Jeffrey R. Bertch
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Courtesy of Jeffrey R. Bertch
Courtesy of Evan Schiller
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Courtesy of Jeffrey R. Bertch
Courtesy of Jeffrey R. Bertch
Sand Valley Golf Resort: Mammoth Dunes
Nekoosa, WI•Public
Awards
Panelists Score
Sand Valley Golf Resort: Mammoth Dunes
1697 Leopold Way
Nekoosa, WI 54457-9200
United States
Telephone
Overview
David Kidd began building a second 18 at Wisconsin’s Sand Valley Resort just before Coore and Crenshaw had completed their 18, which would be named Golf Digest’s Best New Course of 2017. Kidd was intent on topping their work, so he gave his meandering layout enormous fairways, big accessible greens and visually unique hillsides of exposed sand—“mammoth dunes”—that became the course moniker.
“This could be the best course I and my team have yet created,” Kidd wrote in late 2017. “We can’t wait for the critics to decide if they agree.” They were disappointed with the results of Golf Digest’s 2018 Best New Course survey, which placed Mammoth Dunes second behind Streamsong (Black). But balloting for Golf Digest’s 100 Greatest continued for an additional month after the close of Best New, and additional evaluations pushed Mammoth Dunes ahead of Streamsong (Black), which is now ranked #191.
About
Golf Digest Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 Greatest / Best In State Scores
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Mammoth Dunes is a wide-open layout that takes full advantage of the sandy conditions. The player may feel confident hitting the large fairways, only to find that the route taken is the long way to the green. Finding the right line and direction introduces a higher degree of strategy and risk. Greens are equally large with significant bunkers. Three putts will be common of approach shots are not accurate. Appreciating the slope and contouring of the greens will aid better players in achieving lower scores. The wide-open layout makes for a more enjoyable round. Higher handicap players who may hit errant shots will not be as penalized due to the abundance of space. Have fun and enjoy the firm and fast conditions."
Read More2026
Review
“Mammoth Dunes is a wide-open layout that takes full advantage of the sandy conditions. The player may feel confident hitting the large fairways, only to find that the route taken is the long way to the green. Finding the right line and direction introduces a higher degree of strategy and risk. Greens are equally large with significant bunkers. Three putts will be common of approach shots are not accurate. Appreciating the slope and contouring of the greens will aid better players in achieving lower scores. The wide-open layout makes for a more enjoyable round. Higher handicap players who may hit errant shots will not be as penalized due to the abundance of space. Have fun and enjoy the firm and fast conditions."
Read More2026
Review
“Mammoth Dunes, part of the Sand Valley golf resort located in rural Northern Wisconsin, was opened in 2018 and designed by David McLeod Kidd. This inland links style layout is an enjoyable walking course through rolling sand dunes. The course plays 7,063 yards from the black tees, but there are ten tee options with four being combination tees. Thus, the course is fun for all levels of golfers. Off the tee box, the golfer will find large fairways that generally have friendly bounces towards the middle of the fairway. Fairways are hard and firm giving the golfer opportunities to maximize length. Second shots are generally to enormous, accessible greens that often funnel to the middle. Understanding the contouring of the hole such as backstops, funnels and slopes, will maximize scoring opportunities. With such enormous greens, distance control is critical to avoid three putting. Overall, the course rewards the golfer for good shots while poor shots are not as penal. The combination of aesthetics and layout design makes this course very walkable and enjoyable to play for all levels of skill."
Read More2026
Review
“Mammoth in name and in the size of the fairways and greens! Bomb away here with little fear, but for the fairway bunkering. The greens do make it more challenging if you're not on the proper side though. A fun course in outstanding condition."
Read More2026
Review
“Huge greens. Demand precision. Hard to score. Par 4s are the strength of the course. Par 3s feel as if they could be better and more memorable,"
Read More2025
Review
“Mammoth Dunes plays across an immense canvas and features some of the widest playing corridors in golf. However, its abundant playing options aren't created equal; there is plenty of strategy to be considered throughout the round. Dunes are used creatively, as are waste areas, so that the course takes on a "defend birdie, not par" rhythm that Kidd also embraces at some of his other sites. Shaping is dramatic and can tumble the ball fifty yards, which makes for quite the adventure as the player traverses this bold, free, and fun layout."
Read More2025
Review
“Mammoth Dunes plays across an immense canvas and features some of the widest playing corridors in golf. However, its abundant playing options aren't created equal; there is plenty of strategy to be considered throughout the round. Dunes are used creatively, as are waste areas, so that the course takes on a "defend birdie, not par" rhythm that Kidd also embraces at some of his other sites. Shaping is dramatic and can tumble the ball fifty yards, which makes for quite the adventure as the player traverses this bold, free, and fun layout."
Read More2025
Review
“Super fun layout that provides numerous birdie opportunities with both the contouring of the greens as well as three short par 4's and a couple of short par 5's. Wonderful sandy aesthetic from hole to hole with the bunkering and the natural areas outside of the fairways. Green complexes provide wonderful variety of pin placements hole to hole."
Read More2025
Review
“Super fun layout that provides numerous birdie opportunities with both the contouring of the greens as well as three short par 4's and a couple of short par 5's. Wonderful sandy aesthetic from hole to hole with the bunkering and the natural areas outside of the fairways. Green complexes provide wonderful variety of pin placements hole to hole."
Read More2025
Review
“My favorite course at the resort."
Read More2025
