The Barefoot Resort located in North Myrtle Beach is one of the premier golf resorts in all of Myrtle Beach. Barefoot has 4 courses; Norman Course, Love Course, Fazio Course, and Dye Course. We had the chance to play the Love Course during our recent trip to Myrtle Beach. The Love Course which opened in 2000 is a par 72 that plays just over 7,000 yards from the tips. As you turn into Barefoot Resort and make your way to the clubhouse you’ll instantly notice the huge clubhouse and sprawling layout that host multiple 18-hole courses.
The clubhouse is impressive inside and out with enough square footage (35,000 sqft) to hold merchandise for all four courses, you’ll have no problem finding something you like. The check-in process is simple, there are plenty of staff members ready to assist. The only complaint we had was the lack of a practice area on site. If you want to hit some practice balls you’ll need to load up on their shuttle and take the 5 minute trip over to the practice facility.
The practice facility seemed like a partnership between Barefoot and Golfsmith and wasn’t that impressive. The only practice green that was available for use was in poor condition. After warming up we took the short shuttle ride back over to the Barefoot facility and headed towards the first tee.
We arrived in Myrtle Beach after several days of heavy rains had hit the area. We were expecting the course to be soft and wet but were pleasantly surprised by how dry the course actually was; a testament to the quality of the grounds crew and drainage. On the first tee you’re challenged by a difficult shot that forces you to clear a marsh but also has several bunkers in play not too far beyond the marsh. If you’re a big hitter you can probably clear the marsh and bunkers but if not make sure to dial up the right distance to land in-between the two hazards.
After completing the first hole you’ll know that you’re in for a treat. The course is extremely well maintained, tough enough to be a challenge, yet forgiving enough to make it an enjoyable day.
The signature hole of the course is the short Par 4 that plays only 294 yards from the tips and a reachable 265 yards from the white tees. Go big or go home on this one, the green is elevated but its wide open and a hole designed for you to grip it and rip it. This hole also introduces you to the signature plantation ruins which are the calling card for the Love Course. You’ll want to have your phone ready to take a quick photo as you pose with the ruins in the background. The rest of your round will tend to blend together with the only real memory being the short par 4 and recreated plantation ruins.
We stayed at the Barefoot Resort during our trip to Myrtle Beach so it only made since that we played at least one round at this great complex. We decided on the Love Course because it was well reviewed and we liked the wide open layout. The Fazio and Dye courses would have been a little more challenging and the Norman Course would have been a little easier so we thought the Love Course was a great choice. We weren’t disappointed in the slightest, even with all the rain that had hit the area the course was in great shape. The wide fairways made you relax on the tee and the complex and fast greens made you struggle with the putter.
Barefoot Love Course Overall Rating 3.75 out of 5 stars
The primary factors that negatively impacted the rating were the practice facility, course scenery, and course memorability. The fact that you have to take a shuttle to the practice area is disappointing but when you arrive you’ll only be further disappointed. As far the scenery and how memorable the Love Course is that can be debated. However, if you remember anything outside of the ruins we’ll be surprised.
The condition of the course was the real superstar. Everything from tee boxes to the greens was in above average condition; especially considering all the rain the course recently had to deal with. The greens were complex to read and fast which ended up being the most challenging part of the day. If you’re looking for a wide open layout that won’t punish you then this is the course. For us it was a great warm up for the harder courses we would be playing in Myrtle Beach.