A Complete Guide to America’s Fastest-Growing Golf Destination, Sand Valley Golf Resort

The year was 2013 when Mike Keiser, the golf visionary behind Oregon’s Bandon Dunes, first laid eyes on the land that would later become Sand Valley Golf Resort. Pine-dotted and teeming with sandy soil deposited by a glacial lake thousands of years ago, the scruffy Wisconsin topography reminded the Midwestern entrepreneur of two golf courses: Sand Hills Golf Club in Nebraska, and New Jersey’s Pine Valley, ranked ninth and first respectively on Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses” list.

Knowing that the bulk of the world’s most venerated golf courses are built on sandy grounds due to their superb water drainage and the capacity to shape wild contours—all while producing firm-and-fast playing conditions—the evocative uber-private country clubs weren’t too shabby of a site comparison during that first impression. In an instant, Keiser had found his next big project and follow-up act to Bandon Dunes, America’s preeminent golf destination.

Fast-forward to the present, eight years after Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw’s original Sand Valley layout opened in 2017, and Keiser’s Dream Golf team have transformed the once-lonely central Wisconsin sand barrens into the coolest golfing playground in the country: five unique courses (with a sixth to come) designed by a who’s who of the game’s biggest-name architects laid out over some 12,000 acres of dunes, oaks, and pines.

In less than a decade, Sand Valley has entered the same elite territory that its all-world Pacific Coast sister-property has occupied for the last quarter-century. There’s no seaside-swinging at this golfing Eden in the heart of the American heartland, and still, public-access golf just doesn’t get any better (or more fun) than a fling with Sand Valley.

Come for the world-class golf, stay for the laidback vibes (and the $1 tacos!). Here’s how to make the most out of a trip to the buzziest golf resort in the country.

How to Get to Sand Valley Golf Resort

Like Bandon Dunes on the remote southern Oregon coast, Sand Valley’s tough-to-get-to central Wisconsin locale underscores its growing appeal as one of the world’s elite golf meccas.

Located 108 miles north of Madison in the itty-bitty town of Nekoosa, the property is best reached by commercial air and a rental car. The small Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) is an hour by car, and Madison’s Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is an hour and forty minutes by car. In terms of international airports, most golfers head to Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport (MKE), which is two and a half hours by car. Other options include Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), both of which require a three-and-a-half hour drive to reach the resort.

For large golf groups who don’t want to rent a car and want to get the party started early, private airport transfers are available for hire and can be found on Sand Valley’s website. You won’t need a car on site: from course to restaurant and clubhouse to lodging, shuttles buzz guests around the property 24 hours a day.

Sand Valley Golf Resort Travel Tips

1. Courses are walking-only. Be smart and book a caddie.

Some seasoned Sand Valley golfers skip having a looper. Sand Valley rookies should not. From picking target lines off the tee to identifying carry yardages to area history lessons to walking hands-free, every aspect of your round—including your score—will benefit from a caddie on your bag ($100 plus gratuity). They know which slopes to aim for, the swales and bunkers to avoid, and how to read every last blade of grass on the greens.

Case in point: I stuffed one to four feet on the par-3 third hole during my first round at the Sand Valley course. I read the knee-knocker as a right-edge putt; my caddie told me to go straight at it. I listened, and walked away with a birdie I wouldn’t have carded sans said read.

Note: Caddies are only mandatory at The Lido, and you won’t need one at The Sandbox.

2. Watch the sunset over the 10th hole at Craig’s Porch.

As you tally up your scorecard and talk shots-of-the-day over a post-round beverage in an Adirondack chair, you can watch groups walk up the 18th fairway beneath the day’s final glow atop Sand Valley’s best post-round perch.

3. Pack your tennis racket to play the Wimbledon of Wisconsin. Then, try your hand at Court Tennis.

Adjacent to the Sedge Valley clubhouse lies the best public grass tennis facility in America. Fifteen immaculately mown courts wrapped inside a stadium of central Wisconsin’s most cinematic natural sand dunes. Few people have ever seen, let alone played, on a grass surface, so this is your chance to channel your inner Roger Federer and rip some lawn forehands. You can even request a ball person to shag for you.

Next, pop inside the 13,000-square-foot Tennis Center to play the oldest-known racquet sport in the world, Court Tennis. Sand Valley’s Court Tennis facility is straight out of an Architectural Digest spread and one of just 12 such courts in the country (and only 48 in the world!).

