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Hole 1

Hole Name

From The Tee A relatively straightforward opening Par 4 hole that generally plays with a helping south westerly prevailing wind. Golfers will be greeted with a generous wide and undulating fairway to help get their rounds underway.

From The Fairway Like most tee shots at Sanctuary Lakes the closer your tee shots get to the deep fairway bunkers, the better the angle that opens up for your approach shots into the green. A missed tee shot right of the fairway will result in a difficult blind second shot out of thick fescue rough.

On The Green A well struck tee shot will leave a mid-iron to the green. Longer hitters who can get over the rise will gain extra metres and leave a relatively easy pitch up to an elevated green protected by a large deep bunker short right, and a tricky smaller pot bunker on the left-hand side.

Hole 2

Hole Name

From The Tee From an elevated tee, golfers face a mid-length Par 3 with a wetland down the entire right hand side and behind the green. The large back-to-front sloped green is protected by a bunker short and left, and another bunker back left.

From The Fairway

On The Green Whilst the wetland should be avoided at all costs, an up and down from either bunker, or anywhere left of the green will prove challenging and could even bring the wetland back into play. Judging the wind is tricky and any golfer walking off with a par should be satisfied.

Hole 3

Hole Name

From The Tee A wide and generous fairway for the first of the short Par 4s will provide most players who hit an accurate drive with a good chance at a birdie. Tee shots with a left to right shape can easily bounce into a deep creek that runs all along the right hand side of the fairway.

From The Fairway Tee shots that miss left will end up in long thick grass and leave a terrible angle and blind shot into the green. The green is elevated and narrow with interesting undulations and subtle breaks.

On The Green It is protected on the left hand side by one of the largest and deepest bunkers on the course. A deep swale on the right hand side is almost impossible to recover from, and beware the false front of the green that will punish lofted approach shots containing too much spin.

Hole 4

Hole Name

From The Tee The first of the Par 5s is a wonderful strategic hole that makes you think over every shot. The tee shot is dominated by a water carry and a small deep bunker right in the middle of the fairway that has a nasty habit of collecting any balls that go near it!

From The Fairway Brave tee shots that take on the left side will be rewarded with a shorter second shot that makes the green reachable, and an eagle or birdie a possibility.

On The Green The collection of bunkers on the right of the green are very deep and hard to recover from. Approach shots that end up in the deep swale on the left or over the back will bring a big score into play.

Hole 5

Hole Name

From The Tee One of only 3 holes on the course that plays in an easterly direction. The 5th is a strong straight par 4 with a rolling undulating fairway where flat lies are very rare.

From The Fairway A large section of the fairway is hidden in a large bowl over the deep fairway bunkers on the right hand side. A well struck and accurate tee shot will leave players with a mid to short iron approach shot, unless the wind is from the east where the hole will play at least 2 clubs longer.

On The Green The green has 2 distinct tiers and a deep hidden swale that collects any shot missed on the right hand side. Any approach shot that lands near the front of the green could roll back to the bottom of a deep swale. This hole will reward 2 good solid shots. Any player walking off with par will be quite satisfied.

Hole 6

Hole Name

From The Tee A beautiful par 3 where players are forced to negotiate a carry over a small and deep lake. Any shots missing the green short or left will bounce back to a watery grave.

From The Fairway Any shots that choose to avoid the water by bailing out on the right hand side, will be presented with a difficult bunker or chip shot to a green that slopes away from the player.

On The Green The green is large and wide and has a distinct right to left angle, with a steep slope that will repel shots at the back. This hole will reward creative shots that use the various slopes to access pin placements tucked behind the bunker on the left, or placed over in the back third of the green.

Hole 7

Hole Name

From The Tee A straightforward short par 4 with a generous fairway. Big hitters will be tempted to blast away, however be aware of the deep fairway bunker on the left hand side and the lake that creeps in the further you hit it down the right hand side.

From The Fairway Any pin placement in the front right section of the green will offer plenty of birdie chances.

On The Green Pins tucked away on the tricky shelf back right, or in the back left section of the large undulating green will be difficult to access and will bring 3 putts into play. Any approach shots that find the deep front bunkers or the back right bunker will leave an awkward up and down.

Hole 8

Hole Name

From The Tee A spectacular long par 5 that is sure to feature on your list of most memorable holes at Sanctuary Lakes. The fairway sits at you diagonally requiring you to shape the ball left to right if you want to avoid the gnarly rough on the left hand side.

From The Fairway A wall of large deep bunkers on the right side entice you to take on a heroic carry. Once the tee shot is negotiated the second shot presents similar decision making. The largest bunker on the course sits menacingly 100 metres short of the green.

On The Green Players who are unlucky enough to find the bunker, or who lay up short of it will be left with a blind uphill shot to a narrow, undulating hourglass shaped green.

Hole 9

Hole Name

From The Tee The closing hole on the front 9 is a strong par 4 that generally plays into the prevailing south westerly wind. Any tee shots missed to the right will present players with a challenging blind shot for their second.

