RBC Heritage just part of golf’s deep financial impact on SC
Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Francesco Molinari, Kevin Kisner and more than 120 of their friends pay a call on South Carolina for the RBC Heritage presented by Boeing that begins Thursday, and their presence means a huge financial transfusion for the Palmetto State.
The tournament’s financial impact reached $96 million in a 2014 study, and that sum is expected to grow after results of survey conducted at this year’s tournament are complete. But the PGA Tour’s only stop in South Carolina is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of financial impact in the state.
A study conducted by Dudley Jackson, research director of the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism for the S.C. Golf Course Owners Association and released Wednesday found the 300-plus golf courses produce an annual impact of $2.59 billion in output and sales.
Considering statistics from golf courses and off-course expenditures of golf visitors, the study also found that golf produced:
▪ 31,434 jobs;
▪ $857 millions in wages and income;
▪ $309 million in federal, state and local taxes.
Green fees and club membership dues generated $12.4 million in state admission tax, a figure that represented 35 percent of state admission tax collected.
“The report shows the importance of the golf industry in South Carolina,” said Biff Lathrop, executive director of the South Carolina Golf Association. “The numbers are strong, and it’s important to note that golf produces more than one-third of the admission tax each year.”
The study showed courses averaged 27,062 rounds per year. The average revenue per round came to $52.78, and visitors who traveled to the state spent $870 million in lodging, food and entertainment. Seventeen percent of the out-of-state visitors came from Ohio, and Myrtle Beach attracted 55 percent of the visitors.
The state also receives a one-time boost from the U.S. Women’s Open, set for May 30-June 2 in Charleston. USGA officials estimate the top tournament in women’s professional golf will have a $25 million economic impact.
In addition to the financial impact, the state receives the benefit of publicity from world-wide television coverage from the RBC Heritage. “There’s no way to measure that, but it’s significant,” said Simon Fraser, chairman of the Heritage Classic Foundation. “We reach 1 billion households around the world” with 35 hours on the Golf Channel, CBS and international networks.
Those who attend or tune in for the tournament that begins Thursday at Sea Pines Resorts’ Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island will see the tournament’s strongest field in recent years.
Johnson, DeChambeau and British Open champion Molinari are all ranked among the top 10 players in the world. Jim Furyk, Matt Kucher and Jordan Spieth will compete, and the international contingent will be represented by former major winners Charl Schwartzel, Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer plus four more from the world’s top 50 — Matthew Fitzpatrick, Eddie Pepperell, Justin Harding and Matt Wallace.
Johnson, No. 2 in the world, and Kisner, No. 25, head the list of South Carolina players that includes Lucas Glover, Jonathan Byrd, Mark Anderson, Bill Haas and D.J. Trahan. Satoshi Kodaira is defending champion.
For ticket information, go online to www.rbcheritage.com.
Chip shots. The SCGA invites all golfers to visit its hospitality tent on Harbour Town’s 18th tee during the Heritage. ... USC junior Jamie Wilson followed a strong performance in the Hootie at Bulls Bay tourney with a second-place finish in the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational and earned SEC co-player of the week honors. ... Clemson senior Bryson Nimmer set a school record with his fourth individual victory of the season, leading the field in the Clemson Invitational. ... Clemson’s women finished third in the rain-shortened Clemson Invitational. Freshman Ivy Shepherd tied the tournament record with a second-round 65 and finished fifth individually. ... In the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Furman’s Haylee Harford finished tied for seventh, Clemson’s Alice Hewson shared 10th, USC graduate Ainhoa Olarra tied for 12th and Furman’s Natalie Srinivasan tied for 17th. Furman alumna Alice Chen missed the cut.
This story was originally published April 13, 2019 at 6:18 PM.