Eva Rogers

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
GRAA Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, Golf Digest Best in State, Other (Indicate specific awards in 3-a below)

Other awards won (if provided):
Golf Digest Best Young Teachers (2021-2028), Illinois Section Player Development award (2024), Illinois Section Youth Player Development Award (2025), U.S. Kids Top 50 Master Coach (2025), U.S Kids Top 50 Coach (2022 & 2024), Top 50 Coach Operation 36 (2025), Alma Mater West Texas A&M Hall of Fame Inductee (2025)

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 300
Female: 300
Junior: 400

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
180+

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
Thank you for accepting my Elite Status application. It is truly an honor to be part of the GRAA family. Every day, I wake up striving to be a better person and professional, and I continue to put my heart into my work and into helping grow this incredible game!

This year, I developed and launched a new initiative called the High School Elite Player Development Series, designed specifically for high school students. Over the last several years, I noticed a decline in teenage participation within our programming. Rather than accept that trend, I wanted to create a program that would better meet the needs and interests of this age group while keeping them engaged. The series combines competitions, skill development, team play, accountability, and incentives! To encourage consistent participation and engagement, I created a season-long points race. Students earn points for attendance on practice and competition days, as well as completing weekly golf-related challenges. The competitive nature of the points system created a fun and competitive atmosphere. Throughout the season, participants compete in weekly 18-hole stroke play matches, the Junior Club Championship, and weekly practice sessions. Practices run for 2 hours and during those sessions we utilize TrackMan, CoachNow swing analysis, Vertex Golf (Putting analysis), GolfForever fitness, and many training aids. The top five point earners get to pick their award from a list of prizes including: a new driver with fitting, wedges, golf bags or golf balls. This program sold out within 2 hours, and now I'm putting together to sessions to accommodate the demand.

Adult/ Elite Group Series. I created this series to give adults and elite players a structured, motivating environment for long-term development. In small groups of four, students commit to scheduled sessions each week that focus on practice, accountability, and measurable progress. The model has generated strong momentum because it combines skill development with a community. It has been rewarding to see students embrace the mindset of an athlete, applying what they learn in practice and experience real breakthroughs in their game!

This year I collaborated with Titleist to bring the Women’s Education Experience Series to Medinah. It was a great way to keep our female members learning and engaged throughout the season beyond traditional instruction. Each experience focused on a different area of the bag for example: wedges, putters, hybrids and woods, allowing players to try difference equipment, ask questions, and learn how different clubs and shots could translate to their own games. Creating these types of experiences gave members another reason to participate while making education more social, interactive, and relevant to them. The success of this concept has opened the door for us to collaborate with other companies and continue creating unique educational experiences that bring our members closer to the game and keep them excited about what they can learn next.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
I designed a comprehensive Junior Golf Program to develop juniors at every stage from their first swing to advanced competitive preparation. Each level is tailored to meet children where they are in their golfing journey, providing age-appropriate instruction and skill progression in a fun, encouraging environment. Last year I implemented Operation 36 as part of Medinah’s Junior Player Development pathway to create a stronger connection between instruction and playing on the course. Rather than limiting learning to just clinic-based instruction, juniors can take what they learn in practice directly to the course on Tuesdays. During the six-week summer program. Approximately 100 juniors participate in clinics each week and around 110 juniors attend on-course play days. Of the six-weeks of on-course play we had completed 664 rounds of golf by juniors.

Operation 36 gives a clear and motivating way to measure development on the lesson tee and golf course. Instead of progress being defined by what happened during a clinic, juniors had specific levels to achieve and could see their improvements by playing on the course. Players start from 25 yards from the middle of the green and must shoot (36) to move on to level 2 which is played from 50 yards. This continues until they reach their designated tee box! The concept has not only accelerated skill development and boosted motivation among all juniors but also deepened family engagement. Parents have been encouraged to get involved whether by playing alongside their kids or tracking their progress which has created more meaningful family connections through golf. That's been incredible to witness!

The success of implementing Operation 36 to the junior program created a ripple effect throughout the club. In my small groups I started using Operation 36 to build confidence, work on course management, and help students score. It’s great to see them not immediately feel judge by how they hit their tee shot, or by the score they shoot from a traditional set of tees. Instead, they begin learning how to think their way around the course, recover from poor shots, make better decisions, and find different ways to get the ball to the hole.

The Rookie Squad (ages 8–10) is where the journey begins, with an emphasis on fundamentals and fun. Through engaging games and age-appropriate learning, juniors build early confidence in grip, stance, posture and swing basics, while also being introduced to golf etiquette, safety and rules. This creates a strong foundation for future growth while sparking excitement for the game.

