Pan American Golf Association
2010
The History of the Corpus Christi Pan American Golf Association
Corpus Christi was the second chapter to be organized with the
Pan American Golf Association in 1951.
In early 1951 there were very few Mexican-Americans that played golf in Corpus Christi. To be exact, according to one of the original founders and current lifetime member, Cefe Valenzuela, there were a total of thirteen (13) players. They played at Oso Golf Course, which is still at the same location at the end of Alameda Street. The only other golf course at the time was the old Corpus Christi Country Club, which was located on Up River Road close to Navigation (now the refineries are there). The only time that they were able to play at the old Corpus Christi Country Club was during the annual City Tournament every other year. Back then the annual City Tournaments would alternate between the Oso Golf Course and the old Corpus Christi Country Club.
One day, in early 1951, while playing at the Oso Golf Course, Cefe Valenzuela and Meme Zepeda were approached by Raul (Sandy) Sandoval who had just moved to Corpus Christi from San Antonio. Sandy Sandoval asked Cefe and Meme if they would be interested in organizing a Pan American Golf Association like the one that had been organized in San Antonio a few years earlier in 1947. Cefe and Meme started spreading interest in organizing a chapter with the other Mexican-American golfers. Mr. Sandoval also approached other golfers in the same manner such as Dr. Rudy Barrera and Dr. C.G. Oliveira, which were very instrumental in assisting Mr. Sandoval to organize the Pan American Golf Association of Corpus Christi.
The First organizational meeting was held during the spring of 1951 at the Chamber of Commerce Building on North Shoreline. The Pan American Golf Association of Corpus Christi was chartered and Mr. Raul Sandoval was elected the first president and served for 2 terms 1951-1953, Other cities and states followed.
There are now 42 Pan American Golf Association Chapters in the USA.
Front Row, From Left to Right (Sitting Down)
Gilbert Cantu, Oscar Ocuna, Dr. R.T. Barrera, and Dr. C.G. Oliviera
Back Row, From Left to Right (Standing)
Dr. Tony Fuentes, P.L.(Paco) Acuna, Cefe Valenzuela, Alfonso Gomez, Richard Villarreal, Ed De Ases, Sabas Gonzalez, Alfredo Cuevas and Rudy Mircovich
| 2002 - Edinburg, TX | 1973 - Kansas City, KS |
| 2000 - Denver, CO | 1973 - Killeen, TX |
| 1999 - Mercedes, TX | 1973 - San Marcos, TX |
| 1998 - New Brunfels, TX | 1972 - El Paso, TX |
| 1996 - Laredo, TX | 1972 - Odessa, TX |
| 1989 - Irving, TX | 1969 - Victoria, TX |
| 1988 - Phoenix, AZ | 1969 - Wichita, TX |
| 1985 - Detroit, MI | 1967 - Waco, TX |
| 1985 - Missouri City, Tx | 1966 - San Angelo, TX |
| 1982 - Pomona, CA | 1963 - Brownsville, TX |
| 1980 - Rockford, IL | 1963 - Oklahoma City, OK |
| 1980 - Round Rock, TX | 1963 - Temple, TX |
| 1979 - Plainview, TX | 1962 - Alice, TX |
| 1977 - Amarillo, TX | 1962 - Harlingen, TX |
| 1976 - Abilene, TX | 1956 - Lockhart, TX |
| 1976 - Saginaw, MI | 1956 - Seguin, TX |
| 1975 - Kingsville, TX | 1955 - Austin, TX |
| 1975 - Lubbock, TX | 1955 - Dallas, TX |
| 1974 - East Chicago, IN | 1955 - Fort Worth, TX |
| 1974 - Santa Ana, CA | 1955 - Houston, TX |
| 1973 - Chicago, IL | 1951 - Corpus Christi, TX |
| 1947 - San Antonio, TX |
