The director of the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic calls it the best decision he’s ever made. For the fifth straight year the tournament will offer a charter flight for players and their families to travel to the British Open, which is always to week after the tournament near the Quad Cities.

Clair Peterson says the flight has led to better fields for the Deere Classic and changed everything in 2008. He says they had only 7 players who played the tournament and then went on to play the British Open. He says all of the players lost their luggage at the airport.

The shuttle leaves from the Quad Cities airport and flies them directly to the tournament. Peterson says the shuttle pays for itself with better fields and more fans. He says there were no guarantees that it would work out, but he says it has proven to be the best investment they made.

Peterson says three-time winner Steve Stricker told him he would not have played the tournament without the plane being available.

This year’s John Deere Classic is July 12th through the 15th.