M.G. Orender Sees Family Life Reshaping the Private Club Model

February 6, 2026 | Read Time: 2 minutes

Traci Edwards
By Carter Mudgett – Reporter, Jacksonville Business Journal

M.G. Orender entered golf in his late teens, beginning a relationship with the game that eventually grew into a 52-year career spanning club operations, industry leadership and service as the 33rd President of the PGA. Today, as president and founder of Hampton Golf, that experience gives him a long view of how private clubs have changed—and where they may be heading next.

One of the clearest shifts Orender sees is the return of the family as a central part of club life. In some ways, he believes the industry is circling back to an earlier model, when clubs in the 1960s and late 1970s served as places where multiple generations could spend time together rather than destinations organized primarily around a single activity.

That perspective is influencing how Hampton Golf approaches programming and investment. Pickleball, multi-use courts and a growing emphasis on longevity and wellness are creating more reasons for Members of different ages to participate throughout the week. Instead of asking every family member to engage with the club in the same way, the strategy is to build an environment with enough variety for the club itself to become a shared part of everyday life.

For more on Orender’s perspective and the strategy taking shape at Hampton Golf, read the full Jacksonville Business Journal article.