Oakland Hills Country Club

Joseph Mack and Norval Hawkins brought friends and associates together at the Detroit Athletic Club on October 17, 1916. Donald Ross visited the property early the following year. The institution therefore preceded the South Course’s opening, rather than taking its founding date from the first round played there.

The Club hired Walter Hagen as its first professional in 1918. He won the 1919 U.S. Open while representing Oakland Hills, then left the professional’s post in 1920. Meanwhile, the membership’s new clubhouse, designed by Detroit theatre architect C. Howard Crane, was completed in 1922.

Championship golf soon became a recurring part of Club life. Cyril Walker won its first U.S. Open in 1924; later visitors included U.S. Senior Open champions Arnold Palmer in 1981 and Jack Nicklaus in 1991. The 2004 Ryder Cup added an international team competition to that record.

A February 2022 fire destroyed much of the clubhouse. Members approved a rebuilding programme funded through insurance, assessments and dues. By July 2024, the steel framework was complete, an early milestone in replacing the building while the Club continued preparing for national championship golf.