Member Spotlight – Rules Official, Player Judy Stine

Judy Stine has been giving back to the game of golf for decades and in 2018, she and her husband, Stephen, were honored by the USGA with the Ike Grainger award for 25 years of service. But she hasn’t slowed down after receiving the accolade, and just this week will be helping to rules officiate a PGA Tour Shriners Hospitals for Children Open pre-qualifier at Boulder Creek. Here’s more about Judy. –By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.

Stine now makes her home in Mesquite–Conestoga is her home course–but previously traveled back and forth between Wyoming and Southern Nevada, returning whenever she and Stephen were needed to officiate an event. She has been a USGA committee member for 28 years in addition to volunteering for the Southern Nevada Golf Association and Women’s Southern Nevada Golf Association. She has officiated the Nevada Open, high school events, college tournaments (most notably for the UNLV men’s and women’s teams), and other events for more than 15 years.

“I enjoy volunteering for the SNGA, WSNGA and USGA,” Stine says. “Becoming a golf rules official is hard work, but after officiating for many years, I like being able to use that expertise. Working for Sue May’s Las Vegas Rules Team has been a very positive experience, and Ann Sunstrum, Tim Brand and the other members of the SNGA have been very welcoming. Working with the USGA and the SNGA has allowed me to meet a lot of different people from all over the country. Since my husband and I are both rules officials, it is something we do together. On long car trips, we find ourselves discussing the rules and the interpretation of them. It makes for interesting conversations.”

As an official, Stine had a front row seat to the recent rules updates. She likes what she sees and appreciates the governing bodies trying to simplify things. The new rules have also been a part of the conversations in the car.

“I will be one of the first people to agree that the Rules of Golf can be complicated, but I feel that the recent changes to the rules have assisted the day-to-day player, making it easier for them to play the game under the rules,” Stine says.

Stine hopes others follow the same path she has and spend time giving back to the game through volunteering.

“There are so many ways to volunteer,” Stine says. “There is always a need for spotters or scorers for tournaments. The Southern Nevada Golf Association is always happy to talk to anyone who would like to give back to the game by volunteering.”

As for on the course, Stine took to golf later in life, but has made up for lost time.

“Golf is a game for a lifetime,” Stine says. “I didn’t take it up until I was 30 and wish I had had the opportunity to play before then. My husband and I play four or five times a week when we aren’t working tournaments and, hopefully, we will be able to play for many years to come.”