H. R. 4902

One Hundred Ninth Congress

of the

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and six 

An Act 

To award a Congressional gold medal to Byron Nelson in recognition of his significant 

contributions to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Byron Nelson Congressional 

Gold Medal Act’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

The Congress finds as follows: 

(1) Byron Nelson was a top player in the sport of golf 

during the World War II era and his accomplishments as a 

player, a teacher, and commentator are renowned. 

(2) Byron Nelson won 54 career victories, including a record 

11 in a row in 1945, during his short 13-year career. 

(3) Byron Nelson won 5 majors, including 2 Masters (1937 

and 1942), two Professional Golf Association (PGA) Championships (1940 and 1945) and the U.S. Open (1939). 

(4) Sports journalist Bill Nichols recently ranked the 

greatest seasons on the PGA tour for The Dallas Morning 

News and picked Roanoke, Texas-resident Byron Nelson’s 1945 

tour as the greatest season of golf in American history. 

(5) In 1945, Byron Nelson accumulated 18 total victories, 

11 of which were consecutive, while averaging 68.33 strokes 

per round for 30 tournaments. 

(6) At the Seattle Open in 1945, Byron Nelson shot a 

record 62 for 18 holes and the world record 259, 29 shots 

under par for 72 holes. 

(7) Byron Nelson is one of only two golfers to be named 

‘‘Male Athlete of the Year’’ twice by the Associated Press: in 

1944, when he won 7 tournaments and averaged 69.67 strokes 

for 85 rounds, and again after his 1945 season. 

(8) The World Golf Hall of Fame honored Byron Nelson 

in 2004 by featuring an exhibit entitled ‘‘Byron Nelson: A 

Champion . . . A Gentleman’’. 

(9) Byron Nelson was selected for the Ryder Cup 4 times—

in 1937, 1939, 1947 and 1965, and on that last occasion he 

led the United States Ryder Cup team as team captain to 

victory over Great Britain. 

(10) Byron Nelson was also a pioneer in the golf business, 

helping to develop the golf shoes and umbrellas used today. 

(11) In 1966, True Temper created the ‘‘Iron Byron’’ robot 

to replicate Byron Nelson’s swing in order to test the company’s 
H. R. 4902—2

equipment, but the robot was eventually used for club and 

ball testing by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and 

many other manufacturing companies. 

(12) Byron Nelson mentored many golf hopefuls, including 

1964 Player of the Year Ken Venturi and 6-time PGA Player 

of the Year Tom Watson. 

(13) Byron Nelson was one of the first golf analysts on 

network television where his understanding of the game in 

general, and the golf swing in particular, was demonstrably 

profound. 

(14) Byron Nelson received the United States Golf Association’s Bob Jones Award for distinguished sportsmanship in 

golf in 1974. 

(15) In 1974, the Golf Writers Association of America presented Byron Nelson with the Richardson Award for consistently outstanding contributions to golf. 

(16) Since 1983, the Byron and Louise Nelson Golf Endowment Fund has provided over $1,500,000 in endowment funds 

to Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. 

(17) Byron Nelson received the PGA Distinguished Service 

Award in 1993. This award is presented to an individual who 

has helped perpetuate the ideals and values of the PGA. 

(18) Byron Nelson has served as an honorary chairperson 

for the Metroport Meals on Wheels since 1992. 

(19) In 1994, the Golf Course Superintendents Association 

of America presented Byron Nelson with the Old Tom Morris 

Award for outstanding contributions to the game. 

(20) Byron Nelson helped to develop the Tournament 

Players Course (TPC) Four Seasons at Los Colinas, Texas, 

site of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship and the Byron 

Nelson Golf School, into a world-class facility. 

(21) The EDS Byron Nelson Championship is the only 

PGA tour event named in honor of a professional golfer and 

traditionally attracts the strongest players in the sport. 

(22) Since its inception, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship has raised $88,000,000 for Salesmanship Club Youth and 

Family Centers, a nonprofit agency that provides education 

and mental health services for more than 2,700 children and 

their families in the greater Dallas area. 

(23) In 2002, Byron Nelson received the prestigious Donald 

Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course 

Architects (ASGCA) for his significant contribution to the game 

of golf and the profession of golf course architecture. 

(24) The United States Golf Association presented Byron 

Nelson the Ike Grainger Award for volunteer service to the 

game of golf in 2002. 

(25) In 2002, the National Golf Foundation presented Byron 

Nelson with the Graffis Award for outstanding lifelong contributions to the game of golf. 

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the House 

of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 

shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on 

behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to 

Byron Nelson in recognition of his significant contributions to the 

game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator. 
H. R. 4902—3

(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the presentation 

referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter 

in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal 

with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined 

by the Secretary. 

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the 

gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations 

as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the 

cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 

and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal. 

SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursuant to this 

Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, 

United States Code. 

(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5134 of title 

31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall 

be considered to be numismatic items. 

SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE. 

(a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is authorized 

to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise 

Fund, such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs 

of the medals struck pursuant to this Act. 

(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the sale of 

duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.