Sand Valley Golf Resort

Inside Sand Valley: Wisconsin's 12,000-Acre Answer to What a Golf Trip Can Be

About Sand Valley

Sand Valley Golf Resort sits outside Nekoosa, Wisconsin, on 12,000 acres of exposed dune land that opened in 2017. The ground itself is the draw: a stretch of the Central Sands region left rugged and sandy by a retreating glacial lake, firm and fast-running underfoot in a way that plays closer to a corner of Scotland or Ireland than the American Midwest. Everything about the resort puts the golf first, with six walkable, links-style courses built into that terrain rather than around it. The property has grown course by course since that first routing, most recently adding the Commons in 2026.

The Courses

1. Sand Valley (2017) — Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw. Wide, firm fairways over a former sand mine set the template every course since has built on.
2. Mammoth Dunes (2018) — David McLay Kidd. Built for speed of play and forgiveness off the tee, with some of the widest fairways on property.
3. Sandbox (2018) — Coore & Crenshaw short course, built for a fast evening loop rather than a full 18-hole round.
4. The Lido (2023) — Tom Doak's from-scratch recreation of a course that no longer physically exists anywhere else in the world, rebuilt from historical aerial photographs and design plans.
5. Sedge Valley (2024) — A tighter, more introspective Tom Doak routing, built as a change of pace from Mammoth Dunes' openness.
6. Commons (2026) — Jimmy Craig's newest addition, a unique 12-hole routing with bold contours built for fast play, creativity, and the ground game. Inspired by the communal spirit of great Scottish courses like North Berwick, it's designed as a gathering place equally suited to seasoned players and beginners, with holes that cross paths along Luna Lake.

What Sand Valley Is Known For

Sand Valley Golf Resort has become a regular stop for organized golf travel, including The Golfer's Journal's annual group trip, which splits play between Sand Valley and Sedge Valley. The resort also hosts its own Sand Valley Cup each July, a two-person event with three different 18-hole formats across Mammoth Dunes, Sedge Valley, and Sand Valley. With six distinct courses in one place, a 2-3 night stay can produce four or five genuinely different rounds without a guest ever leaving the property, a fit signal for golfers chasing course variety over a single marquee round.

Other Highlights

Lodging spans cottages, private suites, and lodge rooms, several with full kitchens and game rooms built for group stays rather than a single couple. Dining runs from casual clubhouse fare and a tavern to a farm-to-table restaurant built around local ingredients, alongside on-property tennis and water activities.

Plan Your Own Trip

If a Midwest golf trip has been sitting on the list, Sand Valley is worth moving to the top of it. Plan your trip to Sand Valley→