The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort & Golf Course Review

Posted On February 5, 2019

The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort and Golf is the only semi-private course in their line-up. Even though it is semi-private, you can easily get a tee time at barefootgolf.com or myrtlebeachgolf.com.

Intorduction

I arrived in Myrtle Beach the same day I played The Dye Club. Playing 7,343 from the tips is another formidable Pete Dye design. I didn’t find it as difficult as PGA West or even Stonebridge Ranch Dye course, but was still difficult. The use of native grasses and waste bunkers creates a visually stunning course.

The Front 9

Hole 1 starts out with a mid-distance par 4. The fairway narrows close to the far fairway sand bunker. The waste bunker on the left is less penal than the bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway. A longer hitter playing up a tee box will need to hit a fairway wood for a safer play. Go after this green, but avoid the bunker on the right.

Hole 2 is shorter par 4. Longer hitters can challenge the end of the fairway to have a short wedge shot into the green, but a fairway wood is a safer play to the wider area of the fairway. Just avoid the bunker to the left of the green on the approach.

Hole 3 is a beautiful par 3 headed back towards the clubhouse. Short or long right is the viable miss option, avoiding the large bunker on the left. It is not as intimidating as it looks.

Hole 4 is very similar to the 2nd hole. Driver is the play off the tee unless you can hit your long irons very well. The miss is left of the tee, avoiding the larger waster bunker on the right hand side of the fairway. The green is less protected than any other on the course but is mounded up. Attach this green but avoid the solo bunker in the front.

Hole 5 is a doozy of a par 5. The longest of player may be able to reach the green in 2 but is very penal if you miss. Play this one as a 3 stroke hole. Make sure to hit the fairway or just short of the bunkers on the left hand side. The green is elevated so make sure the number that is left is 10 yards shorter than normal unless the pin location is on the front. Avoid the very penal bunkers on the left with your second shot. Missing the green left is the only option here. The very deep bunker on the left and tall grass in between it in the green is one of the most penal bunker on the course.

Hole 6 is a great par 3 with water on the right hand side of the tee box running all the way to the green. It’s obvious to avoid the water on the right, but the miss will be just short or short left.

Hole 7 is a devilish par 4 that will more than likely put a larger number on the scorecard. Playing 475 form the tips, it ties for only the second longest par 4 on the course. Avoid the waste area along the right hand side of the fairway off the tee. Really anything short or short left of the green her is fine. Just like the tee shot, avoid the waste bunker on the left that continues to run up by the green.

Hole 8 is the second par 5 of the front. A good tee shot will give you a choice of a risk reward shot to the green on the second shot. The waste bunker on the right hand side of the fairway isn’t the worst spot, but it will keep your second shot from reaching the green. Go for the green in two from the fairway. There is enough room to the right of the green for a miss. One reason to go for the green is that the fairway is narrow for a lay up and only widens later but adds a group of bunkers that you will have to challenge. Again, miss right with the approach into the green as there is water on the left.

Hole 9, what a finishing hole for the front. The longest par 4 on the course at a whopping 493. Avoiding the bunker down the left off the tee is a must. There is plenty of room right. The approach into this green will be intimidating. What you won’t see is that there is plenty of room on the left side of the green behind the bunkers. This is where you will want to miss, avoiding the water on the left.

The Back 9

Hole 10 is the shortest par 4 on the course, but most difficult tee shot. Take your most confident club and make sure you put it in the fairway, avoiding the water on the left and the hill with bunker on the right. Short and short right will be your misses here, but don’t miss too far as your ball may roll further away from the elevated green. This is a hole that can be scored on if you can put one in the fairway.

Hole 11 is another par 4 with a tough tee shot. Avoid the very large bunker on the left. The waste bunker on the right is much more manageable. Just short or long are the best misses here depending on the pin location.

Hole 12 is get-able par 5. Plenty of room of the tee, just avoid the bunkers on the right. If going for it in two, select a club that may miss short or short right. Avoid going left into the greenside bunker. No fun will be found in there. A wayward tee shot is not the end of the world here. With the fairway continuing being wide, just make sure to put it back into the fairway. And just like mentioned before, avoid the bunker to the left of the green.

Hole 13 is a par 4 that can play tough or easy, depending on the tee shot. Obviously avoid the bunker that runs down the left, but anything on the right hand side of the fairway will have a semi blind shot into the green. The good news is the green has zero bunker, so get your number, and take aim knowing there won’t be a tough up and down.

Hole 14 is the other par 4 that is tied for the second longest one on the course. This one plays a bit easier for some reason. With a skinny fairway, it can be tough to hit. Both the fairway bunker on the right and waste area on the left can be penal and argued as to which one is worse. In my opinion, missing left is better as it will likely leave you with a shorter approach that will be more manageable than in a hill bunker on the right. Avoid the waste area on the left on the approach. This will be reminiscent of the bunker at the 16th hole at PGA West.

Hole 15 is the longest par 3 on the course, playing every so slightly down hill. Do not come up short left or left of the green. Long, trying to avoid the back bunkers would be the miss into this green.

Hole 16 is the last par 5 of the day, and is very difficult to get there in 2. It really sets up to be a 3 shot hole. The fairway is narrow here, but just avoid being too far right or left into the heavy stuff. There is a wider fairway from about 110 and out from the green. This is why it sets up to be a 3 shot hole. Avoid the bunker on the left with the approach, missing long or long right.

Hole 17 is a deceiving par 3. It looks much tougher than it is. Just do not come up short into the penalty area (2019 term, would have been a water hazard in previous years). There is room left of the hole, but just have to avoid the 2 bunkers on that side. There is some room long but not much.

Hole 18 is a classic par 4 finishing hole by Pete Dye. Water down the left the entire length of the hole, with hills and bunker on the right. The fairway is fairly generous, but this is only due to the difficulty of the approach. Other than the water on the left, there is only one bunker on the right that should come into play. Depending on the pin location, either just short and right or long and right are the misses. Just don’t miss right middle into the bunker.

Conclusion

Overall, I very much enjoyed The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort and Golf. The greens were in fantastic shape, and the fairways were great for the amount of rain they had recently received. Everyone from the time I arrived to the time I left were very helpful and made my experience there a good one. The course definitely has a Pete Dye style to it, but I didn’t find as difficult as others. So if this has scared you from playing his designs in the past, don’t let it push you away this time. Go and play The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort and Golf.

Check out our other reviews at Barefoot Resort and Golf

Check out my other Pete Dye designed course reviews
PGA West Stadium Course