Oakland Hills to vote on restoring Ross

[Jeff Bergeron]

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160612/NEWS/160619959/oakland-hills-famed-south-course-could-shutter-for-a-14-month





[/size]Oakland Hills' famed South Course could shutter for a 14-month restoration
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If approved by members, up to $11 million, generated from an increase in member dues, would be spent to restore the South Course to its pre-World War II state and make it much more like the original links created by famed golf course architect Donald Ross.The members at storied Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township will vote later this month on a proposed restoration of the legendary South Course that would close it for 14 months beginning in March 2018.
Up to $11 million, generated from an increase in member dues, would be spent to restore the course to its pre-World War II state and make it much more like the original links created by famed golf course architect Donald Ross, who designed the South Course. It opened in July 1918, and would go on to establish itself as one of the most notable courses in all of golf.
Under the proposed plan, which several Oakland Hills members shared anonymously with Crain's, the South Course's fairways would be widened, bunkers redone, greens restored to their original configuration and resodded by deeper-root bentgrass. A number of trees also may be removed.
"It will look a lot more like Donald Ross' original vision and probably what the membership played for the first 20-30 years after the club opened," said OHCC President Tim Hildebrand, a member since 1986. "The topography reminded (Ross) of an inland links course he had seen in Scotland."[/size]OAKLAND HILLS COUNTRY CLUB MAJOR TOURNAMENTS

