Veteran private club executive brings nearly three decades of leadership experience to oversee innovative year-round advisory platform for private clubs
Palos Verdes, CA — GHMG, one of the golf industry’s leading management consulting firms, announces that respected private club executive Lance Sabella, CCM, ECM, has joined the firm as a partner. Sabella will expand GHMG’s executive consulting capabilities while leading the launch of the GHMG Concierge Club Advisory Service, a first-of-its-kind, retainer-based platform providing private clubs with ongoing access to senior-level operational expertise, strategic guidance and leadership support.
As a partner, Sabella will work alongside GHMG’s leadership team to provide executive advisory services while continuing to support the firm’s broader consulting practice. His expertise spans operational leadership, capital project management, governance, financial oversight, organizational development, team culture, and member experience.
“First and foremost, I have deep respect for my partners; they’re as talented and experienced as they come,” said Sabella. “I was fortunate to work with Robert Hertzing for 12 years at Lakeside Golf Club, so in many ways, this feels like it’s come full circle. When we started talking about where we each wanted to go next, it just clicked for both of us, and here we are. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in club management and feel truly humbled to have spent much of my career serving two historic clubs. This next chapter lets me take everything I’ve learned and put it to work supporting an industry I care deeply about.”
Sabella brings more than 27 years of leadership experience in the club industry. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Cherry Hills Country Club, where he directed a team of more than 300 employees, oversaw all club operations and strategic planning, managed more than $100 million in capital improvements, and played a key leadership role in preparations for the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championship. Prior to Cherry Hills, he spent 17 years as General Manager of historic Lakeside Golf Club, earning the prestigious Excellence in Club Management® Award for his leadership.
Developed by Sabella, the GHMG Concierge Club Advisory Service introduces a new model for private club consulting through a structured retainer-based relationship that provides flexible access to senior advisors rather than traditional project-based engagements. The service is designed to help clubs strengthen leadership, improve operational performance, navigate governance issues, mentor executives, fill management transition periods, and make more informed strategic decisions.
It isn’t designed to replace traditional project-based consulting, but rather to serve as a constant resource for club leadership.
“There are challenges that are common across private clubs that general managers are often left to navigate largely on their own,” said Sabella. “I experienced that myself, and I’ve heard the same thing repeatedly from colleagues throughout my career. This service is designed to provide accessible, practical support when and where it’s needed. In many ways, it’s the proverbial arm around the shoulder, a trusted resource for the general manager, the leadership team, and the board.”
One inspiration for the new service is the concept of concierge medicine, introduced to Sabella years ago by one of his club members.
“I didn’t even know what it was,” recalled Sabella. “It was so new, he told me, ‘I have a doctor on call. I pay him a monthly fee.’ That idea stuck with me, and I applied it to clubs, thinking about the kind of support I would have loved to have had as a younger GM, or even later as an experienced one.”
Unlike traditional consulting engagements that address a single challenge or initiative, the Concierge Club Advisory Service offers continuity through ongoing strategic guidance, operational reviews, and direct access to experienced advisors. Clients also receive access to GHMG’s proprietary Template & Playbook Library, a comprehensive collection of customizable operational resources developed from decades of leadership experience at premier private clubs.
“Today’s club leaders are pulled in so many different directions, and the demands of the role have changed dramatically since I first started,” said Sabella. “Clubs are multimillion-dollar businesses now, with amenities and service offerings well beyond a golf course and a restaurant, and they need to be led strategically. Our aim is to bring our combined experience to the table as a trusted advisor for clubs of all levels and budgets. We want the leadership team, the board, and ownership to be the heroes.”
The program is available through three scalable service levels: Advisory Access, Operating Advisor, and Strategic Partner. This allows clubs to select the level of engagement that best aligns with their leadership structure, operational complexity, and strategic priorities. Services include scheduled advisory calls, executive mentoring, operational planning sessions, governance guidance, email consultation, and on-site engagements, providing clubs with an experienced advisor who becomes an extension of their leadership team.
“Lance’s experience leading some of the country’s finest private clubs makes him uniquely qualified to help club leaders address today’s evolving challenges,” said Pat Gradoville, founding partner at GHMG. “His reputation for operational excellence, strategic leadership, and developing high-performing organizations perfectly complements GHMG’s existing expertise in golf course development, construction, project management, and agronomy. The addition of Lance and the Concierge Club Advisory Service represents a significant evolution of our firm and expands the value we can deliver to clubs nationwide.”
GHMG has built a national reputation advising golf courses and private clubs through every phase of development, renovation, and long-term stewardship. The firm’s multidisciplinary team combines executive club management, golf course construction, agronomy, governance, strategic planning, and operational leadership to help clients successfully execute complex projects while improving organizational performance.
For more information about GHMG or the Concierge Club Advisory Service, visit www.ghmggolf.com.
About GHMG
GHMG is a specialized advisory firm serving private clubs and golf facilities throughout the United States. The firm provides expertise in golf course project consultation, construction management, agronomy, club operations, governance, strategic planning, and new club and course development. Drawing upon decades of executive leadership and technical experience, GHMG partners with clubs to deliver practical, results-driven solutions that strengthen operations, guide capital projects, and position organizations for long-term success.
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