Sandy Lane Green Monkey
The Green Monkey is the most exclusive round in the Caribbean, a Tom Fazio design carved into the walls of a former limestone quarry at the Sandy Lane resort. Opened in 2004 as a par 72 of about 7,343 yards, it is reserved for resort guests and members, and counts among the most expensive golf courses ever built.
Photo: Sandy Lane via Google.
The verdict
The Green Monkey is golf as spectacle and privilege in equal measure. Tom Fazio built it into a disused coral limestone quarry behind the Sandy Lane resort, opening in 2004, and the result is unlike anything else in the region: sheer white rock walls rising above the fairways, severe elevation changes, and a par 72 of about 7,343 yards that uses the bowl of the old quarry as its stage. It is routinely cited among the most expensive courses ever built.
The exclusivity is the point. The Green Monkey is not a course you simply book; it is reserved for Sandy Lane guests and members, with limited tee times, so playing it means staying at one of the Caribbean's grandest hotels. The famous monkey shaped bunker on the 16th is the calling card. For a Barbados golf trip this is the bucket list round, set against the established championship of Royal Westmoreland and the modern routing at Apes Hill.
The Green Monkey at a glance
- Opened
- 2004
- Designer
- Tom Fazio
- Type
- Quarry
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,343 yds
- Access
- Resort guests only
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the resort and leading course databases; the Green Monkey is a Tom Fazio design that opened in 2004, a par 72 of about 7,343 yards in a former limestone quarry. Access is reserved for Sandy Lane guests and members; green fees are indicative and high, broadly from about US$350 upward for 18 holes for eligible players, so always confirm current access and rates directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The quarry walls are the defining feature. Fazio set holes within the bowl of the old workings, so towering rock faces frame tee shots and the elevation swings from high tees down to fairways far below. The contrast between the white limestone, the manicured turf and the tropical planting gives the round a theatrical quality that photographs like nowhere else in the Caribbean.
The 16th is the signature. A green monkey shaped bunker, a nod to the primate that gives the course its name, sits beside the hole and has become the image most associated with the layout. At about 7,343 yards off the back the course has real length, but the elevation changes and the framing make it as much an experience as a test.
For a Barbados trip we treat the Green Monkey as the headline, tied to a Sandy Lane stay. It pairs with the resort's public facing Old Nine for a relaxed second round, and with Royal Westmoreland and Apes Hill nearby for the championship golf. The order of play is dictated by your resort dates.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Reserved for Sandy Lane resort guests and members; not open to general public play, with limited daily tee times |
| Indicative green fee | Indicative for 2026 and high, broadly from about US$350 upward for 18 holes for eligible players; always confirm directly before booking |
| Designer and year | Tom Fazio, opened 2004; a par 72 of about 7,343 yards built into a former limestone quarry |
| Booking window | Tie tee times to your Sandy Lane stay and reserve early, especially in the December to April high season |
| Getting there | At the Sandy Lane resort in Saint James on the west coast, roughly 30 to 40 minutes from Grantley Adams International Airport |
Access and fees verified June 2026 from the resort and leading course databases. Green fees are third party and indicative for the 2026 season; access is tied to a Sandy Lane stay and rates vary, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability and we will build the round into your trip.
Where to stay nearby
For the Green Monkey there is only one base: Sandy Lane itself. The resort on the platinum west coast is the gateway to the course, and a stay there is the way to secure the limited tee times. It is one of the grand hotels of the Caribbean, with the beach, the spa and the dining to match the golf.
From Sandy Lane the rest of the island's championship golf is a short drive away, so we can add Royal Westmoreland and Apes Hill to the schedule and keep your base on the coast. Tell us your dates and your group and we will match the resort stay to the golf you want.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts at Sandy Lane and the west coast.
Plan your Barbados golf trip
The Green Monkey is the bucket list round of the Caribbean, a Fazio course in a quarry reserved for Sandy Lane guests. We arrange the resort stay that unlocks it, the tee times and the order of play, and cost it to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling.
Green Monkey questions
Who designed the Green Monkey and when did it open?
The Green Monkey at Sandy Lane is a Tom Fazio design that opened in 2004, a par 72 of about 7,343 yards carved into a former limestone quarry on the west coast of Barbados. It is named after the green monkey native to the island.
Can visitors play the Green Monkey?
The Green Monkey is reserved for guests staying at the Sandy Lane resort and club members, and tee times are limited. It is not open to general public play. Always confirm current access and rates directly before booking.
What makes the Green Monkey so distinctive?
The course is built into the walls of an old limestone quarry, so exposed white rock faces tower over the fairways and the elevation changes are severe. It is one of the most expensive courses ever built and among the most exclusive in the Caribbean.
When is the best time to play the Green Monkey?
The dry season from about December to April is the prime window in Barbados. Because access is tied to a Sandy Lane stay, plan your dates around resort availability and confirm tee times when you book the room.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; access is tied to a Sandy Lane stay and green fees are indicative for the 2026 season and subject to change. Last reviewed June 2026.