• 1922 Western Open

• 1924 U.S. Open

• 1929 U.S. Women's Amateur

• 1937 U.S. Open

• 1951 U.S. Open

• 1961 U.S. Open

• 1972 PGA Championship

• 1979 PGA Championship

• 1981 U.S. Senior Open

• 1985 U.S. Open

• 1991 U.S. Senior Open

• 1996 U.S. Open

• 2002 U.S. Amateur

• 2004 Ryder Cup

• 2008 PGA Championship

• 2016 U.S. Amateur

[/list]ExpandThe Scottish-born Ross, who designed more than a dozen courses in Michigan and more than 400 nationally from 1900-48, famously said of Oakland Hills upon first visiting the site in 1916: "The Lord intended this for a golf course."
The proposed restoration would undo some of the work done in 2006-07 by golf architect Rees Jones aimed at boosting the South Course's difficulty prior to the 2008 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills. It also will reverse some of the renovations done by Jones' father, Robert Trent Jones, who remodeled it before the 1951 U.S. Open.
Oakland Hills itself in recent years has widened some fairways to improve playability for club members, but the full restoration would alleviate issues with too-steep bunkers and add up to 6 acres of landing space on fairways, Hildebrand said.
The club's 500-plus stock-owning members were informed of the restoration plan in the spring, and a series of informational meetings have been held by Oakland Hills' management to spell out details of the proposed project. They will vote beginning June 20, and if a simple majority OK the project by a July 8 deadline, the course will be shuttered from March 2018 through May 2019.
The project would be financed through an increase in member dues over time rather than in an up-front lump sum. It costs $72,000 to join the private club, which does not disclose its finances or annual dues information.
Oakland Hills in 2014 retained noted architects Hanse Golf Course Design from suburban Philadelphia to survey the South Course — golf icon Ben Hogan famously termed it "The Monster" after winning the 1951 U.S. Open there — to determine what should be done with it after nearly a century. Hanse was chosen over three other course designers, including Rees Jones.
The club's management is seeking to ensure the South Course is playable by members while also maintaining its status as one of the tougher sites for major tournaments.
"What we think we can achieve is both a course that can host future championships, but also be more enjoyable for our members day in and day out, because they're the ones that pay the bills and they're the ones that play it," Hildebrand said. "You're always looking at the balance between championship golf and member playability. You don't have to compromise either one."
Oakland Hills has hosted six U.S. Opens (the second most in the tournament's history, which dates to 1895), and last October the club informed the Far Hills, N.J.-based United States Golf Association, the Open's organizer and the governing body of U.S. golf and golf clubs, that OHCC is again formally interested in hosting a U.S. Open.
Hildebrand, who is managing director of Crain Custom Content for Crain's Detroit Businesscorporate parent Crain Communications Inc., is adamant that the restoration project is unrelated to the desire to host another U.S. Open. Some members have expressed worry the project was fueled by a desire to host more tournaments.
"We are not doing this plan to pursue another major championship. We are doing this plan first and foremost for the members," he said.
He also said the USGA has never commented on the South Course's condition or difficulty. Oakland Hills is hosting the USGA-run U.S. Amateur in August, and USGA officials toured the South Course earlier this year.
"They have never communicated to us that we would have to do anything to our golf course," Hildebrand said.
There is no timetable for when the USGA will award the next round of U.S. Opens. Last summer, it awarded Opens for 2022-24.
A message was left for USGA management.
Oakland Hills is trying to gauge its chances at another U.S. Open so it can plan its long-term business strategy.
"What we're trying to figure out sooner rather than later is where we are as it stands to future U.S. Opens so we can figure out where to go moving forward," Hildebrand said.
Oakland Hills long has had a reputation as an elite club with a deep history of hosting major tournaments, and club management said the strategy is to continue seeking out USGA and PGA Tour events to burnish that reputation. It also has hosted three PGA Championships, the 1929 U.S. Women's Amateur, the 1981 and 1991 U.S. Senior Opens, and the 2004 Ryder Cup matches.
"Oakland Hills has tremendous history, hosting numerous championships and operating at an incredibly high standard over the last 100 years — this is what has established our brand," Hildebrand said.
While Oakland Hills expects the U.S. Amateur to lose money, the major tournaments such as the U.S. Open and PGA Championship are money-makers — although they're not as lucrative as they used to be.
"The financial upside of these things isn't what it was 20, 30 years ago. We do it more because it's our place in golf history, and a big part of it is giving back to the game of golf. This is (OHCC members') way of giving back to the game. It's a big commitment and sacrifice by the members, but the members are committed to doing that."
While the South Course is closed for restoration, members will be able to play the Ross-designed North Course, which opened in 1924 and underwent a nearly $2 million upgrade in 2013. Additionally, Oakland Hills has worked out reciprocity deals with nearby clubs for members to use, Hildebrand said.
The South Course project will be Oakland Hills' largest project since the original clubhouse, built in 1921-22 by local architect C. Howard Crane, underwent a $16.2 million renovation in 1999-2000.
Michigan golf industry observers are keen to see what unfolds with OHCC's South Course project.
"It's a positive thing. When Rees came in and made the changes, he made it very difficult. He did it for tour pros. They're not playing these courses every day," said Kevin Frisch, CEO of Gaylord-based Fusion Media Strategies, a golf and travel marketing firm. "It makes the game very difficult and not fun to play."
Frisch, who has played Oakland Hills a few times since the 2006-07 changes, thinks the project could inspire other courses to do the same. A trend beginning in the 1970s was to make golf course more difficult, especially those that host major tournaments.
"Hopefully, the industry will look at Oakland Hills, and other golf courses interested in improving member playability will follow their lead," he said.
Oakland Hills traces its origins to October 1916, when it was founded by Norval Hawkins, the first Ford Motor Co. general sales manager, and Joseph Mack, a printer for automotive industry sales materials. There were 140 charter memberships at a cost of $250 apiece, according to the club's official history. The first club pro was Walter Hagen, one of the most instrumental figures in the development of modern golf and whose 11 major championships are third-most in golf history.

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[MCirba]

Thanks for sharing Jeff.   It will be interesting to see the results.

[Jamey Bryan]

Ditto on the thanks, Jeff.  I must admit I don't see how anyone could responsibly spend $11 million on a restoration, though!  I'd dearly love to see some of the details of that budget.

