Local clubs offer help to Wampanoag Country Club following fires

“It’s not until you get here and kind of, there’s a little bit of an odor too, I mean that just adds to it,” said Michael Rosano, who stopped by to see the damage on Monday morning.

The smell of fire was lingering in the air less than 48 hours after West Hartford’s Wampanoag Country Club went up in flames.

“Big spot in people’s lives whether it be golfing or wedding receptions or any of family events that you could have there,” Rosano said.

Two fires, less than a day apart, will change all sorts of events that were planned to take place at the clubhouse. The first, the Watkinson School prom, which was originally scheduled for Saturday night at Wampanoag. 

“The surrounding community, our sister clubs have been amazing. We had a prom that was actually moved up to Hop Meadow Country Club up in Simsbury,” said Wampanoag Country Club President Glenn Cunningham.

“Between the Wampanoag crew, our crew and the teachers at the school we were able to pull off the prom. The kids were very happy and they got the night they deserved,” said Hop Meadow General Manager Rod Clement.

Cunningham said the golf course remained unscathed. That’s promising news for people like Dave Hinchey, who helps organize a charity golf tournament at Wampanoag every year.

“The best thing right now is just to have a little bit of patience and kind of let them figure things out and just go from there,” Hinchey said.

Right down the road, Christopher Campbell, general manager at Tumble Brook Country Club, said he’s already made calls to offer his support.

“We’re all human beings right, so where we can help we try to help. We also have reciprocals. I mean it’s golf. Golf is a gentlemen's sport and we try and be as neighborly as we possibly can,” Campbell said. 

The area around the clubhouse remained blocked off to the public on Monday as fire crews sorted through the debris.

Authorities say the cause of both fires is still under investigation.