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TPC Wisconsin: A Masterpiece Rises Alongside Cherokee Marsh

"A match made in heaven."

That's the best way to describe the productive partnership between PGA legend Steve Stricker and PGA Senior Vice President of Design Services Steve Wenzloff, who joined creative and technical forces to design the new TPC Wisconsin dream course.

In 2020, the pair assessed the condition of the aging Cherokee Country Club - opened in 1962 as a unique, pristine marshlands course - and pronounced it ripe for renewal.

“It was always a fantastic layout,” said Stricker. “I loved it. It was a beautifully open lowlands course - kind of like on the southern coast of the United States. You could see from one side of its 154 acres to the other. Just like the ocean breezes down south, the Dairy State winds at Cherokee CC would influence your golf ball's flight. It was a fantastic challenge that made you a better player - but was really fun to play. "

"That's the way I remember it best - when there were just a handful of trees," he said.

Over ensuing years, hundreds of trees and other non-native plant species took root and took over, dramatically changing the playing characteristics of the golf course, blocking views from one hole to another and choking the once clear-running waterways.

“The invasive plants had created a sense of tunnel vision at Cherokee Country Club,” said Steve Wenzloff. “They cut holes off from one other visually and made it impossible for the golf course to exist as healthy marshland."

"A big part of what owner Dennis Tiziani wanted us to do was to return the golf course to its healthy marshland status," Wenzloff continued. "Just like Steve Stricker, Dennis is a devoted outdoorsman and wants TPC Wisconsin to play a positive role in the Cherokee Marsh ecosystem.”

“When this golf course re-opens as TPC Wisconsin, it’s going to be better than it was when it opened - much better,” said Stricker “We’ve removed non-native and invasive plant species. We’ve raised the fairways an average of 2.5 feet, mining glacial sand from our own site and placing it on top of the peat soil for TPC-specified playing conditions and quick drainage. The Bentgrass fairways will be firm and fast, just like the all the courses we play on the PGA and Champions Tours. The greens - just wait ’til you see these new green complexes. They are going to be very cool.”

“While the original layout is largely unchanged,” said owner Dennis Tiziani, "Steve Stricker and Steve Wenzloff changed so many of the details throughout the whole expanse of the course, it’s almost impossible to keep track of the improvements. I wanted Madison, Wisconsin, my home, to have a world-class golf course and that is exactly what we’re going to deliver.”

At the writing of this text in May of 2023, TPC Wisconsin's grass continues to grow in and look more lush, and the spectacular beauty of the new design becomes more apparent with every passing day.

“There is not a doubt in my mind that many Madisonians are going to join this club and so will members from a distance,” said Wenzloff. “By that I mean we’ll see golfers whose primary residences are well outside of Dane County joining here. They will come from Milwaukee, Chicago and elsewhere. Many will be members of other clubs. TPC Wisconsin is going to be that special. It's going to be a treasure that players of all skill levels can play and be challenged by and enjoy."

"I agree with that 100%," said Stricker. "Another reason this is going to be popular is that when you join TPC Wisconsin, you're effectively joining 30 TPC Clubs. And you're also gaining access to hundreds of other high quality clubs worldwide via the exclusive TPC Passport Program. The closest golf course to Madison with those advantages is TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota - which our members will have access to."