Building on that, the Pin Seekers Squad (ages 11–13) bridges the gap between beginner and competitive-level training. Here, juniors refine their swing and short game mechanics, while learning strategic thinking such as course management, shot selection and scoring optimization. This stage ensures that players not only advance technically but also begin to understand the mental and social aspects of golf confidence, sportsmanship and handling pressure on the course.

Finally, the Masters Squad (ages 14–17) represents the peak of the program. This stage prepares serious juniors to compete at a high level, with advanced work on swing and short game precision, mental game mastery and tournament readiness. Players focus on strategy, pre-shot routines and high-pressure performance, skills that translate seamlessly into competitive play at the regional, national and collegiate levels.

The weekly structure of designated clinic days, paired with on-course play every Tuesday, ensures that students not only build their technical skills but also immediately apply them in real-game situations. Playing from shorter yardages and advancing only after shooting 36 for 9 holes gives every child regardless of age or experience a realistic path to success. This model encourages resilience, goal setting and teamwork, while eliminating the intimidation many juniors feel when starting on a full-length course.

The impact has been significant. We’ve seen higher retention rates, consistent growth in participation and a surge in family engagement. Parents appreciate that their children are working toward tangible milestones and juniors love the gamified progression that celebrates each achievement. Beyond the numbers, the program has created a culture of excitement around junior golf at Medinah, you hear kids talk about their goals, encourage one another and build friendships that extend beyond the course.

By implementing Operation 36, Medinah has built a sustainable, scalable model for junior player development. The program not only produces better golfers but also nurtures life skills such as confidence, patience and perseverance. Its success has set a standard for what modern junior golf development can look like.

The Elite Player Development program is a specialized, weekly program that runs every Friday during the summer months for juniors ages 8-13. The program is designed to give juniors an immersive and comprehensive learning experience. Each session consists of one hour of golf instruction followed by 45 minutes of fitness training with a professional trainer, allowing participants to develop both the technical and physical aspects of their game. The program is structured to provide a holistic approach to player development.

During the instructional hour, juniors receive personalized coaching on swing mechanics, short game, putting and course management, with video analysis and other technology integrated to provide immediate feedback. The fitness portion focuses on building strength, flexibility and body awareness, which are critical for performance and injury prevention. By combining instruction and fitness in a single program, juniors are able to see measurable improvements in both skill and athleticism over the course of the summer. This program has had a significant impact on the juniors who participate, giving them the tools, confidence and mindset necessary to compete at higher levels and continue developing their game year-round.

On-Course Player Development program was developed for adults and then became popular with juniors. This is the time we go on the golf course in a small group setting and walk a few holes to go over course management and the mental game. Week-after-week we pick up on the hole we ended on the previous week so everyone can learn about all of the holes on the course so they can have a better understanding of ways to play them.

The Li’l Chippers program is designed for children ages 4 to 7 and represents the very start of their journey into golf. This program is gamified to keep the kiddos engaged, using fun, interactive activities to teach the basics of grip, stance, swing and putting. By introducing golf in a playful, structured environment, Li’l Chippers helps children develop coordination, focus and early interest in the game. The program’s effectiveness is seen in high retention rates and excitement among participants, many of whom transition naturally into Elite Chippers or other junior golf programs as their skills and confidence grow. Li’l Chippers ensures that the youngest players begin their golf journey with a positive experience, setting the stage for continued growth in both ability and passion for the game.

The Elite Chippers program serves as a critical feeder into the Medinah Junior Golf program for ages 6 to 8. It is designed for those who have outgrown the Li’l Chippers and not quite ready to take on what the junior program entails. This is the perfect opportunity to prepare the kids for more targeted instruction and learning how to play on the course. These juniors gradually gain the abilities and comfort level required to transition successfully to full on-course participation the following year. The effectiveness of the program is evident in the number of participants who, after a year in Elite Chippers, confidently join the main junior program, demonstrating measurable skill improvement and a stronger foundation for long-term development.

The Teaching Apprenticeship Program I developed has also played an important role in keeping students engaged in our programming. Over the last 6 years I've helped 21 apprentices at Medinah. Having more coaches involved allows students to build relationships with different professionals and experience different personalities, communication styles, and approaches to learning. Not every player connects with a coach in the same way, and I have seen how finding the right connection can be the difference between someone simply taking a lesson and someone continuing to participate. By creating more opportunities for those relationships to develop, students have stayed connected through lessons, clinics, on-course programs, and other experiences throughout the season. The program develops future professionals, but just as importantly, it creates more ways for our students to find a coach they connect with and a reason to keep coming back.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share some of the programming I"ve been fortunate to develop and implement. I'm incredibly grateful for the chance to share ideas, experiences, and programs that have mad a meaningful impact on the players I work with and club I work for.