Sand Ridge Club

Sand Valley Golf Course — Nekoosa, Wisconsin · The Midwest Model

The Thesis

Golf Was Made
For Sand

Golf was invented on the beach. The finest courses in the world — St. Andrews, Sand Hills, Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley — share a single defining trait: they are built on sand. Sandy ground drains instantly, firms up to links-quality, and produces the rolling, bouncing playability that defines the game at its purest.

Mason County, Illinois sits atop the same Plainfield sand geology that built Sand Valley in Nekoosa, Wisconsin — now America's most celebrated golf resort, booked 18 months in advance at $295 a round. Yet no one has built here. Until now.

Sand & Heat

Pinehurst
Streamsong
Sweetens Cove
Ohoopee
Old Barnwell

Bermuda grass — not ideal

Some Sand & Cool

Shinnecock Hills
National Golf Links
Shoreacres
Lost Dunes
Whistling Straits

Sand underused

The Pure Ideal

St Andrews (UK)
Sand Hills (NE)
Ballyneal (CO)
Bandon Dunes (OR)
Sand Valley (WI)
GrayBull (WY)

Sand Ridge joins this list

The Golf

Two Courses.
One of a Kind.

Sand Ridge Club will be Illinois' only walking-only, cool-season fescue links destination — two 18-hole courses, each with a distinct character and an unforgettable sense of place.

18 Holes · Par 72 · 6,625 Yards

St. Paul's
Links

Out-and-back St. Andrews model — the only full replica in America
16 massive double greens up to 30,000 square feet
300-yard wide fairway corridors — total strategic freedom
Walking only · Cool-season fescue · Fast & firm
Named for the three St. Paul's churches in Mason County

18 Holes · Par 70 · 6,280 Yards

The Irrigation
Course

First-of-its-kind: center pivot irrigation defines the layout
90% cheaper to water than a conventional underground system
Cross-country routing — unlimited strategic angles
Family and junior focused · All skill levels welcome
A golf playground unlike anything in the Midwest

Plus: 2 driving ranges, a 9-hole par-3 course, and room for a future third 18-hole layout.

The Vision

A Rural Retreat
For Generations

Sand Ridge Club is not just a golf course. It is a destination — a drivable getaway for families from Chicago, Indianapolis, and St. Louis who want the quiet, the land, and the game, all in one place.

Remoteness. Quiet. Nature.

Set deep in Mason County's white pine forests and sand ridges — a genuine escape from the city, with no cell signal required.

Pure Golf. Sandy. Walking. Open.

No carts. No cart paths. No crowded tee sheets. Just you, the land, and the game as it was meant to be played.

Family Oriented. Golf Plus Water.

Sand Water Springs — a natural Roman spa pool complex fed by Mason County's underground freshwater reserve — makes this a destination for the whole family.

Generational. Real Estate. Legacy.

5–20 acre lots available for private ownership alongside the fairways — permanent legacy in one of the Midwest's most unique landscapes.

The Market

Golf is Booming.
Sand is Rare.

3.3M+

New golfers entered the sport in 2024 — sustained post-COVID surge

$295

Sand Valley peak green fee — booked 18 months in advance

10 min

Time for comparable venues (Sweetens, Landmand) to sell out annual tee times

$1,800

Average per-person spend on a Sand Valley 2-day, 4-round trip

The best public golf destinations in America sell out in minutes and command $250–$350+ per round. Sand Ridge will price at $99–$150 for all-day play — capturing the next tier of value-conscious golfer who respects the game.

Within a 3-hour drive: Chicago, Indianapolis, and St. Louis — more than one million golfers. Mason County once drew visitors from across the state as "Little Reno." Sand Ridge will restore and redefine that legacy.

Venue	Sand	Walking	Midwest	Price/Rd	Family
Sand Valley (WI)	✓	✓	✓	$295	Partial
Bandon Dunes (OR)	✓	✓	✗	$350+	No
Typical IL Public	✗	✗	✓	$45–80	Partial
Sand Ridge Club	✓	✓	✓	$99–150	YES

The Offer

Founding Membership

Founding members capitalize the club, hold equity, and receive the full benefits of ownership — unlimited golf, preferred real estate access, and a share of operating profits.

Founding Owner

$125,000

1.7% Equity Stake

Unlimited golf — no dues, ever
First right of refusal on real estate lots
80% share of gains on lot sales
Share of annual operating profits
Lodging at cost
No assessments, ever

25 Spots Available

Local Founder

$35,000

0.8% Equity Stake

Unlimited golf
$750/year dues
First right of refusal on real estate
80% share of gains on lot sales
Share of operating profits

25 Spots — Within 75 Miles

The Land

Target Tracts

Several 500–1,200 acre parcels in Mason County are identified for potential acquisition. All are predominantly Plainfield sand with 20–100 foot dune relief — the ideal canvas for the game.

Primary Target — Ermeling Farms, Mason County, IL

St. Paul's at Ermeling Farms

1,100 Acres · +90% Plainfield Sand · Primary Target

Secluded heathland. Owners: Ermeling, Hahn, Ringhouse. The ideal canvas for both 18-hole layouts and real estate development. Near Sand Ridge State Park — the namesake of this project.

Sand Ridge State Park

6,000+ Acres · +80% Plainfield · State-Owned

The namesake. Two 100-foot sand ridges within the property. Long-term lease from the State of Illinois is a viable structuring path for a spectacular site.

Be a Founding Member

The land won't wait. The right partners at the right moment are what separates a vision from a place. Express interest today and we'll be in touch with full materials, site visit scheduling, and next steps.

partner@jubilee.ag

Get In Touch