From The Fairway The approach shot must be accurate to avoid the bunkers and the wild native scrub on the left hand side. The front third of the green slopes away from the fairway and any shots hitting the right side of the green will fall away into a deep swale.

On The Green

Hole 10

Hole Name

From The Tee

From The Fairway A strong par 4 awaits players as they start the back 9. Where to aim your tee shot will strongly depend on where the pin placement is on each day. Any pins tucked behind a group of bunkers on the left hand side of the green will require tees shots to be played towards the right side of the fairway.

On The Green Tee shots aimed in this direction will need to be precise to avoid a couple of small deep bunkers that guard the best angle into the green.

Hole 11

Hole Name

From The Tee Arguably the trickiest par 3 on the course, walking off with a par on this hole is never a bad score. A precise mid-to-long iron shot will be required to hit a narrow green with a steep slope from back to front.

From The Fairway

On The Green Deep bunkers protect the green on all sides and should be avoided at all costs. Any pins placed on the back shelf will be hard to access, especially if there are any cross winds present. A tough hole!

Hole 12

Hole Name

From The Tee A mid-length, left to right shaped par 5 that will provide plenty of birdies, and the occasional eagle chance. The fairway is one of the most undulating and interesting on the course.

From The Fairway Tee shots with the wrong shape will bounce off into a deep swale on the left side, or into two strategically placed bunkers, or high mounds and deep rough on the right hand side.

On The Green Tee shots that manage to find the fairway will often end up with a hanging lie, making shots going for the green in two tricky to negotiate.

Hole 13

Hole Name

From The Tee The only hole that plays in an East to West direction on the course, the 13th is rated in the top 3 hardest holes on the course. A well struck right to left shaped tee shot will leave a long to mid-iron shot to a slightly elevated green with three distinct levels.

From The Fairway Any tee shots that miss the fairway will bring a nasty cross bunker into play that is strategically positioned 50 metres short of the green. Avoid this bunker at all costs if you want to keep a big score off your card.

On The Green Another ‘no go area’ is over the back of the green where there is a steep drop off with thick grass and a small pond over the back right bunker. Many rounds have been ruined by one loose shot on the difficult 13th hole!

Hole 14

Hole Name

From The Tee Don’t be deceived by the generous fairway and somewhat straightforward appearance of this mid-length par 4. It often plays into the afternoon southerly wind from nearby Port Philip Bay, making it a much longer hole than the 365 metres on the card.

From The Fairway Like most holes on the course, the 14th is all about positioning your tee shot on the side of the fairway that gives you the best angle for your approach shot.

On The Green With a green depth of over 40 metres sloping from front to back and right to left, the best angle of approach requires tee shots to skirt the bunkers on the left hand side of the fairway.

Hole 15

Hole Name

From The Tee After negotiating back-to-back challenging holes, golfers will look forward to the shortest par 4 on the course. Measuring at just over 300 metres, long hitters will be tempted to try and drive the green and make a birdie or better.

From The Fairway But beware of the 5 strategically placed fairway bunkers that will leave awkward recovery shots should you be unlucky enough to find one of them. The sensible play might be to take less than driver to avoid the trouble and leave a shot of less than 100 metres in to a small and undulating green.

On The Green Any pin placement on the back shelf will require a pinpoint pitch with just the right amount of spin to keep your ball on the right level. A hole that will yield a lot more birdies than bogeys, but those who are overly aggressive or wayward will be punished.

Hole 16

Hole Name

From The Tee The 16th is the start of a memorable and fearsome finishing 3 holes that some astute judges rate as one of the best closing stretches in Australian golf! This is a classic three shot par 5 that often plays into a south westerly wind.

From The Fairway The rolling fairway rises over a hill with deep bunkers left and right waiting to catch any shot slightly off line. A tee shot to the top of the hill will leave almost 300 metres to the green.

On The Green Those players laying up will need to decide how close to get to the wetlands that guard the last 100 metres of the hole. Don’t get too greedy with your lay up shot as the fairway slopes downhill into the wetland.

Hole 17

Hole Name

From The Tee The longest of the par 3s awaits as a tough test, especially into a gusty Melbourne northerly wind. A series of bunkers guard the left hand side of the hole starting well short of the green.

From The Fairway Further left is marshy wetland. The adventurous player might want to take the wind out of play, and bounce a ‘links style shot’ using the contours short of the green to their advantage to access tricky pin placements on the left side, or front of the green.

On The Green The green itself is one of the most distinctive on the course, with a prominent spine running down the entire middle of the green. Anyone on the wrong side of the spine will find an ‘up and down’ difficult to judge. A strong hole where birdies are rare!

Hole 18

Hole Name

From The Tee

From The Fairway

On The Green At over 400 metres long, the 18th is as challenging as it is memorable! The right-to-left sloping fairway is devoid of any bunkers, however beware the lake that frames the entire left hand side of the hole. Golfers playing away from the lake will be confronted with a hanging lie, and a long iron or more into an island green!