About
Ron Fream was hired by the Robert Trent Jones firm because of his profound knowledge of horticulture and turfgrass—he famously quipped that, unlike others, he knew "which end of a tree you put in the ground."
Ron Fream is a pioneering American golf course architect renowned for his international influence in golf course design. Graduating from Cal Poly Pomona in Ornamental Horticulture in 1964, Fream's expertise in turfgrass management led him to join Robert Trent Jones Inc., where he spent four formative years. Complementing his design foundation, he worked with firms led by Robert F. Lawrence and Robert Muir Graves before founding his own practice, Golfplan, in 1972. Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, Golfplan has created or renovated courses across more than 65 countries, with a particularly strong presence in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Fream is noted for his environmentally conscious approach, first inspired by projects in Bali and Southeast Asia, and is recognized for bringing innovative golf architecture to emerging markets. Among his early international projects was the Bali Handara Golf & Country Club. He has authored over 100 articles on golf design and remains a thought leader in international golf development.
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