Whistling Straits
The Bucket List golf trip. There’s no doubt that every one of us has a list of golf courses that are on our absolute must-play list before we perish from this earth.
While there are plenty of international trips that would fit this bill, we have put together some of our favorites from right here in the good ol’ USA!
The list below isn’t definitive, but if you play every destination on it, you will have experienced the full range of what this remarkable game looks like when you have played the best of the best.
Start anywhere.
There’s no wrong entry point.
Pebble Beach – Pebble Beach, California
The conversation for many can start and end here. A round at Pebble Beach Golf Links is something that every golfer dreams about, and the legendary Jack Nicklaus famously said, “If there’s only one round of golf I have left to play, I’d like to play it at Pebble Beach.” The course features eight holes that play along the Pacific Ocean including the iconic par-3 seventh that provides one of the greatest backdrops in all of golf. The course features flawless conditioning from start to finish, and the finishing stretch of holes has been the deciding factor on the biggest stages, most notably six U.S. Opens with a seventh slated for June 2027. It is unforgettable in every way, and the very definition of bucket-list golf
While Pebble has established itself as the grandest stage in championship golf, there is plenty of dazzling golf across the resort and even beyond. Spyglass Hill is co-host of the annual AT&T and perennially a top-15 public course in the United States. Over at Spanish Bay, the course is being transformed by Gil Hanse and his team and is set to reopen in April of 2027, leading into the buzz of the 2027 U.S. Open across the property. In between these two sites sits The Hay, a short course redesigned by Tiger Woods in 2021 that has become a favorite of guests and locals. And just a few miles beyond the Pebble Beach gate awaits the historic Del Monte Golf Course with a rich history of its own spanning all the way back to 1897.
The accommodations here are all first-class, the dining is exquisite, and the overall experience of a vacation here will leave a lasting impression that you and your crew won’t soon forget.
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort – Bandon, Oregon
With five championship courses and two short courses located on the Oregon coast, this walking-only golf mecca has been shaped by the winds of the Pacific to create one of the most spectacular experiences in golf. Bandon Dunes reimagined what American resort golf could be when Mike Keiser opened it in 1999 with the help of David McLay Kidd on the resort’s original design, and the complex has only gotten better over time. Pacific Dunes, Tom Doak’s masterpiece, routinely ranks among the top courses in the country. Coore and Crenshaw’s Bandon Trails routinely moves up the ranks of favorite courses on property by visitors who frequent the resort as its natural routing gets better the more you play it, and Old Macdonald is an homage to Charles Blair Macdonald through the minds of Tom Doak and Jim Urbina. Sheep Ranch, the resort’s newest 18-hole addition, is a reimagined course by Coore and Crenshaw that features a mile of ocean frontage for some of the most fantastic views on property.
This is golf in its purest form, as the accommodations and amenities here are all built around maximizing comfort to keep you on the course as much as possible. If your crew has their eye on a trip here, you’ll need to start planning immediately as they tend to sell out quite quickly.
Pacific Dunes
Streamsong Resort – Bowling Green, Florida
Built on reclaimed phosphate mining land in central Florida, Streamsong’s three championship courses (Red, Blue, and Black) create an experience unlike anything else you’ll find East of the Mississippi. The sandscapes left behind by mining created natural linksland conditions that designers Tom Doak (Blue), Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw (Red), and Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner (Black) turned into something extraordinary.
The team here has recently added another Coore and Crenshaw design with The Chain at Streamsong — which is now two distinct golf experiences: The Link, featuring holes 1–6, and The Chain, featuring holes 7–19.
Consider The Link your first step into the adventure. Complimentary for all resort guests, these six holes are available exclusively on a first-come, first-served basis. Winding through rolling terrain and mature oaks, The Link offers a glimpse into the creative style of golf found throughout the course.
For a deeper journey, The Chain features a 13-hole loop available by tee time. Broad teeing areas invite creativity, while imaginative holes move alongside and across the water through some of Streamsong’s most dynamic terrain.
