Oak Hills Park Authority

General Manager Report – December 27, 2023

The Oak Hills Park Authority (OHPA) Board of Directors met on Tuesday, 12/19. They approved the 2024 golf rates effective January 1st. Click here: 2024 Rates

At the board meeting each month, the 4 staff members report significant monthly activity. The highlights are listed below:

Jim Schell (Superintendent)

• Bunker project received approval for the 2024/2025 fiscal year (July ‘24 – June ‘25).
• The two-year project begins with 14 bunkers towards the end of the 2024 golf season.
• Remainder of bunkers and project to be completed in 2025.
• The city posted a project Invitation to Bid on December 12th, with bids due January 11th.

We’ll keep you informed on this great course enhancement.

Paul Alexander (Head Golf Professional)

• Our pro shop will be open from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM (daily).
• Course opens from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM barring frost delays (as shown on the website).

Mark Gartner (Controller)

• It’s the time of year when primary income streams slow significantly.
• Capital expense budget overages due to planned improvements to buildings, cart paths, artificial turf for teaching range, bottle filling station at the tennis center, new kitchen equipment, warm-up nets, and pavement markings at both the golf and tennis facilities.
• The budget will be closely monitored and barring unexpected emergencies, we expect to finish the year in fine shape.

Jim Hollyday (General Manager)

• Noted general facility repairs, maintenance issues, and progress.

Tennis Update – Dennis Brown

• OHPA Treasurer and Tennis Committee Chairwoman, reported that the new pergola over the patio is complete and we successfully hosted our first USTA tournament.
• The tennis leadership team continues to raise funds for 2024 capital projects including new fencing and new pavers leading to the courts and around the building.

Other Activities

• OHPA Vice Chairman Alan Dutton was appointed Restaurant Selection Committee Chairman.
• The committee consists of Rich Dellinger, Robert Stowers, Andy Glazer, Bob Pattacini, Steve Shepherd, and Anne van Geldern.
• Committee Updates:
  • Team met on Dec. 8 to devise a plan and on Dec. 20 to discuss submitted proposals.
  • Several interested parties scheduled for interviews in early January.
  • Committee to provide a recommendation at the next board meeting on January 18.

We hope you find this information useful and that you and your families have a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

Jim Hollyday
General Manager
Oak Hills Park Golf Course
 

Critical News

Golf & Restaurant Update – March 14, 2024

Golf News

• Carts available this Friday, March 15.
• Tee boxes remain closed until there’s no ongoing threat of frost – anticipate them opening within a week or so.
• Chipping and putting greens open.
• Hitting bay available this Saturday, March 16.

Restaurant Update

• Team working hard to meet normal City requirements to open the restaurant.
• Still shooting for an April 1st opening at the Halfway House.
• Water available for purchase at the first tee and for now, please bring snacks from home.
• Planning an open house, date TBD, to introduce Oak Hills customers & Odeens team.
• Menus nearly complete - we’ll share them as soon as possible.
• John Lloyd and Barb Musser (owner and manager) busy interviewing folks to assemble a friendly, welcoming service staff.
• Experienced chef hired, who’s worked for several years with Odeen’s catering business.
• Thrilled that Kathy and Barbara will return to anchor the Halfway House staff.
• Kitchen equipment replacement/repair and deep cleaning continues.
• Restaurant signage designed - to get installed in April.
• Finalizing outreach to our Outing partners to ensure event success.
• Appreciate your patience and believe deeply that it will be rewarded.

There are many moving parts in every imaginable aspect. However, we’re doing everything to begin serving delicious food and drinks as soon as possible.

If you have any questions about reserving the restaurant for future events, please contact me @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call me at 203-858-4801. I’ll make sure to put you in the capable hands of either John or Barbara. Their phone number will be published shortly.

As always, please shoot me an email or give me a call to discuss any concerns.

Thanks for your support as we continue to build and grow.

Jim Hollyday
OHPA General Manager

OHP Tee Box Sodding Project – December 19, 2023

Restaurant Search – December 13th, 2023

I wanted to share with you what we've been doing about our restaurant. Smokin' Aces is closed to the public and will be leaving on or before January 10, 2024. They will host 6 private parties in December, and one final event on January 7.

The OHPA Board of Directors tasked Alan Dutton, OHPA Vice Chairman, with forming a committee to search for a new concessionaire for the restaurant. To that end, he appointed board members Robert Stowers and Richard Dellinger, and club members Anne van Geldern, Andy Glazer, Steve Shepherd and Bob Pattacini to serve with him.

