The Atlanta Athletic Club mission

Did you know that the first Southeastern Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, in 1933, was hosted at the Atlanta Athletic Club? Kentucky defeated Mississippi State 46-27. Maybe this shouldn’t be surprising. It does not surprise Lukus Harvey, who has worked as the director of agronomy at the Atlanta Athletic Club since 2015.

“Our mission statement is not aspire or plan, but it’s a very bold statement and it says we will host championships,” Harvey says. Specifically, from the club’s website, “For more than 100 years, our mission has been to deliver an exceptional, family-focused experience that consistently exceeds the expectations of those we serve while preserving our heritage and reputation for championship golf.”

The investment from the club regarding time and resources supports that mission 100 percent. In 2021, the Atlanta Athletic Club hosted the Women’s LPGA Championship, won by Nelly Korda. In 2025, the U.S. Girls’ Junior was won by Aphrodite Deng. In 2030 they will host the U.S. Amateur and in 2035, the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Amongst all that hosting, the Atlanta Athletic Club is constantly improving two championship courses. “If you are going to host championship golf, you have to have championship golf courses,” Harvey says. Simple but true.

The Riverside Course was successfully renovated in 2022, through a multi-million-dollar effort led by architect Tripp Davis. Construction will start in fall of 2027 to renovate the Highlands Course, with architect Andrew Green leading that design work.

There are also extensive practice facilities, significant dedicated spaces for junior instruction and a nine-hole par 3 course. It’s a lot to maintain, and Harvey, who was previously the director of agronomy at PGA National, wouldn’t have it any other way.

Harvey has an admirable way of simplifying things, which helps with communication. He contributes to the newsletter, and the club leadership enforces respecting the maintenance team and course care as a part of playing. Harvey and the team also host well-attended open houses twice each year to encourage members to understand more about how and why the maintenance team operates as it does.

Harvey believes in training for the purpose of excelling daily and working for promotion long-term. Strong communication ensures maximum efficiency, essential as the team cares for approximately 450 acres. “We are responsible for everything outside of the walls,” Harvey says.

During summer, the team swells to more than 80 employees, many of them carrying the title of “turf technicians.” Jesus Martinez, Jr. is the superintendent and was raised in the business as the son of a superintendent, and Francisco Morales is the grounds superintendent.

Martinez handles anything within the lines of play and Morales manages the grounds and landscaping inside and outside the gates. He also runs a 12-person detail crew taking care of the pine straw beds and other areas requiring acute detail work.

“The superintendent position is geared towards developing to be the director of agronomy — here or somewhere else,” says Harvey. Martinez began as an intern at Atlanta Athletic Club and Morales has been on property for 27 years, working his way up from the crew. “He gives us stability. He does all of the training — safety training, equipment training, that type of stuff, which is great,” Harvey says.

There are three assistant superintendents on each golf course, including one designated as the senior assistant, and one equipment director, John Patterson. “John and I have worked together since 2001, minus maybe four years,” Harvey says with a smile. “He’s awesome. He is one of a kind and not allowed to retire until I want to.” These affable, enduring working relationships are another reason that the maintenance team is so productive, continually providing optimal conditions.

Harvey actively works to leverage research and technology to help keep the grounds ready for the more than 52,000 rounds hosted annually. The courses have Zorro Zoysiagrass tees and fairways, Bermudagrass in the rough and TifEagle Bermudagrass on the greens. Trials are being run to test which species will be used on the Highlands course, staying with TifEagle on the greens.

Ordering 43 Husqvarna autonomous mowers to help is another way that Atlanta Athletic Club is cutting edge. Harvey is an early adopter of technology, experimenting with equipment as soon as it’s available, then rigorously testing its capabilities to evaluate potential.

For instance, the entire Riverside rough is being mowed autonomously, but the mowers will not operate while golfers are on course. To ensure they don’t detract from the experience, the mowers are parked out of sight. Harvey learned you can have them on a signal until they get to the woods and then it’s possible to run a wire underground for them to follow when the signal weakens. It took 18 months to ensure the technology can deliver, and now it’s a big help.

Harvey praises the members for the number of hours they spend volunteering to host amateur events, and for working to fundraise the significant dollars to do it well. An extra-special U.S. Amateur is on the horizon, as media coverage and plans are underway to honor Bobby Jones in 2030 for the 100-year anniversary of his Grand Slam. Both the Riverside and Highlands courses will be played.

“It’s super exciting,” says Harvey, who shares that high-intensity projects and maintenance are where he has always thrived. “When I first started here, during a meet and greet in the ballroom, one man asked me if I knew what ‘AAC’ stood for,” Harvey says. “I said, ‘Yes sir, Atlanta Athletic Club.’ He said, ‘Wrong. Always at construction.’ He wasn’t far off.” Harvey laughs.

“The beauty is that these members are so golf-centric and committed to improving,” Harvey says. “They think outside the box to evolve.” The golf world is better for it, and for all that Harvey is beautifully managing.”

Lee Carr is a northeast Ohio-based writer and senior Golf Course Industry contributor.