Up to eight guests can be booked for a 45-minute session that covers both the rules of the game and its centuries-old history. No time for a session? No problem. The dining room at Sand Valley’s newest restaurant, The Gallery, overlooks the court.

4. Play The Sandbox barefoot.

No spot on the property captures Sand Valley’s chill ethos more than their 17-hole short course, best played as a warm-up on arrival day or to settle any wagers after a long day on the links. If you don’t play it shoeless, did you ever really go to Sand Valley?

5. Eat as many $1 tacos at Craig’s Porch as you can.

Golf is expensive, and Sand Valley’s philosophy not to gouge guests' pocketbooks every chance they get is both refreshing and appreciated. Hungry or full, pulled pork or pulled chicken, pre-round or at the turn, it doesn’t matter—they’re a buck, have yourself a day!

6. Practice your Texas Wedge game. You’ll need it.

If you want to score around Sand Valley, your short game needs to be in tip-top shape. That means less chipping, and more long-distance putting from uber-tight fairway lies when it’s crucial to get the ball running. (The Sandbox is a great place to dial things in.) Wooden signs scattered about the property playfully remind golfers that “Putter = Friend.”

7. Sand Valley has a short golf season, so plan in advance.

While the lodge stays open 365 days a year, harsh Wisconsin winters mean the golfing calendar in these parts runs from late-April to mid-October, so schedule accordingly.

Where to Stay

Right on site, a slew of both modern and upscale accommodations awaits groups of all sizes. Ideal for one or two guests, Sand Valley’s lodge guestrooms offer single king or two queen bed options in a hotel-style setting. Each room has glorious sand-dune views that overlook one of The Sandbox, Mammoth Dunes’ 18th hole, or Sand Valley’s 18th hole. A lower-level room comes with the added perk of sunrise-viewing from a walkout porch.

For bonus privacy and twice the space, but still a hop, skip, and a jump away from the clubhouse, Sand Valley’s executive suites have you covered. Both the Crenshaw and Wisconsin cabins feature soaking tubs and fireplaces, with the latter offering an outdoor shower and a screened-in porch. The Mammoth Suite is a step up in price, but great for small groups with its four single king bedrooms and views of Mammoth Dunes. There’s even a pool table and a Golden Tee machine.

Big golf groups who want big common areas to chill in before and after rounds should consider the eight-bed Lake Leopold Cottages. A short stroll from Sand Valley’s first tee, you’ll have great views of the sparkling lake from atop the property’s highest ridge. Two- and four-bedroom residences, as well as custom-built estate homes that range between 2,200-4,679 square feet, are perfect for families and groups looking for a spacious compound equipped with all the high-end fixings. Think gourmet kitchens, lake access, and a private putting green.

Where to Eat and Drink

More information about all of the restaurants and eateries mentioned below, including menus, can be found on Sand Valley's dining page. 

Breakfast

Sand Valley’s central hangout, The Mammoth Bar & Lounge, slings tasty grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches (so does Craig’s Porch) plus coffee for golfers looking to fuel up and hit the practice range before their day’s first tee time. For a sit-down meal with an elevated breakfast menu and buffet, grab a table at Aldo’s Farm & Table.

Lunch

Mentioned earlier, there’s no limit (and most definitely no judgment) to how many dollar-street tacos one can devour from Craig’s Porch during a few-day golf trip. Forget the price, they’re just damn good. Expect a line at the sunup-to-sundown halfway house, which will beckon you before your first hole, 10th hole, and finishing hole at Sand Valley’s namesake course. Another must-try is the homemade ice-cream sandwich, a Sand Valley specialty. There’s even a cigar menu for stogie lovers who enjoy celebrating birdies (or pars) with an on-course smoke.

The Mammoth Bar serves hearty lunch fare, too: smash burgers, Nashville hot chicken, and cheese curds because, well, when in Wisconsin. The slow-smoked meats at Bill’s BBQ at The Sandbox is another solid fast-casual spot between 18s. At The Gallery, Sand Valley’s newest restaurant connected to the Tennis Center, don’t sleep on the chicken parm sandy.

