A Bold Evolution of a Palmer Classic
King’s North at Myrtle Beach National has long stood as one of Arnold Palmer’s most recognizable designs. Today, the course presents a bolder, more strategic playing experience following a sweeping, two-year renovation led by architect Brandon Johnson — an evolution that reshaped how the course looks, plays, and challenges golfers while remaining true to its original spirit.
The work unfolded in two phases, beginning with front-nine renovations in the summer of 2024 and continuing with the back nine in 2025. Rather than focusing
solely on visual updates, the project addressed the course at a fundamental level. Fairway corridors were restored, greens and surrounds were reimagined, and strategic intent was sharpened throughout the layout, resulting in a course that feels familiar yet offers players a distinctly different experience.
“Golfers who have played King’s North before are going to be blown away by how different it plays,” said Johnson, who worked alongside Arnold Palmer for 17 years and now leads Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design. “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.” (2nd pictured right)
Strategy, Width, and Playability
Free of residential development and routed for walkability, King’s North appeals to a wide range of golfers. Elite players are challenged by the strategic options presented throughout the round, while higher-handicap players benefit from expanded playing corridors and multiple paths to success.
Selective vegetation removal opened long views across the property and better showcased the land’s natural movement. Greens were expanded and reshaped, surrounds were rebuilt to encourage ground play and recovery options, and hazards were repositioned to heighten both risk and reward. Together, these changes create a course that is more dramatic and strategically engaging from the first tee to the final putt.
A Course Reintroduced
“King’s North has always been special, but this renovation takes it to another level,” said Steve Mays, president of Founders Group International, Myrtle Beach National’s parent company. “The changes are big, bold, and intentional. We genuinely believe King’s North now belongs in the conversation with the best courses in Myrtle Beach and the state of South Carolina.”
According to Johnson, some improvements are immediately apparent, while others emerge over time. “The course has greater depth now,” he said. “The more you
play it, the more you will appreciate what’s there.”
That depth reflects a renovation that respects Palmer’s original vision while presenting it through a modern lens — one aligned with how today’s golfers play, think, and experience the game. “If Mr. Palmer were standing on the first tee today,” Johnson said, “I think he’d recognize the soul of the course and be proud of how far it’s been pushed.”
For golfers returning to King’s North — or experiencing it for the first time — the course delivers bold visuals, strategic shot-making, imaginative greens, and classic Palmer-style risk-reward, offering a playing experience that continues to reveal itself round after round. (18th pictured right)
Photos for this feature from MyrtleBeachGolfTrips Instagram Account
