April 8, 2015 – Atlanta Athletic Club has hired Lukus Harvey as director of agronomy. Harvey is replacing Ken Mangum, who served as the club’s director of golf courses and grounds for 27 years.
A graduate of Ohio State, where he received his degree in turfgrass management, Harvey went on to an internship at Augusta National Golf Club and has since honed his craft at Doral Golf Resort and Spa, John’s Island Club and Calusa Pines Golf Club. He was also the golf course and grounds superintendent at the exclusive Jack Nicklaus designed Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida.
Since 2010, Harvey has served as the director of agronomy for the prestigious PGA National Resort and Spa, where he oversaw the daily maintenance of 90 holes, including ultradwarf Bermudagrass greens. He also worked closely with Nicklaus Design (also architect of The PGA National Champion course) on course maintenance and design integrity and he led a staff of superintendents and maintenance professionals who were responsible for-tour level conditions at PGA National, home to top-level golf events including the famed Honda Classic .
“I am pleased to have Lukus bring his agronomic and leadership expertise to our team at Atlanta Athletic Club. I am confident our membership will embrace his engaging personality and the product he will produce on our golf courses,” Atlanta Athletic Club general manager and COO Kevin Carroll said.
Harvey is eager to begin his role as AAC’s director of agronomy and he arrives at AAC with a clear mission. “In my opinion, it is critical for the director of agronomy to be the face of the operation and be visible to the members on a daily basis,” Harvey said. “One of my favorite activities is to walk the range tee on a Saturday morning and engage with as many members as possible before they head to the first tee.”
In addition to his professional experience, Harvey is a Class A member of the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America and belongs to the Club Managers Association of America. Harvey is married and is looking forward to moving with his wife, Nataila, and sons, Jacob and Andrew, to the Atlanta area. Harvey assumes his new role with AAC in May.
