Kevin C. Alvin
(June 22, 2012)–Kevin C. Alvin is a Broward County, FL native and enjoyed going to the beach while growing up. Today the San Diego, CA transplant and his wife of 21 years, Anita, share a blissful and loving life together. Although Anita does not play golf she is a strong supporter of his game. Kevin says, “She does make sure that I dress nice when I go to play.”
Kevin’s first experience with golf started when a friend bet him that he could not make the ball go straight. Since then, Kevin can’t seem to stay away from a course. “I have been trying to win that bet every weekend since then,” says the +12 handicapper. “The pursuit of perfection is what I love most about golf. None of us is perfect, but I enjoy being with those who always try to exceed their personal best!”
He spends most of his 3-4 monthly rounds with friends and plays his home course, Chula Vista Municipal in Bonita, CA.
“I do not belong to a golf club organization–as of yet, but I am looking for a fun loving group to join in the San Diego area. I also have not won any tournaments yet, but soon—no matter how many mulligans I have to purchase!” says the father of two.
His son, Marcus (a senior at Menlo College Business school in Silicon Valley) and daughter, Kayla (entering the seventh grade at School of Performing Arts), do play golf together with him, “As long as I pay,” he chuckles. “I guess they are saving their allowances for college and Slurpees.”
“I play a lot with my co-workers, my old Navy buddy and anybody who I stand a chance of winning against,” says the 43-year-old, who joined the Navy right out of high school. He received an honorable discharge and entered straightaway into The National Joint Apprenticeship Training Center for electrical workers. Today he works as a Commercial Industrial Electrician as a certified journeyman and has been with IBEW 569/San Diego for 14 years.
He understands the importance of proper golf training and has taken instruction from African American Golf Hall of Fame Inductee Mr. Gordon Brown.
“After five years of playing, the lessons have taught me that I was doing just about everything wrong. Tempo is a really big challenge for me, because, I have a tendency to rush—even in my golf swing,” says Kevin.
Instructor Brown has a long history of his successfully training methods and continues to work with Kevin on several points to tune his game, as needed.
“Everyday on the course I learn another life lesson. On the green I learn more about myself than I really care to know,” he says. When he has the extra time, Kevin enjoys fishing, hiking, gardening, riding quads and snorkeling. But admits his true passion is fatherhood.
“The lessons I have learned on the golf course are utilized to teach my children and others in my families’ non-profit, FCT BrokenWings. I often tell the youth that life and golf hold this one similarity; that, if we can silence all the voices in our heads and apply the knowledge those voices taught us, we stand a good chance of hitting our target.
For more than six years, Kevin has been helping non-profits by planning golf tournaments that focus on empowering inner-city youth including his own tournaments for FCT BrokenWings. “Yes it is a lot of work, but well worth it when I see the impact we are having in the communities we serve.”
“Today our youth are truly struggling with a sense of belonging. With golf I am able to show them they belong in the fairway. They just need to stay on the right swing path to get there.”
