High school golf tournament finds home in Columbia
After being held in Hilton Head the previous three years, one of the state’s biggest high school golf tournaments was looking for a new home.
It has found one this year at The Members Club at Woodcreek and WildeWood. The tournament, known as the Golden Bear Invitational, will be called The Members Club Invitational.
The three-day tournament will begin on Friday and run through Sunday. River Bluff High is the host school for the tournament.
“WildeWood kind of saved the day,” River Bluff golf coach Roger Smith said. “The template was there and the field was set. We just needed a place to have and they came through and stepped up. It is a wonderful event.”
Smith said this is a “destination-type” event for teams and is more than just a normal golf tournament. There’s music playing around the course at the first tee, there’s apparel and players can play cornhole after the round. The winning team also receives gold jackets.
Jeremy Steiner, the general manager at Summer Grove Golf Course in Georgia, founded the event in 2013 when he was at Hilton Head and started with 14 teams. This year’s event has 26 schools with two coming from North Carolina.
Hilton Head Christian has won the three previous tournaments and will be back to defend its title. Midlands teams in the field are Lexington, Dutch Fork, Blythewood, Irmo, Gilbert, Chapin and River Bluff.
WHAT: The Members Club Junior Invitational
WHEN: Friday-Sunday (Tee-off at 7:30 a.m. each day)
WHERE: The Members Club at Woodcreek and WildeWood
TEAMS: Lexington, South Aiken, Dorman, Aiken, Greenwood, Wren, Bishop England, Easley, Dutch Fork, Emerald, North Myrtle Beach, Riverside, Blythewood, Irmo, Waccamaw, Gilbert, Cannon School (N.C.), Christ School (N.C.), Palmetto, Boiling Springs, Hilton Head Christian, Wilson Hall, Hartsville, Chapin, River Bluff, Darlington.
This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 9:22 PM with the headline "High school golf tournament finds home in Columbia."