Sanctuary Cove

About the club

When Arnold Palmer crafted Sanctuary Cove's Pines in the late 1980s, there were few other courses in this area beyond Surfers Paradise to the north. The Pines has now come into its own as a private club that serves members, their guests and guests at the hotel, having repeatedly hosted the Australian Skins Game. Palmer described the course as "very special to me because it is my first design work in Australia. The striking pine forest, combined with elements of water and abundant natural wildlife, provided a wonderful canvas for us to create a very special golfing environment." Palmer's brief was to make the course tough, so he installed plentiful hazards and water, large bunkers, carefully defended greens and some long shots. The considerable length of 6681 meters off the back tees and those long carries discourage all but the best; the rest are advised to visit the neighboring Palms.