The Patterson Club Of Fairfield Celebrates The Grand
Opening Of Its New Clubhouse
May 29, 2010 – After 64 years of renovating and adding to their clubhouse dating back to 1884, The Patterson Club of Fairfield will celebrate the grand opening of their new clubhouse and renovated golf course on Saturday, May 29th.
Designed by Southport, Conn. firm Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA, the clubhouse replaced two existing club buildings and combined their functions into one more efficient clubhouse to meet the changing needs of the membership. Keeping within the culture and farmhouse aesthetic of the original club buildings, Finlay worked in conjunction with golf course architect Rees Jones who designed the master plan and renovations to the golf course originally designed by his father, Robert Trent Jones, in 1947. Now integrated into the golf course, members will enjoy views of the 9th and 18th greens and 1st and 10th tees from both interior and exterior gathering spaces in the clubhouse.
“The history of the club was so important in this project”, said Finlay. “We reinvented the club to meet the needs of the current membership without losing the history of the original buildings.”
The Patterson Club, established in 1929 by General Electric employees, was formed as a social and dining club in Bridgeport, Conn. In 1946, the club purchased 163-acres from the Palmer family to expand their facilities to include golf. Home to Winthrop Palmer, the first female Conn. State Senator, and her husband Carlton, the Palmers purchased the property in 1930 from the original owner Franklin Banks and used the land which they named Quasset Farm to train hunting and jumping horses. After their purchase in 1946, The Patterson Club hired Robert Trent Jones to design their new golf course which opened on June 28, 1947.
Over the years, the house turned clubhouse underwent numerous renovations and additions to accommodate a growing membership. In October 2006, the club’s membership approved a proposal to replace the existing clubhouse and separate pro shop and locker room building. Construction was awarded to A.P. Construction of Stamford, Conn. and Highland Design of Pound Ridge, N.Y. was hired as the landscape architect.
“I am extremely honored to be part of this historic transformation for The Patterson Club,” said Finlay. “This is a real game changer for the club. The clubhouse turned out great and I am excited for the members to experience it.”
Finlay has designed clubhouses at nearly 20 private golf and country clubs around the country and internationally. Some of the firm’s work can be seen at Alotian Club in Little Rock, AR; RedStick Golf Club in Vero Beach, Fla.; The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek in Johns Island, S.C.; Glen Arbor Golf Club in Armonk, N.Y.; and Sankaty Head Golf Club in Nantucket, Mass. Finlay’s designs have been honored in many golf publications including Golf Digest, which voted their design of six guest cottages at Alotian Golf Club in Roland, Ark. “Best Accommodations in Golf.”
Click here for an article on The Patterson Club in the Fairfield Citizen News