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VERONA, Wis. -- Wisconsin's signature professional golf tournament - the popular American Family Insurance Championship - moves from the public University Ridge Golf Course to the private TPC Wisconsin starting in 2025.
Normally, that would be a big loss for a public venue - in this case, the University of Wisconsin's home course - but I actually think this works in University Ridge's favor. Now, the thousands of fans who drive in from other parts of the state to watch local heroes Jerry Kelly and tournament host Steve Stricker can actually consider turning the entire weekend into a golf getaway. Playing University Ridge, followed by a day walking the new TPC Wisconsin, sounds like the ideal golf vacation to me.
Currently, Madison isn't considered a golf destination, but it could be if you're creative. As both a college town and state capital, Madison has tons of character. That yin and yang of the recklessness of youth and the rigidity of lawmakers makes for an interesting vibe. Thanks to its surrounding golf courses and lakes - plus the lack of students and the traffic that disappears with them - summer remains the best time to visit Madison for golfers.
I spent four days mixing business with pleasure, bonding with my sister who has worked at U.W. for decades and playing golf here and there. Every time I come back to the Midwest - I lived in Michigan most of my life - I'm reminded why people stick around to suffer through winter. It's because the summers are so pure.
What it's like attending the American Family Insurance Championship
Wisconsinites love their beer, and the AFIC sure knows how to throw a golf party. I attended the final round in June 2024, watching Stricker and eventual champion Ernie Els face off in a playoff. Fans so tightly packed the 18th fairway and green for the first playoff hole that it was hard to see unless you had secured a seat in the grandstands or spot along the ropes in advance. This isn't your average PGA TOUR Champions event. It's taken to the next level by the community support and Stricker's involvement. Promotions like a dollar off drinks when players birdie the designated par 3 keep the juices flowing.
There's a chance the tournament could become a two-man team event similar to the PGA TOUR's Zurich Classic, where Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry won earlier this year in dramatic fashion. But regardless of the format, the water-logged TPC Wisconsin should be harder for the players and easier on the fans. Unlike the hilly University Ridge, TPC Wisconsin is pancake-flat and relatively compact, meaning fans can get from one hole to the next with half the effort it took to walk around University Ridge. I'll profile the changes Stricker made to the former Cherokee Country Club next year closer to the tournament, but for now here's a sneak peek.
"I think it's going to be tougher (than University Ridge), but I've gone around here and played some good rounds already. It's not impossible," Stricker said. "One of the Tour guys said it best, 'It's intimidating-looking off the tee, but once you get out here, you have a lot more room than it looks like.'"
Where to play golf in and around Madison
When it comes to state capitals, Madison probably ranks among the top 10 in America as a golf destination. It's got a solid municipal system with a foursome of courses and a crown jewel in University Ridge, the Robert Trent Jones II design that we recently ranked among the top 100 tournament courses you can play.
The 36-hole Yahara Hills anchors the munis with Odana Hills the only other regulation 18. Unfortunately, neither the East or West courses at Yahara Hills - both Art Johnson designs dating to the 1960s - or Odana Hills have any current GolfPass star ratings, so do your fellow golfers a favor and tee it up, followed by a review. The Bridges (4.1 stars) is probably the best local play nearest the city for the money. GolfPass reviewer 'chazelquist' called the Bridges a "great value" in a May 2024 review: "I like the Bridges. Good mix of long and short holes. Staff is friendly and it's always in pretty decent shape for how much it's played."
The biggest recent boon for Madison golfers has been the rebirth of the nine-hole Glen Golf Park, where Michael Keiser Jr. and his brother played growing up. The Keisers are now heavily involved with the continuing growth of the Dream Golf brand, including Sand Valley Golf Resort 110 miles north, but they haven't forgotten their roots. Michael donated $750,000 in 2022, spearheading a revitalization project at the renamed facility that reworked the routing and opened it up to the community for additional recreation opportunities and events. It's now a gathering place for all.
While Madison isn't home to any bucket-list courses, it serves as a great home base for chasing them down. Just an hour east in Oconomowoc resides The Club at Lac LaBelle, one of the coolest courses I've played in awhile. A redesign by local architect Craig Haltom in 2018 transformed an 1896 classic into a bouncy inland links of wild greens, bold bunkering, wetlands and a few blind shots thrown in for good measure. An additional short course called Uncle Henry's Back Yard is under construction near holes 1-3 across the street from the clubhouse.
A 2023 GolfPass review suggests Lac La Belle stands up with all of the state's biggest names. "I came to Wisconsin to play the big three; Whistling Straits, Erin Hills and Sand Valley," wrote golfer 'Shane5861704'. "I simply wanted to add a warm up round and chose Lac La Belle. I’m glad I did it is maintained meticulously. Beautiful! It has a great layout. The staff is very friendly and helpful. A bonus is the putting course with music playing in the background. Don’t miss this GEM! Perhaps everyone in Wisconsin knows about it. But as an out of state guest I’m glad I found it."
Madison's other options are also far-flung from the city center. An hour north is the terrific twosome in the Wisconsin Dells - Trapper's Turn by Wisconsin's Andy North and Wild Rock by Hurdzan/Fry. But with Sand Valley only another 45 minutes farther north in Nekoosa, the pull to explore its two newest additions - Lido and Sedge Valley - was too strong for me to pass up. Walking Lido - Tom Doak's recreation of C.B. MacDonald's lost Lido Course from New York - felt like playing Tetris. Every step of the way, I had to think about the consequences of my next move. It was fascinating shotmaking for such a mundane site with virtually no trees. The template holes - Eden, Alps, Punch Bowl, Short, Redan - were all among the best renditions I've seen.
I won't dive into Doak's Sedge Valley too much. Our Tim Gavrich already hit the high notes in the piece below. But I did not expect to get completely humbled by a sub-6,000-yard course. It's a tougher walk and bigger challenge than most golfers will expect. As a set, the collection of par 3s can hold their own against anybody.
What to do in Madison beyond golf
Although you're far removed from some of the courses you'll likely want to play, the reason for staying in Madison is to experience its nightlife. The city jumps to life after dark, even without the students. The Harvey House served up a wonderful dining experience inside a refurbished train car for a group of golf journalists covering the tournament.
Come summer, there are endless festivals and live music (especially at the Memorial Union Terrace) to take advantage of the nice weather while it lasts.
I've been to Madison a handful of times over the years visiting my sister in various stages of life: partying as a college student after watching the Badgers crush my alma mater, Eastern Michigan University, 56-0, in football and taking my kids and their cousins to the free Henry Vilas Zoo.
In Madison, you're never more than a 10-minute walk from a park (true fact). I walked with my sister and her dog along the lake shore, dined out and rode a bike to the capitol building and through parts of campus and downtown. We saw kids in summer camp fishing and practicing the sport of log-rolling, which I didn't realize was so big locally.
For two nights, I stayed at the Edgewater Hotel right on Lake Mendota. It's where a handful of Champions Tour players hunkered down during tournament week. Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant stayed there while in town for a performance. It's a beautiful hotel with large rooms and multiple restaurants, including the Boathouse serving casual pub fare.
As a grand finale, I went to watch my sister's husband's band play at a local bar. We hit the dance floor and had a good time. There's always something fun brewing in Madison...and I'm not even talking about the beer.
Have you played golf in or around Madison? Share your experience in the comments below.
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