In short
For a Sand Valley golf trip, stay at the resort if you can get a room: the Lodge, cottages and homes are on the 24 hour shuttle to every first tee, and only lodging guests can play The Lido, Sunday to Thursday. Green fees are the same whether you stay or not (325 USD in the 2026 peak season), so if the resort is full, an inn or rental in Rome about 15 minutes away works well, and Wisconsin Rapids is the bigger base about 30 minutes north. The courses are open from late April to mid October, June to August is summer and September is usually still mild, and 2027 rooms are already limited.
Where to stay at Sand Valley
Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.
Live map · The LodgeHotels and rentals at live prices, Sun, Jun 13 to Thu, Jun 17
Open the live map for The Lodge ↗
Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map to match your trip.
ACourse to play
Courses you can play at Sand Valley
-
Resort guests first
Sand Valley
The 2017 original by Coore and Crenshaw, firm and fast through open sand dunes.
Lodging guests book tee times with their room through the reservations team (844-205-1194), and 2027 requests are open now through the trip planner. Golf only (day) tee times go on sale later, with no fixed release date, at the same green fee.
Green fee: $325 (2026) · Course site ↗
-
Resort guests first
Mammoth Dunes
David McLay Kidd's 2018 course with very wide fairways and big, friendly greens.
Lodging guests book tee times with their room through the reservations team (844-205-1194), and 2027 requests are open now through the trip planner. Golf only (day) tee times go on sale later, with no fixed release date, at the same green fee.
Green fee: $325 (2026) · Course site ↗
-
Resort guests first
Sedge Valley
Tom Doak's 2024 course: shorter, smaller in scale, and modeled on the heath and links courses of southern England.
Lodging guests book tee times with their room through the reservations team (844-205-1194), and 2027 requests are open now through the trip planner. Golf only (day) tee times go on sale later, with no fixed release date, at the same green fee.
Green fee: $325 (2026) · Course site ↗
-
Resort guests first
The Lido
A Tom Doak restoration of a lost C.B. Macdonald classic, opened in 2023. A private club with limited tee times for lodging guests, Sunday to Thursday, caddie required.
Sand Valley lodging guests only, Sunday to Thursday, limited times. Ask the reservations team ([email protected]) when you book your stay; the Lido site says times are available through the 2027 season. No day guest play.
-
Resort guests first
The Sandbox
A 17 hole par 3 course by Coore and Crenshaw, about 2 hours a loop, good for arrival day or a late evening.
Sold the same way as the 18 hole courses: lodging guests book with their room, often a year ahead, and golf only times for day guests come out later at the same price. Replay and Sandbox rounds can be cancelled at any time without penalty.
Green fee: $85 (2026) · Course site ↗
-
Resort guests first
The Commons
A 12 hole course by Jim Craig that opened in 2026, built for quick, casual rounds.
Sold the same way as the 18 hole courses: lodging guests book with their room, often a year ahead, and golf only times for day guests come out later at the same price.
Green fee: $150 (2026) · Course site ↗
How tee times work
If you stay at the resort, your tee times are booked with your room through the reservations team. Day guests can book golf only tee times online once the resort releases them, and pay the same green fee as lodging guests, but there is no fixed release date. The Lido is only for lodging guests, Sunday to Thursday, with a caddie. Every course is walking only; caddies are optional elsewhere and cost 100 USD a bag plus a tip in 2026.
A sensible plan
Four nights from Sunday to Thursday works well and keeps The Lido in play: arrive and loop the Sandbox, play Sand Valley on day two with the Commons in the evening, Mammoth Dunes on day three, then Sedge Valley or The Lido on day four. Add a same day replay at the lower replay rate if your legs allow it, since every course is walked.
Getting there
Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) is the closest, about 1 hour 5 minutes by car. Madison (MSN) is about 1 hour 40 minutes, Milwaukee (MKE) about 2 hours 40 and Minneapolis St Paul (MSP) about 3 hours 30. Rent a car, or book the resort's own airport shuttle or a private car service.
Practical notes
- Walking
- Every course is walking only. Push carts rent for 10 USD a day or bring your own (motorized ones struggle in the sand). Medical (ADA) carts are available for golfers with a medical need: apply in advance through [email protected] or 888-651-5539.
- Caddies
- Optional except at The Lido, where caddies are required. 2026 page: 100 USD per bag per round plus tip (60 USD for a junior caddie), 70 USD at the Commons. Forecaddies 40 to 60 USD a player depending on group size. Paid in cash to the caddie; the golf shop can charge caddie cash to your room. Book at least a week ahead through [email protected].
- Shuttle
- A 24 hour shuttle runs on property between the lodging, the clubhouse and the first tees. The resort also runs private airport transfers for a fee (Guest Services, 715-325-9599) and lists outside car services.
- Stay rules
- 2026 golf and lodging bookings: 45 days notice to cancel from May 1 to October 4, 7 days in the shoulder weeks, or you lose the deposit. Golf only bookings need 30 days notice. The deposit is the first night plus the first green fee. Check in 16:00, check out 11:00.
- Pace of play
- Rounds before 08:00 are speed slots, expected under 4 hours; later rounds 4 hours 15 minutes. Allow at least 5 hours between two 18 hole rounds on the same day.
- Winter
- All courses close for winter. The 2026 rate card runs from April 24 to October 18. The resort stays open in winter for other activities.
When to book
- NowBook a room with free cancellation as close to the course as you can.
- Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
- June 13 to 17, 2027Your trip.
Free guide
The Unofficial Sand Valley Golf Trip Guide
Every area, every course, how tee times work and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.
Sand Valley golf trip questions
Do I have to stay at Sand Valley to play?
No. Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, Sedge Valley, the Sandbox and the Commons all take day guests through golf only tee times. Only The Lido needs a resort stay, and only Sunday to Thursday.
How much does it cost to play Sand Valley?
In 2026 the 18 hole courses cost 325 USD from May 21 to October 4 and 235 USD in the shoulder weeks, the same for lodging and day guests, plus tax. The Commons was 150 USD and the Sandbox 85 USD in peak season. 2027 rates are not out yet.
Can I play The Lido?
Only as a Sand Valley lodging guest, Sunday to Thursday, and tee times are limited. A caddie is required. Ask for a Lido time when you book your stay.
Can you ride a cart at Sand Valley?
No, all courses are walking only. You can rent a push cart for 10 USD a day, and medical carts are available by application for golfers who need one.
How much is a caddie at Sand Valley?
In 2026 a caddie costs 100 USD per bag per round plus a tip, paid in cash to the caddie, or 70 USD at the Commons. Book at least a week before your trip.
When is the golf season at Sand Valley?
The courses close for winter. In 2026 they were open from April 24 to October 18, with peak rates from late May to early October. June to August is summer, and September is usually still mild.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Photo credits
- Rome, Wisconsin by Wikideas1, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Wisconsin Rapids dam on the Wisconsin River by Wikideas1, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
