Turtle Stack Brewery brews a decade of business in La Crosse
From the ‘burbs of Milwaukee, Chicago to Wisconsin’s Northwoods
January 12, 2026
MARINETTE – Because of Wisconsin’s long winters, golf courses typically operate for only a few short months each year.
At Little River Country Club, however, Owner Adam Drys said he has taken a different approach, using continuous improvements to help sustain the business beyond traditional operating limits.
After years of helping run the course under family ownership, Drys said he officially took over in 2021, purchasing the club from his sister and brother-in-law.
Drys said his connection to the course spans nearly 20 years, balancing weekend work during college with a full-time career at Coca-Cola, where he spent 15 years before returning to lead the family business.
“I’ve always loved golf, the course is beautiful and I enjoyed being here on weekends and helping out my family,” he said. “My sister and brother-in-law’s kids were graduating from college, and my nephew was playing semi-pro golf tournaments, so they wanted to enjoy that and catch up on everything they missed while working. So, they decided to list it for sale, and when that opportunity to buy it came along, I knew I had to do it.”
Although he secured loan approval in 2020, Drys said the COVID-19 pandemic brought the transaction to a halt.
The purchase, he said, was eventually finalized in June 2021.
Making improvements from the start
Shortly after buying the course, Drys said he replaced the existing carts with 60 newer models – all matching in color and branded with the course’s logo and decals to create a more cohesive look.
“It was like half a million dollars to buy them,” he said. “A lot of places have to rent carts from an outside vendor when they have bigger tournaments, but I don’t. So, I’m saving on having to spend that cost. There’s a nice professional look to the carts, and they’re not breaking down as much either. So, I’m really glad I did that.”
Drys said he also expanded the club’s offerings by adding two golf simulators three years ago, a move that involved significant reconstruction within the building.
“We had to raise the roof about five feet,” he said. “There was a lot of construction going on during 2021 and into 2022, but it was well worth it. I don’t think there’s anyone with simulators within a 60- or 70-mile radius of me.”
Drys said the simulators are used exclusively during the winter months, offering golfers a way to stay active and maintain their skills during the off-season.
“We have a lot of leagues that use them,” he said. “There are about 75 people who play in the leagues, which are Monday through Friday. They [create] a tee time like they normally would on the course, and it fits everybody’s schedule. We play different courses each time. It’s very popular and has gotten a lot of traction.”
Within the last year, Drys said he upgraded the simulators to advanced, AI-powered systems that closely replicate real course conditions, offering a high level of accuracy compared to actual play.
“They’re the best, most accurate ones you can get in today’s marketplace,” he said.
During a recent trip to Pinehurst, Drys said he evaluated the simulators’ accuracy by pulling up a hole on his phone and matching it to the same hole on the simulator.
“It was 100% accurate,” he said. “I couldn’t tell which one was which. It was awesome.”
Drys said he paired the simulator upgrades with a premium package purchase, expanding course options to nearly 1,500 worldwide.
“This is the first year I’ve had the premium package, and people are just loving it,” he said. “Of course, they have their favorites already – like Pebble Beach. That’s the most popular course people are playing, mainly because it’s just so beautiful. Pinehurst and PGA National are also pretty popular.”
Many of the courses golfers see on television, Drys said, are among the most popular simulator options, as playing them in person would be unrealistic due to limited access and high costs.
Looking ahead, Drys said he plans to eventually transform his indoor facility into a Topgolf®-like venue.
“It’ll have TV screens where you can hit targets, play games, play different courses and so forth,” he said. “It’ll be more like a fun, family thing, even if you’re not the best golfer. It’ll be some exercise for the family and get people out there to enjoy the game of golf.”
Another improvement aimed at extending the golf season, Drys said, was the addition of a heated driving range, giving players a way to practice regardless of the weather.
The building used for the indoor driving range, he said, was constructed by the previous owners about 10 years ago, and the winter range has been in operation for roughly eight years.
Drys said he enhanced the facility by adding radiant heat overhead, keeping golfers warm and comfortable during use.
