Clyde Johnston’s design firm was formed in March of 1987 to offer high-quality, professional golf course design services.

Our goal is to design golf courses that fit the needs (and budget) of the Client as well as the end-users of the golf course. Classic design principles combined with modern construction techniques produce enjoyable and challenging golf course facilities.

We will be good stewards of the land, honoring all environmentally sensitive issues and assisting the golf industry by promoting environmental awareness.

Clyde received his Bachelor of Environmental Design in Landscape Architecture degree from NC State University School of Design. Before establishing Clyde Johnston Design, he worked with prestigious groups including Willard C. Byrd and Associates, Reece and Hoopes, Kirby, Player, and Associates, as well as his Father, C.B. “Johnny” Johnston, assisting in all aspects of golf course maintenance and operations, as Johnny was a Class “A” PGA Professional. While Clyde’s primary focus is course design, he has a keen appreciation for the delicate balance of golf course design within other land uses such as residential and resort developments, and has developed a niche to blend golf course architecture with land planning. View Clyde’s resume here.

Clyde Johnston Design projects are a blend of art, science, and sport, and can be seen throughout the Southeast US.  All reflect the ethical standards of the American Society of Golf Course Architects that include understanding the interaction of man’s economic and social systems with our natural resources. Clyde believes that to be on the leading edge, one must be bold to pursue leading-edge practices and strategies. Considering the future of the golf industry, Clyde Johnston Design integrates sustainable practices with classic principles in every project.

Clyde is invested in his own community as well as that of the golf industry. He is a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and the American Society of Landscape Architects. He is a past president and two-time Board of Governors member for the ASGCA and currently serves as President for the ASGCA Foundation. Clyde is a charter member of the Donald Ross Society, and a member of the USGA and South Carolina Golf Course Raters Panel.  He teaches Golf Course Design and Development at the Professional Golfers Career College and serves on numerous committees and boards including Providence Presbyterian Church, the recently launched First Tee of the Lowcountry, as well as Experience Green’s board of directors and its Sustainability in Golf initiative, a leading effort to apply the business case for sustainability to the golf industry. 

As a golf course architect, Clyde Johnston’s personal passion and profession are as one in many ways. His personal motto of ‘never unprepared’ has been a guiding principle for Clyde’s work ethic and commitment to excellence.

Clyde has more than 40 years of experience in golf course design, development, construction, and consulting for new and renovated facilities in public, resort, and residential settings.  The Hilton Head Island, SC-based operation has seen trends and times of growth, as well as reductions and uncertainty, as the golf industry has and continues to evolve. Therefore, Clyde’s work considers smart use of resources and innovative design to decrease environmental impact and reduce operational costs, while maintaining a high-quality experience that golfers demand in this very competitive market.

Past Professional Experience

Prior to the formation of his design firm, Johnston worked on over 35 golf course designs with noted golf course architects Willard C. Byrd and the firm of Kirby, Player & Associates (Ron Kirby, Gary Player, and Denis Griffiths). Notable courses during that time are Heather Glen Golf Links, Myrtle Beach, SC, Wexford Plantation Golf Club and Planters Row at Port Royal Plantation, Hilton Head Island, SC, and Cougar Point Golf Club on Kiawah Island, SC. It was during his tenure with Willard Byrd and Associates of Atlanta, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, SC that Johnston began his appreciation for the delicate balance of a golf course design within other land uses such as residential and resort developments. Although his efforts were focused on golf course design, Johnston developed the design talents to blend golf course architecture with land planning.