Taino Golf: How a Father-Son Duo is Creating a Unique Apparel That Represents Their Culture

The Taíno, indigenous people of the Caribbean, were the primary inhabitants of what is now Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and The Bahamas. Their cultural and historical heritage played a significant role in shaping these regions, particularly before the arrival of Europeans in the late 15th century.

The Taíno people, despite the heavy impact of European colonization, left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of the Caribbean and beyond. Their legacy continues to evolve and influence modern culture in many profound ways.

Now, there is a growing movement to recognize and celebrate Taíno heritage and their contributions to Caribbean culture. At the front of the wave? It's Ricky Collado and Taino Golf.

In 2017, I met Ricky and his son Emil. The pair were just getting into golf and found their way into our Little Linksters Youth Academy family as programming participants. Ricky, Emil, and the rest of their family quickly became regular faces in the various programs we offered, and we became fast friends. With a background in education and a passion for golf I hadn't seen in years, I asked Ricky to join our coaching staff at Little Linksters. In 2020, he became Coach Ricky and has been an integral part of Little Linksters ever since.

Ricky was drawn to the game by his son Emil's natural affinity for it. Emil's now a low single-digit handicapper, and Coach Ricky and I have often discussed the exciting prospect of Ricky and Emil pursuing their PGA of America Membership. That's also when Ricky started talking to me about his idea for Taino Golf to honor his heritage, his people and his homeland.

Here's my conversation with him about family, golf and a new clothing brand close to his heart.

Collado: We are a family of four. I was born and raised in New Jersey, finished high school in Florida, and graduated from UF (Go Gators!). My dad's family is from Lajas, Puerto Rico, and my mom's family is from Bogota, Colombia. My wife is from San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, and both of my kids were born here in the United States.

Emil will be a senior in high school this year, and he's the one that got us on the golf train about 7 years ago. I started playing because he saw something in the game. Having a teaching background, I started coaching and running clinics to introduce other kids to the game. Emil loved competition and started competing after only two months of playing. He picked it up quickly, has played competitively, and plays on his high school team. Mom doesn't play but has been a huge supporter. My daughter, Emil's little sister, also plays for fun, especially in terms of the game's social aspect.

Collado: Emil and I have been to the PGA Show in Orlando for the last three years. This last year, Emil started asking about where he fits into the golf world. With such a huge place filled with so many brands and companies, he didn't really feel like there was something that represented who he was: a Latino-American, proud to be of Puerto Rican descent.

We discussed what it means to be a young Latino in the golf world and what would best represent him. He asked about starting something of our own since we had been working to promote other brands. He wondered why we couldn't put all that effort into our own brand. After some discussion, we came up with Taino Golf to represent our Puerto Rican roots. And we thought we would start with focusing on shirts and hats.

Collado: Our mission at Taino Golf is to unite the spirit of golf with the richness of our native Taino culture. We aim to create apparel that embodies the essence of familia and tradición while promoting diversity on the course. This mission is not just a goal, but a source of inspiration for us and hopefully for all those who share our passion for golf and cultural heritage.

Collado: We just did all we could to let people know we exist. We took a week-long trip to Puerto Rico to visit golf courses and meet with folks in the industry there. We have gotten some positive feedback about our pricing, quality and designs. We are in two golf shops, a golf supply store in Puerto Rico, and two golf shops in Florida. We are also working with some organizations to help supply shirts for tournaments and charity events.

The people we met with also are impressed with us doing this as a family venture. They want to support something that promotes diversity and is a small family business.

The movement to recognize and celebrate Taíno heritage is a testament to the enduring spirit of the Taíno people and their profound impact on Caribbean and Latino culture. It represents a broader trend of embracing indigenous roots and advocating for preserving and revitalizing ancient traditions in the modern world.

The Collado family's vision of Taino Golf is also a symbol of celebration and spirit — one that combines a love of culture and the game of golf among Latino golfers in Florida, Puerto Rico, the rest of the Caribbean, and beyond.