Jamey

[Sven Nilsen]

There was a famous quote about letting Robert Trent Jones remodel a Donald Ross course, something along the lines of "putting a Toyota engine in a Cadillac."


Pretty sure the quote dates from the 70's, which puts a bit of context on the choice of auto makers.

[Ronald Montesano]

Sven,


I would think it to be even more dramatic than that. With an engine replacement, you couldn't see the results. I would liken it to the Johnny Cash song "One Piece At A Time" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2riRAGzNzvQ[/size][size=78%] ][/size]


as all you would see would be the disparate addition and poor synthesis of unpaired parts.

[Niall C]

"The topography reminded (Ross) of an inland links course he had seen in Scotland."

That’s the line that jumped out for me. Does anyone know which one ?

Niall

[Niall C]

Also, as well as which Scottish course, when did he see it. I think I'm right in saying he made a trip back home c.1910 (?). Did he make any trips between then and when he designed Oakland Hills ?


Niall

[David Davis]

Any indication as to which architect they have proposed using?


It may have been in the article but I didn't see it off hand. Would be a really interesting project for sure.


The other question would be if they would still try to host big pro tournaments after that or move away from that completely.

[Steve Lapper]

There was a famous quote about letting Robert Trent Jones remodel a Donald Ross course, something along the lines of "putting a Toyota engine in a Cadillac."


Pretty sure the quote dates from the 70's, which puts a bit of context on the choice of auto makers.

More like letting Thomas Kincade paint over a Cezanne!

[Tom_Doak]

Also, as well as which Scottish course, when did he see it. I think I'm right in saying he made a trip back home c.1910 (?). Did he make any trips between then and when he designed Oakland Hills ?

I don't have Brad Klein's book in front of me this morning, but I believe Mr. Ross took his first wife back home to see Dornoch one last time just a year or two before she died.  That would have been either just before he built Oakland Hills, or just after.


However I doubt that the quote about being inspired by an inland links is necessarily based on anything specific.  Sounds like a bit of a sales pitch, and Scots don't use the phrase "inland links" often.

[Jay Mickle]

Any indication as to which architect they have proposed using?

Members have told me that Gil Hanse was doing the plan.

[Niall C]

Tom


Thanks, I think you may be right, it does sound very much like a sales pitch. I can't imagine either that Ross would have had too much time to go touring golf courses with his ailing wife in tow.


Niall

[Bill Seitz]

Any indication as to which architect they have proposed using?


It may have been in the article but I didn't see it off hand. Would be a really interesting project for sure.


The other question would be if they would still try to host big pro tournaments after that or move away from that completely.

Both questions that you've asked were covered in the article.

"Oakland Hills in 2014 retained noted architects Hanse Golf Course Design from suburban Philadelphia to survey the South Course — golf icon Ben Hogan famously termed it "The Monster" after winning the 1951 U.S. Open there — to determine what should be done with it after nearly a century. Hanse was chosen over three other course designers, including Rees Jones."

...OHCC is again formally interested in hosting a U.S. Open."

[Ian Mackenzie]

Will be interesting to see if the membership approves this.
I wonder what the "increase in member dues" will amount to in order to fund the project.


My brother-in-law lives in a Detroit suburb and is a member of CC of Detroit.
I was there a few weeks ago and he has always said that OHCC "offers great deals to incentivize new members" as a combo of 1) auto industry slowdown and 2) global financial crisis truly had a negative impact on all private clubs in Detroit.


Detroit is doing MUCH better now, but is this the time to do such a drastic restoration? If headwinds return, then could this backfire?


Not sure if OFCC can command a $72K down stroke to join when competing clubs are no where near that. (Maybe $30K, but $72K would make sense if that includes the restoration assessment.)


Let's assume:


1. $11M cost
2. 300 full golf members
3. Paid over 5 years
4. 0% interest


Works out to be an increase in monthly dues of ~$610.


Don't know how they may assess loss of revenue or perhaps interest, but my number above is on low side.
Good thing they only need a majority, but I also wonder how many members they may lose over this.

