NEWS
Golden Tee players from across the country will arrive at Calloway's Sports Bar & Grill in West Columbia, South Carolina. From Thursday, October 2 through Sunday, October 5, Calloway's Sports Bar will host the Carolina Clash for their 5th time! Keeping with tradition at the Carolina Clash, and previously at NIV events, this tournament will once again give players their first chance to experience the newly released courses at a live tournament.
Just like every stop on the National Golden Tee Tour, the Carolina Clash has its own traditions that make it stand out. While Texas has the Big Gun and Lil Gun, Florida showcases the Women’s Tournament, and Wisconsin brings the Slabs and Crabs. At the Clash, the tradition has been the Senior Tournament for players 55 and older. This year adds an extra layer, as this tournament we will award a pass to the 2026 Golden Tee World Championship. Continuing another Carolina CLash/NIV tradiotion, this tournament will have the first look at the new 2026 course in a tournament play.
Additionally, The Clash is becoming known as the home for Golden Tee Speedruns on the National Tour. In 2024 it hosted the first non-Worlds speedrun tournament, a milestone that opened the door for more players to compete in this format. This year the event features an open qualifier where the first attempt is free, and additional attempts can be made with a $10 donation to Play More Give Back. The qualifier will be played on Acoma Mesa, and the top eight players will move into a bracket using a locked condition version of the same course. Chris Longino will be at Calloway’s Sports Bar & Grill to record official times starting at 4 PM on Thursday, October 2, and again at the same time on Friday. All qualifying runs must be completed while Chris is present.
The action begins on Thursday night with a Closest to the Pin contest at 7:30 p.m. This event comes with $500 added to the prize pool, and every entry Power Events sweetening the pot by adding $5 for each participant. On Friday, the event continues for the Blind Draw Doubles tournament at noon. Matches will be played on the new 2026 courses and $5 from each entry will be donated to the PMGB charity. Later that evening, the Handicap Tournament begins at 7:30 p.m. The single elimination matches are adjusted according to handicap, which levels the field and keeps things unpredictable.
Saturday is when the Carolina Clash truly comes alive. This year’s main event features $11,000 in added prize money, with qualifiers battling across five courses randomly selected from the NEW 2026 courses. PGA real courses are not included in this rotation. The top 32 players will advance to Sunday’s Gold Bracket, while all remaining qualifiers will continue play in the Purple and Pink brackets. If time permits, there will be another doubles competition at 7:30 p.m on classic courses.
Senior Bracket kicks things off at 10 a.m., gives them a chance to get going early since they will be competing for a 2026 Golden Tee World Championship pass. The Purple and Pink Brackets all begin at 11 a.m. sharp, with the Gold Bracket starting at noon. Every bracket follows a double elimination format, guaranteeing plenty of action throughout the day. For the Purple Bracket, there is even more at stake, as the winner will receive a pass to 2026 Golden Tee World Championship.
The Carolina Clash is the 5th stop on the National Golden Tee Tour. It is a chance for players of all skill levels to come together, share in the competition, and be part of the community that makes “That Golf Game” so special.
Fans who can’t attend in person can catch all the action live on Golden Tee’s official YouTube channel at youtube.com/@GoldenTee.
For more information and to register for the event, visit PEGTtour.com or follow Golden Tee’s social media channels for all the latest updates.
