The Lido at Sand Valley Provides a Window into Golf’s Past

Sand towers nearly ten stories high, surrounded by a uniform forest of thin pine trees, welcome you as you enter the Sand Valley Resort property near Rome, Wisconsin.

Sand Valley Resort, the brainchild of Mike Keiser’s sons, Michael and Chris, sits on land that was once a forest of farmed pines, harvested for paper and vital to the local economy. A boom in golf—spurred by Keiser’s success with Bandon Dunes—and a drop in pine pulp prices created the opportunity to purchase this massive, sandy expanse.

The resort currently features four 18-hole courses: Sand Valley, the Lido, Mammoth Dunes, and Sedge Valley, along with a 17-hole short course called the Sandbox. Soon, it will add a 12-hole course named the Commons and a new driving range. Another course, yet to be announced, will require players to play alternate shot, and there's talk of a third new course designed specifically to encourage match play.

Photo Credit: Golf Holidays

“We have the land to build nine courses out here,” said Tom Ferrell, VP of Media and Communications for Dream Golf.

The resort blends contrasting personalities, public and private golf, varying topographies, differing design philosophies, and a wide range of dining options.

The newest course is the Lido. A replica of the 1917 Lido Golf Club in Long Beach, New York, this course was recreated using original sketches, photographs, aerials, and digital renderings to bring the lost design back to life. Considered one of the best courses of its time, the original Lido was designed by Charles Blair Macdonald, with construction overseen by engineer Seth Raynor and design input from Alister MacKenzie.

The Lido winds across a flat piece of land near the entrance of the resort. Mimicking the original's seaside setting, the land rises no more than 50 feet above the clubhouse. With no trees, the player's focus is drawn to bunkers, mounds, and aiming rocks that guide each shot.

The first hole sets the tone: a wide fairway conceals several large bunkers, and the green, though sloped, is tame compared to what follows. Blind shots are common. The first occurs on the second tee, where an aiming rock appears to direct you into a hazard. In fact, a wide, sloping fairway gathers balls back to center. The correct line is over the aiming rock and away from the direct line to the pin.

“The Lido Golf Club is the greatest test in the world, with the possible exception of Pine Valley,” said Walter Hagen in 1921. He listed it among his personal "big three," alongside National Golf Links of America and Pine Valley.

The Lido is a template masterpiece. Each hole is named and built using classical design principles. The boldest of these is the Punchbowl. The tee shot follows a cape-style layout, with a diagonal pond guarding the fairway from left to right. The farther right the line, the greater the carry and the risk. The fairway slopes to assist in moving the ball toward the green, which sits dramatically high above the surrounding land. The massive bowl, with steep sides and deep bunkers at its front, resembles a meteor crater more than a traditional punchbowl. From a distance, the hole appears apocalyptic.

The course has a serious, reverent tone. Caddies are required for non-members to help with pace of play and to identify aiming points and read the severely sloped greens. Alcohol is not served or allowed. In an effort to reduce plastic and evoke nostalgia, the course bans plastic water bottles, instead offering aluminum bottles refilled by hand-cranked pumps supplying well water.

The wind-swept terrain of the Lido creates a quiet, meditative round. The usual soundtrack of modern golf, music and chatter, is replaced by silence and wind. The Lido offers a walk through history and the sandbanks of central Wisconsin.

The original Lido Golf Club once featured a grand hotel overlooking the course, built by Senator William H. Reynolds. With twin cupolas and striking architecture, it became a playground for socialites, industrialists, and politicians. In Wisconsin, the Lido chose a different path, opting for minimalism. Instead of a grand hotel, it features a small clubhouse with Lido merchandise, a café, and a workshop dedicated to hickory clubs. Most members, honoring the course’s history, own and play with sets of hickory clubs from the 1920s.

The Lido at Sand Valley is distinctly different from the rest of the resort. The flat terrain, intense bunkering, alcohol-free policy, and more formal atmosphere create a bold yet subdued experience. According to one of the starters, The Lido plays ten strokes harder than the other courses and you're guaranteed to remember every shot.