Sand Valley Golf Resort: Top 100 Golf Resorts in the World

A view of the Sand Valley course at Sand Valley Golf Resort
Sand Valley Golf Resort.
3 Photos

Quick Facts

  • Number of Rooms

    118 (lodge rooms, suites, 1, 2, 4, and 8-bed cottages)
  • Amenities

    Grass court tennis/ hiking and running / fat-tire biking / bocce / water sports / fitness center
  • Number of courses

    5
  • Course designers

    Sand Valley (Coore & Crenshaw), Mammoth Dunes (David McLay Kidd), Sedge Valley (Tom Doak) The Lido (C.B. Macdonald, Tom Doak recreation), The Sandbox, a 17-hole par-3 course (Coore & Crenshaw)

Resort Overview

Developer Mike Keiser already had Bandon Dunes and Cabot Links on his résumé when he cut the ribbon at Sand Valley in 2017, in the sand barrens of central Wisconsin. No ocean? No problem. Nearest major airport 2.5 hours away? They will come. Now operated by Keiser’s sons, Michael and Chris, who were deeply involved in its development, the resort has emerged as a remote bucket-lister on par with Bandon. The original course, Sand Valley, is beautiful and fair with shot values appealing to a broad swath of players. Mammoth Dunes, in contrast, defies the space-time continuum. Its scale is otherworldly, allowing for shot-making of boundless creativity. While the resort’s 17-hole short course doubles as an architecture lesson with its Biarritz, Lion’s Mouth and Redan greens, the greatest design wonder is the newly opened Lido, a faithful reproduction of a fabled lost course in Long Island. Though it’s a private course, it grants limited tee times to Sand Valley resort guests. As if that’s not enough, more is coming. Work is underway on Sedge Valley, a sub-6,000-yard design by Tom Doak inspired by the heathland courses of England.

Highlights

EAT

$1 dollar brats at the turnstand at Mammoth Dunes

DRINK

Spotted Cow, a cream ale available only in Wisconsin, is especially delicious on draft

STAY

8-bed cottages, perfect for blowout buddies’ trips

3 things to know

  • Best time to go

    June-October
  • Best non-golf amenity

    Grass tennis courts
  • Insider Tip

    Stop by Craig’s Porch for $1 tacos and beers.
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