There is also immeasurable buzz surrounding the new David McLay Kidd designed Bone Valley course, which is set for preview play in October 2026 and officially opens in early 2027.
Combine multiple rounds here with a stay at The Lodge which has large, extremely well-appointed rooms or if you’re looking for something special, inquire about the Clubhouse Experience, the Bunker Experience, or the new multi-bedroom Golf Cabins that will be opening in 2027.
Pinehurst Resort – Pinehurst, North Carolina
With ten championship courses (and an eleventh on the way) plus a short course all under one roof, Pinehurst Resort has earned the moniker of being the Home of American Golf and for good reason. Pinehurst No. 2 has long been the main attraction here as the Donald Ross masterpiece has hosted more single golf championships than any other site in America. The course has always been fantastic, but the 2011 restoration by Coore and Crenshaw returned No. 2 to something close to Ross’s original vision, elevating the already great experience to another level.
Over the last 20 years, it’s been the renovation and addition of new courses that has really put the overall stay and play experience at Pinehurst Resort into its elite position. Gil Hanse’s renovation of No. 4 was done to perfection and provides a completely different feeling yet equally stimulating experience as No. 2. The Tom Fazio-designed No. 8 is a sneaky favorite for many guests as his interpretation of the Carolina sandhills is arguably the most beautiful course on property, and the recently added No. 10 designed by Tom Doak brought the first new championship golf course to Pinehurst in more than 30 years. It has opened to rave reviews, and his use of contouring especially around the greens can be both menacing and forgiving depending on which side you miss. We’re also keeping a close eye on the development of No. 11 which is bringing back Coore and Crenshaw’s talents and is currently scheduled to open in Spring 2027.
A trip to Pinehurst must include at least one round on The Cradle as this short course has spurred on the recent short course revolution of which many resorts credited a visit here to adding one to their own facility. From a lodging standpoint, there are a multitude of options here including the iconic Carolina Hotel and the new Cottages at No. 8, and no visit here is complete without at least one meal at the Pinehurst Brewing Company. And for our fellow golf history lovers, Pinehurst is home to the World Golf Hall of Fame so be sure to set aside some time to appreciate the artifacts and stories that celebrate what makes this great game so special.
It’s one of the best bucket-list golf experiences in the United States, and it’s one of those special destinations that you can visit repeatedly and fall in love with it all over again after every trip.
The Cradle at Pinehurst Resort
Kiawah Island Golf Resort — Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Pete Dye built The Ocean Course for the 1991 Ryder Cup on a barrier island with ten holes directly along the Atlantic Ocean. When the winds start to blow here, which is most days, it’s one of the toughest tests in the game of golf. So much attention is paid to the finishing stretch of holes here, and with good reason as you’ll see in our exclusive drone footage below, but what you’ll also see is that this course is phenomenal from start to finish. Dye eases you into the round with the relatively straightforward first hole, almost lulling you into a false sense of confidence as from that point forward, it’s game on. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th holes make up one of our favorite 3-hole stretches anywhere in golf, and if you can get through these first few holes unscathed then you are ahead of the game here. It’s one of the most special courses in the world, and after your round you can cap your day off with a cold beverage in The Ryder Cup Bar and enjoy the perfect view of the 18th green and the Atlantic Ocean.
While The Ocean Course is the layout that put Kiawah Island on the map, it’s the other 4 championship layouts onsite that have continued to improve that have elevated the overall experience of a golf stay and play here that truly stands out in our mind. Osprey Point, Cougar Point, Turtle Point, and Oak Point combine for an overall total of 90 holes of fantastic golf on property that any vacationing golfer is sure to love.
When it comes to the overall experience, the coastal elegance of The Sanctuary is among the elite in the world of golf resorts. The rich wood floors and massive ceilings in the grand lobby set the vibe for your entire stay, and the first-class accommodations, delicious dining, and exceptional service will set the tone for the perfect South Carolina getaway.
