Classic Hits Blog

Tee Times

jdclassic — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 13:18:09 +0000

Fourth-round times. All times are local.

TPC Deere Run Tee #1

Time

Players

12:35 pm

Stricker, Steve

de Jonge, Brendon

12:26 pm

Reavie, Chez

Stanley, Kyle

12:17 pm

Percy, Cameron

Wilson, Mark

12:08 pm

Tringale, Cameron

Wilson, Dean

11:59 am

Warren, Charles

Price, Aron

11:50 am

Johnson, Zach

Green, Nathan

11:41 am

Mathis, David

Dawson, Marco

11:32 am

MacKenzie, Will

Davis, Brian

11:23 am

Hamilton, Todd

Austin, Woody

11:14 am

Stallings, Scott

Beckman, Cameron

11:05 am

Letzig, Michael

Love III, Davis

10:56 am

Janzen, Lee

McQuillan, Matt

10:47 am

Mallinger, John

Atwal, Arjun

10:38 am

Marino, Steve

Thompson, Michael

10:29 am

Wetterich, Brett

Molder, Bryce

10:20 am

Bertsch, Shane

Gay, Brian

10:11 am

Couch, Chris

Points, D.A.

10:02 am

Howell III, Charles

Blanks, Kris

9:53 am

Herman, Jim

Putnam, Michael

9:44 am

Merrick, John

Martin, Ben

9:35 am

Kang, Sunghoon

Henry, J.J.

9:26 am

Merritt, Troy

Gonzales, Andres

9:17 am

McGirt, William

Mayfair, Billy

9:08 am

Bohn, Jason

Baird, Briny

8:59 am

Piercy, Scott

Bowden, Craig

8:50 am

Rollins, John

Teater, Josh

8:41 am

Campbell, Chad

Slocum, Heath

8:32 am

Triplett, Kirk

Jones, Kent

8:23 am

Lickliter II, Frank

Petrovic, Tim

8:14 am

Kirk, Chris

Sim, Michael

8:05 am

Hearn, David

Ogilvie, Joe

7:56 am

Bowditch, Steven

Vegas, Jhonattan

7:47 am

Pampling, Rod

Driscoll, James

7:38 am

Matteson, Troy

Connell, Michael

7:29 am

Prugh, Alex

Waldorf, Duffy

7:20 am

Stroud, Chris

Trahan, D.J.

7:15 am

Day, Jason

Back for More with Reilly Smith, First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

jdclassic — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 13:17:31 +0000

Day One at the John Deere Classic started off great with perfect weather. Throughout the day we watched some of the pros tee off. I was amazed at how far and fast the golfball would go. Also, we learned some very interesting facts about the “ins and outs” of some golf clubs. We interviewed club maker Rusty Estes about the new styles of golf clubs. He said that wood drivers and clubs are long gone; that they will never come back. We found out that longer putters are coming into style instead of shorter putters. Rusty said that the pros like the longer putters better than the shorter putters because they have more control. What I found interesting was that the technology for making clubs hasn’t really changed in the 20 years that he has been making golf clubs.

As the day went on we watched more professionals play and walked some of the holes as we were watching. I talked to volunteer Chris Nowack and asked her a few questions about what it is like to volunteer at the John Deere Classic. To become a volunteer all you have to do is sign up on a website. She told me that she has to get up everyday at four in the morning to be able to get to the Classic by six am. She works a lot of hours everyday from 6 am-2 pm. Chris said that she likes to make sure that everyone that she helps out has a great time and good experience. She told me that she likes to help out because she thinks it’s a great event and that it is good to support the Quad Cities.

I also was able to interview a photographer by the name of Greg Boll. He said that he has been taking pictures for 25 years; first with the Quad City Times and then stared working with the John Deere Classic a few years ago. Greg told me that the third hole is hazardous, with a hard walk up the hill (and that’s why he now has a cart). He says that he is very happy to take pictures of golf because not a lot people like to do it. His favorite hole to take pictures on is hole 18 but only if it has a good crowd along with it. Boll also told me that the best thing about working and taking pictures at the John Deere Classic is that he gets paid very well.

It was a very good and successful day at the first day of the John Deere Classic. So far the leader of Day 1 of the John Deere Classic is Kris Blank with the score of 63. He birdied the last five holes and is eight under par. We all had fun, and my partner, Claire, and I had great experience and wish we could do it again next year. Good luck to the pros for their second day of the John Deere Classic!

