Courtesy of King's North at Myrtle Beach.
King’s North at Myrtle Beach National closed its back nine on May 26 as architect Brandon Johnson returned to lead the final phase of a two-year renovation project.
King’s North, an Arnold Palmer design owned and operated by Founders Group International, gave Johnson, who transformed the front in nine in the summer of 2024, creative license to further elevate the course.
“Brandon has free rein to shape this golf course as he sees fit,” Founders Group International president Steve Mays said. “What makes him so unique is that while he gives you a plan up front, he’s not bound by it. Once he gets on the ground, he and his team really work with the land and the shaping. That’s where the magic happens, and we saw that firsthand on the front nine.”
As the course anticipates an early October reopening, the upcoming work promises significant changes.
Johnson will improve the famous SC-shaped bunkers on the island green 12th hole, continuing the project’s blend of tradition and innovation. Other anticipated highlights include:
- A new teeing area on No. 13 and an updated shared waste bunker with No. 3.
- A redesign of the waste bunker on the 14th hole and the full-length bunker on the 15th hole.
- A refresh of the beach-style bunkers on Nos. 16 and 17.
- A new look for the 18th hole, known for its more than 40 bunkers and water-lined fairway.
“How Brandon chooses to reimagine 18 is something I’m really looking forward to,” Mays said. “It’s such a great finishing hole, and he’s got a blank canvas to make it even more memorable.”
Johnson, who worked for Arnold Palmer Design Group for 17 years, repaired the course’s bunkering, re-envisioning the shape, visibility and scale of the traps to dramatic effect. The changes to the course are immediately visible on the par-5 first hole, where Johnson raised the profile of bunkers that are now visible from tee to green. He also leaned into King’s North’s rugged appeal, and the course’s greens and surroundings underwent changes increasing the strategic options players have on the approach and recovery shots.
Now, Johnson is returning to complete a project that is close to his heart.
“We are looking to honor some of the things Mr. Palmer was trying to achieve here,” Johnson said. “He always wanted his courses to be fun to play and pleasing to the eye and that’s what this course is, but there are some strategic and playability elements we can add to enhance the experience. We are looking to build upon what’s here by using the existing contours and landforms more effectively and incorporate them into everyday play.”
Renovating the course in two stages allowed FGI to avoid a full closure and gave Johnson the time and space to be creative without tight constraints.
“This is a significant renovation,” Mays said. “Breaking it into two four-month windows gave us eight months total to do this right — without rushing — and still keep the course open for part of the year.”
With Stage 2 ready to begin, King’s North is set to again take its place among Myrtle Beach’s best tracks.
“It’s always been a great golf course,” Mays said. “But when this is done, we expect King’s North to stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best in the region — places like Grande Dunes, TPC Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Plantation.”
FGI owns 21 Myrtle Beach-area courses and has undertaken significant improvement projects in recent years, with a dozen finished renovations, including at Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes and TPC Myrtle Beach.
