Wisconsin Trip Report

[Justmuckit]

Just got back from a week in Wisconsin, played Whistling Straits, Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes and The Sandbox.

 

**Whistling Straits:**

 

**Course:** Everything you expect it to be. Not sure I'd spend the money to play it again, but definitely am happy I played it at least once. Had an 11-ish tee time and the weather was perfect - mid 70's and low wind. Got up and down out of a horrible lie in a greenside bunker on the first hole, and was thinking I was gonna have a day - only to double the next 4 holes. Conditions were excellent, and the wind stayed down until we hit the closing stretch, then all of a sudden we're hitting into a 3-4 club wind. Guy we were playing with hit 3-wood on 17. Mrs. Justmuckit drained a bomb for birdie on 17 which was one of the highlights of the trip. Really the only complaint of the day was our caddy. (no, I didn't hit the greenside bunker on 9, LOL) Was a younger guy, in his second season. Lines off the tee and green reads were pretty poor, to the point I just started nodding in agreement and then ignoring his advice. Played much better on the back 9, even though the conditions were tougher. The Adirondack chairs above 18 green are one of the best places in Wisconsin to enjoy a Guinness.

 

**Lodging:** Stayed at the Inn on Woodlake and were very happy with the accommodations. The 5-headed shower is almost worth the price of the room on it's own. Staff was friendly and there's a shuttle that will take you to the Straits, Blackwolf, or around the Village of Kohler. We drove from STL, so we had a car and did some exploring on our day away from the course. Make a point to get into Sheboygan and eat at the Prohibition Bistro, (ridiculously good Sopressata pizza, baked in an authentic wood fired oven built in Italy) and grab dessert just down the boardwalk at South Pier Parlor.

 

**Verdict:** Excellent golf course and facility you must play at least once if you can, however for me and Mrs. Justmuckit, it falls behind EH (and others) in our rankings.

 

**The Sandbox:**

 

Arrived on Saturday afternoon, settled in and then ran out to The Sandbox. Took an 8-iron, a sand wedge and my putter. They will give you a Seamus pencil bag at the first tee, along with the opportunity to buy a drink or five out of a canoe filled with iced down beer. Greens are insane, actually was worried at one point that the greens at SV and Mammoth would be similar - they aren't! Was fun to just play around and try different shots, including putting from the tee on a few 60-80 yard holes. The bigger the group you have, the more fun you'll have here in my opinion. If you're there solo or with a significant other I wouldn't say it's a MUST play - but it's fun. If you're there with a foursome or more, it's a great place to drink and bet. Our room had a deck overlooking the course and you could hear everyone having a great time.

 

**Sand Valley:**

 

We decided when we made reservations that we wanted Junior caddies or none at all. The juniors that were assigned to me and my wife were as good if not better than the guy we had at WS, considering they were 17 year old kids. Obviously, the course is newer so they are still learning it - but I wasn't disappointed in any way with the job they did. The course is outstanding. It's wide, which lead to hitting 11 fairways - but damn the greens are tough. So many times both my caddy and I thought we'd be in tight, only to get to the green and find it 50 feet away, or off the green, or rolled into a bunker. Really started to find my game on the 8th hole, then lost my mind after putting off the green from 100 feet and taking a double. Even with that, managed to play the last 11 holes in +4, which is pretty solid for me. Course is in excellent condition and will only get better with age. Greens are FIRM. Balls hitting the green make the same sound as thumping a melon. They were quick and rolled pure and gave me all sorts of fits. Short game/putting are the strengths of my game, but they made me look stupid.

 

**Mammoth Dunes:** After carding an 84 at SV, and hearing that MD was wider and "easier" I went into my 1st round at Mammoth expecting to go sub-80. Not so fast. Someone in another thread mentioned the SV greens as rejecting your approach shot and Mammoth collecting it, but that wasn't the case for me. It may have been the flag placements on these two particular days, or maybe I'm just a dummy - but I'd get to the green and be legitimately shocked at where the ball ended up. I was especially frustrated on the 4th hole, an uphill Par 3 with a blind green and a huge slope/hill to play off of on the left. Played what the Pro Caddy said was a perfect shot while it was in the air, only to be on the wrong tier of the green with a tricky 20 foot putt for birdie. Meanwhile, one of the guys I was paired with hits this wicked hook 30 yards left of my line, and ends up with a tap-in birdie. Bounces are certainly a part of the game, but as the day went on it seemed more about the bounces and not as much about ballstriking or hitting your targets. Played again the following day with my wife, armed with some course knowledge and proceeded to shoot the same score I did the day before.

