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Drone Footage of Fireplace
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A devastating fireplace swept by means of the enduring clubhouse at Oakland Hills Nation Membership, the suburban Detroit golf course that housed artifacts of a few of golf’s largest stars and the championships they gained there.
Flames ripped by means of the roof on the sprawling, multi-story clubhouse. It was inbuilt 1922 and housed irreplaceable memorabilia and artwork from the 9 main championships and the Ryder Cup that Oakland Hills has hosted over practically a century. The reason for the hearth wasn’t instantly identified. Fireplace officers mentioned the 110,000-square-foot clubhouse was among the many largest wooden constructions in Michigan.
“It is a gut-wrenching day for Oakland Hills,” membership president Rick Palmer mentioned in an announcement. “Whereas we all know that nobody from the membership or workers was harm, now we have misplaced our iconic clubhouse, that housed our historical past and our place in Michigan and U.S. and worldwide golf.
“Oakland Hills is tremendously grateful to firefighters who had been diligent in serving to save a few of our priceless items of memorabilia. It hurts to see this, however we’re comforted to know that the guts and soul and legacy of the membership resides in our membership and workers. Solely time will inform what’s subsequent, however we are going to transfer ahead with a goal to honor all those that made this grand constructing come to life with their golf and their work.”
Oakland Hills opened in 1916 and has hosted six U.S. Opens — solely two different programs have held it extra occasions. Essentially the most well-known was in 1951 when Ben Hogan gained and later proclaimed, “I’m glad I introduced this course, this monster, to its knees.” The “monster” grew to become the moniker for Oakland Hills over time.
Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer gained the U.S. Senior Open at Oakland Hills. Gary Participant gained the 1972 PGA Championship. Europe gained the Ryder Cup there in 2004, and Padraig Harrington grew to become the primary Irishman to win the PGA Championship in 2018.
“My first thought is the historical past of the membership,” mentioned ESPN golf analyst Andy North, who gained the 1985 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills. “Buildings could be rebuilt, however you possibly can’t rebuild the memorabilia that they could have misplaced. That constructing is a big a part of our golf historical past with the shows of the champions and the championships they’ve had. They’ll rebuild a terrific new clubhouse, however they will’t rebuild all these issues they’ve misplaced. It’s unbelievable.”
The membership has two golf programs designed by Donald Ross. The South Course reopened final summer season following a $12.1 million restoration by Gil Hanse with a aim to convey main championships again to Oakland Hills.
“It is a really unhappy day for the historical past of American golf,” Hanse mentioned in an announcement.
Source: CITIZEN FREE PRESS