SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. -- The long and winding road of growing the game of golf among the tribal members of Santa Ana Pueblo -- one of 19 pueblos in New Mexico -- nears its second decade.

There are success stories being written here outside of Albuquerque, which bring home the fact that golf can succeed among Native American communities as never before. The prospects for youth to find a path in the business of the game remain bright.

Alden Paquin ("Pay-quin"), chairman of the Santa Ana Pueblo Board of Directors, has the best vantage point of such a growth cycle. As a high school graduate in 1990, he grew up in the Pueblo and saw Santa Ana Golf Club open in 1991. He observed the creation of its "sister" course in 2001, Twin Warriors Golf Club.

Paquin graduated from the College of Santa Fe in 1998 and became an elementary school instructor. He later received a master's of business administration degree in 2004 from the University of Phoenix.

"As I remember, only three tribal members played the wonderful game of golf when we opened Santa Ana Golf Course in 1991," Paquin said this week, as Santa Ana Pueblo hosted its second PGA Professional National Championship, June 28 through July 1.

"To tell you the truth, when I was growing up in high school I would watch golf on TV in spurts and the game sparked some interest," said Paquin. "So, when I would go to sport stores, I would go see the clubs, balls, bags and clothing, and I knew right then I could not play the game because of the cost.

"The price was just too steep for many tribal families. And that did not even include thinking about the green fee!

"So when Santa Ana Pueblo Tribal Council started discussing the possibility of a golf course on tribal land, my ears sparked again but I still kept in mind the price I would have to pay."

The Tribal Council took steps that lowered the barriers to golf for the Pueblo.

"The leadership invested time to teach the tribal members how to play golf and that effort has led to more than 500 members who have hit a golf ball," said Paquin, adding "this has led to a solid 200 members who play on a regular basis."

To defray the cost burden on tribal players, tribal members play for free at Santa Ana Golf Club and receive a discount at Twin Warriors.

Tribal members who do not have clubs can even use the tribal rental sets for free. That is how many tribal members learned the game.

"If you invest in the people to learn the game of golf and they will eventually invest in their own game. What a great philosophy leadership has implemented!"

Tribal youth, accompanied by an adult, can access a three-hole course that was built in 2007 near Santa Ana Golf Club.

"We are not making a profit on that course," said Paquin. "It is there to provide enjoyment and build interest in the game."

Paquin has been inspired by the youth of the Pueblo finding enjoyment in golf and understanding its employment possibilities.

"One of the goals of the Board is to introduce our tribal kids to the game of golf so that there is an early interest in the game, but not just to play, but to have one of our own actually go through the PGA Golf Management program or become a Superintendent so they can run the Pueblo operations.

"We have a Junior Golf program every year that hosts the Pueblo children of Santa Ana for free and if we can accommodate other Pueblo children, we will welcome them. This goal is a process that takes guidance and nurturing individuals that want to come back and work for Santa Ana in the golf industry."

Paquin's dream of seeing Pueblo children elevate themselves in the golf industry is nearing fruition.

This fall, Jason Montoya, 23, will graduate from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and its PGA Golf Management University program. Montoya, who works as an assistant in the Twin Warriors clubhouse, began playing golf at age 12.

"We anticipate that Jason will delve deeper into our operations so that one day in the near future he can run all operations," said Paquin. "He is our most successful tribal member in golf here at Santa Ana and we are positive that he will be a role model for our golf children. We have success in our Junior Golf program because of the many youth that attend, but we are more successful when our kids grow to help the Pueblos operations."

As 312 PGA Professionals competed this week at Santa Ana Pueblo, Paquin said he was encouraged that it would not be a farewell tour for the visitors from 43 states and 41 PGA Sections.

"Our growth as a major travel destination has always been the vision of leadership, but not to just experience golf, but come and learn about the Tamaya experience," said Paquin. "Tamaya is so small on a map, but people can come here for different types entertainment and for the cultural experience as you see all over Hyatt Tamaya. All of the businesses of Santa Ana Pueblo, whether it be golf, Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort, Santa Ana Star Casino, Warrior Fuel or land developments, work cohesively to bring economic sustenance through diversification of our business ventures."

What Paquin calls "Vision of Leadership" is more than a dream in the high desert during these difficult economic times. The game of golf has "legs" in sprouting new special chapters among its youth, its community, and its future.