TPC Las Colinas to be sole venue this year for the Nelson

[David Stamm]

I've been out of town and don't know if this has been discussed, but it was announced that the TPC will now finally be the sole host for the Byron Nelson. I found this statment by D.A. Weibring quite amusing:

"In redesigning the course, our goal was to honor the legacy of Byron Nelson," said D.A. Weibring, the Champions Tour player whose group oversaw the project. "To that end, we created a cleaner, more defined course that incorporates traditional tee, bunker and green elements throughout."

How does one honor Mr Nelson in their redesign with these features? In what way does this have to do with him? Was the course beforehand not honoring him when he was alive? Before he passed away was Mr Nelson consulted on what he'd like to see on the course?


 BTW, I understand this is just "marketing schtick" from D.A.

[Matthew Rose]

It's got square tees. That's tradition!

 

[mike_beene]

Byron Nelson is a respected figure around here who dedicated untold hours to the tournament and the camps the Salesmanship Club supports.To let this tournament,which along with Phoenix, contributes fortunes to charity would be a sign of disrespect.Several factors work against the tournament:Byron's death,the tour moving the tournament to April which ,in addition to hurting the field,throws off what was the traditional May event in the Dallas scene,and finally the course is not appealing.When the conditioning got bad something had to be done.In good shape with some modifications,the couse is a good stadium venue.You and 70,000 of your closest friends can actually see golf.Weibrings people would be popular with this board for their traditional approach.They did great work at Royal Oaks.They seem to believe chipping is part of golf.

[Lou_Duran]

Mike,

The original 18 by R.T.J. II (I think) was actually a pretty good golf course.  We played it in the Tournament of Champions back in 1982 before it officially opened and it provided a good test (I think Tony Pridemore then out of Ridglea beat Colonial's Mike Hoyle in OT).   I don't know why they can't get the course right after so many changes and $$$$ over the years.  It has some good topography, though the mesquites and the McMansions don't add aesthetic value.  In the old days, #15 played as a par 5, and #16 as a very difficult par 4.  #18 has always been an awkard hole, particularly with the inside OB down the right side.  In six or seven rounds there, I think I made six or seven bogies.

The last time I saw Byron Nelson hit a ball was on those two holes 15, 16).  It was real hard to watch.  He was working with Watson who would hit rope after rope with a fairway wood while Mr. Nelson mostly watched without saying much.

[mike_beene]

Lou,did the original 18 have nine holes on each side of the road? I was away at school during late 70s thru mid 80s so I missed some of the early configurations. Not so many houses then? Is the desire to build ponds just for TV? You just think they have moccasins now. There will be snakes crawling through the corporate parties behind 18.

[Lou_Duran]

Mike,

The front side was on the west side with the Texas green as #1 and what's #18 at Cottonwood as #9.  Old #10 is the TPC #1, and the last four holes on the TPC also the last four holes on the original course (with 15 as a par 5, and 16 as a par 4).  As I recall, there was already quite a bit of construction on the Cottonwood side, particularly to the south, but the north was not highly developed.  I do think that some of the water was added, though the lake fronting old #1 and to the right of TPC #3 was already there along with the west to east creeks.  I am fairly sure that the lake on #17 was added later.  And what's a round of golf in north Texas without a good snake scare.  At the TPC, at least it adds a bit of excitement.

[mike_beene]

The lake on 17 definitely came later. I like the extra lakes. The course is always going to look artificial in the middle of Las Colinas(which translates North Irving) I wonder what they will do for parking when the Stadium is gone.I guess by then the trains will be there.Again,I dont care for either course but they can handle a crowd.

[Wyatt Halliday]

Though it will not happen........they just need to move this thing to Craig Ranch and be done with it.

[Matthew Rose]

I have an old "Viewer's Guide to Professional Golf" from 1994, which has a course map and simple hole diagrams for all the significant PGA tour events.

According to this, there was no lake on #17 then, so assuming this is accurate, then it would appear that the lake was not built until sometime after 1994.

[Randy Thompson]

I think it should be moved also, D.A can improve some things but it needs more then a face lift. It just doesn´t seem to have the challenge of the other tour courses. I think its a course where anybody can win, it doesn´t bring the cream to the top like a tour course should!

[Greg Clark]

I agree that Craig Ranch would be the better choice, although I have not seen the TPC Las Colinas since the alterations.  By accounts I've read, Weibring has improved the course.

While the tournament, like all Tour events has some uninspiring winners, one could argue the cream has risen many times to the top.  Since moving to the TPC winners include:

Fred Couples
Payne Stewart
Nick Price
Ernie Els
Phil Mickelson
Tiger Woods
Vijay Singh
Sergio García

along with solid Tour pros:

Bruce Lietzke
Scott Simpson
Loren Roberts
Jesper Parnevik
Shigeki Maruyama
Scott Verplank
John Cook

Sadly with Finchem kicking the tournament that by far is the all time charity contributor for the tour to the curb, the list of prestigous winners will not likely continue.