Volunteers:
It’s that time of year again!
It is that time of year again when we get the chance to get together, catch up with old friends, make new ones, and work together to ensure the success of the HP Byron Nelson Championship! I hope you are all as excited as we are for this year’s event.
Your chairmen have worked hard getting everything ready for the week of the tournament, and I want to personally thank them for their leadership and dedication to the tournament and to the charitable cause we support through the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. Without the leadership and organization of the volunteer chairs, it would be impossible to manage through the myriad of details that are essential to a successful operation.
This year we worked through integrating a new on-line registration and scheduling program that should help streamline our processes in the future years. Thanks to everyone who “beared with us” as we went through this change. Yes, we had another logo change this year, and we hope the tournament’s providing of a complimentary shirt to all volunteers helped through this process? I appreciate your understanding through the integration of this new logo.
We’ve made a few tweaks to the tournament itself this year that we are very excited about. We have added a new “HP Technology Zone” which will be located near the Kidszone , and will showcase the “latest and greatest” in HP technology and how it is improving our daily lives, as well as how it’s affecting the golf industry. We will be honoring our inspiration, Byron Nelson, with a special tribute area in the merchandise tent. Please stop by that area and take a look at just a few of the great accomplishments both on and off the course of this great man. Also be sure to drop by the tribute area on Friday or Saturday between 2:00pm and 3:30pm to purchase a copy of our own Peggy Nelson’s new book, “Life with Lord Byron” and she will be there to personally autograph it for you!
The ever popular Volunteer Party will once again be on Saturday evening. This year, we’ll meet in the Volunteer tent at 6:00pm and celebrate as a group, and then at 6:30pm we’ll head over together to the Pavilion to enjoy a great spread and live music.
You’ll see a new face from the staff on-site this year as well! Darrell Smith joined us earlier this year as our new Operations Director. Darrell will be leading all on-course operations setup this year, so please make sure to introduce yourself to him. He has been on-site working to transform the Four Seasons campus into the Championship venue since early March.
The golf course is looking great, and the professionals are making reservations to join us, so it truly should be an outstanding event!
As with every tournament, or event of this size, we’re bound to encounter a few “bumps” along the way. Something isn’t just right? This year, I’m sure, will be no different. If we all come to work every day with a smile on our face, a realization of why we’re out there, and a dedication to working together to get the job done, I can promise we’ll all be successful and we’ll create lasting memories.
To everyone returning as a volunteer, thank you for your continued support of the Championship and the charity; and to all new volunteers, welcome. If there’s one thing I can promise you, it’s that you will work hard, you will make lasting friendships, you will have a great time, and it truly is all for a greater cause.
See you out there!
Jon Drago
Tournament Director
Volunteer Parking
Volunteer parking is located at the Red Lot near the former site of Texas Stadium. (Same location as in 2009.)
2401 East Airport Freeway
Irving, TX 75062
Shuttles run Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 90 minutes following conclusion of play and Thursday-Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
