What the Byron Nelson tournament has done is a very enviable amount. It's really quite amazing when you look at it. The Verizon Byron Nelson Classic, which has been held in the Dallas area continuously since 1968, is only one of three TOUR events where the amount raised for charity exceeds the total purse. The numbers for the one-week golf event are quite amazing. To achieve that outpouring of corporate support in the Dallas area requires a massive mobilization by the Salesmanship Club's 550 members and hundreds of local golf-minded volunteers.
Planning begins in the summer with a sales kickoff in the fall.
While there is no formal quota system, each member is expected to contribute. A sponsorship package brochure is printed each fall, but by the time it comes out, it's often a moot point. There is no possible way we could pay them for all their time and hope to raise nearly as much money as we do. Palm said when tournaments come to him, seeking ways to raise their total sales and charitable gifts, he directs them to study the Salesmanship Club operations. What they do is really amazing.