MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The excitement is beginning in Myrtle Beach as thousands of people head to the Grand Strand for Myrtle Beach’s first-ever PGA Tournament.
The Myrtle Beach Classic not only attracts golf enthusiasts from across the country, but also a dedicated group of volunteers.
It takes a lot of time and effort to pull off an event of this size, and although the work has been done for several months, the volunteers are the unsung heroes, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
“I’m really excited about it. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Jean-Ann Baranik, a volunteer from Canada.
Darren Nelson, the tournament director, said that eight hours after registration opened, 1,500 people had signed up to volunteer.
“It just shows that the golf capital of the world responded when we reached out to volunteers for this event,” Nelson said.
Another volunteer, Larry Hostetler, is an avid golf fan and Vietnam veteran. He spent 14 years volunteering on the senior tour in Birmingham, Alabama, and jumped at the opportunity to volunteer at the Myrtle Beach event.
“I was very surprised and happy to see that they chose Myrtle Beach, finally, to hold a tournament,” he said.
To top it off, Hostetler will celebrate his 86th birthday on May 8, the Wednesday of the tournament.
“I don’t know how it worked, but I’m going to do something I love,” he said.
Although some volunteers are local, others come from thousands of miles away.
“There were a thousand volunteers between North Carolina and South Carolina, and about 450 from different states in the United States, and only two from Canada, and that’s both of us,” said Harry Baranik, a volunteer from Canada.
Hailing from Ontario, Cananda, the Baraniks are excited to participate in the event, especially because of the way the PGA gives back.
“The PGA gives back a lot to the communities. You see it in all your tournaments,” Baranik said. “We like to give back to our communities.”
With such diverse backgrounds, Myrtle Beach Classic volunteers are as varied as the game of golf itself. Their love for the game and the area is what really brings the event to life.
* * *
Gracie is a multimedia journalist for News 13 and is from Cleveland, Ohio. Gracie joined the team in June 2023 after graduating from the University of Alabama in May. Follow Gracie on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.
