By Rachel Hawkins NDG Staff Writer
This year the annual AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament moved to the Trinity Forest Golf Club, in Dallas after its 35-year run at the TPC Four Season Resort Hotel in Las Colinas. Located nine miles south of Downtown Dallas the tournament celebrated its 50th anniversary from May 16 to May 20.
Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw the new 160 acres within the Great Trinity Forest course is wide open and allows spectators to view several golfers compete simultaneously. But because of the broad views and vast spaces, there was a lack of shaded places on the course for the guests under the hot Texas sun.
Specific locations like the 13th fairway allowed guests to watch holes 5, 6, 15 and 16, and from the 16th Green guests could watch holes 1, 12, 16, and 17. The unique rectangular layout not only allows guests to watch more golf, but it also places the sponsor suites in the middle of the experience.
Instead of the usual service carts which provide food to various locations, this year they were set explicitly to specific venues each sponsored a charity of their own choice. The new site did offer attendees water misters along the pathway to provide guests a refreshing journey while encouraging to not walk on the grass.
While there were concerns the Byron Nelson would change completely; the organizers addressed this by keeping several the fan’s favorites elements of the tournament experience. They brought back the Kid Zone, a Fun Zone for adults, the Fan Expo and kid’s autograph zones. At the main entrance, guests were greeted at the Pavilion, just as they were for the past 50 years.
The AT&T Bryon Nelson is the primary funding source for the Momentous Institute, an organization impacting 6,000 families yearly. Read more about their efforts in our previous profile on May 3.
The Salesmanship Club of Dallas has sponsored the Momentous Institute (formerly Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers) since 1920. The organization’s primary goal is to develop a tailored approach to the specific needs of each child and their family situation. They are also seeking to focus on building and repairing the social-emotional health in hopes of developing kids who become self-regulated, good communicators, problem-solvers, empathetic, grateful, gritty and optimistic.
An estimate of 270,000 guests attended the tournament throughout the week.
