PGA of America honors Henry Stetina

The 73rd annual PGA Merchandise Show was held in Orlando during the third full week of January. The Covid-19 pandemic was a long distant memory for all of the 34,000 PGA of America golf professionals and golf industry attendees.

A whopping 1,195 exhibiting brands took up 1.1 million square feet of the Orange County Convention Center. One of the highlights of the PGA Show is the presentation of annual awards to PGA professionals in a variety of categories.

The 2026 PGA of America Youth Development Award honored Henry Stetina, PGA, of the New Mexico State University PGA Golf Management Program. The award to Stetina was announced at the PGA Show on Jan. 22, 2026, but Stetina will officially receive the award later this year at the PGA of America annual meeting on Nov. 3 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Youth Player Development Award recognizes a PGA of America golf professional who has demonstrated extraordinary contributions to advancing youth player development through sustained programming, leadership and service.

“This recognition reflects a team effort to engage the community and develop leaders through golf,” said Stetina. “We’ve consistently created opportunities for kids and families who may not otherwise find their way into the game. It is gratifying to be recognized for making a difference in a community similar to the one where I grew up, while raising a family and working full time.”

In addition to the Youth Development award, Stetina received two PGA Jr. League #GameChanger Awards during the recent ceremony. He was honored as the 2025 #GameChanger Award winner for the largest program in the Sun Country Section (New Mexico and El Paso) and was the 2025 #GameChanger Award winner for player engagement, reflecting both the scale and quality of his PGA Jr. League initiatives.

Stetina summarizes the work of the PGA Jr. League: “Our mission is to make golf accessible and enjoyable for all children, creating a welcoming environment that emphasizes team play, fun and sportsmanship over individual competition. Its team approach introduces kids to golf in a way unlike that of previous generations and has made a lasting impact in our community. Coaching PGA Jr. League has transformed my career and helped change the trajectory of my life. I am forever grateful.”

I’m sure the parents and young people who participate in our local PGA Jr. League are equally as grateful.

Stetina works full-time for the NMSU PGA Golf Management Program, where he serves as PGA assistant director in an academic and professional development role supporting undergraduate students preparing for careers in the golf industry.

Independent of his university position, Stetina owns and operates Mesilla Valley Golf Academy, a youth and player development program based in Las Cruces. The organization offers junior golf programs, camps, classes, lessons and PGA Jr. League teams through formal agreements with Red Hawk Golf Club, Sonoma Ranch Golf Course and Back 9 Las Cruces.

Stetina also serves on the Sun Country PGA board of directors as well as the national PGA Jr. League Committee, while he has recently begun his term as President of the Sun Country Golf Foundation. His programs have awarded nearly $200,000 in PGA REACH Scholarships and provided mentorship and leadership opportunities for more than 100 PGA Golf management students.