For more coverage on King’s North’s Grand Reopening, please visit MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com and MBN.com.
One of Myrtle Beach’s most recognizable golf courses has entered a new era. King’s North at Myrtle Beach National has officially reopened following a comprehensive redesign that unfolded over more than two years, bringing thoughtful updates to the Arnold Palmer classic while preserving the spirit that made it famous.
Originally designed by the late Arnold Palmer more than three decades ago, King’s North has long been known for its bold visuals, dramatic bunkering, and risk-reward shot values. The latest renovation was led by Brandon Johnson of Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design, a longtime member of Palmer’s design team who worked closely with the legend himself for a decade.
The renovation was completed in phases, with the front nine finishing in 2024 and the back nine wrapping up toward the end of 2025, allowing golfers to gradually see the transformation unfold.
Johnson spent 17 years with Arnold Palmer Design Company, an experience that helped guide his approach to the project. Rather than reinvent the course, the goal was to respect Palmer’s original philosophy while refining the layout through Johnson’s own architectural perspective.
“There were things we wanted to keep intact from Arnold Palmer’s design point,” Johnson explained. “But I also have my own company now, Brandon Johnson Golf Course Design, so it’s a good blend of that history and where I am today as an architect.”
Palmer’s bold, aggressive playing style heavily influenced the redesign. Known as “The King,” Palmer thrived on taking chances and embracing dramatic shotmaking — an approach Johnson leaned into while shaping the updated course.
“Mr. Palmer was a very heroic player; he loved risk-reward,” Johnson said. “As an architect, I love that strategy as well, so we were able to lean into that. You see it in the questions we ask of golfers on certain tee shots, like on hole No. 3.”
One of the most notable changes came on King’s North’s finishing hole, where the bunker count was dramatically reduced from 43 bunkers to just six. The move simplifies maintenance and aesthetics while maintaining the strategic challenge that defines the closing hole.
Early reactions from golfers have been overwhelmingly positive.
“It’s been super positive,” said Ryan Ruddy, general manager of King’s North.
“Everyone has kind of been blown away by how the course looks. It doesn’t look drastically different, but the enhancements really make everything pop.”
Ruddy noted that many golfers have commented on the course’s enhanced visual presentation, with some even remarking that it now feels like a seaside layout — despite being 15 to 20 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean.
While the redesign has drawn plenty of attention, Ruddy emphasized that the course’s maintenance team deserves significant credit for bringing the project across the finish line.
With the renovation complete, King’s North enters its next chapter — one that honors Arnold Palmer’s iconic design while introducing a refreshed look and playability for today’s golfers. For Myrtle Beach visitors and locals alike, the reopening marks another reason why the Grand Strand continues to earn its reputation as The Golf Capital of the World®.
All photos courtesy of MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com and MBN.com.