The committee will hold four meetings culminating in a recommendation to the board of directors for a vote on January 18, 2024. The kick off meeting was held on Friday, December 8. The Request for Proposal was posted on the websites for the City of Norwalk and the State of CT as well as on bonfire, a software program designed to assist municipalities with bid and RFP evaluations. Bonfire creates a scorecard allowing each committee member to rate all proposals across a broad spectrum of specifications. All committee members' scorecards will be reviewed together to ensure the best possible outcome. In addition to the general solicitation the committee has been doing outreach to private restaurateurs and golf course restaurants in our area.

The proposals will be opened and reviewed by all committee members this week. The 2nd meeting is scheduled for the week before Christmas. At this meeting finalists will be selected and interviews will be scheduled for the first week in January. The final meeting will be used for discussion and decision. The process is thorough and we all hope the recommendation to the board will signal the beginning of a new era for our club.

We will continue to keep you apprised of our progress and we appreciate your confidence and support. Should you have any questions or suggestions, please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For the OHPA Board of Directors,

Jim Hollyday

Optimum Report – November 11th, 2023

Many of the emails we've sent from oakhillsgc.com and 1-2-1marketing.com to optonline.net
email addresses have not gone through.

We've spoken to Optimum Customer Service representatives and asked them to stop blocking email
from oakhillsgc.com and 1-2-1marketing.com; they have responded by informing us that:

1. The Optimum customers must contact the Customer Service department directly to request that email from these domains is not blocked, AND
2. A month ago, they sent all their customers a notification that they were discontinuing the optonline.net
   email domain, and that all customers that wish to maintain email with Optimum must contact them
   to establish an optonline.net account.

Please follow-up with Optimum (or switch your email provider) so that we'll be able to communicate with you
in the most direct way possible.

Thanks for your consideration!

Local Golf Rules
Oak Hills Park

Embedded Ball

This former OHP local rule is now a full USGA rule because of section 16.3 which now allows for relief for embedded balls.

In the general area, previously known, as through the green, a ball that is embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground, other than sand, may be lifted without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the general area.

In taking relief, the player may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area.

Note: We will remove this as an independent OHP local rules next year, now that is an official USGA rule.

Preferred Lies (Winter Rules)

When the Winter Rules sign is posted on the bulletin board or at the first tee, the following Local Rule is to be used.  If a player’s ball lies on part of the general area, cut to fairway height or less of the hole being played, the player may take free relief by placing the original ball or placing another ball and playing it from this relief area. The player must then place the ball on a spot within one club length and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay and within the general area.

A player's ball must be placed by setting it down on the required spot and letting it go so that it stays on that spot. (Rule 14.2b(2). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, Rule 14.2e applies and the player must try a second time. If the ball again does not stay on that spot, the player must replace the ball placing it on the nearest spot where the ball will rest, but with these limits depending on where the original spot is located. 

The spot must not be nearer to the hole and if the original spot is the general area, the nearest spot must be in the general area. If the original spot is in the bunker or penalty area, the nearest spot must be either in the same bunker or in the same penalty area. If the original spot is on the putting green, the nearest spot must be either on the putting green or in the general area.

*PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes in total

Aeration Holes

In the general area, if a ball lies in or touches an aeration hole the player may take relief. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again. In taking relief, the player may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area. The player must then place the ball in the nearest point of complete relief within one club length and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay and must be in the general area.

On the putting green, if a player's ball lies in or touches an aeration hole the player may take relief. The player may take free relief by placing the original ball or another ball on the spot of the nearest point of complete relief. A player's ball must be placed by setting it down on the required spot and letting it go so that it stays on that spot. (Rule 14.2b(2)). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, Rule 14.2e applies and the player must try a second time. If the ball again does not stay on that spot, the player must replace the ball, placing it on the nearest spot where the ball will rest, but within the limit depending on where the original spot is located. The spot must not be nearer to the hole and if the original spot is on the putting green, the nearest spot must be either on the putting green or in the general area.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes.”

Power Lines and Electrical Tower

If a ball strikes the power line during play of the 8th, 9th, 10th, or 12th holes, the player must replay the stroke as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was played in accordance with Rule 20-5 (Making Next Stroke from Where Previous Stroke Made).  If the stroke is not re-played, the stroke counts, and the player receives the general penalty but will not be considered having played from a wrong place.  

