Unearth The Voyage
North Myrtle Beach is already a solid reason to pack your bags, but one particular resort along the Intracoastal Waterway takes things to a completely different level. We are talking about four championship golf courses designed by some of the biggest names in the sport, a full marina, and an entertainment district just a water taxi ride away.
I had heard about this place for years before finally making the trip, and I can tell you that the reputation is well earned. Whether you are a golfer chasing your best round or just someone who wants a full resort experience with water views and plenty to do, this spot in South Carolina delivers more than most resorts twice its size.
Where It All Begins: Address and Setting
Barefoot Resort and Golf sits at 4980 Barefoot Resort Bridge Rd, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582, right along the Intracoastal Waterway in one of the most golf-friendly stretches of the South Carolina coast.
The location alone sets the tone for everything that follows. You are surrounded by water on multiple sides, with the Waterway cutting a clean line between the resort and the Barefoot Landing entertainment district across the way.
The resort spans a massive footprint, with four distinct golf courses fanning out across the property. Getting your bearings on the first visit takes a little time, but the staff at the main clubhouse are genuinely helpful about pointing you in the right direction.
Open daily from 6 AM to 7 PM, the resort keeps reasonable hours that give early risers a head start on the course before the South Carolina heat kicks in. This place rewards the planners.
Four Championship Courses Under One Roof
Four championship-caliber courses at a single resort is not something you come across every day, and Barefoot Resort pulls it off with confidence. The courses are the Norman, the Love, the Fazio, and the Dye, each designed by a Hall of Fame-level name in golf architecture.
Each layout has its own personality, which means four rounds here never feel like a repeat. The Norman course is widely regarded as the most challenging of the four, with oversized sand traps that can swallow a fairway whole and par 3s that demand real precision.
The Love course plays a bit more forgiving, which makes it a smart starting point if you want to warm up before tackling the harder layouts. The Fazio course blends strategic bunkering with wide landing zones that reward smart club selection over raw power.
Having four courses in one place means you can book a multi-day trip and never run out of new holes to play.
The Dye Course: A Round on Another Planet
The Dye course at Barefoot Resort has its own clubhouse, its own practice range, and its own very distinct identity. Pete Dye is famous for building courses that look like they belong in a science fiction film, and this one lives up to that reputation fully.
Massive waste areas stretch across entire sections of the layout, and the sand traps are shaped like volcanic craters rather than the soft, rounded bunkers you find on most courses. The whole thing has a rugged, otherworldly quality that makes every shot feel like a decision with real consequences.
Having a dedicated clubhouse and range for this course adds a layer of convenience that golfers genuinely appreciate. You do not have to drive across the property to warm up before your round.
The Dye course is not the place to bring a brand-new set of clubs and expect a stress-free afternoon, but if challenge is what you came for, it delivers without apology.
The Norman Course: Big Name, Bigger Traps
Greg Norman put his name on a lot of courses over the years, but the one at Barefoot Resort stands out for the sheer scale of its hazards. Some of the sand traps here take up most of a fairway, which forces you to think about every tee shot before you swing.
The par 3s on the Norman course are frequently praised for their scenic quality, with water and carefully placed bunkers framing each green in a way that looks almost too good to be a golf hole. It is visually striking in a way that photographs well and plays even better.
The course is well maintained, and the conditioning holds up consistently throughout the season. At the price point the Norman commands, solid upkeep is a baseline expectation that the resort generally meets.
One honest note: pace of play can be an issue during peak times, so booking an early tee time gives you the best chance of a smooth round from start to finish.
The Main Clubhouse and Practice Facilities
The main clubhouse at Barefoot Resort serves as the central hub for most of the resort’s golf activity. It is a well-appointed facility with a pro shop stocked with gear, apparel, and everything you might have forgotten to pack on your way down to South Carolina.
The practice putting green near the main clubhouse is a genuine asset. It gives you a chance to dial in your short game before heading out, and the surface is kept in good condition year-round.
The driving range is functional and serviceable, though it has received some feedback over the years about needing turf work in certain areas. It handles the volume of golfers the resort sees reasonably well, but it is not the flashiest range you will ever hit balls on.
Staff throughout the main clubhouse area consistently draw positive feedback for being friendly and knowledgeable, which goes a long way when you are trying to sort out tee times, cart options, and course recommendations all at once.
The Marina: Where Golf Meets the Water
Not every golf resort comes with a marina, and that detail alone sets Barefoot Resort apart from the dozens of other courses spread across the Grand Strand. The marina sits along the Intracoastal Waterway and adds a completely different dimension to the resort experience.
Boaters who want to combine a water trip with a round of golf can dock here and walk directly into the resort. It is a genuinely convenient setup that you do not find at most inland golf facilities.
The waterway views from the marina area give the resort a coastal energy that feels distinct from the typical golf resort atmosphere. You are reminded constantly that you are in a beach destination, not just a landlocked course community.
For visitors who are not golfers, the marina provides its own reason to visit. The waterfront setting is a draw in its own right, and it connects the resort visually and physically to everything happening across the water at Barefoot Landing.
