Oakland Hills Gets Two U.S. Women’s Opens

Major announcement in January launches big future for women’s golf nationwide and in Michigan

By Tom Lang

   The USGA made women’s golf history in early January.

   It announced a huge increase in purse and exposure for the U.S. Women’s Open that brought praise from all corners of the country. The purse alone will nearly double, from $5.5 million to $10 million in 2022. Such a move is a huge step in showing equality between men and women in golf across the board that can lead to expanded recognition of women in golf at all levels.

   The men’s U.S. Open in 2021 had a $12.5 million purse. The women’s purse is expected to reach $12 million in the next five years.

   “We didn’t just start to close the gap, we almost got all the way there,” said Michigan’s LPGA insider Liz Nagel of DeWitt, who has played on the pro Tour most of the last 5-6 years. “I know this matters to each and every one of us, so in a way it’s seeing our passion and work come to life all the way down to the dollar sign.”

   Yet in the state of Michigan the largest impact is the fact Oakland Hills Country Club was awarded two of those special events, to take place in the years 2031 and 2042. The historic Michigan layout is one of many iconic courses named as future hosts yet was one of only three locations to be named a host for multiple years through 2046.

   “We are obviously excited to be awarded two dates for the U.S. Women’s Open. It’s an honor to be included with Merion and Oakmont as the clubs that were awarded two championships,” Club president Rick Palmer wrote via email.

   For the past few years, Oakland Hills members invested more then $12 million into their South Course for a total remake of the property by one of the hottest designers in the market, Gil Hanse. What Hanse and his associates did was re-expose the natural landscape that had been over-run by trees the past couple generations, better revealing the true features of the land where Donald Ross first designed the routing. Many bunkers were removed, but those that remained became bigger with more risk-reward elements. Hole 3 was moved a little, and on hole 7 the lake was taken out while they restored the creek crossing the fairway more than once. Sightlines became dramatic again, like Ross’ original layout over 100 years ago.

   “The South Course is such a gem in American golf course architecture,” Palmer added. “We believe it is championship ready after the splendid work of Gil Hanse and his team. Oakland Hills is excited about our growing partnership with the USGA, and we are looking forward to further discussions on future championships.

   “Oakland Hills is proud of what it has done for golf in the past, going back to the 1929 U.S. Women’s Amateur, won by the legendary Glenna Collett. But we are also exuberant about what we can do in the future for the game, particularly regarding the Women’s Open and all those young women who will compete in 2031 and 2042.”

   Those host years seem like a long way aways, but they can be used as landmark dates to help promote more golf in general to the youth of today. The economic impact as well for Southeast Michigan is a caveat golfers and non-golfers don’t always realize but can only help local businesses when the time comes.