 

**Lodging:** We were placed in the Dunes Lodge on the second level - which is a pain in the *** getting luggage to/from (stairs only, no elevator) but otherwise was excellent. Bathroom had heated floors, and the shower was powerful and large. All rooms on the second level share a deck with two adirondack chairs and a small table outside each room. The deck overlooks the 16th and 17th holes on The Sandbox, so it was fun to sit and have a drink or two and watch people navigate the Par 3. Apparently this is one of the newer buildings on the property, and it showed. Place looked like no one had ever stayed there before. The only nitpick we had is that there isn't a mini-fridge in the room.

 

**Service:** When my wife and I travel to play golf, we tend to remember the people more than the courses. If you ask me in 5 years to tell you about our trip to Sand Valley, my first response will be about the service we received from our two junior caddies and the server we had at Mammoth Bar every night for dinner. Outstanding. Absolute rock stars. When we go back, it will be due to those three individuals just as much as the golf courses. After our first visit to Wisconsin in 2016 to play Erin Hills, my wife dubbed Wisconsin as the "Canada of the U.S." due to the incredibly friendly people we met along the way. Sand Valley took that to another level. At Whistling Straits, we felt like a business transaction. At SV, we felt like family. And that goes a LONG way with us.

 

**Verdict:** Sand Valley is a must visit. The property is amazing, the people are amazing, the atmosphere is amazing. And even though it sounds like I hated Mammoth Dunes, it might be my favorite course in Wisconsin alongside Erin Hills. Even after carding two average rounds, I wanted to go right back out, play again and learn more about it. I didn't play all that well, but had more fun than I have had playing golf in a long time.

 

**Wisconsin Rankings:** (I'm gonna catch **** for this)

 

1. Erin Hills

2. Mammoth Dunes

3. Sand Valley

4. Whistling Straits

[DavePelz4]

Thanks for sharing JM! Sounds like an outstanding trip. Don't think you'll get as much grief as you think. I'd change 1-2 but would be equally happy playing either. The SV complex jsut makes it seem that you're somewhere other than behind The Cheddar Curtain.

[Justmuckit]

> @DavePelz4 said:

> Thanks for sharing JM! Sounds like an outstanding trip. Don't think you'll get as much grief as you think. I'd change 1-2 but would be equally happy playing either. The SV complex jsut makes it seem that you're somewhere other than behind The Cheddar Curtain.

 

Yeah, the complex is amazing. Really all they are missing is another dining option. Aldo's and Mammoth Bar sharing the same menu is fine if you're only there for 3-ish days, but any longer would be a problem.

[Argonne69]

Great write-up. Thanks for sharing. 'Totally agree that SV is a special place. The added bonus is that the green fees are less than half of WS, and nearly 30 percent cheaper than EH.

 

[exgolfpro]

Very nice write up, plenty of detail without getting too wordy! As for your rankings, I can't complain. Erin Hills is my all time favorite golf course and my ranking of these 4 courses fall in line with yours.

[zer0]

Nice write up. Making me look even more forward to the day I'm gonna spend there in September. SV and Sandbox already booked!

[Lefty96]

Great write up! I too love mammoth dunes. In fact it’s my favorite course I’ve ever played. Now I haven’t played EH yet but I agree with your ranking if you remove that from the equation.

 

I have also struggled with that 4th hole on MD. Sometimes you hit a shot and think it’s perfect, only to find it nowhere near the pin. One thing I know for sure is absolutely do not hit a ball onto the right side of that green. It’s a very sad sight to watch it roll off the false front and all the way down that hill 50 yards below the green.

 

I usually play it early and late in the year, but a write up like this makes me want to get out there now in the expensive season!

[PuttCurseRepeat]

> @zer0 said:

> Nice write up. Making me look even more forward to the day I'm gonna spend there in September. SV and Sandbox already booked!

 

Will be a great trip, I'm sure. MD is a 24 karat, solid-gold lock, must-play. If there is any opening in your itinerary, take the opportunity to play it. At the risk of over-hyping the course, I'll say that MD isn't mearly a round of golf, but a golfing adventure that stirred an excitement somewhat rare in jaded adults. If you can handle walking 36 in one day, you'll get a heck of a deal too, playing it along with SV.