Private Club Leadership is Changing: A Conversation with Joel Livingood

In talking to Joel Livingood, General Manager and COO of Interlachen Country Club, one thing became clear fast: the best-run clubs today aren’t just keeping up with change; they’re driving it. 

In their latest conversation on Crushing Club Marketing, Ed and Joel discuss what really defines effective leadership in today’s private club world. While there are many contributors, it ultimately comes down to knowing who you are as a club, where you’re headed, and how every decision supports that direction.

That clarity has guided Interlachen through what Livingood describes as a “transformational journey.” Over the past decade, the club has restored its historic Donald Ross golf course, built a family-focused “West Campus”, and redefined what community means for its 900-member families. Behind every project, policy, and cultural shift was a consistent purpose: to align progress with identity.

Building from the Inside Out

For Interlachen, real progress didn’t begin with construction plans or capital campaigns. Before anything, the leadership team took a step back to define who they were and what they wanted the club to represent long-term.

Livingood recalls that in 2017, “the most important thing we did — what we absolutely had to do before we could do anything else — was get really clear about our mission and values.”

That reflection wasn’t about creating a polished statement for a website. It was about alignment. The team asked tough questions: What does success look like here? How do we balance tradition with innovation? And what do our members truly value when they think about their lives at Interlachen?

That mindset has since become part of the club’s DNA. “Repetition and reminders are part of learning,” Livingood said. “You see our mission on the wall, in communications, in member orientation. It’s everywhere.”

It’s shown in how new members are welcomed, how team members are hired, and how leaders communicate. Interlachen’s mission is the guiding light for every decision that is made. And that commitment, more than any capital project, is what made everything that followed possible.

From Mission to Culture

When the mission became clear, culture followed. Interlachen’s leadership knew that a statement on paper means little unless it shapes how people show up every day — from the front line team members to the members meeting monthly in the boardroom.

That shift required alignment across hundreds of employees, a diverse membership, and a governing board. For Livingood, the key was empowerment. “It’s my most important job every day,” he said. “Show up for your team. Remove roadblocks. Make sure they can do their best work.”

That philosophy turned the mission into something lived, not just led. Department heads modeled the same approach, setting expectations through action. Team members learned that excellence isn't about perfection — it’s about care, consistency, and ownership of the member experience.

It also redefined how Interlachen hires and retains staff. Livingood and his team focus on three essentials: meaningful work, recognition, and growth. Competitive pay matters, but purpose and belonging keep people engaged.

“It’s hard work,” he admits. “Expectations are high, standards are high. But we don’t shy away from that. It’s part of who we are.”

Governance as a Strategic Advantage

Strong culture depends on strong governance. Many club leaders struggle with the balance between management and the board, but at Interlachen, that relationship has become one of the club’s greatest assets.

“When I started, one of our board members said, ‘I’m tired of picking the Easter brunch menu,’” Livingood laughed. “That was our turning point. We clarified what’s the board’s job and what’s management’s job.”

By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, the club built a foundation of trust and accountability. Decisions became faster, investments more strategic, and leadership transitions smoother. Instead of reacting to challenges, the board and management now navigate them together, each focused on their role in advancing the same long-term mission.

Leading in a More Complex Era

Today’s general managers are expected to be strategists, operators, and culture builders all at once. Clubs are multifaceted businesses with hospitality, fitness, golf, retail, and events all under one roof — and member expectations have never been higher.

“The job’s more complex now,” Livingood reflected. “You can’t do it alone. You need the right people in the right seats.”

He describes leadership as a constant tension — between visibility and focus, tradition and innovation, progress and patience. The key, he says, is self-awareness: knowing when to be on the floor with members and when to step back and think strategically.

The New Model of Club Leadership

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Interlachen’s evolution is that culture and clarity compound over time. When everyone, from the board to the dishwashers, knows what the club stands for, decisions get easier, member and employee morale gets stronger, and member experience thrives.

That’s the kind of alignment that turns a club into a brand, members into a community, and a GM into a true leader.