The Sands Torquay is a residential golf resort set slightly north of the popular Victorian seaside village of Torquay. The golf course itself was a collaboration between Brit Stenson of IMG Golf Course Services and leading Australian tour player Stuart Appleby.

On the back of hosting the innovative Surf Coast Knockout tournament, the Sands shot into the Golf Digest Top 100 ranking list of Australian Golf Courses in 2012. The merit of its position within the list was instantly debated, with some loving the unusual quasi-Sandbelt, quasi-links mix and others feeling that the bunkering was overdone in places and the design of several holes inexcusably busy. The course has subsequently dropped off the Australian Top 100 list.

Despite some design issues and the test being especially difficulty for shorter hitters and poorer players, The Sands is generally well maintained and there are some memorable holes. One such example is the par three 13th played to a nicely bunkered green up an elevated bluff. There are a number of other decent green sites on the course, and were some of the bunkers smaller and more of the design softened down the course would no doubt be a more enjoyable test for more golfers.

As with many golf courses, ultimately the biggest disappointment with The Sands Torquay is that few of the holes are individually outstanding. There are some who enjoy the open, windswept feel of this course, and others who like the bold, sprawling Sandbelt style bunkering but few that would be able to mount a compelling case that it belongs higher up the list of Australia’s best courses. It does have potential, however, and is part of an increasingly popular destination region.