Huge Fire Engulfs Clubhouse At Iconic US Major Venue

Oakland Hills has previously hosted six US Opens, three PGA Championships and the 2004 Ryder Cup. However, at 10am on Thursday morning, fire crews were called out to deal with a blaze that had started at the iconic clubhouse in Bloomfield Township, Michigan.

At the time of writing, crews are still tackling the fire, with the cause still unexplained. One witness at Oakland Hills detailed that the fire was first visible shortly after 10 am, with emergency vehicles arriving shortly thereafter. Apparently, the fire began at the south end and spread north. Because the club is on a winter schedule, there were few occupants, with indications being all exited safely.

Founded in 1916, Oakland Hills Country Club has hosted nine Major Championships on its South Course. Recently, the South Course underwent a massive restoration project and just reopened to the members in the summer 2021. However, late Thursday morning, the 100-year-old clubhouse caught fire, with fire crews still battling against the flames some two hours later.

The iconic clubhouse, which was designed and completed in August 1922, includes 24 room-and-baths for overnight accommodation, as well as a number of iconic rooms depicting the history of the club.

This includes the Heritage Room, which commemorates the 1951 US Open and was opened in 2016. Along with the Heritage Room, there is also the Professionals Room, which honours all of the club’s head professionals, including 11-time Major winner, Walter Hagen, who was the club's first ever professional. 

There is also the Ryder Cup Room, which was opened to commemorate the many personalities and events that connect Oakland Hills with the Ryder Cup. From the first official matches of 1927 and ’29, through to the Red Cross Matches of the 1940s, up to the 2004 Matches, where Oakland Hills was the host venue for the iconic tournament.