Seeding and sodding work on the Scott Hoffman-designed course for the new Mapleton Golf Club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is almost complete. The course is expected to open by early autumn of 2025.
One of the primary characteristics of the course will be its wide bentgrass fairways, with expanded areas of fairway cut around many of the greens. “The fairways are wide so playability is great off the tee but angles and using the slopes, which are definitely prevalent on many holes, will dictate approaches,” said Hoffman. “The greens are slightly larger than average, with some great variety in shapes and slopes, making very interesting hole locations but also offering terrific diversity for day-to-day play. The tees are not formal boxes but more of a fairway look that continues into where the fairway would normally start.”
Hoffman was able to create large native sand blowout areas on the upper ridge of the course. “We kept those areas to where we found the sand, which creates some stunning visuals on holes one to four, sixteen and seventeen, while offering great variety from the other holes down below the ridge,” he said. “The course will play fast and firm and will be a lot of fun for all levels of player.”
Construction work has been handled by Landscapes Unlimited. “The holes that are the most grown in are one to five, the ninth, tenth, fifteenth, sixteenth and eighteenth,” said Hoffman. “The last seven holes or so are dormant seeded, so will be covered in either straw mat or hydromulch. We did this same practice on the last four holes at Lost Rail in Nebraska and had great success.”
Read more: Construction begins on new Scott Hoffman design in South Dakota
The locations of holes seven, thirteen and fourteen were altered midway through earthwork and shaping, as Hoffman settled on his final routing. “The changes had no impact on schedule or costs, but it turned out to be a wonderful enhancement to all three holes,” he said.
The clubhouse is located at the highest point of the 210-acre site. “I don’t usually go out of my way to have returning nines, but this site allowed for the necessary environment change on both nines and room around the clubhouse to still return,” said Hoffman. “There was also a little ridgetop at 150 yards or so from the clubhouse that begged for a green and it made sense to make it the tenth.”
Hoffman has designed the course to be extremely walkable, with short green-to-tee connections. The course occupies a ‘core’ site, with no bordering development or road crossings.
“[Mapleton founder] Danny Amundson’s vision was for a pure golf experience of the quality of top 100-ranked courses, and I believe that overall vision has been accomplished,” said Hoffman.