Yellow 6446 metres, CR75.0/140
White 5987 metres, CR72.8/132
Blue 5380 metres, CR70.8/122
Red 4768 metres, CR69.6/120
Women’s red, CR75.8/133
Women’s green, CR71.9/118
Until end March R770
April to October R495
Golf cart R400
Ernie Els 2005
044 851 1263
www.oubaaigolfestate.co.za
68 (2023), 52 (2022) & 44 (2021)
Oubaai is a stay-and-play destination with the first Ernie Els signature course in South Africa. It’s a beautiful modern links-style course without trees on a headland above the Indian Ocean.
Two interesting aspects of the design are firstly the out-and-back routing – due to the clubhouse being positioned close to the ocean – and secondly that there are five par 5s and five par 3s. It’s renowned for its excellent conditioning.
The first nine heads back inland towards the estate entrance and there’s a halfway house near the Oubaai Hotel & Spa. The course returns to the clubhouse at the 15th green, and a round ends with three scenic holes where you look down on the Gwaing River gorge and then finally encounter ocean views at the attractive par-3 17th. The closing hole tees off high above Oubaai Cove, where ships used to offload cargo more than a century ago. It is an unusual boomerang-shaped dogleg left par 5 in front of the clubhouse. The bold line for the second shot is across the corner of a deep bushy ravine.
Oubaai is exposed to the wind, and the opening three holes are pure links design in terms of their look, creative mounding, bunkering and run-off areas. Golfers have wide fairways at which to aim though, and the challenge lies more in the approach shots to relatively small greens.
61 by Ernie Els on January 4, 2014
61 by Jovan Rebula on Oct 24, 2015
The par 5s are all strong holes, from the back tees each of them at least 500 metres. Water guards the green of the 12th. The par 3s are a varied collection, from the signature hole, 141-metre 17th from an elevated tee to a narrow green which looks as if it’s built on the edge of the ocean, to the daunting 189m sixth played across a ravine.
The luxury Oubaai Hotel & Spa is situated at the entrance to the estate, a 10-minute drive from George Airport, and hosts conferencing and wedding functions. The award-winning Freesia Spa offers seven treatment suites. There are four restaurants, and a leisure centre with swimming pools.
Full-length range at estate entrance, close to Oubaai Hotel & Spa. Home to ASM Academy owned by Adam McKinlay (Southern Cape PGA Pro of the Year) which offers junior programmes aimed at US college scholarships. PGA pro Maurice Prinsloo does lessons. Club fitting with TrackMan. Head office of Switch Grips SA. At the clubhouse there is a short-game area and separate putting green.
1/ Oubaai is close to the holiday resort of Herold’s Bay, where Ernie Els and his family have had homes for many years. It was where he entertained members of the International team during the 2003 Presidents Cup match at Fancourt.
2/ Walkers are welcome at Oubaai, with pull carts and clubs to hire.
3/ There are 176 homes and 120 apartments on the estate, all occupied. There are outdoor gyms at various areas. Activities include a heritage hiking trail, fishing, cycling, bird watching hides, and whale viewing deck.
4/ Oubaai hosted 2013 SA Strokeplay championship, won by Haydn Porteous with a 13-under total of 275, and 2010 Vodacom Origins Final won by Justin Harding.
5/ First club in SA to host men’s Interprovincial events in three consecutive years: 2017 Mid-Amateur; 2018 Premier; 2019 Juniors.
6/ Ernie Els and nephew Jovan Rebula, 2018 British Amateur champion, share the course record of 61.
2022 Michael Wallace & Jasmin Furstenburg
2021 Calvin Maia & Jasmin Furstenburg
2020 Pieter Smit & Jasmin Furstenburg
2019 Caylum Boon & Lenza de Jager
Would have expected more at Oubaai. Driving range completely on the other side of the course. Need to drive there through two gates. Then back to the first hole if you would like going to practice green. The bunkers had rocks in. No fairway distance markers. You need to find a sprinkler head to find out your distance. The halfway house was disappointing.
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