Volunteering at the Byron Nelson Classic

by Carla Boss

My VGM Club teammate, Mike Woltz, and I were busy volunteering again earlier this month at the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic. The event was held at Trinity Forest Golf Club where we were excited to be surrounded by some familiar faces. Yes, Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka were there. However, the PGA’s top players were not the superstars we came to see. We stepped inside the ropes to support the unsung heroes of these tournaments—Trinity Forest’s maintenance team and the dozens of superintendent volunteers that came from far & wide.

Every time VGM Club supports an event like this, I marvel at all that it takes to make it come together. The first word that comes to mind: preparedness. That starts with the person that plots and plans for months in advance—Trinity Forest’s Director of Grounds and VGM Club member Kasey Kauff.

Preparing for the Event

Kasey and his team have planned for everything. When I say everything, I mean everything! Last year’s event brought scorching temperatures, so he asked VGM Club to provide cooling towels for his volunteer crew. When this year turned into a monsoon, Kasey was already prepared with matching rain gear for the entire team.

Kasey, Tony, James, and Mike planning for the weekend

I was fortunate to hear just what goes on for course preparation during a course tour on Tuesday night. Potentially my favorite part of the week was hearing the conversation between Kasey, Trinity’s head superintendent James Morgan, equipment manager Tony Bevelo, and the PGA Tour’s CGCS Mike Crawford. It was an amazing example of collaboration between some extremely talented individuals. They had a game plan for any potential weather condition for every square foot of real estate.

The John Deere fleet takes to the course to mow in between downpours.

Meal Time!

The breakfast we sponsored on Thursday morning was another highlight (partly because it’s always fun to see Mike serving flapjacks in an apron)! Meal time with the volunteer team is typically the one time at these tournaments where you can connect with everyone and share stories. I met a superintendent from Australia who had traveled 9,400 miles to volunteer. Conversely, I bumped into a group from Hawkeye Community College’s school of landscape & turf management which is located exactly 2.8 miles from VGM Club’s corporate headquarters. The golf industry is such a small world and a large one at the same time. 

Wrapping up the Tournament

As the tournament concluded Sunday with Kang Sung-hoon winning the trophy, we returned home. Events like the AT&T Byron Nelson are a great way for VGM Club to spend time with our members, support their efforts, and meet new friends. Being able to give back to our club community is something we truly enjoy.