The Lido at Sand Valley Golf Resort – Tom Doak’s reincarnation of the legendary Lido Golf Course on Long Island, N.Y, , has officially opened its full 18 holes for members and resort play. In The Lido at Sand Valley, Doak has masterfully recreated the mysterious C.B. Macdonald layout that existed from 1917 until the U.S. Navy took over the land in 1942.
Featuring a big, bold design that was Macdonald’s signature, The Lido is a golf experience unlike any other. And that’s saying something considering that its sister courses – Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes , along with the Sandbos short course, each are among the top courses in the country.
Another Doak design – Sedge Valley – will open next year at Sand Valley. But fow now, all eyes are on The Lido.
“All the work that went into making the project even feasible just boggles the mind,’’ Sand Valley/Dream Golf Director of Marketing Tom Ferrell told me. “Even getting the wind directions to line up as they did on the original.’’
Indeed, the Keiser family, (brotthers Michael and Chris and father, Mike) which owns Sand Valley in Nekoosa, WI., along with Doak, were so dedicated to the authenticity of the original design that the “new’’ Lido almost didn’t happen.
“They weren;t going to do it if they couldn’t provide the ‘Lido’ experience,’’ Ferrell said. “There were numerous points in the project when a ‘no-go’ was seriously evaluated.
The Keisers and Doak, however, persevered. The result is the most talked about and anticipated golf course – particularly among golf historians – in decades.
“It’s just an awe-inspiring achievement from that perspective,’’ Ferrell said . “It is so expressive of a completely different era and psychology of golf. It truly is like time travel.’’
Photo: The Lido at Sand Valley (Dream Golf)
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