UPDATES: American Family Insurance golf championship & Cherokee Marsh North Unit

This notice from Alders Glenn and Matthews concerns the upcoming PGA golf tournament taking place in June adjacent to the North Unit of the Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park. Then see below for more updates from Madison Parks & the Friends of Cherokee Marsh.

American Family Insurance golf championship

The American Family Insurance Championship, a golf tournament and related activities, will be held June 2–June 8, 2025, at the TPC Wisconsin golf course, 1659 Players Drive, in Madison.

A virtual neighborhood meeting to learn more about what to expect and what the tournament organizers and the City of Madison are doing to prepare is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 6pm. You will receive login information after registering at cityofmadison.com/MeetingMay13Tournament.

Representatives from the AmFam Insurance Championship team, Madison Mallards, and City of Madison staff from the Parks Division, Parking Division, Metro Transit, and Madison Police North District will be present to provide information, answer questions, and gather feedback.

Carmella Glenn - Alder, District 18 district18@cityofmadison.com  608-960-8217 Julia Matthews - Alder, District 12 district12@cityofmadison.com  608-571-2640

If you need an interpreter, translator, materials in alternate formats or  other accommodations to access this service, activity or program, please call 608-266-4071 at least three business days prior to the meeting.

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In addition, Friends of Cherokee Marsh board members have met several times with Madison Parks and have these updates on the American Family Golf Championship to share:

1. The Tournament and the city have negotiated a use agreement for the two parking lots and access road of the North Unit. The Tournament would pay $14,000 ($2000 per day) to Madison Parks for use of the lots and road. This proposed agreement is moving through city reviews, with a Parks Commission meeting on May 14 and a Common Council meeting on a date shortly thereafter. 

2. The decision to close N. Sherman Avenue north of Wheeler Road to vehicles from June 2 to June 8 was a decision by Madison Police for public safety and traffic control due to the large numbers of attendees expected for the tournament. There will be no vehicle access by the public to the North Unit of Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park via N. Sherman Ave on those dates. Bicycles and pedestrians may enter the park via N. Sherman as usual.

3. Visitors wishing to reach the North Unit of Cherokee Marsh by car June 2–8 will need to enter the Cherokee Park neighborhood through a checkpoint at the corner of Wheeler Rd. and Comanche Way, proceed through the neighborhood to park on Burning Wood Way, and then walk into the park on the path from the east end of Burning Wood Way (map). Because of these complexities, the Friends encourage most park-goers to use this time to explore other public lands in the area.

4. No food or alcohol preparation or service will occur in the Park; all food activities will be on TPC property.

5. The South parking lot of the Park will be used by Golf TV trucks and staff. 

6. The North parking lot of the Park will be used solely as overflow parking for personnel working the tournament.

7. The access road into the park (N. Sherman gravel road) will be used only as a road, per Madison Fire Dept. regulations. No parking or other activities will occur in/on the road.

8. The golf course boundary will be double-roped (not fenced) with "No Trespassing" signs.

9. Madison Parks conservation crews will check on the park daily, and Madison Parks maintenance staff will continue their normal daily service of the Park restrooms. (It is not expected that tournament-related personnel will be using the Park restrooms much, if at all.)

10. If park visitors notice situations of concern, they may phone the Madison Parks rangers at 608-235-0448 or, if it is a real emergency, call 911. We are seeking information about a contact number for tournament security, as well.

11. Madison Parks will be publicizing info about the tournament, car access issues, and alternative parks to visit that week. Madison Traffic Engineering will be publicizing info about the tournament, road closures, parking restrictions, etc.  You can view or subscribe to Parks newsletters here.