TPC Deere Run Course Rankings:
Golf Digest: #25 Illinois
GolfWeek: #6 Illinois public
Golf.com: #4 Illinois public
Designer: DA Weibring (2000)
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend Media Day at TPC Deere Run in Moline, Illinois, to kick off the one month ramp-up to the 2013 John Deere Classic.
Last year’s tournament ended in spectacular fashion, when Zach Johnson hit a 193-yard fairway bunker shot on 18 to four feet for birdie and the tournament win.
Yesterday’s event featured a press conference in TPC Deere Run’s spectacular clubhouse, followed by a tutorial by Zach on his clutch bunker shot and 18 holes of championship golf.
With Sunday pin locations, Zach took a few shots and got one to about 25 feet below the pin. I took one bunker shot from the same spot, and… You guessed it, drew it in to about 20 feet below the pin. Yep, I [sort of] bested Zach Johnson!
All kidding aside, what a fantastic event and great golf course!
Rated the number five public course in the state of Illinois, TPC Deere Run has hosted PGA events since 1971, and the John Deere Classic since 2000.
What really surprised me about the course at TPC Deere Run, which does not translate well on television, is the elevation. Almost every hole has significant elevation changes, and the panoramic views on many holes are absolutely beautiful.
The signature hole at TPC Deere Run is the sixteenth, but in all honesty the entire three-hole stretch from sixteen to eighteen is phenomenal. The sixteenth is a short par three to a green resting on the ledge of the Rock River, with two large sand traps in front. Probably the toughest part of this one-shotter is the green, itself. The pull of the river is substantial, pulling putts five feet or more on the way up or down the putting surface.
The seventeenth is an outstanding par five. With a tight driving area, the second shot is to an elevated green that is wide open and a green fronted on the right by a deep, craggy bunker. The putting surface runs off in all directions, with a false front that leads to a Sunday hole location just a few paces left of the right-side trap. The bailout here is right, leaving most players with a short-sided flop shot over sand.
Eighteen is a wonderful finishing hole, bringing both birdies and double-bogeys in to play. The drive needs to be long enough to open up a shot at the green, but stay short of the left-side fairway bunkers that became so famous during last year’s tournament. The approach is long, and with a back pin location and water running along the left side of the green, requires a drawn mid-iron to climb the back of the putting surface.
The great elevation features of the course are apparent from the first hole on – shown here is the tee shot on one, which if at the top of the hill and near the left-side sand traps will leave just over 100 yards to the green.
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Paul Seifert’s article on TPC Deere Run offers an insightful and detailed perspective on this remarkable golf course. His vivid descriptions of the course’s elevation changes and panoramic views truly capture its beauty. Seifert’s firsthand account of the media day experience, including his interaction with Zach Johnson, adds a personal touch that enhances the reader’s connection to the course. His enthusiasm for TPC Deere Run is evident, making this piece both informative and engaging.