Tampa, FL (April 3, 2017) – Among the latest Class A Members of the PGA is professional golfer Mackenzie Mack. A Las Vegas, Nev., native who currently resides in Tampa, Fla., Mack has a long, decorated junior golf career. Now age 28, she becomes one of the few African American women in history to obtain a Class A PGA Membership. Mack is also one of the few African American women to obtain both credentials: LPGA (Feb. 2016) and PGA Class Membership (April 2017).
Under her belt Mack has years of experience, having played for the Tiger Woods Junior Golf Team for 3 years honing her skills, then going on to represent Southern Nevada on the Girls Jr. America’s Cup Team for four years. That diligence took her on to the First Tee of Southern Nevada where she played in The First Tee Open at Pebble Beach for two years.
As a high school boys and girls golf coach, and a coach for the First Tee of Tampa outreach program, Mack provides golf instruction to all age levels. In 2004 and 2005 GolfWeek recognized her as one of their top 100 junior golfers in the country. In 2016-2017 she was included as one of Golf Digest’s Top Young Teachers and, that same year scored a spot on the African American Golfer’s Digest list of Top African American Golf Instructors.
In 2006, Mack became the first African American woman to play for the Indiana State University Golf Team. Following graduation in 2011, with a B.S. in Business and Masters in Business Administration, she embarked on a professional golf career, playing three seasons on the Suncoast Tour and held status on the Symetra Tour (the premiere developmental Tour for the LPGA). Currently, Mack serves as Program Director for the First Tee of Tampa Bay and is Secretary of the Southeast Section for the LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals. She has written and published two books: “Women’s Golf College Directory” and “Men’s Golf College Directory”.
“Becoming a member of first the LPGA and now the PGA of America are my greatest accomplishments to date, said Mack of her many golf accomplishments. “Membership with both the LPGA and PGA of America is the highest honor that one can achieve in the golf industry. I am proud to join such an elite class of golf professionals and hope to use my new status to welcome many more diverse professionals to the game of golf, the LPGA and now the PGA of America.”
RELATED STORY: Maulana A. Dotch, PGA/LPGA
The PGA of America has more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals of which 159 are estimated to be African American, 1,193 are women and less than a dozen of those are African American women. Among some of the women who have obtained PGA Class A membership are golf legend Renee Powell (1996); Maulana Dotch (2010); Sherri Pla; and Ashley Nicks.
Mackenzie Mack is certain to continue to make positive change in the industry. Contact her at her website mackenziemack.com or visit her Facebook page.
