TPC Deere Run Ranks #6 Among Best TPC Golf Courses Nationally
TPC Deere Run, the home of the John Deere Classic on the Iowa-Illinois border, ranks as the sixth-best Tournament Players Club golf course in the nation, according to a new ranking by Golf Digest. The course stands out for its accessibility and strong ties to the Quad Cities community, competing against premier private and public courses across the country.
How TPC Deere Run Stands Out for Iowa Golfers
Located in Silvis, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from Iowa, TPC Deere Run has been a staple of the PGA Tour since 2000. The tournament itself began in 1971 as the Quad Cities Open, named for the cities of Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island, and Moline. Former PGA Tour player D.A. Weibring and design partner Steve Wolfard crafted the layout, winding it through a wooded property near the Rock River.
The course reflects the hardworking, agricultural values of the region. Sponsored by John Deere, a titan of American manufacturing and agriculture, the classic attracts loyal crowds year after year. At just over 7,200 yards, the course rewards precision over sheer power. Players who can work the ball and navigate doglegs often find themselves at the top of the leaderboard, with winning scores typically hovering around 20-under par.
The Free Market Growth of the TPC Network
The Tournament Players Club network is a testament to private enterprise and strong leadership. The movement started in the 1980s with TPC Sawgrass, the first PGA Tour-owned and operated club. Much of the credit belongs to former PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman, whose tenure saw a massive expansion of the tour's footprint through private investment rather than government subsidies.
In 1988, the PGA Tour owned eight courses. Today, the TPC network includes nearly 30 courses, both private and public-access. This growth has driven local economies across the country, bringing tourism dollars and job creation to communities that host these premier events.
What Are the Top Ranked TPC Golf Courses?
Golf Digest's panelists scored courses based on the most recent America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses ranking and Best in State rankings. Here is how the top courses stand:
- TPC Sawgrass: Stadium (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) - The original stadium course, featuring the famous island green 17th hole.
- TPC Boston (Norton, MA) - A Gil Hanse-renovated layout that restored a classic New England style.
- TPC San Antonio: Oaks (San Antonio, TX) - A Greg Norman design known for strategic bunkering and demanding par 5s.
- TPC Southwind (Memphis, TN) - Host of the FedEx Cup playoff event, featuring water hazards on 11 holes.
- TPC Colorado (Berthoud, CO) - A public-access course serving a residential development along the Rocky Mountains.
- TPC Deere Run (Silvis, IL) - The Quad Cities favorite, praised for its community support and player-friendly design.
Other notable ranked courses include TPC Scottsdale, home to the rowdy WM Phoenix Open, and TPC Summerlin, where Tiger Woods won his first PGA Tour event in 1996.
Why Does TPC Sawgrass Remain Number One?
TPC Sawgrass holds the top spot due to its pure Pete Dye design and the enduring challenge of its stadium concept. Commissioner Beman envisioned a course that would test the world's best by mixing distance with target golf.
Dye implemented what he called his