Oubaai’s general conditioning has improved considerably this year, a new fairway mower being a game-changer. This is a big golf course to maintain, the total mown area being 45 hectares, which is 50 percent more than most layouts. And being an out-and-back layout, some holes are far apart. It’s three kilometres from the maintenance compound to the 17th nearest the ocean. The fairway bunkers still have erosion and scarring on their faces, but that does not affect their playability, only aesthetics. The sand quality is good. And the hardness of the bunker faces means that balls bounce off them into the heart of the sand. They can also propel balls out of bunkers. No decision has yet been made by designer Ernie Els on the future of some bunkers. The course was a challenge on a windy day, most of the front nine holes into the prevailing westerly wind, but two are short 4s (2 and 8) so scoring is not overly difficult as the fairways are generously wide. The back nine has a long stretch of downwind or favourable crosswind holes all the way from the par-5 12th to par-3 17th. These are some of the most attractive holes on the course, particularly 15 and 16 which are standout long 4s