Why I Love the John Deere Classic with Claire Benisch – First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

jdclassic — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:36:43 +0000

There is only one winner, what’s holding them back? One hundred and fifty-five of the top players in the world. Each player has a .65% chance of winning. What do they get? Of the $4,500,000 purse, they get $792,000. That is 17.6% of the purse. They also get 500 FedEx Cup points. Who’s in it? The most well-known names would be Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, Kenny Perry, and Davis Love III. There are some up and coming golfers such as Jason Day. There are local golfers such as Brady Schnell, Zach Johnson, and Todd Hamilton. There is one threat to everyone out there, Steve Stricker, defending two time champion of the JDC. There is one sentence that I heard from a spectator today that caught my attention and summed up the whole idea; “You can’t win the Classic in one day, but you can lose it”.
Other interviews that I have participated in or have seen, suggest that the Classic is a favorite for some players partially because of the menu. That would be the pork chop sandwiches and our local Whitey’s Ice Cream. Golfers have also said that the range is one of the nicest they have seen. Zach Johnson said that John Deere does a really great job keeping everything smooth, and said they treat all the golfers very well.
John Deere is always prepared for the weather. They have various medical tents set up around the course as it can get very hot here. They also have vehicles that can transport the golfers in case of an emergency or rain. They provide all the golf balls that the players need on the range. The range has a private area on the back for the golfers when needed. They have about 1,400 volunteers helping make this tournament possible. They work for the medical tents, grounds keeping, caddies (when needed), and have many other duties. Many of the volunteers have been doing their jobs for many years.
These past two days have been a great experience that I will never forget. I cannot thank my coaches at Red Hawk Golf Course enough for giving me the opportunity to do this. I’d like to give a special thanks to Jim Hasley for coordinating this event for First Tee participants. I hope I get another chance to do this at the 2012 John Deere Classic. I hope you all have learned a little piece about this PGA tournament in a city that I call home.

A Day at the John Deere Classic with Reilly Smith, First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

jdclassic — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:31:08 +0000

Today, I got the experience of a lifetime. After winning a contest through the First Tee Program of the Quad-Cities, I spent the day at TPC at Deere Run as a Junior Course Reporter. I was able to meet some pros, volunteers, and many important people at the John Deere Classic. With my press pass, I was able to go “behind the scenes” to places where normal ticket holders could not enter (even my dad!!).

The day started off sunny and hot. I was able to get my press pass and off we went. My dad, partners, and I went to the driving range first to watch the professionals warm up. While I was there, I got to meet some of the reps from various golf companies and ask them a few questions about their occupations and new golf gear. My partner, Claire, and I were able to meet up with pro golfer Brady Schnell and his father, also a pro golfer. During the interview, we learned interesting, great tips, and advice from both of them. Their advice was to always have a good grip, stance, and to find something that your comfortable with each time you hit a golfball. I learned that Brady didn’t start golfing until he was eight, but didn’t really get competitive until he was a freshman in high school.

At ten o’clock, we got the chance to join in on a couple of press conferences with professionals Zach Johnson and two time winner of the John Deere Classic, Steve Stricker. Claire and I were fascinated by how a press conference works. Some of the press would just blurt out questions to the pros. Claire and I waited very politely to be called on. We didn’t get to ask any questions to Zach Johnson, but we were able to ask one question each to Steve Stricker. I asked a question that made the press room laugh at the answer from the pro. It was, “Do you have any family members that golf? If so, have any of them ever beat you?” He responded that his wife, daughter, and his brother-in-law all golf. When he said that his wife came close to beating him, the whole room erupted in laughter. Steve Stricker also said that his brother-in-law, Mario, had beat him once before.

After the press conference, I got the chance to see the pros in action. My dad and I walked some of the amazing and beautiful holes at Deere Run. When the day was done, we stopped by a local favorite ice cream shop, Whitey’s. We found out that during the week of the Classic, they sell around 5,000 ice cream goodies at their stands around the golf course. It was a very fun and interesting day, and I can’t wait to go back.

A Day at the John Deere Classic with Claire Benisch, First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

jdclassic — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:29:41 +0000

Today I learned that golf is not just professional, but family oriented as well. If you ask most golfers, you would get some answer related to “my dad got me started” or “my family is here today”. I think that is a great thing. Golf is also professional in that a player may not have had the best round and they have to go to a press conference and act like they are not upset. I had the privilege of talking to many people about this golf tournament. One thing for sure is that family is most important whether it is the family of volunteers or the golfer with kids ¬- family is family.

I was allowed the chance to talk with Brady and Curt Schnell. Brady is playing in the Classic this year and has been Nationwide and Dakota’s Tours. Curt is a professional golfer that is currently a teaching professional. When I talked with the two of them today I was able to learn about how Curt was able to teach Brady some of his tricks. Brady started golfing at age 8, but didn’t really get into it until he was a freshman in high school. He said his dad has given him a lot good advice but the best would have been “Work on your short game.” In the past Brady has had a large local following called the “Brady Bunch”. He said it is comforting to be around people that he knows.

