Lawsonia vs Sand Valley?

[Charlie Ray]

Summer of 2022 I spent 10 days driving around Wisconsin as a single.  My observations:
- All the public courses being discussed (Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, Lawsonia, W. Straits) are architecturally significant, but none of them are substantial better than the others.  I rate them all as DS 7's. 
- My plan was to play 2 rounds at each course and then return to my preferred course and play as much as I could there.  I ended up playing 7 rounds at Lawsonia and staying in Rippon at Mapes Hotel (which was probably the biggest surprise of my trip)) after my initial survey.  I choose Lawsonia for the sole reason that it is an easier 36-hole walk than any combination of SandValley/Mammoth.  - I prefer par-3 courses over big courses, and the Sandbox left me disappointed.  The only reason I can come up with is that on 15 of the 17 holes that particular day, the best attack was directly at the hole.  There were very few opportunities to utilize slopes.  (to my untrained eye, the land utilized for the sandbox has very little character/movement... it is adjacent to MD #18, and that huge fairway is devoid of any interest)

[Sean_A]

I nearly stayed at Mapes! It was a bit pricey for a single compared to the Green Lake option. But if I stayed in the area for more than a few nights I would definitely stop in Ripon. It looked a nice town. I stopped by to see the Little White Schoolhouse 😎.

Carry on.

Ciao

[Mark McKeever]

You should go see Lawsonia.  Its an easier one day move. 


Save Sand Valley for when you have a few days and can play them all, stay on premesis, etc.


MM

[Buck Wolter]

I nearly stayed at Mapes! It was a bit pricey for a single compared to the Green Lake option. But if I stayed in the area for more than a few nights I would definitely stop in Ripon. It looked a nice town. I stopped by to see the Little White Schoolhouse 😎.

Carry on.

Ciao

Avoid the Dartford Inn -- makes the Bates Motel look quaint

[Ian Mackenzie]

Summer of 2022 I spent 10 days driving around Wisconsin as a single.  My observations:
- All the public courses being discussed (Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, Lawsonia, W. Straits) are architecturally significant, but none of them are substantial better than the others.  I rate them all as DS 7's. 
- My plan was to play 2 rounds at each course and then return to my preferred course and play as much as I could there.  I ended up playing 7 rounds at Lawsonia and staying in Rippon at Mapes Hotel (which was probably the biggest surprise of my trip)) after my initial survey.  I choose Lawsonia for the sole reason that it is an easier 36-hole walk than any combination of SandValley/Mammoth.  - I prefer par-3 courses over big courses, and the Sandbox left me disappointed.  The only reason I can come up with is that on 15 of the 17 holes that particular day, the best attack was directly at the hole.  There were very few opportunities to utilize slopes.  (to my untrained eye, the land utilized for the sandbox has very little character/movement... it is adjacent to MD #18, and that huge fairway is devoid of any interest)

Lawsonia is also $75.00 per round while W. Straights is close to $400 now plus caddy.
Sand Valley courses also $200-$250 each with caddies optional.


Not sure I agree about the easier walk at Lawsonia...I was very glad I took a cart when I played as we knew we were playing Mammoth in the PM...;-) $98.00 with a cart.


Sandbox is simply cool AF....but they have recently put the "tees" way up to sub-100 yards on most holes to hasten pace as many will play in large groups with beverages and music as we did with our sons one year.

[Sean_A]

Summer of 2022 I spent 10 days driving around Wisconsin as a single.  My observations:
- All the public courses being discussed (Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, Lawsonia, W. Straits) are architecturally significant, but none of them are substantial better than the others.  I rate them all as DS 7's. 
- My plan was to play 2 rounds at each course and then return to my preferred course and play as much as I could there.  I ended up playing 7 rounds at Lawsonia and staying in Rippon at Mapes Hotel (which was probably the biggest surprise of my trip)) after my initial survey.  I choose Lawsonia for the sole reason that it is an easier 36-hole walk than any combination of SandValley/Mammoth.  - I prefer par-3 courses over big courses, and the Sandbox left me disappointed.  The only reason I can come up with is that on 15 of the 17 holes that particular day, the best attack was directly at the hole.  There were very few opportunities to utilize slopes.  (to my untrained eye, the land utilized for the sandbox has very little character/movement... it is adjacent to MD #18, and that huge fairway is devoid of any interest)

Lawsonia is also $75.00 per round while W. Straights is close to $400 now plus caddy.
Sand Valley courses also $200-$250 each with caddies optional.


Not sure I agree about the easier walk at Lawsonia...I was very glad I took a cart when I played as we knew we were playing Mammoth in the PM...;-) $98.00 with a cart.


Sandbox is simply cool AF....but they have recently put the "tees" way up to sub-100 yards on most holes to hasten pace as many will play in large groups with beverages and music as we did with our sons one year.

Lawsonia was more like $125 last summer. $75 must be an off-season rate.


Ciao

[Mike Hendren]

Mike-Thanks for the reply and I hope all is well. I thought Glens Falls was your ideal golf course!

Tim, I’m afraid you have me confused with the Doakster.  It happens a lot.

[Tim Martin]

Mike-Thanks for the reply and I hope all is well. I thought Glens Falls was your ideal golf course!

Tim, I’m afraid you have me confused with the Doakster.  It happens a lot.

[Max Prokopy]

Lawsonia is also $75.00 per round while W. Straights is close to $400 now plus caddy.
Sand Valley courses also $200-$250 each with caddies optional.


Not sure I agree about the easier walk at Lawsonia...I was very glad I took a cart when I played as we knew we were playing Mammoth in the PM...;-) $98.00 with a cart.


Sandbox is simply cool AF....but they have recently put the "tees" way up to sub-100 yards on most holes to hasten pace as many will play in large groups with beverages and music as we did with our sons one year.

Sticking with the OP's question, the price difference is not that large in the context that the poster has a day to make something fairly memorable.


I found the stretch of 9-14 at Mammoth to be above anything Lawsonia had to offer. 


Sand Valley was I course I very much enjoyed but the depth of sand caused so many golfers to give up on raking those dozens of potholes eventually detracted from the overall rounds.  Mammoth's hazards were in far better shape and better designed to manage play on a windy site. 


Finally, I would ad the turf conditions at both Sand Valley courses were all-world and IMO 2 full notches better than Lawsonia.