On the “seventh day,” the Old Course at St. Andrews rests. As is tradition, there is no golf Sundays on the famed Scottish links (with the exception being for championships).
Instead, the hallowed grounds serve as a family park, open to the public for picnicking, walking around and taking pictures on the Swilcan bridge.
This idea of a “golf park” has always held a spot in Michael Keiser Jr’s memory bank. After a recent stay in Scotland, where he visited not only St. Andrews but other “village” courses where such community is embraced, he became inspired. So, when the right opportunity came to create a similar feel at Sand Valley Golf Resort in Wisconsin (which he co-owns with his brother), he acted on it.
The upcoming 2026 golf season at Sand Valley – one of the country’s hottest golf destinations – will mark the official opening for The Commons. There was light preview play and publicity in 2025 which was just enough to show that the Resort’s sixth course is markedly different than the other five.
The biggest difference is that the routing consists of only 12 holes. At the outset of the project, there were ideas to do maybe a seven- or nine-hole routing. But that was before an additional piece of the property came available that blissfully changed the plans.
The Commons is part of the Sedge Village at Sand Valley which includes residential development, a tennis center and restaurant, Sedge Valley Golf Course (a par 68 that opened in 2024) and 40-acre Luna Lake. The latter, which sits just across a road from the initial tract The Commons was planned for, would create a defining stretch.
The prominent peninsula portion of the lake, which was initially slated for more real estate development, proved to be the perfect spot to build an additional three holes which would become the final three holes of the routing.
The 10th hole (362 yards, par-4) plays as a cape around a portion of the lake, pinched along the way by sandy areas.
The 11th, a 160-yard par-3 at the furthest tip of the peninsula, plays to a redan green that is partially hidden off the tee by large bunker mounding.
And the closing 12th, a par-4 of 320 yards, plays uphill with a couple of sneaky fairway bunkers to avoid.
The water feature is the only such kind really at the Resort’s courses which are generally defined by massive sand dunes, blowouts and bunkers. There is some of that, too, at the Commons, just not as much as the other courses at Sand Valley.
Instead, features that stand out at The Commons are a molar-shaped double green at Nos. 2 and 4 and a Biarritz-style green at the sixth. The first hole, the lone par-5, has a rumpled fairway and a deep, creeping fairway bunker that can partially hide the green view. The backdrop to the first is a massive sand mountain that was created from the remains of dredging Lake Luna.
Altogether, the course adds up to a par 45 (3,465 yards). With the popularity of the 17-hole short course Sandbox at the Resort, the idea to create a course like The Commons was a natural fit. Especially for those guests looking for a quicker afternoon or day-of-arrival round (Note: The Commons is walking only like the other courses at the Resort).
“We believe that 12 holes will be a very popular format,” said Tom Ferrell, VP Media and Communications for Dream Golf (www.dreamgolf.com). “Coincidentally or not, that was the original length of Prestwick where the first some number of Open Championships were held. It should be a two-and-a-half hour round.
“The shot values (at the Commons) are fantastic. The visual appeal of the golf course is incredible – the kind of melding of the old-world influences on this ground.”
Jim Craig, who has worked as a shaper for course designers Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw for over two decades, was the lead designer and builder. The Commons is his first solo project as a designer. The grounds were previously used as a practice range for Sand Valley golfers so Craig had a chance to create on essentially a blank, flat canvas. As prompted by Keiser, he took advantage, especially on and around the greens, and leaned on the influences he saw overseas too.
“A lot of people would love to do (a non-traditional course) but it’s just not the norm even though that’s kind of where we came from. Golf started that way,” explained Craig of working on an “alternative” course. “It’s kind of like fashion – 20 years in a trunk and then flip it over and start over again. It’s kind of back in.
“A lot of people are afraid to do stuff that you might not see. Or have to hit a ball over or to. They do it (overseas) and it’s embraced.”
While there are no plans to close The Commons on Sundays, the community effect already seems real. Like the Old Course, a road runs through The Commons. Lone benches are scattered throughout the course and the residences and tennis center bring the Sedge Village its own small town feel on the sprawling Resort. Keiser has even referred to it as the heart of the Resort.
“(Michael Keiser) spent quite a bit of time in Scotland and a lot of the old courses over there were built on common ground. They didn’t belong to anybody,” said Craig.
“I think being where this property is I think he sort of made the connections to say let’s have Sand Valley play around this area and people can stay in the houses around the lake and walk across the golf course to go have dinner at Aldo’s (at the main clubhouse) and kids can mingle around later when nobody’s out there and kick a ball around or walk a dog. It’s common ground and I think it fits. It’s a nice place to hang out and take a walk.”
To see Midwest Golfing Magazine’s full interview with Tom Ferrell at Commons media day this past September, please click here: https://www.midwestgolfingmagazine.com/the-commons-at-sand-valley-interview-with-tom-ferrell-of-dream-golf