Rock Island Today

You don't have to be a pro to play the championship-length Highland Springs Golf Course located in Rock Island. 

Although it features rugged terrain, a number of rolling hills, several water hazards and deep ravines, the course welcomes all levels, and work is underway to make it even more friendly.

“The course layout is intriguing yet fair,” Todd Winter, golf services manager at Highland Springs, told the Rock Island Today. “We are starting construction on a renovation project for our driving range and practice facility this August. We are working with First Tee Quad Cities to install a three-hole short course on the driving range, and we are putting in a short-game practice hole with a chipping bunker.”

Todd Winter

First Tee Quad Cities is an international youth development program that teaches children about the game while also instilling life values. It uses a nine-core values system focused on honesty, integrity and sportsmanship, among other things. 

The course opens for business in late March, reaching peak season from May through September. Winter said it averages close to 30,000 rounds a year and offers specials for leagues and events. 

“We have dozens of shotgun outings at Highland Springs,” Winter said. “Many of them are fundraisers or corporate outings. Usually we get about 100 golfers per event, and they usually run either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. We also host several special events, including the Bent River Beer Tasting outing. There is tournament for golfers 50 years old and over and a 27-hole tournament.”

WInter said that Highland Springs strives to offer the most enjoyable game of golf possible. 

“(Our) renovations are funded largely by the First Tee Quad Cities and will enable us to introduce the game of golf to a diverse group of youth throughout the area,” Winter said. “It will also enhance the experience of our daily golfers through a more-complete practice area. Golfers using the range will be able to look out and see ‘target greens.’ We will also use these greens as short holes for the First Tee students when it comes time for them to test their players' ability and move to the next level of the First Tee curriculum.”

Highland Springs has a much smaller sister course, Saukie, also in Rock Island.