Pillar golf companies passing torch into new era in Myrtle Beach

The sale of 12 courses and other assets by National Golf Management to the Chinese investor company Founders Group International this week signifies not only the passing of the torch in the Grand Strand golf market, but also a near extinguishing of the torch carried by two of the longstanding pillar companies in the industry.

The sale greatly diminishes the roles of Burroughs & Chapin Co. and Myrtle Beach National Co., which were on the ground floor of the solidarity that resulted in marketing cooperative Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and the proliferation of the golf market into one of the world's most popular golf destinations.

“We should tip our hat to those businessmen and women who built Myrtle Beach golf to what it was, which was a unique environment of business cooperation among competitors,” said Matthew Brittain, a Myrtle Beach National board member whose father, Clay, was a founder of both MBN and Golf Holiday.