PGA Tour Unveil Huge New Stadium Hole At AT&T Byron Nelson

The 17th hole at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas will be another big stadium event to rival TPC Scottsdale

The new 17th hole at TPC Craig Ranch for the AT&T Byron Nelson
(Image credit: AT&T Byron Nelson)
Paul Higham
By Paul Higham
published

There’s another incredible stadium hole coming to the PGA Tour with the AT&T Byron Nelson set to debut a spectacular par three known as Ranch17.

Joining the giant 16th at TPC Scottsdale for the Phoenix Open that has been a staple on the PGA Tour for years, and the new rowdy 12th hole at The Grange in Australia for LIV Golf – the 17th at TPC Craig Ranch will be the latest stadium hole in golf.

With last year a sell-out, the Byron Nelson returns to Craig Ranch for a third time and they’re upping the ante on the party atmosphere with a major facelift for the 17th hole.

A new stadium complex that will surround the entire hole will have a capacity of 6,000 fans and complete with 41 new hospitality suites for golf fans to hopefully celebrate a hole-in-one or two in a raucous party atmosphere.

“Really this concept is three years in the making,” tournament director Jon Drago told the Dallas Morning News.

“Once we saw how people gathered around the area in our first year at TPC Craig Ranch, we knew this would be instrumental for our tournament.

“The popularity and the demand were there, and it led to what you will see this year. As we do every year, we will analyze all areas of the tournament after this year and adapt where needed.

The 17th hole at the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch

(Image credit: AT&T Byron Nelson)

“Once the vision and initial design were completed, the physical construction of the area takes approximately three months to bring the stadium concept to life.

"What started out as a casual sketch led to detailed renderings, which turned into a 6,000-person per-day venue.”

Could this be the start of a new trend in the world of golf? These stadium holes in Phoenix and Adelaide have been big success stories, and if the latest one in Texas takes off we could see more of them popping up at more and more tournaments.

The 16th 'Stadium' hole at the WM Phoenix Open

The 16th 'Stadium' hole at the WM Phoenix Open

(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paul Higham
Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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