I got back last Sunday from my Wisconsin trip and boy was it a blast. I ended up playing two rounds at Erin Hills, one at Lawsonia Links and five at Sand Valley (3-Mammoth Dunes, 2-Sand Valley). I thought I was pushing it when I booked this trip because EH and SV are walking only, and I had never walked before but I managed to survive. I logged right at 45 miles of walking in my golf shoes over the 5 days and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't feeling it. I felt fine as long as I was moving but the time between rounds and at the end of the day was when the puppies started barking. Definitely have to give credit to the Spotted Cow's I was consuming during the afternoon rounds. Come Wednesday the soreness was gone.
With the exception of the first day the weather was phenomenal with 50s-low 70s and no wind or a cloud in the sky. Caught Erin Hills the first day with low 50s and 20-25mph wind which was fun. Overall, the course was in fantastic shape and the green speeds were the quickest I had ever played. I had about 12-footer downhill for birdie on #1 immediately followed by a 12-footer uphill for par which I left about 3 feet short. I think by #11 I had set a personal high for most three putts in a round. Craziest hole was the par 5 18th which was 630 from the tee box but dead into the wind. The caddies said it was playing around 700 but I think that number was low. It was the first time in my life I went DR/3W/5I on the same hole and the ***** of it was I was still 10 yards short. I had a great time but I never want to see fescue again. They said it will grow another 6 inches before the season is done so good luck to those golfers. I also got a couple late night rounds on The Drumlin Putting Course which was a lot of fun. I'm not sure if it was the course itself or the Maker's and Spotted Cow's at dinner but there were a couple four putts.
I headed up to Sand Valley after the Thursday morning round and made a last second decision to play Lawsonia Links. Interesting round with two nines that are nothing a like with the front having several dog legs and blind shots and the back being a traditional straight up links style. The first cut was very thick which made it tough with the blind shots and the fescue was definitely thicker than at Erin Hills. They were also redoing all of the bunkers but it wasn't an issue because I managed to avoid them. I'll say that I've never played a round where I hit so many tee shots that I thought were good but couldn't find the ball because of the first cut thickness. I'm glad I stopped by but probably not a course I'd return to since it's kind of out of the way.
Now to Sand Valley. Man, what a place. I've got a bucket list of courses I'm trying to play, and I'd rank both courses up there with The Ocean Course. It could be because I walked these courses, so the experience was different than at The Ocean Course, but the conditions and views were incredible. You won't see fescue there, but the sand can be a *****. It's all considered waste so you can ground your club which helps because there is a mix of thin and very heavy sand. Don't worry about bringing a bunch of balls because the combination of wide fairways and mostly thick sand helps keep lost balls to a minimum. My plan was to use a caddie the first round on each to figure out aiming points off the tee then use the push carts for the remaining rounds, but I made a last second decision to use a caddie before each round which made the walk more enjoyable. The vibe is very laid back and everyone I was paired with was great to play with. One round I was paired with a 68-year-old that played one up from the tips with me (most played tee box out there) and the guy was 270-280 down the pipe the whole round. Smoothest swing I've ever seen. I joked with him after the round if the birdie he made on 18 was for 59 and he laughed and said 73. That was the lowest round I had ever witnessed, and I would've believed him if he said a number in the 60s. The last round was the most unusual because I got paired up with three other solo players with one having his wife tagging along and keeping his score, one guy whose girlfriend was basically documenting every second of his round with a camera (click-click-click throughout his swing) and a third whose girlfriend was with us just because I think she didn't want to drink alone back at their room. With caddies we had nine of us and we actually had a marshal swing by because he thought we were two separate groups that joined together. Saying that, Sand Valley is definitely a place to go with a group. None of my friends would ever walk a course but if you can convince some friends to go it would be well worth it. It's also nice that beer was only $3 and tacos, hot dogs and brats were a $1 and damn good. Be aware that they don't have beer carts because of a couple separate drunken incidents last year (one being a guy playing a hole naked because his buddies dared him) so make sure you grab your drinks before the round. Mammoth has a food shack after 11 and the front and back nine on Sand Valley start at the same spot so you can refill before starting the back nine. Accommodations were very nice, and the Sandbox was right off my porch, so it was fun drinking some beer while watching people play. I wanted to play it but the feet needed a break. I did however get some late-night chipping and putting practice in after the final groups came through.
