Henry Stetina

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
PGA Section Teacher of the Year, GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, Golf Digest Best in State, Other (Indicate specific awards below in 3-a)

Other awards won:
GOLF Teachers to Watch, Golf Digest Best Young Teachers, PGA Jr. League GameChanger

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 500
Female: 50
Junior: 10

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
200

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
PGA Jr. League Spring Training (New for 2023) – An American Development Model (ADM) based program to prepare players for Summer and Fall PGA Jr. League. Players go through a variety of athletic development type movements such as running, jumping, skipping, and throwing, along with golf specific movements using Mach 3 Speed Training Tools. Players also practice their golf skills such as putting, chipping, pitching, and the full swing. Players are coached by PGA Professionals, Associates, and Students who are ADM Certified and have a passion for coaching junior golfers.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
In 2023, our PGA Jr. League consisted of three seasons, multiple in-house leagues, and 250 players. In just six years, we have completely transformed the landscape of junior golf in Las Cruces. All four golf courses in town host multiple seasons and in-house leagues. Together, we host play days at each course so our more experienced players can travel and compete with players from the neighboring facilities. Below is a description of our summer season at Red Hawk Golf Club, which is designed to allow growth throughout their development.

Summer – A comprehensive PGA Jr. League consisting of four in-house leagues designed to give kids ages 6 to 17 an opportunity to learn, improve, and compete with kids of similar experience. Our in-house leagues include the Minors, Majors, All-Stars, and 17u, each of which consists of a maximum of 48 players with teams of 12 players competing in a round-robin format over an 8-week period. Teams are assigned two PGA Students who help coach players through the season.

o Minors – A developmental PGA Jr. League for players who are relatively new to the game (0-3 years of experience). Players are rostered onto teams based on experience and age, and coached by PGA Professionals, Associates, and Students. Players learn the basics of the swing and the game through group instruction and on-course competitions (3-hole matches).

o Majors – A transitional PGA Jr. League for players who have 1-4 years of experience and seek more independence on the golf course. Players are rostered onto teams based on experience and age, and coached by PGA Professionals, Associates, and Students. Players become independent in practice and play through group instruction and on-course competitions (6-hole matches). Players are expected to practice between sessions and are encouraged to enroll in the Hawks Nest Academy.

o All-Stars – A competitive PGA Jr. League for players who have 2-6 years of experience and seek to become more competitive on the golf course. Players are rostered onto teams based on experience and age, and coached by PGA Professionals, Associates, and Students. Players become independent in practice and play through group instruction and on-course competitions (9-hole matches). Players compete in All-Star Play Days and the PGA Jr. League Post-Season. Players are expected to practice between sessions and are encouraged to participate in the Hawks Nest Academy. Players are also expected to act as player-mentors for the Minors.

o 17u – A PGA Jr. League for players who have 1-6 years of experience and want to play for their high school golf team. Players are rostered onto teams based on experience and age, and coached by PGA Professionals, Associates, and Students. Players become independent in practice and play through group instruction and on-course competitions (9-hole matches). Players are expected to practice between sessions and are encouraged to enroll in the Hawks Nest Academy. Players are also expected to act as player-mentors for the Majors.