Brandon Johnson reaches halfway stage of King’s North project

The front nine of the King’s North course at Myrtle Beach National in South Carolina will reopen in October, following renovation work by Brandon Johnson.

“In addition to recapturing the original sizes and shapes of greens, we have undertaken work to fix chronic drainage issues,” said Johnson. “Recapturing lost hole locations and introducing new ones through green expansion has also allowed us to make several new design and contour changes.

“The steep slopes of the original greenside mounding were difficult to maintain, presented a dated look and were one dimensional. I saw opportunities to better incorporate that space and material into the holes by creating features and contours that would add more choices and interest, while easing maintenance practices.”

All bunkers and waste areas have been completely reshaped and redesigned. “They will have a much stronger visual presence even though we have slightly reduced the overall size and square footage of them,” said Johnson. “In select locations we have removed unsightly cart paths to create a new feature with strategic and aesthetic value that is in keeping with the natural aesthetic of the course.”

Johnson has changed the strategy on the first hole by expanding fairway to incorporate a left treeline, realigning bunkers and expanding the green. “There is now a premium on ball position and placement off the tee – and for second shots – in order to take advantage of the new angles of play,” said Johnson.

“Our work on the second has seen the dated containment mounding, which was covered in rough, transformed into a long, contoured ridge and sideboard feature. It now has short-cut fairway that allows players to avoid bunker trouble on the right by banking approach shots onto the green or to a feeding swale.”

Hole six, which is a par five also known as ‘The Gambler’, has also had a significant makeover. “We have opened up the approach by making the greenside bunker smaller and further away from the putting surface, creating a feeding slide slope,” said Johnson. “The crumbling greenside bulkhead has been replaced, which has allowed us to soften contours that funnelled balls towards the pond edge. The eroding pond bank has also been fixed by SOX Erosion Solutions.”

On the seventh, Johnson has expanded the green at the front and realigned bunkers. “These targeted but meaningful changes can inject new excitement, character and setup options into the hole,” he said.

A cart path on the ninth has been removed and the area has been converted into a sandy waste bunker, which connects to an existing sandy area on the adjacent eighteenth hole. “The waste bunker around the green has been expanded and combines with the reshaped greenside bunkers to open up the front entry of the expanded and subtlety recontoured green,” said Johnson. “Addressing surface drainage issues within the green, which also impacted the surrounding contours, allowed us to incorporate subtle visual enhancements and playability nuances that provide additional interest to a very demanding par four.

“King’s North is one of three courses on the property. It’s the course with the most natural and rugged feel to it. Our work is leaning into the existing natural and rugged feel with vast sandy waste areas versus, renovated bunkers, native grass plantings and natural groundcover. The long-term goal is to create three visually different courses with a variety of playing experiences.”

The back nine at King’s North will be renovated in summer 2025.

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