New-look Royal Pines promises golf terrors

John Senden says the remodelled Royal Pines course on the Gold Coast will be a big step up from what players faced at last year's Australian PGA championship.

An all-new back nine awaits when the tournament begins on Thursday, which promises a far-more gruelling run home with tough, bunker-framed greens and a nightmare 18th hole featuring a steep eight-foot drop-off.

The front nine was finished in time for last year's PGA titles but course designer Graham Marsh said his strict intention was to "level the playing field" with his back-half changes, making it easier for weaker golfers to excel against grip-and-rip power players.

"It looks ready for a national championship. I think it's going to be a good week," Senden said.

"It's definitely probably a shot-and-a-half more difficult on the back now than it was before.

"The more difficult holes stand out really well ... it's going to be a great finale for the final stretch of holes."

A strong wind is expected on Thursday and American Brant Snedeker believes it be a huge factor.

"When the wind's blowing, it's going to be very, very difficult because of the rough that they have up, the green complexes - you can't really stop the ball out of the rough so it kind of leads itself to lots of missed greens," said Snedeker.

"There's lots of bunker trouble, there's lots of water hazards off the tee into the greens, so you're definitely going to have to be on your game to shoot a good score because it can jump up and bite you at any moment."