Dallas -- The AT&T Byron Nelson celebrates its 50th anniversary with a bold move, bringing the PGA Tour back to Dallas at The Trinity Forest Golf Club.
The course sits on about 150 acres of the Trinity Forest that used to be a landfill, but course designers Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore noticed what was once trash, had the potential to be a golfing treasure.
They noticed, "just constantly rolling, heaving, twisting, turning contours on the ground," according to Coore.
That became the foundation upon which the work began to create a one-of-kind golf experience, about 10 minutes south of downtown Dallas.
"With what the land gives them, they can see what could be great strategic golf," said Trinity Forest Co-founder Jonas Woods.
They began moving the dirt in early 20-14, with Crenshaw and Coore walking the site, watching and tweaking their routing, and eventually seeing their layout come to life.
"They discover or uncover golf on sites," said Woods.
What they uncovered is unlike anything on tour. Mounds and knobs that will demand creativity to combat the uncertainty they bring. Crenshaw says its something you'd find in Scotland, not South Dallas.
"In some way, it reminds you of St. Andrews," said Crenshaw, "when you look across St. Andrews it looks very flat, but you don't get a level lie."
Players will have to negotiate the new course with shots not normally seen on tour. It won't be the usual aerial assault featuring pinpoint targets.
And now, Crenshaw and Coore get to see their vision play out, "to see the best players in the world be presented with opportunities to showcase their skills," said Coore.
The end game, says Woods, is bringing major championship golf back to Dallas. He'well aware, though, departure from the norm figures to be met with some resistance.
Professional golfers are creatures of habit and they love predictability, but there's unpredictability built into the design of this course, so there's a natural conflict there. And watching some of the best players in the world try to resolve that should be fascinating.
"You're going to have to think, instead of just point A to point B, which is a lost art, I think, on the PGA Tour," said Trinity Forest tournament director Harrison Frazar.
Woods perhaps summed it up best, like this, "the typical week in and week out round is a game of checkers and out here is a game of chess."
And with this unique new venue, the Nelson trying to stay a move ahead.