Dinner

Sand Valley is a world-class golf destination, but it could easily double as a hotspot for foodies. Most groups will beeline it to Mammoth Bar, Sand Valley’s buzzing barn-style watering hole, for a fireside post-round tipple (or two) and a rock-solid supper. Its menu overlaps with many of its lunch items, but you can also order plates like herb-roasted salmon and house-smoked prime rib from the “Taste of Aldo’s” section. For Aldo’s full dinner menu and a more formal hats-off meal at the upscale farm-to-table American bistro, take a seat next door.

Sand Valley’s commitment to a high-quality culinary experience is reflected most at The Gallery, an Italian joint that debuted last summer. Here’s your order: meatballs for an appetizer, Bolognese for your main, and any of its woodfired pizzas for the center of the table. Just want to hang out with your group over a couple of cold ones after a long day on the course? Sand Valley’s sneakiest food play is to order a bunch of to-go pizzas and bring them back to your cabin. You’re welcome.

Best Courses at Sand Valley Golf Resort

1. Sand Valley

How do you lure the golferati to a Midwestern destination resort in the middle of Nowheresville, Wisconsin? If you’re Mike Keiser, you hand the design keys and a blank canvas to the property’s inaugural 18 holes to Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, golf architecture’s go-to design duo.

Eponymously named after the resort itself, Sand Valley’s OG track debuted to wide acclaim in 2017. Not long after said opening, Golf Digest christened the sand-blown par-72 layout with the “America’s Best New Course” crown. Today, it comfortably lives inside the top 20 of every public-play list in the country.

From your first tee shot to your last, Sand Valley is a stout test of golf, punishing on its slick tabletop putting surfaces, but more than playable from tee to green. In true Coore/Crenshaw fashion, the land guided the blueprint, an uninhibited design pockmarked by sneaky false fronts and blowout bunkering as far as the eye can see.

Each nine starts and ends at “The Volcano,” a massive sand dune that houses Craig’s Porch and anchors the course’s rolling routing, which offers six sets of tees (6,938 yards from the tips) and features five par 3s, five par 5s, and eight par 4s.

Standout holes on the outward nine are the par-3 eighth, a short uphiller where birdie looks can quickly morph into bogey scares, and the par-4 ninth, a handsome 305-yarder where it’s next to impossible to pull anything other than the Big Stick out of the bag. The backside is bookended by two photogenic par-5s at the 10th and 18th holes respectively, while the long par-3 17th features one of the best punchbowl greens in the game.

Pro tip: At a recent Sand Valley amateur tournament, the par-4 second hole, a dogleg right with a semi-blind approach, averaged a staggering 4.8 strokes. Whatever you do, don’t miss the green on the right side. If you do, the severe dropoff will punish allcomers with a bogey—if not worse.

“You’ve gotta be clean livin’ to score on Sand Valley,” Gary, my sixtysomething caddie told our group on the outward nine. Translation: Take your medicine and carry on.

2. Mammoth Dunes

This big-boned design by Scotsman David McLay Kidd, the mastermind behind Bandon Dunes' original course, tends to be the runaway favorite for Sand Valley Resort devotees (it tops my list, too). There’s just no way to overplay the pure golfing joy that comes from a walk around Mammoth Dunes, where the only challenge to the width of your smile is the breadth of McLay Kidd’s fairways.

Occupying the 26th spot on Golf Digest’s latest public-access rankings, the dramatic par-73 layout, which debuted in 2018 as the follow-up regulation-length course to Sand Valley, exceeds its name in both scale and fun.

Fairways are so broad out here that even the odd hosel rocket is capable of finding the short grass on occasion. (For size perspective, as you walk down the par-5 seventh hole, turn around to scope out the sheer amount of real estate behind you.) Greens are equally generous, but full of personality and anything but a slouch. Be sure to pack a tidy ground game in your travel golf bag.

The property’s best view coincides with its most thrilling tee shot at the drivable par-4 14th, a 297-yard downhill poke. My foursome yielded three eagle looks, resulting in just one circle (and one four-putt bogey from yours truly). At the photogenic eighth hole, some 150 yards of sandy wilderness separate the tees from McLay Kidd’s ode to an island green.

There is one oversized clerical error at Mammoth—the round does in fact conclude at the 18th hole. If only we could swing here forever.

Pro tip: Mammoth’s forgiveness off the tee makes it easy to want to grip it and rip it. While I’d never dissuade any golfer from “jumping on one”—and you certainly can out here—you can also let the course’s natural sloping do the work for you. On many holes, if you stripe one down the hog’s back and catch the speed slot, your ball will slingshot into Bryson DeChambeau zip codes.

