The last thing you might think is one of the keys to the success of a golf tournament is a jet airplane, but that is the case for the John Deere Classic.

The Quad City tournament takes place during the week before the British Open, one of the major tournaments on the PGA Tour. For years, JDC organizers had a difficult time attracting big names to the Quad Cities signature event as many didn't want to endure the hassle of getting to England from the QCA.

In a recent report, JDC officials tell the story of how they decided, a decade ago, to charter a plane to take participants directly to Manchester, UK within hours of the completion of the tournament.

Now, 20-25 players annually take the charter flight, which leaves on Sunday evening at 8pm from Moline, and has golfers on the ground in England before Noon on Monday.

This innovative solution has resulted in a much more competitive field, elevating the prestige of the John Deere Classic even higher.

It's the kind of thinking that has made the John Deere Classic one of the most popular and respected tournaments on the PGA tour.

As they say... "the more you know."

 

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