Sea Island – Sea Island, Georgia
Sea Island is what we think of as the very definition of all that is right with a golf vacation with a Southern flair. From the golf side, the Seaside Course at Sea Island has been the site of the RSM Classic for years and plays along the marshes of St. Simons Sound with a low, links-like character that’s unique for the American South. As you’ll see in our drone footage here, the course features some incredible holes that play around the water and marshes creating a serene setting on a course that demands accuracy off the tee if you want to score here.
In addition to the Seaside Course, the recently renovated Plantation Course by Davis Love III and his brother Mark is the perfect complement as it blends it provides a more playable layout than the Seaside Course while providing plenty of risk-reward opportunities to make you think your way around the course. The Retreat Course is the third layout onsite, and it provides a totally different feel as this tighter, tree-lined course places a premium on accuracy to score here.
While the golf at Sea Island is exceptional, the overall experience that a stay and play here provides is what makes this property stand out. With multiple lodging options available highlighted by The Cloister and The Lodge, Sea Island excels at providing a level of customer service and attention to detail that is undeniable. They leave no stone unturned to exceed your expectations, and with what seems like a never-ending list of amenities and activities to enjoy onsite, you and your group will leave this resort plotting your next return.
Kohler, Wisconsin (Home of Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run) – Kohler, Wisconsin
Pete Dye turned a decommissioned stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline into one of the most visually stunning golf settings in the world with the Straits at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin. The Irish linksland aesthetic along the shores of Lake Michigan creates a canvas that is equally gorgeous and challenging, and you’ll quickly realize why this site has been selected to host multiple PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup. As you’ll see in our drone footage here, this is one of the game’s epic designs.
The Straits course alone justifies Kohler, Wisconsin’s bucket list status, and when you add in its sister Irish course at Whistling Straits alongside Blackwolf Run’s River course, Meadow Valleys course, and the incredibly fun short course called The Baths of Blackwolf Run, it creates one of the best overall golf resort experiences anywhere in the world.
As incredible as the golf is here, the resort itself is one of the more unique experiences in the game. As the corporate home of the Kohler Companies which are legendary for their elite lineup of plumbing products, the resort is home to a 36,000 square foot Design Center as well as the Kohler Waters Spa that has integrated their state-of-the-art products into the ultimate relaxation paradise.
The resort isn’t resting on its laurels as they are investing heavily into your overall guest experience as they are planning to open the new Purebred Farm 14-hole course that features a mixture of par-3s, -4s, and -5s for an alternative golf experience, as well as a massive renovation to the Inn on Woodlake that will include 66 additional guest rooms and an expansive golf and entertainment center that is perfect for golf groups. Other recent enhancements to the resort include the reimagined Woodlake Market, newly reopened Carriage House which is an adults-only lodging option that sits above the five-star Kohler Waters Spa, and the renovation of Big Joe’s Fuel & Go gas station.
If you’ve never had the chance to visit here, then you must make it a priority for your group’s next getaway.
TPC Sawgrass – Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
As the home of THE PLAYERS Championship, TPC Sawgrass is one of the greatest contributions that Pete and Alice Dye gave to the game of golf. THE PLAYERS Stadium Course is one of the truly great golf courses in the United States. The 17th hole gets a lot of the acclaim, but this is one of the purest 18-hole golf course experiences that you’ll ever play. In addition to the Stadium Course, the Dye’s Valley Course offers a tough, yet more friendly design. With onsite accommodations available at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, you’ll have a bucket list trip in Northeast Florida that will create a memory for a lifetime.
TPC Sawgrass
Erin Hills – Erin, Wisconsin
It takes a lot of prestige to be an 18-hole facility and reach “bucket list” status, and Erin Hills certainly makes good on that promise. Host of the 2017 U.S. Open and 2025 U.S. Women’s Open, Erin Hills is a public course that plays through golden fescue meadows in the elevated kettle moraine region of Wisconsin and provides one of the most impressive tests of golf in the country. Its scale is immense as it was one of the longest courses to ever host a U.S. Open, but with five tee boxes to choose from it will be an amazing walk no matter where you play from. Its boutique lodging (37 beds), tranquility, elevated dining, excellent caddies, and premier service might convince you to turn a bucket list trip into an annual golf tradition.