3. The Lido

It wouldn’t be a stretch to call The Lido, Sand Valley’s treeless outlier, the most innovative golf project ever undertaken. To grasp its significance, one must rewind the tape to 1917, when the original Lido opened for play on the south shore of Long Island.

At the time, critics near and far considered the C.B. Macdonald/Seth Raynor masterwork amongst the finest designs in the world. Then the Great Depression happened, followed by World War II, which saw the repurposing of the land into a U.S. naval base. Mythical in status, the course became known as “the greatest course you’ll never play.”

Nearly a century later and some 1,000 miles removed from the New York coast, Tom Doak and his Renaissance Golf team have built a replica of the Golden Age classic using advanced computer technology, GPS bulldozers, and hundreds of vintage photos that were painstakingly analyzed by golf historian Peter Flory. You won’t find the sea or hickory clubs at this Badger State clone. Golfers will have to settle for time travel instead.

The inland links layout, which debuted in 2023, is replete with the era’s greatest template holes—Eden, The Lido’s third hole, was inspired by the 11th at St. Andrews Old Course; the 10th hole, Alps, took cues from Prestwick’s famous 17th. Redan, the long par-3 16th, will be one of the toughest par attempts of your life.

Pro tip: “You just have to envision the Atlantic Ocean on your right,” my caddie told us as we stepped up to the eighth tee. Dubbed Ocean, high tide would have flirted with the edge of the Biarritz-style green at the 1917 layout. As you walk in the symbolic footsteps of a resurrected era, forget your scorecard and let your imagination run wild.

4. Sedge Valley

If Mammoth Dunes is the cool kid on the block, Sedge Valley is the new kid on the block, and the darlingdu jour for Sand Valley disciples. It’s said that no two Tom Doak designs are the same, and that’s certainly the case with Sedge, which plays to an uncommon par-68 and tips out at just 5,829 yards.

Borrowing traits from London’s heathland designs, what Doak calls “the first great inland golf courses,” Sedge Valley is deceptive despite its cute stature. Big hitters might scoff at the yardage book, but they shouldn’t be fooled: mile-long drives don’t give you a leg up around here, right angles into Sand Valley’s finest green sites do.

There’s no better parcel on the course than the nook comprising the short par-3 fifth hole—which oozes Pine Valley vibes—followed by the gettable-but-beguiling par-4 sixth (294 yards). Give this writer a few clubs and an ice-cold Spotted Cow, and I’ll happily play this two-hole combo on repeat the rest of my golfing life. Sedge might be a smaller-than-normal ballpark, but it’s one big playground. Clever too. It’s fitting that a fox adorns the course’s logo.

Pro tip: After you birdie the 11th hole (Sedge’s lone par-5), you’ll find the halfway house, where the tasty $1 Italian sausage sandwich is a must-order before going for the green at the 278-yard 12th hole, another gem of a very Doakian par-4.

5. The Sandbox

Why 17 holes? It turns out the answer to that question is just another question: why not? So long as it wasn’t nine or 18 holes, Coore and Crenshaw were tasked with finding the best holes the land gave them—and land they did on 17!—bucking any age-old assumption of what golf should or shouldn’t be.

Play it once, play it twice. With a foursome, an eightsome, a cold beverage, two cold beverages, or a pulled-pork sandy from Bill’s BBQ (the on-site food truck). There are no rules here—only smiles, so let the good times (and putts) roll.

Pro tip: Eleven of The Sandbox’s holes measure under 100 yards, with its lengthiest one-shotter stretching to just 142 yards. Translation: Don’t be “that” dude and bring your whole bag—a wedge, lofted iron, and your flatstick will do. Eighty-six the rangefinder too: tiny garden shovels flank tee boxes and advertise exact yardages to the stick, which rotate daily for shot-making variety.

6. The Commons

Coming soon to golfing heaven near you is Sand Valley’s sixth course: the Commons, a 12-hole layout by Jim Craig. Channeling inspiration from Scotland’s famous golf parks—St Andrews and North Berwick, for example—the Commons will feature water, multiple risk-reward par-4s, and a lone par-5 tipping out at just 444 yards. Mark your calendars for 2026.

Sand Valley: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/RRk01DB0qf

the Commons: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/vBD1kZ1AP5