OB Sports Golf Management has assumed club management duties for Royal Blue Golf Club in Nassau, Bahamas. “We’re excited to be a part of such an incredible golf and resort development, especially with a golf course that is considered one of the best in the world,” said C.A. Roberts, President of OB Sports. “Everything at Royal Blue is first-class, from the course conditions to the panoramic views on every hole. It should be on every player’s bucket list.The first Jack Nicklaus Signature Design in Nassau, Royal Blue measures 7,189-yards, and plays to a par of 72. It is part of a $4.2 billion luxury beachfront resort development, Baha Mar, that will eventually include three world-class hotels with more than 2,300 rooms. The hotels will cost $300 to $500 a night. The development will also include more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges, the largest casino in the Bahamas and more than 30 luxury retail outlets.

Baha Mar was announced in 2005 as a $1.6 billion project. Construction did not begin until 2011 after the developer secured funding from the Export-Import Bank of China. It was scheduled to open in May 2015, but the project declared bankruptcy with when it was more than 90 percent complete. The developer blamed it on the contractor, the China Construction America. The project was revived in November when the Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises bought the resort from the Export-Import Bank of China for an undisclosed sum. The Export-Import Bank invested $700 million to finish building the resort. 

The high-end resort is sparing no expense for guests. Golfers, for example, can rent one of more than 100 sets of top-of-the line clubs, including handmade Itobori clubs from Japan, which retail for $8,000.

OB Sports, which has only two east coast courses, one in Florida and one in Tennessee, is providing two of its best employees to run the course. Sean Cracraft, who is Director of Golf at Royal Blue, was a former vice president of operations for the company. Long-time OB veteran Andy Deiro is Head Golf Professional.

“Between the two of them, they have more than 40 years of experience working with OB Sports,” Roberts said. “Their leadership of the golf operation and support to the broader Baha Mar development will be invaluable.”