Palmer Hills Golf Course in Bettendorf is set to open for its 51st season today, Friday, March 20, weather permitting.
“We are excited to welcome our golfers back for the 2026 season,” said Jon Waddell, PGA head golf professional at Palmer Hills. “We’ve had a busy offseason, giving the clubhouse interior a ‘refresh’ with new flooring, cabinets, and countertops. We’ve also been exploring additional opportunities at The Forge to position it as the ideal destination for fundraisers, private celebrations, and corporate events. Stay tuned.”
The course, at 2999 Middle Road, is a par-71 golf course measuring more than 6,500 yards from the back tees. Designed by William J. Spear, it opened for play in 1975. The 18-hole course features 100-year-old oak trees, rolling hills, ponds and a meandering creek that comes into play on 11 of the holes. The course and driving range are located on land the City of Bettendorf purchased from the David Palmer family in 1971. It was built on land that was previously the Palmer Family Dairy Farm.
Some of the other features of Palmer Hills include:
- A full-service golf shop.
- A 28-bay driving range (now open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., weather permitting).
- A unique 18-hole putting experience called The Forge. One of the new features this year is for every round of golf, people get a free round of putting at The Forge.
- Palmer Grill, which is set to open Wednesday, April 1.
- Golf lessons, for ages 8+.
- Weekly leagues.
- Classes for ages 6+ through the course’s third annual partnership with First Tee – Quad Cities.
