Four years after flames ripped through its century-old clubhouse, Oakland Hills Country Club is finally ready to welcome members back to a rebuilt home base this April. The new clubhouse, a roughly $100 million project, revives the familiar white-pillared façade while quietly packing in modern dining, locker and mechanical systems behind the classic look.
Club leaders have circled April 5 for the first big moment inside the building, with three seatings planned for a members-only brunch that will serve as the clubhouse’s reintroduction. According to The Detroit News, the April weekend is slated as the formal return to the restored clubhouse after years of operating out of temporary spaces.
From Ashes to a Replica With Modern Bones
The original clubhouse, which went up in the early 1920s, was gutted in a massive fire in February 2022. Members and staff shifted to makeshift facilities while crews worked to salvage whatever they could from the wreckage. Golf Digest chronicled the destruction along with the scramble to rescue trophies and historic artifacts, even as the building itself was written off as a total loss.
From there, the club moved toward a faithful exterior reconstruction with a very 21st-century interior. Club planning documents and the U.S. Golf Association note that the new design mirrors the old clubhouse’s look, including the signature pillared veranda, while integrating updated HVAC, kitchen and event infrastructure to support major tournaments. USGA materials say the grand opening is targeted for spring 2026.
Design and Amenities
The rebuilt clubhouse stretches to about 110,000 square feet, with roomier dining and event areas, three kitchens, ballrooms and enlarged locker rooms, according to township plans and local reports. DBusiness pegged an early project estimate at roughly $96.5 million, while planning documents lay out the expanded footprint and interior program.
The club has branded the rebuild as “The Next 100 Project,” promising an exterior that preserves the familiar silhouette while interiors are overhauled for modern member use and large-scale events. Patch detailed the membership votes and local approvals that cleared the way for construction.
Insurance payouts are expected to cover a substantial share of the cost, with the remainder financed through member assessments and a loan, according to club leadership. Golf Digest has reported that rising construction and fixture costs pushed some projections past the $100 million mark, prompting additional assessments on members.
Local outlets have followed the construction milestones and township sign-offs that nudged the schedule toward a spring 2026 opening, while WXYZ covered both the ground-breaking and topping-off ceremonies as the structure took shape.
Championships and the Calendar
All of this is about more than a nicer spot for a post-round drink. Oakland Hills’ South Course is already on the USGA’s long-range slate for major championships, so getting the clubhouse fully back online is a key piece of the national golf puzzle. The Washington Post reported in 2022 that the USGA had awarded future U.S. Opens and other championships to Oakland Hills, and the association’s event materials highlight several upcoming national events headed for the club.
Club and tournament officials say the new clubhouse will act as the operational and historical hub for those big-ticket weeks, handling everything from hospitality to media while showcasing Oakland Hills’ century-plus story.
In the meantime, the focus is on local celebrations. The club’s public site and recent member communications show a lineup of previews and family events wrapped around the reopening. Oakland Hills Country Club has shared images from member preview days as finishing touches went into place.
For Detroit-area residents and golf fans, the April reopening brings back a familiar landmark on the skyline and keeps one of the region’s most storied venues on schedule for national championships in the years ahead.
