Oakland Hills Country Club Rebuild Will Take Years, Leader Says

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI — Oakland Hills Country Club President Rick Palmer said Monday the private golf club will rebuild the structure's clubhouse, after an official described it as a "total loss" following last week's massive fire.

Palmer said it was an "easy decision" after a weekend board meeting with several other club officials. Although he said the club will begin working through insurance and reaching out to contractors, he did not give an estimated cost of the rebuild.

But, the plan to rebuild the clubhouse includes a complete replica of its original structure, including its two-story back porch that was a replica of George Washington’s Mount Vernon home.

While Palmer said he expects the project to take at least two years, he also said the club was looking into plans for what a temporary clubhouse would look like in 2022, 2023 and possibly 2024.

The clubhouse caught fire Thursday morning, despite wintry conditions that included rain and snow. There were about 25 Oakland Hills employees in the building when the fire broke out, all of who made it out safely. Although the cause of the fire was still unknown, fire officials believe the fire started in the attic above the clubhouse.

As the fire began spreading across the building, firefighters were able to save some memorabilia from the club's iconic clubhouse. Shortly later, the clubhouse was in a massive fire and some firefighters were on the roof battling the blaze.

Eventually, the clubhouse's roof collapsed due to the fire, and much of the 100-year-old building was burned to the ground in the massive fire. It took most of the day for firefighters from 12 different departments to put out the fire, despite a winter storm that dumped six inches of snow in the area and most of the metro Detroit. There were no injures during the fire.

The clubhouse opened in 1916 and has a storied history, including its legendary golf course that has hosted 17 Major Championships, including six U.S. Opens and the 2004 Ryder Cup. Golf greats including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Ben Hogan have competed and won on the famed South Course, known better in the sport as "The Monster."