Since the hotel first opened, the Sandy Lane Resort has been known for its golf. The first, The Old Nine, is a nine-hole course and was built along with the hotel in 1961. The other two, The Green Monkey and The Country Club, are both 18-hole championship courses and were designed by the well-known golf course designer Tom Fazio. The Green Monkey has been reported as being the most expensive golf course ever built. In 2006 The Country Club hosted the World Golf Championships World Cup, which was won by Germany.
On 5 October 2004, professional Golfer Tiger Woods married his Swedish fiancée Elin Nordegren at the resort. It was reported that Woods booked out the entire hotel for his guests, who included Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates and Michael Jordan. The owners of the hotel, who include Woods' close friend J.P. McManus, reportedly threw the wedding at the hotel as a gift for the couple.
On 11 November 2011, NBC's Today filmed the day five segment of Where in the World Is Matt Lauer? pool-side and on the beach of the resort hotel.
