Sedge Valley – Played July 2024
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 597 Leopold Way, Nekoosa, Wisconsin
- Year: 2024
- Architect: Tom Doak
- Course Access: Resort
- Walking Rules: Caddies Available
Score Card Information:
- Back: 5,829 yards, Par 68, 68.3 Rating/129 Slope (Men’s), 74.2 Rating/141 Slope (Women’s)
- Back/Middle: 5,279 yards, Par 68, 65.6 Rating/120 Slope (Men’s), 70.8 Rating/129 Slope (Women’s)
- Middle: 4,777 yards, Par 68, 63.5 Rating/110 Slope (Men’s), 67.8 Rating/118 Slope (Women’s)
- Middle/Front: 4,528 yards, Par 68, 62.8 Rating/107 Slope (Men’s), 66.3 Rating/116 Slope (Women’s)
- Front: 3,753 yards, Par 68, 60.2 Rating/99 Slope (Men’s), 62.0 Rating/105 Slope (Women’s)
After another wonderful visit to Lawsonia for copious amounts of golf and good times with my friends, a few of us decided to tack on some extra rounds. Who would think it’s a bad idea to play more in some heat while walking?
Our additional planning brought us first to Sedge Valley at the Sand Valley resort. Sedge Valley is Tom Doak’s contribution to the property and is the third course at the resort. Doak has said the course is inspired by the heathland and links courses in London and on the English coast. I’ve not been able to visit those yet, so I’ll take his word for it.
Sedge Valley does stand out as a par 68. I think more courses should strive for the best use of the land rather than fitting a par 72 or 7,000+ yards. Doak looked for the best green sites and routed the course around them. Kudos to him on that! Now, let’s get into the tour.
Hole 1 – 366 yards – Par 4
Sedge Valley is utilizing 12-minute tee times which made the pacing feel comfortable. We played it shortly after opening so the ground is still quite firm but not fully grown in. I’d love to see it in a couple of years once it has matured.
The first hole is right in front of you. Avoid the bunkers and don’t miss long of the green.
Hole 2 – 364 yards – Par 4
The second tee shot plays to a blind landing area. Be careful not to stray too far to the right. Rough and trees dot that side.
Once you can see the green, your objective becomes clearer. This is another one where you do not want to miss long.
Take note of the multiple slopes in this green that can affect your ball once it is rolling.
Hole 3 – 393 yards – Par 4
The bunkers and the heather to the right are certainly in play, so some precision is necessary on this tee shot.
The green sits down in a bowl and is obscured from the view of your approach shot. You can use the slopes to work your ball toward the green if you are a little wayward.
Hole 4 – 329 yards – Par 4
With bunkers up the left and the shorter length of this hole, driver is not a necessity. Just keep it on the short grass.
The approach shot favors a draw that can avoid the greenside bunkers.
Here is a look back down the hole to help you visualize the green complex.
Hole 5 – 136 yards – Par 3
This hole was the biggest example of me wanting to see how the course matures (more in a minute). The green is quite shallow with multiple bunkers cutting into it. It’s a short shot but you need to be accurate.
Back to the course maturity discussion. My ball hit about a yard into the fringe that left of the flag in this photo (behind the flag for the hole’s normal direction). I believe that the hill was designed as a backboard, but my ball just stayed there with the current grass. That doesn’t seem in the spirit of the hole but I could be wrong.
Hole 6 – 294 yards – Par 4
For some players there is no decision here. For others, going for it or laying up makes this a tricky proposition. Deep bunkers dot the landscape greenside and are waiting to punish a miss.
The angled green makes approach shots difficult, especially if you are trying to drive it.
Hole 7 – 144 yards – Par 3
This hole is more straightforward than some of what we’ve seen so far. You can use the slope on the right as a kicker. Left misses make for tough recoveries.
Hole 8 – 139 yards – Par 3
Doak is no stranger to back to back par threes and he’s done it again at Sedge Valley. Depending on the tee placement here, you can get creative and try to whack putter onto the green utilizing the downhill slopes.
The green is a massive target but the slopes can wreak havoc.
Hole 9 – 343 yards – Par 4
It can be tempting to take on the bunker and shorten this hole, however, hitting a drive into the ample fairway gives you a perfectly good angle to the green.
Big slopes within and around this green make hitting it a priority. Missing long or left will result in a difficult up and down.
Hole 10 – 356 yards – Par 4
A lapse with the camera leaves you with only the approach view on the tenth. From this angle you can see most of the perched green that slopes from back to front.
With a back pin, you do not want to miss long where heather awaits just off the green.
Hole 11 – 445 yards – Par 5
The only par five at Sedge Valley can be reached in two and provides a good scoring opportunity. If you have a caddie, they can be useful here by pointing out the proper line for the drive and second shot.
You’ll need to know where you’re going on the second. With the firm turf you can run one onto this green. Be careful not to miss right or long as the slopes will take your ball on a ride.
Hole 12 – 278 yards – Par 4
I’d say bombs away on this tee shot because laying up isn’t that easy. There is some room on the left side of the green as well as in front.
As you’d expect with a drivable four, the green has plenty of defenses, namely the multiple slopes.
Hole 13 – 163 yards – Par 3
The view of this green is partially blocked by two large mounds. Everything funnels to the front right of this green, which is where we got the pin. You can really cozy one up close here.
Hole 14 – 372 yards – Par 4
This is one of the tougher driving holes of the round. The fairway is heavily canted and the rough is unforgiving.
If you’ve managed a good drive, the approach shot will be a green light special to one of the more benign greens.
Benign is, of course, a relative term. There is still plenty to keep your interest.
Hole 15 – 115 yards – Par 3
This is a short shot but the green makes it more difficult. It is a true two-tier monster. Putts from the lower tier are quite tough. The green extends quite far to the right and can be guarded by the trees.
Hole 16 – 331 yards – Par 4
The mission is clear. Stay out of the centerline bunkers. You can hit driver or something else, just don’t go in those traps.
If you’ve avoided the bunkers, the approach shot is gettable playing slightly uphill.
Take note of the pin position in relation to the ridge. You’ll want to be on the proper level.
Hole 17 – 393 yards – Par 4
I missed the tee shot photo but from my recollection it was pretty generous. A good drive leaves you in position to fire at this expansive green.
While it is large, it accomplishes that via width rather than depth. Make sure your distance control is spot on.
Hole 18 – 318 yards – Par 4
The finisher at Sedge Valley is probably the most provocative hole on the course. I’ve heard varying opinions about its design. Personally, I enjoyed it.
You can see the entire hole from the tee aside from the punchbowl green. You know where it is (use the centerline bunker as an aiming point) but you cannot see it. Take not of carry distances in the yardage book and decide whether to go for it or play to fairway.
Once you get closer, the truly wild green reveals itself.
Slopes galore mean you have to embrace the ground game here. Knowledge of the pin position goes a long way as well.
I quite enjoyed my round at Sedge Valley. The greens were truly interesting and made you think on where to leave your approach shots. Multiple loops will likely open up some understanding of the strategy. Unfortunately, many players will be resort guests seeing it only once.
For me, Sand Valley is much like Bandon. I rank Sedge Valley third of the courses currently there, but that is in no means a slight. The course was very good and I’d recommend anyone going to see it. That is a testament to the great golf created at both resorts. You cannot go wrong with any tee time you make.