Big Cedar Lodge – Ridgedale, Missouri
Big Cedar Lodge has been using the tagline “America’s Next Great Golf Destination” for a few years now, and we are here to tell you that the word “Next” can be removed from this moniker now. Big Cedar Lodge is owned by Johnny Morris, the famous CEO of Bass Pro Shops, and his seemingly never-ending investment into this property continues to blow us away. The resort has a unique course set up as they feature 3 18-hole championship golf courses with Payne’s Valley, Ozarks National, and Buffalo Ridge layouts alongside 3 distinct short courses with their latest addition of Cliffhangers, the incomparable Top of the Rock, and Mountain Top courses. It’s arguably the most unique collection of courses that you’ll ever find, and each leaves its own indelible mark that creates for an amazing golf trip.
In addition to the memorable golf, the resort provides a multitude of accommodations all the way from multi-bedroom golf cottages to the more modestly priced Angler’s Lodge, and with the golf all priced a la carte it provides golf groups a great deal of flexibility to enjoy this bucket list experience at a myriad of price points.
The resort itself presents like America’s playground as Mr. Morris has created an environment that promotes enjoying everything that the outdoors has to offer. This includes time on Table Rock Lake, cave tours, and even an outdoor concert venue known as Thunder Ridge Arena. That’s just scratching the surface of all you can see and do here as Big Cedar Lodge is truly special.
French Lick Resort – French Lick, Indiana
The Pete Dye Course at French Lick is one of the greatest tests of golf in the United States. Period. Somehow this course seems like it can fly under the radar sometimes when golfers are discussing the game’s best designs, but Dye and his team molded this piece of land that sits atop one of Indiana’s highest elevation points, and as you’ll see in our exclusive drone footage, this course is both beauty and beast and will test even the game’s best players.
As much as we love the Dye course here, the variety of the experience when combined with The Donald Ross Course at French Lick makes for an unforgettable 1-2 punch here. The Ross Course is a classic Donald Ross design known for its challenging green complexes and gives you a completely different feel than the Dye Course. The resort also features the fun and friendly 9-hole, The Valley Links Course, plus the newest addition of a 9-hole short course called The Sand Creek Course.
From a lodging perspective, you’ll have multiple options including the historic French Lick Springs Hotel and West Baden Springs Hotel, the Valley Hotel Tower, and the newly added RidgeView Cottages. No golf trip here is complete without a little time spent at French Lick Casino, and your group will have plenty to keep them busy at French Lick when they are off the course.
Bay Harbor Golf Club – Bay Harbor, Michigan
Michigan has some of the best public golf courses in America, and one of the most underrated settings for a bucket list golf trip there is at Bay Harbor Golf Club. Part of BOYNE Golf’s massive Michigan golf portfolio that includes 11 golf courses, Bay Harbor Golf Club is home to three 9-hole courses that provide golfers with an eclectic mix of layouts to create different 18-hole routings made up of the Links, Quarry, and Preserve 9-hole courses. The most famous of these is probably the Links/Quarry pairing, and the spectacular views of Lake Michigan provided throughout your round are sure to knock your socks off. The golf is exceptional, and when you pair a stay here at The Inn at Bay Harbor, it provides the perfect coastal setting for a Michigan golf getaway.
What makes Bay Harbor stand out on this list is the sheer amount of value and volume available to you beyond Bay Harbor Golf Club. BOYNE Golf is home to three resorts in total in this area composed of eleven golf courses for you to choose from during your stay. In addition to the 3 courses at Bay Harbor Golf Club, this resort is also home to nearby Crooked Tree Golf Club that’s perched a little above the bay and provides a perfect complement to the Bay Harbor golfing experience.
