Oakland Hills Country Club Fire Caused $80m Worth Of Damage - Investigators

It is also believed that the source of the Oakland Hills Country Club fire is now known

Oakland Hills Country Club fire
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Investigators believe they know how and where last month's huge fire started at the historic Oakland Hills Country Club's 100-year-old clubhouse in Michigan.

The fire ripped through the iconic clubhouse and has caused around $80m worth of damage at the iconic Major venue. It was also confirmed that the club is set to re-build the clubhouse.

It appears to have started on the east side of the building where maintenence workers were painting before using a blow torch to dry and waterproof 'rubberised flashing' to create a waterproof seal between a newly-laid patio and the clubhouse wall.

A fire appeared to have started inside the wall and a 'balloon' form construction meant the flames travelled upwards via a chimney-style structure. Video has emerged after CCTV footage was able to be recovered from the basement servers, which were submerged in water. The footage shows workers notice a fire before using a garden hose to try and put it out.

Firefighters then breached the wall and were met with huge smoke and flames, which spread through the building. 

The full investigation will take a year but a preliminary report is due to be finalised by April. The police department say there is no suspected criminality at this point and thanked the employees for ensuring nobody was hurt and firefighters could recover artefacts.

Founded in 1916, Oakland Hills has previously hosted six US Opens, three PGA Championships and the 2004 Ryder Cup. The iconic clubhouse, which was designed and completed in August 1922, included 24 room-and-baths for overnight accommodation, as well as a number of iconic rooms depicting the history of the club.

Clubhouse at Oakland Hills


(Image credit: Getty Images)

Watch the full address from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV