Fazio’s Fabulous Myrtle Beach Designs Feature the Best in Big-Event, Resort Venues

Tom Fazio is one of golf’s architectural legends. He has designed more than 200 courses, 46 of which have been ranked among the 200 greatest layouts in the United States, and the 78-year-old was just the second architect to receive the prestigious Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

Fazio’s list of accomplishments is lengthy and his two Myrtle Beach golf courses, TPC Myrtle Beach and the Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort, certainly helped burnish his lofty reputation. Both layouts have been ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest and have served as the centerpiece of countless golf trips.

TPC Myrtle Beach was Fazio’s maiden Grand Strand design and it opened with a splash, hosting the Champions Tour Championship, an event won by Tom Watson. It didn’t take long for TPC to rise to the top of every list of Myrtle Beach’s must-play designs.

The layout offers a significant but fair challenge, and that’s at the heart of its appeal. The par-4 ninth and 15th holes are among the area’s most daunting two-shotters, but Fazio balances those tests with the opportunity to make birdie on the short, par-4 12th.

Over the years TPC has solidified its reputation as a big-event venue, hosting the NCAA East Region Championship, and it’s the annual host of the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship. Over the years the likes of DJ and current PGA TOUR standouts Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young and Akshay Bhatia, among many others, have tested themselves on this bucket list layout.

Fazio’s namesake design at Barefoot had to share the spotlight, opening simultaneously alongside the Dye, Love and Norman courses, but it quickly emerged as one of Myrtle Beach’s most sought after tee times. The par 71 plays through a memorable piece of property, combining natural wetlands and Fazio’s architectural genius.

The layout is one of the few along the Myrtle Beach golf scene that doesn’t turn at the clubhouse, allowing players to secure tee times throughout the day. Water is visible on 15 holes, but it’s often on the periphery, creating striking visuals without impacting play.

Barefoot’s Fazio course has hosted the championship match of the hit Golf Channel show “Big Break Myrtle Beach” and Canadian Tour events, further highlighting the designer’s reputation for producing championship level courses.

Tom Fazio is one of golf course architecture’s most influential figures over the last 50 years, and players can enjoy the best of his work here in Myrtle Beach.