Fire-damaged Lulu country club eyes weekend reopening

Crews on Monday afternoon still were streaming water onto the smoldering ruins of the main building of the Lulu Country Club - heavily damaged in a weekend fire - when Upper Dublin Township Fire Marshal Tim Schuck emerged from the charred structure carrying the organization's 103-year-old charter.

The wooden frame had a fine layer of soot, and its Plexiglas covering was slightly bowed from the intense heat, but the oversize document with the faded signatures of the club's original members and court officials was preserved.

"That is huge," Bob Shubert, one of the club's 265 members, said as he looked over the document.

Along with plaques from club tournaments and other memorabilia, the fire destroyed photos of Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and other pros who came to play on the rolling greens, he said.

The course itself was not damaged.

The Montgomery County club, at 1600 Limekiln Pike, was the first in the state designed by architect Donald Ross, who laid out hundreds of courses across the country, including Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Inverness in Ohio, and Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

Schuck said that the investigation into the blaze that broke out Sunday morning remained open but that the fire was not considered suspicious.

It took about 100 firefighters two hours to bring the blaze under control, said Eric Clauson, chief of Fort Washington Fire Company No. 1.

"The construction lends itself to rapid fire spread," Clauson said. The pro shop had the least damage. Firefighters were able to save all the golf carts and members' clubs, he said.

"The rest of the building was a total loss," he said.

"We are devastated," said general manger Jeff Orleski, 38. He said an employee in the building preparing for a club tournament saw smoke and called 911.

Orleski, who lives in Langhorne, about 18 miles away, said, "You could see [the smoke] from Langhorne." He rushed to the scene.

On Monday, while firefighters and demolition crews worked on the structure, members stopped by to inquire about their clubs or just to look at the damage. "It's a shame," said member Jim Coyne, 81.

Orleski said the loss will be covered by insurance and he hopes to reopen the course as soon as next weekend. Already, plans are underway to bring in temporary trailers, toilets, and a makeshift kitchen.

Clubs in the area have stepped up to offer services, including hosting any scheduled events. The Lulu building was a popular destination for weddings and parties, he said.

Orleski has asked demolition crews to preserve a 15-by-15-foot stone wall with the country club's name on it so it can be part of the new clubhouse.

"We are going to bounce back better and stronger," he said.

mschaefer@phillynews.com

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@MariSchaefer