A Magical All-Inclusive Golfing
Experience at Barefoot Resort
By John Torsiello
Barefoot Resort & Golf is a 2,300-acre residential golf community of uncompromised excellence.
Located across the Intracoastal Waterway, it is connected to North Myrtle Beach by a historic swing bridge that was built in the 1930’s and relocated from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Designed with a vastly different approach than most resort developments, Barefoot Resort & Golf strives to preserve the natural integrity of its coastal lands. The community combines carefree living with an array of unparalleled amenities to meet your every need.
On April 13, 2000, in one of the most ambitious golf course projects ever to hit the Grand Strand, Barefoot successfully opened four championship courses simultaneously, making it the only time a developer has opened four new courses at the same time in the United States. The venue was designed by golf’s most inspired architects; Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Tom Fazio and Pete Dye. Each one fulfilled his goal in creating distinctive, visually striking and fun-to-play courses. Rated as Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play and Top 100 Courses in America, it’s no secret why Barefoot Resort & Golf is one of the most sought after golf destinations in the country.
Barefoot’s management relentlessly continues to improve upon an already a great spectacle of championship caliber golf. During this past summer, Barefoot has undergone a massive renovation to its greens. The project has successfully converted all four courses from bent grass to a Champion Ultradwarf Bermuda grass. With the change of the greens, Barefoot is able to provide members and guest a more consistent playing surface throughout the year.
Centrally located in the “Seaside Golf Capital of the World,” Barefoot Golf Vacations at Barefoot Resort & Golf offers an endless assortment of recreational possibilities. Everything a visitor needs can be found at the Resort or just a short drive away. The most requested golf package is the “Buy 3 and get 4th round free” on the Barefoot Resort & Golf Courses. There is no need to drive all over town with this all inclusive package. The package includes three nights lodging at a three-diamond rated resort, four rounds of golf on four championship courses, all cart fees, taxes and daily breakfast at the Resort clubhouse.
For information on how to book your next golf vacation head on over to www.BarefootGolfVactions.com and fill out a no obligation custom golf quote. To speak to a golf director, call 877-767-1573.
Michael J. Ross, Director of Golf at the Resort, explained that Barefoot offers four world class golf courses all in one convenient location built by four world renowned golf course architects Tom Fazio, Davis Love III, Greg Norman and Pete Dye. There is also 30-acre lighted practice facility with two full acres of teeing ground to accommodate members and guests. The practice facility is also home to the brand new Greg Norman Golf Academy, which focuses on teaching and training elite level players from all over the world. There are two club houses; a main resort clubhouse services the Norman, Love and Fazio courses and the Dye Club clubhouse is separately located approximately a quarter-mile down the road. The club has cars equipped with on board GPS systems, complimentary range balls prior to golf, cold towels after golf in the bag drop area during the summer months, and a complimentary shoe shine in our shoe room till 4 p.m. each day. It’s tough to beat.
Says Ross, “Barefoot Resort & Golf is an unparalleled multi course golfing destination in the Myrtle Beach area. We also offer a multitude of dining and shopping options for our guest conveniently located just across the intercoastal waterway from our resort at Barefoot Landing.”
THE COURSES
Seven holes along the Intracoastal Waterway highlight Greg Norman’s design at Barefoot Resort & Golf framed by the site’s original vegetation, each hole enhances the beauty of its natural vistas. Combined with open green complexes and fairways running up to the sand, the Norman course presents a challenge for any golfer.
Waste areas and the site’s natural vegetation were used to frame each hole. The course resembles one found in the deserts of the Southwest, without the desert. For example, one hole has a fairway that flows into the native areas surrounding the course, while another hole features fairway and a partial rough transitioning into the native areas. A third distinction is a formal rough that encompasses the entire golf hole. There are no angular or artificial lines in the shape of the course. Bunkers have sloping white faces (similar to an Alistair MacKenzie-style golf course) with intermittent sod wall bunkering at strategic locations throughout the course.
The Norman Course is a par-72, approximately 7,200 yards long and was designed with Norman’s philosophy to bring into play the “bump and run” shots around the greens. This will give the player the option to play a number of different shots. The greens are gently undulating and consist of an average green area of 6,300 square feet. The green surfaces consist of a Champion UltraDwarf Grass. Tees and fairways consist of GN-1, a hybrid turf developed by Greg Norman Turf. The approach areas are Tifdwarf grass.
Carolina native Davis Love III embraced a tradition of Lowcountry character in his latest design. The Love course incorporates the recreated ruins of an old plantation home along holes three through seven. Wide open fairways and generous landing areas set the stage for an unforgettable round of golf. The Love Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf is a traditional course with a Lowcountry character and incorporates his Carolina golfing experiences. This visually striking course features course generous landing areas and greens complexes similar to those found on Pinehurst #2 at the 1999 U.S. Open.
The Love Course is a par- 72 and plays over 7,000 yards. The course will challenge the good player, yet provide playability and enjoyment for the average player.
Tee and fairways consist of GN-1, and the approach areas consist of Tif-sport Bermuda grass. The greens surfaces are newly acquired Champion UltraDwarf and the rough areas are 419 Bermuda grass.
The Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf is routed through a spectacular piece of property in the heart of Barefoot Resort & Golf. Like many European courses, the course does not return to the clubhouse after nine holes. It is not a British linksland course but rather a classic Lowcountry course, filled with live oaks, pines, sand, natural areas and native grasses.
