By this time, I’m pretty certain the majority of golf enthusiasts in and around the state of Wisconsin have heard a few things about Mike Keiser’s ongoing project in Rome, Wisconsin, named Sand Valley.

The first course, being designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, is scheduled to open to founding members in 2016 and then to the general public in 2017.

WiscoGolfAddict: Sand Valley Media Day & Front 9 Walk-Thru

The second course, being designed by David McLay Kidd, is scheduled to open to founding members in 2017 and then to the general public in 2018. Kidd, of course, built the original [Bandon Dunes] course at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, which was Keiser’s first massive golf resort project and remains to this day [in my humble opinion] the greatest golf location [and place, in general] in the world.

WiscoGolfAddict: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

With Bandon Dunes, Keiser did what many thought was crazy: He built a high-end, walking-only public golf resort hours from any major metropolitan area. The goal for Sand Valley is the same: To build a Bandon Dunes-esque golf resort in the [similarly remote] Rome location that is so undeniably world-class that golf enthusiasts will drive and fly in from around the globe to stay on site and enjoy pure golf the way it was meant to be.

If you take away one thing from this short post, take away this: Sand Valley is a really big deal! I have been told by several world-famous golf course architects (not Coore or Crenshaw), in fact, that they predict it will open as one of the top ten courses in the world.

This is happening in central Wisconsin. It’s coming soon. I’m excited. Trying to catch my breath. Okay.

Sand Valley posted on their Twitter page today:

The video is awesome, and features David McLay Kidd, Craig Haltom (Oliphant Golf – great guy), Mike Keiser, Jr., Matt Ginella and others (click for link to video).

Sand Valley is right on track. Get excited.