Bio

Tom Mason starts his fourth season as the head coach of the Columbia College women's golf team. This is his second season at the helm of the Koala men’s golf team.

Three years after receiving his Bachelor of Science in Business Finance and Management from the University of South Carolina (May 1993), Mason received his PGA Membership (November 1996). During his 20-plus years as a PGA Class “A” Member, he worked as a Golf Professional and General Manager at several courses in Columbia, SC, including WildeWood, Woodcreek Farms, Oak Hills, and The Woodlands.

Mason runs an active instructional academy out of the Par Tee Golf Center.  The center also serves as the home practice facility for both Koala golf teams. As part of his instruction, Mason work with several aspiring Junior Golfers in Columbia and the surrounding communities.

Over the past eight years, Mason has participated with the PGA Junior League Program, a national golf initiative designed to introduce and enhance playing skills for junior golfers. His Junior League Teams have had tremendous success, making it to the Regional Finals in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017, and to the National Finals in 2015. In 2015 team of 10 children finished fifth overall in the nation.

Since 2001, Mason has been a Board Member with the Carolinas PGA Section and the South Carolina PGA Chapter. From 2003-2007 and again from 2014-19 he served as the Area II Director for the Carolinas PGA.

Mason has actively worked with the South Carolina Golf Association, the Midlands Golf Course Owners Association, and the Midlands and Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent Associations to help build healthy, working relationships with the Carolinas PGA and the South Carolina PGA Chapter to grow the game of golf.

Mason has been the recipient of three prestigious Carolinas PGA awards: The 2012 Carolinas PGA Horton Smith Award, the 2017 Carolinas PGA Youth Player Development Award, and the 2018 Carolinas PGA Player Development Award.