King's North FAQ: Everything You Need to Know Before You Play

King’s North FAQ: Everything You Need to Know Before You Play

King’s North at Myrtle Beach National is one of the area’s bedrock layouts, attracting golfers from across America to play one of Arnold Palmer’s most famed designs. On the heels of a Brandon Johnson-led renovation, the course is more popular than ever.

As you make plans for your next Myrtle Beach golf trip, here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about King’s North.

What kind of challenge are you facing at King’s North?
In terms of difficulty, King’s North sits in the middle of the Myrtle Beach spectrum, but its risk-reward nature means your score can fluctuate dramatically. Great ball-striking and bold decisions are rewarded, just the way Arnie intended.

Before we dive deeper into the experience, here is King’s North by the numbers:

Course Details
Black Tees: 7,017 yards, 73.9/137
Gold Tees: 6,481 yards, 72.0/134
White Tees: 6,024 yards, 69.1/128
Blue Tees: 5,661 yards, 67.2/126 (m), 72.8/127 (w)
Green Tees: 6,195 yards, 75.9/135 (w)
Red Tees: 4,816 yards, 63.8/117 (m), 67.6/121 (w)

How significant was the renovation?
Palmer’s original routing was unchanged and aside from some bunker work, the layout from tee to green wasn’t dramatically altered. Johnson had creative license to renovate and he made good use of the freedom on and around the greens complexes. The putting surfaces were restored to their original size and in some cases enlarged. Most significantly, the internal contouring has been enhanced – adding more drama – and the green surrounds have been altered and all are now tightly mowed, allowing golfers to play balls off of them. You see it immediately at the par-4 second hole, where the back-right portion of the green is far more dramatic, and players can now use the mounds on the left to feed approach shots toward the pin.

Who is Brandon Johnson?
Johnson was a long-time protege of the King, working for Arnold Palmer Golf Design for 17 years. His familiarity with Palmer’s philosophy made him the ideal architect to modernize King’s North while remaining true to its original spirit.

Does King’s North Have a Signature Hole?
Absolutely, and it may be home to Myrtle Beach’s most recognizable hole – the par-5 sixth, otherwise known as “The Gambler.” The hole is home to an alternate island fairway that tempts golfers to gamble off the tee in hopes of making birdie or even eagle. There are other memorable holes – the drivable, par-4 third and the island green 12th come immediately to mind – but “The Gambler” is the signature hole at King’s North (pictured left).

What kind of golfer is the course best for?
King’s North truly appeals to everyone. The white tees at 6,024 yards give mid- to high-handicappers a fair chance to score, while better players can take on riskier lines. There are forced carries, but most are manageable. Men, women, scratch players, and weekend golfers can all enjoy this layout.

What makes the course fun?
King’s North requires players to hit shots that will test their nerve without overwhelming them. Every player has to make a decision on No. 3 (top photo) – do you play it safe and play to the right side of the fairway bunker or take dead aim at the green? On No. 5, a shortish par-4 (pictured right), how much of the dogleg left do you want to challenge? There is water on every par-3. Bottom line: there are a lot of memorable shots and holes.

Where can you make birdie?
With a good aggressive tee shot, No. 3 is begging players to make birdie. The 10th is a short par-5 that can set you up to start the back nine strong.

Hardest hole on the course is …
In a rarity, the hardest hole on each side, according to the USGA, are par-5s – Nos. 6 and 15. But speaking from experience, the 384-yard, par-4 14th hole is a scorecard killer. The dogleg left presents one of the round’s most demanding tee shots with a waste bunker on the left and woods on the right. Unless you hit a nice draw off the tee a long approach over sand and water awaits.

How can I book tee times?
Best way to book tee times online is at one of three websites – MyrtleBeachNational.com, MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com or MBN.com.

What’s best package featuring King’s North?
You have multiple options to book King’s North, but at the top of my list is the Founders Group All-Inclusive Package, which allows you to pair it with 20 other FGI layouts, including Grande Dunes, Pawleys Plantation and TPC Myrtle Beach. Throw in lunch each day at the clubhouse and two drinks, and it’s a hard deal to beat.