It’s not too late to be a champion, or at least a great player, in your favorite sport, especially in golf, where older athletes often find a sort of second wind in their chosen sport.
One late afternoon, the sun cast long, dramatic shadows across the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf Club (RPVGC) fairways, painting the turf in hues of orange and gold. It was exactly 4:01 p.m. on a breezy Friday afternoon when club member Felix “Jojo” Espino stepped onto the tee box of Hole No. 6—the challenging par-3 framed by the Silver Tee Mound.
The yardage sign read 150 yards — a perfect distance for a precisely struck mid-iron. Jojo selected his trusty Yamaha Inpres 8-iron and addressed his Titleist Pro V1 No. 4 ball. He executed a smooth, deliberate swing.
The ball launched high against the clear blue sky, a white blur tracking perfectly toward the green. It landed softly, short of the pin, took two quick bounces, and then—in a moment of pure golfing magic—disappeared.
An explosion of cheers shattered the silence of the afternoon. Jojo had made an ace.
The jubilant flight included his most treasured witnesses: his wife, Joanna “Joy” Espino; their son, Rasheed; and friend, Rek Mise. But the celebratory shouts didn’t come only from his flightmates—they echoed across the course, breaking the stillness of an otherwise lazy Friday afternoon.
Shouts of disbelief and joy rang out among caddies and fellow golfers, cementing the moment as a true expression of celebration.
But Jojo’s October magic was far from over.
That hole-in-one was just the appetizer for what would become a phenomenal season start.
Riding the momentum of his amazing ace, he carried his sharp form into the season-opening competition later that week, clinching the prestigious Class D Gross crown in the first Monthly Medal tournament of Rancho Palos Verdes’ new season. From sinking the perfect shot to dominating his division, Jojo Espino’s remarkable week will surely be remembered in the RPVGC history books.
But who is Jojo Espino?
Known to most as Jojo—the highly effective Vice President of the “For the Boys” group, celebrated for its high-profile civic projects—he was more than a respected golf enthusiast.
Jojo’s heart found its truest purpose not inside the clubhouse or on the tee box, but under the searing heat of the sun, alongside the people who knew the course best: the caddies.
Despite his demanding duties, Jojo found time, religiously, for the Junior Golf program and the caddies of Palos Verdes.
He wasn’t just a benefactor; he was a silent partner in their dreams. He would organize “Caddie Fun Golf” days and support in every way he could the programs that nurtured junior golfers in Palos Verdes.
Espino proved that true leadership is found in the quiet, consistent act of lighting the path for others. His legacy at Palos Verdes wasn’t marked by his handicap, but by the number of young lives he helped keep on the fairway.
