Tools of the trade...at Steve Cook's Oakland Hills CC

Golf Course News, Dec 2001

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. - The Oakland Hills Country Club's South Course, called the "monster" by Ben Hogan when he won the 1951 U.S. Open, was to have played host to the 2003 Ryder Cup. Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the United States, the PGA of America decided a shift in scheduling was in order for future Ryder Cup matches. The event was postponed until 2004.

"We don't know the dates yet, sometime between mid-September and early October of 2004," said Steve Cook, superintendent. "Our renovation projects are still going through, and we'll finish the projects we had going this fall. The 2002 U.S. Amateur we're hosting will proceed as planned."

The club has hosted two PGA Championships- 1961 and 1972 - and six U.S. Opens with the latest in 1996. It will be the first Ryder Cup match here for the Donald Rossdesigned layout. "Our Ryder Cup committees are still meeting and planning," Cook said, "and the PGA representative is onsite. Instead of being here two years, he'll be here three years now."

Earlier this year, Cook distinguished himself by becoming one of the 31 worldwide certified Master Greenkeepers with the British International Golf Greenkeeper Association. Today, Cook is wrapping up a $2 million renovation project at Oakland Hills. A new irrigation system was installed, green banks and surrounds were regrassed, and all the bunkers were renovated with new drainage and sand.

Preparations for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Ryder Cup included finding seating for 15,000 people. "We decided to use the first hole on our North Course which serves as the driving range when we host the U.S. Open - and ended up doing some remodeling work there," said Cook. "We, built a new tee for the players, added new bunkers and regrassed everything. The bleachers will sit on the regular tee box area and surround the new tee in a horseshoe-shaped seating area."

Next year's U.S. Amateur will be a nice trial run for the Ryder Cup event at the club. Mere won't be as much activity as there will be for the Ryder Cup," said Cook. "Postponing the Ryder Cup to 2004 will probably be a positive thing for the club. Members will now get the course back for a year or more with no disruption. For my staff and I, we get a chance to take a breather, refresh, and absorb what lessons can be learned from hosting the Amateur."

In 2008, the club will again be hosting the PGA Championship. "With ball flights these days, we may need to look at making some changes to the course down the road to toughen it up a little bit," said Cook.