The Sedge Valley
Tom Doak's love letter to the heathland courses of London, dropped into central Wisconsin. A compact par 68 of about 5,829 yards that argues, persuasively, that length is the most overrated thing in golf.
Photo: Sand Valley via Google.
The verdict
Sand Valley made its name with sweeping, big scale sandbelt golf, so Sedge Valley arrived in July 2024 as a deliberate provocation. Tom Doak built it as a tribute to the great heathland and links courses around London and the English coast, courses where strategy and shotmaking matter far more than raw distance. The result is a par 68 of only about 5,829 yards, with five par 3s, a dozen par 4s of which just four stretch past 400 yards, and a single par 5.
On paper it sounds slight. In reality it has been hailed as one of the most interesting and enjoyable new courses in America, a layout where the fun comes from angles, contours and decision making rather than the driver. For the traveling golfer it is the perfect foil to Sand Valley's longer courses, a reminder that golf at its best is a thinking game. As a public resort course it is bookable, and it has quickly become a reason to visit in its own right.
Sedge Valley at a glance
- Opened
- July 2024
- Designer
- Tom Doak
- Type
- Heathland
- Par
- 68
- Yardage
- About 5,829 yds
- Access
- Resort, public
Designer, opening date, par and length verified June 2026 from the resort and leading course databases. Sedge Valley is a Tom Doak design that opened in July 2024 at Sand Valley near Nekoosa, Wisconsin, a heathland inspired par 68 of about 5,829 yards. It is a public resort course; green fees vary by season and resort guest status and are best confirmed for the 2026 season directly with the resort before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Doak set out to prove a point, and Sedge Valley makes it on almost every hole. The fairways are generous but the greens and their surrounds are full of slope and ingenuity, so the player who simply bludgeons the ball forward finds the half par holes oddly stubborn while the one who reads the angles is constantly rewarded. The five par 3s are the soul of the course, varied in length and direction and good enough to carry a round on their own.
The sandy heathland turf runs firm and fast, framed by fescue and the namesake sedges, and the ground game is alive everywhere. Short par 4s tempt you to have a go, then defend themselves with cunningly placed bunkers and tilted greens that make the aggressive line a genuine gamble. Nothing here is about overpowering the course; everything is about choosing the smart shot and executing it.
Because it is short and walkable, Sedge Valley is also the kind of course you can play twice in a day and enjoy more the second time, hunting the better angles you missed first time around. It is golf as a puzzle rather than a slog, and it has been embraced as a highlight of the whole Sand Valley experience.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A public resort course at Sand Valley; anyone can book, with resort guests getting priority tee times and the easiest access during busy periods |
| Green fee | Green fees vary by season and by whether you are a resort guest, with stay and play packages available; confirm the current 2026 rate directly with the resort before booking |
| Booking | Through Sand Valley Golf Resort; staying on property is the surest way to secure tee times across the resort's courses |
| On the day | Walking is the spirit of the place and the short routing makes it a joy on foot, often with a caddie; pack for wind across the open sand country |
| Getting there | Near Nekoosa in central Wisconsin, roughly between Wisconsin Rapids and the Wisconsin Dells, about a three hour drive from Milwaukee or Madison plus a short hop |
| Best months | May to October, with summer and early fall giving the firmest, fastest heathland conditions |
Access and indicative fees verified June 2026 for the 2026 season; rates change, so always confirm directly before booking. Ask us about Sedge Valley tee times.
Where to stay nearby
Sedge Valley is part of Sand Valley Golf Resort, which has grown into one of the most talked about golf destinations in the country, with lodging, dining and a clutch of acclaimed courses all on one vast sandy site. Staying at the resort is the natural way to play, putting you within easy reach of every tee and unlocking multi round packages.
The ideal trip strings Sedge Valley together with the resort's bigger courses for a few days of contrasting golf on the same remarkable ground, then adds the short course and the practice areas for the full experience. For groups it is an easy place to disappear into golf for a long weekend.
Looking for a base? See our recommended stays at Sand Valley Golf Resort and across central Wisconsin.
Plan a Sand Valley golf trip
We build trips around Sand Valley's courses, from Sedge Valley to the resort's bigger layouts, and handle lodging, transfers and tee times across the property. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Sedge Valley questions
Who designed Sedge Valley at Sand Valley?
Sedge Valley was designed by Tom Doak and opened in July 2024. He conceived it as a tribute to the heathland and links courses around London and the English coast, emphasizing strategy and shotmaking over length.
What is the par and length of Sedge Valley?
Sedge Valley plays to a par of 68 and measures only about 5,829 yards from the back tees, with five par 3s, a dozen par 4s and a single par 5. Its challenge comes from contoured greens, clever angles and firm heathland turf rather than distance.
Can visitors play Sedge Valley, and what does it cost?
Yes. Sedge Valley is a public resort course at Sand Valley. Green fees vary by season and resort guest status, with stay and play packages available, so confirm the current 2026 rate directly with the resort before booking.
Is a short par 68 course worth playing?
Many golfers think Sedge Valley is the most fun course at Sand Valley precisely because it is short. The design rewards thinking, angles and the ground game over power, and the par 3s and tempting short par 4s make it endlessly replayable, which is exactly the point Tom Doak set out to make.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, par, yardage and fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.