San Marcos Pan American Golf Association turns 50

For five decades, a local sports organization has promoted the joy of playing golf with the dual purpose of contributing to the community by way of that passion.

The San Marcos Pan American Golf Association will honor its special anniversary by hosting its national organization in a celebration that includes a golf tournament and awards night and dinner dance.

San Marcos Pan American Golf Association Vice-President Jesse Sanchez said the 50th anniversary presents an opportunity to share with the public the organization’s history and fellowship.

Over the past 50 years of the chapter’s existence, the organization has participated in countless local community and civic events, with the support he said of the National PAGA organization and its constitution and bylaws that govern the role of chapter charitable activities.

Sanchez said it has long been “the chapter’s mission to provide student scholarship assistance,” and to promote Junior Golf, the Little League, the Boy Scouts and to assist individuals with special financial needs. He said that providing charitable contributions and funds has long guided many of the chapter’s projects through the years.

The chapter traces its origin to 1972 when the founding members applied for what Sanchez described as chartership status with the state of Texas, seeking a nonprofit designation. All those years ago, the initial group of golfers held an informal meeting that brought out 78 area sportsmen, and from that group, 31 players organized to create the San Marcos PAGA chapter, and later, two other members came on board, Sanchez said. That same year the players elected interim officers. Herb Sanchez was elected the organization’s first president.

On May 26, 1973, the San Marcos PAGA was admitted as the 25th chapter of the National Pan American Golf Association (PAGA) organization during the Warm-Up Convention in Ft. Worth.

Other former chapter presidents are: Guadalupe Carbajal, Hector Cantu, Herb De La Rosa, Alex Flores, Adolfo Rodriguez, Eli Sepulveda, David Sambrano, Gilbert Vasquez, Domingo Maldanado. Sanchez is also a former president of the organization.

Sanchez said to the best of the club’s knowledge, some of the original founders are: Val Armendariz, Lupe Carbajal, Frank Contreras, Herb De La Rosa, Felix Farias, Alex Flores, Joe Lesak, T.J. Navarro, Adolfo “Bobby” Rodriguez, Ruben Ruiz Jr, James Velasquez, and Manuel Villalpando.

In 1985, the chapter became a lifetime member of the San Marcos River Foundation.

Year after year, the association has sponsored an annual schedule of golf tournaments and other fellowship opportunities in support of other PAGA chapters and competed at national PAGA events. Previously, the chapter was most proud of having hosted the first National PAGA Winter Meeting Convention. It was held in 1985 and in excess of 600 participants came to San Marcos.

The chapter has hosted National PAGA Winter Meeting conventions and 3rd Delegates Workshop Meetings, specifically in 2005, 2011 and 2019.

What makes this anniversary all the more special for the chapter, Sanchez said, is that in this anniversary year, they are once again “hosting the National PAGA Winter Meeting and Tournament on the weekend of March 30 to April 1.”

Sanchez said 25 chapters are registered for the 3-day event that will include the general meeting and a golf tournament. The chapter has registered 300 golfers for the weekend events. Golfers will utilize facilities at surrounding golf courses, he said.

The winter meeting and tournament events start Thursday, March 30, with registration and a welcoming reception. On Friday, March 31, the registration is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a NPAGA Delegates breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., which will be followed by the national meeting that begins at 8:30 a.m. with a lunch break, and which resumes at 1 p.m.

A tee-off time for the golf tournament is 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 1 at Olympia Hills, Landa Park and Double J Ranch in Wimberley, according to Sanchez.

After the tournament on Saturday, April 1, the attendees will head to the San Marcos PAGA Founders Anniversary Dance at Cuauhtémoc Hall with music by La Dezz Band from 8 p.m. to midnight. It will be at this event that the 1973 founding members will be recognized and honored, Sanchez said.

The organization has extended an invitation to all past and current PAGA members to attend. The chapter is hoping to assemble historical memorabilia to be used for an archival display during all the festivities. Sanchez said they are especially hoping to find items from the years 1972-1979.

Making the event possible are contributions from the San Marcos Convention and Visitor Bureau which has provided resources and logistical support, Sanchez said. He also thanked National PAGA supporters, local sponsors, volunteers and the membership of the local delegation and chapter.