Private golf club industry veteran brings nearly 20 years of experience to the role
FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Southern Land Company (SLC), a Nashville-based national real estate developer of award-winning master-planned, single-family, and mixed-use communities, has hired Leslie Ludlow as the new General Manager of Westhaven Golf Club, SLC’s private, 18-hole championship golf club adjacent to the company’s flagship master-planned community, Westhaven.
Drawing on nearly two decades of experience at premier private golf clubs along the West Coast, Ludlow will enhance Westhaven Golf Club’s renowned member experience, including the Club’s acclaimed golf course and instruction, as well as diverse dining options and hospitality-driven events. She will also build and further develop the club’s highly skilled staff.
“Leslie has a demonstrated track record of elevating operational standards and membership experiences while fostering a strong team culture,” said SLC President & COO Brian Sewell. “We are confident in her leadership and ability to navigate Westhaven Golf Club capacity into an even more illustrious and enjoyable facility.”
Ludlow brings nearly 20 years of experience in the private golf club industry along with a deep love of the game to Westhaven Golf Club. She has served in general manager roles at some of the most renowned clubs on the West Coast, including Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington, where she was Chief Operating Officer; The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge in Snoqualmie Ridge, Washington; and Spanish Hills Club in Camarillo, California. She has also held assistant general manager and sales roles at other clubs in California.
Some of Ludlow’s notable achievements include her most recent club, Sahalee Country Club, being named a Platinum Club of America under her leadership, designating it as one of the top 150 private clubs in the country; overseeing two PGA Tour Champions events—the 2021 and 2022 Boeing Classic tournaments and the 2024 Women’s KPMG PGA Championship; and being awarded the Sally Burns Rambo Scholarship, which supports female club managers in furthering their professional development.
“I feel fortunate to have been selected to fortify Westhaven Golf Club’s outstanding reputation, which has been built on the talent of the club’s team, the impeccable course and property, and leadership that came before me,” said Ludlow. “It is a privilege to combine my passion for golf with my passion for people in such a stunning and hospitable community. I look forward to seeing what the team and I can achieve together for the benefit of the club’s members.”
Located just south of Nashville in Franklin, Westhaven Golf Club is professionally managed by Troon Privé, the private club operating division of Troon. Open since 2009, Westhaven Golf Club’s 18-hole golf course was designed by Arthur Hills, Steve Forrest and Associates. The core-golf design blends seamlessly with the surrounding hills and ridgelines of western Williamson County, earning the club national recognition for outstanding design from both GolfWeek and Golf Digest. To allow members a true golfing experience, the course has been configured separately from the Westhaven neighborhood so that there are no homes lining the golf course, allowing players to focus on the game and enjoy the scenery.
The Golf Performance Center at Westhaven is open to the public for fittings and instruction. The state-of-the-art facility provides members and guests the opportunity to practice year-round with indoor and outdoor facilities. With four bays, two for instruction (equipped with TrackMan technology), one for the Master Clubfitter, and the fourth for the area’s only PXG Fitting Studio, the facility is the largest of its kind in the Nashville area.
Westhaven Golf Club also features a spacious clubhouse outfitted with an award-winning, upscale-yet-rustic restaurant on the main level, complete with a main dining room, private dining area, bar, and panoramic views of the golf course. Additionally, the Turn Grille offers members a more relaxed and casual dining experience on the lower level of the clubhouse.
Learn more about Westhaven Golf Club at https://www.golfwesthaven.com/.
About Southern Land Company
Southern Land Company is a national, full-service real estate developer that has been reimagining the industry since 1986. Rooted in the belief that visionary design and cultivation of community are at the heart of every successful development project, the company brings extraordinary living spaces and experiences within reach in the form of master-planned, single-family, multifamily, mixed-use, and hospitality developments, all created by a diverse team of industry-leading, in-house experts.
Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Southern Land Company has market-leading projects in nine states, with regional offices in New York City; Philadelphia; Plano, Texas; Erie, Colorado; and Vallejo, California. Southern Land Company’s current project pipeline is valued at $3 billion. To learn more, visit www.southernland.com.
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 940-plus locations in 45-plus states and 40-plus countries, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.
Contacts:
Britt Stafford
Southern Land
britt.stafford@southernland.com
615-465-6433
Rob Myers
Troon
480-477-0506