has returned to the area on numerous occasions, along with Golf Channel’s cameras, to highlight the work of the Myrtle Beach Chapter of the First Tee.

For more information about Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame, visit www.themyrtlebeachgolfhalloffame.com.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday

Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association comprised of 79 championship golf courses and 99 golf package providers in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the region’s thriving golf market. The originator of the “Stay and Play Package,” Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation.

Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help to foster continued growth of the game. In addition to hosting the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament, Golf Holiday runs the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Handicap Championship – the world’s largest single-site amateur golf tournament, the Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic, the Preseason Classic, the March Championship and the Myrtle Beach Fall Classic.

2015

2015 Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame Inductees Enshrined

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) – Marketing pioneer Sandy Miles and Phillip Goings, the long-time caddy master at the Dunes Club, were inducted into the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame Thursday evening at Pine Lakes Country Club.

Established to pay tribute to the men and women who have played significant roles in the development of the Myrtle Beach area golf industry, the Hall of Fame was founded in 2009.

“Sandy Miles and Phillip Goings are richly deserving of their place in the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame,” said Bill Golden, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday’s president. “Both men were vital to the area’s growth in different ways, but they shared common goals: a desire to do their job to the best of their ability and to make every Myrtle Beach golf trip a memorable one.”

Big ideas and an equally big personality made Sandie Miles an instrumental part of Myrtle Beach’s growth into the game’s premier golf destination.

After serving in the Army, including a tour in Germany, Miles returned to Myrtle Beach and took over Pine Lakes Country Club. He immediately set about raising the course’s profile and was wildly successful. He coined the venerable Robert White design as the Granddaddy, ensuring everyone knew Pine Lakes was the birthplace of Myrtle Beach golf.

It was Miles’ idea to serve clam chowder at the turn and he brought Rolls Royce golf carts to the course, marketing ideas that attracted national attention for years. While Miles is most known for his success at the Granddaddy, he also worked alongside fellow Hall of Famer Cecil Brandon to help launch Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday.

As important as architects and golf course owners are, the people on the ground greeting players are providing the Southern hospitality that has served as one of the Myrtle Beach’s primary assets. No one brought a smile and unquestioned expertise to his job longer than Phillip Goings, the former caddy master at the Dunes Club.

Goings started at the club as a dishwasher but moved outdoors, where he became the head looper at Myrtle Beach’s most famed course. A razor sharp memory made Goings an outstanding caddy and his personality endeared him to Dunes Club members and guests alike. Fellow Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Famer Jimmy D’Angelo once said of Goings, “He treats everybody like they are the President of the United States … He’s the world’s best.”

Goings worked at the Dunes Club for 50 years, setting a standard for work ethic and customer service that served entire Myrtle Beach golf community well.