NMSU’s Jason Epstein wins award

At the 109th annual meeting of the PGA of America on Nov. 5, 2025, the national award recipients of the year were celebrated. Among those being honored was Jason Epstein, a 1995 graduate of New Mexico State University PGA Golf Management program.

Earlier this year Epstein was presented with the 2025 Bill Strausbaugh Award that recognizes a PGA of America Golf Professional who demonstrates exceptional character, integrity and leadership through teaching and mentoring other PGA of America professionals.

He earned the same award in 2021 and 2023. Epstein is PGA director of golf and athletics at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, a post he has had since 2016. Over nearly 30 years as a PGA professional Epstein has guided more than 70 individuals to become PGA members, with more than 25 becoming industry leaders as head professionals, general managers, and directors of golf.

Prior to joining the team at congressional Epstein held the director of golf operations position at The Club at Las Campanas in Santa Fe from 2011 to 2016.

Back in his college days at NMSU, playing on the golf team for coach Ross Nettles, I remember working with Epstein mostly on his mental game. He was a fine golfer and dedicated to practice. He was part of the 1995 Big West conference championship team. He was easy-going and liked to have fun.

“I guess when your college roommate is PGA Championship winner (2002) Rich Beem,” he quipped, “you know how to have some fun from time to time.”

If anyone wonders about the “athletics” part of his job at Congressional, Epstein lives and breathes athletics along with golf. I recall chatting with Jason some 12 years ago when he told me that he was heavy into running and was starting to do marathons.

I don’t know how many 26.2-mile marathons he has done, but I know he recently completed the New York Marathon for the fifth time in support of PGA REACH and raised tens of thousands of charity dollars over the last few years.

Most PGA Professionals consider the golf season to be a marathon; during the busiest days of the year Epstein trained for a real one.

As for the award itself Epstein noted, “From what I understand Bill Strausbaugh was a great mentor because he was a great person. The mentors I’ve had – like my grandfather, and Herb Wimberly at New Mexico State University – were like that. They wanted to share experiences in positive ways. I wanted to emulate them and their characteristics, and I approach mentoring in that same way. The effect we have on others is often far greater than we understand, and I’m very passionate about mentoring.”

Epstein’s Strausbaugh award and celebration Nov. 5 at the PGA of America headquarters went viral in a way, with ESPN sports anchor Scott Van Pelt, who is a member at Congressional, going live on X with this: “Jason to those of us at Congressional you represent the very best of what a PGA of America professional should aspire to be, and service to a membership that loves the game that you help to grow. We’ve got a great club and proud of (you for) this recognition.”

Concluding his thank you remarks at PGA of America headquarters in Frisco, Texas, Epstein said this: “Like so many in this room, golf has given me everything I have, from my childhood to going to college and playing golf, to meeting my wife and raising our (three) kids to traveling around the world and landing at Congressional Country Club. I’m the luckiest person in the world.”