To the South of Bay Harbor, Boyne Mountain is home to The Alpine and The Monument courses which, as the name of the resort suggests, play through the mountains and these courses provide some fantastic elevation changes throughout your round. North of Bay Harbor, you’ll find The Highlands, which is arguably the main golf hub of the resort that features the Donald Ross Memorial, Arthur Hills, The Heather, and The Moor 18-hole courses as well as the new Doon Brae Short Course. All in all, when it comes to doing a bucket list golf trip at an exceptional value, Bay Harbor Golf Club is worth a serious look for your golf group.
Bay Harbor Golf Club
Gamble Sands – Brewster, Washington
It’s been so much fun to see this resort ascend in recognition over the last few years as golfers are continuing to take notice of what makes Gamble Sands so special. At the heart of it is David McLay Kidd. Gamble Sands is home to three golf courses that are all designed by DMK, with the original Gamble Sands course immediately being recognized by Golf Digest at the Best New Golf Course of the Year when it opened just to be followed by the recent addition of Scarecrow which took home the same honor in 2025. As you’ll see in our drone footage of the Gamble Sands Course here, this property is exceptional and McLay Kidd and his team created a visually stunning experience that still plays quite fair and playable very similar to what he did with his original design at Bandon Dunes.
The resort also features QuickSands, one of the most fun and creative short courses that we have ever had the privilege of playing. The greens here are so much fun with tons of movement, and a stroll around here is the perfect way to cap off a day at Gamble Sands. Over the last few years, The Inn at Gamble Sands was added (and recently expanded with the addition of Scarecrow) alongside The Barn and Danny Boy restaurants to create a one-stop-shop golf resort that any group is sure to love.
Black Desert Resort – Ivins, Utah
Black Desert Resort has burst onto the golf scene as golfers really seemed to take notice of the course when it played host to the Bank of Utah Championship on the PGA TOUR. With the stunning views of Snow Canyon alongside the dramatic black lava fields, we were all blown away with the vibrant mix of colors on our television screen as Tom Weiskopf’s final design took our breath away.
Located near Zion National Park, this beautiful resort provides you with a myriad of options to enjoy the outdoors. Guests can enjoy a nearby hike, play on any of the 21 new pickleball courts, kayak, bike, or take in any of the wellness classes available as the resort does an exceptional job of creating an experience that will send you home in better spirits than you arrived.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this property as they have aggressive plans to continue to expand soon, and we will be sure to keep you apprised of these changes as they come along. In the meantime, you should consider booking here soon as the demand is already starting to grow.
Black Desert Resort
Reynolds Lake Oconee – Greensboro, Georgia
Located just over an hour east of Atlanta, Reynolds Lake Oconee continues to blow golfers away on an annual basis. One of the most telling things about the experience here is how many resort guests eventually end up moving here or buying a second home at Reynolds after they experience the splendor of this destination. With a diverse collection of courses, 5 of which are playable to resort guests and now with 2 courses available exclusively to members (with a 3rd on the way), Reynolds stunning landscape along the waters of Lake Oconee set a vibe that you’ll love from start to finish.
From a lodging perspective, our favorite accommodations here are the multi-bedroom cottages and condos available for rent that are perfect for both family and buddies trip getaways. If you’re looking for a more traditional hotel resort experience, they have you covered with the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee which embodies the high-end, lake-life experience that we know you and yours will rave about. No matter which accommodation you choose, your crew is sure to love the “linger longer” lifestyle at Reynolds Lake Oconee.
Reynolds Lake Oconee
The Sea Pines Resort – Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
The Sea Pines Resort is home to three phenomenal golf courses, highlighted by the iconic Harbour Town Golf Links that recently received a restoration from Davis Love III and his team as they set out to restore the vision that Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus originally brought to this property. With a focus on ensuring that they didn’t do anything to mess with the classic design elements of Harbour Town, Love III and his team knocked it out of the park as his efforts received rave reviews from the PGA Tour players who experienced it at the 2026 RBC Heritage.
