Kettle Forge Golf Club to Bring Championship Caliber Experience to Ashippun, Wisconsin By Brian Weis

Kettle Forge Golf Club to Bring Championship Caliber Experience to Ashippun, Wisconsin

By Brian Weis

Set in the heart of the Kettle Moraine region, Kettle Forge promises to be a natural complement to Wisconsin's renowned public venues like Erin Hills and Whistling Straits. But unlike those celebrated destinations, this course will remain exclusive - accessible only to members and their guests. The goal is to provide an uncompromising, pure golf experience marked by thoughtful design, elite service, and a sense of place that honors the land's glacial heritage.

At 7,600 yards from the back tees, the course will be one of the longest in Wisconsin. The landscape's natural features - rolling topography, mature oak and maple woodlands, wetlands, and dramatic elevation changes, will be preserved and woven into the routing. Rather than reshape the earth, the team behind Kettle Forge has prioritized designing within its contours to create a seamless connection between environment and play.

Guiding that vision is an all-star team of golf industry veterans. The course design will be led by Jackson Kahn Design, whose founders trained under legendary architect Tom Fazio. Early routing was conducted by Scott Hoffman, known for acclaimed private courses like Lost Rail in Nebraska and Mapleton in South Dakota. Adding professional insight is Wisconsin golf icon Steve Stricker, who joins as a design consultant, bringing firsthand knowledge of competitive play to the planning table.

Construction will be executed by Landscapes Unlimited, one of the most respected builders in the golf world, with nearly 75 top-ranked courses in its portfolio. Club operations will be managed by its sister firm, Landscapes Golf Management, which will also oversee membership development and course grow-in. Together, these partners aim to deliver a world-class golf destination that could one day compete for top rankings and even attract professional tournaments.

"We're building a course that rewards repeat play - fair to members but packed with strategic nuance for those who want to challenge themselves," said Brett Craig, the Wisconsin entrepreneur behind the project. "There's nothing like this in the region, and we believe Kettle Forge will set a new standard for private clubs in the Midwest."

Bill Kubly, Chairman of Landscapes Unlimited, echoed that sentiment. "This is pure, unadulterated golf," he said. "There won't be a swimming pool or tennis courts, just great golf in a beautiful setting. And based on early interest, we expect Kettle Forge to be fully subscribed before opening day."

Craig emphasized the long-term vision for the course's stature. "We're not just building for today-we're designing a course that can be considered one of the best in the nation. Whether it hosts a PGA Tour event or becomes a staple on top-100 lists, Kettle Forge is about excellence and longevity."

Membership will be strictly limited and invite-only, reflecting the project's emphasis on quality over quantity. A hilltop clubhouse with panoramic views, guest cottages, fine dining, and luxury amenities including a wellness spa and cigar and bourbon vault will round out the member experience. Beyond golf, the property will offer curated outdoor activities like pheasant hunting and fishing, creating a year-round retreat for members and their families.

More Information:
https://kettleforge.com

Revised: 08/12/2025 - Article Viewed 444 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.