Gabby Rangel Moreno was just a kid when she first learned to swing a golf club. “My dad played golf, and he taught me to love and appreciate the game,” the 2016 TLU grad said. “Golf has bonded our relationship and I’m very grateful for that.”

So right from the start, golf was about more than golf to Rangel Moreno—there was an emotional connection, and happy hours spent at the Starcke Park golf course eventually turned into a summer job in the pro shop during Rangel Moreno’s teen years. She was just sixteen when she knew she would find her place professionally in the golf world one day, somehow. 

By the time she arrived at Texas Lutheran University her freshman year, she’d already played golf in both middle and high school in Seguin, and was ready to hit the course for the Bulldogs. But the transition to college came with its share of challenges. “My freshman year at TLU I struggled socially and academically, but I was blessed with resources from the school,” Rangel Moreno said. She worked through those struggles and graduated with a BA in Social Entrepreneurship. “TLU prepared me in areas that I didn’t know I needed!”

By that time, she’d met another TLU student-athlete, CJ Moreno, who played Bulldogs football and graduated in 2018. “We met at TLU, but only as friends,” said Rangel Moreno. “Fast forward six years later, and we met up again via Instagram.” The two just celebrated their seven-month wedding anniversary.

But back to Ragel’s post-grad years. She went to work as an instructor at Top Golf, still conducting junior golf clinics in Seguin. Then in 2017, she became assistant pro at Starcke Park. She stayed in that position until 2022, when she went to work for San Antonio’s First Tee Program.

Up until that point, the Starcke Park golf course had been overseen by two different legendary golf pros: first Biff Alexander; then Aaron Krause. Rangel Moreno had had the honor of working with both of them, and when she heard the news that Krause was planning to retire, she knew it was time to come home. 

She threw her hat into the ring, and sure enough, was hired as the park’s new head golf pro and assistant general manager. She started work on July 21, already setting goals for her tenure with Starcke. “My goal for Starcke is to make sure that the course is a gem, and all want to come play it!” she said. The course has been undergoing renovations since last fall, with plans to reopen this fall. “There are a few holes on the back nine that will be challenging, and I’m excited to see how others strategize their shots,” Rangel Moreno said with a laugh. 

She also has a passion for working with youngsters who want to learn to play golf. “A big focus of mine is to bring the community together with junior golf!” she said. “The junior golfers are the future for Starcke, and that is exciting.”

So Rangel Moreno has come full circle: The little girl out on the course with her dad will return home to the very same course to help others—both children and adults—learn to improve and come to love the game that means so much to her. 

[Photo Credit: Llamar Vasquez Photography]