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Hole-by-hole guide to the Ocean Club course

THE Ocean Club course, Paradise Island, was redesigned in 2000 by Tom Weiskopf, twice a major champion who lengthened and opened the layout to the scenic ocean views while infusing the course with tougher strategic features. The original design of the Ocean Club, which opened in 1954, was the work of Dick Wilson.

  1. 362 yards, par 4

Slightly uphill into the wind and through a grove of ficus trees. A large bunker protects the left-hand side of the fairway. Three bunkers protect the green area, which is nestled in some of the course’s largest stands of trees.

  1. 374 yards, par 4

A medium-length hole that plays slightly downhill. The second shot is uphill to a small contoured green. The little pot bunker to the left of the green will capture a few balls.

  1. 167 yards, par 3

The longest par three on the course has wetlands surrounding the front and back of the greens. From the tee, you have a view of the course and waters of The Bahamas.

  1. 535 yards, par 5

This long par five is very reachable for the big hitters because it plays predominately downwind. The tee shot is demanding and narrow with two bunkers on the left and one on the right in the landing area. Bunkers on both sides protect the green.

  1. 183 yards, par 3

A long, slightly uphill short hole. The undulating and demanding green is protected in front by deep bunkers on both sides and a deep bunker in the rear.

  1. 370 yards, par 4

The tee shot on this short par four is dictated by a huge bunker down the entire right-hand side and palm trees on the left. The green, the smallest on the course, is hidden by a hillside and protected by two small bunkers on the left.

  1. 480 yards, par 5

This shortish par five has a narrow driving area protected on the left by water and on the right by a large bunker. Two bunkers, 30 yards short of the hidden green, control the second shot. The conservative approach is to lay up short of the bunkers, allowing for an easy pitch. The risk/reward challenge is to play between or over the bunkers, trying to reach in two.

  1. 310 yards, par 4

The shortest par four on the course but with the largest green. The hole plays along the ocean and the beach. It usually plays into the wind, but under the right conditions it can be driven by the longest of hitters. The green is large, well-contoured and well-bunkered.

  1. 385 yards, par 4

Water down the left for both the tee shot and second shot. A small bunker protects the front right portion of the green.

OUT 3,166 yards, par 36

  1. 388 yards, par 4

This medium-length hole begins from an elevated tee and usually plays downwind to a fairway protected by bunkers on both sides of the landing area. One bunker on the left protects the green.

  1. 542 yards, par 5

A long, slightly downhill par five played slightly into the prevailing winds with a slight dogleg to the right. Protecting the fairway are a wetland area to the right and large trees and a bunker to the left. The third shot plays to a small green surrounded by ocean to the right and behind with bunkers to the left.

  1. 170 yards, par 3

The tee shot is into the prevailing wind to a slightly elevated medium-size green surrounded by an array of bunkers.

  1. 353 yards, par 4

A long and demanding hole played into a strong prevailing wind. A bunker on the right side of the fairway gives the line but the second shot is extremely demanding, requiring accuracy. It plays slightly downhill to a green protected by ocean to the right and behind and with a bunker front left.

  1. 412 yards, par 4

A long hole with a directional bunker on the left, giving the line from the tee. The second shot plays uphill to a small, well-bunkered green.

  1. 530 yards, par 5

There are two choices from the tee. The best visibility and position is up the right half of the fairway. The conservative approach is to play the lower fairway up the left-hand side, but this puts demands on the third shot into a well-bunkered, small green.

  1. 397 yards, par 4

The start of the exciting stretch of finishing holes. Visually intimidating with water down the right off the tee, this hole is made even more difficult by the prevailing left-to-right winds. The second shot into a green protected by water on three sides is very demanding.

  1. 182 yards, par 3

Pinpoint accuracy is a must as a deep bunker and swale in the front and a bunker on the right protect this green.

  1. 485 yards, par 5

A reachable finishing hole starts with a demanding drive, with water down the right and a large fairway bunker to the left protecting the landing area of this dogleg-right hole. Going for it in two requires a second shot played slightly uphill to a three-tiered green which is protected in the front by deep bunkers on both sides.

IN 3,459 yards, par 37

TOTAL 6,625 yards,

par 73

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