Sand Valley

Walking golf on Wisconsin sand.

Sand Valley is in central Wisconsin, on sand left behind by an ancient glacial lake. The ground was covered in red pine plantations until the Keiser family, who built Bandon Dunes, cleared it and found rolling, sandy land beneath. The resort now has four 18-hole courses, a 17-hole short course and a 12-hole evening loop. All of them are walking only. The newest is The Lido, a recreation of C.B. Macdonald’s lost Long Island course. The resort works best as a stay of several days, with your caddie usually staying with your group the whole time.

Sand Valley green fees and tee times.

You can book golf-only tee times online or by emailing reservations@sandvalley.com, but most visitors book a golf-and-lodging package. The Lido is for resort guests only, Sunday to Thursday. The resort publishes a 2026 rate table that changes by season, guest status and number of holes. Rates exclude tax, and junior rates apply after 2 pm with a paying adult. Golf-only reservations cancelled within 30 days of arrival lose the full deposit. Tee times before 8 am are speed slots, expected to finish in under four hours. Later rounds are expected to take no more than 4 hours 15 minutes.

The courses at Sand Valley.

Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes

These are the two courses most first visits are built around. Sand Valley is the more strategic of the two, with sandy waste areas on many holes. Mammoth Dunes plays big and fun, with drivable par fours and generous fairways. Each has its own putting green next to the first tee, and a shuttle runs between them.

Sedge Valley and The Lido

Doak’s Sedge Valley is a shorter, quieter course. The Lido was restored by Doak and Brian Schneider from historian Peter Flory’s research. It is only for resort guests, Sunday to Thursday, with limited availability. The USGA has chosen it for four championships, starting with the 2026 U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Sandbox and Commons

Sandbox is Coore & Crenshaw’s 17-hole par-three course, and a round takes about two hours. Commons is a 12-hole course by Jim Craig, meant for a relaxed evening round, with lower caddie fees.

The round, in perspective.

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw opened the first course, Sand Valley, in 2017. It has wide, exposed sand areas and big skies. David McLay Kidd’s Mammoth Dunes followed in 2018 on even bigger ground. Its fairways are very wide and the green contours are bold, so it is the most forgiving course to start on. Tom Doak’s Sedge Valley is shorter and tighter, with meadow grasses and a more classic feel. The Lido recreates the 1914 Long Island course with Macdonald’s template holes, including the Alps, the Redan and the Eden, and greens averaging over 12,000 square feet. All the courses play firm on fast-draining sand.

Make the trip work.

You will walk over six miles a round, so carry a single- or double-strap bag under 25 pounds. Your caddie will suggest you take no more than 14 clubs, one layer and six balls. Push carts cost US$10 a day, though motorised trolleys struggle in the sand. Clubs rent for US$60 a day. The range is open from sunrise to an hour before dusk, and it closes at 5 pm on Thursdays. Book caddies at least a week ahead.

Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA), with American, Delta and United flights, is about 65 minutes away by car. Madison (MSN) is about 1 hour 40 minutes away. Milwaukee (MKE), Chicago O’Hare and Minneapolis-St Paul are between two and a half and three and a half hours away. The resort runs private shuttles, and outside firms cover transfers from the major airports.

Where it is.

Somewhere to settle in.

Lodging is all on site. Options include Lodge rooms, Wisconsin Suites, Crenshaw’s Cabin, Mammoth Suites, casitas and four-bedroom cottages. A 24-hour on-property shuttle picks you up from your door. The nearest towns, Nekoosa and Wisconsin Rapids, are about 20 to 30 minutes away and have only basic motels, so nearly everyone stays at the resort.

Make a trip of it.

Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run in Kohler are about two and a half hours east. Erin Hills, the 2017 U.S. Open course, is a little closer. The Wisconsin Dells and Devil’s Lake State Park are about an hour south, if you want a day off. On site there are racquet sports, hiking and fat-tyre biking.

Find your season.

The golf season runs from about late April to late October. June to September is warmest, and May and October can be cool but quiet. The resort runs a separate winter programme of non-golf activities, and the courses are closed under snow.