Henry Stetina

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
PGA Section Teacher of the Year, 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):
National PGA Youth Player Development, Section Player Development, Section Youth Player Development

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 300
Female: 25
Junior: 50

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
50

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
In addition to my role with the university, I own and operate the Mesilla Valley Golf Academy (MVGA) at Red Hawk Golf Club and Sonoma Ranch Golf Course. I have six coaches on my staff and this summer we hosted week long summer camps, every week while school was out of session, and averaged 15 players per camp. This was our first year where my lead coach was fully responsible in the administration of the camp, which I was very pleased with.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
At the university, we offer a robust player development program that includes group and individual instruction, both indoors and outdoors, and about 15 tournaments per semester. We recently renovated our indoor golf lab that is equipped with two Trackman 4 simulators. One of our favorite player development initiatives is the PAT Challenge, a multi-week program to help students prepare for the PGA's Playing Ability Test. Upper classmen who have already passed the PAT lead groups of underclassmen who need to pass the PAT through range and on-course practices. Our range practice include skill building sessions where we focus on distance wedges, trajectory control, shot making, etc. Our on-course practice includes unique formats like irons-only, odd or even numbered clubs, or playing from forward yardages.

At the MVGA, our primary program is PGA Jr. League. We offer three seasons (spring, summer, and fall), and three to four leagues per season (Minors, Majors, All-Stars, and 17u). We use an Operation 36 style of scoring to determine league placement and progression between the leagues. We've had great success with our programming, which has led a lot of players to their high school golf teams, and multiple state championships.