History of Oakland Hills Country Club in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: January 26, 2025

The Oakland Hills Country Club, a private golf club located in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit, features two 18-hole courses designed by Donald Ross. These courses are the South Course, established in 1918, and the North Course, built in 1923. Oakland Hills is renowned for hosting prestigious golf tournaments, including several major championships.

1916: Land Purchase

In 1916, Ford executives Joseph Mack and Norval Hawkins bought farmland that would become Oakland Hills.

1917: Construction Begins

Construction of Oakland Hills Country Club began in 1917.

July 13, 1918: Formal Opening of the South Course

The South Course, designed by Donald Ross and with Walter Hagen as the first club pro, formally opened on July 13, 1918.

1918: South Course Opens

The South Course at Oakland Hills Country Club, designed by Donald Ross, officially opened in 1918.

August 1922: New Clubhouse Opens

The new clubhouse at Oakland Hills was completed and opened in August 1922.

1922: Western Open

Oakland Hills hosted the Western Open in 1922, won by Mike Brady.

1922: North Course Construction Begins

Work began on Oakland Hills' North Course in 1922.

1923: North Course Completed

Construction of the North Course was completed in late 1923.

1923: Guest Play Popular

In 1923, the South Course saw more guest play than any other course in the Midwest.

1924: U.S. Open

In 1924, Oakland Hills hosted its first U.S. Open, won by Cyril Walker.

1924: North Course Opens for Play

The North Course was ready for play in 1924.

1937: U.S. Open

Ralph Guldahl won the 1937 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills, his first of two consecutive Open victories.

1951: "The Monster" U.S. Open

Ben Hogan won the 1951 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills, famously calling the course "The Monster." This tournament led to the USGA taking control of course layouts for U.S. Opens.

1961: U.S. Open

Gene Littler won the 1961 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills.

1964: Carling World Open

Bobby Nichols won the 1964 Carling World Open at Oakland Hills.

1968: Clubhouse Renovations and Expansions

In 1968, Oakland Hills Country Club underwent extensive renovations to its main Clubhouse. These included removing sleeping rooms, building a new ladies' locker room, adding private party rooms on the second floor, constructing a new Mixed Grille, building a new pro-shop, and expanding and refurbishing the Men's Grille.

1968: Clubhouse Renovation

The clubhouse at Oakland Hills was renovated in 1968, removing overnight accommodations.

1969: North Course Redesign and Bridge Installation

Robert Trent Jones redesigned the North Course, and a pedestrian bridge connecting the North and South courses was installed in 1969.

1971: New Pool and Pool House Opening

A new pool and pool house were opened at Oakland Hills Country Club in 1971. Paddle tennis courts were also added.

1972: PGA Championship

Gary Player won the 1972 PGA Championship at Oakland Hills.

1974: Clubhouse Redecoration and Halfway House Construction

Before the start of the 1974 season, Oakland Hills Country Club redecorated the first floor of the Clubhouse and built a new halfway house on the South Course.

1976: Kitchen Remodels

In 1976, both the downstairs and upstairs kitchens at Oakland Hills Country Club were completely remodeled and equipped to handle the increased demand from members using the Club's dining facilities.

1979: PGA Championship

David Graham won the 1979 PGA Championship at Oakland Hills after a three-hole playoff.

1981: U.S. Senior Open

Arnold Palmer won the 1981 U.S. Senior Open at Oakland Hills in a playoff.

1982: Galleria Installation

The Galleria was installed in 1982 along the walls of the second-floor hallway at Oakland Hills Country Club, from the Mixed Grille to the Ladies Lounge and Locker area. Over 200 pictures of past tournaments and views of the early Clubhouse and grounds were displayed.

1985: U.S. Open

Andy North won his second U.S. Open in 1985 at Oakland Hills.

1986: Men's Grille Expansion and Clubhouse Remodeling

In 1986, the Men's Grille at Oakland Hills Country Club was expanded and remodeled. Major remodeling and decorating also took place in the Great Room, South Dining Room, Casino Bar, Mixed Grille, and Director's Room.

1991: U.S. Senior Open Championship

The 1991 U.S. Senior Open was held at Oakland Hills Country Club. Chi-Chi Rodríguez won the championship in a playoff against Jack Nicklaus.

1993: "Walk of Champions" Unveiling

The "Walk of Champions" was introduced at Oakland Hills Country Club in 1993. Large boulders with plaques honoring twelve golfing greats were installed along the first tee.

1996: Previous U.S. Open Hosting

Oakland Hills Country Club last hosted the U.S. Open in 1996 before undergoing renovations in 2019-2021.

1996: U.S. Open Championship

The 1996 U.S. Open was held at Oakland Hills Country Club. Steve Jones won the championship, with Tom Lehman and Davis Love III tied for second. A storm caused significant damage to the course, notably the 18th hole bunker, which the grounds crew repaired overnight.

January 1999: Clubhouse Renovation Project Begins

In January 1999, Oakland Hills Country Club started a $16.25 million renovation project focusing on the Pro Shop, Bag Room, and clubhouse remodeling and restoration.

May 2000: Clubhouse Reopens After Renovation

Oakland Hills Country Club reopened to its members in May 2000 following the completion of a major renovation project.

2002: U.S. Amateur Championship

Oakland Hills Country Club hosted the 2002 U.S. Amateur, which was won by Ricky Barnes.

2002: U.S. Amateur

The U.S. Amateur was held at Oakland Hills in 2002.

2004: Ryder Cup

Oakland Hills Country Club hosted the 2004 Ryder Cup.

2008: PGA Championship

Oakland Hills Country Club hosted the 2008 PGA Championship.

2016: U.S. Amateur Championship

Oakland Hills Country Club hosted the 2016 U.S. Amateur, won by Curtis Luck.

2016: U.S. Amateur

Oakland Hills again hosted the U.S. Amateur in 2016.

2019: Start of South Course Renovation

Frustrated by a lack of major championships, Oakland Hills embarked on a full renovation of the South Course in 2019. The goal was to modernize the course and attract future championships.

July 2021: South Course Renovation Completion

In July 2021, Oakland Hills Country Club completed a major renovation of its South Course. The project, led by Gil Hanse, involved tree removal, green expansion, bunker removal and resizing, and the addition of the SubAir system. The renovation aimed to make the course more playable for members while maintaining its challenge for major championships.

January 7, 2022: USGA Announces Future U.S. Women's Opens

On January 7, 2022, the USGA announced that Oakland Hills Country Club would host the U.S. Women's Open in 2031 and 2042.

February 17, 2022: Clubhouse Fire

On February 17, 2022, a fire engulfed the main clubhouse at Oakland Hills. It started when a blowtorch ignited the outside wall during repairs.

March 22, 2022: USGA Announces Future U.S. Opens and Amateur Championships

On March 22, 2022, the USGA announced Oakland Hills would host the U.S. Open in 2034 and 2051, as well as four USGA amateur championships starting in 2024.

2024: Future USGA Amateur Championships

Starting in 2024, Oakland Hills will host four USGA amateur championships.

2031: Future U.S. Women's Open

Oakland Hills is scheduled to host the U.S. Women's Open in 2031.

2034: Future U.S. Open

Oakland Hills is scheduled to host the U.S. Open in 2034.

2042: Future U.S. Women's Open

Oakland Hills is scheduled to host the U.S. Women's Open in 2042.

2051: Future U.S. Open

Oakland Hills is scheduled to host the U.S. Open in 2051.

Mentioned in this timeline

Fire is a rapid oxidation process specifically combustion that releases...

Arnold Palmer nicknamed the King was a highly successful and...

A casino is a facility primarily for gambling often associated...