Join us in celebrating the grand opening of the Highland Springs Golf Driving Range and Short Course presented by the First Tee of the Quad Cities. On Tuesday, June 12^th at 10:30am the Mayor, City Officials, the Rock Island Parks and Recreation Department, and youth involved in the First Tee program will cut the ribbon and take a ceremonial first tee off.   

     The practice facility renovation project, made possible by funding from the First Tee of the Quad Cities, allows expanded junior golf programming and will provide a better overall practice experience for all users. Todd Winter, Assistant Director, says, "The upgraded driving range will offer everyday range users five target greens and fairways to aim for and a 50 yard short game practice hole complete with practice sand trap.”

     The project will include five target greens on the driving range to simulate a “real-course” feel that will double as a short-course for the First Tee students to use for the player assessment portion of the First Tee curriculum. There will be a 60 yard chipping hole with practice sand bunker and two large putting greens located adjacent to the first and tenth tees.   

     The First Tee is a golf program designed to introduce youth to the game of golf through golf and life skill instruction through the First Tee Nine Core Values: Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy, and Judgement. The First Tee program at Highland Springs gives youth of all backgrounds access to the game of golf and the life skills that the sport teaches. Throughout the summer of 2017 over 175 children from Rock Island Parks and Recreation day camp, Martin Luther King Center day camp, Boys and Girls Club, and more have participated in the program at Highland Springs. In 2018 the First Tee Program at Highland Springs is expected to increase and reach over 200 students.  

     Highland Springs Driving Range is the area’s best grass range open to the public. The Driving Range is open seven days a week from 6:00 am to one hour before dark, weather depending. Thursday mornings the range opens at 11:00 am and will be closed periodically for use by the First Tee Quad Cities junior golf program. Range tokens are $7.00 for a large bucket.  Season specials include a Driving Range Punch Pass of 12 large buckets for the price of 10, and Driving Range Happy Hour on Fridays from 4:00 to 7:00 pm is Two for One Range Buckets. Golf lessons are available on the range from PGA Professional Jeff LaRue. Lesson schedule is available at www.rigov.org/highland. Highland Springs is located in southwest Rock Island at 9500 35^th Street West. Call (309)732-PARS (7277) to set up a tee time or for more information.