David Toms

Personal

• Created the David Toms Foundation in 2003. The foundation helps underprivileged, abused and abandoned children through funding programs that are designed to enhance a child's character, self-esteem and career possibilities. Foundation assisted those displaced by Hurricane Katrina, raising more $3.0 million. The Wall Street Journal in 2006 cited the David Toms Foundation as having the lowest percentage of expenses of any athletic foundation that gave a minimum of $600,000 to charity. Shared the Golf Writers Association of America's 2006 Charlie Bartlett Award with Louisianans Kelly Gibson and Hal Sutton for their combined $2-million plus in aid to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita victims. Most recently, has focused his efforts on assisting those affected by the devastating floods in 2016 in South Louisiana (including his childhood hometown of Denham Springs).
• Grew up playing baseball with future major leaguers Ben McDonald and Albert Belle.
• Helped in re-design of Palmetto CC in Louisiana in 1999. First David Toms signature course, Carter Plantation in Springfield, La., opened to the public in October 2003. Worked with Rees Jones on the 18-hole course at GC of Houston, that is the site of the Shell Houston Open. Also worked with Jones on the redesign of Baton Rouge CC and has a signature course, LaTour GC, that opened in 2009 in Mathews, La.
• In September 2013, opened the David Toms Academy, named 265, in his hometown of Shreveport. The 60-acre state-of-the-art training center is owned and operated by the David Toms Foundation and includes a game-improvement facility for juniors and avid golfers.
• Is a passionate LSU fan who spends a lot of his free time following Tigers athletics. Teammates at Louisiana State included Bob Friend, Emlyn Aubrey, Perry Moss and Greg Lesher, former PGA TOUR members.
• Inducted into the Gulf States Section PGA Hall of Fame in 2012.
• Elected to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and will be enshrined June 24, 2017.