An elite North Myrtle Beach golf course has been sold. There are no plans to change its design.

A North Myrtle Beach golf course consistently ranked as one of America’s best has been sold to a major sports and entertainment company.

KemperSports announced Aug. 17 that it added Tidewater Golf Club to its portfolio, marking the firm’s entry into South Carolina’s lucrative golf sector.

“Tidewater is at the top of the market and has earned the reputation as one of the region’s must-play courses from locals and visitors alike,” KemperSports CEO Steve Skinner said in a press release announcing the deal. “We look forward to enhancing the golf experience and becoming a part of this passionate golf community.”

Since opening for public play in 1990, Tidewater has built an impressive resume.

Golf Digest and Golf Magazine named it as the nation’s best public course in its inaugural year, and since then it’s ranked near the top among courses statewide.

An acquisition price was not immediately known, but the KemperSports brand has been added to Tidewater’s website.

County land records show the 96-acre property at 1400 Tidewater Drive has a market value of nearly $9 million.

Nine of the holes on the Ken Tomlinson-designed course hug the water, and Tidelands is known for the coastal views it offers players that navigate its 7,000 yards.

The sport is a huge economic driver for South Carolina, with more than 350 courses and a PGA Tour event with the RBC Heritage on Hilton Head Island.

A second PGA Tour event will be coming to the Palmetto State starting next year when the Myrtle Beach Classic debuts as a FedEx Cup tournament with play at Dunes Golf and Beach Club.

In February, the International Association of Golf Travel Operators named South Carolina among the world’s top five destinations.

The industry pulled in more than $3.3 billion in 2021, creating 38,000 jobs according to state data.