The moment you pull onto Sand Valley Trail, you cross a spiritual threshold. The person you were before that moment no longer exists. It’s as if you’ve entered a new world where hurries and worries cease to exist.

This is my first time to Sand Valley so I’m not sure what I envisioned in my mind, but nothing prepared me for the awe-inspiring beauty of the sand hills. It’s a surreal experience as you take in the dune grass, the larger than life hills, the dynamic terrain; all of which feels like it was hand plucked from the heavens and nestled here to provide some of the greatest golf experiences on the planet.

For 32 of us, that’s exactly what we were there to do.

For some, it was their first NewClub trip, for others it was their first time on a large group golf trip, and for Jeremy Fralich, it was his very first golf trip. Ever. Talk about setting a high bar.

Day 1: Table for 32

Our first introduction to the golf at Sand Valley was The Commons, and I can say with confidence that there is nothing common about it. It’s a 12-hole shortish course designed by Jimmy Craig (his first solo design after a long-time associate of Coore-Crenshaw), so it’s not super long and you can play it in a flash. The wide sandy corridors and friendly-looking greens lull you into believing it’s all pretty straightforward, but then the subtle green contours and Wisconsin wind remind you very quickly that it’s still very much Sand Valley golf. You still walk off the 18th hole thinking, “I think I’ll be able to figure some of these courses out and go low.”

You will not. Unless you're Kent Monas.

It’s the most enjoyable 12-hole golf course and the perfect way to warm up with three-putts, four-putts and the occasional five-putt. Looking at you, Tom Carey.

That night, we gathered at The Gallery for our welcome dinner.

“Table for 32, please.”

One long table. Thirty-two strangers from across the country. Everyone there to break bread, share some laughs and, by the end of the night, depart as new friends.

If there was a microcosm of NewClub, it would be this dinner.

It’s rare that you show up to an event with 32 people and get to skip the “table scan” to find a good seat next to the fun people. You can sit down in any chair and know you’re going to be in good company. That’s rare.

And then there was the sunset.

If life is about moments, the sunset on Day 1 was one of the most captivating of my life. Sitting at dinner with 32 new friends, smiles on our faces, and this incredible orange and pink sun hanging over the property, somehow looking twice the size it normally does.

A camera would never do it justice, much like a blog post could never really do a trip to Sand Valley justice. But seeing everyone take a second to stop, look around and soak in that little moment is what life is all about.

A few brave souls continued the welcome reception at the main lodge, but jet lag and travel days sent most of us to bed.

Competition rounds started tomorrow.

If you’re like me, you pack a foam roller and a couple of elastic bands for mobility, thinking you’re going to treat your body like a temple. Hit the gym in the morning to stretch, over-hydrate, double dose of magnesium, full body range warm-up, and a 30 minute sports massage every evening.

Instead, you eat a cookie skillet every night, skip the mobility work and get so tired from the day that all you can do is crawl into bed and watch reruns of Cheers.

Day 2: Sedge, Sandboxes and Scottish Coins

Sedge Valley was the first 18-hole test and the opening round of our competition, which is a two-person combined net total over three rounds.

The first group was off at 7:00 a.m., and a really cool fog lingered over the property. It felt more like a morning on the San Francisco bay than middle-of-the-state Wisconsin. The first few holes relied on feel to figure out where your ball went (or for some of us, make some early donations to the Sand Valley gods) but eventually, the fog burned off and opened up to a beautiful, sunny day with a slight breeze.

The highlights were some of the coolest par 3s on the property, with Sedge Valley playing as a shorter, more strategic Tom Doak design inspired by classic UK heathland courses like Rye and Swinley Forest. It’s a par-68 layout that asks for precision over power, and a few risk-reward par 4s that seemed to dish out very little on the reward side for our group.

But the real MVP?

The $1 heartburn hand pies. They're simply delicious.

In the words of Kenny Chesney, “One is one too many, one more is never enough.”

Sedge Valley saw some low scores, and it seemed like the summer grind was paying off for a lot of guys. Nathan Moore and Jeremy Fralich came out flying, posting a 132, four under par, to take the early lead. Joe Grause and Daniel Johnson matched them at 132, while Jonathan Staffeldt and Zander Nethercutt were just one shot back at 133. Andrew Bruce and Brian Cronin were also right there at 134, with Josh Berliant and Jay Van Valen rounding out the top five at 135.

