Clifton Park Golf Club Gets New Owner After Half Century

The Van Patten Golf Club in Clifton Park is getting a new owner after fifty-three years but those taking it over say you won't notice much of a difference. That's because it has been run so well and is in excellent condition and they plan to keep it that way.

The twenty-seven-hole golf course that sits on Main Street wasn't on the market but the owners knew it was time to sell. Robert Van Patten who was known as the "Father of Clifton Park" opened the Van Patten Golf Club back in 1968. Now his son and daughter-in-law run it but say it's time for a new chapter in their lives. They stated that their children had no desire to take it over according to the Daily Gazette. They also reflected on the sale of the golf club that has been in the family for over half of a century. Robert Van Patten Jr. said:

It is kind of sad. We’ve owned it in the family for 53 years. We want to see our grandchildren, too.

Lance Orcutt who owns an Amsterdam manufacturing company is an avid golfer. He had a hand in purchasing and the demo of the Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course clubhouse and is planning on rebuilding a replacement that will cost nearly two million dollars. He plans to keep the Van Patten Golf Course the same. He said that everything from its reputation to the customer base, the trained employees, and the relationships with the vendors will remain the same because they are all solid.

Orcutt says that those who come to the Van Patten Golf Club to play golf or attend a wedding in the banquet hall will hardly notice the change in ownership. He says they are going to keep everything the way it is.