In addition to Harbour Town, Love III and his team also took on the redesign of Atlantic Dunes in 2016 creating an exceptional “1A and 1B” combination for golf at The Sea Pines Resort. Heron Point is another Dye gem that features plenty risk-reward holes throughout the design that uses mounding and swales to frame target area. While Harbour Town may have been the course that was the reason you booked your stay and play here, it’s the highly awarded Atlantic Dunes and Heron Point courses that solidify the fact that you made the right decision in coming here for a bucket list golf getaway.
The Sea Pines Resort is known for having both an impressive collection of home and villa vacation rentals as well as the boutique hotel experience available at The Inn & Club at Harbour Town. Off the course, there is so much to see and enjoy here including the marina, bike rides throughout the property, shopping, tennis, pickleball, and so much more. Overall, it makes for an amazing golf trip at one of the game’s most storied destinations.
Harbour Town Golf Links
McLemore Resort – Rising Fawn, Georgia
As one of the newer members of this list, McLemore Resort resides in Northwest Georgia quite close to the Tennessee-Georgia border and only about 45 minutes away from Chattanooga, Tennessee. The first thing that strikes you when you arrive at McLemore is its spectacular location atop Lookout Mountain, and this awe-inspiring setting is incorporated both into the resort as well as the golf courses.
The Highlands Course first put McLemore on the map as its cliffside 18th hole began to take over most of our social media channels a few years ago, and rightfully so as it leaves quite an impression. What wasn’t always highlighted on these channels though is how much fun the entire course is, and the buildup to this exciting finish is palpable throughout your round.
What has solidified McLemore’s position into the bucket list status is the addition of their second 18-hole championship golf course here known as The Keep. Designed by Bill Bergin and Rees Jones (who created both championship courses here), The Keep provides epic views throughout your round and brings a unique experience of links-style golf and mountain golf all under one roof. The course was named The Best New Course of 2025 by Sports Illustrated, and your round features 5 holes that play right along the cliffs as well as the unique 17th hole, a par-4 that is engulfed by boulders and rock outcroppings that leaves quite an impression. The combination of The Highlands and The Keep provide two distinct layouts, and when you throw in a loop or two around The Cairn, the 6-hole short course at McLemore, you’ve created an incredible itinerary for any type of golf trip.
In addition to the exceptional golf here, McLemore Resort is home to Cloudland, a Curio by Hilton hotel as well as multiple vacation home rentals that are perfect for buddies golf trips. The resort has an incredible pool that sits right along the cliff, an amazing spa, fantastic dining, and plenty of outdoors activities to help you enjoy the serene setting of Lookout Mountain.
McLemore Resort
SentryWorld – Stevens Point, Wisconsin
This is one of our favorite properties to highlight in this story as somehow this incredible property still seems to fly under the radar at times, but it shouldn’t as it’s one of the most beautiful golf courses in the United States. SentryWorld is home to a pristine parkland-style golf course that first reached notoriety due to its Flower Hole, the par-3 16th that has over 40,000 flowers on it and made the course a viral sensation. And as memorable as this hole is, it’s really the entire golf course that leaves a lasting impression. As you can see in our exclusive drone footage, every hole at SentryWorld is special which is why the USGA has selected it to host so many of its previous and future events.
It’s also the little things about your stay and play here that set SentryWorld apart. This includes the all-inclusive experience where you can visit multiple Comfort Stations throughout your round and all your food and drinks (including those of an adult variety) are included with your round. Combine this elevated element with the fact that they have 20-minute tee time intervals, and you will quickly see why so many golfers love the experience at SentryWorld.
