Mytrle Beach National - King's North Course

Myrtle Beach national was open for 26 years and had fallen out of favor with members and tourists until  1996 when Arnold Palmer redesigned and transformed the North Course into the best recognized course in Myrtle Beach, King's North.  Arnold moved 400,000 cubic yards of dirt; added bulk heads; enlarged lakes, bunkers, and greens; transformed the greens to bent grass; and planted 7000 azaleas and 600 hardwood trees.  And the list of accolades continues to grow for King's North, some of which include: Golf Digest's prestigious list of "Americans 100 Greatest Public Courses" as well as 4.5 stars in their "Places to Play;" and King's North has 4 holes in the "100 Greatest Holes in the Grand Strand." 

Some of the holes at King's North have taken on a unique personality of their own with now famous nicknames.  The famed par-5 sixth hole, "The Gambler" tempts golfers with a high risk shortcut to the green via an island fairway and with two good shots a good gamble on an eagle – but miss the island fairway and par will be very difficult.  "The Bulls Eye" is a fun finishing hole that requires precision and accuracy to miss 40 sand traps of all shapes and sizes (small pot bunkers to one that stretches the length of the 464 yard fairway) guarding both sides of the fairway and a green that reaches out into the lake.  And 12th hole is an island green with two bunkers in the shape of an "S" and a "C."

You really need to manage your shots to score well on King's North – there's water on every hole, bunkers everywhere your ball wants to land, forced carries, and pine needle beds under the trees.   Survive all that and it will be pretty easy to hit the good sized greens and putt out for a good score.  Not only is King's North a fun and challenging course, it is also in excellent condition, very well manicured, and visually stunning with the blue water, white sand, and colorful flowers and shrubs. 

King's North is void of any housing development and it is and is beautifully sculpted through a Carolina pine forest.  The Bent greens were near perfect, rolled well and true, and were a little fast.  Gentle slope and undulation need to be studied before you putt.  The soft white sand bunkers as well as the fairways were also in excellent condition.    

A fantastic track that is fun, unique, and challenging with near perfect conditions.   A must play if you're visiting Myrtle Beach.