Oakland Hills Country Club clubhouse catches fire; Course has hosted 6 U.S. Opens, Ryder Cup
The clubhouse of the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich. — which has hosted six U.S. Opens and a Ryder Cup — caught on fire Thursday morning. Videos showed the roof and side of the building, which dates back to 1922, engulfed in flames and smoke.
The club and course have been a frequent host to major golf tournaments for a century. It first hosted the U.S. Open in 1924 and did so again in 1937, 1951 (won by Ben Hogan), 1961, 1985 and 1996. It hosted the PGA Championship in 1972 and 1979 and the Ryder Cup in 2004. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus each won U.S. Senior Opens at Oakland Hills in 1981 and 1991, respectively.
Its South Course was renovated from 2019 to 2021, and Oakland Hills is scheduled to host the U.S. Women's Open in 2031 and 2042.
(Photo: Leon Halip / Getty Images)
What happened on the scene?
Brendan Quinn, senior writer: According to a witness who observed the fire from a house on the South Course's 18th hole, the fire was first visible shortly after 10 a.m. ET on Thursday morning. Emergency vehicles arrived shortly thereafter, but the fire spread quickly, beginning at the south end of the building near the men's grill, and moving north to the main ballroom and pro shop.
As of noon, according to the witness, the second floor of the structure was collapsed and the fire was still active. Heavy winds in the area did not help matters. Because the club is on a winter schedule, there were few occupants in the building, according to the witness, and all indications are all exited safely. No injuries have been reported.
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What's been lost?
Quinn: The 110,000-foot clubhouse at Oakland Hills was essentially an open museum. The club has long been renowned for its preservation of history and memorabilia spanning six U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships, two U.S. Amateurs, and the 2004 Ryder Cup.
Hogan's win in the 1951 U.S. Open is among the most famous in golf history. He uttered those famous words, "I'm glad I brought this course — this monster — to its knees." That's only a sliver of a history that dates back to 1916.
Walter Hagen, an 11-time major winner, was named the club's first head professional in 1918. All archives and relics from that and the rest of Oakland Hills' history are believed to be destroyed, other than what's salvaged in the ashes. "All the memorabilia is basically gone," said a witness. In addition to that history, the clubhouse employed a large service industry staff.
What does this mean for Oakland Hills?
Quinn: The South Course, which recently underwent a massive renovation headed by architect Gil Hanse, is believed to be vastly unaffected, as is the North Course. Between insurance and an extraordinarily wealthy membership, Oakland Hills will rebuild a clubhouse in time. What's unclear is if the damage sustained Thursday could impact the club's very public hopes of hosting the 2028 U.S. Open.
Images from the current fire at Oakland Hills CC are chilling. Building dates back to 1922. Awful.
Video submitted from an individual on the ground: pic.twitter.com/UdiP8G0D7i
— Brendan Quinn (@BFQuinn) February 17, 2022
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