About
Oak Hill Golf Club
Mission Statement
The mission of the Oak Hill Golf Club is to provide an exceptional golf experience and promote fellowship and camaraderie among its members. We accomplish this by
(1) preserving the natural beauty of our course and the land it sits on through meticulous maintenance;
(2) retaining our identity as a true golf club, welcoming those who share our core values of sustaining a challenging course with playing conditions that are not congested and having facilities that meet the needs of the membership;
(3) making our Club enjoyable, accessible, and affordable for our members, their families, and their guests.
The Oak Hill Golf Club will always promote the game of golf and be a responsible member of the community.
Oak Hill’s History
Many devoted people worked long and hard to build Oak Hill into the golfing gem that it is today. Its history is the story of a paper company wanting to do something nice for its workers, a community in love with golf, and people so dedicated to the game that they organized “rock-picking parties” to create their dream.
The Riegel Paper Corporation opened a paper mill on the banks of the Delaware River in Holland Township in 1907. By the 1950s, the Riegel Paper Community Foundation was sponsoring sporting events and ran a popular golf league for employees and local residents.
The golfers began dreaming of building a new course on land owned by Riegel, and the company donated $15,000 anonymously to get the project rolling. It took several years to clear all the financial and planning hurdles, but in 1963 the Oak Hill Golf Club was officially incorporated. A plan to sell 200 stock certificates at $250 each was announced in local newspapers.
The idea was a hit, and 315 people signed up to own a share and become playing members when the Club opened. The William F. Gordon Company, which was one of the prominent golf architectural firms in the eastern part of the country, was selected to build the course.
The contract to build Oak Hill was for $66,500 and covered laying out an 18-hole course, constructing the first nine holes, and installing a tee and green watering system. The plans called for a 500,000-gallon pond and for fairways to be cleared of stones over 2 inches in size.
The groundbreaking ceremonies on May 22, 1963, began with G. Lamont Bidwell, vice president of Riegel Paper Corporation, turning over the first shovel of dirt. Riegel Paper agreed to lease the land to the course for 20 years at an annual rate of $50. Construction on some holes that summer was delayed because the wheat growing on the land had to be harvested first.
Club members were eager to see their dream come to fruition. They began volunteering in rock-picking parties, and the term “rock picker” stayed with the Club through the years as a fond way to refer to its founding members.
By the end of 1963, the nine-hole golf course was finished. John Quigley was hired as Oak Hill’s first head golf professional. Monty Bidwell hit the ceremonial first ball off the Number 1 tee on opening day, May 30, 1964. That summer the Club planted 250 evergreens, and the rock-picking committee continued its diligent work.
By 1966, the funding was in place to construct the second nine holes and build a new clubhouse. The Club selected William Gordon to finish the course he’d started, and more rock-picking parties were organized. The full 18-hole course and new clubhouse officially opened on May 27, 1967. Players were delighted.
In 1972, the Riegel Paper Corporation was sold to the Federal Paper Board Company, and Oak Hill’s members worried that it would be the end of their beloved golf sanctuary. News came out that Federal Paper had no intention of honoring the lease and had plans in place to build roads and homes on the land where the course sat.
This was devastating news to everyone, and the Club’s Board explored every option to save Oak Hill. Federal Paper agreed to sell the land to the Club for $237,500. It took two years, the sale of additional shares of stock, and a loan from the FHA, but the Club was able to raise the money and officially purchase the land outright.
Now, more than 50 years later, Oak Hill is in a strong financial position and has provided countless days of enjoyment for tens of thousands of golfers over the decades.
Oak Hill’s History
Many devoted people worked long and hard to build Oak Hill into the golfing gem that it is today. Its history is the story of a paper company wanting to do something nice for its workers, a community in love with golf, and people so dedicated to the game that they organized “rock-picking parties” to create their dream.
The Riegel Paper Corporation opened a paper mill on the banks of the Delaware River in Holland Township in 1907. By the 1950s, the Riegel Paper Community Foundation was sponsoring sporting events and ran a popular golf league for employees and local residents.
The golfers began dreaming of building a new course on land owned by Riegel, and the company donated $15,000 anonymously to get the project rolling. It took several years to clear all the financial and planning hurdles, but in 1963 the Oak Hill Golf Club was officially incorporated. A plan to sell 200 stock certificates at $250 each was announced in local newspapers.
The idea was a hit, and 315 people signed up to own a share and become playing members when the Club opened. The William F. Gordon Company, which was one of the prominent golf architectural firms in the eastern part of the country, was selected to build the course.
The contract to build Oak Hill was for $66,500 and covered laying out an 18-hole course, constructing the first nine holes, and installing a tee and green watering system. The plans called for a 500,000-gallon pond and for fairways to be cleared of stones over 2 inches in size.
The groundbreaking ceremonies on May 22, 1963, began with G. Lamont Bidwell, vice president of Riegel Paper Corporation, turning over the first shovel of dirt. Riegel Paper agreed to lease the land to the course for 20 years at an annual rate of $50. Construction on some holes that summer was delayed because the wheat growing on the land had to be harvested first.
Club members were eager to see their dream come to fruition. They began volunteering in rock-picking parties, and the term “rock picker” stayed with the Club through the years as a fond way to refer to its founding members.
By the end of 1963, the nine-hole golf course was finished. John Quigley was hired as Oak Hill’s first head golf professional. Monty Bidwell hit the ceremonial first ball off the Number 1 tee on opening day, May 30, 1964. That summer the Club planted 250 evergreens, and the rock-picking committee continued its diligent work.
By 1966, the funding was in place to construct the second nine holes and build a new clubhouse. The Club selected William Gordon to finish the course he’d started, and more rock-picking parties were organized. The full 18-hole course and new clubhouse officially opened on May 27, 1967. Players were delighted.
In 1972, the Riegel Paper Corporation was sold to the Federal Paper Board Company, and Oak Hill’s members worried that it would be the end of their beloved golf sanctuary. News came out that Federal Paper had no intention of honoring the lease and had plans in place to build roads and homes on the land where the course sat.
This was devastating news to everyone, and the Club’s Board explored every option to save Oak Hill. Federal Paper agreed to sell the land to the Club for $237,500. It took two years, the sale of additional shares of stock, and a loan from the FHA, but the Club was able to raise the money and officially purchase the land outright.
Now, more than 50 years later, Oak Hill is in a strong financial position and has provided countless days of enjoyment for tens of thousands of golfers over the decades.
