The Quad-Cities area has three professional sports teams and hosts the ``big leagues'' of golf once a year.

The Quad-Cities area has three professional sports teams and a fourth on the way, hosts the ``big league'' of golf and the World Series of Drag Racing once a year, and offers plenty of stock-car action.

John Deere Classic -- For 29 years, the Quad-Cities has hosted the PGA Tour under various names, growing from a satellite event at Crow Valley Country Club in Bettendorf to July 1999's $2 million John Deere Classic at Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley. In 2000, the tournament takes another giant step, shifting to a new Tournament Players Club course, TPC at Deere Run, now under final construction near John Deere Road and Colona Road in Silvis. The tournament will be televised nationally on CBS. (800) 336-4655

Quad City Mallards -- In only five seasons, the Mallards twice have earned Colonial Cup honors, with the players have participated in two victory parades through Moline, Rock Island and Davenport. Thirty-five United Hockey League (formerly Colonial Hockey League) regular-season home games are played at The Mark of the Quad Cities -- known to hockey fans as The Marsh -- at 1201 River Drive, Moline, from October through March. (309) 764-7825

Quad City River Bandits -- The Class A baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins battles Midwest League foes in John O'Donnell Stadium, 209 S. Gaines St., at the foot of the Centennial Bridge on Davenport's riverfront. The Bandits host home games at 7 p.m.; at 2 p.m. Sundays in April and May; and at 5 p.m. Sundays from June to August. (319) 324-2032

Quad City Thunder -- A semifinalist in the Continental Basketball Association playoffs a year ago, the Thunder interweaves professional basketball with major entertainment and promotions, playing 28 home games at The Mark of the Quad Cities, 1201 River Drive, Moline, from November through March. (309) 788-2255

Arena football -- Details are still sketchy at press time, but the Quad-Cities will be a charter member of the Arena Football 2 league, a minor-league affiliate of Arena Football, in the year 2000. The team will play its home games at The Mark of the Quad Cities, 1201 River Drive, Moline, from May through August.

Cordova Dragway Park -- offers a summertime of drag-racing events, including the International Hot Rod Association's Summer Nationals in June and the World Series of Drag Racing every August. Ten miles north of Interstate 80 on Illinois 84. (309) 658-2846

Stock-car racing -- Weekly racing from spring to fall at several area tracks, including: Hawkeye Raceway, RR 1, Blue Grass, Iowa, 381-1554; East Moline Speedway, Rock Island County Fairgrounds, 4200 Archer Drive, East Moline, 796-2444; Mercer County Speedway, Mercer County Fairgrounds, Aledo; and Davenport Speedway, Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, Davenport.