John Simon/Getty Images
John Simon/Getty Images
The aspect of golf that drew me to my youth was its sense of opportunity. There’s always a chance to serve and do something magical – whether it’s breaking a personal record or potentially making a hole-in-one. The pursuit of perfection.
I started playing when I was about 13 when my parents signed me up for junior golf camp at the local public golf course. From that moment my life was more or less dedicated to the game. I worked my way up from cleaning golf carts and picking up balls on the driving range, to working in the golf shop and giving swing lessons, until I decided to pursue journalism.
Gus Contreras is Associate Producer on All Things Considered. Hide Gus Contrera’s subtitles
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Gus Contreras
Gus Contreras is Associate Producer on All Things Considered.
Gus Contreras
I had to take a break from playing because I couldn’t afford to play during college and was still suffering from burnout. I still went out to play with friends every now and then, but for the first time since I was young, I was away from my community.
Like many people, my passion for golf has been reignited during the pandemic. The golf course was one of those places that felt relatively safe because it’s outdoors and doesn’t require close human contact.
According to the National Golf Foundation, an estimated 6.2 million people in the United States either started or got back into the sport in 2020. I took the opportunity to reacquaint myself with the game after playing at my local scene for a couple of years – Langston Golf Course in Washington, DC
From the moment I walked in, this place felt like one of the courses I grew up on: a humble place where working-class people from all backgrounds came to experience the game, to have lunch or sipping a beer, it felt a long way from the private golf courses where expensive memberships are required. A place where black, brown and female golfers are welcome. Where my skin color as a Mexican-American didn’t make me feel out of place like some of the courses I’ve played.
I learned that when Langston opened in 1939, only one in 20 places across the country allowed black players and that it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. When I team up with strangers to play at Langston, it’s usually a mixed crowd.
All of this increased my passion for the game of golf. What I learned the most is that I missed my golf community while not in the game.
Gus Contreras (center) on a recent golf trip to Seattle with Mexican-American friends Richard Pedregon (left) and Oscar Padilla (right). Hide Gus Contrera’s subtitles
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Gus Contreras
Gus Contreras (center) on a recent golf trip to Seattle with Mexican-American friends Richard Pedregon (left) and Oscar Padilla (right).
Gus Contreras
Seeing a future in the game
I think one of the factors that got me hooked was growing up in El Paso, Texas, where the population is 80% Latino. It was important to see people my skin color succeed in sports. Where one of the busiest streets on my side of town was named after a legendary Mexican-American golfer named Lee Trevino. I see a future in this game.
I’ve also learned that when I play golf, I experience nature. Some people enjoy hiking through mountains and wilderness. Well, I like to wander around chasing a little white ball on a golf course. Some places are nicer than others, but the experience of being outside and playing a game against Mother Nature is always fulfilling.
I love the early morning sun and the dew on the grass. I enjoy feeling the firmness of the ground under my feet as I walk down the fairways. And I enjoy testing wind direction by cutting a few blades of grass and tossing them to see which way the breeze carries them.
Some of the best walks I have ever taken have been on the golf course. Here I meet old friends and meet new ones. Some I’ve played with since high school, and our text threads are full of junk about who plays well and who doesn’t. They’re usually the ones pushing me to practice and get better. We share experiences on the golf course that are unforgettable and tell stories that last for days.
The sense of community I’ve regained through playing golf during the pandemic is more than I could have ever imagined. My circle only seems to be expanding, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
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