LESS than two years after the last flag was lifted from Castle Harbour and the bulldozers moved in, Bermuda's newest championship course is about to be unveiled.

Next Wednesday - May 1 - all 18 holes at Tucker's Point will finally be open for play. While members have had chance to sample nine of the holes over the past few weeks, they'll now get the opportunity to see the new lay-out in its entirety.

And Tucker's Point general manager Bruce Fraser has no doubts they'll enjoy the experience. While some of the old Castle Harbour holes remain similar, not one has escaped designer Roger Rulewich's attention.

With a new clubhouse and driving range still to be constructed, the course begins near what was number 14 at Castle. Along the way new holes have been carved out of the landscape, some of the old holes dramatically changed, Tiff-eagle grass planted on all of the greens, and a man-made lake constructed.

There's still work to be done, but Fraser says he's delighted with what he's seen so far.

"It's going very well and we're very happy with what's happening," said Fraser. "Membership is swelling. We've had a lot of people who are really interested in our product.

"We've done a lot more work than what was on our original schedule. We're very much where we want to be. But you can't rush these things. We're selling memberships on an entirely different scheme than anything that's been done in Bermuda before, and you don't want to sell a product half-baked.

"I'm a great believer in show and tell ... what you're telling is what you're going to show.

"But we're very happy with what we've done. We don't have any complications with the agronomy and things like that. The Tiff-eagle is absolutely superb. It's well rooted."

Fraser insists those who once played Castle Harbour will now see something completely different. "From the big picture, it is a completely different course," he said. "Certain holes, like the old number seven, feel the same if you play them from certain tees. But most holes have had dramatic changes done to them. Don't forget that every hole has got a new green, so if you played Castle Harbour before you'd see that the contours are totally different. If you tried to hit the same putt it's not going to go where it went before and, of course, the Tiff-eagle has made the greens so much quicker.

"Those who have played nine holes in the last few weeks have told us they think it's absolutely lovely."

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The skills of CBS TV commentator Peter Oosterhuis have apparently diminished little since his days competing on both the European and US PGA Tours as well as in the Ryder Cup. After rain had washed out a tournament at Riddell's Bay last week in which Oosterhuis had hoped to help members of the Bermuda Senior Golf Society celebrate their 50th anniversary, he managed to get out on the course when the weather improved in the afternoon.And those he played with were reportedly impressed as the tall, amiable Brit turned in a bogey-free round of 67.