The property has been purchased by a new group that also owns Settler’s Crossing GC in Lunenburg, Mass. and has “big plans” for a full-service, 100-seat restaurant at Westminster, along with other upgrades for both clubs. An offer that would have developed part of the Westminster property for housing was rejected. “We weren’t willing to do that,” said Don LeBlanc, who was 15 years old when his father Albert designed and opened the Westminster course.
For the first time in more than six decades, the Sentinel & Enterprise of Fitchburg, Mass., reported, the LeBlanc family will no longer own Westminster (Mass.) Country Club when the new season begins, after finalizing an agreement on January 11 to sell the course to Bill Gustus, Laura Caron-Gustus and Don Lyons.
The LeBlancs and new owners had been in negotiations since September, the Sentinel & Enterprise reported, and the keys were turned over on January 17.
The Gustus family also owns the nine-hole Settler’s Crossing Golf Course in Lunenburg, Mass., which was formerly known as Maplewood Golf Course, the Sentinel & Enterprise reported.
Don LeBlanc, whose father Albert initially designed and opened the 6,521-yard, 18-hole course in 1957, took over management of the facility with his wife Judy after Albert’s passing in 1998, the Sentinel & Enterprise reported.
Albert LeBlanc had purchased the land in 1955, after a fellow member at Oak Hill Country Club pointed out an ad in The Boston Globe about land for sale. The course was built on the former site of the 1750-era Bigelow Tavern.
LeBlanc, who was 15 years old when the course opened, told the Sentinel & Enterprise that he and his wife had thought about retiring throughout the past year.
“We want to enjoy our last few years,” he said.
LeBlanc noted he and his wife—who has done the bookkeeping for the past 49 years—had received two offers, with the Gustus-Lyons offer being the better of the two: The other offer would have turned a portion of the Westminster Country Club property into housing.
“We weren’t willing to do that,” Don LeBlanc said, regarding the other offer. “[Gustus] is going to keep it as a golf course, and he’s going to do some upgrades to make it a better golf course.”
In a Facebook post for the Settler’s Crossing property, the Sentinel & Enterprise reported, it was noted that improvements for both golf courses will be in the works this season, as well as “big plans” for the food and beverage operation at Westminster CC.
“We will be opening a full-service, 100-plus seat restaurant in the spring, and will continue to operate the function business in our 225-plus seat function room,” the post stated. “It is our goal to make Westminster the best 18-hole championship course in central Massachusetts.
“We also want to reassure our Settler’s Crossing golfers that we will continue our commitment to making Settler’s the best 9-hole facility in our area, as well,” the post continued. “Both courses will be fully open to the public and we will continue to offer many membership opportunities at both places.”
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