FEATURE STORY

Myrtle Beach National: Golf the house the King built

By Brandon Tucker,
Staff Writer

Any fan of golf's "King" will want to make the trip to the house that Arnie built: Myrtle Beach National, home to King's North, Arnold Palmer's signature work on the Grand Strand.

All three Myrtle Beach National golf courses were designed by Palmer's firm, led by architect Francis Duane. Palmer consulted on the layouts, most significantly on the North's mid-'90s redesign, which moved it into the top echelon of Grand Strand courses.

No. 6 elevates King's North to Grand Strand royalty Play pure golf on home-free Myrtle Beach tracks Top holes on the Grand Strand Photo gallery: South Creek at MBN

Palmer is on display off the course too. The clubhouse pays tribute to the King at every corner, from the bronze statue in front to photos and illustrations of Arnie at every stage of his storied career.

Here's a closer look at Myrtle Beach National's three courses.

King's North: MBN's main event, King's North is a completely different golf course since the 1996 revamp, which followed the Grand Strand progression towards modern, upscale courses.

Green fees can be up to double those on the other MBN tracks, depending on the season, but you're going to get a world-class course with great shot values and little redundancy for the money.

The most dramatic difference on the North is the heavily manicured landscape, more undulating and scenic than its siblings. It's a striking, colorful layout with something everywhere to catch your eye - island greens, vast waste bunkers, rolling mounds, flower beds, crafted waterfalls. The redesign took out many trees to let in more sunlight, which, along with the lack of houses, gives the course an expansive feel.

No. 6, aptly named "The Gambler," generates the most buzz. This par 5 offers an island fairway cut-off that allows you to go for a small, shallow green in two. The par-3 12th features one of the Strand's finest island greens.

The bunkers are bigger and more penal than on the other two MBN courses, and there are plenty of chances for high drama, but the North isn't overly difficult. There are six sets of tees, three playing to less than 6,000 yards.

Southcreek and the West course: MBN's other two tracks are similar in cost and level of challenge - they're both quite playable for mid-to-high handicappers - but they play differently in many respects.

"The difference primarily between Southcreek and the West is the tightness of the South," said Michael Burnside, the club's director of golf. "There are also homes on the South. There are no homes on the West, so a lot of people like to play the West because the fairways are wide and you're not in somebody's backyard."

Southcreek is a bit more contemporary-looking with its larger bunkers and artificial mounding (especially the collection of humps on the 18th), but the West course, with its lack of housing, feels more natural and traditional.

Myrtle Beach National 4900 National Drive Myrtle Beach, SC Tel.: (843) 448-2308 Web: www.mbn.com

The West's greens are bigger and slope dramatically from back to front on most holes. The unique par-3 closer plays to a large, sloping green protected by a pond and a left-side bunker.

Both Southcreek and the West are enjoyable mid-level courses in good shape (especially the latter's greens). But you haven't really experienced MBN until you've played King's North.

March 26, 2007

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.