TOM HENDERSON – PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Round Hill Club – Greenwich, Connecticut

Aug 04, 2015 – In almost three decades serving as PGA Head Professional at Round Hill Club, in Greenwich, Connecticut, Tom Henderson has played an integral role in the growth and development of the facility, the Metropolitan PGA Section and the PGA of America as a whole. At Round Hill, Henderson has promoted numerous initiatives, with the goal of developing golfers at a young age. Most recently, Henderson introduced PGA Junior League Golf to the club, offering a well-structured way to socialize the game for both boys and girls. Throughout his 29 years at Round Hill, Henderson has also encouraged play among new women golfers through the Young Women’s Golf Association and has helped develop high school and college-level golfers via his seven-week Junior Golf School. One of Round Hill’s most recent junior students, Matt Camel, competed in April’s Drive, Chip, & Putt competition at Augusta National and finished fifth in his age division.

Nationally, Henderson serves on the PGA Board of Control. He has also served on the Player Development Committee, which upholds the PGA’s goal of promoting golf’s enjoyment and development nationwide. Henderson co-chaired the PGA Instruction Committee from 2009-2011, and helped successfully revive the PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit, by returning it to Orlando during the PGA Merchandise Show week. In 2013, Henderson also co-chaired that same Summit.

Henderson’s leadership skills have been showcased at the Section level since 1995, as he’s held office in the Metropolitan PGA Section as Honorary President, President, 1st Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Currently, Henderson serves as the Chairman of the Section’s Nominating Committee, where he is tasked with helping select, and to an extent, mentor some of the PGA’s future leaders. Since 2009, Henderson has also served on the Board of Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove, Minnesota, after being personally nominated by one of his members who purchased the club. In this unique role, Henderson is given the opportunity to share his own knowledge and experiences as a PGA Head Professional, in order to ensure the club’s continued growth.

Henderson has been a PGA member since 1984. He earned the first-ever PGA Certified Professional Program (CPP 2.0) designation in the area of Player Development in 2013. With the help of his mentoring, eight of his former assistants have become Head Professionals.

For his contributions to his Section, Henderson was awarded the 2011 Metropolitan PGA Professional of the Year and has garnered five consecutive nominations from the Section for that same national award. He was also awarded the following Metropolitan PGA Section awards: 2013 Player Development Award; 2008, 2009 Ely Callaway Awards; and the 1997 Horton Smith Award for his dedication to professional education. His achievement as the 2015 PGA Golf Professional of the Year is his first national honor.

SOURCE: PGA