Public resort · Nekoosa, Wisconsin
Sand Valley Weather by Month & Best Time to Play
By OverUnderWeather Research Desk
Monthly temperature, rain, frost and wind to help you pick your dates within Sand Valley's short season, the resort's green fees by season, walking and caddie rules, and the next four days of tee-time weather. Our weather point is inside the resort's golf grounds, about 1010 ft above sea level. Individual courses aren't measured separately.
Sand Valley at a glance
Climate sample · 2021–2025Regional ERA5 estimates, not measurements on the course. A low wet-day average does not mean rain is unlikely on your tee time.
Sand Valley forecast: next four days
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Best time of year to play Sand Valley
Sand Valley sits on the sand dunes of an ancient glacial lake in central Wisconsin, a long way from any big city or coastline. Unlike the Florida and Carolina guides, the question here isn't heat or hurricanes. It's a short season. In 2026 the courses opened on April 24 and closed on October 18, and the resort says all golf courses are closed for the winter. So the real choice is between cold, frosty shoulder weeks at the lower rate and warm summer days at the peak rate.
September · the best weather of the season
September averaged highs near 74°F and lows near 53°F, with 8.4 wet days, the fewest of any full month in the season, and 2.6 in of rain. The air was 36°F or colder at 7am on just 1% of September days, and the heat index reached 90°F at 1pm on only 1%. It's still peak pricing ($325 per round) until October 4, but if comfortable walking weather is the priority, this is the month to book.
Mid-May to mid-June · long days, the rate change on May 21
May highs averaged about 69°F, and in our data early-morning frost was essentially gone by May: the air didn't drop to 36°F at 7am on any May day in the sample (0%). May had 11.8 wet days. The shoulder rate of $235 runs until May 20, so the second and third weeks of May are the best value of the year. June is warmer (highs near 78°F) and comes with the longest daylight, at the $325 rate.
July and August · warmest, with summer storms
Highs averaged 81°F in July and 79°F in August. These were the wettest months by total rain (4.7 in each), mostly from heavier summer showers rather than more wet days. The heat index reached 90°F at 1pm on 3% of July days and 5% of August days, so heat is rarely the problem it is in the south. You'll walk more than six miles a round here, though, so carry water.
Late April · cheapest, but cold and wet
The season opens in late April at $235. April was the wettest month by wet days (14.4) and the windiest (11 mph on average during the day), with highs near 55°F. The air was 36°F or colder at 7am on 43% of April days and below freezing on 27%. These are whole-month figures, and late April is milder than early April, but frost delays on the first tee times are a real possibility. Pack layers and avoid booking the first slot of the day.
October 5–18 · the closing fortnight
The rate drops back to $235 for the last two weeks of the season. October had the least rain of the season (1.9 in) and highs near 62°F, but the 7am air was 36°F or colder on 19% of October days. Expect cool mornings and some frost delays.
Sand Valley hour by hour · July
| Hour | Avg feels-like | Heat index 90°F+ | Rain falling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am | 65°F | 0% | 7% |
| 8am | 67°F | 0% | 4% |
| 9am | 70°F | 0% | 6% |
| 10am | 74°F | 1% | 6% |
| 11am | 76°F | 1% | 5% |
| 12pm | 78°F | 3% | 4% |
| 1pm | 79°F | 3% | 5% |
| 2pm | 80°F | 6% | 6% |
| 3pm | 80°F | 8% | 7% |
| 4pm | 81°F | 9% | 7% |
| 5pm | 80°F | 7% | 7% |
| 6pm | 79°F | 5% | 8% |
Rain falling = at least 0.5 mm in that hour; it is not a lightning or suspension record. Heat index uses the US National Weather Service formula on model temperature and humidity, in the shade. 36°F (2°C) air is a frost-risk proxy: frost can form on turf above freezing air, and the resort decides frost delays.
Values come from ERA5 model hours requested at our audited Sand Valley point, converted to Central time with daylight saving applied, 2021–2025. "Wet" means measurable rain in the hour, not lightning, and 36°F air is a 2 m air reading, not a turf frost record. They show how often conditions happened, not a forecast for your day.
Green fees by season, 2026
| Dates | 18 holes | Replay or 9 holes |
|---|---|---|
| April 24 – May 20 | $235 | $115 |
| May 21 – October 4 | $325 | $165 |
| October 5 – October 18 | $235 | $115 |
Walking, caddies and booking
All the courses at Sand Valley are walking only. The resort offers ADA carts for golfers with a medical condition (apply in advance), and push carts rent for $10 a day. Caddies typically carry two bags at $100 per bag per round plus gratuity, paid directly to the caddie; junior caddies are $60 per bag, and single-bag requests are mostly filled by juniors. The resort recommends booking a caddie at least a week ahead.
The Lido is open to resort guests only, Sunday to Thursday, with limited availability. Golf-only bookings must be cancelled at least 30 days before arrival. Golf-and-lodging bookings need 45 days' notice from May 1 to October 4, and 7 days in the shoulder weeks. If you choose not to play because of the weather, the golf shop charges the round and issues a voucher for future golf; once you tee off, you're committed. Replay and Sandbox rounds can be cancelled at any time. For airports and transfers, see the resort's getting here page.
