Puerto Rico Golf Association


	The Puerto Rico Golf Association Founded in 1954 with the purpose of spreading the game of golf among close friends and future prospects within the amateur side of the sport, the PRGA was organized by several local golfing friends including Jim J. Teale, a living Member of the PRGA Golf’s Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient. Since then, the Puerto Rico Golf Association has been dedicated toward the overall growth and expansion of golf in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Region. An active member of the USGA, (United States Golf Association), CGA (Caribbean Golf Association), the AGA (Americas Golf Association) and the IGF (International Golf Federation), the PRGA has been responsible for hosting very important amateur international team competitions, highlighted by the World Amateur Team Championships in October 2004. One of the very few “world-class” amateur championships held locally for any sport, the WATC broke records of international attendance with over 66 participating teams & countries. Being the governing body of amateur golf in Puerto Rico, the PRGA provides the opportunity for local players to compete in different local and international events and our local Island Championships for all ages throughout the season by successfully running the Heineken Premium Light Player’s Tour and the SEARS PRGA Junior Program. All this effort is done with the ultimate goal of furthering their golf careers. Additionally, the PRGA is responsible for conducting Course Rating at various golf courses, administering Rules of Golf Seminars, handling Amateur Status cases and responsible for licensing golf courses who intend to use the USGA Handicap System. For the last seven 7 years, the association has been engaged in the commitment of making the game more accessible to the public through its Community Service Program, known as “GOLF PARA TODOS”. Over 3,000 children of all ages and adults have been exposed to golf during golf clinics using SNAG Golf. Every day more programs, schools and summer camps contact the association in order to coordinate golf clinics at their facilities. Everyone can JOIN the PRGA in its long-term effort by either becoming a Volunteer, Mentor and/or Financial Supporter. The PRGA along with its new staff, new slogan and Board of Directors headed by its President, Sidney Wolf, has taken a new turn in the process of developing amateur golfers in Puerto Rico, "It is a Brand new Game!" The History of Golf In Puerto Rico The history of Golf in Puerto Rico is a little fuzzy before the early 1930's. The old Berwind Country Club located in Sabana Llana, Río Piedras, was launched in 1930 by a small group of golfing enthusiasts. Shortly thereafter, Central Aguirre and Central Guánica, on the South coast, each designed and built nine hole courses. Central Roig at Humacao, followed suite, as local recreation facilities were somewhat limited. The staff and managers of the major sugar mills were from the mainland and their appetite for the game of golf caused the establishing of these courses. World War II brought about the proliferation of golfing facilities at military installations such as Ramey Air Force Base, then known as Borinquen Field at Aguadilla; Henry Barracks at Cayey; Fort Buchanan; and the further development of El Morro at Fort Brooke, in the Old San Juan area; and Roosevelt Roads Naval Base at Ceiba. In 1949, there was not any type of formal golf program or organization in Puerto Rico. All the courses then -- Fort Buchanan, El Morro, Aguirre, Ensenada, Punta Borinquen and Fort Allen -- had sand greens. The focal point of golf at that time was the old Berwind Club, and that too, had sand greens. There was no variety of grasses suitable for putting that would grow here. Agronomists developed later a strain of Bermuda, which was perfect for local conditions. Don Fernando Zegrí was the one who built the first grass greens at the old Berwind Country Club in Sabana Llana. With the new greens, players' scores soared. Putting on sand was child's play because the first sand greens were all flat, just like a pie, and they were recessed in the fairway, actually. They used beach sand with coconut oil to build some consistency so it would not blow away. A burlap sack was strapped to the end of a pole and the caddie would go around and smooth the green of any tracks that were left on the surface of the sand. "All you had were straight putts all the time, and they had a permanent hole; they never changed this hole, it was always in the center of this pie." The "saucer" that contained the hole, made for a target of about five