The towers are considered “immovable obstructions” and any ball striking a tower must be played as it lies.

If player's ball hits the electric tower, it is in play (no free drop). If the tower interferes with your swing or stance, please drop one club length from the tower perimeter nearest to where the ball lies, no nearer to the hole.

Roads and Fencing

The Road to the right of 14 and between 15 and 16 is out OB.  Also, the back of 13 (parking lot) and the back of 18 (parking lot) is OB. Fencing on holes 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 14 define out of bounds. No free drop is permitted.

Ground Under Repair

The following areas may always be played as ground under repair and relief taken as prescribed in Rule 16.1(b) even if not marked as such.

The dirt path leading from the cart path up to the 2nd green.

French drains (trenches filled with exposed rock) are deemed to be ground under repair.

When winter rules are not in effect, all other unmarked areas through the green must be played as the ball lies.

 Stones in Bunkers

This is a full USGA rule under section 12.2 which allows for relief from loose impediments in a bunker.

Before playing a ball in a bunker, a player may remove loose impediments under Rule 15.1 and movable obstructions under Rule 15.2. Stones in bunkers are loose impediments that you may remove in a bunker (USGA Rules FAQ 2019) 

Note: We will remove this as an independent OHP local rules next year, because it is an official USGA rule.

 Drop Area for 2nd Hole

There is a declared red penalty area for the woods on the right. In addition to the normal penalty options for relief when landing in such areas, under penalty of one stroke a player may take lateral relief from the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area.

Drop Area for 3rd & 5th Holes

In addition to the normal options for hitting a ball into a penalty area (the term water hazards is superseded by this expanded term), if it is known or virtually certain your tee ball is in one of the declared penalty areas your ball may be dropped in the designated drop area to the right of the green on Hole 3, or to the right of the forward tee on Hole 5.

Lesson Area Free Relief for 6th Hole

The 6th hole teaching area will be designated as an abnormal course condition. The location is in the back of the green vicinity starting at edge of the gravel path. If there is a lesson in progress, you must not enter the area in the interest of safety. If your ball enters the teaching area, please drop your ball on the line and towards the nearest point of complete relief where the ball was thought to enter the teaching area & to the immediate left of the gravel path as a reference point. The player may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in the general area.

Out of Bounds for Holes 7 & 13

If it is known or virtually certain your tee ball either on Hole 7 and/or Hole 13 goes out of bounds as identified by white stakes, your only option is to go back to the spot of your previous stroke to play under stroke and distance.

If you think or know that your ball might be out bounds you can play a provisional ball to save time. You must announce that you are playing a provisional ball before doing so. If you find it out of bounds, your provisional ball is your ball in play under stroke and distance, and you don’t have to take the time to walk all the way back to the spot of your previous stroke.

Drop Areas for 14th Hole

In addition to the normal penalty options for relief from the boundary wall behind the 14th green, under penalty of one stroke a player may proceed to the nearest drop zone located on either side behind the 14th green and drop a ball.

Drop Between Holes 16 & 17

There is a declared red penalty area for the creek (even if there is no water present) in the middle of both holes for balls landing in that area. In addition to the normal penalty options for relief when landing in such areas, under penalty of one stroke a player may take lateral relief from the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area.

 Distance Measuring Devices

This former local rule is now a full USGA rule because of section 4.3 which allows for these devices in tournament play.    

Please note that if a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g., gradient, wind speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 4.3, for which the penalty is 2 strokes for the initial violation and disqualification for any subsequent violation, regardless of whether any such additional function is actually used.

Note: We will delete this from our official local rule next year, now that is in the official USGA rules. 

Flower Beds

Any flower beds on the course are no play zones that are to be treated as abnormal course conditions. Free relief must be taken under rule 16.1b. The mulched area to the left of the 18th green is not considered a flower bed.

Ball Moves on the Green

This former local rule is now a full USGA rule because of section 13.1d which now allows for relief for embedded balls.

Rule 13.1d revises the procedure for when a ball on the putting green is moved by wind, water or other natural forces, so that it must sometimes be replaced and sometimes be played from its new spot:

• If the ball had been lifted and replaced on its original spot before it moved, the ball must always be replaced on its original sport, regardless of what caused it to move.
• The ball must be played from its new spot only if the ball had not been lifted and replaced before it moved.

Note: We will delete this from our official local rule next year, now that is in the official USGA rules.