After the world's largest amateur golf tournament, there's the world's largest 19th hole. At the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, following the first day of the World-Am Handicap Tournament, thousands of golfers meet to eat, drink and be merry.
And they've come to be entertained. On the state is trick shot champion Ben Witter. With the help from a simulator to measure distance, Witter slams balls 300 yards. But he's doing it on one leg, with a driver that's just three feet long, standing on a huge rubber ball, and in mid air after hacky-sacking it off an iron, one knee and then the other knee. So yes, it's pretty impressive. But it's even more impressive when you learn Witter's story.
A native Pennsylvanian, Witter was a star golfer in high school and then in college. He had dreams of moving on to the PGA Tour, but then in 1988, he was diagnosed with a rare form of salivary gland cancer. Those dreams came to an end, but he found a new one.
"I was going through some therapy, and in my hotel room I started taking a golf ball and a wedge and hitting it up and down," says Witter. "The nurses and doctors really enjoyed the show, and that was 20 years ago, so it's been a unique ride."
Now he's a world renown golf teacher, coach and trickster and says that this new dream suits him just fine.
"The trick shot shows are very unique way of feeling the same way of passion and intensity that you feel when you're competing. What I do today, is as much or even more fun than playing on the PGA Tour."
Witter will continue to perform at the 19th hole this week. Over 3,000 golfers are competing in the World-Am from 49 states and 20 countries. The tourney goes through Friday on 51 courses along the Grand Strand.
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