The destruction of the Golden Gate Park Golf Course clubhouse in an early morning fire Monday meant more to Justin Moore, the course’s general manager, than losing a simple place to grab a hot dog after playing the 9-hole, par-3 course.

“I met my wife here and I proposed to my wife here,” said Moore, eyes filling with tears as he looked at the charred remains of the building. “It’s really a community center. It really showcased what this place is as far as strangers coming together, meeting like-minded people from all backgrounds. From hedge-fund managers to janitors, this place is a really great equalizer.”

A blaze was reported at 2:47 a.m. at 970 47th Ave. near the entrance of the club, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. Crews responded to the scene and doused the clubhouse for at least an hour.

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There were no injuries and no one was displaced, but the clubhouse was destroyed and the course will remain closed for the time being.

Only the charred foundation and a skeleton of the building remained. The smell of ash still hung heavily in the air nearly seven hours after the firefighters put down their hoses, and burnt flakes from the building littered a nearby putting green.

Sad news: the iconic Golden Gate Park golf course clubhouse, built in 1951, was the victim of fire this morning. @sffdpio is investigating. The Golf course will be closed until further notice. pic.twitter.com/xP3Ije23bT — SF Rec and Park (@RecParkSF) July 2, 2018

“We’re thinking at this point it’s likely to be closed for up to a week,” said Sarah Madland, a spokesperson for San Francisco Recreation and Park. “The building is going to have to come down, and there’s a lot to sort out in terms of how to figure out safe public access.”

City surveyors, Rec and Park officials, and the Fire Department’s arson investigators were on the scene Monday morning to assess the damage and discuss next steps.

“There’s nothing in there that’s salvageable,” a grounds staff member could be heard saying.

The clubhouse, which had a pro shop and full kitchen, has been a staple of the course since it was established in 1951.

With reasonable daily rates, the course made golf accessible to locals and tourists of all abilities.

“When I was at graduate school at University of San Francisco, I’d do a weekly group game every week from like 2011 to 2014, because it was nine bucks a round,” said Nate Coombs, 31, who lives two blocks from the park and came to see the damage after watching a video of the fire on Twitter. “I still come here three, four times a year. It’s definitely a local fixture.”

The course primarily serves regulars who play daily rounds, but it’s also home to First Tee of San Francisco, a nationwide program that provides golf lessons and mentorship to underserved kids. The program serves about 4,000 kids per year at the Golden Gate Park course, said Executive Director Dan Burke.

So far this year, 35,000 rounds have been played by golfers at the 10-acre course.

“We don’t have programs this week, but we will resume our summer programs on Monday,” Burke said. “Assuming the golf course facilities will be back open, it will have no impact on our programs.”

The clubhouse itself is a Rec and Parks property. The Golden Gate Park Golf Development Foundation, a nonprofit subsidiary of First Tee of San Francisco, leases the clubhouse and course from the department.

Regular weekly events organized by the nonprofit, including a Tuesday tournament and Wednesday women’s league, will be canceled this week because of the damage.

Doug Dietz, 47, came to the see the clubhouse Monday morning after his phone was “blowing up” with messages from fellow regulars. He has been playing the course since he was a kid, he said, and now comes regularly with his daughter.

“I just can’t believe it, man. I’m just devastated,” Dietz said. “I met some of my best friends at this place. I mean, everyone from 4-year-olds to 85-year-olds come here every day. It’s our church. That’s what we call it. It’s our therapy. Just the community this place has brought together.”

Dietz and Moore hugged and chatted about the building as they walked around it and surveyed the damage.

“I just swept up yesterday and it looked so nice,” Moore said. “My wife does the flowers. She’s bummed. But they’ll come back. They’re strong. It’s a bummer, but we have to keep moving forward, and we have a lot of resources. I have to realize things are not going to happen overnight, but hopefully we’ll be back soon.”

The Fire Department is investigating the incident and did not respond to requests for comment.

Erin Stone is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: erin.stone@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erstone7