Play It As It Lies

Barefoot Landing, The Love Course: 4 Stars

by Jeff

Greetings from the Mid-Atlantic low country! After our last trip together to Florida, I was a bit famished and needed to replenish my golf energy. You see, I crave playing 36 holes a day and I need substantial sustenance. But a catfish and cheese grits breakfast will work to start the day. That���s right, it���s South Carolina baby! Specifically, Myrtle Beach.

Since we���re all family now, I don���t mind sharing a classic track. We���re going to the Barefoot Landing community, in North Myrtle Beach, to enjoy ���The Love Course���. It���s named after its designer, PGA tour member, Davis Love III. Davis is one of the legends in the game. He has an easy going demeanor, but competes with a killer attitude. Since turning pro in 1985, he���s racked up 19 wins. Only 3 other current players have more wins: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Vijay Singh.

Davis has always been known as a long hitting player off the tee so you would think this course might be unplayable for mere mortals. Not so. This course can best be described as his clone. It looks like him (figuratively), acts like him, but has its own agenda.

I���ll save the clubhouse for later, let���s get out on the course! The 1st hole is pretty different for a warm up. Most of the time, you can count on a wide-open and straight offering. Not today. This is an uphill, dogleg left hole. And please don���t look at this as difficult. A well-placed fairway wood or hybrid club off the tee will leave you in position to attack the generous green. The 2nd hole is a wide open, downhill par 5, dogleg right to an elevated green that plays longer than its 518 yard measurement. The one thing you���ll notice here is the exposure to the elements. There just aren���t that many trees in play on the front 9.

The signature hole is the par 4, 294 yard 4th hole. You���ll play slightly uphill to a green that has on its left remnants of a Scottish castle. I���ve personally hit a tee shot off of those bricks that ricocheted onto the green. No, it wasn���t on purpose, but it was fun!

You���ll soon wish you had some of those missing trees, as the low country crosswinds will start to make the game more interesting. Davis really tempts you into shortening the holes by trying to hit over the obvious hazards (sand bunkers, marsh, and arroyos) to be able to save strokes. Don���t worry; he has plenty of bail out areas if you don���t quite feel up to the heroics. The back 9 meanders through tall pine trees native to South Carolina. After suffering on the front, you���ll look at those trees as a welcome respite from the breezes. They do offer resonation if you hit them, signaling other players to duck and seek shelter.

The clubhouse is a stately plantation style colonial raised 8 feet off the ground. Once inside, it feels like you���ve stolen a day in an exclusive country club. There is even an attendant to care for your shoes if you like. The ambiance is set with dark stained wood walls and high backed chairs with hard leather bound menus. The porch is panoramic in design as it goes around the clubhouse begging you to sample the 1st rate Orange Roughy entr��e with southern style sweet tea. My goodness!! All you need now is a hand held fan to cool off. Expect a very service oriented staff; hospitality is this course���s forte. There are 4 courses here at Barefoot. I���ll be back next week with another review from right here in Myrtle Beach. Remember, play it as it lies!

Current Price: Week $100 Weekend Same
Par 72 Slope 75.1 Rating 138 Yardage 7047
Address: 4980 Barefoot Resort Bridge Rd N. Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Website:http://www.barefootgolf.com/love.cfm