Firefighters battled a huge blaze as it burned through the Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan, on Thursday morning.
Photos and videos taken by bystanders show the white wooden property 15 miles from Detroit, founded in 1916 and known for hosting major golf championships, engulfed in a blaze and plumes of black smoke.
An employee told The Detroit News that no one was hurt in the fire: “everyone got out OK”. The authorities are yet to confirm no one was injured.
All firefighters at the Bloomfield Township Fire Department were sent to tackle the enormous blaze, which started at 10am and spread quickly, reported Fox 2 Detroit.
“It’s hard to talk when you’re crying,” said longtime Oakland Hills member Greg Kampe.
There’s no information on what caused the fire as of yet. There was construction work taking place on the patio area but it is unclear if the work was related to the fire.
In 1999, the clubhouse was renovated at a cost of $16m, and recently the South Course was renovated in 2021 at a cost of $12m. The course has hosted the US Open multiple times, the Ryder Cup plus the PGA Championships on numerous occasions. Golfing greats Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer have all played here.
The 750 members of the golf club, who pay more than $8,000 in annual fees, have been notified of the fire.
