How a past champion put a personal stamp on Byron Nelson host course

Legendary golfer Lanny Wadkins, whose career includes a victory at the 1973 Byron Nelson Classic, has left his mark on golf history not just as a player, but also as a course architect. He recently completed a major renovation of TPC Craig Ranch in Texas, which is currently hosting the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. This course, designed by Tom Weiskopf and opened in 2004, has undergone its most significant changes since its inception.

Wadkins, now 76, has extensive experience in course design, with credits including Blackjack's Crossing in Lajitas, Texas, and TPC Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. After concluding his television career, where he spent 18 years as a commentator, Wadkins has fully dedicated himself to course design. "I really don't like to do something unless I can go all in," he admits.

The renovation of TPC Craig Ranch was a cornerstone of a $25 million overhaul by club owner Invited Clubs. Work began immediately after last year's CJ Cup Byron Nelson, where Scottie Scheffler secured a dominant eight-shot victory with a score of 31-under par. The course, which had remained untouched until now, has been significantly transformed under Wadkins' guidance.

Wadkins' primary mandate was typical for modern golf: to stiffen the course's defenses against top professionals while ensuring it remains playable for golfers of all skill levels. According to Wadkins, one of the course's strengths was its flexible tee options, crucial in Texas where wind often plays a significant role. He focused on lengthening several holes that play with the prevailing wind. Bunkers were repositioned and deepened, and angles of attack on several holes were adjusted. For instance, the green on the 9th hole is now closer to a creek, while the 11th green—a bunkerless complex with false fronts reminiscent of the 14th at Augusta National, according to Wadkins—now wraps closer to a lake.

"That's one way to defend these days," Wadkins notes. "I try to put the driver back into play as an important club." On the greens, Wadkins and his team opted for bentgrass, a receptive turf that allowed them to create challenging contours. Hole locations are situated in relatively flat areas, rewarding players for precise iron shots. However, errant shots can lead to long, bending putts or difficult recoveries from runoff areas. "Without stellar iron play, it's going to take some real imagination to play well," Wadkins emphasizes.

Growing up in Virginia, Wadkins honed his skills on Golden Age courses, including two by William Flynn. This experience had a profound impact on him. "I did well enough in my career that I got to play a lot of really great courses," he says. "But I always really liked the old stuff." At Wake Forest University, his home course was Old Town Club, designed by Perry Maxwell. Wadkins considers Maxwell's contoured, "wrinkled" greens a source of inspiration for his own work.

Some of these old-school sensibilities are evident at TPC Craig Ranch. The par-3 4th hole now features a Biarritz green—a classic design element with a deep swale bisecting the putting surface. The 11th green, devoid of bunkers and featuring a series of false fronts that funnel wayward approaches away from the hole, echoes the 14th at Augusta National. On the 6th hole, Wadkins and his team added a fronting "lion's mouth" bunker, increasing the challenge of a short par-4 that Wadkins observed players "carving up" last year. They also extended the tournament tee box to the fence line and installed cross bunkers at 320 yards, forcing players to decide whether to lay up safely to a tricky distance or challenge the sand.

How difficult will the course play? Wadkins is unsure. Much depends on the course setup, which he does not control. He planned to play a practice round with his sons to get a feel for the course—though he is quick to note that his own game is not a benchmark for elite golf. "I hit it so short, I can hear it land," he jokes. If he had his way, the rough would be thicker, and the greens lightning-fast. "I think they could play them at 13," he says, "though I don't think the Tour would want to play them quite that quick."

It's hard to predict the winning score. However, the prize money will be significantly different from when Wadkins won. The total payout exceeds $10 million, with the winner taking home $1.8 million.