Curt Schnell is very proud of his son. He had an opportunity to play in the Classic two years ago but turned it down to caddie for his son. He said that he is very excited that Brady is following in his footsteps, but is most excited that Brady made the decision to work so hard on his own. He has competed against Brady on the Dakota’s tour. I asked him what I should work on as a beginning golfer and he replied “Grip, set-up, and alignment”.

The highlight of my day today was the Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker press conference interviews. I had the wonderful opportunity to sit in on the two press conferences. I did not get to talk with Zach Johnson, but I got to ask Mr. Stricker a question. My question for him was “After having a tough hole, how do you prepare mentally to keep going, knowing you are so close to your third title here?” He replied, “To block that hole out and mentally start over.” Mr. Johnson stated that John Deere has done a “great” job creating and running this tournament, and that it is great to play here.

My comrade and I did a little math, here are some fun facts! For promotion of Deere, the company put $2,432,000 of equipment by the entrance. The cheapest piece of equipment is a kids’ gator for $400. The most expensive was a tractor/planter for $505,000. This is the only place you will see this array of tractors at a tournament on the PGA tours- FedEx Cup.

All in all, today was very fun learning about all the different facts about golf and that family is most important. I can’t wait to see and learn more tomorrow.

Experiencing the John Deere Classic with Claire Benisch, First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

jdclassic — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:35:28 +0000

If I learned anything today, I learned that golf is universal. People from all walks of life enjoy golf. From the police officer checking credentials to the young girl who can hit the target in one shot, golf brings everyone together. The beautiful day started with a long walk from the shuttle bus drop off all the way to the driving range.
When I was chosen by my coaches through the First Tee Program to interview professional golfers, volunteers, board members, and any other personnel at the John Deere Classic, I wondered who I could talk with to get a good idea of what it is like to be involved in the John Deere Classic. Why not start with the Chairman?
Brian Kardell is this year’s Chairman. This means he is in charge of the volunteers, workers and other tournament duties. He told me that it was an honor to be working with all the wonderful people and, to be Chairman of the Classic has been a goal of his for many years. He has been on the board for eight years and has spent long hours since October of 2010 working on the details. His family is involved in the tournament as well. His three boys work on the range all week and his wife is a standard bearer. He enjoys playing golf himself with his regular golf game every Saturday, as well as playing golf with his family. He has a nephew that will be playing this year in the Classic and when I asked him what it would be like if his nephew won this tournament he replied, “It would be the coolest thing in the whole world.” I have also met and talked with his nephew and I would agree.
As I watched the players at the driving range, I had a chance to talk with a security guard to get his thoughts on this tournament. Mark Vanklaveren, a Silvis police officer, has a paid position to check credentials. Even he, as a police officer enjoys playing golf on a semi-regular basis. He enjoys watching all the golfers come and go and loves working this tournament. He will work about nineteen hours this week, keeping the golfers and officials safe.
One of the highlights of my day was when at the Kids Clinic; a young girl named Kelly Lent was allowed the opportunity to try to smash a window with a hit of a golf ball. On her first try, she smashed it right through. When it was the pros turn to try, it took more than three shots for each of them to smash through. No wonder they were as amazed as I! The professionals operating the clinic were Brad Faxon and Scott McCaron. They demonstrated how to properly hit a golf ball, but made it look easy and fun. Brad has been golfing for twenty eight years and they have known each other since 1995.
I cannot wait to see what tomorrow brings. Hopefully it will be another gorgeous day filled with me meeting more people involved in this tournament. I have been to this tournament since I was eight years old with my Dad, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to find out more from the inside.

Toms Wins at Colonial

jdclassic — Mon, 23 May 2011 14:06:55 +0000

A big congratulations to David Toms, who won the Crowne Plaza Invitational Sunday (May 22) at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth.

Toms, who won his first PGA TOUR event in the Quad Cities in 1997, shot a final round 67 to win by one stroke over Tour veteran Charlie Wi. Toms’ victory came seven days after he lost a sudden death playoff to K.J. Choi at The Players Championship.

The victory was the 12th of Toms’ 22-year PGA TOUR career and the first for the 44-year-old Louisiana native since he won the Sony Open (now Hyundai) in January 2006.

“It just took a lot of guts,” said Toms, who opened the tournament with a pair of 62s but gave up the lead to Wie after shooting a third-round 74. One of Toms’ key shots Sunday was a pitch-in eagle on the 11th hole.

