The Country Club of Spartanburg, Director of Agronomy Zac Ramey
Golfers often talk about perfect drives or smooth putts, but behind every crisp fairway and fast green lies the steady work of a superintendent and a carefully designed turf system. From greensmowers and topdressers to irrigation control systems, the infrastructure of a golf course defines how it performs.
At The Country Club of Spartanburg, Director of Agronomy Zac Ramey leads that effort, blending years of on-course experience with a deep understanding of soil science, water management, and long-term sustainability. His approach offers an inside look at how great playing conditions are engineered — not just maintained.
Like many professionals in golf course management, Zac’s connection to the game began early. Growing up in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, he spent long days playing golf with family before working his way through various club roles, from cart operations to the grounds crew.
That early exposure taught him both sides of the business: the golfer’s expectations and the agronomy team’s challenges. His internships at The Walker Course and Thornblade Club deepened that experience, exposing him to the full range of turf care technologies — from reel mowers and greens rollers to fertigation delivery systems and aerification equipment.
Today, that well-rounded background informs every decision he makes at Spartanburg.
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When Zac arrived in 2018, the club’s greens told a story familiar to many superintendents: deep layers of thatch, compacted soils, and restricted root growth. A soil profile test revealed nearly ten distinct layers — a product of years of topdressing without proper aerification or sand integration.
For turf professionals, that meant limited oxygen flow, poor infiltration, and increased disease risk — all conditions that degrade putting performance and raise maintenance costs.
The solution required more than quick fixes. It called for aerators, topdressing brushes, and a strategic shift toward a carbon-based fertility program that emphasized soil health over surface color.
“Thatch recovery doesn’t happen overnight,” Zac explains. “We had to rebuild the soil profile from the inside out — with consistency, not shortcuts.”
For golfers, aerification often represents disruption. For superintendents, it’s the most critical process of the season.
At Spartanburg, the aerification program includes high-precision aerators, core pulverizers, and GreensGroomer attachments that ensure sand fills each four-inch hole perfectly. During the most recent project, nearly 200,000 pounds of sand were applied to the greens — distributed and brushed with topdressing equipment and greens rollers to restore smoothness.
Fertilizers and biostimulants follow to aid turf recovery, supported by moisture sensors and irrigation control systems to balance water levels. Each pass of a greensmower in the days that follow helps the surface settle back into consistent, firm play.
This integration of equipment, timing, and agronomy is what keeps the club’s greens healthy — even under tournament-level stress.
The transformation didn’t happen overnight. The first year brought slower recovery times, visible aerification holes, and member questions. But as Zac’s multi-year program took effect, the improvements became undeniable.
Oxygen exchange improved, water infiltration normalized, and turf roots deepened. Layers of thatch decomposed, replaced by stable sand channels. By year three, Spartanburg’s greens delivered firm, consistent roll and strong disease resistance — indicators of a truly healthy soil ecosystem.
These changes also reduced dependency on high nitrogen fertilizers and chemical inputs, allowing a more sustainable, environmentally balanced program aligned with modern turf standards.
Superintendents like Zac are responsible for far more than mowing and fertilization. They oversee an entire ecosystem of infrastructure — from drainage systems and bunker liners to pumping systems, moisture sensors, and sprinkler maintenance.
At Spartanburg, Zac’s team manages:
• Bunker stabilization using modern liner materials to prevent washouts and maintain sand depth.
• Drainage equipment to ensure consistent firmness across fairways and approaches.
• Irrigation systems and pump control units monitored via remote sensors for precision watering.
• Turf covers to protect sensitive greens during extreme temperature swings.
This blend of technology and agronomy creates consistency — a superintendent’s ultimate goal.
Zac’s leadership extends past the grass line. As a two-time president of the Upstate Turfgrass Association and a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador, he actively mentors peers, shares field data, and collaborates with vendors and distributors supplying mowers, soil conditioners, and fungicides across the region.
These partnerships connect superintendents with innovations in controlled-release fertilizers, soil surfactants, and biological controls — technologies that help facilities optimize performance while reducing costs and environmental impact.
His commitment reflects a growing philosophy among modern superintendents: collaboration equals consistency.
Hole 3 at The Country Club of Spartanburg demonstrates how architecture and agronomy intersect. The long par three, framed by water on the right and a steep slope left, demands both strategic design and disciplined turf conditioning.
Here, Zac’s team uses moisture sensors and drainage solutions to maintain firmness, ensuring approach shots hold without plugging. Mowing equipment like walk-behind greensmowers and rotary mowers maintain turf density and uniformity around the green’s collars.
When architecture challenges a golfer’s precision, agronomy ensures the challenge feels fair.
Every great superintendent shares a few key traits:
• Technical knowledge of turf systems and equipment.
• Strategic patience for long-term soil improvement.
• Collaborative leadership across maintenance, vendors, and club management.
• Adaptability in responding to weather, tournaments, and budgets.
Zac’s work at Spartanburg showcases all four. His approach blends traditional hands-on agronomy with data-driven insight — using tools like soil probes, soil testing, and drainage mapping to make informed decisions.
As sustainability becomes more central to golf operations, course conditioning is shifting toward data-based irrigation, organic fertilizers, and low-input turf management systems. Facilities are investing in:
• Nanobubble oxygen systems for ponds and water quality.
• Synthetic turf care machinery for practice facilities.
• Biostimulant programs that promote natural resilience.
• Moisture management systems integrated with irrigation pumps and flow meters.
At Spartanburg, these innovations are already shaping the next generation of playability — firm, fair, and environmentally responsible.
While players experience the surface, turf professionals see the system — a network of turf equipment, drainage lines, and agronomic programs working together.
Understanding that relationship helps foster appreciation and alignment across departments — from superintendents to architects, contractors, and manufacturers.
Golf thrives when every layer, from soil amendments to bunker renovation, works in harmony.
Why is aerification critical to turf performance?
It relieves compaction, enhances drainage, and stimulates root growth — essential for firm, smooth putting surfaces.
What types of equipment support aerification?
Core aerators, drag mats, topdressers, and greens rollers all contribute to optimal turf recovery.
How do bunker liners impact playability?
They stabilize sand, prevent contamination, and reduce maintenance — keeping bunkers consistent and playable.
What’s the role of irrigation management in turf health?
Precision systems with moisture sensors and pump controls help balance hydration and minimize waste.
How do turf colorants and conditioners support sustainability?
They maintain aesthetics during stress periods while reducing water and nutrient inputs.
What future trends are shaping turf management?
Expect increased use of data analytics, smart irrigation, and eco-friendly soil amendments.
The next time a golfer marvels at the smooth roll of a green or the firmness of a fairway, they’re seeing the outcome of countless professional decisions — from selecting fertilizers and turf conditioners to maintaining irrigation and drainage systems.
At The Country Club of Spartanburg, Zac Ramey’s work demonstrates what happens when agronomy, leadership, and long-term planning align. It’s not luck that makes a course great — it’s the unseen network of people, products, and systems shaping it from the ground up.
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