The next hurdle for the creation of the Scotland course backed by a group that includes Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley developer Mike Keiser will come during a hearing scheduled to be held over the next four to six weeks. Proponents cite the job creation and overall economic boost from the project, but environmentalists have…
Mammoth Success
Mike Keiser and his family members are playing an increasingly influential role in the game of golf. And keeping their glass more than half-full in the process. Is golf’s glass half-full, or half-empty? Readers of the recently released Annual Golf Industry Report from the National Golf Foundation (NGF) will tell you that, despite the ongoing…
Highland Dunes Course in Scotland Gets Green Light
The project backed by Mike Keiser, developer of Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley and other acclaimed golf resorts, and Todd Warnock to build an 18-hole championship course on unique sand dunes on Scotland’s northeast coast has been given planning permission by the Highland Council. Environmentalists have raised objections to the project, but local businesses and golf…
Sand Valley Golf Resort Announces Opening Dates
The Sandbox, the 17-hole, par-3 course at the Nekoosa, Wis., property will open May 1, and on May 31, Mammoth Dunes will open for play. The property also has plans to open a residential community, additional lodging, new practice facility, expanded clubhouse with additional dining, and a grass tennis court complex. Sand Valley Golf Resort…
Keiser Group Moves Forward with “Coul Links” Proposal for Scotland
A group headed by the Bandon Dunes developer is submitting a “thoroughly vetted planning document” to the Highland Council regarding the proposed development of the 18-hole course on the coast just north of Embo, Sutherland, Scotland. Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore have been retained to design the course, which would be located just 1.5 miles from Royal Dornach GC.
$4M Approved for Improvements to Airport Near New Sand Valley Golf Resort
Including the funding for Alexander Field in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., in the state budget led to criticism that developer Mike Keiser had gained favor through political donations. But the state representative for Sand Valley’s district denied the implication. “This isn’t just a Michael Keiser airport [or a] Sand Valley airport,” State Rep. Scott Krug said about facility improvements that he called long overdue.
Sand Valley Golf Resort Opens for Public Play
The much-anticipated Nekoosa, Wis., property has opened its doors, featuring a Coore and Crenshaw-designed golf course, understated lodge with a restaurant and bar, pro shop, and 17 guest rooms. Next year, the property will open the Mammoth Dunes golf course, designed by David McLay Kidd. One of the most anticipated golf courses of the year, Sand…
Central Wisconsin Prepares for Golf-Driven Economic Boom
Mike Keiser’s plans to build up to five golf courses between Wisconsin Rapids and Adams-Friendship has community leaders scrambling to improve infrastructure and amenities. This week, town officials from Rome, Wis., site of Sand Valley Golf Resort, are visiting Bandon, Ore., home to Keiser’s Bandon Dunes, to prepare for the inevitable growing pains that will come from the development.
Sand Valley Golf Resort to Open in May
Community members will have the opportunity to visit the Nekoosa, Wis., property on May 1 before it officially opens to the public on May 2. The property is a sister resort to Bandon Dunes in Oregon, which opened May 2, 1999—exactly 18 years before Sand Valley’s opening date.
The “Short Answer” to Golf’s Woes?
Offering players a chance to discover and enjoy the game with less difficulty, cost and time can provide more choices, fun—and play.
Public Meeting To Gauge Support for Chicago South Side Golf Project
One of the first public discussions of the $30 million-plus plan to have Tiger Woods design a championship course that has the backing of President Obama and Bandon Dunes owner Mike Keiser is scheduled for January 9th. Community activists are expressing concern over the closed-door nature of the planning to date and whether there will truly be a broad benefit for the sections of the city that have been plagued by unemployment and violence.
Bally Bandon Sheep Ranch to Expand to 18 Holes
The under-the-radar golf course north of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore., was built in the early 2000s with a 13-hole layout. Owner Mike Keiser said the site, about 300 acres, has one mile of coastline and is likely to be designed by Gil Hanse, though “that’s not a done deal.”
Tiger Woods “On Board” to Design Mike Keiser’s Chicago Project
The project, which would combine the Jackson Park and South Shore golf courses into an 18-hole layout that could also include a short course, has a “two in three” chance of succeeding, Keiser predicted. Woods is in talks to be the architect, though it’s not yet “a done deal,” and might be willing to waive his design fee, given that the course would benefit The First Tee of Greater Chicago.
Stevens Point (Wis.) CC Gets $3M Facelift
After a chemical used for broadleaf weed control led to the loss of over 2,000 trees, a long-overdue course renovation was begun that will include new bunkers and tees along with a new irrigation system and widening of fairways.
Bandon Dunes a “Key Catalyst” to Local Economy
Reports conducted in 2010 and 2015 have found that the Bandon, Ore., resort impacts Coos County through jobs, direct and induced tax support, spending on locally supplied goods and services, and philanthropic and community development work. From 2010 to 2014, rounds at the resort increased 64%, with golfers playing more and staying longer.