Golfers, especially those from the Northeast, flock to Myrtle Beach each spring to shake the rust off their swings and get ready for the warmer months. A perennial favorite among visitors is the Dye Course at Barefoot Resort. The resort also features the Love, Norman and Fazio courses, all of which we played during a spring trip south.
Guests typically stay in the surrounding condominiums. My teammates found them impressive; I thought they could use a bit of updating. Dining options within the Barefoot complex are limited — a sports bar that serves pizza and the clubhouse bars and restaurants are the main choices. After a 36-hole day, we lingered with a few beers only to be politely ushered out by the pro, who wanted to prepare for the next early-morning group. Many packages include breakfast.
The Dye Course stands out as the finest layout in the complex and is often considered one of the best in Myrtle Beach. When we played, it was in noticeably better condition than the other courses, likely because the club was preparing for the annual “Monday After the Masters” event featuring Hootie & the Blowfish. Pete Dye designed the course using native grasses with GN-1 Bermuda on the fairways, TifDwarf Bermuda on approach areas and Champion UltraDwarf on the greens. The well-kept fairways offered clean lies for irons and made for satisfying, dependable shots.
My partners for the round were Gerry Patrick and John Ecklund. At the first tee we met starter Paul Campbell, whose friendly manner and knowledge of the course made us feel welcome. We unanimously agreed he was the “Best Starter” — calm, helpful and informative.
Hole 1 | 425 yards, par 4
Dye wastes no time intimidating players with a narrow dogleg left that tempts those trying to cut the corner, often sending balls into the waste bunker on the left. My drive found the right-side waste bunker instead, setting up a trap-to-trap sequence. I escaped the fairway bunker only to find the greenside bunker, then got up-and-down to save bogey. John and Gerry both opened with pars.
Hole 6 | 195 yards, par 3
This signature par 3 has become my nemesis over the years. I usually have enough club to reach the green but tend to end up in the pond on the right — perhaps because I admire the house across the water a little too long. Today I struck the iron perfectly, leaving the ball on the fringe and nearly making birdie when my 15-foot putt rolled to within inches. Gerry and John both missed the green and settled for bogeys.
Hole 7 | 475 yards, par 4
One of the toughest holes on the course, the strategy here is to drive left-center to set up a manageable approach. A long waste bunker hugs the right side of the fairway as the hole bends right. I pulled my tee shot into a left-side trap but was able to advance with a 3-wood and then escape a greenside bunker with a lob wedge. Two putts later I had a respectable 5.
Hole 8 | 543 yards, par 5
The third-longest par 5 requires distance and precision. The landing area off the tee is generous, but many players drift left into Dye’s trademark mounds. I hit a solid drive with a slight fade, followed by a long 3-wood that left me about 20 yards from the green, avoiding waste bunkers, pot bunkers and water to the left. A simple chip and two-putt produced a comfortable par.
Hole 10 | 344 yards, par 4
If you appreciate Pete Dye’s style, this hole is a masterpiece of railroad-tie framing: a pond edged with ties must be carried from the tee, and ties continue along the left side of the fairway up to the green. The landing zone is narrow, and pot bunkers guard the approach. I struggled here and ended up with a triple bogey, making it my worst hole of the day.
Hole 14 | 475 yards, par 4
Many consider this the most difficult hole on the Dye. Waste bunkers line the left side from tee to green while signature mounds sit to the right. My natural fade can be fatal here because the fairway slopes toward the right and funnels shots into the mounds. I found myself sitting on one of those mounds but had enough leverage to reach the fairway with a wood. A well-executed chip and putt gave me a par, matching my partners.
Hole 18 | 471 yards, par 4
Paul Campbell calls this the best finishing hole in Myrtle Beach, and it’s a dramatic closer. Water runs along the hole from tee to green as it curves left; prevailing winds often blow into your face from the tee. The safest line favors the right side to set up the best approach, while anything left of the green can be disastrous. We finished with no birdies but logged a couple of double bogeys and one triple, ending the round on a memorable note.
The Dye Course at Barefoot Resort and Golf
2600 Pete Dye Drive
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
tel 843 390 3238
barefootgolf.com