New 12-Hole Course by Jim Craig Debuts as Sand Valley’s Sixth Course
Nekoosa, Wisconsin (June 10, 2026) – Sand Valley, the award-winning golf resort and community set among the prehistoric sand dunes of Central Wisconsin, announced that it has opened Commons, a new 12-hole course inspired by the “common ground” courses and village greens of the British Isles.
Intended to bring golf into the everyday life of Sand Valley and the Sedge Valley community, Commons creates a lively atmosphere where walkers, families, and guests naturally encounter the course as they move around the property. Likewise, golfers experience a connection to the people of the resort and neighborhood. Sand Valley developer and co-owner Michael Keiser drew from the village golf traditions of Scotland when he set out to situate a versatile and engaging golf course embedded into daily activity in the heart of Sand Valley.
Commons marks the first solo design by architect Jim Craig, a longtime associate for Coore & Crenshaw. The course features an elastic design that makes it enjoyable for a range of playing abilities. Featuring a double green (nos. 2 and 4) and a routing with numerous crossings and connections, Commons delivers a social walking experience where golfers can play an engaging course in approximately 2.5 hours and spend time together in a relaxed setting.
“Commons is really a dream come true for me,” Craig says. “Michael and I worked on so many ideas, and he gave me so much freedom to allow the course to evolve the way it did. It’s been a thrill to see people out enjoying it. That’s the goal – for golfers to have fun and feel the spirit of the game. And, of course, Michael gave all of us a true gift when he opened the peninsula.”
The peninsula allowed Craig to integrate three closing holes playing along the shores of Luna Lake – a tantalizing short par-4, a Redan par-3 that has won acclaim from golfers, writers, and other architects, and a beautiful uphill finishing hole.
“I’ve driven over the Wisconsin River hundreds of times,” Keiser notes, “and I’ve always been fascinated by the sand bars and always thought, ‘there should be golf there.’ I would go out and look at that peninsula, and I couldn’t get the image of golf out of my mind. There’s so much mystery and beauty in the way the water wraps around the dunes, with the woods in the background.”
Among the many influences that drove Keiser and Craig at Commons, none was stronger than Prestwick. Originally built as a 12-hole course, Prestwick hosted the first 12 Open Championships. During design and construction, Keiser and Craig studied its wild, rumpled fairways on holes like nos. 4, 13, 15, and 16. To honor that link to history, Sand Valley last month hosted the Hickory Invitational at Commons. The invitational featured 48 of golf’s most talented and enthusiastic hickory golfers using original equipment crafted prior to 1935. Peter Flory, a renowned golf historian who was a key member in the rebuilding of The Lido, registered a 4-shot win to claim the Championship Belt, which will reside at Commons and may be worn by the champion when on property.
Afterward, Flory declared Commons “the greatest hickory golf course in the world. It has all the features of the old links – interesting terrain, never-ending strategic decisions and a full range of shotmaking opportunities – but also a spectacular wilderness and waterside setting, and most of all a course that was literally built for this kind of timeless golf. It’s not a holdover, and it’s not a recreation. The same things that make it great for hickories make it great for all kinds of players.”
Commons marks the latest addition to Sand Valley’s growing collection of golf courses, joining Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, Lido, Sedge Valley, and the Sandbox, a 17-hole short course. Commons now serves as a key connector between the original resort hub to the new Sedge Village community. Guests can seamlessly move between the resort’s two activity centers.
“I’ve always loved places where golf is simply a part of community life,” Michael Keiser says. “At Saint Andrews, North Berwick, and so many other villages where golf took hold, the game exists alongside walking paths and homes. The links are gathering places and sites for everyday activities. Commons was our attempt to create that feeling at Sand Valley – a place to play and to gather.”
Commons measures 3,417 yards and plays to a par of 45.
Looking ahead, Sand Valley also plans to introduce the Commons Hamlet, an upcoming social hub tucked along the banks of the 40-acre Luna Lake where guests can gather before a round, linger afterward or simply enjoy the atmosphere. Plans include outdoor seating, food and retail trucks, expansive lake views and a walkable pathway connecting directly to the Commons starting house.
For tee times, lodging reservations and additional information, please visit www.sandvalley.com.
About Sand Valley
Sand Valley occupies more than 12,000 acres of land amidst the tumbling prehistoric sand dunes of central Wisconsin. Sand Valley allows guests to reconnect with the rugged beauty and serenity of the outdoors for a day, weekend or extended stay. Home to five different onsite dining options and a variety of accommodations, the resort offers the idyllic comforts of a home away from home. Owned and operated by Michael and Chris Keiser, Sand Valley boasts six award-winning golf courses and a collection of outdoor activities such as grass tennis, hiking, fat-tire biking, fishing, cross-country skiing and more. Real estate is available. Learn more at www.realestate.sandvalley.com.