“The only doors open are the ones where people are hitting balls, and the heat is directly overhead, so you constantly stay warm and comfortable,” he said. “You can go out there in a sweatshirt in single-digit weather if you want.”
Drys said the heated driving range features 10 bays for golfers, with yardage targets scattered across the property, allowing players to hit balls just as they would on a traditional range.
The balls, he said, land in the snow and are collected in the spring once it melts.
“I have tons of range balls to get me through the winter, if you can imagine how many that is,” he said.
In addition to heating the driving range area, Drys said he also added three large stadium lights to the entire range area so people can play after dark.
“You can hit balls as far as the eye can see now,” he said.
Furthermore, Drys said the driving range is now fully automated, with a machine that lets golfers pay for use on their own.
“There’s a ball dispenser, and [golfers] put a $5 bill into the machine and it dispenses a bucket of 45 balls,” he said. “The golfer then goes to one of the bays, opens the garage door for that bay and hits the balls as they would on any driving range.”
Though the heaters are on a 60-minute timer, Drys said golfers can reset the timer for up to four hours if they want.
“It’s pretty much self-made in that I don’t have to go out there and turn off lights or heat,” he said.
Drys said golfers appreciate the chance to practice after dark while remaining comfortable in the coldest months.
“[Recently], people were playing at midnight,” he said. “We have a lot of factory workers and shift workers in this area, so it’s great for them. People love it, it’s very busy, it’s all self-serve and it’s open 24/7. It’s great for them, and it’s great for us.”
Drys said he also purchased and installed brand-new hitting mats.
“It’s always been a big hit, but with these improvements, we’re able to capture the nighttime folks,” he said. “So, it’s even more popular now, and it’s getting a lot of use.”
Drys said, to his knowledge, there’s nothing like this anywhere in the area – or within roughly 200 miles.
With a 24/7 driving range and ongoing upgrades, he said he has positioned himself as the go-to destination.
“We sort of took Mother Nature out of the equation, which you have to do when you’re in Wisconsin,” he said. “You can have good summers, bad summers, good springs, bad springs. We have such a short window to make it as golf courses in Wisconsin, so I wanted to get some different avenues of income to sort of protect me from that, but also give a good experience for people in the area and let them have the ability to play golf year-round.”
Pricing for the golf simulators, Drys said, is structured similarly to a traditional course.
Golfers can purchase a membership to play as much or as little as they like, he said, or they can pay hourly without a membership.
Drys said rates are $30 per hour on weekdays and $40 per hour on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Country club experience without the high cost
Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026, Drys said Little River Country Club is the area’s second-oldest golf course.
Describing it as a mid-tier club, Drys said it offers a balance of accessibility and solid amenities without being overly exclusive.
The 18-hole, semi-private facility, he said, offers both pay-as-you-play and annual memberships, serving a membership of about 500.
“We give people the luxurious experience but with mid-tier pricing…,” he said. “We try to keep our rates affordable for people to get a membership if they want one, but also to just play whenever they want to if they choose not to become a member.”
Drys said Little River’s amenities also include a restaurant, a banquet hall and a wedding tent, making it a popular venue for weddings, corporate events and other special occasions.
“The white wedding tent provides a lovely outdoor setting with all the indoor amenities,” he said. “We host outdoor weddings and receptions in it, along with many golf outings as well. We also have a Grand Ballroom attached to our main bar room that can hold up to 325 people, where most special events take place.”
Drys said the club’s restaurant is open to the public for fine dining on Friday nights, offering a menu that includes fresh perch, walleye, whitefish, steaks, chicken, shrimp, pasta and more.
The rest of the week, he said, is used for corporate events and private gatherings, occasionally welcoming government officials for ship christenings.
“There’s a lot of shipbuilding done in this area [at Fincantieri Marinette Marine], and when they christen and launch a new ship, the secretary of defense will often come in or the naval commanders or admirals, and we do a lot of events for them,” he said. “They’ll book out the entire place, and the Secret Service will come out and vet the place in advance. Those are very big deals, and we’re honored to be able to do events for them.”
For more information, navigate to littlerivercc.com.
