Wild Rock and Sand Valley
The first leg of a long Wisconsin golf trip was fantastic
I just got back from a little over a week in Wisconsin, on a golf trip that resulted in me playing nine rounds in eight days, plus 27 holes on two short courses. Suffice it to say my legs feel a bit heavy.
We flew into Madison with the goal of playing University Ridge, the University of Wisconsin home course. Unfortunately, there was a college tournament that weekend, but it did get us into Madison for a night (where one of us managed to sneak into Camp Randall for the football game while waiting for us to arrive). From there, we headed west and stopped first at Wild Rock in the Wisconsin Dells. This was, as noted, a fill-in course - but man, it suprised in a good way. Designed by Michael Hurdzan (Erin Hills, which we’ll get to later) and Dana Fry, Wild Rock is a very hilly course that really manages to have 18 distinct holes that are both challenging and accessible. (There’s also an executive course called The Woods which we didn’t play but looks pretty darn fun.)
This is the green on the first, a short par-5 that does have some water crossing in the middle of the fairway - which makes one decide if they are going to go for it in two or layup - but the shot to the green, you can see, is dicey with water RIGHT behind it.
That blue tower in the background is a water tower which is visible from several spots on the course.
I was +1 after six holes, which is very uncommon for me - and then I triple-bogeyed the next hole to eventually card a more realistic 87. I can’t imagine I’ll find myself in the Dells again anytime soon, but if and when I do, I’ll be sure to head back to Wild Rock.
From there, the three of us headed to Sand Valley. Sand Valley Resort is owned by Mike Keiser, who changed most die-hard golfers life with Bandon Dunes, possibly the greatest place on earth. And I don’t know how he did it, but stepping out of the car at Sand Valley, it immediately felt almost exactly like Bandon. It’s an upscale but not stuffy place, with the staff happy to see you but not uncomfortably subservient, etc.
Right now, Sand Valley has two courses (Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes) as well as a 17-hole short course called The Sandbox. I say “right now,” because within a year or so, there will be two more courses - The Lido (a recreation of a historic course on Long Island) and Sedge Valley, both designed by Tom Doak. Sedge Valley will also include a spa and amenities that will make Sand Valley a true “Bandon Dunes of the Midwest.”
Just like Bandon, the courses here feel natural and use the land that was there - which was, in fact, a lot of sand (the optimal land for building golf courses). We played Sand Valley first, and it’s stunningly great. Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, it’s a big ballpark and a very good walk.
Sand Valley does - as one would expect - have a lot of sand. But it’s also pretty wide and I don’t think anyone in our group lost a golf ball. It’s ranked #16 in Public US Golf Courses and deserves every bit of that ranking.
The 2nd hole, as seen above, is a good example of the challenge of Sand Valley. As you can see, the fairway is VERY wide, so you’ll be on short grass. But the green is almost invisible and it LOOKS like it’s flanked by bunkers. It’s not - but it is raised up a bit and it’s hard to keep your approach on the green. And boy, it’s dicey to then chip the ball back anywhere CLOSE to the hole. (He said, knowingly.)
A great touch at Sand Valley is Craig’s Porch, the halfway house. At the turn, I had some of the best pulled pork tacos I’ve EVER had, and they cost … $1.00. Afterwards, this ice cream sandwich was also a dollar, and the beer - Wisconsin’s own Spotted Cow - was just $3. Sure, the greens fees subsidize all of this but it’s a great touch to not bilk customers for every last dollar.
Later that day we played The Sandbox, the 17-hole par-3 course. I didn’t take many photos, mainly because we were tired and I think I had four drinks right before or on the course. It’s a TON of fun even if the fact that they let large groups out slows down the pace of play a lot.
The next morning there was a massive rainstorm that woke me up through the night - typically, this would wash away the humidity, but instead it brought through a LOT of humidity that devastated me as we walked Mammoth Dunes. (My mint-green shirt was forest green very, grossly, quickly.)
Dunes is designed by David McLay Kidd, who also designed the original Bandon Dunes course, and it’s again a very big course with a lot of places to miss. Once more, none of us lost a ball and I played well despite popping my first three drives straight up in the air. (In retrospect, wearing contact lenses for just the second time on the course may have been a mistake.)
I wish I’d taken more photos because Mammoth Dunes is super fun and unique. It also has one of the all-time great logos and we all did some damage in the pro shop. Perhaps most importantly, I also got the pork shank at Aldo’s that night and it might have been the best thing I ate all week.
I have “no notes” about Sand Valley Resort, except to say that I can’t wait to get back. There were some staffing issues (very common these days, and not shocking for a place as remote as this) but it’s a great place to go and building itself as yet another golf mecca.
For reference:
Next up: Erin Hills and Lawsonia Links.