I played the course for the first time in 1992 I believe so just about a year after it hosted the Ryder Cup. I tend to agree with you, the condition was good but not great. I played it for the second time about 3 years later and the improvements were dramatic. The fairways were lush and firm, the rough well defined, the green very good.
Most of my rounds on the Ocean Course have been played in the summer but I have had the chance to play it in the spring and fall. The green speed is night and day different. The subtle breaks are very difficult when the stimpmeter is running at 12 or more versus the summer speeds that are probably 10.
Great course to play and there are several more as a part of the grouping, can't remember if there are 3 or 4 but all within a few miles of each other. The Ocean course is 20 years old now and a mature course, hard to believe it was that long ago that it hosted the Ryder Cup known as the War by the Shore.