inches in diameter, compared to the standard 4-1/4 inch cup. The 1950's and 1960's brought golf courses of superior design to the Puerto Rican golfing scene, with the move of the Berwind Country Club to its present location at Rio Grande, and the development of the Cerromar-Dorado Beach complex, designed by Robert Trent Jones, which took over ten years to complete; and from a mainly military golfing population of no more than 600 players, the game took off with the opening of Cerromar-Dorado Beach complex and the new Berwind "The game just blossomed as more and more courses were built, and grows daily." In 1953, James J. Teale, helped by Alfredo Torruellas, Bill McCabee, Fernando Zegrí, and Webster Pullen, put the Puerto Rico Golf Association (PRGA) together by writing the by-laws, and was registered in 1954. Jack Bender, who became the club's first Golf Professional, built the course at the Ponce Country Club. George Faxio designed the Rio Mar Course and the late Dick Smith designed the golf course at the Riviera Hotel in Dorado, later renamed the Dorado Hilton and now known as the Dorado del Mar. The Club Deportivo del Oeste built a sporty nine-hole course in the middle of the seventies. Gary Player designed the Palmas del Mar course in Humacao. Bahía Beach Plantation was opened in the early 90's. In 1993, El Conquistador Resort and Country Club reopened its facilities, after hotel operations were discontinued for many years. Today there are twelve active golfing facilities, with nineteen golf courses available to the golfing population of Puerto Rico. We have over 3,500 active handicap players -- 90% of whom are Puerto Ricans. Thousands of tourists also enjoy the Island's golf courses throughout the year. Since 1954, the Puerto Rico Golf Association has developed, promoted and governed amateur golf throughout the Island. Until 1967, the PRGA administered fifteen Open Championships. Some of the golfing greats, such as Art Wall, Roberto de Vicenzo, Roy Floyd, the late Tony Lema, and of course, our own Chi Chi Rodríguez, participated in these events. Charlie Sifford won the first PGA supervised tournament for the black race when he won the Puerto Rico Open in the mid sixties at the old Berwind Country Club. At one time, PRGA was the entity authorized to select the team representing Puerto Rico at the former Canada Cup - now the World Cup Series - under the auspices of the International Golf Association. Representative Teams from Puerto Rico have participated in the Hoerman Cup Championships each year since 1964. The Island has also been represented at twelve World Team Competitions and fifteen World Seniors events. Likewise, Puerto Rican golfers have represented the Island on numerous occasions at the Copa Simón Bolivar in Venezuela, the Copa Rincón in Colombia, several championships at the Dominican Republic, the USGA State Team Championships in the United States and many more. Each year, the Island Junior Champion travels to San Diego, California to participate in the World Junior Championship, and to Miami to take part in the Orange Bowl Junior Championship. Juniors also travel to Japan, France and the Caribbean to participate in other championships. The PRGA Hall of Fame was instituted in 1978. Puerto Rico's first and only touring golf professional, Juan "Chi Chi" Rodríguez, and Jim Teale, were inducted in 1978. Those entering the Hall of Fame in 1979 were the late George Teale and banking executive Julio "Chiqui" Torres. The late Kitty Michaels, noted for her contribution to women golf, was inducted in 1982. Henry "Hank" James installed in 1987, and Jesús Rodríguez in 1989. The most recent members to PRGA Hall of Fame are, Miguel "Junior" Colón and Ralph "Butch" James, installed in October 11, 1997. The PRGA celebrates over ten tournaments yearly for the golfers in Puerto Rico. It also maintains a scholarship fund, which at present supports 4 recipients at college level. The Junior Program is growing at a fast pace. Actually, many kids are participating in the program enjoying tournaments, clinics, and international competitions. The business community merits our recognition for the continued support given to us, and we, the Board of Directors and Staff, are most grateful to each one of them who have supported our efforts throughout the years. The PRGA President encourages people from all over the world to come and visit our island. Here, tourists will have their best vacation ever. They will enjoy the sunshine, the beautiful beaches, hotels, great shopping facilities, and most of all -our challenging and exciting golf courses designed by many of the great golf course designers of the world.