Steve Buzza

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

Other awards won:
Golf Digest Best Young Teacher

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 1000
Female: 200
Junior: 150

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
30

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
Junior programming:
We are a private club with the aim to join PGA Junior league; this year we have started to adapt the content/format so we can hit the ground running when bigger/more impactful changes are introduced next spring.
Beginner ladies: I have extended our traditional training to allow more on course time and experience. It was clear the course was still overwhelming, with a couple potential golfer retaking/enjoying coaching but not playing independently. By spending more time on the course you are able to create a friendship playing group which will play together outside of lesson environment.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
Intermediate ladies: We have made this session more player led and allowed the program to organically grow into the needs and wants of the golfers present. The ladies have taken more ownership and as a result the numbers have significantly risen.

Gap test with optimization: first Saturday of each month we have set up our launch monitor on the range and offered gap testing and bent clubs where applicable to improve golfers performance and understanding of clubs. This not only helps them in the above but opens the dialogue to coaching, equipment and you get a sense of how they are enjoying their golfing experience.