After Sedge, which is what all the cool people call it, we had a chance to unwind at the clubhouse, grab a nap or, if you’re like me, grind on your putting after going 0-for-18 on putts outside of 22 inches.

The Sandbox was dialed up for the afternoon, and if anyone walked into that feeling good about their wedge game, I can assure you they left with more questions than answers. Designed as a wildly creative short course carved through sandy waste areas with tiny greens and endless angles, it dares you to get imaginative on every single shot. Imagination was high. Execution was low.

The group of Daniel Johnson, John Chung, Joe Chung, Kirk Rice, Marty Berman, Nate Jones and Matt Jones put on one of the most hilarious displays of short-course tomfoolery in years. John Chung's hosel might as well have had its own tee time. The divots off the tee looked like a crime scene of tiny graves, with very little “ball first” contact. Sorry agronomy team.

If you could describe the round with one word, it would be “laughable.”

We went from hoping someone in the group would make a hole-in-one to praying that someone could actually hit the green from 58 yards... with a putter.

No luck on either.

Daniel Johnson spent six holes in complete disarray after losing his most sacred Scottish golf coin. After backtracking and searching, he miraculously found it in his pocket, where it had apparently been the entire time.

Suffice it to say, there were no winners at The Sandbox. But in a much bigger sense, everyone walked away a winner.

Dinner was up to everyone, and groups scattered in different directions. Some gathered around the BBQ pit at The Sandbox (the Mac'n Cheese with Brisket is a must), while others opted for a truly authentic Wisconsin supper club experience.

Legend has it that Marty Berman became an honorary member of the The Dirty Oar Supper Club.

The food at Sand Valley is incredible, and there are plenty of options. It’s one of the best parts about being there. But if you’re going, the Chocolate Cookie Skillet at the main clubhouse is an absolute must. And allegedly, it's calorie free at Sand Valley. 10/10 would recommend.

After skipping the foam roller for a second night in a row and opting for low-grade beaver tranquilizers for my back, it was straight to bed.

Day 3: The Championship Comes Down to 18

Day 3 was the double-round day, with Mammoth Dunes in the morning and Sand Valley in the afternoon. Two of the longer courses to walk, and the final day of the competition.

If you’re like me and have moderate to severe wedgeititis (a disease that severely impacts your ability to hit a wedge), you’ll look for any reason to skip hitting a wedge and opt for the putter.

Mammoth Dunes, a McLay Kidd design, is a Texas Wedge user’s wet dream and the perfect place to go low, thanks to its massive fairways, endless width, and the kind of green complexes that let you get creative from well off the putting surface. If entertainment and fun are your goals, it’s also one of the best places to dream up wild shots, take on lines you probably shouldn’t, and still usually find a way to recover when things don’t go exactly as planned.

Mammoth Dunes had a way of exposing both your golf game and your decision-making. A couple of people found that out the hard way after flying a little too close to the sun and collecting a mix of sunburns and golf-induced demons along the way (sunscreen is your friend, Kirk Rice!).

The spirit award for the round goes to Tom Mullen, who, despite going completely mute for three holes while battling through the depths of golf mental hell, still managed to stay upbeat and a joy to play with.

That recovery can mostly be credited to the greatest $1 brat ever consumed midway through a round. He was in full cardiac arrest, and the brat paddles brought him back just in time.

On the competition side, Nathan Moore and Jeremy Fralich really took control. They posted a 136, ten under par, to stretch their lead to six shots heading into the final round. The biggest move came from John Chung and Joe Chung, who removed the hosels from their clubs prior to the round and fired a 139, seven under, jumping all the way from 12th to 5th.

Jonathan Staffeldt and Zander Nethercutt stayed firmly in the mix with a 141, five under, while Josh Berliant and Jay Van Valen moved up into third with a 145, one under.

Then came Sand Valley, the original course that started it all designed by Coore-Crenshaw, carved right into the natural sand dunes and built to feel like pure, walking links golf. It’s the kind of place where the land dictates everything, and you’re just lucky to be along for the ride.

The final competition round was set up to be tight. The leaders were separated by only a few strokes, and the wind was picking up as we teed off.

The hardest part about teeing off at Sand Valley is having to do so after eating 3-8 $1 tacos, which are best served with a tasty afternoon beverage. The $1 ice cream sandwich is another hidden gem at Sand Valley, and I have to shout out our caddie Brody for the insider tip.