I'll probably try to make a return trip next year. I believe The Lido course was opening to the public this week with very limited tee times and the fourth course Sedge Valley will be open next year. It's going to be tough booking golf trips to other resorts knowing how special Sand Valley is.
With the exception of the first day the weather was phenomenal with 50s-low 70s and no wind or a cloud in the sky. Caught Erin Hills the first day with low 50s and 20-25mph wind which was fun. Overall, the course was in fantastic shape and the green speeds were the quickest I had ever played. I had about 12-footer downhill for birdie on #1 immediately followed by a 12-footer uphill for par which I left about 3 feet short. I think by #11 I had set a personal high for most three putts in a round. Craziest hole was the par 5 18th which was 630 from the tee box but dead into the wind. The caddies said it was playing around 700 but I think that number was low. It was the first time in my life I went DR/3W/5I on the same hole and the ***** of it was I was still 10 yards short. I had a great time but I never want to see fescue again. They said it will grow another 6 inches before the season is done so good luck to those golfers. I also got a couple late night rounds on The Drumlin Putting Course which was a lot of fun. I'm not sure if it was the course itself or the Maker's and Spotted Cow's at dinner but there were a couple four putts.
I headed up to Sand Valley after the Thursday morning round and made a last second decision to play Lawsonia Links. Interesting round with two nines that are nothing a like with the front having several dog legs and blind shots and the back being a traditional straight up links style. The first cut was very thick which made it tough with the blind shots and the fescue was definitely thicker than at Erin Hills. They were also redoing all of the bunkers but it wasn't an issue because I managed to avoid them. I'll say that I've never played a round where I hit so many tee shots that I thought were good but couldn't find the ball because of the first cut thickness. I'm glad I stopped by but probably not a course I'd return to since it's kind of out of the way.
Now to Sand Valley. Man, what a place. I've got a bucket list of courses I'm trying to play, and I'd rank both courses up there with The Ocean Course. It could be because I walked these courses, so the experience was different than at The Ocean Course, but the conditions and views were incredible. You won't see fescue there, but the sand can be a *****. It's all considered waste so you can ground your club which helps because there is a mix of thin and very heavy sand. Don't worry about bringing a bunch of balls because the combination of wide fairways and mostly thick sand helps keep lost balls to a minimum. My plan was to use a caddie the first round on each to figure out aiming points off the tee then use the push carts for the remaining rounds, but I made a last second decision to use a caddie before each round which made the walk more enjoyable. The vibe is very laid back and everyone I was paired with was great to play with. One round I was paired with a 68-year-old that played one up from the tips with me (most played tee box out there) and the guy was 270-280 down the pipe the whole round. Smoothest swing I've ever seen. I joked with him after the round if the birdie he made on 18 was for 59 and he laughed and said 73. That was the lowest round I had ever witnessed, and I would've believed him if he said a number in the 60s. The last round was the most unusual because I got paired up with three other solo players with one having his wife tagging along and keeping his score, one guy whose girlfriend was basically documenting every second of his round with a camera (click-click-click throughout his swing) and a third whose girlfriend was with us just because I think she didn't want to drink alone back at their room. With caddies we had nine of us and we actually had a marshal swing by because he thought we were two separate groups that joined together. Saying that, Sand Valley is definitely a place to go with a group. None of my friends would ever walk a course but if you can convince some friends to go it would be well worth it. It's also nice that beer was only $3 and tacos, hot dogs and brats were a $1 and damn good. Be aware that they don't have beer carts because of a couple separate drunken incidents last year (one being a guy playing a hole naked because his buddies dared him) so make sure you grab your drinks before the round. Mammoth has a food shack after 11 and the front and back nine on Sand Valley start at the same spot so you can refill before starting the back nine. Accommodations were very nice, and the Sandbox was right off my porch, so it was fun drinking some beer while watching people play. I wanted to play it but the feet needed a break. I did however get some late-night chipping and putting practice in after the final groups came through.
I'll probably try to make a return trip next year. I believe The Lido course was opening to the public this week with very limited tee times and the fourth course Sedge Valley will be open next year. It's going to be tough booking golf trips to other resorts knowing how special Sand Valley is.