Golf course architect Brandon Johnson, a longtime design protégé of Arnold Palmer, has completed an extensive renovation to King’s North. The layout was originally designed by Palmer and opened in 1973 at Myrtle Beach National in South Carolina.
King’s North is open for play now, and the club plans a March 2 grand reopening celebration for the layout that was ranked by Golfweek’s Best as the No. 18 public-access course in the state before the renovation and is likely to climb.
The work to King’s North was completed in two phases, with the renovations to the front nine in 2024 and the back nine in 2025. Fairway corridors were restored, and vegetation was removed in areas to expose long views across a property that boasts no residential encroachment. Greens and surrounds were reimagined, with the putting surfaces expanded and reshaped.
The work to the bunkers and exposed sand, with a focus on a more rugged and natural aesthetic while remaining playable, is beautiful. Some hazards were relocated, and the strategic intent was boosted at what has been one of the most popular golf courses in Myrtle Beach for decades.
“Golfers who have played King’s North before are going to be blown away by how different it plays,” Johnson, who worked as an associate for Palmer Design for 17 years and now leads Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design, said in a media release. “This wasn’t about small tweaks. We leaned into bold ideas – restoring width, creating new angles and building green complexes that reward creativity and thought. Every hole now asks a question.
“The course has greater depth now. The more you play it, the more you will appreciate what’s there. … If Mr. Palmer were standing on the first tee today, I think he’d recognize the soul of the course and be proud of how far it’s been pushed.”
King’s North is operated by Founders Group International, which owns 21 Myrtle Beach-area courses. King’s North is one of three courses at Myrtle Beach National, along with the West Course and SouthCreek.