Billy’s passion for golf course design and management began at North
Carolina State University where he graduated with an emphasis on
Turfgrass Management after spending three years studying Civil
Engineering.
From there he served at a series of courses as Golf Course
Superintendent and/or Director of Golf Course Maintenance
Operations, including Seabrook Island Golf Club (Charleston, S.C.),
Wildewood Country Club (Columbia, S.C.), Palmetto Dunes golf Club
(Hilton Head Island, S.C.), Kiawah Island Resort (Kiawah Island,
S.C.) and Augusta National Golf Club (Augusta, Georgia).
In
preparation for the Golf Course Superintendent’s position at Augusta
National, Billy was privileged to be on the cutting edge of Creeping
Bentgrass management in the southeast U.S., which is unquestionably
one of the most difficult parts of North America to manage this cool
season turf variety. He also received vast experience in new
construction, course renovations, and grow-in at the above-mentioned
facilities as each course underwent either new construction or
extensive renovations.
It was under his
direction at Augusta National that the conversion from Bermudagrass to the faster more competitive Bentgrass was
completed.
While at Augusta National from 1981 to 1986, Billy
continued to fine tune an extensive tournament preparations program
that to this day is considered to be one of the most prestigious
events in the world of sports.
Having developed such extensive experience in the construction and
grow-in phases of golf development, Billy turned his focus to design
and development firm.
He
began this process in 1986, when he left Augusta National, in good
standing, to consult full time with golf course designers on
post-construction programs as related to design and construction.
Not long after, he joined Cupp Design as the Senior Agronomist and
Design Associate.
It
was during the period from May of ’86 to August of ’88 that he also
served as General Manager through the startup and establishment of
Port Armor Golf & Country Club at Lake Oconee, Georgia (now known as
Reynolds Landings, owned by Reynolds Plantation). He was
responsible for the entire operations of the club, which went on to
attain the ranking of #2 in the state of Georgia, ranked behind #1
Augusta National, as voted by several state and
national publications.
“The formation of Billy Fuller Golf
Design was a natural next step for me. I look forward to fulfilling
our mission to create courses that are strategically challenging,
aesthetically memorable, and in harmony with the native
surroundings. Equally important is to provide an agronomically
sound foundation necessary to produce excellent turf conditions
while striving to satisfy the vision of the ownership. We look
forward to serving you.”
Billy Fuller
