If you drive through the hamlet of Jonesville in Southern Saratoga County, you might miss the entrance to one of the most storied public golf layouts in the Capital Region. Honestly, it’s kinda tucked away. Most people assume Van Patten Golf Club is just another muni with some flat grass and a basic snack bar. That’s a mistake.
It’s actually a sprawling 27-hole facility that feels more like a private club than a public course, especially since they dropped a massive 15,000-square-foot clubhouse in the middle of it back in 2004. You’ve probably seen the big "Vista" sign if you've attended a wedding there, but for golfers, the story is more about the soil, the slopes, and a guy named Armand Farina.
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Built in 1968, the place has aged into a beast. It’s not a "short and sweet" walk. It’s a challenge.
The 27-Hole Split: Red, White, and Blue
The core of Van Patten Golf Club is its three distinct nine-hole courses. Most local tracks give you 18 and call it a day. Here, the rotation keeps things from getting stale. Basically, you're playing Red-to-White, White-to-Blue, or Blue-to-Red. Each combo changes the rhythm of your round.
The White course is the one that usually sticks in people's heads. It plays as a par 37 and stretches over 3,300 yards from the back tees. It’s long. If your driver isn't behaving, the White nine will eat your lunch. Then you have the Blue course, which is equally beefy at par 37. The Red course is the "shorter" sibling, a par 36 that focuses more on precision than raw power.
One thing you'll notice immediately is the size of the greens. They are huge. Mature. Often sloping in ways that make a three-putt feel like a very real, very annoying possibility. The fairways are wide, which is great for high handicappers, but the "expansive views of the countryside" mentioned in their brochures actually mean "windy." Since the course sits on high ground, you’re often fighting a breeze that isn't there when you're standing in the parking lot.
Why the "Open Doctor" Matters Here
There’s a bit of news that most casual players have missed. The management actually brought in Rees Jones—the legendary "Open Doctor" known for prepping U.S. Open venues—to develop a master renovation plan. This isn't just about moving a few bunkers. It’s a full-scale redesign strategy.
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The goal is to elevate the course from a local favorite to a regional destination. You can already see the shifts. The sequencing of the holes was actually changed years ago to accommodate the Grand Clubhouse (The Vista), which completely altered how the round flows. Instead of finishing in a hollow, you're now finishing toward that massive hilltop building. It’s a more dramatic way to end a round, even if your scorecard is a mess.
The Mixed Breed Brewing Factor
Golf food is usually a sad hot dog. Van Patten Golf Club flipped that script by partnering with Mixed Breed Brewing. It’s not just a bar; it’s a legitimate restaurant and taproom experience right on the property.
You’ve got elevated pub classics and seasonal plates that actually taste like they were made by a chef (specifically Executive Chef Zachary Arsenault). This matters because it has turned the club into a social hub for people who don’t even play golf. You'll see locals grabbing a beer there on a Tuesday night while golfers are finishing their final putts on the 18th. It creates a vibe that’s way more relaxed than the stuffy country clubs down the road in Saratoga Springs.
Weddings at The Vista
We have to talk about the events. If you’ve looked for a venue in Clifton Park or Saratoga, you’ve seen The Vista. It’s an award-winning banquet hall that handles up to 300 guests.
What's interesting is how they manage to keep the wedding crowd and the golf crowd separate. There’s nothing worse than trying to sink a birdie putt while a DJ is blasting "CUPID SHUFFLE" twenty feet away. The layout of the clubhouse keeps the Grand Ballroom isolated enough that the two worlds don't collide.
Ask any local bride about the venue, and one name always comes up: Kim Goodall. She’s the Banquet Sales Manager and basically the glue that holds the event side together. People rave about her in reviews because she handles the "wedding hiccups" that would normally send a couple into a spiral.
Real Talk: The Conditions and Pace
Is it perfect? Sorta.
Like any high-traffic public course in New York, the pace of play can be a grind on Saturday mornings. If you book a tee time at 9:00 AM on a weekend, don't expect a three-hour round. It's popular for a reason, and that popularity means four-and-a-half-hour rounds are the norm.
Maintenance-wise, Brian Hennessey and his crew do a solid job keeping the greens fast. However, because it’s a public course, you’ll occasionally see some un-repaired pitch marks or slightly worn tee boxes. That’s the trade-off for the $40-$50 price point. You’re getting 27 holes of championship-style golf for a fraction of what you’d pay at a private club in the same zip code.
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How to Play It Right
If you're heading there for the first time, keep these things in mind:
- The Driving Range is Legit: It’s 300 yards long. Use it. The first few holes on both the Blue and White courses require some serious carries.
- Book 48 Hours Out: They prefer tee times at least two days in advance. Don't just show up and expect a slot, especially during the Saratoga racing season (July/August).
- Watch the Slopes: The course rating is around 35-37 per nine depending on the tees. It plays harder than it looks on the card because of the elevation changes.
- Don't Skip the Beer: Seriously, Mixed Breed Brewing is one of the better brewery experiences in the area. The "Cooley Kill" atmosphere is worth the post-round sit-down.
Van Patten Golf Club isn't trying to be Augusta. It’s a working-man's country club. It’s big, it’s windy, and it’s one of the few places in the Capital Region where you can play 27 holes without seeing the same fairway twice.
To get the most out of your visit, check their online booking portal early in the week to see which nines are in the primary rotation. If you're planning a large group outing, call the pro shop directly at (518) 877-5400—they specialize in tournaments and can usually bundle in catering from The Vista to make the logistics easier.