Toms owns one major championship – the 2001 PGA – and is a three-time Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team member.

Meanwhile, Crowne Plaza at Colonial defending champion Zach Johnson finished solo fourth after shooting a final round 65, giving him five straight rounds in the 60s. The longtime John Deere Classic executive board member’s final round 66 at last week’s Players Championship moved him in to a tie for 12th at that prestigious event.

Also, 2006 John Deere Classic champion John Senden finished in a two-way tie for eighth.

General Parking – Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf

jdclassic — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:30:30 +0000

Click here for directions:

1777 Isle Parkway
Bettendorf, IA

Shuttle Schedule
MONDAY, July 5th	CLOSED
TUESDAY, July 6th	CLOSED
WEDNESDAY, July 7th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
THURSDAY, July 8th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
FRIDAY, July 9th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
SATURDAY, July 10th	6 A.M. – 8 P.M.
SUNDAY, July 11th	6 A.M. – 7 P.M.
DROP OFF LOCATION	MAIN GATE

One Day General Parking Pass	$5.00
Weekly General Parking	$25.00

Click Here to Buy Parking Now!

General Parking – Quad City Downs

jdclassic — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:28:45 +0000

Click Here for Directions:

5005 Morton Dr
East Moline, IL

Shuttle Schedule
MONDAY, July 5th	6 A.M. – 6 P.M.
TUESDAY, July 6th	6 A.M. – 6 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, July 7th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
THURSDAY, July 8th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
FRIDAY, July 9th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
SATURDAY, July 10th	6 A.M. – 8 P.M.
SUNDAY, July 11th	6 A.M. – 7 P.M.
DROP OFF LOCATION	MAIN GATE

One Day General Parking Pass	$5.00
Weekly General Parking	$25.00

Click Here to Buy Parking Now!

Sponsor Parking – Walmart Silvis

jdclassic — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:27:34 +0000

Click Here for Directions:

Walmart, Silvis, IL

John Deere Expressway/IL-5

Shuttle Schedule
MONDAY, July 5th	6 A.M. – 6 P.M.
TUESDAY, July 6th	6 A.M. – 6 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, July 7th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
THURSDAY, July 8th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
FRIDAY, July 9th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
SATURDAY, July 10th	6 A.M. – 8 P.M.
SUNDAY, July 11th	6 A.M. – 7 P.M.
DROP OFF LOCATION	CLUBHOUSE

VIP Parking – Rock Island County Fairgrounds

jdclassic — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:26:53 +0000

Click Here for Directions:

Archer Dr & Ave of the Cities

East Moline, IL

Shuttle Schedule
MONDAY, July 5th	CLOSED
TUESDAY, July 6th	CLOSED
WEDNESDAY, July 7th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
THURSDAY, July 8th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
FRIDAY, July 9th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
SATURDAY, July 10th	6 A.M. – 8 P.M.
SUNDAY, July 11th	6 A.M. – 7 P.M.
DROP OFF LOCATION	CLUBHOUSE

One Day VIP Parking Pass	$10.00
Weekly General Parking	$50.00

Click Here to Buy Parking Now!

Shuttle Schedule

jdclassic — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:24:49 +0000

PUBLIC PARKING Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf 1777 Isle Parkway Bettendorf, IA
MONDAY, July 5th	CLOSED
TUESDAY, July 6th	CLOSED
WEDNESDAY, July 7th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
THURSDAY, July 8th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
FRIDAY, July 9th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
SATURDAY, July 10th	6 A.M. – 8 P.M.
SUNDAY, July 11th	6 A.M. – 7 P.M.
DROP OFF LOCATION	MAIN GATE

PUBLIC PARKING Quad City Downs 5005 Morton Dr East Moline, IL
MONDAY, July 5th	6 A.M. – 6 P.M.
TUESDAY, July 6th	6 A.M. – 6 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, July 7th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
THURSDAY, July 8th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
FRIDAY, July 9th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
SATURDAY, July 10th	6 A.M. – 8 P.M.
SUNDAY, July 11th	6 A.M. – 7 P.M.
DROP OFF LOCATION	MAIN GATE

SPONSOR LOT Walmart, Silvis, IL John Deere Expressway/IL-5
MONDAY, July 5th	6 A.M. – 6 P.M.
TUESDAY, July 6th	6 A.M. – 6 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, July 7th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
THURSDAY, July 8th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
FRIDAY, July 9th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
SATURDAY, July 10th	6 A.M. – 8 P.M.
SUNDAY, July 11th	6 A.M. – 7 P.M.
DROP OFF LOCATION	CLUBHOUSE