In addition to the great golf onsite, The Inn at SentryWorld provides first-class accommodations and we highly recommend visiting The Outfitter to rent a bike and enjoy the trails that encircle the resort and the town here. If you’re thinking about a trip to SentryWorld, you’ll need to act fast as they will be shutting the course down after the 2026 season for all of 2027 to better prepare the course for the 2028 U.S. Senior Women’s Open and the 2034 U.S. Senior Open Championship. That’s how serious their team takes its dedication to creating an elite environment for all to enjoy, so hurry up and visit before you must wait until 2028 for availability.
Torrey Pines – La Jolla, California
It’s hard to believe we could work a municipal golf course into this list, but Torrey Pines is the exception to this rule as this storied property located in the greater San Diego area has been one the stalwart locations on the PGA Tour for decades now, and on the newly revamped schedule it will now serve as the home of The Sentry. This new event will continue Sentry’s relationship with the PGA Tour after the cancellation of the annual Tournament of Champions that had previously taken place around this time at Kapalua in Maui and will replace the previously named Farmers Insurance Open that typically was played a few weeks later on the annual calendar.
The South Course has also been the home of two incredible U.S. Opens including Jon Rahm’s 2021 victory and Tiger Woods’ legendary playoff victory over Rocco Mediate at the 2008 U.S. Open on basically one leg.
While the South Course gets a lot of the love here, Tom Weiskopf’s renovation of the North Course helped to elevate its profile more in-line with that of its sister course. As a municipal course, most of the tee times are reserved for city residents who have first access to these coveted tee sheets. Luckily for us, a couple of the nearby hotels including The Lodge at Torrey Pines at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines do get access to a select number of tee times so be sure to reach out to these hotels to get access to one the quintessential Southern California golf experience.
Torrey Pines South
Sand Valley – Nekoosa, Wisconsin
It is incredible at how quickly the team at Sand Valley has created not only a bucket list golf destination, but a massive one at that. In less than a decade, Sand Valley has opened 6 golf courses and created a Midwestern sister property to Bandon Dunes (which was the Keiser family’s first foray into the golf resort world). Needless to say, they have proven they know a thing or two about this space.
In their first two years in 2017 and 2018, the resort opened with Sand Valley designed by the iconic duo Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw and then Mammoth Dunes, a David McLay Kidd exquisite design. Both courses flew up the golf course rankings lists where they continue to sit today, alongside The Sandbox, also by Coore and Crenshaw, which is a 17-hole short course that embodies the greatness of its larger counterparts. While many resorts may have stopped here, Sand Valley kept going. The result was the addition of The Lido in 2023 and Sedge Valley in 2024. The Lido is the recreation of the famed Lido Golf Club that was designed by C.B. Macdonald in 1914 on Long Island that was unfortunately lost to us in 1942 when the U.S. Navy had to repurpose the land for the war efforts of World War II. It’s quickly become a favorite of resort guests, and you’ll need to plan well in advance to get this on your itinerary as booking here is limited.
Sedge Valley took a unique approach as it plays as a par-68, and Tom Doak and his team set out to pay homage to the links and heathland styles from across the pond that features a myriad of risk-reward scenarios for you to enjoy. The latest addition to the golf portfolio here is the Commons, a 12-hole routing by Jim Craig that focuses on a fast-paced round and playability making it fun for all to enjoy. The feeling you get here is that each course has a distinct purpose in how it fits into your overall visit making each round feel special and unique.
For your stay, there are a lot of options including standard rooms, suites, multi-bedroom cottages, and homes that can be mixed and matched for any size golf group. There are multiple dining venues onsite, so you won’t need to venture off property. There are also plenty of options off the course that can help you take in the beautiful setting of the property including the grass tennis courts that are adjacent to Sedge Valley. These courts feature sandy dunes that serve as your enclosure instead of fences creating a truly one-of-a-kind experience for those interested in sneaking in some tennis during your stay.
With such a fast paced expansion plan in its first decade, we’ll be keeping an eye on further developments at this resort as we have a good feeling the Keiser family will continue to drive expansion at this amazing property.
Sand Valley