The Sandbox

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw opened The Sandbox in 2018 — a 17-hole short course set on 25 acres of restored central Wisconsin sand prairie, tucked into the same V-shaped sand ridge that frames sister course Mammoth Dunes. Holes range from 40 to 150 yards with Golf Magazine naming it Best New Short Course of 2018. Six of the 17 greens are bold modern takes on classic templates: Maiden 3rd, Road Hole 5th, Biarritz 8th, Lion's Mouth 13th, Alps 14th, Redan 16th. The remaining 11 are original designs and every bit as clever. Associate Jim Craig handled the initial routing, and Coore & Crenshaw's minimalist hand shows in how little dirt moved to build this — the existing sand ridges and depressions did the work. Peak green fee runs $50-75 as an add-on for Sand Valley resort guests. Fits any Sand Valley trip as the 'unwind after 36 holes of championship golf' round.