April 24, 2008
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Tom Shaw is in his second season as head coach of Vanderbilt’s men’s golf team. In his first season, Shaw led Vanderbilt to the NCAA Championships for just the third time in school history.
Now in your second season, is there more of a comfort level with the team?
Absolutely. I know a little more about what makes them tick. On the flip side, I think the players are certainly more comfortable with me and know what to expect on a day-to-day basis.
How much has the success that Brandt Snedeker had last year helped your program?
It has helped with the brand recognition of our golf team, so to speak. When Brandt’s name is mentioned on TV or in print, more often than not what follows is that he was a Vanderbilt student-athlete. I think the impact could be greater in future recruiting classes. We now can tell recruits that not only can you get a world-class education at Vanderbilt, but you can also prepare yourself for a possible PGA Tour career. Brandt is a prime example of that.
You were the coach at Tulane during Hurricane Katrina, how trying of a time was that for you?
It was certainly very challenging and forced me to deal with some situations that I was not expecting to ever be faced with. One thing the ordeal did show me, however, was that my approach in recruiting, of choosing character first, was correct. I had a group of young men that handled the whole situation with class and integrity beyond their years. They did what they were asked to do without complaint.
How did you first get into coaching golf?
After my professional golf career of seven years came to a close, I realized I did not want to leave behind the years of experience that I had accumulated in the game. Coaching was a natural fit because I wanted to share that knowledge with young golfers and also use my experiences as a former student-athlete to help guide them through a very important time in their lives.
