As we embark on this new decade I think it’s a good time for us to reflect on the direction of where this club has been and where it’s going..
Who would have thought that a club founded in 1964 by a group of young guys who had only two things in common, their love of the Hawaiian Culture and their love for the game of golf would still be around 46 years later? Many of us were raised in the shadows of the Aloha Golf Club. We often reminisce about the days at Massacre Canyon when we practically burned the place down while our parents were getting hammered at the banquet. Or the days of digging a pit at Mel Ching’s house across from King Junior High School to cook Kalua Pig. Or the days of putting on all those Luau’s and collecting countless number of aluminum beer cans (I still find it unbelievable how much beer was consumed at those events.) Or the days of going camping
down at the beach and watching the big debate on which bait works best and the correct method of surf casting, or the days of going to Christmas Party’s and watching Rich play Santa (which is why Rich isn’t allowed within 100 feet of daycare centers and pre-schools any more), or the days of switching to plastic Easter Eggs only to find out that your wife put “Go See Uncle XX for $5” in most of those eggs (who knew kids would want money more than candy!!), I could go on and on with all of these memories.
I’m constantly reminded of where the club has been when I go to my dad’s house and see these two huge trophies prominently displayed in his house that confirm that many many moons ago he beat a few guys to claim the coveted Club Champion Trophy. Long gone are the days where a trophy was a sought after prize and a symbol for a job well done. Today a few c-notes and an envelope replace the solid walnut and faux gold golfer. Times change, people change, clubs change, and as things change we learn to adapt to the new conditions. Who would have thought we would have a black president that attended Punahou in the White House? Only slightly more surprising is having Ronnie Lazo running the club for a second year and doing a mighty find job at that.
So as we enter this new decade we face new challenges, and with each challenge we create new mortar to build a bigger and stronger club. It’s equally important for us to remember where we’ve been as much as it is to understand where we are going. Many who have been with the club say that it’s not the same club as it was in 1964 but that’s a good thing rather it’s a great thing. We’ve demonstrated our ability to address the changing socio-economic issues that have faced the club over the last 46 years. I don’t see that changing because our Aloha Golf Club culture has been forged from the same culture that can be found throughout the 50th state of the union.
On January 30th, we play another monthly tournament, we embark on a new journey, in a new decade and where we go is entirely up to you. As a member of the Aloha Golf Club you are privileged to enjoy a first class trip on one of the best experiences that life has to offer and that is being part of a club that has bonds that are as strong as blood which is why we consider our members as a brother and not just a fellow golfer.
