Project at private club in Georgia includes the redesign of greens and fairway bunkering, plus new forward and back tees
By Richard Humphreys |
Beau Welling and his senior design associate Chase Webb are leading a golf course renovation at The King and Prince Golf and Beach Club on St. Simons Island, Georgia.
South Street Partners, which owns and operates clubs such as Kiawah Island, Palmetto Bluff and PGA National – acquired the club in 2024 with a vision to reposition the property as a leading coastal club destination.
The renovation includes a revamp of all green complexes, the redesign of fairway bunkering, new forward and back tees, the rebuild of existing tees and the conversion of cart paths from concrete to crushed gravel.
The routing will remain unchanged, traversing through live oaks for the first eleven holes, reaching the coast on the twelve to fifteen stretch, before heading inland for the final three holes.
The renovation will include a redesign of the green complexes (Photo: The King & Prince Beach & Golf Club)
“The course has incredible bones, and our goal has been to respect the original design while refining strategic elements that will make the course more engaging day-to-day,” said Welling. “We aim to deliver an experience that rewards thoughtful play while offering a memorable experience on every hole.”
“Through strategic adjustments to the greens and bunkering, the course will take on a renewed feel, further enhanced by opening up striking sightlines to showcase the area’s spectacular marsh views and Lowcountry setting throughout the round.”
One of the big changes will be the redesign of the par-five third, with Welling and his team shifting the green back 17 yards to bring the surrounding marshland more into play. The putting surface has been recontoured and is highlighted by a distinct ridge through the middle that slopes towards the front and back of the green.
“Across all 18 holes, we have sought to reward thoughtful shotmaking while ensuring each hole has a unique character that makes it memorable in its own right,” said Welling. “The third hole really illustrates our efforts to improve visuals and bring the amazing setting more into play, but also to implement design changes that elevate and calibrate strategy while maintaining playability.”
Owner-operator South Street Partners is aiming to transform the club into a leading coastal destination (Photo: The King & Prince Beach & Golf Club)
Welling’s work at the club also includes rebuilding the driving range, short-game area and practice green.
The course is expected to open in late autumn 2026.