Getting To Know: TPC Deere Run

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Andy Stoterau who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
Outstanding design, superb conditioning and a reverence for nature are the hallmarks of a truly great golf course, and TPC Deere Run's championship layout is no exception. Test your game on the same course that PGA Tour Professional play each July during The John Deere Classic.

Considered among the best in the State, TPC Deere Run's par 71 was designed by former PGA Tour Player D.A. Weibring. Each of the course's 18 holes were meticulously crafted to balance playability with strategy, challenge, and stunning beauty. The result is a compelling test of golf that exhilarates, confounds, inspires, and delights golfers of all abilities amidst the unspoiled beauty of the Midwest.

The same attention to detail that consistently places our golf course among the best in Illinois can be found across all aspects of TPC Deere Run. The Clubhouse serves as a focal point for dining, gracious hospitality, and relaxation. The traditional-style Clubhouse features rich wood furnishings, classic fixtures and traditional artwork, creating a stately but welcoming backdrop for socializing, private events or corporate entertainment.

Additional features include: Elegant Dining at our TPC Grille Restaurant, State of the art Practice Facility, Banquet Facilities, Fully appointed Men's and Women's Locker Rooms, Wireless Internet throughout the clubhouse, and award winning Golf Shop featuring the latest in equipment and apparel.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
TPC Deere Run is one of the few golf courses in the Midwest that provides golfers the experience of playing the same course the PGA Tour Players play each year. In addition, to being one of the most affordable PGA Tour host courses with rates starting at $59. The TPC Network prides itself on maintaining high service standards throughout its clubs. The mission of the clubs is to provide its members and guest with a "PGA Tour Experience".

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
TPC Deere Run does play longer than the yardage reads so to start off make sure you are playing the right set of tees. Once you have selected the right set of tees it is important to keep the ball in the fairway; Deere Run's fairways are quite generous, but once you're off of them the rough it quite penal. When approaching the green, it is often best to aim for the middle of the green to avoid the collection areas and bunkers around the green. We have a very high quality sand at TPC Deere Run, so I would always recommend that a first time golfer hit a few out of the bunkers at our practice facility before they tee it up. Once you make it to the green, you have to look very closely, as a lot of the greens have very subtle breaks on them. If you're confused on which way a putt may break, it often tends to move towards the Rock River, which wraps around the course.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
"Best golf course in the state of Illinois" - Golf Week " #10 in affordability in America's Top 100 golf courses you can play" - Golf Digest " 2009 TPC Resort/Daily Fee club of the year" - PGA Tour " Top 100 Golf Shop" - Golf World Business Magazine


What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
The par 3 sixteenth hole is the signature hole at TPC Deere Run. It measures 158 yards from the back tees and the green is perched alongside a cliff leading down into the Rock River. It is a very scenic hole, that players have a good opportunity to make birdie on if they hit their tee shot on the same level as the pin.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
My favorite hole at TPC Deere Run is the eighteenth. The Eighteenth is a very demanding par four that plays 476 yards from the tips. Golfers must hit the fairway on the long par four or they will be forced to lay up short of the water, and work to make a par. If you do manage to hit the fairway the work is not over as you have a very demanding approach shot into a green with water along the left and bunkers protecting the right side. I prefer to hit a little cut off the tee starting it at the bunkers down the left side of the fairway and working it back into play. After I have positioned myself in the fairway, a solid 6 or 7 iron to the middle of the green is the smart play. Once you find the green, you must remember that the green slopes from back right to front left. It's a very good feeling walking away from the eighteenth with a par to end your round at TPC Deere Run.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
Dining at TPC Deere Run will be no less exceptional than the rest of your experience. Our noted restaurant, The TPC Grille, is highlighted by an outstanding view of the manicured 18th fairway, with the beautiful Rock River as a backdrop. Serving highly acclaimed fare, it's widely considered to be the best-kept secret in the Quad Cities.

>From drinks and light fare after a round of golf; to entertaining friends or colleagues for breakfast or lunch; to hosting a cocktail party on our expansive outdoor veranda - let the TPC Deere Run culinary team take care of your needs with the highest standards in service and cuisine.


Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
Paul Goydos holds the course record from the tips with a score of 12 under par 59. Goydos shot the 4th 59 in PGA Tour History in 2010 during the first round of the John Deere Classic.

Back Tee Stats
Par: 71
Yardage: 7258
Slope: 144
Rating: 75.8

More Information
TPC Deere Run
3100 Heather Knoll Ln.
Silvis, IL, 61282
309-796-6000
www.tpc.com/deererun