Quick Answer
Whitehall Sands is a new public golf destination taking shape in western Wisconsin, with a Jay Blasi course on a former sand mine and a full public opening targeted for 2028. For JEL, its appeal is the possibility of a golf getaway with a landscape and identity that give travelers another reason to explore the state.
Why It Matters
Wisconsin sets a demanding standard for a new golf destination. Golf Digest placed it first in its 2024 ranking of the best states for public golf. For travelers, that reputation is reflected in the choice already available: a new property has to give a group a compelling reason to spend part of its trip there.
Whitehall Sands is entering that conversation with an unusual origin story. Brothers Derrick and Mitchell Bushman, retired potato farmers from a Wisconsin family business dating to 1909, acquired the former mine in 2025. The roughly 300-acre property had belonged to Hi-Crush, which filed for bankruptcy several years earlier. The brothers saw an opportunity to give the land a different future.
That future matters beyond golf. The project’s published vision connects the development with local jobs and economic opportunity. Turning a former industrial property into a place people travel to could bring spending to the surrounding community, although those benefits will depend on how the destination develops.
The mining history also gives the course its identity. A sandstone wall reaching approximately 90 feet is among the site’s defining features. Jay Blasi’s design brings the quarry landscape into the golf, with exposed sand, elevated ridgelines and broad playing corridors shaping the intended experience. The ambition is firm, strategic golf that makes the setting part of the decisions golfers face.
For JEL, the competitive opportunity is clear: build a course and stay distinctive enough to earn a place alongside Wisconsin’s established destinations on a traveler’s shortlist. Whitehall Sands will have to earn that position through the finished golf, conditioning, service and hospitality. The land gives it a striking starting point.
Key Takeaways
- Whitehall Sands remains a development project. Its opening target is a planning milestone, not a guaranteed travel date.
- September 2026 work includes site preparation and course shaping; the published schedule continues with shaping and grow-in during 2027.
- Lodging is part of the vision. Room types, opening availability and the finished overnight experience still need to be established before planning a stay around them.
- A future short course and putting course would serve different purposes: approach-shot golf on one, putting on the other. Neither should be assumed available on opening day.
Entering Wisconsin’s Destination Golf Conversation
Whitehall Sands is taking shape in a state where golfers already have compelling reasons to travel. Sand Valley offers an immersive stay built around sandy terrain and varied course architecture. Kohler combines Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run with an established resort experience. Those destinations set a high standard for both the golf and everything surrounding it.
To compete for those travelers, Whitehall Sands will need to give a group a reason to choose western Wisconsin for its next trip. Its former quarry setting provides a distinctive foundation: exposed sand, dramatic walls and elevation changes that could make the course immediately recognizable.
For JEL, the opportunity is a new destination capable of earning its own place on a Wisconsin golf itinerary. The course will be the initial draw; the planned lodging and hospitality will help determine whether golfers come for a round, stay for several days, and return.
What It Means for Your Trip
Whitehall sits in Trempealeau County in western Wisconsin, bringing this project into a different part of the state from the Lake Geneva and Kohler trips familiar to many Chicago-area golfers. Its location opens a conversation about exploring the west, rather than automatically repeating a southeastern Wisconsin itinerary.
The wider region gives that trip a setting beyond the course. In the village of Trempealeau, the Great River Road follows the Mississippi River. Perrot State Park offers hiking among tall river bluffs, with views where the Trempealeau and Mississippi rivers meet. These are regional outing possibilities requiring a drive from Whitehall, rather than amenities at the golf property.
For a group with non-golfing companions, or golfers who enjoy an afternoon away from the course, that broader landscape can be part of the appeal. A scenic drive or time outdoors may be a better addition than fitting in another round. The right choice depends on where the group stays and how much travel everyone wants between activities.
Whitehall Sands’ longer-term plans include a walking-oriented golf experience, lodging, practice facilities, a short course and a separate putting course. Those additions could help turn a visit into a stay. Our look at why golf trips benefit from short courses explains how another format can extend the day without repeating a full championship round.
Competing with the established destinations does not require every group to choose one or the other. Whitehall Sands could become the main reason for a western Wisconsin getaway or an additional stop on a longer Wisconsin golf trip. Any combined itinerary will need to justify the transfer time with an experience the group actually wants.
Planning Considerations
As of September 2026, treat this as a destination preview. A sensible future proposal will depend on confirmed operating dates, course access, lodging arrangements and the facilities actually available for your stay.
If your group has fixed dates before the opening is confirmed, build the trip around operating destinations. If discovering Whitehall Sands is the main objective, keep the timing flexible. Construction photography can spark interest, but it cannot establish playing conditions or the quality of the completed guest experience.
FAQ
When will Whitehall Sands open?
The current target is 2028 for full public opening. That remains subject to development progress.
Who is designing the golf course?
Jay Blasi is the designer. The project centers on using the property's existing terrain to shape its golf identity.
Will Whitehall Sands be public?
Public golf is the announced plan. Specific access arrangements and rates should be confirmed when released.
Can JEL arrange a Whitehall Sands trip now?
We can discuss your interest and wider Wisconsin travel plans. This preview does not offer confirmed Whitehall Sands tee times, lodging inventory or an opening package.
Plan Your Trip with JEL
Whether you are exploring Wisconsin for the first time or looking for a different experience on your next visit, tell us what matters to your group: the golf, the setting, the stay and the time together. Plan your Wisconsin golf trip with JEL, and we can help turn those priorities into a proposal based on confirmed options for your dates.
