How often does someone find a career that perfectly matches their last name? For Jeff Goodsell, it couldn’t have been more fitting.
“I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon growing up,” Goodsell recalled. “I loved sports and dreamed of being a team doctor for a professional franchise.”
With a pre-med degree from Pepperdine, that dream seemed within reach. But life had other plans. His career shifted after significant time as a regional executive in the automotive industry, where his entrepreneurial instincts began to take over.
“I would say I’m an entrepreneur at heart. I love sales. I love the art of customer service. I love making people feel special,” Goodsell said.
Almost twelve years ago, his path intersected with four former fraternity brothers from the University of Oklahoma who had launched Escalante Golf two decades earlier. The company was in rapid growth mode, expanding its portfolio of properties. The group had ambitious plans, and Goodsell was ready to help bring their combined vision to life.
“(They) had an inkling about wanting to create a friends-and-family entity where folks could go play some of the properties Escalante was beginning to acquire,” Goodsell recalled. “They wanted to build fellowship and camaraderie. Was there a way to truly connect people?”
Jeff Goodsell at the legendary St Andrews Old Course.
Jeff Goodsell at the legendary St Andrews Old Course.
Goodsell believed he could take that idea and turn it into something larger. “I had been part of multi-club memberships, so I knew how that world worked. Eventually, I said, ‘Guys, let me take this and run.’ I can create something unlike anything in golf and travel. Something that connects people authentically, lets them travel the world together, and feels genuine. That was the driving force behind Icon Golf.”
He credits much of his business foundation to his 13 years with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
“I became obsessed with customer service there. Enterprise is one of the foremost privately held companies in the world, and I really learned what it means to go above and beyond. How do you create that lifelong bond? How do you make customers for life? That became part of me.”
While medicine faded into the background, golf—and the chance to build something unique—became the new frontier.
“I absolutely, unreservedly love exceeding expectations,” he said. “Probably a little perfectionist mentality in me, but I love doing things with excellence.”
Icon Golf members at St. Andrews with Jeff Goodsell (second from right).
Today, as President of Icon Golf, Goodsell is shaping a membership unlike anything else in the industry. With more than 800 members, his focus remains on constant innovation. “We continue to grow with luxury accommodations at our properties, and we’re building toward a future that includes residential living and private airfare. Icon is built around travel, and I’m always looking for easy ways for people to engage.”
That growth is now extending overseas, with Escalante finalizing the purchase of its first international property — opening the door to true global membership.
“International expansion means Europeans and others can be part of Icon. That’s exciting.” And with international spectator championships like the Ryder Cup, it sparks the question: could a future Icon experience bring U.S. and European members together in the same spirit of transatlantic competition and camaraderie?”
Whatever the future brings, Goodsell is certain about the foundation of Icon Golf: obsessive attention to detail, a relentless drive to exceed expectations, and a genuine desire to make people feel special.
Icon Golf members on a golf trip with Jeff Goodsell (second from left).
“Yes, I obsess over details and perfection,” he said with a smile. “But more than anything, I obsess with making people feel special. Honestly, that’s why we’ve had the success we’ve had. That’s the secret sauce. Icon Golf is unlike anything else in the golf membership world.”
Discover more about Icon Golf and how Jeff Goodsell’s vision is transforming the way members experience the game. Visit Icon Golf’s website for details on membership opportunities.