Located between the Dye Course and the Love Course, the Fazio course has been strategically designed, incorporating extensive tree cover and many lakes into the landscaping. Waste areas and formal bunkers have been handcrafted and placed for visual and strategic effect, while natural elevation changes add a sense of drama and excitement to a round. Water features can be seen on 15 holes, yet many lakes are in out-of-play areas to ensure playability.
The Fazio Course is a par-71, approximately 6,834 yards long. The course has five sets of tees, as do all four layouts, to give players of all skill levels the opportunity to play a course of championship calibre and still have the right balance of fun and challenge.
Tees and fairways consist of GN-1, the approach areas are Tif- Sport Bermuda grass, and the rough areas are 419 Bermuda grass. The greens consist of a Champion UltraDwarf Grass.
Pete Dye set out to create something at Barefoot that would linger in the golfer’s mind forever. Bordering the natural white sands of the Carolina Bays, this visually stunning design is filled with the infamous pitfalls for wayward shots that have become synonymous with the Dye name. Both beautiful and treacherous, the Dye Course is an experience you won’t soon forget, and is the only semi-private facility at Barefoot Resort & Golf .
The Dye Club recently celebrated its 10th anniversary of being the host site for the Monday after the Masters Hootie and the Blowfish Annual Celebrity Pro-Am Charity Tournament. It is the single largest charitable event in all of South Carolina. From 2003 to 2012, the tournament has raised over three million dollars, bringing its total charitable contributions to over five million dollars through the years. Proceeds from the event go to the Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation, which supports the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation and the educational needs of children in South Carolina.
Dye upholds his reputation of building memorable and challenging golf courses by creating a stunning design filled with his infamous pitfalls to capture errant shots. However, if played from the appropriate set of tees, players of all abilities will be able to navigate the track. The course is a par-72, 7,343- yard layout within a gated community. Dye is famous for his use of native grasses. The fairways are GN-1 Bermuda grass , the approaches are Tifdwarf Bermudagrass, the greens are newly acquired Champion UltraDwarf, and dramatic visual effects are achieved by the Centipede and Zoysia grass roughs.
Marketed exclusively through Barefoot Realty is The Dyes Estates, is a private gated community surrounding the Dye Course. Wooded homesites will line Dye’s course as well as the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Stately 1/2 acre homesites begin in the low $200,000’s, while massive 3/4 acre waterway homesites begin in the mid $700,000’s.
Where Comfort Comes Naturally…………
Barefoot Landing has evolved into a most unique attraction, the only shopping, dining and entertainment complex along the Grand Strand that naturally combines the atmosphere of beauty and nature with fun and excitement for the entire family. Nestled along the Intracoastal Waterway, Barefoot Landing has become a popular stopover for boat traffic. Catch a glimpse of a variety of migratory waterfowl, exotic fish and wildlife, including ospreys, herons, pelicans, turtles, and alligators, that make Barefoot Landing their home. Stroll the boardwalks and shop more than 90 fine specialty and retail shops that have been built around a 27-acre lake and enjoy waterfront dining at one of many spectacular restaurants.
Barefoot Landing has integrated world-class attractions into the complex, such as Alligator Adventure, offering guests an up-close and personal look at exotic birds, tortoises, snakes, crocodiles, tigers, lemurs and of course, alligators with live alligator feedings and their newest addition, a bat exhibit; The Alabama Theatre, which features a high-energy singing, dancing and comedic performance six nights a week and a separate celebrity concert series; and The House of Blues Music Hall that hosts live concerts by both local bands and world-class entertainers. And check out their popular Sunday Gospel Brunch, featuring inspiring gospel performances and an amazing buffet to feed both the body and the soul. Carolina Vineyards, a working winery, even offers wine tastings.
Our annual events assure excitement yearround, including SummerFest! from June 1st to Labor Day, featuring an array of boardwalk entertainment and weekly fireworks show; the “Paws Across the Water” rubber duck race in October to benefit the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach; “Cruise to the Coast” Classic Car Show in October; and “Taste of the Coast” in March, a fundraiser with local restaurants offering samples, entertainment and a Kids Zone. No matter the time of year, your vacation is not complete without a visit to Barefoot Landing!
Home to approximately 90 specialty retail shops, Barefoot Landing has some of the most unique retailers on the East Coast. A true “lifestyles” shopping, dining, and entertainment center, Barefoot Landing’s eclectic choice of shops is unparalleled.
And you surely won’t go hungry here! Over 14 great restaurants line the boardwalks at Barefoot Landing. A relaxing lunch or dinner is always right at hand. Choose from steaks and seafood, to pizza, Italian, burgers, Mexican and more.
Bring the whole family and meet up after a round of golf at one of the four beautiful Barefoot Resort Courses. With so much to do and enjoy at Barefoot Landing, you’ll want to come back again and again. Barefoot Landing is located just across the Intracoastal Waterway from Barefoot Resort at the intersection of 48th Avenue South and Highway 17 in North Myrtle Beach. Open at 10:00 a.m. seven days a week during the summer, but at 12:00 p.m. on Sundays from Labor Day through May; closing hours vary by season. Our phone number is (843) 272-8349 or (800) 272-2320, or visit us on the web at www.barefootlanding.com, like us on Facebook or download our free mobile application on the I-Phone or Android Market.
24 DTGGolf / Summer 2015