[Don Mahaffey]

Will be interesting to see if the membership approves this.
I wonder what the "increase in member dues" will amount to in order to fund the project.


My brother-in-law lives in a Detroit suburb and is a member of CC of Detroit.
I was there a few weeks ago and he has always said that OHCC "offers great deals to incentivize new members" as a combo of 1) auto industry slowdown and 2) global financial crisis truly had a negative impact on all private clubs in Detroit.


Detroit is doing MUCH better now, but is this the time to do such a drastic restoration? If headwinds return, then could this backfire?


Not sure if OFCC can command a $72K down stroke to join when competing clubs are no where near that. (Maybe $30K, but $72K would make sense if that includes the restoration assessment.)


Let's assume:


1. $11M cost
2. 300 full golf members
3. Paid over 5 years
4. 0% interest


Works out to be an increase in monthly dues of ~$610.


Don't know how they may assess loss of revenue or perhaps interest, but my number above is on low side.
Good thing they only need a majority, but I also wonder how many members they may lose over this.

The problems with your numbers are to numerous to cover them all, but here are my two. How do you know they only have 300 members? I'll bet they have a lot more than that, and how do you know they haven't been planning for years for this sort of capital expense?   I've worked with a few private clubs and found them to be a lot more on the ball regarding these improvements than you imply here. 

[Zack Molnar]

Will be interesting to see if the membership approves this.
I wonder what the "increase in member dues" will amount to in order to fund the project.


My brother-in-law lives in a Detroit suburb and is a member of CC of Detroit.
I was there a few weeks ago and he has always said that OHCC "offers great deals to incentivize new members" as a combo of 1) auto industry slowdown and 2) global financial crisis truly had a negative impact on all private clubs in Detroit.


Detroit is doing MUCH better now, but is this the time to do such a drastic restoration? If headwinds return, then could this backfire?


Not sure if OFCC can command a $72K down stroke to join when competing clubs are no where near that. (Maybe $30K, but $72K would make sense if that includes the restoration assessment.)


Let's assume:


1. $11M cost
2. 300 full golf members
3. Paid over 5 years
4. 0% interest


Works out to be an increase in monthly dues of ~$610.


Don't know how they may assess loss of revenue or perhaps interest, but my number above is on low side.
Good thing they only need a majority, but I also wonder how many members they may lose over this.

The problems with your numbers are to numerous to cover them all, but here are my two. How do you know they only have 300 members? I'll bet they have a lot more than that, and how do you know they haven't been planning for years for this sort of capital expense?   I've worked with a few private clubs and found them to be a lot more on the ball regarding these improvements than you imply here.

The article says they have 500 equity members. So that change alone gets it down to ~$367/month additional costs. Add in the fact that they are probably other non-equity membership levels that will share in the costs. Then add in what Don said about many of these clubs thinking ahead about these capital expenses, and the cost is lower than you might imagine.

[BCowan]

Will be interesting to see if the membership approves this.
I wonder what the "increase in member dues" will amount to in order to fund the project.


My brother-in-law lives in a Detroit suburb and is a member of CC of Detroit.
I was there a few weeks ago and he has always said that OHCC "offers great deals to incentivize new members" as a combo of 1) auto industry slowdown and 2) global financial crisis truly had a negative impact on all private clubs in Detroit.


Detroit is doing MUCH better now, but is this the time to do such a drastic restoration? If headwinds return, then could this backfire?


Not sure if OFCC can command a $72K down stroke to join when competing clubs are no where near that. (Maybe $30K, but $72K would make sense if that includes the restoration assessment.)


Let's assume:


1. $11M cost
2. 300 full golf members
3. Paid over 5 years
4. 0% interest


Works out to be an increase in monthly dues of ~$610.


Don't know how they may assess loss of revenue or perhaps interest, but my number above is on low side.
Good thing they only need a majority, but I also wonder how many members they may lose over this.

