Area Golf News

Prostate Cancer Screening Clinic to Visit Myrtle Beach, August 24-26

August 14, 2008, Myrtle Beach, S.C. – ZERO – The Project To End Prostate Cancer and Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday will host the ZERO's Drive Against Prostate Cancer Mobile Screening Clinic in Myrtle Beach for three days in August and offer free prostate cancer screening to all men.

The 40-foot screening clinic will be parked at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on Sunday, August 24 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will be located at the Martin’s PGA TOUR Superstore across from Broadway at the Beach on Monday and Tuesday, August 25 and 26 from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

This is the screening van’s second visit to Myrtle Beach after the first appearance in April attracted more than 200 men for the simple blood test that takes less than five minutes. During that first visit, three unknown cases of prostate cancer were discovered. Launched in 2002, ZERO's Drive Against Prostate Cancer Mobile Screening Clinic has made stops in more than 250 cities and has tested more than 65,000 men in six years. Now averaging 20,000 free screens per year through the mobile clinic, the same prostate cancer screen would cost approximately $200 if tested in a doctor’s office.

Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday teamed up with ZERO – the Project to End Prostate Cancer, formerly known as the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, and Ken Griffey, Sr. in April to help raise money for prostate cancer research. More than 40 Myrtle Beach area golf courses hosted closest-to-the-pin contests each Saturday in April and raised $40,000 in donations.

"With the large number of male golfers that visit Myrtle Beach each year, we have a tremendous opportunity to help promote the importance of being tested for prostate cancer,” said Bill Golden, president of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. “In April, we set a goal of raising $250,000 this year for ZERO – the Project to End Prostate Cancer and prostate cancer research and the August 23rd golf tournament and gala will be one of our biggest fundraisers. We encourage everyone in the Grand Strand and surrounding community to get involved and help us spread the word about the importance of screening for early detection.”

On August 23, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, Griffey and ZERO – the Project to End Prostate Cancer will host the Know Your Score: Fight Prostate Cancer Celebrity Golf Tournament and World Amateur Championship 25th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, August 23, 2008, with proceeds to benefit the “Know Your Score: Fight Prostate Cancer” campaign and ZERO – the Project to End Prostate Cancer.”

The special day will begin at 8:00 a.m. with an 18-hole celebrity golf tournament at The Long Bay Club in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Each golfer will receive a gift bag, lunch and drinks and prizes will be given to long drive and the closest-to-the pin winners.

After golf, participants will head to The Kingston Plantation in North Myrtle Beach for the World Amateur Championship 25th Anniversary Gala. Held in honor of the silver anniversary of the “World’s Largest Amateur Golf Tournament.” The gala will begin with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. before the 7:30 p.m. dinner of filet mignon and crab cakes is served. A silent auction will be held after dinner and participants can bid on sports memorabilia during the night. After dinner entertainment includes U “N” I Elegant Jazz and Blues, a performance by Branford Marsalis, a stand-up comedy performance by Henry Cho and a “Locker Room Chat” with Griffey and his celebrity friends, hosted by ESPN personality Mitch Laurance, where guests will have the opportunity to ask questions of some of their favorite celebrities

For more information, visit KnowYourScoreMB.com or call (843) 477-8833, ext. 296.

About ZERO – the Project to End Prostate Cancer
Zero prostate cancer deaths. Zero prostate cancer cases and for those with prostate cancer it means a zero PSA. The name conveys what ZERO stands for – zero tolerance for prostate cancer.
 
ZERO is committed not only to reducing prostate cancer or alleviating the pain from the disease but to end it. ZERO set a goal that all men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer will be cured or manage their illness with good quality of life, with the support they need to minimize physical and emotional suffering and to cope effectively throughout their cancer journeys. To accomplish this goal, ZERO provides comprehensive treatment information to patients, education to those at risk and conduct more free screenings than ever before. ZERO increases research funds from the federal government to find new treatments and assist in the funding for research in the pursuit of a better test for the disease. For more information about ZERO – The Fight to End Prostate Cancer, visit FightProstateCancer.org.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 78 championship golf courses, 108 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the “Stay and Play Package,” Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area 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 grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship – the world's largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit GolfHoliday.com.