Sedge Valley

Sedge Valley is Tom Doak's 2024 heathland-inspired addition to Sand Valley, and the numbers deserve a second look. At 5,829 yards and par 68 it reads modest, until you register the course rating of 74.2 and slope of 141. Those figures mean Sedge Valley plays harder than courses 1,200 yards longer. Doak built it as a deliberate counterpoint to Mammoth Dunes' scale and The Lido's historical ambition: where they make bold statements, this one makes precise ones.

The green complexes are small and heavily contoured, and they do the work that length does elsewhere. A 130-yard approach to a 3,500-square-foot green with two distinct tiers and a false front is a different challenge than the same yardage to a receptive 8,000-square-foot target. Sedge Valley is built almost entirely on the former proposition. The greens are the defence, and they are rigorous.

The heathland inspiration shows in the vegetation and the scale. The course moves through low scrub and sandy terrain with less of the dramatic dune movement that characterises the resort's other courses. Holes are routed close together, and the texture recalls Sunningdale or Woodhall Spa more than the coastal links that inspired the original Sand Valley course.

The par of 68 comes from more par 3s and fewer par 5s than a standard routing. The average hole is shorter, but the challenge per hole is higher. A 340-yard par 4 with a narrow opening between two bunkers and a sharp back-to-front slope demands a different precision than a 440-yard hole with a generous target. Arrive expecting easy scoring based on the yardage and the scorecard will not cooperate.

The walk is comfortable and quick. The compact routing means rounds run shorter than the full-length courses, which makes Sedge Valley a natural afternoon pairing or a half of a 36-hole day. The sandy soil keeps the same firm, bouncy character as the rest of the property.