Barefoot Landing: The Entertainment District Across the Water
Just across the Intracoastal Waterway from the resort sits Barefoot Landing, a waterfront entertainment complex that gives the whole destination a second life after the golf clubs go back in the bag. The two are connected by the resort’s proximity, and getting between them is part of the fun.
Barefoot Landing hosts a collection of restaurants, shops, live entertainment venues, and seasonal attractions that keep visitors occupied well into the evening. It is a genuine destination in its own right, not just a strip mall with a water view.
The Alabama Theatre and the House of Blues are both located within Barefoot Landing, which means live music and performance options are built directly into the entertainment district. These are full-scale venues that draw real acts and touring productions.
Having a major entertainment complex within reach of the resort makes Barefoot a strong choice for groups that include non-golfers. Everyone gets something to do, and the waterfront ties it all together without anyone needing a car for every trip.
Getting Between the Resort and Barefoot Landing
One of the more charming logistical details about staying at Barefoot Resort is the water taxi that connects the resort side to Barefoot Landing across the Intracoastal Waterway. It is a short ride, but it adds a layer of novelty that guests consistently find memorable.
Rather than driving around to reach the entertainment district, you can hop on the water taxi and arrive at Barefoot Landing from the water side. It is a practical solution dressed up in a way that actually feels like part of the vacation experience.
The service runs seasonally, so it is worth checking availability before you build your evening plans around it. During the busy summer and fall golf season, it tends to operate reliably and adds a genuine convenience factor for resort guests.
Even the short crossing gives you a clear view of both sides of the waterway, which puts the scale of the whole Barefoot complex into perspective in a way that a map simply cannot replicate.
Course Conditions and What to Expect
Course conditioning at Barefoot Resort is generally solid across all four layouts, with the greens and fairways kept in playable shape throughout most of the year. The resort operates a large-scale maintenance program to keep four championship courses in consistent condition, which is no small task.
The Dye and Norman courses tend to receive the most attention in terms of conditioning feedback, and both hold up well during the peak fall golf season when the Grand Strand sees its heaviest play. Tee boxes and approaches are typically firm and well-defined.
Cart path-only policies do get enforced on certain holes when conditions require it, which can affect the pace and flow of your round. This is standard practice at courses managing high traffic and protecting turf, but it is worth knowing before you book.
Overall, the conditions match what you would expect from a resort charging premium rates. The courses are not perfect every day, but they are consistently above average for the region and worth the price for most golfers.
Pace of Play: The Honest Truth
Pace of play is one area where Barefoot Resort draws mixed feedback, and being straightforward about it helps you plan a better trip. During peak season and midday tee times, rounds can stretch well beyond four hours, particularly on the Norman and Dye courses.
The resort does employ course rangers to manage flow, and their presence is noticeable. The experience with individual rangers varies, and some golfers have found the enforcement style more disruptive than helpful, particularly when groups are already keeping pace with those ahead of them.
The most reliable way to avoid pace issues is to book an early morning tee time. The first groups out have the course to themselves, and finishing before the midday rush is entirely achievable with a 6 AM or 7 AM start.
Late afternoon tee times in the shorter days of fall carry a real risk of not completing a full 18, so planning around daylight hours is something every visitor should factor into their booking decision.
Pricing and Value Across the Four Courses
Barefoot Resort sits at the premium end of the North Myrtle Beach pricing spectrum, with rounds on the Norman and Dye courses regularly reaching into the $150 to $180 range depending on the season and time of day. That puts it in direct competition with the best courses along the Grand Strand.
For that price, you are getting a course designed by a Hall of Fame architect, solid conditioning, a dedicated clubhouse on some layouts, and a resort infrastructure that most standalone courses simply cannot offer. The value calculation depends heavily on what you prioritize in a golf experience.
Multi-round packages that bundle two or more courses together tend to offer better per-round value than booking individual tee times. If you are planning a golf trip of two or more days, exploring the package options on the resort website is a smart first step.
The resort also offers twilight rates that bring the price down meaningfully, though those come with the daylight limitations that affect all late-afternoon rounds during the fall season.
Planning Your Visit: Tips for Getting the Most Out of Barefoot
A few practical notes can make a real difference in how your Barefoot Resort trip goes. Booking tee times well in advance is essential during the fall golf season, when the Grand Strand sees its highest volume of visiting golfers and preferred slots fill up fast.
Arriving at least 30 minutes before your tee time gives you a chance to use the practice facilities, get a feel for the greens, and handle any last-minute logistics without rushing. The resort covers a large area, and knowing which clubhouse your course departs from saves confusion on the day.
The resort website at barefootgolf.com is the most reliable place to check current rates, course availability, and any seasonal promotions. Calling ahead to confirm conditions after heavy rain is also a smart move, since weather can affect which courses are fully open.
Bringing enough water and sunscreen for a full round is basic but genuinely important in the South Carolina heat, especially during summer and early fall when temperatures stay high well into the afternoon.
