NASSAU (The Bahamas) – The 16th tee of Royal Blue is perched above the green at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in the ultra-elegant Baha Mar Resort. You get the feeling that you are taking in all the course has to offer.
The green doesn’t sit on an island but rather on a peninsula that protrudes into Lake Cunningham. It taunts those above, with its come-hither appearance, and a putting surface that is difficult to hold. The lake is calm and dark along the 16th hole, even though Cable Beach nearby has turquoise waves.
The round will be a test of nerves by this stage, with the course winding through a variety of holes. Some look like former swamps, while others appear as though they were carved into the Queen’s Staircase in Nassau, renowned for its limestone.
The Baha Mar resort in Nassau, Bahamas features three hotels, including the Grand Hyatt and the SLS. (Courtesy Baha Mar).
The 16th hole is often a place where players, whether elated or angry, have a sort of epiphany. Looking back at the tee, they are struck by the rockscapes which look like they were traversed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. It may seem strange, but it’s more interesting to take a look back at the 16th than it is to look ahead. It’s a great achievement, especially when you consider the magnificent view that is visible from the front.
It’s also the perfect representation of the resort as a whole, which has recovered from its ashes. Looking back at Baha Mar’s history might be just as interesting as looking ahead to its certain-to-be-brilliant future.
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Baha Mar’s story is not just one of luxury and indulgence but also perseverance and determination.
The property was home to another golf course, located just west of Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas. This additional piece of bait was used to attract potential tourists to this remote paradise. Cable Beach Golf Club was a course that was associated with the British Colonial Hotel, located four miles away. It offered Floridians and others from the Southeast United States a slice home, a flat, challenging run of holes, with water as a constant danger.
Jack Nicklaus was the designer of the Royal Blue Course at Baha mar. (Courtesy Baha Mar).
Designers stuck to their game plan when Nicklaus’ team came to renovate and add to Royal Blue. They did so smartly. The front may look familiar but the run is interesting with enough bailout points to avoid the wet stuff.
Royal Blue’s first holes are designed to ease you into your round as long as you stay dry. The resort is always visible in the first stretch. Even average players can post a decent number on the turn, aside from the second hole which is a long one and has a lake as a backdrop. Water hazards are present on eight of the nine first holes, so it’s not easy to stay dry. The only hole without water in front is the par-4 5th. It has so many bunkers that it looks like an entire beach was sacrificed.
Who’s to claim that any of it is simple? Even those hazards that appeared to be easy to navigate, the resort has struggled with avoiding them.
The financial crisis in 2008 put an abrupt end to plans that were once a must-do project for a native billionaire whose father made his fortune from a peanut monopoly. The project was restarted by a Chinese conglomerate, but a constant flow of Chinese workers were imported to bypass the island’s largely unemployed workforce. Locals ridiculed the project, calling it a foolish idea.
The resort declared bankruptcy in 2016, even though the work was nearly completed and the resort had not yet opened its doors. It seemed that this combination of golf, surf and sand would never see the light of day.
A Hong Kong-based company managed to get the ball in the goal and since then, guests have been flocking to the three hotels: the Grand Hyatt (which houses most of Baha Mar’s 2,300 rooms), the ritzy, opulent SLS, and the ultra-luxurious Rosewood.
Costa offers upscale Mexican food in the elegant Rosewood. I recommend lobster tacos with brussels spouts and mole.
Baha Mar has a lazy river flowing through it (courtesy of Baha Mar).
If you can, play golf at Baha Mar. It’s a great way to enjoy the back nine holes that wind through limestone. The 10th hole is a short, but fun one, where you drop from an elevated tee to what feels like a quarries.
The fairways on the back are not as narrow, but they’re still a challenge. No. On No. 14, the second shot is a par 4, and the green is unprotected from the front. If you pull the ball to the left, it will land in a dense forest of Caribbean Pines that is hard to escape. If you misjudge your distance, it’s easy to hit the ball too far, especially if you are playing uphill. You will find yourself in a 15-foot limestone embankment, where the ball can be thrown back almost as fast as it was originally thrown.
The tricky shot on 16 is followed by a couple of holes that climb up to the finish line with 18. This time, the wall of limestone along with some strategically placed bunkers will give the players a thrilling ride.
Royal Blue’s free-flowing tee box system allows it to play up to 7,189 yards. However, you should choose the distance from which you want to view the course. Andy Deiro (director of golf, resident Kansas City Chiefs supporter) said, “They are suggestions” when asked about tee positions on the massive staging area. Have fun with them.”
The pool at Baha Mar. (Courtesy Baha Mar).
The future is bright for a resort whose construction cost more than $4 billion. Royal Blue has risen triumphantly to No. Golfweek’s Best Rankings in the Bahamas has ranked Royal Blue No. 1 and the top 20 golf courses worldwide in 2022.
There have been many times in the recent past that it seemed like this little piece of paradise would never again see players.
There are few drawbacks to this property. The only thing I can think of is the lack of beachfront views. The history of the property makes this view all the more enjoyable.
