RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY REVIEWS PAGE 22
oubaai golf resort & Spa
The Garden Route is where everyone would live if they could. The most stunning coastal scenery, forests, mountains, fynbos, pretty little towns with small farms, farm stalls, quaint coffee shops and a whole host of fun activities like mountain biking, hiking, paragliding, kayaking and more. What’ s not to love?
If you even remotely enjoy playing golf, you will love the Garden Route, with nine golf courses between Mossel Bay and George alone. That’ s nine courses, some among the top ten in the country, within just 50 km. If you love golf, you’ ll think you’ ve died and gone to heaven. Especially when you enter the Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa.
The Ernie Els-designed 6 516-meter championship course meanders around the bright green clifftops overlooking the Indian Ocean and the Gwaing River, with the Outeniqua mountains in the background. The par-3 17th hole is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. There’ s also a pro shop, putting greens and a driving range in case you want to polish your skills before heading out onto the fairways.
But, hard as it is for some to understand, there is more to life than golf. And that’ s where Oubaai really shines. Once there, you will probably never want to leave. You can jog, walk or cycle the network of trails on the estate, stopping to enjoy the view of springbuck and bushbuck who roam freely on the estate or gaze out over the ocean and very likely spot some whales and even dolphins. The two whale decks that have been built by the homeowners’ association( HOA) are strategically placed to enjoy a late afternoon sundowner. The dynamic rock formations and secret coves below make for brilliant fishing spots.
The success of Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa can be attributed to the vision of the developers, passion of the local residents and strong leadership in the HOA.
Considering that the estate measures 242 hectares and yet has only 322 erven and 128 village units, it’ s a very sparsely populated piece of land. Privacy, space, quiet green vistas and contemporary coastal design are all part of the deal. The course and residential stands are designed to be enfolded in the contours of the site, leaving space for flowers and other vegetation. And, as Oubaai is situated within the Cape Floral Kingdom, the plants and flowers are many, varied and beautiful.
Today Kharafi Holdings manages the golf course, hotel and spa, and the residential estate is under the auspices of the HOA.
Willem Marx is both estate manager and a trustee, one of the early investors in the estate. He laughs:“ We came for a holiday, and never left.” Willem’ s passion for the estate is evident when you drive around and meet the staff who work with him.
whale viewing deck