THANK YOU...

To My Friends, Neighbors and Golfers: It has been a humbling experience serving as your Head Golf Professional for 27 years. The bumps on the road don’t even begin to cast the smallest of regrets in coming to this community where we were received with open arms and where overnight, my job was transformed from a paycheck to a calling by trusting me with your children. Thank you, what an honor!

Together, we saw our children grow and receive an education beyond reading and writing, helping shape a new generation of productive citizens of whom we are all very proud of. You never made me feel like the immigrant I really am, a person from Old Mexico to a region called New Mexico! What a great story! I am proud of my heritage and beginnings, but I am more proud to have made the choice, not by necessity, but by loyalty to cause, of becoming citizen of this greatest of all nations.

I always played and taught everyone to play by the rules of this great game, which also apply to life. It was not always easy, for at times, these rules, which are based on trust, respect and honesty, tend to bring out the true character in all of us. My respect and thanks go to those who learned from these moments, for by example you led and became a role model that helped the growth of the game and the shaping of our community. Don’t quarrel, continue teaching; understand that no everyone “speaks golf”, which is a language and culture of its own.

You showed many values, mostly honesty, friendship and tolerance in my failures; and, while we must share space with a minority who doesn’t believe in the freedom of expression I sought by coming here, or with those who ignore or change rules, sometimes in the middle of a game, lets realize that we don’t need to join them, and that we must stand on our principles. They have the right to their opinion, but we have the right to set the record straight.

I’m not embarrassed to admit that it hurt, but I am healing. I was down, but now I’m standing head high, on the principle that it is the truth and the truth only, the way to serve, survive, walk unashamed and unite a community, even if it means that one is not allowed to play ball for a while. The future is unclear, but I’m ready to reinvent myself with the knowledge and richness of life I received from you.

We know, like gusts of wind, all people, regular folks or the elite who rule, come and go, some for the best and some for the worst. But we the people, who abide by the valued principle of playing by written rules, like the land we stand on, and the Red Rocks that surround us, remain and go on until we are invited to play again…

Thank you: Alex Alvarez, PGA Professional