Born from love of the game
My father, Leonardo "Leo" Zapata, immigrated to the United States from Colombia with a single purpose — to give his children the opportunities he never had. He found his home at Fairmount Country Club in New Jersey, where he managed the men's locker room for nearly 35 years with a pride and dedication that made it one of the finest in the state.
I grew up inside those walls. As a little boy, my father would bring me to the club while my mother went to work cleaning houses. I learned what it meant to take pride in your work, to serve with dignity, and to love the people around you — all before I ever picked up a bag.
At 12, I officially began working alongside my father. I cleaned golf shoes, maintained the locker room, and watched him pour his heart into that place every single day. When I began caddying, something clicked. The game of golf — and the act of looping — became one of the greatest teachers of my life.
"Golf taught me patience, integrity, and the value of showing up. Caddying taught me how to serve people — and how rare it is to truly be seen and appreciated for what you bring."
Through caddying, I earned a NJSGA Caddie Scholarship — a recognition that helped make my college education possible. Coming from humble roots, that scholarship was more than money. It was proof that the work ethic my father modeled could open doors he never had access to himself.
My father passed away in 2022 after a battle with cancer. He gave 35 years of his life to Fairmount — not for recognition, but because he believed that when you love what you do and the people you serve, the work speaks for itself. Loopz is built in his honor.
I still caddie today because I love it. And I built Loopz because I want every young person who walks onto a golf course to have access to the same community, mentorship, and opportunity that changed my life.
"For my father, Leo. You paved a road with your life so your children could walk it. I am walking it — and I will never stop."
— Isaac Zapata, Founder of Loopz