Mere mortals like Mirror and I don’t get to play a golf course like The Pines at Sanctuary Cove that often. Unless it’s a charity day or you’re staying at the local 5 star hotel nonmembers are usually required to tee off on the shorter course, The Palms and while there’s nothing wrong with that track- in my mind it’s certainly not The Pines.
Carved out of 101 hectares of pine forest this only Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course in Australia is a par 72, 6681 metre long tree and water paradise. Adam Scott, Sanctuary Cove’s famous Ambassador and resident doesn’t hold back in his praise “When I think of great golf in Australia, I think of The Pines , a true test of the game”.
To remind you how Golf Getaway works- Mirror and I like to play the course first, go away and fine tune the scripts then come back a few days later with a film crew and guests. Today was our ‘get to know it’ day and we were like a couple of school boys off to see their first x rated movie. To absorb the course fully we like to play off the back markers – always a challenge not just because of our handicaps but because we don’t really know where we are going.
But enough excuses let’s play golf. The first is a magnificent hole with mature pines left and right and at Par 4, 371 metres, index 10- a tough start. Mirror wiped and I hit a 5. Not a bad start but to be fair neither of us got going all day- although there were some moments- like the 5th for me- a nice par and we both pared the 7th. In the end I took the honours for the day although with a score that would hardly frighten the course record. But then it was better than mirror and that’s the main thing, right?
What I love about The Pines is the sense of space the trees give you- you’re playing golf in the middle of a growing forest speckled with lakes and kangaroos and over looked by some of the most visually stunning homes you have ever seen. It’s almost a surreal experience which I must say has stayed with me long after I putted out on the 18th. Also nice to finish up in the flash new club rooms- over 13 million dollars spent here and it shows.
A great day- couldn’t fault it in any way- our thanks to everyone at Sanctuary Cove and to Arnie our congratulations- your only signature course in Australia is a little beauty.
To watch the full episode from Sanctuary Cove – The Pines click here.
Shaun “Fade” Fay www.GolfGetaway.com.au