Sand Valley weather by month
Five-year averages for 2021–2025 from ERA5 reanalysis, requested at our audited resort point. ERA5 is a coarse regional model; the grid point used is 44.25°N, 89.75°W, about 12 km northeast of the courses. Treat these as a regional guide to the resort, not measurements on any one course or 30-year normals. Winter months are shown for context; the courses are closed then.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Wet days | Daytime wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26°F / -3.3°C | 13°F / -10.8°C | 1.1 in | 5.0 | 8 mph |
| February | 30°F / -0.9°C | 12°F / -11°C | 1.2 in | 6.6 | 9 mph |
| March | 44°F / 6.8°C | 27°F / -3°C | 3.5 in | 9.8 | 10 mph |
| April | 55°F / 12.6°C | 37°F / 2.5°C | 4.2 in | 14.4 | 11 mph |
| May | 69°F / 20.3°C | 49°F / 9.3°C | 3.1 in | 11.8 | 9 mph |
| June | 78°F / 25.8°C | 60°F / 15.5°C | 4.0 in | 10.4 | 8 mph |
| July | 81°F / 27°C | 62°F / 16.7°C | 4.7 in | 11.2 | 7 mph |
| August | 79°F / 26°C | 60°F / 15.8°C | 4.7 in | 9.6 | 7 mph |
| September | 74°F / 23.3°C | 53°F / 11.9°C | 2.6 in | 8.4 | 8 mph |
| October | 62°F / 16.5°C | 43°F / 6.1°C | 1.9 in | 8.8 | 9 mph |
| November | 44°F / 6.9°C | 29°F / -1.6°C | 2.2 in | 7.8 | 10 mph |
| December | 32°F / 0.1°C | 19°F / -7.4°C | 2.0 in | 10.2 | 9 mph |
Wind at Sand Valley
Morning vs afternoon wind at Sand Valley
During the April–October golf season afternoons were windier than mornings by about 0.5–1 mph, and no monthly mean reached 12 mph in either period. This is a regional reading, so the open dunes may feel breezier; it is a small reason to prefer a morning slot.
July: afternoon mean 1.0 mph higher
- Morning · 08:00–12:59
- 6.3 mph
- Afternoon · 13:00–17:59
- 7.4 mph
2021–2025 ERA5 regional estimates of mean 10 m wind, not gusts or measurements on the course. All hours use America/Chicago, with historical daylight-saving adjustments. Each period contains 9,130 hourly readings across 1,826 days; monthly means combine all five years. These fixed periods are not full-round exposures, tournament waves or a forecast of your day. The live forecast above uses different fixed periods (07:00–11:59 / 12:00–16:59); compare its hourly details for your actual tee time.
This separate wind snapshot uses UTC inputs converted to local time; its figures need not exactly average to the older daytime climate table. Hourly source data · Frozen 2026-11-02.
The regional wind is moderate: daytime averages in the golf season ranged from about 7 mph in July to 11 mph in April. The big, exposed dunes and few trees on Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes may make it feel windier than that, but we can't measure individual holes, and we don't label any hole as playing into or down the wind. For your round, check the hourly wind and gusts in the live forecast above, then use our golf wind calculator for a rough plays-like yardage.
Sand Valley hasn't hosted a PGA Tour event, so we have no tournament tee-time data for it. Across regular Tour events, our wind and tee-time wave study found the windier wave averaged about 0.93 extra strokes per player for each 10 km/h of extra wind. That's a Tour-wide pattern for professionals at other courses, not a Sand Valley or amateur score forecast. Here, cold mornings at the ends of the season are likely to matter more to most visitors.
Sources and method
- Course point: OpenStreetMap relation 20579379 centre (Sand Valley Golf Resort) (44.1729345, -89.854344), confirmed inside the resort's golf-course outline. Elevation about 308 m: Open-Meteo/Copernicus 309 m, USGS 308 m.
- Reproduce the monthly weather inputs (Open-Meteo ERA5 archive, 2021–2025, Central time).
- Official Sand Valley pages, checked 2026-11-11: golf rates · FAQ · caddies · golf policy.
More public course weather guides
OverUnderWeather Research Desk
Independent data analysis on public sports and weather records. Studies match historical game outcomes to archived game-window weather, apply pre-set sample and significance rules, and publish null results when that is what the data show. Editorial policy and corrections log.
Frequently asked
What is the best time of year to play Sand Valley?
For weather, September: highs near 74°F, the fewest wet days of the season (8.4) and almost no frosty mornings in the 2021–2025 ERA5 sample, at the $325 peak rate. For value, May 1–20: frost had largely cleared by May in our data and rounds cost $235.
When is Sand Valley open?
In 2026 the golf season ran from April 24 to October 18. The resort says all golf courses close for the winter. 2027 dates and rates weren't published when we checked on 2026-11-11.
How much does it cost to play Sand Valley?
In 2026, 18 holes on Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes or Sedge Valley cost $235 from April 24 to May 20 and October 5 to 18, and $325 from May 21 to October 4, before tax. Caddies are $100 per bag plus gratuity.
Can you ride a cart at Sand Valley?
No. All courses are walking only. ADA carts are available for golfers with a medical condition by application, and push carts rent for $10 a day.
Is frost a problem at Sand Valley?
At the ends of the season, yes. The 7am air was 36°F or colder on 43% of April days and 19% of October days in our sample. That's air temperature, not a record of turf frost or actual delays.
Does Sand Valley give rain checks?
If you choose not to play because of the weather, contact the golf shop while on property: the round is charged and you get a voucher for future golf. Once you tee off, you're committed to the round.