Oakland Hills Country Club is prepared to host a U.S. Open and said it’s more than ready to host its first major since 2008 and its first Open since 1996.
Leaders at the 104-year-old club in Bloomfield Township held a news conference Monday to discuss progress on a $12.1-million restoration that centers around the ability to control the speed of its greens — a key feature for U.S. Open host sites.
Head pro Steve Brady said the club has a good relationship with the U.S. Golf Association, which awards and runs the U.S. Open, and that he was confident Oakland Hills’ famous South Course would be the jewel among championship courses in the region once the restoration is completed in July.
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“In the Midwest,” Brady said, “this will now probably be the place to be, I would say. No offense to Oakmont, Medinah, all those other places.
“And the club goes out of their way to make sure that those relationships (with USGA) are fostered. We communicate with various other organizations yearly, monthly, whatever it is. They had a great time at the U.S. Amatuer in ’16. They loved it.”
Oakland Hills reconnected with the USGA when it hosted the Amateur four years ago. Since then, course architect Gil Hanse modernized the course that has hosted six U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships, the 2004 Ryder Cup and the 2002 and 2016 U.S. Amateur.
The project includes the removal of 137 trees and other structural changes. But chief among the changes is the installation of a state-of-the-art PrecisionAire cooling, drying and heating system for its greens. The USGA is fiercely protective of its playing conditions, prefers winning scores close to even par and is adamant about not having debacles on its greens, such as the nearly unplayable conditions at Shinnecock Hills in 2004.
“So our relationship with the USGA, I think, is wonderful,” Brady said. “I think one of the issues was that greens retain moisture. For a stroke-play event like the U.S. Open, I’m not sure if you want to have it here.”
The next open date for a U.S. Open is 2028. Brady said Oakland Hills checks just about every box for what the USGA might want from a host venue for the Open, although it’s impossible to forecast the economic climate in Detroit that would facilitate the selling of corporate sponsorships that support the event.
“I will tell you this: Are we going to get a U.S. Open?” Brady said. “I don’t know. Who knows? What’s their criteria? Is it 10 that they need? We’ve got 11 now. The history: Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan all won here. …
“But going forward, I think the USGA has the golf course, has the tradition, has the membership, has the volunteers, has the love of the game. The economic part of it? Sure, I hope so."
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez. The Free Press has started a new digital subscription model. Here's how you can gain access to our most exclusive golf content.
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