Stuart Draper is captain of the Section 14 Course Rating Team in Lee county. He has been dedicating his time as an FSGA Course Rater for 11 years, beginning in 2014.
Draper began his journey in course rating while living in Missouri. When the Missouri Golf Association sought women raters, his wife stepped up to volunteer, and Draper joined her,
quickly becoming captivated by the process. After relocating to Florida, he was eager to continue his volunteer efforts in course rating, which led to his involvement with the FSGA.
As captain, Draper has nine team members who rate six to eight courses a year, “We've got a great team in Lee County, probably one of the best in the state,” Draper said.
Draper also shared how the golf landscape has changed over the past several years, “Times have changed you know, golf has to be competitive with other sports these days.” Draper continued, “Course rating is significant because it affects players' handicaps.”
In order to ensure the rating reflects each course accurately, Draper shared, “We typically like to have seven people on a team on a course at a time, at least. Seven gives us three to do fairways, three to do greens, and one that kind of floats.”
Draper emphasizes that much of his success relies on his team, “We've got a great team. It might take us half an hour on the first hole and after that, everybody just sits into their role and that's it. It goes so smoothly. And they're all committed– I mean, they all come almost every time,” Draper shared.
The recognition of Course Rating Volunteer of the Year took Draper by surprise, “ I've gotten dozens of emails from people that I know that have given me congratulations, and that's not something I seek out or am used to. It’s meant a lot.” It’s no secret that Draper has contributed significantly to the golf community, and the game benefits greatly from his passion and hard work.
