Teeing Up for Success: Madison Prepares for the 2025 AmFam Championship

For many Wisconsinites, the name Steve Stricker represents more than just a professional golfer – he's a local who, along with American Family Insurance, brought the PGA TOUR back to Wisconsin. In 2016, American Family Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, and Edgerton native Steve Stricker launched the American Family Insurance Championship – AmFam Champ. In 2025, this prestigious PGA TOUR Champions event will be held at TPC Wisconsin, on Madison's north side.

When the City of Madison was approached by the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation, the host organization, about TPC Wisconsin hosting the American Family Insurance Championship, we were receptive to their needs. With this influx of people to the space, however, our priorities were ensuring a safe event for residents, event attendees, and park users.

Event organizers met with the City's Street Use staff team for overall neighborhood and traffic impacts, including safety plans, impacts to the bus system, and other logistical impacts such as road closures. North Sherman Avenue, north of Wheeler Road, will be closed to traffic except for residents and event vehicles.  

Separately, the Foundation approached the Parks Division about the use of the parking lots at Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, North Unit, located at 6098 N. Sherman Ave., during the event. While recognizing the tremendous economic impact on Madison's northside and the entire region, we were also apprehensive of the potential impacts of thousands of people and traffic near conservation lands. Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, which has three units, encompasses nearly 1,300 acres. The largest of them, the North Unit, is adjacent to TPC Wisconsin.

The Parks Division and the Foundation met, and a proposed agreement was drafted. The agreement includes the use of the two parking lots and driveway in the park, while protecting the conservation lands and maintaining pedestrian and bicycle access during the park's regular open hours. A summary of the agreement includes:  

• Vehicles will not be allowed in the park from June 2 through June 8, unless permitted by the event organizers or by the Madison Police Department, emergency personnel, and park rangers.
• The park will be open its normal hours, and pedestrians and cyclists will be allowed to enter the park via North Sherman Avenue. The pedestrian entry on Burning Wood Way will remain open, allowing park access from the west to the park.
• No parking or equipment will be allowed off the gravel areas of the parking lots or driveway, with the exception of signage, only if it does not damage the vegetation.
• Parking will not be allowed on the driveway without prior permission from the Madison Fire Department to ensure emergency vehicle access clearance and to best protect the vegetation.

The Foundation is responsible for any damages to the park and for cleaning up and removing all visible debris associated with the event. The Parks Division, for use of the two parking lots for 7 days, will be compensated by the Foundation, $14,000. In turn, this revenue will go directly back into the conservation operating budget.

With more than 1,800 conservation park lands, we encourage the community to visit other conservation parks from June 2 – 8. Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, South Unit, located at 5002 School Road, offers 260+ acres of ecology similar to the North Unit. Visit: cityofmadison.com/conservationparks for information about our other conservation parks.

 This content is free for use with credit to Madison Parks and a link to the original post.

In 2016, American Family Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions and PGA TOUR player and Wisconsin native, Steve Stricker, created the American Family Insurance Championship. Since its inception, the tournament has raised nearly $20 million for the American Family Children's Hospital and more than 1,000 other charities, while generating an estimated $115 million in local economic impact.

The AmFam Champ brings together 76 of the top PGA TOUR Champions players. The star-studded field of U.S. and international golf legends includes major champions, Hall-of-Famers, and past champions. TPC Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, hosts the tournament, which is June 2-8, 2025. Visit amfamchampionship.com for more information.