Ruins Among the Pines
Holes 4–6 are ringed by faux plantation ruins—a Love Course signature—that bring local history alive and serve as memorable visual cues for strategy. It's a dramatic, photogenic touch that sticks in players' minds.
Golf Course Review & Scouting Report
Barefoot Resort – Love Course
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Established
2000
Architect
Davis Love III with Paul Cowley
Access
Public
Par
Par 72
Length
5,249 – 7,006 yds
Green Fees
$$$
More at Barefoot Resort
The verdict
Elite Myrtle Beach Must-Play
The Love Course delivers a potent blend of playability, challenge, and distinctive Carolina character. Wide landing areas, clever bunkering, and greens inspired by Pinehurst No. 2 create a round that sticks with you, while national-award pedigree backs up the resort buzz.
Course DNA
Difficulty
74
Scenery70
Conditioning81
Shot Variety79
Walkability63
Green Complexity83
Wow Factor77
Design Quality81
At a glance
Quick facts
Grass Types
Champion Ultradwarf Bermuda greens, Bermuda fairways
Practice Facilities
Expansive range, short game area
Architect Roster
Part of four-architect Barefoot Resort lineup
Top Course Awards
Golf Digest’s Best New Upscale Public 2000
Ranking Highlight
#38 America's 100 Greatest Public 2005–06
Signature Lowcountry Ruins
Faux plantation ruins frame holes 4–6
Cart Policy
Carts included; not a walker-friendly design
Course Setting
Undulating fairways, marsh and waste area views
The design
The architecture
Davis Love III’s routing weaves through Carolina Lowcountry with generous driving corridors, bold waste areas, and green complexes that echo the strategic mayhem of Pinehurst No. 2. The faux plantation ruins framing several front-nine holes give the course an instant sense of place, helping each shot feel like a journey across a lost Southern landscape. With wide fairways, smart bunkers, and greens built for slopes and creativity, it manages to be both player-friendly for the resort crowd and an intriguing puzzle for single-digit golfers.
Davis Love III’s inspiration from Carolina classics, especially Pinehurst No. 2, is unmistakable—from the complex greens to the balance of playability and challenge.
Defining features
- Faux plantation ruins as visual and strategic features
- Wide, forgiving landing zones paired with severe bunkering
- Champion Ultradwarf Bermuda greens with movement and slope
- Marshes and sandy waste areas defining forced carries
- Creative green entries offering ground and aerial options
- Classic Carolina resort routing with memorable back-nine finish
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 4
Ruins Temptation Drive
PAR
4
YARDAGE
297
This high-drama short par 4 is framed by faux plantation ruins, inviting you to drive the green at 297 yards or lay back for a spin-filled wedge. It's a true gamble: taking on the direct route demands precision, with bold bunkers lurking for the greedy.
Play it smart
Choose to lay up for a fuller wedge or drive the green if the wind and pin align—aggression brings reward, but miscue brings sand and awkward angles.
Where it bites
Errant tee shots flirt with deep front bunkers and unpredictable bounces off the ruins, while getting too greedy brings double into play.
Course management
Shots to think about
Tee shot on short par 4s (e.g., 4th)
Don't default to driver—consider your ideal wedge yardage and the preferred angle into the greens.
Second shot on par 5s
Know your carry distances and where trouble lurks; sometimes a layup is the winning play.
Approach to front-pinned greens
Play for spin and use slope—flying it past the flag brings a tough putt back.
Par 3 club selection
Err long over short; deep bunkers or collection areas guard the fronts tightly.
Wind from the marsh
Trust your club and smooth your tempo—crosswinds swirl, especially on open holes.
Avoiding fairway bunkers
Study the aiming lines from the tee; the biggest trouble is almost always hidden by the marsh and sand.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Resort-standard grooming with fast, contoured Champion Bermuda greens.
Pace
Ranges from brisk on early tee times to slower during peak vacation weeks—plan accordingly.
Vibe
Polished modern resort atmosphere, friendly staff, and a regionally famous designer collection feel.
Dress code
Standard resort: collared shirt, golf slacks or shorts, soft spikes; no beachwear.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Tune Up Your Wedge Game
You’ll face plenty of half-shots into angled greens—get comfortable with spin and trajectory control.
02
Study the Greens
Pinehurst-style movements and slopes demand precise short putts and uphill lag efforts.
03
Book an Early Tee Time
Resort pace is best early; afternoons mean more groups and potentially slower rounds.
04
Bring Extra Balls
Marshes and sandy waste areas can swallow misfires, especially for aggressive lines off the tee.
The lore
How it came to be
- 2000
Course opens, designed by Davis Love III and Paul Cowley
- 2000
Golf Digest names Love #6 Best New Upscale Public Course
- 2003
Debuts on Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses
- 2005
Peaks at #38 on 100 Greatest Public list
- 2012
NGA Pro Tour holds Carolina Winter Series event
- 2023
Ranked #44 in Golf Digest’s Best in State (SC)
Stories & legends
What makes it special
Pinehurst, by the Beach
Davis Love III drew on childhood trips to Pinehurst No. 2 when designing the undulating greens. The result? Resort golf that asks for the ground game as much as the aerial approach—making for a genuinely Southern style of challenge.
Designer Collection
Each Barefoot Resort course bears the mark of a marquee designer. Love stands tall among Norman, Dye, and Fazio, giving the property a true 'greatest hits' portfolio that’s rare anywhere in the Southeast.
Tournament Proven, Resort Tested
While it hasn’t hosted a major, the Love Course is the regular stage for amateur majors, junior championships, and competitive local events—including NGA Pro Tour stops and national junior qualifiers.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Fake plantation ruins frame several signature holes for drama.
2
The greens borrow design DNA from Pinehurst No. 2.
3
One of only a handful of courses in Myrtle Beach’s history to make Golf Digest’s national Top 40 public list.
4
Part of Barefoot’s 'famous four' collection, each crafted by a different golf legend.
5
The Love Course is a perennial favorite for local and amateur championship play.
Build the trip
If you're crafting a Myrtle Beach golf adventure
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
Public
Nationally ranked, classic Lowcountry beauty
True Blue Golf Club
Public
Dramatic modern resort design, bold hazards
Tidewater Golf Club
Public
Scenic, challenging marshland meets coastal golf
Pine Lakes Country Club
Public
Myrtle Beach's historic 'Granddaddy' track
TPC Myrtle Beach
Public
Championship pedigree and player-friendly design
North Myrtle Beach or Barefoot Landing corridor
Course DNA
If You Like Barefoot Resort
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match8.4
The Links at Perry Cabin
St. Michaels, MarylandWhy it matches: If Barefoot Resort – Love Course is your kind of course, The Links at Perry Cabin is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Strong DNA Match8.1
Cherokee Country Club
Knoxville, TennesseeGreen Complexity
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Cherokee Country Club's own setting.
Strong DNA Match8.8
Miakka Golf Club
Myakka City, FloridaWhy it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Miakka Golf Club's own setting.
Community Sentiment
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