"It was great in '08, and it's been getting better ever since." That's a quote from John Deere Classic volunteer, Decker Ploehn. Bettendorf's city administrator was the chairman of the local PGA tournament in 2008. And the quote is a reference to the increasing amount of money raised for charity and addition of more volunteers over the years.
This year, Ploehn is volunteering in player services.
Ploehn was also the auctioneer at Monday night's Pro-Am Party, which raised around $37,000 for Birdies for Charity.
And he's proud of the history of the professional golf competition.
Ploehn is just one of hundreds of volunteers who make the John Deere Classic possible. Last year, a record 1,900 people parked cars, drove shuttles, marshaled holes, carried signs with scores, and told fans to be quiet.