The silver screen recently welcomed a powerful narrative of perseverance and triumph with the premiere of “The Long Game”, a compelling Mexican Golf Movie that debuted at South by Southwest (SXSW). This isn’t just another sports film; it’s a poignant portrayal of real-life events that unfolded in the 1950s, spotlighting a team of underdog Mexican-American teens who broke down racial barriers in the world of golf.
Felipe Romero, a member of the San Felipe Mustangs, the team at the heart of this story, encapsulates the essence of their journey with a sense of destiny: “Everything comes in providence. There’s nothing else that we could’ve done, but we were destined to do it.” Romero’s story, now immortalized in film, is a beacon of inspiration, illustrating how passion and determination can overcome even the most entrenched prejudices.
In 1956, Romero and his friends were caddies at the San Felipe Country Club in Del Rio, Texas. Despite their proximity to the manicured greens, the color of their skin barred them from playing on the very course they diligently served. Romero poignantly refers to the golf course as the “streets” for his crew, highlighting their sense of exclusion from a space that should have been accessible to all.
Undeterred by this discrimination, these young men channeled their passion into creating their own golfing haven. “The El Llanito was the golf course that we built on caliche and we used to play there before they let us on the golf course, and it was just plain dirt,” Romero recounts. This makeshift course, built on bare dirt, became their training ground, a testament to their resourcefulness and unwavering commitment to the sport they loved.
While caddying, they became astute students of the game. They meticulously observed every swing, every technique, absorbing knowledge with the hunger of those denied formal instruction. Their aspiration was clear: to play, not just to serve. However, in the racially segregated climate of the time, this dream seemed almost unattainable.
Resourcefulness was key to their budding golf careers. “We did a lot of ball hunting because we couldn’t afford the balls – they were too expensive and the members would drop them in the crates, you know, and we would go across to get them,” Romero explains. Facing financial constraints and lacking official support from their school, their path to competitive golf was fraught with obstacles.
A turning point arrived with the arrival of JB Peña, a school superintendent who moved to Del Rio with aspirations of joining the all-white Del Rio Country Club himself. Rejected due to his ethnicity, Peña found common ground with the young Latino caddies. Recognizing their potential and facing similar discrimination, Peña became their mentor and advocate.
Peña’s support was instrumental in transforming their informal passion into a structured pursuit. “They sponsored us, and they gave us advice how to proceed, so it turned out very formal, it wasn’t joking, you know, we were always serious about the competition,” Romero recalls, emphasizing the seriousness and dedication that Peña instilled in the team. Through Peña’s intervention, the teens were eventually granted limited access to the club’s greens during off-hours.
Even with this progress, the San Felipe Mustangs were far from having equal footing with their competitors. They practiced with cast-off golf clubs and wore hand-me-down shoes from club members. Frank Mitchell, a coach and referee, played a crucial role in bridging this equipment gap. “He was the one that negotiated with the directors to give us the golf clubs on Saturdays, caddy for them about 1 o’clock in the afternoon, and then play with their clubs,” Romero states.
Despite these challenges, or perhaps fueled by them, the San Felipe Mustangs persevered. In 1957, they embarked on a journey from Del Rio to Austin to compete in the Texas State High School Championship game. Against all odds, this team of Mexican-American teenagers, who had learned to play on a dirt course and faced constant discrimination, achieved the unthinkable: they became the Class A State Golf Champions.
Reflecting on their historic victory, Romero acknowledges the pervasive racism of the era: “At that time, well, the discrimination didn’t leave us in peace for one thing, but when we won the state, by almighty God, we broke the barriers.” Their championship win was more than a sporting achievement; it was a resounding statement against prejudice, a testament to their skill, resilience, and the unifying power of sports. “The Long Game” the mexican golf movie, now brings this inspiring chapter of history to a wider audience, ensuring their legacy of breaking barriers continues to resonate.