This is funny considering  CCD just spent a fortune renovating there facilities upgrading their bowling alley.  Your numbers have got to be way off, there are 2 tracks. Atleast OH is spending the money on the most important asset the golf course and the one that gives them their fame.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Will be interesting to see if the membership approves this.
I wonder what the "increase in member dues" will amount to in order to fund the project.


My brother-in-law lives in a Detroit suburb and is a member of CC of Detroit.
I was there a few weeks ago and he has always said that OHCC "offers great deals to incentivize new members" as a combo of 1) auto industry slowdown and 2) global financial crisis truly had a negative impact on all private clubs in Detroit.


Detroit is doing MUCH better now, but is this the time to do such a drastic restoration? If headwinds return, then could this backfire?


Not sure if OFCC can command a $72K down stroke to join when competing clubs are no where near that. (Maybe $30K, but $72K would make sense if that includes the restoration assessment.)


Let's assume:


1. $11M cost
2. 300 full golf members
3. Paid over 5 years
4. 0% interest


Works out to be an increase in monthly dues of ~$610.


Don't know how they may assess loss of revenue or perhaps interest, but my number above is on low side.
Good thing they only need a majority, but I also wonder how many members they may lose over this.

This is funny considering  CCD just spent a fortune renovating there facilities upgrading their bowling alley.  Your numbers have got to be way off, there are 2 tracks. Atleast OH is spending the money on the most important asset the golf course and the one that gives them their fame.

I'm not making any comparisons and the numbers I cite are best guesses but the $11M figure is lifted out of the article at the beginning of the thread. CCD already did work with Keith Foster then Tom Doak. During that process - at a different economic time - they lost close to 60 members.


OK, let's assume there are more members. Great. I genuinely hope it works out for all.

[Terry Lavin]

I played with a Oakland Hills member last week and he sounded very confident that the measure would pass handily.  There's something about the allure of a US Open that tends to open the purse strings at a private club. 

[Jeff Bergeron]

I few comments for clarification. I  am not an OHCC member but know many members:


The Club is financially healthy and has a waiting list.


With two golf courses their membership is probably north of 600 when all categories are considered.


The transfer fee to join is roughly double that of the rest of the premier clubs in Detroit.


The 3 benchmark family clubs in the area (albeit not US Open championship layouts) Birmingham, Orchard Lake and Meadowbrook have all recently completed or are in the process of completing major renovations.


I have seen the plan and it is a true restoration of the original Ross golf course. it is outstanding.


Given the scope of the plan the $9-11M the members were told is not unreasonable. OHCC has a history of doing things big and right.


The comments about Oakland Hills place in the game in the article reflect the culture of the club. On that basis I predict it will pass easily.


The financing plan makes it palatable for older members who might otherwise object to paying a large upfront assessment.


This is a hugely positive move for the club, the Detroit area and golf in general.

[John Kavanaugh]

There are still golfers who pay dues at clubs because it benefits the community as much as themselves.

[Jud_T]

I have also seen the proposed plans and they appear very well thought out and are very exciting.  If the numbers make sense, this is a no-brainer.  The course will likely displace several well known courses in the ratings as a result and will, more importantly, be a lot more fun and interesting for the membership for the foreseeable future.  In particular, as a higher handicap player, I'll be a LOT more interested in seeing the course again if all these proposed changes are implemented which I imagine would echo the sentiments of all those members who are not legit single digit players.

[Terry Lavin]

Let's just say it: They'll make most of it back on the Open when they host it after the redo.

[Jay Mickle]

If Oakland Hills gets a future US Open as a result of the redo, will they not recoup a large percentage of that 11 million dollars?

[Ryan Taylor]

Detroit is doing MUCH better now, but is this the time to do such a drastic restoration? If headwinds return, then could this backfire?

OH, FH and BHCC (added) are immune to economic cycles. Down stroke may decline but the two club will always stand. All other SE MI clubs, yes.