MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – King’s North at Myrtle Beach National closed its back nine on May 26, 2025, as architect Brandon Johnson returned to lead the final phase of the acclaimed two-year renovation project.
Owned and operated by Founders Group International, King’s North, an Arnold Palmer design, has long been one of Myrtle Beach’s most popular layouts, and Johnson, who transformed the front nine in the summer of 2024, has once again been given creative license to elevate the experience even further.
“Brandon has free rein to shape this golf course as he sees fit,” said Steve Mays, President of Founders Group International. “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.
What’s Coming on the Back Nine?
Johnson is expected to reinterpret 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 Hole 13 and an updated shared waste bunker with Hole 3.
● A redesign of the massive waste bunker on 14 and the full-length bunker on 15.
● A creative refresh of the dramatic beach-style bunkers on Holes 16 and 17.
● A completely new look for the 18th hole, long known for its 40+ bunkers and water-lined fairway, will provide an unforgettable finish at King’s North.
“How Brandon chooses to reimagine 18 is something I’m really looking forward to,” Mays added. “It’s such a great finishing hole, and he’s got a blank canvas to make it even more memorable.”
Looking Back Before Moving Forward
The excitement for Johnson’s work on the back nine is rooted in the success of his work on the first nine holes at King’s North.
Johnson, who worked for Arnold Palmer Design Group for 17 years, reinvigorated the course’s bunkering, reenvisioning 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, setting the stage for an unforgettable round.
He also leaned into the rugged aesthetic that King’s North has long enjoyed, and the course’s greens and their surrounds enjoyed substantive changes, dramatically 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.”
Why the Two-Stage Approach?
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,” said Mays. “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.”
Return to the Top of the Market
With Stage 2 poised 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 capital improvement projects in recent years, including work at Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes and TPC Myrtle Beach.
With a dozen renovation projects completed and more planned, FGI continues to raise the bar for golf in Myrtle Beach, cementing its place as the region’s premier golf course operator.
For more information on King’s North, visit www.MyrtleBeachNational.com.
For more information on FGI, visit www.FoundersGolf.com.
About Founders Group International
Founders Group International (FGI) is the foremost golf course owner-operator company in the Southeastern United States. Formed in 2014 through various purchases and the 2015 acquisition of National Golf Management, FGI owns and operates 21 golf courses (405 holes) in and around Myrtle Beach, S.C., America’s seaside golf capital.
Those courses include Pine Lakes Country Club, the “granddaddy” of Myrtle Beach area courses; TPC Myrtle Beach, host site of the 2019 NCAA Division I men’s golf regional and Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship; and Grande Dunes Resort Club, home of the Grande Dunes Golf Performance Center.
FGI administers www.MBN.com, a leader in online tee time bookings, as well as package outlet Myrtle Beach Golf Trips. With the help of Golf Insider’s 100 percent player-generated course ranking system, thousands of golfers plan and assemble their ideal golf itineraries through FGI’s assets, including “top 100 caliber” courses Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club, King’s North at Myrtle Beach National Golf Club, and more than 80 other Myrtle Beach area courses.
More information about Founders Group International is available at www.foundersgroupinternational.com, www.mbn.com or MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com.
