Sand Valley Golf Resort

The Commons at Sand Valley Golf Resort is a short course designed by Jim Craig and opened in 2019, the same year as the resort's flagship Sand Valley course. Craig, a longtime associate of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw who worked extensively on Sand Valley's main course, was given the opportunity to create this standalone design on a separate portion of the property. The course occupies sandy, rolling terrain characteristic of the central Wisconsin sand plain, with native grasses, scattered pines, and the same glacial landforms that define the resort's other layouts. The Commons plays as a par-3 course with holes ranging from short pitch shots to longer one-shotters that test club selection and imagination. The routing takes advantage of natural contours and vegetation, with greens that feature the kind of movement and strategic interest found on the resort's full-length courses. The design philosophy emphasizes walkability, pace of play, and the kind of creative shot-making that encourages experimentation and repeat play. The course can be played quickly, making it popular for morning or evening rounds, practice sessions, or casual competitions among groups staying at the resort. Sand Valley Golf Resort has established itself as a walking-only destination focused on minimalist golf in a natural setting, and The Commons fits that ethos. The course complements the resort's other offerings—Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, and Sedge Valley—by providing a different scale of challenge and a venue for short-game refinement in the same rugged, windswept landscape.