Trinity Forest Golf Club is set to be the new permanent home of the Byron Nelson Golf Tournament, which celebrates its 50 th Anniversary in 2018. The tournament is a memorial to the great Byron Nelson, the championing player who set many standards for the game today. The tournament has been an equally longstanding partner of the Momentus Institute, an organization that provides mental and health education programs to children and families. The Byron Nelson is a prestigious event that places the Trinity Forest Golf Club among the few high-ranking PGA Tour courses, the first one in Texas.

Created to Attract the Best

The Trinity Forest Golf Club was created to attract the best professional golf players to Dallas. Constructing a Clubhouse to that caliber meant hiring an architect with a deep appreciation for the game and a true understanding of how to relate structure to landscape. Mark Finlay Architects and Interiors took on the challenge and created a Clubhouse, an oasis of sorts, that offers respite for players to comfortably enjoy the unique environment of the Trinity Forest. In addition to the Clubhouse, Finlay collaborated with Cameron McCormmick to design the Payne Stewart Golf Training Center, a state of the art teaching facility that is shared with the SMU Golf Team.

A Golf Clubhouse in the Landscape

The design of the Clubhouse is heavily influenced by the landscape in which it is built. The course’s location is very isolated and the forest surrounds entirely, removing any other building from sight. Without the context of neighboring structures for comparison,  Mark Finlay felt free to get even more creative with style. The original intention was to design the Clubhouse in a traditional style, but as the plan developed it was clear that a certain level of ‘swagger’ was necessary to really make it hit the mark. The final product is a beautiful building, modern in style with classic considerations and the ‘attitude’ to match a brand-new PGA level course.

Outstanding Clubhouse for an Outstanding Golf Course

The links style course designed by Coore & Crenshaw, was built on a construction landfill, which created a topography of rolling hills. The lack of trees or tall vegetation meant that whatever structure existed had to make a statement, the right statement. An aerial view of the course gives us a clear perspective of the grandeur and strategic orientation of the Clubhouse. Standing proudly at the 18 th green, the Clubhouse offers maximum convenience to players as they make it to the halfway point of their game, and then again as they complete their journey. Standing in front of the Clubhouse, the combination of exterior materials; stucco, wood, and continuous walls of black steel framed windows, drives curiosity about the contents within. The various architectural components differ greatly, but still result in a cohesive aesthetic.

A Clubhouse Interior with Gorgeous Views of the Golf Course

The interior design was spearheaded by Mark Finlay Interiors, LLC. The interior spaces convey a masculine, comfortable atmosphere, complimented by a stylized modern touch. The team’s goal in designing the Clubhouse’s décor was to reference classic design patterns and colors while keeping the interiors fresh and new. Making that connection with the architectural style of the building required a tasteful blend of curated furniture and art and a color scheme that was both striking and restrained. Undeniably, the gorgeous views of the golf course, visible from almost every room of the Clubhouse, are an integral part of the design and the focus of the composition.

Comfort in the Clubhouse

Each room of the Clubhouse was designed to provide maximum viewing opportunities while considering both aesthetic and functionality for the members. The Grill Room, with an eclectic variety of seating options, connects indoor and outdoor living with dining and lounge areas on a patio that engages the landscape and leads right onto the course. A Private Dining Room offers an exclusive space for intimate functions and connects to a chic Ballroom that accommodates large events while maintaining a luxurious atmosphere. The Men’s Locker Room on the first floor is equipped with its own bar and lounge area. Upstairs, the Women’s Locker room and Championship Lounge enjoy amazing vistas of the course and Trinity Forest. Finlay’s favorite space, the upper terrace, takes full advantage of the Texas breezes and natural ventilation as a covered exterior lounge. Connecting each side of the second story, this space has a grandstand design to view the course on one side and the forest on the other.

A State-of-the-Art Golf Training Center

The Payne Stewart Golf Training Center is the Clubhouse for SMU’s varsity golf team and is shared with the membership of Trinity Forest. The facility is completely state of the art with 3 heated, oversized hitting bays with premier equipment, including the Swing Catalyst, which tracks weight shift throughout the swing as well as four video motion-capture cameras and monitors to record and show the swings. Cameron McCorrmick, famous golf coach with a long roster of world renowned clients, collaborated on the design and oversees teaching at the facility. Because the center is shared between the golf team and the membership of Trinity Forest, it was vital that the layout of the building be flexible and graceful, allowing room for everyone to utilize the space simultaneously.

The Highest Standards in Golf

The Trinity Forest Golf Club stands for the highest standards in golf, playing harmoniously with nature and all its complexity. Mark Finlay’s passion for golf drove the design of this Club, where people can truly appreciate and enjoy the game.

Relevant Links:

Trinity Forest Golf Club
AT&T Byron Nelson Tournament
Payne Stewart Golf Training Center
SMU Golf Team
Momentus Institute
Coore & Crenshaw
PGA