Popular local golf course opens 10 weeks after devastating fire
Hickory Creek’s main clubhouse suffered substantial damage during a January electrical fire.
The owners of Superior Township’s decades-old Hickory Creek Golf Course and Country Club are playing through the hazardous effects of a late-January fire that caused an estimated $1 million in damages to the venue’s 12-year-old clubhouse.
The 18-hole course, located on Napier Road just west of Canton’s western border, reopened for business Monday, April 10, with operations being run out of the site’s original clubhouse, which sits just north of the charred remains of the newer building.
The clubhouse was already engulfed in flames by the time the first platoon of firefighters arrived on the night of Jan. 25.
Demolition on tap
While a large section of the damaged building still stands, a golf course employee confirmed to SocialHouseNews.com that the entire building will need be to be demolished because of the unsafe nature of the remains.
In the immediate wake of the fire, Superior Township fire officials and DTE Energy representatives were investigating whether a transformer that blew near the intersection of Ford and Napier roads may have ignited a power sure that potentially started the blaze.
On Monday, it was business as usual at Hickory Creek as golfers navigated the course — many playing their first round of the season — under sunny skies and 65-degree temperatures.
Carts saved
The only good news that came from the tragedy was that several golf carts that were parked in the basement of the damaged clubhouse were spared because the basement walls are made of concrete.
The course figures to be busy for the foreseeable future as 70- and 80-degree days are forecast for the rest of the week.
Hickory Creek is a popular destination for inexperienced and seasons golfers because of its modest length and affordable rates ($39 for 18 holes with a cart on weekdays).
“Hickory Creek will challenge you while providing a relaxing, picturesque backdrop,” the facility’s website says. “Test your accuracy with our fairways, water hazards and sand traps; we have everything you need to challenge you and improve your game.
“All in all, our goal is to provide you with a quality experience that includes exceptional service and a comfortable atmosphere.”
