The Patterson Club

It has been a dream come true to develop this Master Plan for The Patterson Club and follow in the footsteps of Robert Trent Jones, one of the most renowned golf course architects in history. Over the last year, the committee and I have put a lot of hard work into developing this plan for the course, and we are excited to present the Master Plan to the membership. This booklet outlines our goals, plans, and the process we have gone through to improve The Patterson Club’s golf course for the next generation of members.

After spending 20 days on-site, I have developed a deep appreciation for the beautiful and diverse property and have dedicated myself to creating a comprehensive master plan for the golf course. I have thoroughly studied the course’s history and unique features, both natural and man-made, and have poured my heart and soul into this project to honor the natural beauty of The Patterson Club while also making the course more enjoyable and playable for future generations of members. I’ve collaborated closely with a passionate team of committee members to ensure we enhance Robert Trent Jones’ design for the modern membership. Throughout, I’ve kept in mind the critical eye of Mr. Jones and done my best to restore and incorporate some of his distinctive features back into the course we all enjoy so much. I firmly believe that using Patterson’s incredible property and rich history as our guide, we will enhance the golf course so it is more enjoyable and solidifies its place among the very best in Connecticut.

The Patterson Club has some of the most passionate memberships I have ever worked with. The committee’s dedication to this project has made it enjoyable. Throughout the interview process and over the past year of planning, this diverse committee has impressively considered every aspect of the membership, ensuring that every facet of the membership was thought of and reflected in this plan. Every level of golfer has been carefully considered, as have the infrastructure needs, conditions, and other key long-term goals of the club. We presented the initial design concepts through a series of walkthroughs and then meticulously refined this master plan to serve as the long-term road map for all future course renovations. Currently, we’re contemplating a plan to implement the entire plan in one large construction project. Instead of multiple years of disruption and discontinuity, the committee and board believes it is best to get everything done at once. The specifics are still being determined, but I eagerly anticipate a hands-on role, personally shaping the new features of the course during the construction project. Regardless of the timeline we complete the work in, this master plan serves as the foundation for the club, to be implemented as funds become available.

During the development of this master plan, I’ve dedicated an extensive amount of time on-site, investing hundreds of hours in analyzing how to update Robert Trent Jones’ original design for the modern membership and also incorporate the clearly laid out goals of the club and committee to expand the practice facilities at the same time. I’ve delved into the course’s design evolution, tracing it back to the days of the old 6th green perched on top of the hill between #5-6, and considered numerous solutions to improving the 18th hole in a way that also creates room for a full-sized driving range and short game area. We considered a small handful of re-routing options, and believe we have settled on the best option, which preserves the best parts of the course, solves the biggest issues on #18 and will give the members the best all-around golf facility they could have hoped for. I’ve also studied how the course is played by all skill levels, its daily maintenance requirements, its day-to-day conditions, and its resilience in the face of heavy rainstorms, ensuring the golf course will play and function better for the next generation of members.

The golf course and master plan have undergone thorough analysis and critique by our dedicated group of members, and our exceptional professional, and superintendent. This once-in-a-generation master plan is aimed at enhancing the golf experience for the entire membership in a lasting manner. This historically based renovation of Patterson’s golf course will make it more authentic to its original design, as well as enjoyable and engaging for the entire membership.