Barefoot Resort — Norman Course

The Norman Course at Barefoot Resort transplants Australian sandbelt sensibility to the Carolina Lowcountry. Greg Norman opened it in 2000, and his upbringing in links golf shows in the most immediate detail: the open ground around the greens. Where the Fazio and Love use bunkers and tree lines to frame their putting surfaces, Norman left the approaches open and firm. Many greens accept a running shot from well short, inviting you to bump a 7-iron along the ground rather than launching a high wedge.

You're playing 7,200 yards, par 72, the second longest of the four Barefoot courses. The yardage plays slightly shorter than the number suggests because the firm, fast turf adds roll. Fairways are wide and receptive with few forced carries. The strategy lives in the second shot and beyond, where you choose between aerial and ground approaches based on pin, wind, and contour.

The 14th, a par 5, features a split fairway with two distinct routes. The upper line is longer but provides a clear sightline for the approach. The lower line shortens the hole but obscures the green behind a rise. Choose based on your length, confidence, and willingness to play a blind third shot. The bunker style is also worth flagging: extensive waste areas with sandy expanses bordering fairways and greens, played as hazards but raked less formally. Lies vary, which adds an element of unpredictability.