The greens were noticeably faster than Mammoth Dunes, and there were some tentative early putts before most folks figured it out. Except in our group, where it took about 17 holes to get the speeds locked in.

We also had the accidental asshole comment of the day. After the second hole and a second 3-putt, I asked Kieran Kirwan, "Have you ever had a putting lesson?"

A backhanded insult has never bonded two people more quickly. We eventually made things right with a free putting lesson at the Lido the following day. My pro tip to anyone struggling with putting - just try and make it.

Meanwhile, Nathan and Jeremy couldn’t quite find the same form they had earlier in the week, and suddenly the championship was back in play.

Heading to the 18th tee, they held just a one-stroke lead.

One hole. One stroke.

They held their nerve on the closing hole and secured the net championship with a couple of net birdies to finish at eight under.

Josh Berliant and Jay Van Valen closed with a 141 to make the biggest move at the top, climbing into second, while Jonathan Staffeldt and Zander Nethercutt held steady to finish third.

On the gross side, Josh Bielke and Kent Monas went wire-to-wire, backing up their opening-round lead across all three courses and finishing a whopping 16 strokes clear of the field.

Kent shot six under over three rounds from the tips on each course. He’s a special player, and if you get the chance to watch him play, treat yourself.

But the best part of the day wasn’t the golf.

It was another sunset.

If the welcome dinner sunset was an A+, this was the definition of perfection.

It was one of those special moments where you feel so damn grateful for everything in life.

For me personally, I felt grateful to be a part of NewClub. To be able to put on events like this. To experience it with my brother. To be alive. Just everything. I was emotional walking up 18 and honestly just overwhelmed with gratitude and joy.

We had one final group dinner that night, where everyone got together to swap battle stories and talk about their favorite, or least favorite, shots from the day.

That’s the best part of any golf trip. The post-round drinks, sharing experiences and embracing what really matters.

And, as you can probably guess, I demolished another cookie skillet.

When it was all said and done:

Nathan Moore & Jeremy Fralich = Net Champions

Kent Monas & Josh Bielke = Gross Champions

And for Jeremy, his first-ever golf trip ended with a championship. Not a bad way to start.

Day 4: The Lido and the Long Goodbye

A little bit of morning weather welcomed us to the final day, but the only real impact was having to wait in a longer line to buy merch at the pro shop.

My favorite logos, in order:
Sedge
Mammoth
Sand Valley
Commons
The Lido

This is probably a hot take, but it’s a personal preference and I’m a stylish guy, so just trust me.

The Lido was our final round, and the best part about an hour-long rain delay was that it gave everyone a chance to hang out around the clubhouse before the round. Josh Berliant and John Chung holding court. A little bit of jabbing. A little bit of putting. A lot of laughs.

It was a soulful morning of community before we teed it up for the final time.

The Lido is such a detour from the traditional Sand Valley courses and provides a totally different experience. It’s a faithful restoration of the original C.B. Macdonald design, and you can feel that history in every hole. The course is all about angles, strategy, and imagination, with template-style holes that force you to think your way around rather than just hit your way around. It gives you plenty of chances to be creative, but you have to be precise because there are some harsh penalties waiting for you. It’s firm, fast, and full of subtle deception, where what looks simple off the tee often turns into a real puzzle by the time you’re putting.

The weather ended up being perfect as we teed off, and it was easily my favorite course on the property.

Perhaps that’s because it fell on my one-year anniversary of getting married in St. Andrews, Scotland, and the Lido itself is built on that same C.B. Macdonald template of classic British and Scottish-inspired holes. With the overcast skies and steady Wisconsin wind rolling through, it honestly felt like a little slice of links golf that transported me back to my wedding day. It's tough to beat that feeling.

But regardless, that’s a course I could play every day.

Naturally, we couldn’t finish the trip without one final incident. Tom Mullen apparently reached his tipping point and took his anger out on Kieran Kirwan, blasting him in the head with a thinned ball out of the sand trap.

Fortunately, Kieran walked away unharmed. Tom's ego, not so much. Ironically enough, Kieran didn’t three-putt the rest of the day.

The shuttle ride back to the main shop was bittersweet. It was another chance to hang with the crew, but it also signaled the end of the trip.

Four days earlier, a table of 32 strangers showed up for dinner.

On Sunday, a busload of new friends left Sand Valley.

That’s what NewClub is all about.