VIP PARKING Rock Island County Fairgrounds Archer Dr & Ave of the Cities East Moline, IL
MONDAY, July 5th	CLOSED
TUESDAY, July 6th	CLOSED
WEDNESDAY, July 7th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
THURSDAY, July 8th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
FRIDAY, July 9th	6 A.M. – 9 P.M.
SATURDAY, July 10th	6 A.M. – 8 P.M.
SUNDAY, July 11th	6 A.M. – 7 P.M.
DROP OFF LOCATION	CLUBHOUSE

Parking Map

jdclassic — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:23:21 +0000

Click the image to see the map

Buy Parking Now

jdclassic — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:57:11 +0000

Click Here to Buy Parking Now!

Daily Tickets

jdclassic — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:31:25 +0000

Daily Tickets	Advance Price	Gate Price
Anyday Ticket (Wednesday – Sunday)	$24.00	$28.00
Single Day Clubhouse	$34.00	$38.00
Value Book (10 Anyday tickets) $23.00 ea.	$230.00

Click Here to Buy Tickets Now!

Weekly Packs

jdclassic — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:24:40 +0000

Grounds Pack	$95.00
VIP Weekly Clubhouse Pack	$140.00

Click Here to Buy Tickets Now!

Ticket Packages

jdclassic — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:23:40 +0000

Family Package 4 One Day Anyday Tickets $40 JDC Classic Cash One Day General Parking Pass	$120.00
Party Package 8 One Day Anyday Tickets $80 JDC Classic Cash 2 One Day General Parking Passes	$240.00
Sky Club Package 4 One Day Sky Club Tickets 2 One Day VIP Parking Passes Includes Food & Beverage	$700
Trophy Suite Package 4 One Day Trophy Suite Passes 2 One Day VIP Parking Passes Includes Food & Beverage	$1000

Click Here to Buy Tickets Now!

Buy Now

jdclassic — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:20:39 +0000

Click Here to Buy Tickets Now!

Committed to Those Linked to the Land

jdclassic — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:10:40 +0000

Over the past 175 years, John Deere has seen a great many changes in its business, its products, its services. Change always comes with opportunity. And Deere has always been ready and willing to embrace it. Yet, through it all, John Deere is still dedicated to those who are linked to the land – farmers and ranchers, landowners, builders. And Deere has never outgrown, nor forgotten, its founder’s original core values: integrity, quality, commitment and innovation. Those values determine the way we work, the quality we offer, and the unsurpassed treatment you get as a customer, investor, employee.

Learn more about John Deere.

Career Opportunities – Get Where You Want To Go

jdclassic — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:09:47 +0000

If you have a strong work ethic, a passion for excellence and a creative mind, unleash your potential with an employer that can provide all you need to succeed. At John Deere, you can create and enjoy a fulfilling career with the freedom to explore new projects, the support to think outside the box, and the help of advanced tools and technology so necessary for innovation and achievement. With our excellent training and developmental opportunities, you can advance your career as fast and as far as your ambition, skills and competencies allow.
Our culture is inclusive and dynamic. We actively seek employee input to help improve policies and procedures while maintaining our strong leadership position. At John Deere, diversity goes beyond culture to include diversity of ideas, disciplines, perspectives, and styles.
So why work at John Deere? Why work anywhere else?

Learn more about working at John Deere.

Classic Hits Blog

Tee Times

Back for More with Reilly Smith, First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

Why I Love the John Deere Classic with Claire Benisch – First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

A Day at the John Deere Classic with Reilly Smith, First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

A Day at the John Deere Classic with Claire Benisch, First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

Experiencing the John Deere Classic with Claire Benisch, First Tee of the Quad Cities Junior Course Reporter

Toms Wins at Colonial

General Parking – Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf

Shuttle Schedule

One Day General Parking Pass

$5.00

Weekly General Parking

$25.00

General Parking – Quad City Downs

Shuttle Schedule

One Day General Parking Pass

$5.00

Weekly General Parking

$25.00

Sponsor Parking – Walmart Silvis

Shuttle Schedule

VIP Parking – Rock Island County Fairgrounds

Shuttle Schedule

Shuttle Schedule

PUBLIC PARKING

PUBLIC PARKING

SPONSOR LOT

VIP PARKING

Parking Map

Click the image to see the map

Buy Parking Now

Daily Tickets

Weekly Packs

Ticket Packages

Family Package

$120.00

Party Package

$240.00

Sky Club Package

$700

Trophy Suite Package

$1000

Buy Now

Committed to Those Linked to the Land

Career Opportunities – Get Where You Want To Go